The Angel Tree philanthropy sponsored by Delta Tau Delta was a success Wednesday night, as many of the 90 angels were already adopted a half-hour into the event.

The Angel Tree was decorated with angels, each bearing the name of a child and a wish list of presents – ones the children probably would never have received if it hadn’t been for the project.

Doug Lamansky, philanthropy chairman for Delta Tau Delta, 2121 Sunset Drive, said the idea for the Angel Tree came from the fraternity’s adviser.

“[The advisers] did it all the time when they were in college,” said Lamansky, sophomore in marketing. “It is also very popular in churches.”

She said this is the first year his house has done the Angel Tree philanthropy. But if it goes over well, the members would like to do it in the years to come, he said.

Youth and Shelter Services, 420 Kellogg Ave., teamed up with Delta Tau Delta to make the project possible.

Youth and Shelter Services supplied the fraternity with names of children who would not have been able to get gifts for Christmas otherwise, along with a wish list of gifts the children would like to have.

“Anyone can adopt the children,” said Cole Kopacek, public relations chairman and sophomore in marketing. “They don’t have to be a student or a member of a greek house.”

Becky Soderholm, member of Alpha Xi Delta, 315 Lynn Ave., carefully picked an angel to adopt.

“It sounds like an easy way to make someone’s Christmas,” said Soderholm, senior in management.

Lamansky said there is no particular price range on the gifts.

“It is as little or as much as you want to spend,” he said.

After the gifts have been purchased, Lamansky said people should either return the gifts to the Delta Tau Delta house, or the fraternity members will pick them up next week. After that, the gifts will be turned over to Youth and Shelter Services and will be delivered to the children by Christmas day.