The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Adopt a Senior program provides gifts during Christmas season
Gift bags for seniors can be donated through Dec. 6.
Q: I saw a flyer about adopting a senior in Cherokee County. Is this a year- long commitment? Would you tell me about this?
A: You are inquiring about Cherokee County’s Adopt a Senior. This program is one of many provided by the Cherokee County Senior Services and held during the Christmas season. It is not a year-long program.
Adopt a Senior has been in place for about 20 years and was initiated by Sharon Smith, the previous super- visor for Cherokee County Senior Services Meals on Wheels, according to Home Delivered Meals Supervisor and Volunteer Coordinator Alice Micham.
This year’s program opened with accepting gift bags Nov. 1 and will conclude Dec. 6.
“Every year with Adopt a Senior, we ask for a few items (unwrapped) to be placed in a gift bag and brought to the senior services. Two of the three gift items are a $25 gift card for groceries (Walmart, Kroger or Publix for example), a book of stamps and then the main gift that changes every year,” she said.
“This year it is a bath towel set. In this particular program, this is only done during this time of year. The rest of the year people can make donations for the seniors,” said the supervi- sor. “A lot of people like to add other things to it (toi- letries, chapstick, Kleenex, lotion, small box of chocolates — things that they can use) but nothing that is per- ishable”
The program h a s expanded beyond their Meals on Wheels and now includes the Homemakers and the Congregate Meal program serving about 300 clients with 28 volunteers.
“The volunteers love delivering the gift bags and are grateful they have the oppor- tunity to hand the presents to their clients they’ve gotten to know,” said Micham. “... it’s a very nice, feel good thing.
“It’s extremely popular amongst our clients and they look forward to it every year. In some cases, I’m sorry to say, it is the only gift they get,” she noted.
If you wish to Adopt a Senior, bring your gift bag to the Cherokee County Senior Center at 1001 Univeter Road, Canton. Gift bags will be accepted through Dec. 6. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Dec. 4 is a special Saturday dropoff from 10 a.m. to noon.