AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – As the Salvation Army of Augusta prepares for its annual Angel Tree gift distribution, the organization is reminding the community that some children are still at risk of being left without presents this holiday season.

Every year, hundreds of local children are sponsored through the Angel Tree program. But when gifts don’t make it back in time—which happens more often than many realize—the Salvation Army must work quickly in the final days before Christmas to fill in the gaps. These children become known as Forgotten Angels.

Nearly 1,300 children across the region are expected to receive Angel Tree gifts this year.  Wish lists often include coats, science kits, hats, gloves, and other essentials.

Villalta says the children most often overlooked are older ones.

“Typically older children are the ones that are the last to get adopted, and that’s who we ask folks to get these supplemental gifts for,” she said. 

“People love to adopt younger children, and that makes sense. At the same time, there’s a lot of older children in our program. Our program goes up to age 12.”

Older kids also tend to receive fewer items because their tags are selected later in the season or, in other cases, the gifts are never returned.

Villalta says staff worried this year’s government shutdown and economic challenges might result in fewer donations, but the CSRA stepped up.

“We’re so grateful to have a generous community. They really showed out,” Villalta said. “Even just here at the Kroc Center, the tree is bare—which is a great thing for us, because it means the community has done its job and we’ve done our job to make sure every child in the area is going to have a Christmas morning.”

For Katelin Moon, who is the general manager at Panera Bread in Grovetown, supporting Angel Tree is deeply meaningful.

She grew up in a family that struggled financially and remembers her mother working hard to make Christmas special.  Seeing families choose tags inside her restaurant brings that experience full circle.

“I grew up with a very poor family, and I’m sure there were times where my mom probably had to use Angel Tree for us to make sure we woke up to a wonderful Christmas,” Moon said.

“It just means the world, because kids are the purest things, and they deserve the world.”

Forgotten Angel Tree tags are available at locations throughout the CSRA.  Some locations may no longer have tags.

• New Moon Cafe – Downtown Augusta
• Panera Bread – Augusta, Evans & Grovetown
• Augusta Mall – 3450 Wrightsboro Rd, Augusta, GA
• Evans Walmart Supercenter – 4469 Washington Rd, Evans, GA
• North Augusta Walmart Supercenter – 1201 Knox Ave, North Augusta, SC

The Salvation Army encourages anyone who can give to consider picking up a tag and helping ensure no child is forgotten this Christmas.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta city leaders face one final task before the end of the year: balancing a budget that remains nearly $7 million short.

City commissioners say cuts, layoffs, department restructuring, and possible tax increases are all still on the table as they work to meet the state-mandated deadline of Dec. 31.

Multiple solutions needed

District 5 Commissioner Don Clark said the budget gap will require a comprehensive approach.

“It’s not gonna be a one-tiered solution. It’s gonna have to be a multi-tiered approach,” Clark said. “It’s gonna have to result in some additional cuts. It’s gonna have to result in some additional efficiencies. It’s gonna definitely have to result in some additional increases to the millage rate as well.”

Mayor Garnett Johnson said a work efficiency study could help identify where the city can operate more effectively.

“I’ve always said that a work efficiency study is perhaps in the best interest of the city,” the mayor said. “While we’ve done salary-related studies, we’ve never had the opportunity to do a work efficiency study to see if we have the right people in the right departments.”

Examining city operations

The study would examine whether work is being duplicated and help right-size staff so services like grass cutting, litter control and maintenance can be delivered consistently across the city.

“I think this action next year, if we take on this action of evaluating the departments, it will give us an opportunity to see where there’s additional cost savings to be made,” Johnson said.

District 10 Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle expressed hope that other commissioners would present solutions at the next meeting.

“I don’t want to go there. I was hoping my colleagues who’ve been quiet would have a solution come next Tuesday, and if not, it’s gonna go back on the table,” Guilfoyle said.

Balancing efficiency and services

The mayor said additional cuts could be made through efficiency rather than eliminating jobs or services.

“I think there’s an opportunity to make additional cuts. I think we can be a little bit more lean and a little bit more efficient. Not necessarily mean cutting jobs, but not necessarily mean cutting services, just through efficiency,” the mayor said.

Guilfoyle said department directors and elected officials should find ways to cut waste while retaining employees.

“Any department directors or any elected officials, if the budget has to be cut more, you’ll find a way of doing it while retaining your employees. It just, you cut out the waste,” Guilfoyle said.

Clark said the decisions will set the tone for how Augusta operates going forward.

“We’re gonna balance the budget, but we’re also setting the tone for how Augusta does business,” Clark said.

The mayor said the path forward requires compromise.

“The path forward is just a compromise. It’s a combination of both,” the mayor said.

Commissioners will meet Dec. 16 to work on balancing the budget. State law requires them to complete the task by the end of the year. Both the mayor and several commissioners said they are confident it will be done.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta University’s Madison Thomas has been named the Peach Belt Conference Women’s Track Athlete of the Week following a standout performance in the 5,000 meters.

Thomas, a junior for Jaguar Track & Field, placed third in the event with a time of 17:49.24. The mark currently ranks as the third-fastest 5K in the PBC this season and led all Augusta competitors at the meet.

This is the latest conference honor for Augusta distance running, which includes reigning PBC Cross Country Runner of the Year.

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