More than 600 gift bags will be handed out to seniors on Christmas Eve thanks to the hard work of a Maple Ridge family.
Angela Morel confirmed that Santa For Seniors collected enough gifts to put together 604 gift packages – 594 for seniors in the community and 10 larger family gift packages for McKenney Creek Hospice Residence patients and their families.
“We received wonderful donations of requested items which included festive socks, gloves, word search and crossword books, lotions, treats, tinned cookies, chocolates, scratch n’ wins, masks, sanitizer, ornaments and playing cards to name a few,” said Morel.
In addition, said Morel, there were some more extraordinary items donated like: handmade scarves and toques; more than 120 crocheted hanging ‘soap socks’ that included a bar of organic soap in each; 100 handmade hot chocolate bombs made locally by Primrose Cake Shop; and a neighbour donated dozens and dozens of handmade mini hot chocolate gift packs complete with hot chocolate, marshmallows, intricate paper cup and candy cane.
“We received beautiful handcrafted wooden candle holders created locally at Greenwood Creations Wood Shop by our adult community friends with disabilities that came complete with battery operated candles. Also, handmade local soaps by Mary Anne’s Organic Soap and exquisite handmade ornaments by another fantastic neighbour,”said Morel.
READ MORE: Seniors in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows getting a special visit from Santa this year
Another supporter donated a few boxes of new cozy slippers and Christmas blankets that were put into the hospice parcels.
To finish, handmade scrapbooked greeting cards were donated and all the gift tags were made locally as well.
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“The community involvement has been astounding and abundant,” said Morel, adding that she had to thank her mother as well, who packaged every single gift package herself.
Morel and her family delivered packages to the Ridge Meadows Hospice on Dec. 22, and to her late father’s building on Dec. 23.
All the other gift bags will be distributed by Maple Ridge Community Services and the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Katzie Seniors Network on Christmas Eve.
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