ESTEVAN - Recharge Massage Studio in Estevan is once again accepting gifts for elderly people in Estevan and elsewhere through its Stocking Stuffers for Seniors initiative.
Owner Haley Ingham said they tackled more than 200 stocking stuffers last year, with the Estevan Regional Nursing Home, St. Joseph's Hospital long-term care, Trinity Tower, Hill View Manor and Lampman Health Centre all benefitting. Trinity Tower is expected to have more recipients this year.
"Hopefully, it can continue to grow year after year after year, and we can continue to reach out to other smaller facilities outside of Estevan," said Ingham.
A Christmas tree is set up at the business, with tags for gift recipients hanging on a tree and instructions for the initiative on a table. There is also a list where people can fill in their name next to that of the resident they're shopping for.
Supporters purchase and wrap the gift, bring it back to the studio, and Recharge does the rest.
"Once we get all of the gifts back at Recharge, we go through and sort them all, and we make sure that no senior is missed. So then we highlight. We check. It's almost like Santa. We make a list and check it twice," Ingham said with a laugh.
"And then of course, once they get to the facilities, the staff there are all incredible, and they double check the list, too, to make sure we didn't miss anyone. We don't want anyone to feel left out, especially long-term care and the nursing home.
"We're often in contact [with the facilities] throughout December in case some people leave and new people come. We just always want to make sure that everyone is covered and everyone is able to participate."
The House of Stationery printed and cut the tags.
The gifts are tailored to what each senior wants. Those who are in assisted or independent living might have very different needs, such as decorations, Christmas crafts and snacks. Those with a higher level of care might need help with their hygiene needs, which Ingham said is surprising to some people. Their lists might include razors, deodorant or body wash.
"That's what those residents really want, because it's just not something they get all of the time," said Ingham.
The tags with the gift requests have to be reasonable, she said, because a lot of people purchasing the gifts are struggling financially and they have added expenses at this time of year.
"The first year we did it, we were able to get some of our lists for $20-25," Ingham said, adding that last year it was often $40-$45 per tag.
Recharge also accepts e-transfers. The company takes the money it receives and uses it to purchase gifts. Supporters can email [email protected]; the studio tries to shop locally as much as possible.
Some businesses have also made corporate donations.
Last year Recharge had to purchase some gifts from their own pocket to meet the demand. This year it has expanded hours for people to come in and grab tags, and they're trying to reach out to all of their contacts.
"We're hoping this year to get all of the seniors spoken for," said Ingham.
Stocking Stuffers for Seniors gets compared to the Community Hamper Association and the Angel Tree program, but Ingham said this program isn't for seniors who can't afford a gift; it's for those in the participating homes.
"It started out because these seniors were locked in facilities and couldn't have visitors," said Ingham. "We just wanted to help spread that cheer. Every year we get personal hand-written letters from seniors. Some say 'My family all lives in Alberta, and we just don't see them, and so this is my favourite time of year.'"
It's not about making, nor is it for personal gain, she said. It's about spreading joy to people who Ingham described as "the backbone of our community".
"They're the ones that made our community what it is today, and it's a way to give back to them," she said.
The program had a table at Christmas Farmers' Market sale at the Estevan Market Mall on Saturday, and Ingham said they had an excellent response. It will be back on Nov. 30 and Dec. 14.
While Recharge is a business, it can be at the market as a non-profit because it doesn't make money from Stocking Stuffers for Seniors.
This is the fifth year for the program, but Ingham said a lot of people she talks to aren't aware it exists, and she is confident the support will be there once more people find out about it and the benefits it has.
Ingham hopes the gifts can be delivered to the nursing home on Dec. 17 or 18, in time for its Christmas party. And she wants the rest to be delivered on Dec. 18, and then the facilities decide how to distribute the items.
