Realty office collecting donations for seniors
Published 9:00 am Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Children aren’t the only ones in need for Christmas, and a local real estate office is working to make sure senior citizens aren’t forgotten.
Winchester’s Coldwell Banker office is in its third year of collecting items for people in long-term care or a nursing home.
Called Santa’s Seniors, the effort is similar to an angel tree, said Delores Willis of Coldwell Banker McMahan Company. Officials with Fountain Circle Health and Rehabilitation and Clark Regional Medical Center’s transitional care unit submitted names of 144 residents with their wants for Christmas, Willis said.
“They ask for the basics: throws, blankets, slippers, lotions, snacks, baby dolls, stuffed animals, perfumes,” Willis said. “They really ask for the basics we take for granted.”
Willis said a former agent in the office started the program three years ago.
“We really enjoyed doing it so we continued,” she said. “We saw there was a need.”
Each year there have been more than 100 names on the tree. The community has responded well.
“Sekisui really helped a lot last year,” she said. “They’ve already been in and took a lot of names this year.
“We’ve had people do this all three years,” she said. “They really look forward to it. Some bring their kids in and let them pick a name.”
People can stop by the office and take a name from the tree, she said. Gifts must be wrapped and returned by Dec. 15; they will be delivered on Dec. 18.
“We’ll probably have to rent a U-Haul (truck) to deliver them,” Willis said.
Names are available at the Coldwell Banker office, 950 Bypass Road, during business hours.