HOMER – Despite the Coronavirus pandemic, and in some ways because of it, the staff of Banks County Emergency Management Agency/E-9-1-1 hope their annual Santa for Seniors collection will draw 500 throw blankets this year.
“It’s an annual tradition that we love to do,” said Banks County EMA/E-9-1-1 Director Deidra Moore. “The senior citizens seem to really love it. We used to do Shoeboxes for Seniors and have narrowed it down to blankets and ornaments because they seem to really enjoy those.”
This year, Banks County dispatchers are collecting small throw blankets and plastic or wooden Christmas ornaments to be given to senior citizens who may not otherwise have contact with the outside world this Christmas season.
“With COVID-19 going on, we’ve got a lot of shut-ins in place that can’t have contact with family and friends or sometimes even church groups, so we’re really extra super excited this year to get them some love and blankets and ornaments this Christmas season,” Moore said. “This year, we’ll be shooting to collect 500, in comparison to past years we’ve collected between 350 and 400. We’d like to get 500 so that we can add another nursing home to our list.”
Moore said dispatchers hope to collect the small, throw blankets (like the two for $5 variety) and pair each with a non-breakable Christmas ornament.
“I think that the need is probably a whole lot greater this year because of the pandemic and everything that we’re going through, so any help that we can get in putting a smile on our seniors’ faces and giving them a warm hug with a blanket and a pretty ornament to put on a tree is greatly appreciated,” Moore said. “Help us give back to them.”
Donated items are delivered to homes, nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Banks County.
“We deliver those to all of the nursing homes in the area, the assisted care homes, and to our senior citizens’ center, who delivers to homebound citizens as well,” Moore said.
Donations will be accepted through Dec. 11, and may be dropped off at the Banks County Commissioners Office, 150 Hudson Ridge, Homer.
For more information or to schedule pickup of donated items, call (706) 677-1234 or email [email protected].
http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/10/945373/banks-county-emae-9-1-1-collecting-blankets-ornaments-for-senior-citizens