Daring to Bring Dreams to Life

Dreams of a floor covered in brightly wrapped gifts spilling out from under a twinkling Christmas tree fill many children’s waking and sleeping moments this time of year. Their imaginations run wild as to what will be revealed when they rip the paper from the packages…

But several children in the Union area may not even dare dream this childhood fantasy.

And that is where the local Angel Tree program steps in…to bring a small portion of this dream to life for Union children who may not receive any Christmas gifts otherwise.

The Angel Tree at the United Bank of Union location on Main Street.

 Sponsored by area clubs and businesses, the Angel Tree gives each child in the program three gifts as well as a ham to each family. The children are referred to the program by a very reliable source, according to Aaron Hall, the program’s organizer. The Angel Tree does not accept applications, but all children and families reside in the Union School District.

How can you participate in the program? Simply…

• Pick up an angel at any of the three United Bank of Union locations.
• Purchase a gift for the child on the angel – age, clothing sizes, and interests are listed on the angel.
• Return your wrapped gift, with the angel attached to it, to any United Bank of Union location by December 14^th.

A few of the angels that are waiting for you.

Then, Santa and his elves deliver the gifts. Kiwanis members dress up as Santa Claus and Union High School Key Clubbers as elves, and the organizers deliver the dreams and fulfill a bit of the Christmas fantasy.

According to Hall, the Angel Tree program serves an average of 40 families and 120 kids each year. Hall does not know when the program began. A similar program, the Giving Tree, is in its 15^th year at Central Elementary and Clark-Vitt Elementary. Students there have the opportunity to choose angels at school to purchase Christmas gifts for.

Sponsors of the Angel Tree program include United Bank of Union, Middle School National Junior Honor Society, Union High School Key Club, Strubberg Accounting, Union Kiwanis Club, Ameren UE, and Dollar General.

The United Bank of Union locations are:

15 E. Main in downtown Union

Monday - Thursday 8 A.M. - 3 P.M.

Friday 8 A.M. - 6 P.M.

Saturday 8 A.M. - 12 Noon

1440 Rebel Road, next to Wal-Mart, lobby hours of 9 am to 7 pm

Monday - Friday 9 A.M. - 7 P.M.

Saturday 8 A.M. - 2 P.M.

210 West Hwy. 50, across from Sonic, lobby hours of 9 am to 6 pm

Monday - Friday 8 A.M. - 6 P.M.

Saturday 8 A.M. - 12 Noon

Stop by today to choose your angel to bless with a gift. The price of the gift is whatever you are comfortable spending. If you are able, don’t hesitate to pick up more than one angel to shop for this year…you will be glad you did!

The angels we picked up today.