Regina Secret Santa program focuses on seniors
Christmas is about a month away and not everyone will be lucky enough to find presents waiting under their tree when the day comes.
But for some seniors in Regina and the city's surrounding areas, a special gift might be coming their way.
"Seniors tend to get more forgotten. They get visited once or twice a year sometimes and there's not much of a focus on seniors [come Christmas]," said Sean Louvel.
He and his wife, Brenda, started a secret Santa six years ago called Santa for Seniors.
"I knew that there were a lot of programs that existed for children and for disadvantaged families where they would do, you know, adopt a family or adopt a child," Louvel said.
He noted that in Regina, there was nothing that involved seniors in care homes. It was 2010 when the couple decided to change that.
At first, with a team of two, they were able to give 16 gifts. The following year, it grew to 80. Now, with a team of volunteers, the couple has been able to collect more than 700 gifts to give away to participating care homes.
"We prepare a list of names and then volunteers pick names off the list, go out and buy them gifts and then they bring them back and then we drop them off at the care home," said Louvel.
"Then at Christmas, all of the seniors who wouldn't normally get a gift from anyone because they don't have friends or family nearby or still living, would get a present at Christmas," he added.
Louvel says most of the gifts range around the $20 mark and consist of simple items such as sweaters or robes.
"It tugs at people's hearts a little," said Louvel. "Sometimes on their list, all it will say is something like, 'I would just like a new pair of socks' or 'I wish I had a new toque'."
