Adopt a Senior Program Brings Holiday Cheer to Area Seniors

ZANESVILLE, OH – ‘Santa’ and his helpers were making sure area seniors have a wonderful Christmas this year.

Monday was the drop off day at Willow Haven Rehabilitation for the Adopt a Senior program.

Jamie Crozier, the Organizer for Adopt a Senior, said they had 82 seniors at Willow Haven that people could shop for and is happy to report all 82 were ‘adopted’. She said without the community’s support none of this would have been possible.

“I’m telling you we live in an amazing community, I had the idea 8 years ago to do it, and it started with 15 seniors,” Crozier said. “Now it’s up to 82 here, 16 at Love and Joy, and we have 6 more nursing homes that we have donations that we’re dropping off to, but I could not do this on my own, whatsoever. All I did was put it on social media and people responded.”

Crozier said in all over 100 area seniors were adopted and shopped for this Christmas.

Kat Burris, the Assistant Organizer, said it’s important that everyone feels loved and cared for, especially around the holidays.

“I think this is super important, I’m a social worker, I work at the Muskingum County Board of DD, so it’s just important to make sure everyone who doesn’t necessarily have a huge family like we all do,” Burris explained, “or doesn’t have somebody to spend the holidays with, has that same Christmas feeling we all had when we were kids.”

The presents were dropped off early as staff at Willow Haven prepare for a Christmas Party for the residents this Sunday.