Your help brought holidays to seniors
Published 12:00 am Saturday, January 2, 2010
The generosity of hundreds of sponsors and volunteers throughout the Wiregrass made the fourth annual Santa for Seniors project an overwhelming success.
All 478 needy seniors on the list received gifts that represent the basic essentials of life for them. These included dietary supplements, adult diapers, pest control, warm blankets and food. Some donors provided washing machines, refrigerators and walkers. Lowe’s in Dothan provide room heaters for more than 60 seniors.
Monetary donations of people across the Wiregrass helped raise more than $50,000, some of which was used to pay for life-giving items such as prescription medications and emergency response systems. The remaining will be used over the coming weeks to fund the safety- and health-critical home repairs on the list.
With every gift, the senior’s appreciation brought a heartwarming story. In most cases, your gifts were the only presents they received for Christmas. An example is the senior who greeted her gift deliverers with a big smile on her face. She wanted her guests to sit, visit and watch her open her gifts. While tearing open the festive green and red paper on each box, she kept repeating, “Thank you so much! The Lord is going to bless you all!” She continually repeated her thanks.
This scenario played out in hundreds of homes. Your kindness ensured that each of these seniors know they are loved and cared for.
The overwhelming generosity of Wiregrass residents once again made us proud of the place we call home.
Jim Hicks
Santa for Seniors
volunteer
Robert Crowder
Executive Director,
SARCOA