A new charitable effort on Salt Spring Island is aimed at fulfilling a few holiday wishes for our senior population.
“Stocking Stuffers for Seniors” is in full swing, according to Brad Hefferon and Sylvia Andress, who teamed up to launch the project. A list of island seniors with needs reached about 180 this week, they said, and the generosity of the community so far has been wonderful.
“Most seniors live on a fixed income and cannot afford more than the necessities, such as food, toiletries and housing costs,” explains the project’s website. “These individuals may request certain items just like the rest of us. If they do not have loved ones who can purchase these items, they may never receive them.”
Stocking Stuffers for Seniors has two ways participants can anonymously provide a gift to a needy senior. Organizers can match donors with a local senior, and provide them with a list of items that they have on their wishlist. Donors can then purchase the items on the list and drop them off at a designated time, where they will be wrapped and handed over to the senior who requested them.
As a second option, donors can put cash towards the purchase of items, and one of the volunteers will procure the items on the list and wrap them prior to handing them over to the senior who requested them. Recommended spending, per senior, is $25 to $40, according to Hefferon.
Participants should sign up at the website: www.bradhefferon.com/stocking-stuffers-for-seniors before Dec. 14; cash donations can be made any time until Dec. 21. For more information or to volunteer, call Andress at 250-537-7012 or Hefferon at 604-363-5639.
I would like to contribute with items and time.
I just received this wonderful surprise this afternoon with a lovely gift from your group. It was so unexpected and kind. If your keeping a list of volunteers I would be delighted to help. Betty Taylor