ONTARIO, Ohio – Thanks to the Giving Tree at the Richland Mall, several families in Richland County will celebrate Christmas Day with gifts.
The Giving Tree, which began Nov. 14 at the Richland Mall, is a partnership between the mall, the Salvation Army, the Richland County Children’s Auxiliary, and Volunteers of America.
The idea was established about 15 years ago, according to Richland Mall General Manager Jodi Scott.
“Each of the agencies pre-registers families and then provide the mall with tags to put on the tree in or near center court,” she said. “The tags have information for each child that includes age, clothing sizes and needs, and then likes and dislikes and a couple of toy or gift ideas.”
To participate, customers took one or more tags from the tree and shopped for the corresponding children. They returned the unwrapped gifts and attached tags to the mall by the specified deadline, Scott explained.
More than 120 packages – most containing multiple gifts – were collected and distributed.
Richland County Children’s Auxiliary Executive Director Julie Kleshinski said the auxiliary contributed 20 to 25 tags to the tree.
“We have 930 kids who we are providing Christmas gifts for this year,” she said.
The auxiliary’s Christmas Project assists nearly 1,000 county children by coordinating donors to provide children in need with clothing, toys, and other needs, according to its website. Participants in the project are referred by local social service case workers and supported by several donors.
“We are certainly very grateful for the opportunity to participate with the mall and have all their customers support us by taking tags,” Kleshinski said.
As part of its Angel Tree program, the Salvation Army of Mansfield gave 100 tags to the Giving Tree, according to Mansfield Salvation Army Case Worker and Office manager Tammy Hunter.
The Angel Tree program is designed to benefit children 12 years old or younger.
“There were only four or six tags that didn’t get picked,” said Hunter, who picked up the remaining tags and gifts from the mall Sunday. “We had a really good response.”
Hunter said the Salvation Army also gave several other Angel Tree tags out to other locations in the area. The Salvation Army distributed its Angel Tree donations Thursday and Friday.
“I think that the giving this year is greater,” she said. “I believe we probably had more tags come back last year.”
The Salvation Army supplies gifts for children who don’t have their name chosen in the Angel Tree program, assuring every child in the program receives something, Hunter added.
“Thank you to everybody who donated – no matter how big or small – every little toy that is purchased or donated matters,” Hunter said. “We’re so thankful for everything that the residents of the county are helping the Salvation Army with.”
