Christmas spirit alive and well

More than 400 holiday meals were delivered to seniors, gift tags on giving trees were filled, and donations were made to community food and toy drives in the days leading up to Christmas day in Shelburne County.

Shelburne County Senior Safety Services continued their tradition of providing free holiday meals to seniors throughout the county, making deliveries on four different dates in various locations.

The meals were prepared by local non-profits, including Mayflower Place in Barrington Passage – part of the Shelburne Area Supporting Inclusion (SASI) family.

At Mayflower Place – where baking and Meals on Wheels are regular duties – when it comes to preparing the holiday meals, it's a little extra special for the people working there.

“It keeps them busy and they enjoy doing it because it's for seniors and they like to give back," says Michelle Dedrick,

SASI program instructor.

As in previous years, members of local RCMP detachments helped to deliver the holiday meals.

“I'm excited to do this for the community,” said Cpl Sarah Laurie, who was participating for the first time to deliver holiday meals.

As in past years, the RCMP, Emergency Health Services

(EHS) and local fire departments teamed up to conduct food and toy drives in Barrington and Shelburne in support of the community.

“As a collective group we're excited to give back and carry on those traditions helping the community and fellow residents,” said Cpl. Laurie. “I think it's really important the community sees us out there

contributing and being an effective police service and that residents know that we are here to help them and support them.”

Shelburne County Senior Safety Services coordinator Shawna Symonds said she likes partnering with community organizations when it comes to delivering programming such as holiday meal delivery.

“It's a win-win,” she said, with an added bonus. “We go out and visit the seniors who are not out in the community, who are not able to go to community events, so it's a wellness check and a security check at the same time.

In eastern Shelburne County, the holiday meals are prepared by the Black Loyalist Heritage Society.

KATHY JOHNSON PHOTOS Volunteers Lyndsey Kenney and her children Emma and Leo pack up free holiday meals to be delivered to seniors on Cape Sable Island on Dec. 7. The annual event, organized by Shelburne County Senior Safety Services, saw meal deliveries to more than 300 people on four different dates in various locations in the county.

SASI program instructor Michelle Dedrick sets out sticky toffee deserts to be included with the free holiday meal delivery organized by Shelburne County Senior Safety Services.

Turkey dinner with all the trimmings is packaged up for delivery in the kitchen at Mayflower Place, Barrington Passage.