Origins of the Angel Tree
We based this charity off of the one in our hometown. (There are many of them across the US with different purposes and backgrounds) Ours was created to help low income families to provide gifts for children at christmas time. This is how it basically goes:
- Local families sign up with "Central Services" (An organization dedicated to helping families with food, clothing, bills, and other necessities) to recieve food baskets and for their children to be included in "The Angel Tree".
The children make out a "wishlist" of toys they would like to recieve.
Submissions are reviewed and if they are decided to be within a reasonable range (we can't buy every kid an X-box) they are made into a card format and placed on a large Christmas tree in the middle of our mall.
Anyone can grant a wish. To do so, simply select a card off of the tree and buy the specific toy or toys listed. Upon selecting a card, the card number is written down and you sign your name beside it pledging that you will fulfill this wish.
After you have bought the toys, you take them back to the volunteers at the tree and they verify that you have fulfilled your pledge. The card is then "officially" removed from the tree and the toys are put in a box to be taken back to central services and wrapped.
The gifts available for the parents to pick up about a week before Christmas.
The Gaian Angel Tree
In 2004, we decided to start a Gaian Angel Tree. The purpose of this was to help users buy store items that they wanted but could not afford at the time. (Maybe they were questing for something and could not spare any gold for the new items or they were new users who could not afford to buy anything cool for their avatar.)
This year, the Angel Tree is sponsored by the L.E.G and L.E.G. Event Guilds.
