LINCOLN - Members of the Lincoln Jaycees say they like to keep busy.

Over the course of a year, the club sponsors several activities, including an Easter Egg Hunt, the Senior Feast and Breakfast with Santa.

Now, the club is in the middle of its annual Angel Tree project to help less-fortunate children in Lincoln and Logan County.

"This is our biggest community project and possibly the most important," said Marian Rutledge, an organizer of the program. "It's just so special because we are helping children have a better Christmas. It's not just a Jaycee program either, because it's really the entire community that steps up to help out."

This year, 550 angels will be helped through the program, Rutledge said.

"That's about 30 more than last year, and we expected to see a slight increase with the way the economy is," Rutledge said. "We will figure out some way to help each one of those people, but the Lincoln and Logan County citizens have always stepped up in a big way, and we believe that will happen again this year."

Last month, tags with children's names were placed on Christmas trees around the county. Each tag has a suggested gift and sizes.

People pick angels from the trees and buy gifts for the children whose names are on the tags. The tags are available through Friday, Dec. 12, when wrapped gifts are due at the location where the tag was located.

The Jaycees will distribute gifts to the families later this month.

Rutledge has been involved in the program since she joined the Jaycees about 20 years ago.

"She does a fantastic job in getting it organized because there is so much work in ;volv ;ed," said Perry Payne, another program coordinator. "But she'll tell you it's worth it, and that's why, as an organization, we work hard at it."

The public can find Angel Trees at Action Rental, Cracker Barrel, Abraham Lincoln Mem ;orial Hospital cafeteria, Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce, CEFCU, Jake's Furnishings and all three State Bank of Lincoln locations. Trees also are at Eaton Corp. and Robert Sysco Food Services for their employees.

Monetary donations also are accepted, and can be sent to Lincoln Jaycees, Box 254, Lincoln, IL 62656.

kbarlow@pantagraph.com