Daisy Vargas of Aurora has five boys who are going to have a better Christmas this year, thanks to the generosity of area residents and the Salvation Army.
“I need some help. I sure do,” she said Thursday morning during a toy giveaway event for families in need at the Salvation Army Aurora Corps Community Center at 550 Redwood Drive in Aurora. “This is the first time I’ve come to the toy giveaway and it’s going to give us a nice Christmas. I found out about this from my neighbor, and she told me to sign my family up. I feel happy because the boys are going to get something.”
The Christmas season for many youngsters and their families will be brighter this year, thanks to the efforts of the Salvation Army North and Central Illinois Division, which offered its annual Angel Tree toy distribution throughout the Chicago area this week.
Kristin Williamson, who works in communications for the Salvation Army, said the giveaway program has been going on in northern Illinois “since the early ’80s.”
“They started at different times at different locations and today within Chicagoland, about 25,000 children are provided gifts each year,” she said. “The Salvation Army, in general, focuses on the unique opportunities that a particular location serves, but nationwide, the Angel Tree program is part of the Christmas campaign. It ensures families that are facing challenges such as figuring out how to pay increases in electric bills during winter or just the strain of economic challenges can still provide children with gifts under the tree and experience the magic of Christmas.”
Salvation Army Major Corps Officer Joaquin Rangel, who oversees the Aurora Salvation Army center, said the toy giveaway is a special event.
“This is an opportunity to make a difference for the kids as well as the whole family, as parents have to sometimes make the decision to buy food or gifts,” he said. “When we offer this for the children, it’s a blessing for the whole family.”
Rangel said the drive to collect toys for the event was a huge success this Christmas season.
“We have enough to supply toys for all the kids,” he said about donations for the giveaway. “Even though we have a waiting list, they are just waiting to be approved. Every kid – even up to Dec. 24 – they will have something for Christmas. I’m so thankful to the community for the program that we have.”
Rangel was out directing traffic Thursday morning outside the Aurora Salvation Army center as rows of cars stretched in front and around the building as well as winding around for several blocks during the toy giveaway. He expected about 700 families to take part in the event.
“This is the high point of the season. It’s so wonderful to see this,” he said after directing a car to the rear of the building.
Volunteer Laura Rios of Aurora was busy checking in families and said she has worked at the Salvation Army center the past three years.
“I’ve done this before and, for me, it’s so satisfying to see the smiles of those who have come and probably don’t have the money to do this for their own kids,” she said. “This is a little help and it’s very satisfying to see we can put a smile on their faces.”
Kimberly Seamon of Aurora said she has five children ages 22 to 6 years old and while the oldest wasn’t getting gifts, “the other four are getting something.”
“I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have this,” Seamon said as Rios checked her in to the event on Thursday. “Honestly, I have no idea. I might have to tell the kids Christmas was coming late or Santa is running behind until the next pay period or the next time we have money to get the gifts. This is the time for blessings and we’ve received one.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
