Lisa Scharf is using the help of a little angel to make someone's season brighter.

"It's better to give than receive," Scharf (sophomore-crime, law and justice) said. "It feels good during the holidays."

Scharf is participating in Angel Tree, a local community service project started about 12 years ago by the State College Presbyterian Church, 132 W. Beaver Ave.

"We [church members] are blessed with a lot of material things, and we want to share them," Maggie Foster, Angel Tree's coordinator, said.

Local service agencies, such as the Centre County Women's Resource Center and Parenting Plus, send a wish list to the church, Janet Heasley, church secretary, said.

"Any time we can get gifts or financial support [for the center], we jump at the chance," Anne Ard, Centre County Women's Resource Center executive director, said.

Ard said those who go to the resource center often do not have a lot of money to spend during the holiday season, so many visitors to the center benefit from the Angel Tree program.

Ard said the program provides a sense of the community, too.

"Not only does it help the organizations, but it also helps church members get a sense of the needs in the community," she added.

From now until Dec. 15, individuals can sign up to purchase gifts and, as part of the program, place an angel they receive on the church's Christmas tree in exchange for their gift.

The second angel they receive is placed on the gift, which helps identify where the gift is going.

Foster said the tree is already filled to capacity with angel ornaments.

After the deadline for the gifts has passed, about 20 people sort and send the gifts to the agencies, Foster said.

"In addition to feeling good, we feel like we need to give back ... and a lot of those who help find it fun, too," she added.

Foster said about 800 gifts are requested each year and 90 percent of the requests have been filled during the past year. Before 2003, only about 70 percent of gift requests were fulfilled.

In 2003, 6,044 gifts were given out, she added.

Scharf, along with other members of the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council (LAUC), will purchase gifts for Angel Tree with the money collected Nov. 20 from The Battle of Majors contest held in the HUB-Robeson Center as a project fund-raiser. "We were looking for something easy to get involved in and give back to the community," group member Allison Allmon said.

Allmon said Angel Tree is a good way for students to become involved in community service activities, because purchasing gifts is inexpensive.

"Gifts range from $5 gift certificates to refrigerators," Foster said.

LAUC member Lindsay Sheaffer (sophomore-psychology) said she thinks it is a great idea because part of the group's mission is to help the community.

She said she hopes the LAUC can help children during the holiday season.

"It makes the holiday season brighter by doing this," Sheaffer said.

Sheaffer said she is excited to purchase the gifts and get them out to the people.

During Christmas time people are more generous, and are more willing to buy and wrap gifts, Foster said.

"It's a fun thing to do and I believe we are making the season better by helping people that would not normally get a gift," she said.