Needy children's Christmas tree stolen

SORRENTO, Fla., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- An artificial Christmas tree bearing the names of poor children needing gifts has been stolen from a post office lobby, police in Sorrento, Fla., said.

"How rotten is that?" asked Greg Johnson, 43, who had planned to buy gifts for several of the needy children.

The tree, decorated with 50 cardboard angels bearing the first name of a child, disappeared last week after the post office closed but the lobby remained open, the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported Tuesday.

The children, whose age, gender and clothing sizes also were on the cardboard angels, were referred to the program by teachers and counselors, the Sentinel reported.

Postal officials said they have retained all of the children's applications and will be able to tell who got a gift and who didn't when the gifts are collected from other drop-off locations participating in the program.

Volunteers said they hope to collect enough cash donations to buy gifts for every child who who didn't get picked or whose name was stolen with the tree.