Virginia Lash grew up in West Virginia as one of 11 children. But, at 86, only one brother and a sister are left, her husband is dead, and she has no children.
Lash, who lives at Reynolda Park, an assisted-living facility in Winston-Salem, said that she still looks forward to the holidays and hopes to receive a robe, some lotion and socks this year.
The Be a Santa to a Senior program will assure that seniors such as Lash have a present to open on Christmas morning--and that it's something they really want.
"Whatever I get for Christmas, I'm thankful for," Lash said.
The program, which is sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care in Winston-Salem, pairs needy seniors with people who want to bring them some holiday cheer.
The Winston-Salem office has been doing the program for six years.
Home Instead Senior Care is a worldwide franchise that offers non-medical services to seniors in their homes or wherever they call home.
"When you've got a lot of residents that don't have family, it's nice to have people in the community step up and give them something to open at Christmas," said Sharon Sheets, the executive director of Reynolda Park.
To participate in the program, which runs until Dec. 18, people can visit the Walgreens on South Stratford Road close to Hanes Mall and pick up an ornament with a shopping list and the elderly person's first name.
Shoppers buy the items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store with the ornament attached. Home Instead will collect, wrap and distribute the gifts.
This year's program concentrates on the 58 residents of Reynolda Park, said Rosalie Pratesi, a community-service representative with Home Instead.
"People put a lot of emphasis on children," she said, "but they forget there are seniors out there who don't have families."
mgiunca@wsjournal.com
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