As its December service activity, the W Club is teaming up with the Salvation Army for the Angel Tree program to provide gifts to local children in need.

The W Club was developed almost a century ago as a prestigious honors organization for women with outstanding Christian character, high academic standing, and who demonstrate abilities in leadership and service, according to the club’s website.

“The W Club is dedicated to ‘building community and acting in service to others,'” said Rachel Melton, W Club president and senior biology major from Hutto.

At least once a month, the club partakes in service projects like Socktober, canned food drives, and donations to the Hendrick Home for Children. For the month of December, the group chose the Angel Tree.

“The Angel Tree is a perfect addition to our usual letters to the seniors at University Place for our December project,” said Melton, “Last year, we saw the Angel Tree at the mall and decided to ‘adopt’ two angels, so this year we planned to do the same.”

The Angel Tree is a fundraising program established by the Salvation Army to provide Christmas gifts for children in communities throughout the United States. The Salvation Army contacts children in need in participating areas. The organization then has participants fill out a form providing information such as their age, gender, clothing size, favorite colors and items or toys that they want or need.

The child is later given a number that is written on an ornament for potential participants.

“When we heard that Treadaway Kids was forming an Angel Tree this year, we got excited and made sure to set aside extra money to be able to ‘adopt’ even more angels,” said Melton.

The W Club had to achieve a donation minimum by Wednesday for each angel its members adopted. With donations from the club’s 145 members and more outside sources, the club was able to adopt five girls ranging from 8-14 years old.