By Liz King
Two years ago, volunteers from the Be a Santa to a Senior program visited a local nursing facility and distributed gifts to a number of residents, including one 87-year-old woman they call Mary. She was pleased to receive her gift and thanked the group, but it wasn't until the volunteers returned to give Mary another gift last year that they recognized the true value of the program.
When they entered Mary's room for the second visit, they noticed that the only card on her bulletin board was the Be a Santa to a Senior card from the previous year. As they spoke with her caregivers, they found out that the Christmas card and gift were the only items she had received throughout the year. Mary re-read the card regularly to help keep that memory alive.
A popular holiday gift-giving campaign that has delivered thousands of presents to local needy seniors over the past four years, Be a Santa for a Senior is again underway for this holiday season, taking place at the Merrimac Senior Center and the Newbury Council on Aging until Dec. 5.
"Particularly around Christmas, it's so easy and quick to think about children. Sometimes we forget about seniors," spokeswoman Jennifer McNeil said. "We want to address that group of seniors that may not have family or friends, which is a sad thing to think about."
Seniors and other members of the community can choose an ornament off a Christmas tree in either location, which will feature the first name and gift wish of a needy senior in town.
"It's an absolutely wonderful program," said Martha Cashins, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care for Essex County. "We receive names through local councils on aging, nursing homes, outreach coordinators and housing authorities of seniors that don't have any family and need a gift at Christmastime."
Spreading cheer with senior recipients will be even more important this year — but also more challenging in terms of attracting donations — given the tough economic conditions. Volunteers predict more seniors will be on the list, and fewer people will be able to give.
"The amount of people who are slipping economically is growing, and programs that help those people are growing, too," McNeil said.
The Newbury program is raffling a handmade quilt to supplement gift-buying power in case not as many folks are able to donate gifts this year.
Cashins said most items on the wish lists are very practical — warm clothing like sweaters or gloves, home-related items and gift certificates to pharmacies. McNeil said some ask for toiletries like scented lotions or soaps.
After fulfilling the list and bringing gifts to the tree, Home Instead Senior Care volunteers will collect, wrap and deliver the gifts.
"This is a wonderful program, and it is through the generosity of the community that we can reach as many seniors as possible at Christmastime," Cashins said. "I want to thank the community for being so generous."
Home Instead, a national provider of in-home senior assistance that helps people live in their homes instead of a nursing home, sponsors the Be a Santa to a Senior program every year.
"Home Instead Senior Care goes into homes and helps seniors and their families with things like cooking, light housekeeping and errands, but more importantly, companionship," McNeil said. "As we worked with them, we saw there were many needy seniors in the community."
As part of the nationwide program, each franchise organizes a local drive, working with area retailers and senior agencies to gather and deliver gift donations from the community to isolated seniors who might not otherwise receive presents during the season.
"Seniors are just so touched by this," McNeil said. "It takes just a moment of someone's time to make a senior's day."
Last year, more than 26,400 volunteers distributed gifts to deserving seniors. In the past four years since introducing the program, Home Instead has helped provide more than 930,000 gifts to more than a half-million seniors across North America and anticipates hitting the million mark this Christmas. Locally, Cashins said the group has delivered about 250 gifts to seniors in the Merrimack Valley over the past few years.
"Many times, the gift-buyers write a nice note to the senior, wishing them a Merry Christmas," Cashins said. "For these seniors, many of whom don't have families, it's wonderful for them to get a present and know that someone is thinking about them."
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If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, contact your local Home Instead Senior Care of Massachusetts office by visiting http://www.homeinstead.com/ma or see the national Be a Santa to a Senior volunteer Web site at http://www.beasantatoasenior.com/.
