Shoppers can buy gifts for seniors through Home Instead program

Seniors living at Fair Winds Manor in Buffalo Township were so surprised at the opportunity to ask for a few Christmas gifts that they couldn't think of what to put on their wish list.

“Most of them didn't really know what to say. And then they said, ‘Well, we don't really need anything,' ” said Renee Hawk, activities manager at Fair Winds, which is participating in the Be A Santa To A Senior program for the first time.

“We had to go back a couple times because they really had to think about it,” she said. “Once they got used to the idea, they were very excited about it.”

Be A Santa To A Senior is run by Home Instead Senior Care, which serves Armstrong, Allegheny, Butler and Beaver counties. It benefits needy seniors at local personal care homes.

“Through this program, we are able to show them that they are valuable members of our community and that people still care,” Home Instead office owner J. Michael Lyon said in a news release.

Holiday shoppers can buy a present for a senior by taking a tag off one of the Christmas trees located at the Pittsburgh Mills mall and several Big Lots stores in the area, including Harrison and Allegheny Township.

Each tree has tags with a senior's first name and gift requests. Shoppers can pick a tag, buy the items listed and drop the unwrapped gifts off back at the tree.

Gifts will be collected through Dec. 17.

Local elementary school students colored and decorated gift bags that will be used to distribute the gifts.

Fifth-graders at Grandview Upper Elementary School in Tarentum decorated gift bags for the presents. Evans City Middle School and Slippery Rock Elementary students also participated.

Grandview student Holden Lane asked his classmates to help with the bag-decorating project. His aunt is a volunteer with Be A Santa To A Senior.

“Holden wanted to contribute to what he said was a very thoughtful idea,” Highlands School District spokeswoman Misty Chybrzynski said in an emailed statement. She said Highlands strives to teach students about community service.

“Every year, we are pleasantly surprised at the way our kids exhibit excitement to help and generosity in their giving through the school year, but especially during the holiday season,” she said.

More than 360 seniors from 13 facilities are requesting gifts this year. Many would otherwise spend the holidays alone without a visit or gift.

Those are the residents whom this program truly benefits, said Tonya Galmoff, activities director at West Haven Manor, in Washington Township.

“It's a great program because it enriches the seniors' lives — especially those who are really down at the holidays and those who don't have family in the area,” she said. “It means a lot to them that someone cares enough to get them a Christmas present.”

Quality Life Services owns 10 area personal care homes, including West Haven and Fair Winds. Community liaison Cindie Phillips, who formerly worked with Home Instead and coordinated the Be A Santa To A Senior program, introduced the program to Quality Life's centers.

“What they try to do normally is make sure that everybody gets a gift, so this is a real blessing to them,” Phillips said. “It's about reaching out and blessing people. I was fortunate enough to have this tie, and I feel like we are put in a place to reach out to others and not be concerned with what it's doing for us.”

Hawk said she's looking forward to watching Fair Wind's seniors open their gifts.

“I wish the people who took the time to buy the present could see the result, because it's heartwarming,” she said.

Jodi Weigand is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-226-4702 or jweigand@tribweb.com.