Community rallies for Christmas Castle and Angel Tree programs
COSHOCTON − Many Coshocton families are grateful to the community for pitching in as they have for years with the annual Christmas Castle and Angel Tree programs through the Coshocton Salvation Army.
Shopping recently took place at Coshocton Walmart. Each child in the Christmas Castle received $75 to buy hats, boots, coats, gloves, sweaters, pants and more. The program is open for those from kindergarten to those who graduated high school this year. The Angel Tree is for those from birth to age 5, and those children received $50.
Funding − $51,500 − for the 704 children in more than 300 families was raised via a pledge drive on WTNS Radio. This number was down slightly from 734 youth in 2021. Any leftover funding will be used for emergency situations and possible extra clothing throughout the winter, said Maj. Vicki Clark.
"We could never meet the needs of our community, of what our families need, without the support of our community," Clark said.
Clark said there seemed to be more middle-class families in need this year, even though both parents might have jobs. There's a gap in making ends meet, and, without the Christmas Castle many, children would not have warm winter clothes or presents for Christmas because of money being need for other things, she added.
Each family in the Christmas Castle and Angel Tree programs also received a voucher for Buehler's Fresh Foods to buy food for a Christmas meal. Those without children were able to pickup a food box from the Salvation Army and a gift certificate for meat. That was another 135 families.
Clark said the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how they do some things, such as the food boxes. Volunteers also used to shop with the kids, but parents started going with them or shopping on their own in 2020. Clark said those shopping without their children will often use the clothes as extra Christmas presents.
"It helps them maximize the purchases and minimize the possibility of exchanges and wrong items," Clark said on the change.
Terry Mercer was shopping with her grandchildren Noah Arnold, 15, and Bella Arnold, 9. The children and their mother live with Mercer and they try to get by on $800 a month. Noah was looking for new shoes and Bella needed a coat.
"Without this the kids wouldn't have winter clothes," Mercer said of the program. "It's a great blessing and it's helped many families. I know a lot of kids would go without without this."
Jennifer Dawson was shopping with her children, Traytan Barrick, 11, and Arissa Barrick, 12. It was their first year participating in the Christmas Castle.
"The community just comes together and helps everybody," Dawson said. "It's important for the community because these days people can't afford things half the time."
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with close to 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Community rallies for Christmas Castle and Angel Tree programs
