by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Every year, a Christmas tree is decorated in the atrium at City Hall. Most years, a few empty but wrapped boxes are part of the traditional decoration plan, but this year the gifts were real and destined to make a happier holiday for about 200 of the area’s deserving children.
Coordinated by the JaxCares City Employee Volunteer Team, toys, electronics, clothing and shoes, plus 50 stockings and more than 50 bicycles, were donated by employees in all City departments and constitutional offices to the Salvation Army’s “Adopt an Angel” program.
Mayor John Peyton and Maj. Dean Hinson, Salvation Army Northeast Florida area commander, were at City Hall Friday to thank the employees for their contributions.
The gifts were then loaded into trucks, bucket brigade-style with assistance from Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, and taken to a warehouse to join other gifts that will be delivered to more than 7,000 children and their families on Christmas Eve.
“You won’t hear the ‘thank yous’ on Christmas morning, so I wanted to come here and say ‘thank you,’” said Hinson.
“So many people have donated gifts for people they don’t even know. That’s what we need in this city and in this country. It’s what it takes to get through hard times,” said Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Division Chief of Administrative Services Larry Peterson.
356-2466