Wish Tree aids tornado victims

The Wish Tree in the office of Dr. Teri Downes can help make Christmas merry for those who were hit by the tornado in Parkersburg May 25.
Part of the Tornado Relief Project, the tree is a result of Kelley Gengler asking her mother Jo Duwa about the possibility of having a tree in Dr. Downes’ office. Duwa is employed at the office.
Gengler and her husband, a chiropractor, have been involved in a Christmas toy drive for nine years.
“We always choose to donate our toys locally,” she said. But this year, they looked at Parkersburg and “I called Pastor Ooms, the head of the Tornado Relief Project there. I asked him if the kids were needing items for Christmas.”

It just became a huge snowball from there. He has 70 elementary children directly affected by the tornado. He asked if we could handle that many. I said sure, but I knew we would need backup

And, as she said, “It just became a huge snowball from there. He has 70 elementary children directly affected by the tornado. He asked if we could handle that many. I said sure, but I knew we would need backup.”
Gengler admits, “I always like to do things big, so I invited four other doctors’ offices to join us.”
That includes Dr. Terri Downes who said she will have a tree in both her offices: the one in Wellman and the one in Iowa City. Anyone wishing to donate should call her office in Wellman.
The Parkersburg elementary school had each child write down the top three toys on their lists. Gengler took each item, and put it on an ornament to hang on the Wish Tree. The project also accepts toy donations that are not from a specific wish tag.
She said all extra toys will go to nurseries in churches or daycares in Parkersburg.
Ooms later asked if junior and senior high schools students could be included.
“These older ones want things like makeup, basketball shoes, new bedding for their rooms and other complex stuff,” said Gengler. “We decided the easiest thing to do is get them gift cards and Parkersburg has access to Target, Kohl’s, J C, Sears and WalMart.”