Children of woman critical of charity won't get gifts

ST. ELMO, Ill. -- A woman who criticized a local charity that distributes gifts to needy youngsters after it mistakenly sent her an offensive letter has received another letter -- this one telling her the charity won't be giving her children any presents.

In its second letter, the Angel Tree committee told Untawyna Ellis that "we are unwilling to jeopardize the program and take the chance of further harming others involved."

Ellis said she was "just devastated" when she received the letter recently from the St. Elmo-based charity.

"I just sat there and cried," she said.

But Naomi Jennings, who helps run the program, said Ellis only has herself to blame because "she should have thought of this before she ran her mouth."

The dispute stems from a letter last month the 15-year-old volunteer program sent residents of this rural central Illinois community telling them they might receive gifts.

"So if you decide to sit on your fat (expletive) at home, too lazy to pick them up, you lose," concluded the letter.

The founder of the program said the line was a mistake, a joke only meant for someone else involved in the program. The letter was never supposed to be sent out.

The program immediately wrote a letter of apology, according to Jennings, who said she agreed to help run the program because the previous organizers were too upset to continue.

Jennings said everyone who received the second letter, accepted the apology. Everyone except Ellis, she said.

Jennings said Ellis continued to criticize Angel Tree to television and newspaper reporters.

The criticism apparently made people in town angry at Ellis.

"I can't even go into town without people pointing, staring and whispering," she said.

Nevertheless, Ellis asked whether her children could be included in the program this year. The answer was no.

Jennings said committee members were afraid that if people who bought gifts saw Ellis getting some they might not participate anymore.