Despite COVID-19 restrictions, NAS Kingsville personnel donated to a record number of Salvation Army ‘Angels’ this year.
Command Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas Alander said people affiliated with the base adopted 78 angels this year, representing about 50 different needy families.
Donations totaled 500 gifts, including 10 bicycles and 20 scooters.
Chapel staff and assistants delivered the gifts Dec. 8 to the Salvation Army collection center in Corpus Christi. The donations filled three vans and a pickup.
The crew included Alander and his wife, Sally; Emily Railey; MM2 Alejandro Martinez; RP2 Blayze Artis; FC1 Joshua Sharpe and ET2 Matthew Watson.
This was the third year NASK has collected for angels. The first year covered 40; 2019 there were 50 angels.
The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program provides new clothing and toys for children of families in need.
Angel Trees are decorated with numbered paper angel tags with the first name, age and gender of the child in need of gifts.
Donors take an angel from the tree and purchase an appropriate gift or gifts for that child.