AID - One corner of the Symmes Valley High School library looked a bit like Santa's workshop Monday morning: Christmas gifts were wrapped and sorted into big white bags, ready for that trip to some child's home.

Again this year, the Symmes Valley High School Beta Club sponsored an Angel Tree. Taking names provided by the Lawrence County Department of Jobs and Family Services, club members organized a community- wide effort to make Christmas a special event for 100 needy children. Those who chose a name off the tree were given information about the child requesting gifts and that child's preferences for toys and clothes.

"We had it (the Angel Tree) at home basketball games," club member Leslie Floyd said. "And a lot of students participated this year."

Teacher Ken Shipley said the Angel Tree program has grown every year. "Seems like we're getting more angels and more presents," he said.

This year's gift-giving was aided by a donor from out of town: Emily Douglas, a former area resident who now lives in the Columbus area, told Symmes Valley students she had read about the school's Angel Tree in the newspaper and was inspired to play Santa along with the Symmes Valley community.

"Some of the gift tags read 'from Santa,'" club member Jon Dillon noted. "Hopefully some of them still believe in Santa."