Council on Aging's Secret Santa program brightens holidays for local seniors

The Christmas tree inside the Crawford County Council on Aging's front entrance isn't very large, but it has the potential to brighten the holidays for a lot of local seniors.

The tree, decorated with special tags, is part of the third annual Secret Santa program, explained Cassie Herschler, the council's executive director.

"The tree is pretty much full right now," she said. "We've had quite a few people already come take tags off the tree."

Tags represent individual seniors and gift of choice

The program is completely anonymous, explained Courtney Moody, the center's activities director. Each tag indicates whether the gift is for a man or woman, and what that senior, age 60 or older, would like to receive.

"Individuals can come into the building and pick a tag off the tree and purchase an item," Herschler said. The Council on Aging's office is at 200 S. Spring St. "It can be anywhere up to $50 per item, and then they have to bring it back unwrapped. We wrap it and deliver it ourselves."

Moody said people who take a tag are asked to notify a staffer, "just so we know where the tags go."

"A lot of times it's blankets, shoes, new pots and pans, or even just a Walmart gift card to go and buy groceries," Moody said of the items requested.

90 seniors received gifts in 2020

In 2020, the program's first year, 45 seniors participated. Last year, about 90 received gifts through the program, Herschler said.

"Actually, the idea started during COVID, because we wanted to be able to do what we could for the seniors, since we weren't really seeing them in the building," Herschler said. "We were just doing services outside, and we knew there were a lot of people that needed it; trying to give back."

Moody said the idea originally came from the council on aging's transportation department.

"They really see a lot of the need in our senior community, and they had the wonderful idea to set this up and get the community involved," she said.

ggoble@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Secret Santa program brightens holidays for local senior citizens