The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Volunteers turn sights to needy seniors
Hundreds of kindhearted folks chose to share the spirit of the season by taking part in the Be a Santa to a Senior program this year.
Initiated by Home Instead Senior Care, about 750 gifts were collected, wrapped and delivered by volunteers to seniors who will likely spend the holiday alone and/or are economically disadvantaged.
Therese Zdesar, chief executive officer of the Home Instead Senior Care facilities serving Lake, Geauga and Portage counties, said she became aware of the concept through another office which had already enacted the program.
“We loved the idea and jumped on the bandwagon and have been doing it consistently for 15 years,” she said.
Zdesar added that the gift given to seniors is more than just material. The message of “I care about you and you matter” is of ultimate importance.
For the past several years Mentor has become actively involved in the charitable effort.
Nina Lombardo-Mylott, the city’s Safety Forces communications supervisor, paired up with Home Instead staff member and program director Valorie Armstrong by helping to coordinate the endeavor locally.
Christmas trees holding tags naming requested gift items were placed in the lobby of the Mentor Municipal Center as well as area businesses in November. Lombardo-Mylott said generous community members quickly plucked off the tags to fulfill needs. Popular requests were for toiletry items, puzzles, robes, blankets, pet food, postage stamps and gift cards.
However, the supervisor expressed concern that many more seniors could benefit from the helpful program but need to be identified.
“I’d really like to get more out of this to cast a wider net. I’d love to triple the number of seniors we can assist,” she said, adding that once acknowledged other services such as Meals on Wheels or visitors programs may be made available.
Seniors in need are often recognized through the Lake County Council on Aging or referred by safety forces. However, “We want to reach your neighbors next door,” Lombardo-Mylott said.
Among the many serving as “Santas” this year were about 25 volunteers who gathered at the municipal center in a massive giftwrapping session on Dec. 17.
Kelly Belin of Mentor who also gives her time as PTA President of Fairfax Elementary School said she chose to help because “I feel our seniors are forgotten a lot of times.”
Amidst a pile of colorful ribbons and paper Mentor resident Valarie Helmick noted that through her many volunteer efforts she has found that giving back is truly a blessing for her as well as others.
Kimberly Tutolo, who works for Hospice of the Western Reserve, said that just making a difference in the life of a person is important.
“It’s a really hard time of year for some seniors,” she said.
Having delivered packages in the past she noted that “it’s such a joyful moment for them that someone remembered.”
Zdesar recalled once delivering a gift of dish towels to an elderly woman who lived alone and had lost all of her friends and relatives. She cried during the special visit and didn’t want to open the gift because she said it would be the only one she would receive that year.
“The most important part of the gift was the companionship,” Zdesar said.
Paul McCoy of Mentor who has been wrapping and delivering gifts for the program for 15 years as well as bringing meals to the homebound on Thanksgiving and Christmas has modeled the spirit of giving to his children who now join him in his efforts.
“I’d rather give my time and energy and see the similes on their faces than just donate money,” he said.
Armstrong and Lombardo-Mylott are hoping that people who are aware of seniors in need don’t wait until next Christmas to suggest them for the program and ask that they send along referrals at any time.
Lombardo-Mylott can be reached at Lomboardo@cityofmentor.com or 440-974- 5760, ext. 4901. Armstrong can be reached at 440-257-5800.