By Summer McCann
The Marriott School”s Management Society is participating in a Christmas program in an effort to help needy individuals of Utah County.
The club is sponsoring an Angel Tree on the first floor of the Tanner Building, as part of the United Way”s Sub for Santa program.
“We wanted to provide students with an easy way to serve and give to others, especially at this time of year,” said Kendra Wirig, graduate president of the Management Society.
The tree is decorated with ornaments containing the names of 60 different children and their Christmas wishes, Wirig said.
Students pick an ornament, purchase a gift for the child and return it unwrapped to the Angel Tree, she said.
“I bought an outfit for a newborn baby boy. It was so fun and easy, I will probably end up doing another one,” said Emily Olson, a second year MBA student.
Along with the tree in the Tanner Building, are Angel Trees located in various Meier and Frank department stores throughout Utah.
The Angel Tree, as part of the United Way program, is designed to provide holiday help to local needy families, said Nicole, an Angel Tree coordinator for the United Way, who wishes to remain anonymous.
In order for people to have family member”s names put on an Angel Tree, applicants must be approved and selected by a special volunteer panel, Nicole said.
“It”s important that we are helping the people who need it most,” she said.
The program also encourages self-sufficiency by requiring families to attend money-management classes.
“The goal is to teach families how to manage their money and deal with expenses so they will be able to provide Christmas for their families in the future,” Nicole said.
The Angel Trees not only contain the names of children from needy families, but also the names of “golden angels.”
“Golden angels” are teenagers or elderly individuals from local residential, transitional or youth facilities, Nicole said.
“We want to encourage people to take these names off the tree. Often times this is the only Christmas they have coming to them,” she said.
The Management Society will be accepting gifts for the Angel Tree until Dec. 7. The gifts will be delivered the following week, Wirig said.
Donations will be accepted at Meier and Frank locations until Dec. 15.
“We have all been so blessed, this is a chance to help those who are less fortunate,” Olson said.
