Christmas wishes come true for residents at Victoria Manor

Each year, the Life Enrichment Team at Victoria Manor in Lindsay puts out a call for help, to make sure each of the home’s 166 residents receive a gift to open on Christmas Day.

“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.”

Community members are given a list of what each resident likes and wants along with their clothing sizes. “They personally go out and shop for each of the residents,” said Jessica Wooldridge, life enrichment assistant at Victoria Manor. In the past they’ve even had residents who wanted money donated to a cause, and community members made that happen.

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

For Mary Jones, president of the residents council, it’s the perfect way to make sure no one gets forgotten. “For the residents, there are people who just don’t have anybody.” Jones feels lucky that her family is able to come visit her, but for some it just isn’t possible.

That’s when the staff and community members step up. “The residents, the staff, we’re all family. To be able to make wishes and dreams come true on Christmas and have the community step up for that just means the world to us here,” said Woolridge.

This year, about 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 the past 10 years.

In a true demonstration of Christmas spirit, realtor Jami Joy 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.

Local kids also took the time to make Christmas card, bracelets and keychains for all the residents.