It is hoped that around 600 seniors in facilities in the area will benefit from people’s generosity this holiday season. London Drugs in Grande Prairie and the Grande Spirit Foundation have partnered again this year for their Stocking Stuffers for Seniors Program.
“It’s basically a program to get some items like goods, books, magazines, candy, chocolate, slippers [and] warm socks into a stocking stuffer that’s then distributed out to our seniors in our lodges,” says Foundation General Manager Steve Madden.
The program has been going on in the city for the last four or five years. When it started, around 200 seniors were receiving gifts.
From now until December 10th, people can go to London Drugs and pick up a tag with a wishlist on it. They then buy those items and bring them back to the store with the tag.
Closer to Christmas, the items are dropped off to people living at all five of the Grande Spirit Foundation’s locations in Grande Prairie, Clairmont and Spirit River. Madden says the seniors love receiving these gifts each year.
“It just warms their heart; it just opens their thoughts that the community is thinking about them, that everybody’s thinking together about the seniors in our community. The seniors absolutely love to be able to get that bag and see different types of presents inside and it’s a surprise each time.”
All gifts need to be brought back to London Drugs by December 10th in order to make sure they are handed out by Christmas.
