Annual Angel Tree a huge success

WARWICK — Mission accomplished.

There is one popular feature of the annual celebration of Warwick's Home for the Holidays that always deserves more attention than usual in a slow economy and period of high unemployment.

Each angel on the traditional Angel Tree, placed between Akin's Drug Store and Newhard's Gift Shop, identifies a child by age and gender. And needy seniors are also included.

The object is to pick out an "angel," purchase a small gift and drop it off at Track 7 Postal Center, 5 First St.

The donated gifts are then distributed to local area children and seniors selected by the Warwick Ecumenical Council's Food Pantry. Donations of cash and non-perishable food items are also encouraged.

Each year Ken and Angel Tree Chair Betsy Mitchell, owners of Track 7 Postal Center, collect pounds of food and raise dollars for the Ecumenical Council's Food Pantry located at the United Methodist Church on 17A and Forester Avenue.

"This was our eighth turn-out and it was an unbelievable success," said Betsy Mitchell. "In addition to numerous Angel Tree gifts, we collected a huge amount of non-perishable foods and almost $3,000 in cash for the Food Pantry. We are very grateful to the people of Warwick for their generosity."

The Track 7 collection of food and cash donations for the Ecumenical Council's Food Pantry will continue throughout 2014.

Track 7 offers packing; US Postal services, mail box rentals, passport photos, copies and is an authorized shipping center for Federal Express and DHL.

For additional information call 544-1810.

- Roger Gavan