Angel Tree Gives Holiday Gifts to Those In Need Published Nov. 13, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Todd Wivell 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Pope members have recently shown how generous they can be as the Combined Federal Campaign ended with Pope reaching more than $70,000 above its goal of $110,000. Members were asked to give to local, national and international organizations abound, now it is time to give back to Pope and those members who need the help during the upcoming holiday season. The Pope Chapel is once again hosting its "Angel Tree" program. This program assists Team Pope families and is intended to reach out to the children of the base. It has been found that those needing the most assistance during the holidays usually fall into the following categories: Staff sergeant and below in rank, Airmen with financial difficulties, separated families, large families with four children or more, single-parent families, families with special need children and also case by case situations. The purpose of the Angel Tree is to assist these families. Last year, our Pope community bought, wrapped and presented more than 800 presents during the holiday season to children of Pope's finest Airmen. More than 450 children benefited from this program. The process for this program has already begun as first sergeants and supervisors were given informational forms for designated children within their squadrons. The Chapel team has started compiling the requests and will make two angels per child; one angel is for clothing and the other is for toys. The angels will then be placed upon a tree at the Pope Chapel. The Angel tree will be placed in the lobby of the Pope Chapel and starting today angels will be available to the public. Simply come pick off an angel or two from the tree, purchase and wrap your presents and then return them with the angel attached to the Pope Chapel by no later than Dec. 10. The gifts will then be sorted and made available for pick up by Dec. 17. "The members of the Pope Chapel are privileged to be the catalyst for bringing smiles to children's faces," said Chaplain Kenneth Reyes, 43rd Airlift Wing Chaplain. "We can only succeed with your help in identifying those who have a real need this holiday season. On behalf of the children, we thank you for your help in the past and look forward to your help this holiday season." For more information on this program, contact Chaplain Jason Botts at jason.botts@amc.af.mil or Leighann Cano at leighann.cano2@us.army.mil or call 394-2677.