TULSA -- The Salvation Army still needs more than 4,000 Angel Tree gifts to be returned before Christmas. Meanwhile, the number of Angels needing to be adopted is growing.
In her hand, Margaret Been holds a Christmas wish.
“I love to shop,” Been, a volunteer, said.
Each item she handles is carefully crafted by the mind of a child, dreaming of a wonderful Christmas.
“It just touches my heart,” she said. “And getting to pick out the things they want is kind of a treat."
The Salvation Army, turned Santa's workshop, is buzzing with volunteers to give children in need a Christmas they won't forget.
“What this does for families, those who have lost their hope, it gives them something to hold on to,” Captain Ken Chapman, said.
Each Angel Tree recipient receives a bag full of gifts, specific to their wish. However, there are still 4,362 Angels who still have not received their bag. Unfortunately, distribution is on Saturday, Dec. 16.
“That's 50 percent of what we are giving out has not been returned yet,” Cpt. Chapman said. “People are well meaning, they take a tag off the tree, put it in their jacket pocket and forget about it."
Not only are people behind on returning gifts, but several businesses brought Angels back last week. Now, 285 angels are in need of gifts, but the Salvation Army isn't giving up on the community just yet.
Although it may be crunch time, the non-profit is combing through thousands of toys collected at toy drives to give gifts to the “Forgotten Angels."
“And if we have to end up buying some more to fill it, we'll do that too,” Cpt. Chapman said.
The Salvation Army said right now it's "toy shop" does not have the toys necessary to fulfill all of the Forgotten Angels. It wants to remind those who have adopted an Angel to make sure to return the gifts at any of the Salvation Army collecting locations before Dec. 16. Those can be found at either Promenade or Woodland Hills Mall, any Mattress Firm location, several US Cellular locations and Lolly Garden in Utica Square.
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