Photo Caption: Well-known celebrity and media personality, Charlotte Dawson, placed the first official present under
the Wishing Tree at the Salvation Army, launching the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal, New Zealand's largest Christmas gift
appeal. The appeal aims to collect 15,000 gifts this year for children who would otherwise receive no presents from
Santa.
Monday, November 11 2002 MEDIA RELEASE
Christmas Appeal Seeks 15,000 Gifts For Kids
The Salvation Army and Barnardos, recipient charities of the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal, desperately need 15,000 gifts
for those who will otherwise receive nothing from Santa this Christmas.
Lt. Colonel Don Oliver of The Salvation Army, says while Christmas is a happy time for many New Zealanders, for some it
can be the saddest time of the year.
"With more and more people living below the poverty line in New Zealand the need for donated gifts this year is greater
than ever before.
"We are desperate for Christmas gifts and we're calling on people to donate early so our supply does not run short and
we can continue to distribute gifts up until Christmas Eve.
"In our experience it is young children and adolescent boys aged 10 to 13 who often miss out so we would particularly
like to request gifts for these groups.
"Please help The Salvation Army brighten up someone's life this Christmas", he says.
High profile television and media personality, Charlotte Dawson, has been appointed spokesperson for the Kmart Wishing
Tree Appeal.
Charlotte Dawson says she feels honoured to be involved, "Christmas is such a special day and everyone deserves to enjoy
it", she says.
Lt. Oliver is delighted to have the support of such a well-known celebrity to encourage gift donation.
Since its inception in 1993, New Zealand's largest Christmas gift appeal, the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal has enabled more
than 60,000 New Zealanders to share in the joy of Christmas.
The Appeal's theme is Every Gift Brings A Smile highlighting the difference every donated gift will make to an
individual at Christmas.
To participate in the appeal simply place a wrapped gift under the Wishing Tree located at any Kmart store. Take a gift
tag from the tree that identifies the appropriate gender and age of a suitable recipient and place it with your gift.
Gifts do not have to be purchased at Kmart - the stores simply act as co-ordination points, bringing together community
resources and welfare groups to distribute gifts.
The appeal was established after a Kmart employee suggested Kmart use its network of stores to help charity groups at
Christmas time.
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