Times are tough all around this holiday season, and people aren’t necessarily as eager to open up their wallets as they have been in past years.
Nevertheless, Kim Puorto called on her fellow Union College employees to participate in what’s become an annual tradition of campus kindness and giving.
“We have been participating in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program for about 15 years,” said Puorto, administrative assistant in the Dean of Students Office. “I was told we used to adopt a family, but found that we could impact more of the Schenectady community with Angel Tree.”
The purpose of Angel Tree is to bring clothing or toys to area children in need. As a participant in the program, Union asks the Salvation Army for “Angel tags” bearing the names of deserving children – and toys they would like to receive – each year.
With the economic climate the way it is this year, however, Puorto’s initial order of “Angel tags,” 80, was smaller than the usual 100 tags.
“I thought there wouldn’t be as much interest,” Puorto said. “As it turned out, I actually had to order more. We ended up making our usual 100-tag mark.”
Puorto is pleased that members of the campus community supported Angel Tree with so much enthusiasm, though she’s not surprised.
“The people who work on campus are very generous,” she said. “It’s hard to give with the economy the way it is now, but they always come through. Union always comes through.”
Puorto will continue to accept gifts that meet the program’s parameters until the end of the day Tuesday, Dec. 9. The Salvation Army will collect the toys later this week for distribution.
Donated items, which must be new, should cost no more than $10. After purchase, the gifts should be delivered to the Dean of Students Office unwrapped, with only the “Angel tags” taped to the items.
The Dean of Students Office is located in Room 306 of Reamer Campus Center. For more information, e-mail Puorto at puortok@union.edu.