Portage County – More than 450 Seniors in Portage County received a visit and a special present through, Home Instead Senior Care’s Community Outreach Program – Be A Santa To A Senior. Through this program, the local Home Instead Senior Care office identified seniors all over the county who would not receive a visit this Holiday Season and, with the help of friends and neighbors, presents were bought for each senior. Many of the presents requested were for things most of us take for grant it – socks, slippers, lap blankets and toiletries. “Each year our hearts are so deeply touched to see our county embrace seniors who otherwise would be lonely at Christmastime.”, says Paula Baughman, Executive Director of Community Relations for Home Instead Senior Care office. Baughman went on to say that “our office is so grateful to each community partner who graciously helped wrap gifts and deliver the presents with a gift of a visit.” This year, Edinburg Fire Department, Kent Fire Department, Palmyra Fire Department and the Streetsboro Fire Department helped to deliver gifts. While, Portage County Sheriff’s Department and Mantua Village Police Department, Kent Police Department, Commissioner Sabrina Christian Bennett and Recorder Lori Calcei gave their time to deliver presents as well. New this year to the Home Instead office, volunteers from the United Way and Home Instead Elves helped at our wrapping parties hosted at the Aurora Senior Center and the Portage County Senior Center. Cards graced the top of each present and were hand made by local teens and student council of Southeast Middle School. The cards brought so much joy to their faces and were the perfect addition to the present. “It is amazing to see how one good deed spreads!” Baughman said.
Beautiful Stories from this year:
• Rootstown Community Pharmacy technician- Stephanie Nadai, was deeply touched by this program as it made her think of her mom who is in a nursing facility. She immediately thought of others and asked her birthday guests to bring a gift for a senior instead of her. “This kindness touched our hearts so much, Stephanie is such a beautiful caring young lady,” said Joan Penix, Executive Director.
• During a visit with the Kent Police Department, one of our present deliveries was for a lady who was 100 years old. She was so grateful for her present that it brought so much joy to all who watched her open the gift. This sweet lady kept saying how kind it was to get her a present. Her face just lit up with joy!
• Everyone loves fruit and that was just what one senior said when he had his fruit basket delivered to him complete with Santa! He just hugged his fruit basket and was so excited. A smile was on everyone’s face!
One may ask why we do the, Be A Santa To A Senior Program each year…The answer is simple- to see seniors uplifted and put a little joy in their hearts and to see our community come together for our greatest generation- Our Seniors! On behalf of the Home Instead Senior Care, Ravenna Office- we are truly blessed and thankful each day to care for seniors and change the face of aging.
A heartfelt Thank You goes to each person who donated a gift, their time to wrap presents, and each person who graciously was a part of the Be A Santa To A Senior Program for 2019.
