Cheryl Hall: Angel In Her Spare Time

Cheryl Hall first got involved with Angel Tree 10 years ago at Church on the North Shore.   "It was automatic,” she said.  There was never a question of not being involved in this project.  I just wanted to be such a blessing and I quickly realized that it (Angel Tree) was blessing me. I was very humbled.

"I'm so touched when inmates say to me, 'We wanted to give this gift request to you , Cheryl, because we know you'll get it out.' And every time I hear that it just strengthens my resolve. Because they are right, the items are going to go out to someone."

Cheryl gets the inmates’ requests in November and then the project kicks into high gear.  She contacts the children's caregivers to make sure it is O.K. to give the child a gift and also asks if there are any special needs.   Then Cheryl and her mother-in-law, GayNell Hall, spend a frenzied couple of days writing out the gift requests on special Angel Tree tags. 

“It's an awesome chaos,” Cheryl said.  “But the more chaotic, the more things come in and more people can be helped.  Each gift lets the children know that even though their parents cannot be with them at Christmas they love them and thought enough of them to put a request in for them to receive a gift.  We’re praying  that it helps that relationship."