Angel Giving Tree project provides for area youth

December 28, 2011

Photo by Amy Cherry - Staff from Dickinson Center, Inc. (DCI) are shown with Mr. McFeeley of the television show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" during the kickoff of a sweater drive held in the area recently.

This year 221 children from Cameron, Elk, McKean, and Potter counties received gifts and clothing as part of the 2011 Pat Work Memorial Christmas Project.
Now in its third year, the project is an endeavor of Dickinson Center, Inc. (DCI) and named in memory of Patricia "Pat" Work, a therapist with the organization for several years prior to her death in 2003.
"Pat worked with children and always made an extra effort at Christmas to make sure they had gifts, etc.," said Heidi Thomas, chief fiscal officer/chief operations officer for Dickinson.
Dickinson staff refer children to the project. Dickinson employees, board members and local community agencies team together in purchasing gifts for the children, which are dropped off at Dickinson work sites. DCI staff members who made the referrals then deliver the gifts to the