Victoria Manor residents feeling the Christmas spirit thanks to community donations

The Christmas Spirit is thriving in Kawartha Lakes, and for Victoria Manor residents in particular. Each year, the Life Enrichment Team at Victoria Manor puts out a call for help, to make sure each of the home’s 166 residents receive a gift to open on Christmas Day. This wouldn’t be possible without the help of our community.

“It’s a true community effort,” said Rachel Edmondson, Life Enrichment Supervisor at Victoria Manor. “From the front-line team members at the Manor, to Kawartha Lakes staff, and local community members, many people help to give the residents a Christmas morning that feels like home.”

About a month before Christmas a list of residents goes out to the front-line team members to collect gift ideas and identify if the residents have any specific needs that we could ask for on their behalf. At the same time, word is spread to municipal staff and the community that sponsors are needed. As people offer to help, staff send out information about the resident and their wish list so that their gifts can be personalized to their likes, interests and needs.

The gifts arrive throughout December. When a person or group makes a large donation of gifts, Victoria Manor staff try to schedule a time with them to have the opportunity to thank them as a team for their efforts in purchasing and supporting our residents.

On Christmas morning the front-line team members at Victoria Manor make sure the residents receive and open their gifts and enjoy a Christmas morning that feels like home.

This year, around 30 sponsors made up of Kawartha Lakes staff and community members answered the call from a Facebook post. The Human Services department worked together to sponsor approximately 40 residents, through an initiative organized by Jody Clements, who has organized gifts for residents for several years.

In a true demonstration of Christmas spirit, Jami Joy has picked out presents for the rest of the residents, purchasing gifts for about 100 people.

Extra gifts are also collected in case of resident discharges or new admissions, to make sure there is something suitable for everyone to open on Christmas morning.

In addition to individual gifts, Lindsay Horticultural Society dropped off 166 Christmas plants, one for each resident in the home. They do this across Lindsay in all the long-term care homes. The huge effort this takes is always well received by the residents.