Briefs: Remember seniors during holidays

The area office of Home Instead Senior Care, the world's largest provider of non-medical home care and companionship for older adults, is teaming with local churches and retailers for its annual "Be a Santa to a Senior" campaign. "Be a Santa to a Senior each year sets new records in contributions of gifts to a group that often is forgotten during the hectic holiday season," said Dennis Wade, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving several areas including North Davidson county. "While children are the beneficiaries of many holiday programs, people often don't think about the isolated and lonely seniors who need to be remembered as well during this season." Before the holiday season, the participating local nonprofit organizations identified needy and isolated seniors in several communities and provided those names to Home Instead Senior Care. The program runs until Dec. 15. Christmas trees in several CVS Pharmacies feature ornaments with the first names of the seniors and their respective gift requests. Christmas tress can be found in the following CVS Pharmacies: • McHenry Center, 1793 N. Gallatin Road, Madison • 549 W. Main St., Gallatin • 101 Glen Oaks Blvd., Hendersonville • 1200 Gallatin Road S. • 304 S. Broadway, Portland • 903 Memorial Blvd., Springfield Holiday shoppers can pick up an ornament, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store, along with the ornament attached. Staff of Home Instead Senior Care, senior-care business associates, non-profit workers and others will collect, wrap and distribute the gifts to the seniors. A citywide gift-wrapping day, when hundreds of the presents will be wrapped, will be announced later. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering to help on the citywide gift-wrapping day, contact Sharon Spears, 615-859-2380 in Goodlettsville and 931-648-7800 in Clarksville. Businesses are encouraged to contact the local Home Instead Senior Care office about adopting groups of seniors. For more information about the program, visit www.beasantatoasenior.com.