You can help bring Christmas cheer to one of over 400 local seniors starting this Saturday.
Since 2016 Ashley Armstrong has been teaming up with Sahara Spa for her ‘Christmas Spirit for Seniors’ initiative, which she said is in memory of her brother, Craig Althouse, who had a special spot in his heart for seniors.
“What the program essentially is meant for is to be able to provide a senior with a gift on Christmas,” she explained.
“How it started was reaching out to every one of the homes in Moose Jaw and finding out which senior maybe didn’t have a family that could come and visit them or were alone – just basically somebody who maybe needed a 'pick me up’ at Christmas.”
Armstrong collects compiled wish lists from seniors in care homes in Moose Jaw. “In some cases, really all they’re asking for is just necessities like body wash or deodorant, or things that they might not be able to get themselves.”
Together with her mom, Armstrong handwrites each gift tag with a senior’s wish list, which Sahara Spa then then hangs on their tree for members of the public to sign out, purchase the gifts, and return.
The tags will be available for the public to pick up at Saharah Spa starting this Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m.
On Dec. 23, Armstrong and some volunteers will go to the senior homes to drop off the gifts. “The last two years we’ve had the U15 Warriors – the hockey kids – come, and they’ve kind of made a big production out of it.”
“At every home we stop at they do two or three Christmas carols and entertain the seniors, and then we drop off the gifts and then we head to the next one.”
She said the initiative has been well received over the years, with one of the homes this year telling Armstrong that they can’t do Christmas without it. “It makes their entire Christmas – they're not able to get the seniors gifts without it, so it’s pretty monumental.”
Armstrong thanked Kim Bowes and Sahara Spa, the U15 Warriors, her mom Leona Althouse, and her son Brenton Armstrong for all of their help with the project.
She also extended her gratitude to the people of Moose Jaw for their yearly support.
“When I started this program, we had eight tags to buy for. Nine years later, we’re helping out 405 seniors.”
“It’s become a huge program through the years, and if it wasn’t for the gracious hearts and the generosity of the people of Moose Jaw, I wouldn’t be able to continue to do this, so a huge thanks to them.”