Everyone deserves to enjoy the warmth of the holiday season, and this year, area seniors who are alone or impoverished will be able to do just that.
Sponsored by the Home Instead Senior Care® office serving Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties, the Be a Santa to a Senior® program provides gifts and companionship for lonely and isolated seniors. The program is made possible by the generous support of area nonprofit organizations, retailers, numerous volunteers and members of the community.
“There are so many seniors, right here in Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties that have nothing and no one,” said Corrie Boger, owner of the local Home Instead Senior Care office. “Through this program, we are able to show them that they are valuable members of our community and that people still care.”
Home Instead Senior Care has partnered with MAC Area Agency on Aging, Shore UP Shady Pines Adult Medical Day Services, Worcester County Department of Health, Worcester County Department of 
Social Services and the Worcester County Commission on Aging to help with the gift collection and distribution.
Participating community partners will display Be a Santa to a Senior Christmas trees from Nov. 2 to Dec. 11 that feature ornaments with seniors’ first names and their gift requests. Holiday shoppers can pick ornaments from the trees, buy the items listed and return them wrapped (and with the ornament attached) to the store where the ornament was chosen.
Program partners and volunteers will take care of distributing the wrapped gifts to local seniors who might otherwise spend the holiday alone.
“We have seen, firsthand, how much this program means to local seniors,” said Boger. “Without it, there would be seniors for whom the holidays would pass without even a visit.”
You can find a Be A Santa To a Senior tree at the following locations:
- Apple Discount Drugs: 404 A N. Fruitland Blvd, Salisbury, MD 21801
- Apple Discount Drugs: 1210 Nanticoke Rd. Unit 11, Salisbury, MD 21801
- Apple Discount Drugs: 314 Franklin Ave. Ste 600, Berlin, MD 21811
- Snow Hill Pharmacy: 5610 Market Street Unit 2, Snow Hill, MD 21863
- Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce: 144 E. Main St., Salisbury, MD 21801
- Ocean Pines Community Center, Recreation and Parks: 235 Ocean Pkwy, Ocean Pines, MD 21811
For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 410-641-0901.
