By Hayley Ferguson

Holiday Spirit

AgeCare asking community to help make sure every senior has a Christmas to remember

Dec 10, 2019 | 5:53 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – According to Statistics Canada, over 1.4 million seniors admit that they are lonely.

To help ease that during the holidays, AgeCare ValleyView is asking Medicine Hat to help with their fifth annual “A Christmas to Remember” gift drive.

“Christmas is a time of joy. But for a lot of seniors, it’s also a time of isolation and disconnect. They are far from their family if they have families. So this is an opportunity as a community to reach out and brighten their Christmas a little bit. And just show them that people care,” said ValleyView’s retirement living coordinator Angela Ruby.

People are asked to pick up a tag off of the tree, at either ValleyView or London Drugs, that holds seniors wish list. They can also register online.

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The lists will have items like large-print books, puzzles, blankets, and hygiene products.

Ruby says that having something to open on Christmas day can make a real difference for the seniors.

“The gifts will have their name on the tag so they feel that somebody has personally thought about them and gone out and purchased a gift, wrapped it, and brought it to them. And they feel very touched and it’s so heartwarming to watch their reaction,” she said.

Residents of Medicine Hat can also register a senior in need online.

Ruby is hopeful that they will be able to help about 1,000 in the city.

Gifts are asked to be dropped off the ValleyView facility at 65 Valleyview Drive SW by December 18th.

Gifts will then be wrapped and delivered by volunteers.