Volunteers Are Real Life Santa's Elves at YMCA Angel Tree Gift Distribution Event

Seven thousand children all over the Delaware Valley will have a brighter Christmas thanks to the work and generosity of hundreds of families from Tredyffrin, Easttown, and surrounding areas.

Under portable lights made brighter by the smiles of hundreds of volunteers of all ages, a real life Santa's sleigh operation unfolded Thursday at the

Gift donations made by individuals, churches, scout troops, schools, workers at small businesses and major coprorations were collected at the Y, where it all began 26 years ago. The "Angel Tree" project (it goes by many different names depending on what an organization calls the toy drive) started as an idea for a pollyanna gift exchange by "Y" employees and has ballooned to one of the biggest to drives of its kind in the nation.

The gift drive is coordinated by Delaware Valley Children's Charities, the non-profit charity that was created in response to the momentum created over the years by Janie Wermuth's original idea to try to help just one family.

The organization can still use help for this holiday season. Click on this link to the Delaware Valley Children's Charities to learn more about the organization and how you can get involved with a donation of time, items, or money.

Editor's Note: Check back later this week for the TE Patch story of Janie Wermuth, the inspiring woman behind this amazing project.