Bring Christmas joy to seniors
Published 10:02 pm Saturday, November 16, 2013
All of the joy of giving with none of the hassle of wrapping is available at the North Main Street Walmart this year.
The Home Instead Senior Care’s Be a Santa to a Senior tree is up and decorated in the customer service area at the front of the store. About 130 ornaments on the tree each represent a senior in need of some Christmas cheer.
Members of the community are asked to stop by and pick out an ornament, buy senior-appropriate gifts, attach the ornament and return them to the front of the store.
“We believe the community is going to support us again,” said Deneen Evans, community service representative for Home Instead Senior Care. “Most of the residents at this facility are lonely at the holidays and do not have a lot of family or a lot of resources.”
The names currently on the tree were provided by Autumn Care of Suffolk. As they disappear, others that may be provided by Social Services will be added, Evans said.
Gift-givers should not wrap the gifts, because they will be reviewed for appropriateness for the individuals receiving the gifts, Evans said.
Suggestions such as lap blankets, sugar-free candy, large-print word search books, scarves and toiletries are listed on each ornament. However, gift-givers can deviate from the suggestions as long as the additional items are safe and appropriate.
The deadline to return gifts to the front of the store is Dec. 13. On Dec. 16, a wrapping party will take place at noon at the Home Instead Senior Care office, 3614 Pruden Blvd. The gifts will be delivered the next day.
For more information, call 774-5051.