the Informer

BRIAN IZZO

The director of the Community Service Center located in GSU, Matt Blocker, has teamed up with Dr. Donald Jones, Alpha Chi Sorority and the Honors Residential Learning Center (RLC) to create the Angel Tree Project in which it gathers Christmas wishes from under privileged children and gives them a little something special for the holidays.

“They just want modest gifts”, said Jones, Professor of Rhetoric and Professional Writing and coordinator for the honors program, “Maybe they don’t think their families can provide for them, but we try our best to always give back to those who are less fortunate.”

The Angel Tree, which is located in the Suisman Lounge in the Gengras Student Union, was decorated by the Honors RLC, Alpha Chi, and others from the Community Service Center. The tree is decorated with angel shaped papers that has an item that a child requested for on it.

A lot of the kids that the Angel Tree Project will be giving back to are from the Village that is located in West Hartford. The children that go to this place come from families with developmental difficulties, troubled, and/or economic issues.

Some of the kids asked for things such as MP3 players, however there are some that would be satisfied with even the simplest of gifts.

“One little girl asked for a watch, another little boy asked for a basketball,” Jones said as he showed the angels with the wishes from the children.

Jones is the program coordinator for the Honors RLC located in Hawk Hall and also the head of Alpha Chi, which consists of 24 juniors and seniors that are highly active in community service. Jones said that they raised $144 in donations last month to help with the Angel Tree Project. Also, Alpha Chi participates in other charitable events such as food drives, hikes, and other ways to help the community.

Jones said that “there are so many great charity events that go on on campus.  We need more ways to the word out about giving back.”

The Angel Tree Project started in late November and the last opportunity to drop off gifts is Monday, Dec. 12.

The Angel Tree Project was started by Blocker, who makes sure that the community is being helped here at the University. This project among other activities such as food drives and other ways to give back, are the busiest around the holiday season.

Jones and other faculty members strongly encourage our students to get involved in some type of community service and help those who are less fortunate. With the Angel Tree Project going on, the University just might make one little kid’s holidays a little more special.

“It makes us realized how fortunate we are,” said Jones, “it’s a great way to give back.”