It seems like everybody is asking for our help this time of year. I swear, if someone created a heartfelt ad about helping homeless leprechauns at Christmas I’d feel a tug on my heart and start gathering…whatever it is that those little mythical creatures need most. I’m a very easy mark and I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing.
Many of the programs focus on kids who need winter clothes and something to open on Christmas morning. And that’s great – we take part in some of them too, because who can stomach the thought of a kid having nothing to wake up to on Christmas? I know I can’t.
But I’ve recently learned about a wonderful network of companies that gathers gifts and cards for seniors. There are thousands of old people who have no one left to remember them. This program, Be A Santa To A Senior, gives a little cheer to seniors without family or friends, who would otherwise face the holiday as if it’s any other day of the year. In some cases it’s not as good as any other day because their neighbours have gone home with their families, and these seniors are left alone.
It’s a simple process. You plug in your postal code into the web page and participating retailers come up. You drop by, pick up an ornament off the tree and buy the gift on the ornament. It might be ladies slippers or a box of chocolates or another modest present. Return both to the store and you’re done. They’ll take care of getting the gifts to seniors. We’re doing it tomorrow at a store just up the street from the radio station. It’s not in every community yet but it’s growing, spearheaded by Home Instead Senior Care. We may not be able to help everyone, but we can sure try.