More kids need help this year

his holiday season will be rougher than perhaps ever before, with the “economic crisis” to blame.

By JOSH NEWTON

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — Kid Connections, Help-In-Crisis and the Cherokee Nation want to prevent the growing economic woes from claiming children as victims this Christmas season.

It’s a big task, officials say, and it can’t be accomplished without the public’s help.

“This year, more than any other year, because of the economic crisis, the need for the community to help us is great,” said Kid Connections Director Regina Martin.

The Angel Tree project is a partnership among local groups to make sure children don’t go without gifts this holiday season. Through an application process, and partnering with Cherokee Nation and HIC, Martin and Kid Connections Event Coordinator Sarah Grimes-Troutt put up for adoption as many angels as possible to businesses, churches and other entities.

Cherokee Nation takes on “angels” who are tribal members in its 14-county jurisdiction; HIC helps its clients; and Kid Connections takes the remaining needs and disperses them out to other willing hosts.

“And these places still need their congregations’ help, the public’s help,” said Martin. “Right now, after we have adopted out all we can adopt out, the tree at Wal-Mart has 368 angels. That’s almost double from last year, and that’s just one tree.”

With hard times around the nation, Martin said it’s hitting home like she’s never before seen.

“We are seeing people this year who have never been on the tree before,” said Martin.

Grimes-Troutt said the public can help local children by visiting one of the numerous trees in Tahlequah, selecting an angel, and shopping for a gift for that child. The cards on the trees give ages, important clothing sizes and other information, like what kind of toy that particular child would like to have for Christmas.

“It might say, this particular child might like Dora [the Explorer],” said Grimes-Troutt.

Shoppers can purchase gifts for the child or children selected from the tree and return them to the Angel Tree location unwrapped.

“We need to be able to see the gift,” said Grimes-Troutt. “It’s really a matter of safety.”

Angel Tree tags will be attached to the proper gift, and be sent to Kid Connections, where the staff will work to organize them and eventually contact parents to pick up the gift. Those on the tree range in age up to 18, and some haven’t been born yet.

“We took some [applications] for babies who will be born in December, around Christmas,” said Grimes-Troutt. “They’ll need things, too, like blankets and such.”

Margaret Cook, home visitation coordinator for HIC, says the public is helping children in need, not necessarily the entities hosting an Angel Tree.

“We just stepped in the gap to help fill a need,” said Cook. “It’s not about us; it’s about the people. I know it’s hard on all of us, but think about how much worse it is for those who have less than we do. The bottom line is, it’s about the kids. They don’t have a say in how things go; they aren’t the ones making those [financial] decisions. It’s time to step up and help those in a worse situation than we are in.”

Several new locations will host Angel Trees this year, according to Grimes-Troutt. Also, Walgreens and Drug Warehouse will have Christmas boxes available where customers can drop off toys until about Dec. 18. The Tahlequah Fire Department will pick the toys up and deliver them to Kid Connections, and the toys will help fill in the gaps if angels remain on trees before Christmas.

A silent basket auction will be held in conjunction with the Tahlequah Christmas parade on Dec. 12. Money from the auction will also help fund needs of local children. Items are being sought from locals businesses to fill the baskets, and can be dropped off at the Kid Connections office.

You can help

For details on Angel Tree locations, call Kid Connections Inc. at (918) 456-3032. To learn more about Help-In-Crisis tree locations, call (918) 456-0673; or on Cherokee Nation’s tree, call (918) 453-5000, ext. 7720. Locations listed so far include Wal-Mart, Redmen Office Supply, Tulsa Teachers Credit Union, Cherokee Nation complex front lobby, Dr. Tracey Childers’ office, Movie Gallery, Oasis Health Food, Tahlequah Lumber Co., Kid Connections, Tahlequah City Hospital, Armstrong Bank, Tahlequah Presbyterian Church, Arvest Bank, Stage Department Store, First United Methodist Church, Northeastern State University, Dollar Rent-a-Car, BancFirst and Bank of Cherokee County.