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Program Brings Christmas Cheer and Santa to Local Seniors
By
Michael A. Piekarz
Staff Writer
On November 20, three days before Thanksgiving,
Christmas trees will be springing up in stores all over Yolo County
as part of the “Be Santa for a Senior” program, which
provides holiday cheer to low-income seniors.
Each year, thousands of lonely and financially challenged seniors struggle with
the holiday blues. They dread facing the holiday season without family or friends
when the isolation of being a widow, abandoned by their family or faraway from
children and grandchildren produces extreme loneliness that’s often exaggerated
by festivities of the holiday season.
Now in its third year, Be Santa for a Senior hopes to increase the success of
the last two years. According to data provided by Home Instead Senior Care, sponsor
of the program, over 200,000 gifts have been provided to 122,000 needy seniors.
Last year, Be Santa for a Senior’s 6,000 volunteers delivered 146,000 gifts
throughout North America.
Locally, the program is administered through the Home Instead office serving
Yolo and Solano counties. Tom Suharik, owner of the Home Instead local office
thinks he knows why the program has become so popular so quickly.
“Be Santa for 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,” said Suharik.
Much of the program’s success depends on community help. Home Instead forms
partnerships with local non-profit agencies to help with providing gifts to seniors
who otherwise might not receive them.
This year’s partners include Palm Gardens, Alderson’s, the Elder
Nutrition Program, Woodland Skill Nursing, Cottonwood Health Care, Sierra Health
Care, Yolo Adult Day Care Center, the Dixon Senior Center and the Woodland Senior
Center.
The program runs from the set up of Christmas trees on November 20 through December
13. The local non-profit partners identify needy and isolated seniors and provide
the names to Home Instead. The trees are then placed in businesses frequented
by shoppers.
Each Christmas tree is then covered with ornaments featuring the first name of
a needy senior along with a gift request. Holiday shoppers can pick up an ornament,
buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store, along with the
ornament attached.
Home Instead then enlists the help of its staff, senior care business associates,
non-profit workers and others to collect, wrap and distribute the gifts to these
seniors. This year’s gift-wrapping day will be held on December 14 at Palm
Gardens.
Much of the program is simply about letting seniors know they are not forgotten.
“People have told us that 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,” says Suharik.
“Be Santa for a Senior is also designed to help stimulate human contact
and social interaction for seniors who are unlikely to have guests during the
holidays.”
Those interested in volunteering or learning more about the Be Santa for a Senior
program should contact Cathy Cassevah at (530) 666-0613. Businesses are encouraged
to contact the Home Instead Senior Care office for Yolo and Solano counties if
they wish to adopt groups of seniors.
This page and its contents ©2006
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
