ISU Magic Valley Alumni Chapter is helping to provide a magic holiday season to 23 families in need

TWIN FALLS – The Idaho State University Magic Valley Alumni Chapter is helping to sponsor an Angel Tree Project to help 23 families in need for the holiday season.

In Twin Falls, the Angel Trees, which hold the names and wishes of local families including some refugee families, are located at the Hepworth Higher Education Center at the College of Southern Idaho, at the Orpheum Theater and Twin Beans Coffee. There is also a tree located at Chadwicks in Burley.

The chapter is working with four organizations, the College of Southeast Idaho Refugee Center, Court Appointed Special Advocates, the Boys and Girls Club and the Burley School District.

“The refugee names on the trees just arrived in November and they literally have nothing. They need home supplies, bedding and winter clothing,” said Shawnee Burt, ISU Magic Valley Alumni Chapter member. “The need is really great.”

The chapter also set aside money for the project. Some of it went towards the cost of the tree. The remaining amount will go towards gift-wrapping and supplement for the project.

“We wanted to do something specifically for our community that would be a service to people,” Burt said. “We tried to think of some different organizations within the Magic Valley that could benefit from an Angel Tree Project. We hope to do this project every year.”

The new alumni chapter currently has four members on its committee, Heidi Block, Angel Zamora, Emily Johnson and Burt.

The ISU Magic Valley Alumni Chapter meets twice a month to plan a few activities each semester and is looking for new members. The goal of the chapter is to provide activities for alumni and friends of alumni, and current and future students in the Magic Valley.

For more information on the Angel Tree Project, contact Burt at 208-351-5282 or email her at knapshaw@isu.edu. Donations will be accepted through Dec. 12.