So much focus at Christmas is on children that too often senior citizens are left to fend for themselves for the holidays.
Santa to a Senior is a community giving event now run by Home Instead Senior Care now in its 12th year. Victor Erato, owner of the Racine-Kenosha office, said the Santa program helps isolated, lonely and/or needy seniors experience some of the warmth of the season.
“We have over 900 seniors this year who will have Christmas because of the kindness of our community,” he said.
Santa to a Senior typically involves a Christmas tree being delivered to an office or a school hung with tags that include the name of a senior and a list of two to four items on their wish list. Most wishes are modest; stamps, a calendar, hats, gloves, scarves and picture frames. Still, they mean a lot to the seniors who receive them.
“For people who are lonely or needy, these gifts mean the world to them,” Erato said.