Christmas “wish” trees with ornaments designed to help needychildren celebrate the holiday sprang up at several Brookhavenbusinesses Friday.

The Junior Auxiliary of Brookhaven’s annual Wish Tree programcommittee placed trees at Bank of Brookhaven, Wal-Mart, Trustmark,State Bank King’s Daughters Medical Center and Broma’s Thursday andvolunteers added ornaments Friday. KDMC and Broma’s are two newlocations this year for the trees.

Each ornament contains the identification number and basicinformation on a needy child.

“At each location, there is an information sheet suggesting giftsfor the children,” said Jennifer Meilstrup, a member of thecommittee. “They can take these with them.”

Some items suggested include a pair of pajamas, shoes and socks,underwear, toothbrush and age- and gender-appropriate toys.

Residents have until Nov. 20 to select an ornament and must turn intheir gifts at the adoption location by Nov. 26, Meilstrupsaid.

Gifts should be turned in – unwrapped – with the ornament attached.Residents who select an ornament are not required to complete thesuggestion list to assist in the program.

Junior Auxiliary members will complete each child’s list asneeded.

Monetary donations may be mailed to the Junior Auxiliary ofBrookhaven Wish Tree Fund, P.O. Box 169, Brookhaven MS, 39602.

“We’ll do the shopping for them if they just want to make adonation,” Meilstrup said.

This year’s program includes approximately 325 children, shesaid.

The Junior Auxiliary is not accepting any more children into theprogram. All of the children enrolled in the program were submittedby the educational system through a needs-based referral process,Meilstrup said.

For more information on the program, call (601) 757-0630.