For many people the holiday season means spending time with family and friends, toasting the New Year, and opening brightly wrapped packages from loved ones. However, for many seniors in our community the holidays can be a lonely time. Many seniors have outlived their spouses and their friends or their family may live far away so the holidays are a time of bittersweet memories and long lonely days.
Locally the Be a Santa to a Senior Program looks to bring some holiday cheer to seniors who otherwise would not be getting a friendly visit or a gift to brighten their day. Home Instead Senior Care in partnership with local businesses and nonprofits including the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging looks to give lonely seniors a chance to participate in the holiday season.
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Last year over 900 gifts were collected to give to lonely or needy seniors who were in need of a little holiday cheer. According to Patrice Thabault owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Burlington, “the goal of the project is to not only deliver a gift but to produce an opportunity for the senior to have a visitor. There are folks who may not have anyone to visit them.”
If you would like to bring a little cheer to a senior in your community look for the Be a Santa to a Senior program sign marking drop-off locations for senior gifts. Giving trees with ornaments listing things that seniors need or want are located at the Walmart in Williston and various Rite Aid pharmacies. Let seniors know they are not forgotten.
These senior giving trees contain ornaments with items that local seniors need or want during this holiday season. People who want to buy a gift for a senior should pick an ornament and purchase that item. The ornament should be attached to the item when it is dropped off and all gifts should be unwrapped.
They say good things come in small packages and sometimes just a little thoughtful gift can put a smile on a senior’s face. Each year Case Managers make a list of items that their seniors would like or need. Some of the gift items that will be on the ornaments for the Be a Santa to a Senior Tree will include: grocery cards, gas cards, phone cards, gloves, mittens, hats, socks, pet toys, bus passes, note cards, games, fleece blankets, slippers, socks, nightgowns, pajamas, fleece tops, fleece vests, large print books, craft kits, and much more.
According to Thabault “Be a Santa to a Senior continues to grow in popularity, each year we have been able to raise more gifts and touch the lives of more seniors in out community.” Thabault remarked that delivering the gifts from the Be a Santa to A Senior project last year was a joy, “we handed out the gifts and just the smiles that lit up these individual’ faces when they opened the gifts were wonderful to see.”
“Be a Santa to a Senior is an important way that we can all say thanks to those elder adults who have helped shape our community.” Thabault said. “Our hope is that the spirit of this season will touch many lives.”
Be a Santa to a Senior Drop-off locations
- Wal-Mart - Williston
- Rite Aid Pharmacy - Middlebury, Morrisville, Essex Jct., Shelburne, St. Albans
For more information call 802-860-4663
Sarah Lemnah writes on senior issues for the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging. This article originally appeared in the Burlington Free Press.
