Employees, military members and contractors at Defense Supply Center Richmond for the second consecutive year adopted a record number of Angels as part of DLA Aviation?s Annual Angel Tree program.
The 150 Angels adopted this year shattered last year?s record of 118. The Angels came from DLA Aviation?s four partnership schools: Meadowbrook High School, and Bensley, Bellwood and G.H. Reid Elementary Schools. School officials, including guidance counselors and family services providers, chose students for the program based on a variety of factors, primarily financial need.
?I volunteered this year for the Angel Tree Program to witness the outpouring of love, giving spirit and support from the many dedicated heroes we have here at DLA Aviation,? said Sandra Cousin work force specialist with DLA Training Center. ?To see the same generous people come back this year to do it all over again excites me and make me want to do something for them ? share the excitement.?
What stood out about this year?s Angel Tree Program to Cousin was the record number of Angels adopted by the people working at DSCR. ?Having more DLA Aviation personnel desire to be a blessing really stood out to me Cousin said. ?Public Affairs had to keep going back to the schools and get more angels to fill request from the DLA family. Way to go!?
?This is really amazing,? said Michael Riley family service provider and special education teacher at Bensley Elementary School. ?I did it for the first time last year and these guys pulled up in the truck and it?s like Boom! Boom! Boom! I mean this is great. We do a lot with the faculty but you guys are the best.
?This absolutely has an impact on our families. We have people who start to ask about this in the beginning of the year,? Riley explained. ?The best thing last year was one of the kids you guys adopted came in and said ?Mr. Riley I?m new? because she had new cloths. It?s truly amazing!?
?This is a huge thing! We?ve seen an increase by about 50 percent, because of the economy, in the number of parents requesting help,? emphasized Amy Bartilotti Bellwood Elementary School?s communities and school site coordinator. ?In years before parents who would bring things and donate things are people in need now. This just takes a big stress off our families to be able to have this and to know DSCR calls and says they want 20 Angels and by the end of the Christmas season you guys are bringing gifts for 47 Angels. I just love you guys. You take very good care of us?from school supplies all the way down to this, to anything we need like volunteers and mentors. We are very blessed.?
Martha Everett DLA Aviation Program Analyst, said it?s the support of the employees here on center that wanted to give a child or children a special Christmas that stood out to her this year.
?I have always given back to the families of Bensley that were going thru hard times,? Everett said. ?When I was a Girl Scout, and in the Ladies Auxiliary of the Bensley Volunteer Fire Department, we always gave to a family from the Bensley area at Christmas time. It feels good to give back, especially in the community and at the school that I attended growing up.?
Once again DLA employees at DSCR gave children at DLA Aviation?s four partnership schools new clothing, bicycles, books, toys, video games and a few of the Meadowbrook High School children got cell phones and CD players, DVD?s, gift certificates and movie passes. More than 200 employees participated in the program this year.
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