Elderly appreciate gifts provided by donations

After looking through the boxes and sacks delivered to his home Thursday morning, Mr. D was delighted with the new shirts, towels and household items he received.

"He said he hasn't had a Christmas this nice in years," said Tami Goldrick of the Missouri Division of Senior Services.

Mrs. R also was delighted with her gifts, which made an impressive stack against her kitchen wall.

The gifts came from Christmas for the Elderly, a program that provides gifts and needed household items to elderly in the community. The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, Missouri Division of Senior Services and Hoover Eldercare Center refer clients to the program.

"They all are really appreciative," Goldrick said. Many of the clients don't have family in the area and have no means to buy some of the essentials they need.

Volunteers from First Baptist Church helped make the deliveries. The group included Virgil and Joyce Chirnside, Bill Askew, the Rev. Jay White, Kaye and Bob Hamblin, June and Bill Richardson and their granddaughter Whitney Quick, S.A. Gunter, Denise Lincoln, Carol Robinson, Clara Boland and Wayne and Joan McPherson.

Vans and cars loaded with boxes and large sacks filled car seats or pickup truck beds. Each person also received fruit baskets and food items.

Some of the people, who were included in stories published in the Southeast Missourian, were adopted by schoolchildren or church groups and received nearly everything on their lists.

"We can't thank you enough for making the holidays a warm, caring time for our folks," Dr. Sheila Branscum, director of the Hoover Eldercare Center, wrote in a card.

Several of the gift recipients also signed the card. One woman wrote, "I will never feel alone again." Another said, "Thanks very much for remembering us old folks."

Most of the recipients in the programs are without family nearby or are suffering from serious health problems and spend most of their incomes on medication and other essentials. Christmas for the Elderly helps stock them with household cleaners, paper goods and toiletries, and such gifts are used throughout the year. Gift certificates to discount stores and pharmacies also are used throughout the year.

A group of men known as the "Old Goats," which includes Doug Groesbeck, Wally Lage, Gary Rust, Dennis Marchi, Han Kang, Jack Mehner, Lowell Peterson, Steve Bjelich, Joe Gambill, Jim Rust and Harry Rediger, helped one couple replace the windows in their home and provided 70 fruit baskets that were delivered Thursday.

Tax-deductible donations still may be mailed to Christmas for the Elderly, P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0004.