BOCES Students Collect Gifts For Santa for Seniors to Spread Holiday Cheer
Oneida Madison BOCES students are learning that it really is better to give than receive during the holiday season.
The Health-Related Careers and New Visions Advanced Health Science classes teamed up to collect gifts and become Santa for Seniors this year. "I heard about the Santa for Seniors program listening to you on my way to work," said Heather Still, the Health-Related Careers program teacher. "We work with residents in our clinical rotation at Oneida Healthcare ECF as part of our program so it's a perfect fit for us."
Boxes were set up on campus for donations that would go to seniors in need and those without families to share the holidays with. And the gifts poured in. "As always, the response to help local community members was incredible," Madison Oneida BOCES shared on Facebook.
Students began wrapping all the Santa for Senior gifts that came in and teachers will deliver the gifts to the Office for the Aging on Friday.
If you would like to be a Santa for a Senior, call 315-736-0104, text through the Big Frog 104 app, or email Polly@bigfrog104.com. We'll set you up with a senior and their Christmas wish list.
Senior Codes
Due to confidentiality laws, full names can not be disclosed. Working through the Office For Aging, specific codes are assigned to each senior so we know the right gift gets to the right senior. Each code must be MARKED ON EVERY GIFT IN PERMANENT MARKER.
Unacceptable Gifts
No perishable items or plants can be accepted. Poinsettia plants are also not allowed since they are poisonous to animals.
Delivering Gifts
Gifts MUST BE dropped off at the Office for Aging office this year at 120 Airline Street in Oriskany, near the old county airport.
Large bins will be set up in the front entrance and back dock of the building to drop gifts in Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm.
There is no entry into the building and no weekend drop-off.
If you don't or can't deliver your gifts in person, you can mail them to:
Oneida County Office for the Aging
120 Airline St, Suite 201
Oriskany, NY 13424
Deadline
The deadline to get gifts in is DECEMBER 13.
With your help, we can make sure everyone has a smile this Christmas.