Volunteers distribute Angel Tree gifts for area families
A collection of people gathered inside Midway Church on Monday to do some angelic work.
The volunteers were distributing the Angel Tree gifts donated through the work of the Shepherd's Storehouse and the Pilot Point ISD schools.
'It's just awesome to see how many people are so generous, especially this year because we had so many,' said Midway's preschool director Leigh Ann Hill. 'I was worried about getting that many adopted, but everybody stepped up.'
There were more than 350 children in the area served this year.
Seeing the presents that were donated also brought joy to Hill's heart.
'Just to see what comes back in these bags and how full they are, it's just super awesome to see how God provided for all of this,' she said.
The distribution switched to Midway from the Mustang Baptist Church in 2020, which means there is a larger space for the presents to be laid out and picked up from.
'It's great to see how many hands it takes to get it all done, because you can't do it all by yourself,' Hill said.
Tona VanHook-Drees, whose family has organized the Angel Tree distribution for years, loves being able to continue that tradition of service taught to her by her parents G.A. and Lois Ann Moore.
'We love doing it,' VanHook-Drees said. 'We love being behind the scenes and just helping out at Christmas and making sure all the kids, the boys and girls, are going to get good stuff that they want and need.'
She said she is also always happy to help Shepherd's Storehouse Founder Luther Slay with any project, as he was her pastor as a kid.
'I'll do anything to help him and the people he loves and this community,' VanHook-Drees said.
Nyckie and Hayden Nelson, who moved to Texas this year from Colorado, brought their daughter, Sohvi Nelson, with them to volunteer.
'It's not about what you get for Christmas; it's what you can do for your community,' she said.
