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Published: November 11, 2013
A local group is looking for some help to make the holidays merry for lonely seniors.
The Be a Santa to a Senior program, sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care, collects, wraps and delivers Christmas presents to senior citizens who might be overlooked during the holidays.
Home Instead Senior Care teamed up with other local groups, including Meals on Wheels, Serving Seniors, Compassionate Care Hospice and Oakwood Terrace, to identify financially needy or isolated seniors. The program also receives support from Geisinger Community Medical Center, Gertrude Hawk Chocolates and Keystone College.
Christmas trees featuring paper ornaments with seniors' first names and their gift requests will be set up today in locations throughout the county, including the Abington Community Library, GCMC, the Carbondale Peebles and the Wal-Mart and Marshalls in Dickson City.
Shoppers can pick up a paper ornament, buy the requested gift and return the unwrapped present, with the ornament attached, to the participating location. Gifts will be collected through Dec. 9.
Terry Wise, associate professor of sports management at Keystone College, said the college became involved in the program several years ago when a student worked with Home Instead Senior Care for her senior project.
"She loved the program, but she said that what was holding it back was that they had no place to wrap all of the presents they collect," Ms. Wise said. "She wanted to bring the program on campus."
Keystone College now supports the program by giving volunteers a place to wrap the presents. This year's gift wrap party is scheduled Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"It's important that students are involved in the community. They need to give back and know that everyone is not as fortunate as they are," Ms. Wise said. "It's important for them to look outside of the microcosm of the college, see what's going on their community and get involved."
Jessica Engel, marketing and sales manager at Home Instead Senior Care and Be a Santa to a Senior coordinator, said the program began about 10 years ago as a way to ensure senior citizens do not spend the holiday season alone.
"People of all ages love the holidays," Ms. Engel said. "The gift is in the present, but it's also in having that connection and interaction with someone else. That is the gift for them. We have so many seniors in this area, and many of them are isolated."
Last year the program reached out to more than 800 seniors and ended up with about double that in presents.
"Everyone always gets a present. No senior on our list ever goes without. What we see is a lot of people buy not only what is on the ornament, but also a little something extra," Ms. Engel said
For more information on the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 570-687-4755.
Contact the writer: cday@timesshamrock.com
Volunteers needed to help make holidays merry for local seniors - News - The Times-Tribune
