The holiday season is upon us filled with family gatherings, parties, rich food, and brightly wrapped packages. It is 6 weeks until Christmas, the shopping season is in full swing and trees are popping up in stores & restaurants heralding a season of giving and togetherness. However for many of our seniors here in Vermont the holidays can be a lonely time.
Many seniors do not have family members who live near by and they may be grieving the loss of loved ones. For many seniors the holiday season is a time where they feel left out and forgotten.
For the third year Home Instead Senior Care is addressing this need with its Be a Santa to a Senior Program. This giving tree program has collected and distributed gifts to hundreds of Vermonters over the past 3 years. Last year over 300 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, “Some people have told me they always give to needy children during the holidays, but never thought about the fact that there are isolated and lonely seniors who need a lift during this season as well. Be a Santa to a Senior also is designed to help stimulate human contact and social interaction for seniors who are unlikely to have guests during the holidays.”
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. This national program has collected more than 200,000 gifts over the past 2 years giving over 122,000 seniors a reason to smile during the holiday season. Let seniors know they are not forgotten. Locally gifts can be dropped off at the Wal-Mart store in Williston and participating Brooks Pharmacies. Be a Santa to a Senior giving trees are located at the Brooks in Middlebury, Morrisville, Essex, St. Albans, and Shelburne.
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. Local volunteers will hold a wrapping party on December 5th at the Converse Home. People who would like to volunteer to wrap gifts for seniors should call Phyllis DeLaricheliere at 802-860-4663
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, word search puzzles, fleece blankets, slippers, painting my numbers kits, flash lights, nightgowns, pajamas, fleece tops, fleece vests, puzzle books, large print books, craft kits, towels and much more.
According to Thabault “Be a Santa to a Senior continues to grow in popularity as citizens from all walks of life discover the joy of giving back to a group that often is forgotten during the busy holiday season.” From Nov 13-30 gifts can be dropped off at participating stores. Gifts collected will be distributed throughout Addison, Chittenden, Lamoille, Grand Isle, and Franklin county to seniors starting on Dec 11.
“Be a Santa to a Senior is an important way that we can all say thanks to those elder adults who have helped shaped our community.” Thabault said. “Our hope is that the spirit of this season will touch many lives.”
Sarah Lemnah writes on senior issues for the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging, a private, non-profit United Way organization. For more information on services for seniors call the Senior HelpLine at 1-800-642-5119
Be a Santa to a Senior Drop-off locations
Wal-Mart
Williston
Brooks Pharmacy
Middlebury
Morrisville
Essex
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.
