The Northumberland County Area Agency on Aging sponsored its personal care home Christmas project for the fifth year.
Agency staff, who raise money throughout the year, presented gifts that fulfill personal wish lists of residents at personal care homes. including Maple Leaf, Shamokin; Ann-Joachim House, Kulpmont; Community Services Group, Atlas; Guardian Angel, Coal Township, and, new this year, Serenity Gardens, Den-Mar Gardens.
Agency staff has an ongoing involvement with Northumberland County residents through the assessments that are completed for eligibility for residency. Staff and resident involvement has shown the lack of resources that residents possess and the inability to access things that one takes for granted. Such simple things include clothing, favorite shampoos, soaps or toothpastes, and hobby products.
The fundraising gets very creative at times, with sales of candy, sandwiches and lottery tickets, as well as sidewalk sales and rummage sales.
The culmination of the year is on the day the staff has the honor of visiting the personal care home and delivering the gifts that were on the residents' personal "wish lists."
"It is a day of joy, tears and great feeling," the agency reports. "It is truly the spirit of Christmas, giving to those most in need and most appreciative."
Residents of the personal care homes that accept the Pennsylvania State Supplement also receive a Christmas meal, courtesy of Frey's Commissary, Montoursville.
"It is truly a most rewarding experience, more for the agency staff than the residents," the agency reported.