A generation of children in Wagga have Virginia Auld to thank for their Christmas gifts.
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Every year for 16 years, the donations placed under the tree at the front of Kmart in the Sturt Mall make their way to struggling families because Ms Auld makes it happen.
"I was asked one year to do it, and it's just become the thing that I do now," Ms Auld said.
"Easy to do something when you believe in it."
Beyond her Christmas retail commitments, co-ordinating the gift drive takes a lot of volunteer work too.
"She does work long hours to get it together," said Salvos representative Lieutenant Kara Hartley.
"The wishing tree has been going for 32 years, so Virginia has been doing it for almost half the time."
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Launched again on Wednesday morning, the Salvation Army's Wishing Tree appeal has already attracted some big donations.
"[On Tuesday night], we already got our first donations. A couple donated two bikes on behalf of their three-year-old child," Ms Auld said.
Over the past seven years, stage one students from North Wagga Public School have heralded the charitable season with carols in the store.
"The students who started it are now in high school, so it's been going a long time," Ms Auld said.
While the privilege of delivering the gifts is left to the Salvos team, Ms Auld said she has always found her pleasure in seeing the gifts accumulated.
"I especially love it when there's little ones donating for the first time, I get to tell them about where they'll be going and who will get them and their little faces, it's lovely," she said.
"The rest of the year, when they see me around, I often hear them say 'look, that's the lady who does the Wishing Tree'."