WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV (WOAY) – An idea first thought up by the Justice family, the “Dream Tree for Kids” distribution drive was held at the Greenbrier Resort for its 12th year.
It’s a campaign that donates over $1 million in toys to local and nationwide charities. The effort was started to ensure that all children have at least one present to unwrap come Christmas morning.
“The team members here at the Greenbrier really look forward to this every year, because it’s a long day, a lot of work is involved in it, but it’s also a rewarding day because you know that, in the end, when the presents are delivered, it’s going to make a child happy on Christmas morning,” says the Director of Public Relations at the Greenbrier Resort, Cam Huffman.
After the tree, composed of thousands of presents, was disassembled last Wednesday morning, all of the organizations that were a part of the campaign came by to pick them up throughout the day. They would be delivering the gifts to families across the state and beyond.
The South East Seven Day Adventist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Ethan Temple Adventist Church in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania were just two of the organizations that have been a part of the campaign for several years.
Each year, they send out teams to help wrap the presents and load them up to be sent off to their various destinations. Jack McCrary, one of the team members with the churches, says it’s a joy to see the presents be delivered.
“Oh, it is amazing, to see children’s eyes just brighten up and everything, and families being blessed who otherwise wouldn’t have anything to supply their children with,” McCrary says.
All of the gifts and proceeds from the Dream Tree campaign will go straight to bringing children in need toys on Christmas.
This year, a little over 60,000 toys would be distributed to more than 125 different organizations.
