PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY TO HELP

Giving an elderly person a gift certificate for medicine, food or perhaps taxi rides could turn loneliness and despair into a heartfelt Christmas.

The Christmas for the Elderly program has accomplished such a transformation for underprivileged senior citizens for the past nine years. This year the mission is the same: Make a difference for someone who otherwise would do without.

Cape Girardeau County Health Department Director Charlotte Craig, who has been involved with the project since its inception in 1985, said sometimes providing one item changes the outlook of an elderly person's life.

The project is co-sponsored by the Cape Girardeau County Health Department and the Southeast Missourian.

"When the project started, we were thinking we needed to provide medical supplies and equipment," Craig said. "Then we could see that by coming up with a wish list, we could make life a little happier or more comfortable with items that an elderly person is unable to buy.

"It makes them feel good that somebody cares enough to find out what they need and then get it for them," she added.

From now until Dec. 9, the Southeast Missourian will highlight cases of senior citizens whose needs could be met with a donation from an individual, church or civic group.

The identities of those featured in the newspaper are confidential.

"We don't intend for those who donate gifts to meet these people," Craig said. "Some people have called and said they wanted to adopt a senior citizen, but that's not what this is for. The only way people can get involved is through the health department."

Senior citizens must often choose between buying food or medicine from one month to the next. Providing food or assistance for medical bills could relieve some of the anxiety that comes with such a decision.

The elderly who benefit from the program are referred from various agencies throughout the year. When social security benefits, Medicare and Medicaid fail to cover many of the medical needs of senior citizens, perhaps a gift certificate to a preferred pharmacy will.

Kim McDowell, coordinator of the project for the Southeast Missourian, said Christmas for the Elderly has been a vital and unique source of happiness to area senior citizens for the past nine years.

"I've never heard of any other community doing this type of program for the elderly," McDowell said. "It means so much to me to be able to reach out to these people, who basically have no family and very little income. They don't have a lot to cheer them up during the holidays, so something like this means so much to their lives."

Gifts may be delivered to the Southeast Missourian at 301 Broadway or the Cape Girardeau County Health Department, 1121 Linden.

Gifts or financial donations may be mailed to Christmas for the Elderly, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699. For more information call Kim McDowell at 335-6611.