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Senior Santa program brightens holidays for area seniors
By Charlotte Underwood
CAMPBELL COUNTY, TN. (WLAF)- Thanks to ETHRA’s Santa for Seniors program and the generosity of area individuals and organizations, 139 seniors in Campbell County will be having happier holidays.
East Tennessee Resource Agency’s Office on Aging Director Becky Pierce started the program in Campbell County eight years ago. She said she borrowed the idea from the Claiborne County program, because she saw a great need in our own county in the elderly population.
“There were just so many people doing without. A co-worker from Claiborne County was doing the program up there and I thought, we need this here in Campbell County,” Pierce said.
“I have the seniors write a wish list of what they want for Christmas, and we have people that sponsor those clients; this year we have 139 elderly people in the community getting presents and you would not believe this room, it’s completely filled up with gifts, people have been so generous,” Pierce said.
The Christmas wishes made by many of the seniors will “tear at your heart,” according to Pierce, who said many of them ask for things like warms socks and gloves, warm pajamas, “things they should not be doing without.”
This year Pierce said her office was able to get all the seniors on the list sponsored. They began taking sponsors in early November and will hand out the gifts this coming week.
“Every year, it keeps getting bigger and bigger. This year we had some amazing sponsors. The LA Cruizers Car Club sponsored 50 our clients and they spent $150 on each of them,” Pierce said.
The Office on Aging has many other community partners and individual sponsors that made this program grow and thrive this year. Pierce said she wanted to say a “huge thank you to all of the sponsors” as well as to Jessica Cain with the District Attorney General’s Office who did a blanket drive for seniors as well.
Community partners and sponsors included LA Cruizers, the LaFollette Housing Authority, Mugs Ice Cream, Benchmark, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Community Trust Bank, Family Community Education (FCE), and multiple individuals within the community.
NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.
Below, take a visit through The Grand on Central.
For bookings, email Olivia Lobertini ohlobertini03@gmail.com. Check on avails HERE. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/23/2024-6AM)