Augusta, GA

Salvation Army of Augusta encourages community to help ‘Forgotten Angels’ this Christmas

Published

3 months ago

December 11, 2025

Salvation Army of Augusta encourages community to help ‘Forgotten Angels’ this Christmas

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.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Boxing Club faces financial uncertainty after nonprofit funding cuts

Published

6 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Augusta Boxing Club faces financial uncertainty after nonprofit funding cuts

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Boxing Club is facing financial uncertainty after Richmond County’s 2026 budget left no room to fund nonprofit organizations.

The county’s decision removes one of the club’s main financial supporters, leaving the historic organization without a key source of funding.

The Augusta Boxing Club is one of the nation’s longest-running amateur boxing clubs and has served at-risk youth in the Augusta area.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta picks new planning and development director

Published

19 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Augusta picks new planning and development director

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta-Richmond County has selected a new planning and development director nearly a year after the previous director resigned.

Commissioners voted to hire Adleasia J. Cameron, who goes by Lisa, after an executive session Tuesday.

Cameron was one of two finalists for the position, along with Ryan A. Bland.

The position has been vacant since May 30, when Carla Delaney resigned as planning and development director.

“Augusta has been home to me for many years, from my time as a middle and high school student to earning my graduate degree. It has truly been a privilege to work here and contribute to the community’s growth, sustainability, and development,” Delaney wrote in her letter of resignation.

Cameron is expected to start within the next 30 days.

Her salary will be $125,000, with a moving allowance of up to $10,000 reimbursed based on receipts.

Other commission action

Commissioners also received an update that a veterans cemetery will break ground at the end of the year.

A motion passed authorizing the Marshal’s Office to purchase two vehicles at a cost of more than $115,000.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta family flees Middle East as U.S. launches Operation Epic Fury

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Augusta family flees Middle East as U.S. launches Operation Epic Fury

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An Augusta couple returned home from Israel and Egypt just as the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury Saturday.

This happened hours before the State Department issued an urgent warning urging Americans in 14 Middle Eastern countries to “depart now” due to “serious safety risks.”

Diego and Maile Sprague had been staying with a host family in Jerusalem, south of the West Bank. The host family provides self-defense training to women and children living in the West Bank.

“We moved to Jerusalem just south of the West Bank and stayed with a host family that provides self-defense training to women and children that live on the West Bank,” Maile Sprague said. “Sometimes those places aren’t the safest.”

Couple tours Egypt as operation launches

The Spragues left their host family Friday morning to tour Egypt. By Saturday morning, the U.S. and Israel had rolled out Operation Epic Fury.

The couple said their host family was forced to flee their home after two nearby Arab-developed areas were attacked.

“We got word he and his wife had to leave their home because where they live there are two Arab developed areas… and they were attacked, so he and his wife had to flee their home,” Diego Sprague said.

Maile Sprague said the host family is now sheltering with neighbors.

“They are staying in their bomb shelter because there has been constant red alerts, so they’re sharing their bomb shelter with their neighbors,” she said.

Tourism industry shuts down in Egypt

While in Egypt, the Spragues said they witnessed the country’s tourism industry — its largest — coming to a halt.

“Everything that has to do with the tourism industry was closing down. Tourists were trying to leave, and all the buses were being routed to the border for Israel to pick people up from,” Maile Sprague said.

The couple had planned to return to their host family in Israel but instead made the decision to return home to Augusta. They landed in Atlanta hours before the State Department issued its “depart now” warning Monday.

The Spragues said they are safe. Their host family remains in a bomb shelter.

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