Santa for Seniors returns to Northside
SYDNEY MINES — A quiet Northside tradition that is meant to brighten the spirits of area seniors during the holiday season will return again this year.
Santa for Seniors is an informal program under the direction of Lynn Clarke that sees Christmas gifts collected for seniors living in Northside retirement facilities and handed out to them on Christmas Eve.
The seniors that receive the gifts are those that might not see a present on Christmas morning.
"It is all done anonymously. I don't know who these people are and I don't get names," said Clarke, who was reluctant to receive any recognition for the program.
"All I get is just patient No. 1 needs shirts or socks or likes candy or a little list like that. I don't know who they are and they don't know who I am and that's the way it should be."
Clarke was inspired to begin the program about four years ago when her daughter told her about an anonymous Christmas tree gift-giving program in Halifax.
Last year, 25 seniors at the Harbourview Facility in Sydney Mines and two veterans wings at the Northside General received presents based on wish lists received from hospital staff.
"I just go by the wish list. If we have extra candy or socks we even out the piles like my mother used to do. Everybody gets the same thing."
Socks, sweaters, jogging pants and Tshirts are common requests, though one man asked for oranges last year.
"It amounts to what they need and they write down what they might like. One guy wanted pop, but it could be anything."
The presents given to the seniors are donated by Northside area residents each year after Clarke issues a reminder on her Facebook page.
A post on the social media site this week initially received eight comments within minutes from people wanting to help.
"That's what I've been doing the last couple of years and there was no problem. It went like wildfire."
Once the lists are compiled and the presents are received the Clarke family will wrap them and then hand them off to hospital staff who will deliver them in time for opening on Christmas Eve.
"I don't go down there. I don't want them to know what I'm doing and I don't go down there, but the (staff ) tell me it is very much appreciated."
Visit Clarke's Facebook page for more details.