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Have you heard about Secret SANTA for Seniors in Barriere?

Michelle Metcalf has been a Barriere resident for four years and says she feels very much a part of the community.
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Jeanette Sherwood (Metcalf photo)

Michelle Metcalf has been a Barriere resident for four years and says she feels very much a part of the community.

As the holiday season is fast approaching Metcalf says she misses family at this time of year.

“I was thinking about my mom, Jeanette Sherwood, who lives on the Lower Mainland,” said Metcalf, “I was concerned that this Christmas was going to be kind of crappy for her as we would not be together. Then I thought it probably wasn’t just her, but that other seniors who are alone or away from loved ones at Christmas probably feel the same.”

Metcalf said she got to thinking that it would be a great idea to try and get the Barriere community involved to “adopt a senior for Christmas and provide them with some holiday cheer”.

She then reached out on Facebook to the Barriere area and asked if there was any sort of program for seniors at Christmas in the area.

“I didn’t hear anything back so I decided if it wasn’t already happening then I was going to do it.”

She then posted her idea on social media and soon found herself taking names of people who were willing to adopt a senior, and then she started to hear from the seniors themselves who also want to participate in her Secret SANTA for Seniors-Barriere- project.

Metcalf says the idea has taken off and she already has a large list of seniors and volunteer ‘gifters’.

‘Gifters’ are given a number which will connect their gift with a senior. ‘Gifters’ are limited to a $40 maximum limit to provide a gift or a number of small gifts for their senior.

Each senior in the program is provided with a number so they remain anonymous.

Each ‘gifter’ is encouraged to write a note or a Christmas card to go with the gift. They can provide their name or remain anonymous if they wish.

“We are still taking names of seniors in our community, so please send us a message if you know of a senior who could use some holiday joy,” says Metcalf.

The cut-off date for submitting a senior’s name will be Nov. 30 to allow plenty of time for shopping, wrapping and delivery. The gift drop-off/pickup will not be until Dec. 15, and delivery day will be Dec. 23 and 24.

If you would like to learn more about the Secret SANTA for Seniors - Barriere - you can find them on Facebook under that name.

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