Q: I saw a flyer about adopting a senior in Cherokee County. Is this a year-long commitment? Would you tell me about this?
A: You are inquiring about Cherokee County’s Adopt a Senior. This program is one of many provided by the Cherokee County Senior Services and held during the Christmas season. It is not a year-long program.
Cherokee County Senior Services provides a range of services to the older adults in Cherokee County centering on meeting various needs and enriching the lives of the senior community according to their website.
Adopt a Senior has been in place for about 20 years and was initiated by Sharon Smith, the previous supervisor for Cherokee County Senior Services Meals on Wheels, according to Home Delivered Meals Supervisor and Volunteer Coordinator Alice Micham.
This year’s program opened with accepting gift bags Nov. 1 and will conclude Dec. 6.
“Every year with Adopt a Senior, we ask for a few items (unwrapped) to be placed in a gift bag and brought to the senior services. Two of the three gift items are a $25 gift card for groceries (Walmart, Kroger or Publix for example), a book of stamps and then the main gift that changes every year,” she said.
“This year it is a bath towel set. In this particular program, this is only done during this time of year. The rest of the year people can make donations for the seniors,” said the supervisor. “A lot of people like to add other things to it (toiletries, chapstick, Kleenex, lotion, small box of chocolates – things that they can use) but nothing that is perishable”
The program has expanded beyond their Meals on Wheels and now includes the Homemakers and the Congregate Meal program serving about 300 clients with 28 volunteers.
“The volunteers love delivering the gift bags and are grateful they have the opportunity to hand the presents to their clients they’ve gotten to know,” said Micham. “... it’s a very nice, feel good thing.
“It’s extremely popular amongst our clients and they look forward to it every year. In some cases, I’m sorry to say, it is the only gift they get,” she noted.
When asked what is the greatest need? Micham said, “Of course it is different for each one, but the greatest need is someone to talk to. With our meals on wheels our volunteers are oftentimes the only people our clients see.”
If you wish to Adopt a Senior, bring your gift bag to the Cherokee County Senior Center at 1001 Univeter Road, Canton. Gift bags will be accepted through Dec. 6. Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Dec. 4 is a special Saturday dropoff from 10 a.m. to noon.
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