Angels among us

  • Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2020, 5:00 pm

Oak Ridge, Tenn. – In a year when masks seem to outnumber wings, Y-12’s angels used some creativity to ensure local children have a wonderful Christmas.

The Tennessee branch of the T2 Employee Club distributed more than $11,000 to local charities to be used to purchase Christmas gifts for local children. The following agencies each received $1,400 for the children in their areas:

  • United Way of Anderson County,
  • United Way of Monroe County,
  • Second Baptist Church Angel Tree in Clinton,
  • Wesley House Community Center in Knoxville,
  • Scott and Fentress counties Children’s Advocacy Center,
  • Storehouse Ministries in Morgan county, and
  • Loudon County Toys for Tots.

The money to facilitate the children’s wishes came from a variety of sources, including funds held in reserve for the annual effort, a $2,800 donation from Consolidated Nuclear Security, a $1,000 donation from the T2 Club, and other donations. The 9720-20 Development Maintenance Crew also gave $1,200.

The Y-12 Construction group gave more than $800 in memory of Elaina Branham, who was a big participant in the Angel Tree each year. That money was part of the $1,625 donation to Children’s Hospital because she loved gifts for the children.

Angel Tree Coordinator Tammy Powell said, “Children’s Hospital had lost a lot of their funding with the cancellation of the Fantasy of Trees. They weren’t aware how much we were donating, and when we showed up, they were so surprised and grateful that they can provide Christmas to children who are hospitalized.”

Powell added, “We are so appreciative of all the Y-12 personnel and organizations that decided to give to the Angel Tree a different way this year. Thank you for all you do every year to help give back to the community, especially to those in need.”

Donations from Y-12 employees will also provide some warmth for area homeless neighbors. Volunteers also recently delivered donations from the Coat Drive to Volunteer Ministry Center in Knoxville. According to Mary Beth Ramey, VMC’s chief development officer, “The Y-12 Coat Drive is the primary source of coats and warm winter wear for the homeless neighbors receiving services at the Volunteer Ministry Center. Without this valuable resource, our clients would have very limited access to coats during the cold winter months.”

Members of the Y-12 employees’ club

Members of the Y-12 employees’ club dropped off a donation and received a tour of Wesley House Knoxville. The house provides high quality, affordable, and accessible after-school and summer camp care as well as a senior citizen program for Knoxville’s most under-resourced areas.

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Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, under a single contract for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. CNS member companies include Bechtel National, Inc.; Leidos, Inc.; ATK Launch Systems, Inc.; and SOC LLC. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on performance excellence and the imperatives of safety, security, zero defects and delivery as promised.

For more information on each site, visit www.pantex.energy.gov or www.y12.doe.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Follow Y-12 on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

CONTACT
Kathryn King, APR
Communications
Office (865) 315.5996
Kathryn.King@cns.doe.gov

Follow Y-12 on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

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