ANGEL TREE HELPERS — Helping wrap Angel Tree gifts Monday night are the Rev. Carolyn McCray, Mary Nichols and Shelley Williams.

Angel Tree needs funding; limits children for first time

For a number of years, Cora’s Charities Angel Tree has been a ray of hope for the less fortunate children in Alleghany County.

The project, that has offered gifts to children from birth to 12 years old, will be limited to 125 children this year for the first time, according to the charity’s namesake and founder, Cora Neville.

“We do not want to accept more than this projected amount because if the organization fell short of the public’s expectations, disappointment would arise,” explained Neville. “We do not want to bring disappointment to your families at Christmas time, for Christmas is a time of happiness.”

She also stated, “Please do not apply for a child that is registered in a different program so we can fulfill the needs of another child who does not qualify for other programs.”

Neville said in the past, the charity had received an excessive amount of response from needy families wishing to take part in the event, resulting in the organization not being able to fill all of the necessary needs.

New Directions Youth Ministries has partnered up with the organization, according to Cora’s Charities Vice President the Rev. Pamela Caudill.

“We are merging with Cora’s Charities to help strengthen her ministry by bringing our youth and sister ministry (Sister-2-Sister and Club 121, ministries of New Directions Ministries, Sparta School cheerleaders and Boy Scout Pack 208) together to get enough laborers to get the gifts wrapped,” Caudill said. The merging of the two ministries came after Caudill stated she saw Cora’s husband, Tom, “almost have a heart attack” when moving gifts at the Emerson Black Exhibition Building last year.

“At that time, I told Cora I would try to take the project over myself because I’m younger than her and have the gifts and the calling to work with children as well.”

The gifts are currently being wrapped and housed at the New Direction Youth Ministry building until they are transported to the Emerson Black Exhibition Building for distribution on Dec. 10. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 2 p.m..

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