ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and Christmas’s sights and sounds can be seen and heard in many places.
For a few years now, one of the holiday sights has been that of an angel tree to purchase gifts for community members put on by USD 483 in Kismet and Plains.
The angel tree is back for this year, and co-coordinator Norma Sanchez said registrations for this year’s tree can be done online in addition to in person.
“There is an e-mail account they need to go to request a registration form,” she said. “That e-mail is
Sanchez said there are a few things that will not be accepted for the angel trees, but many others will.
“We don’t accept guns, drones, things of violent nature, things of inappropriate nature,” she said. “What we really welcome is socks and underwear of all sizes. Toys are super welcome, anything warm, we certainly always use. When it comes to gaming, those aren’t the things we’re looking for.”
Sanchez said planners are asking participants to keep gifts around the range of $40, which she said is not much, but it can certainly help with some of a family’s needs.
“If an individual said their biggest needs are a warm outfit, they prefer they get that warm outfit before they get something else that’s maybe pricier,” she said. “We try to tell people to keep them between $40 and $50. Our public’s been amazing and respectful of that. I don’t think we’ve ever had problems with that.”
Sanchez said while needs are the primary focus of the angel tree, wants are taken into account as well.
“If you’re really into LEGOS and that’s what you want, we try to make sure those wants are thought of as we shop,” she said. “It makes it easy for the shopper to have things listed. Hardly ever does a kid put down they want LEGOS, and they get a toy horse. That’s not how our public responds. Our public’s been really good about knowing kids know what they want.”
Sanchez said needs in the USD 483 school district are about the same as they have been in recent years.
“I wouldn’t say it’s an increase or a decrease,” she said. “Food costs are certainly high, so our food pantry has really been busy, and that’s been for the last two years. The biggest impact our area’s seen is cost of food, the use of our local food pantry.”
Sanchez said there are housing struggles as well in Plains and Kismet, and this can be seen particularly in Plains, where a total of two houses are up for sale at this time.
“We don’t have any apartments available,” she said. “We still have pretty affordable housing compared to some of the areas. We’re fortunate our families find housing, but the food is the biggest obstacle we have with the cost of food and supplies in general. It’s been tough. When you have to buy food, if you’re limited on money, that means something else may not get purchased.”
Registration deadline for the angel tree is Monday, and Sanchez said other deadlines are coming up as well.
“Voucher pickup night is Nov. 22 and Nov. 23,” she said. “They need to come and pick up their vouchers. On the 22nd, it’s from 6 to 8 p.m., and on the 23rd, it’s from 9 to 11 at the Plains Community Library.”
In terms of holiday spirit, Sanchez said the angel tree is always uplifting for the residence of USD 483.
“People are always eager to help,” she said. “People are always eager to support. I don’t think our public has ever had issues. Our response is always big. Even though our needs are huge, our response is even bigger. In the years I’ve done this, our needs have grown and grown, but so has the response.”
Sanchez’s co-organizer for the angel tree is Kayla Mendoza, and Sanchez said having Mendoza as a helping partner is great.
“She’s the best,” she said. “I can’t do anything I do without her. She’s the brains behind everything. She can make things really simplified, and she has lots of connections. She taps into those connections, and she’s a hard worker.”
With a small window of opportunity to work and two weeks before items come in and go out for the angel tree, Sanchez said she and Mendoza have to book it, and it helps that the two think very much alike.
“We know what each other needs and wants, she said. “If I am absent, she takes over. If she’s absent, I take over, and if we’re both there, we get things done quickly.”
Those who do not wish to buy gifts for the angel tree can donate cash as well, with accounts located at Bank of the Plains in Plains, as well as other locations including Liberal.
“If Liberal wanted a dropoff location there, we have an account in Liberal too,” Sanchez said. “It’s the angel tree account, and they can make a donation at any Bank of the Plains.”
For more information about the angel tree, e-mail
Sanchez said the school year in USD 483 has been a busy one, and the district suffered a loss earlier this year when student Emilee Hamilton was killed in car accident near Southwestern Heights High School.
“She was pulling out of school, and she was hit by a semi,” Sanchez said. “That has been a really traumatic thing for us. It’s been hard on my end to be cheerful for things, but I know once we get started, it always rejuvenates me, humbles me and helps me feel our community loves our community. It makes me appreciate my small town community.”
As she usually is, Sanchez is excited for this year’s angel tree project.
“We look forward to it every year,” she said. “We have been doing it for so long now that it’s kind of a routine for us, but when it really makes a huge difference is the night of distribution when they come and pick up gifts. You see some major excitement in families, and they’re also very grateful. They definitely are so happy to receive what they receive, but their gratitude is insane. Doing it for people just does something for you. You feel you’ve made a difference.”
For this holiday season, Sanchez said she simply hopes people can come and pick up angels.
“That makes our job a lot easier,” she said. “When we have leftover angels, we have to go and shop for them. We’re fighting crowds and doing all the stuff. Not that we mind, but we definitely feel we could use some help with the shopping part.”
With the chores of putting boxes together, wrapping gifts, organizing and distributing to families, Sanchez said she and Mendoza could use all the help they can get with the angel tree.
“Taking that off our list is the most helpful anyone can do,” she said. “It’s actually more helpful than monetary donations.”
