The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
‘Our senior citizens must not be forgotten’
Be a Santa to a Senior program gives more than gifts to elderly
It was 2014 when Nina Lombardo-Mylott noticed a wreath full of tags at Lake County Council on Aging.
The tags signified gift ideas for elderly Lake County residents who could benefit from the Be a Santa to a Senior program. Lombardo-Mylott took five tags, then went back a few days later and emptied the wreath.
“I purchased all of the gifts and felt great about it, until I came across a small Be a Santa to a Senior tree located someplace else in Lake County and saw all the tags that still remained,” she recalled. “I knew I needed to do more to get the word out about this wonderful program.”
Be a Santa to a Senior originated in 2003 with Omaha, Nebraska-based Home Instead Senior Care. Since the program began, more than 60,000 volunteers have distributed 1.2 million gifts to 700,000 seniors, according to the Home Instead website.
In 2015, Lombardo-Mylott, who is Mentor Safety Forces Communications supervisor, received approval to place a Be a Santa to a Senior tree in the Mentor Municipal Center lobby. In the last four years, more than half the 2,000 gifts distributed in Lake County have come from Mentor’s giving tree.
“The response from the city of Mentor employees and residents was amazing,” she said, adding that the success led to an annual gift-wrapping party at city hall. “City employees look forward to the tree going up and are happy to help, whether it is by choosing a tag or helping to wrap gifts. Residents take time out of their busy day to stop in and select tags. We have emptied the tree of tags every year.”
The gift-giving tree will be in the lobby now through Dec. 14, when the wrapping event will be held, starting at 10 a.m. Volunteers also deliver the gifts.
The Mentor location of Home Instead, 7334 Center St., finds seniors in need by working with community organizations that assist the elderly. Along with the Council on Aging, they include United Way, Geauga Department on Aging, local
hospitals, nursing homes, attorney guardianship offices and senior centers.
“In 2004, Home Instead Senior Care collected gifts for 186 seniors,” said local Executive Director Valorie Armstrong, who also runs the program in Geauga County. “Since then, the program has grown significantly with over 1,000 seniors receiving the joy of companionship and a gift last holiday season.”
A project of this magnitude requires year-long planning, she said. The final program implementation phase begins in midNovember and ends Dec. 23.
Some of the larger community partners include area chambers of commerce, Wal-Mart, Giant Eagle, KeyBank and local shopping malls. Also contributing are many smaller local merchants, church organizations, scouts and school groups.
“Most of our senior recipients from the program tell us the companionship visit is appreciated even more than the gift itself,” Armstrong said. “What an amazing opportunity it has been to impact the lives of thousands of isolated seniors at home with the gift of love and the human spirit. This program truly embodies what the spirit of volunteerism is about: the giving of oneself fully to brighten the life of another.”
The corporate financial commitment to this program was about $30,000 in 2011 and includes purchasing printing supplies, trees, decorations, wrapping materials and remaining gift items on the list of presents for seniors, as well as providing Home Instead Senior Care staff time.
At Mentor Municipal Center, participants pick an ornament from the tree, buy the item listed and return it to the front desk or to the Mentor Police Records counter. The gift wishes are simple items such as slippers, crossword puzzles, warm blankets and stamps.
“This program is vital,” Lombardo-Mylott said. “Our senior citizens must not be forgotten, particularly during the holidays.”
She is spurred on by something her grandmother told her: “As you age and start losing all the people closest to you that you love, it feels like lights going out, one by one, and eventually you feel left alone in the dark. My greatest hope is that when the seniors receive these gifts, it’s a small light turned on, even if just for a little while.”
The Mentor Municipal Center is located at 8500 Civic Center Blvd., and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, contact Armstrong at 440257-5800.