ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
With a mission of helping to heal the trauma of abuse to a child, the Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center has many kids coming through its agency throughout the year, and leaders with the agency during Christmas time try to make the holidays a little brighter for the youngsters they see.
“We try to give them a gift for Christmas,” WKCAC Family and Child Advocate Haydee Rodriguez said. “It’s not just one kid. It’s usually all the kids who come to our agency.”
WKCAC does this through Angel Trees, and in Liberal, there are two Angel Trees, one at Westlake Ace Hardware at 1601 N. Kansas Ave. and one at Lifelong Fitness at 422 S. Kansas Ave. Rodriguez said among the gifts given to the children are blankets and toys.
“Usually, we put down on our angel list the age,” she said. “We put down the gender and a wish list they would like. They usually ask for a toy, and we try to put in a shirt, a top or a bottom. It doesn’t have to be jeans. It can be leggings and for the boys, some pants or sweats. Something the community is able to afford.”
Rodriguez said there is no spending limit on gifts for the Angel Trees.
“They can spend whatever they’d like just to give out a little something to the kids,” she said.
Rodriguez said WKCAC officials are looking have all angels picked out and gifts returned by Thursday.
“We were hoping we could pick up everything and wrap up everything,” she said. “If the community picks them up, it’d be easier for us. They can wrap up things. They get their angels. They get their ribbons, and they either glue it or tape it on the box. That way, we can know what kid it goes to.”
Rodriguez said in Liberal, 2023 was the first year for the Angel Tree, but it has been done previously in Garden City and Scott City as well.
“They used to pick up our kids from Liberal, but now, we’ve been having more interviews here in Liberal,” she said. “We’ve picked up a lot more this year. We did do it last year at Brown’s Shoe Fit.”
Rodriguez said Angel Trees done in other Western Kansas communities have gone quite well in the past.
“They usually get picked up,” she said. “If they don’t get picked up, we ask for donations, or it can be a donation as well. If they don’t want to pick up and wrap a gift, we can get a donation. We’ll buy the gift, wrap it up ourselves and deliver it, but usually in Garden City and Scott City, they do get picked up.”
Rodriguez said WKCAC’s close work with area families was part of what inspired the Angel Tree, and she added she feels contributing to the project is important as well.
“A lot of families are fortunate to have the money to buy gifts for their children,” she said. “There’s a lot of kids out there who don’t get to open a Christmas gift, and a lot of kids are grateful even though they don’t have a gift, but they have food on the table.”
WKCAC also keeps a wish list throughout the year to help get children who come through the agency gifts during the holiday season.
“They usually donate money, and we can buy pillows, blankets, backpacks and all their necessities for their personal use or hygiene,” Rodriguez said. “We buy those as well throughout the year. Every child who comes through the interview process, we give them a backpack with a pillow, a blanket, books, a toy, a stuffed animal.”
Angels can be found at the Westlake store and Lifelong Fitness in Liberal, and those needing more information can stop by the WKCAC office at 615 N. Kansas Ave. in Liberal and talk to Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said she feels working together businesses such as Westlake and Lifelong is great for the community, particularly when it comes to children, and she is very excited to see what happens as a result of the Angel Trees.
“This is the best time of the year,” she said.
