Gerry Geringer has a strong connection to her late husband, Gerry, which begins with their names: she’s Geraldine, and he’s Gerald. It doesn’t end there. They were born in the same nursery (three days apart), had the same doctor, and attended the same grade school.

This time of year is especially memorable for Gerry, as her husband was born on Christmas Eve. Thirteen years after his death, Christmas can be bittersweet for the 82-year-old Litchfield Township resident.

“If I weren’t here, I’d be sitting alone at home watching the boob tube,” she says. “It’s nice to be around people, and to have activities.”

Gerry was among the members of the Medina County Senior and Adult Services who participated in this year’s Santa’s Helpers for Seniors event. Gerry received an alarm clock and bath towels, both of which were on her wish list.

Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging runs the program through its Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). During the week of Dec. 15, volunteers provided gifts to 159 older adults in the Cleveland area—83 in Lake County and 76 in Medina County.

ADRC's yearly winter donation drive originated during the COVID-19 quarantine, with the first two years focusing on hats, gloves, coats, and scarves in 2021 and 2022. Since 2023, the donation drive has been under the Santa's Helpers for Seniors moniker, where wish lists have been fulfilled, according to Courtney McDonald, ADRC Quality Assurance Coordinator.

“For two years, we were providing coats,” she says. “Now we’re providing gifts that were requested by older adults from our communities.”

Other local organizations have held smaller drives over the years, but nothing on the same scale as WRAAA’s format, says McDonald, who directs the program.

"There are many individual stories shared each year, and by building collaborations with other organizations, we can come together and do amazing things for those in our community," she adds. 

The program connects WRAAA staff and interested family/friends of the agency with older adults in the community. This year, Olympus Aerospace in Willoughby, Ohio, also donated gifts. The volunteers fulfilled the wish list items of these older adults, and another group of volunteers delivered them to their destinations, spreading a little cheer during the holiday season.

 

Meaningful Donations

Santa’s Helpers for Seniors is exactly the kind of program the Medina center would run itself if it had the funding, according to Laura Toth, the center’s director.

“It’s great. It makes our seniors’ day,” she says. “A lot of times they’re going home by themselves for Christmas.”

Barb Pavlick, who just turned 93 years old, was among the Medina recipients. As multiple gifts were presented to her at the Medina center, she lit up with a smile.

“It’s a wonder!” says Barb, who’s been a Medina resident since 2000. “I don’t know how they can do so much. All the volunteers!”

Barb received towels, a sweater, a housecoat and flannel pajamas.

“I love flannel!” she says.

In Lake County, volunteers spread across the county to deliver gifts to the homes of older adults. Linda Llewellyn, Director of Community Services at the Lake County Council on Aging, helped coordinate for the day.

She noted that working with WRAAA has helped alleviate some of the costs of running this type of program.

“It enables us to help bring something to their lives they might not otherwise have,” she says. “It brings joy to seniors.”

The program isn’t just beneficial to the older adults, according to Llewellyn. Gift-givers also find the efforts rewarding, as noted in feedback from volunteers Rose and Jack Ambrose:

“We have just completed our mission and boy is my heart full ... [The gift recipients] started to tear up ... they were so surprised and grateful. Everyone was so appreciative and thanked us for the delivery. Thanks for letting us spread some Christmas cheer!”

WRAAA’s McDonald hopes to grow the program in the coming years. She says it aligns with the agency’s goals of assisting and advocating for the aging population.

“We have a ‘giving’ agency,” she says. “This is another way for us to give back.”

Dr. E. Douglas Beach, WRAAA CEO, agrees: “In the spirit of giving, Western Reserve is honored to provide meaningful support to our aging community during the holiday season.”

About WRAAA
Building upon four decades of experience in providing services and support to individuals in need, WRAAA is designated by the State of Ohio to plan, coordinate, and administer federal and state aging programs across five counties. WRAAA, the largest of Ohio’s AAAs, is committed to enhancing the lives of more than 440,000 older adults and veterans in our service area through innovative, person-centered service.