The deadline to make a child’s Christmas wish come true is fast approaching.

Gifts for the Junior Auxiliary of Brookhaven’s Wish Tree project should be turned in no later than Tuesday at C Spire, Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce, J Allan’s or Betsy Smith Properties.

Each year, the community comes together to help make sure children in Lincoln County have a merry Christmas through the Wish Tree project.

Junior Auxiliary Wish Tree 2016 Co-chairs Sheila Sartin and Amy Mason are preparing for what they hope will be the most successful year yet.

“If your church or civic group is searching for a meaningful holiday project, what better way to help your community?” Mason said.

Year after year, the project shows the importance of community support as trees go up and more than 200 underprivileged children are “adopted” by Brookhaven and Lincoln County’s residents.

This year, trees around Brookhaven started out with 251 ornaments, several of which still hang on trees throughout town, waiting for the community to choose them.

Anyone still interested in “adopting” a child for Christmas can find the wish trees at C Spire, Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce, J Allan’s, King’s Daughters Medical Center lobby and both Piggly Wiggly locations.

Each of the ornaments gives the necessary information about the child, including age, clothing, shoe sizes and a few interests. Shoppers are asked to purchase three toys, two outfits, shoes, socks and underwear. The toys should be chosen as good, better and best for each child.

“We commonly have employees at different companies go together to adopt,” Sartin said. “We count on the generosity of our community to help make Wish Tree the success it is, year-in and year-out.”

Children are recommended based on need, as determined by a confidential referral system assisted by the public schools and community agencies. The 2016 referral process has been completed, and additional referrals are unable to be accepted for this holiday season.

For those who choose not to adopt a child, JA welcomes donations of toys, bikes and money. For more information, call the Wish Tree Hotline at 601-754-4349 or email jabrookhaven@gmail.com.