Giving Trees Benefit the Elderly
The 2023 “Giving Tree” program has begun. Trees with tags listing the needs of elderly residents can be seen at Family Dollar, Shaw Public Library, New Image Tattoo, and Spanky’s Courthouse Café, all in Clearfield, as well as South Side Subs of Curwensville, and Leyo’s Supermarket of Coalport. Pictured, from left to right, are Christina Shaffer, owner of New Image Tattoo Studio; Julie Curry, assistant chief, Clearfield Regional Police; and Bernice James, manager of Family Dollar in Clearfield. (Photo courtesy of MRAAA)
By Julie Rae Rickard
CLEARFIELD – When people think about giving on Christmas, they first think about children who may not have any gifts on the big day. A program in Clearfield County has been working to remind residents that many elderly people are also in need and may be facing the holidays alone.
Seeing a need, Sgt. Nathan Curry of the Clearfield Regional Police decided to do something about it.
“I actually had the idea a few years before we did it,” he said in a previous interview. There are things for kids, Toys for Tots, etc., but there was nothing for seniors.
“Many of these people’s spouses have passed on, and they may never have had children. Others had kids who moved away. They don’t have anybody,” he said.
Numerous seniors are on fixed incomes and have limited resources. An experience with one elderly woman really brought this situation to light.
They checked on a lady who had a water break, Curry explained. She lived in a trailer and her furnace was not working which led to the pipes freezing. She was dressed in a coat and had boots on inside her home.
“She was content and did not want to bother anybody,” he said. The concerned officers were able to find help for her to heat her home.
“It was 20 degrees in her place,” he said. “This is when I realized we needed to do something for the community.”
He worked with the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, now Mature Resources Area Agency on Aging, to start the “Giving Tree” program in 2016 that features trees with tags patterned after the ones done for area children.
“It is heart breaking to see the things on the tree. Things like sweatshirts or shoes. Most people buy what they want, but these are their wishes.
“These people are the building blocks of our community: teachers, nurses” and it is important to support them.
Since its beginning, individuals and organizations have come together to provide truckloads of gifts and financial assistance for heating and medical needs for our senior citizens.
The program has expanded to benefit grandchildren living with their grandparents who may not be able to afford to purchase them gifts.
This year the police department and the Area Agency on Aging are partnering with local businesses and organizations to host the trees, according to a press release from MRAAA.
The employees of CNB Bank, PennDOT, Mid Penn Bank, and Anytime Fitness will also have their own trees and collect internally.
Tags have been distributed throughout the county and will be available on trees until December 8. There are trees at Family Dollar, Shaw Public Library, New Image Tattoo, and Spanky’s Courthouse Café, all in Clearfield, as well as South Side Subs of Curwensville, and Leyo’s Supermarket of Coalport.
“The giving tree will meet the needs of many senior citizens and grandchildren of grandparents raising them around the area.
“Individuals are welcome to take a card, purchase and wrap the needed items on the card, and drop off the items and the card at either the Clearfield Regional Police Station on Clearfield-Curwensville Highway, MRAAA Offices located at 116 South 2nd Street, Clearfield, or 600 Cooper Rd., Curwensville, or one of the above-mentioned businesses hosting a tree.”
In addition to the trees, funds are collected and sent directly to local fuel and utility suppliers to ensure area seniors remain warm in their own homes during winter.
Anyone wishing to donate to assist the elderly with fuel/utility costs (heating assistance, water bills, etc.) this holiday season can drop off a check made out to “Giving Tree Fund” at the Mid Penn Bank office in Clearfield. Receipts will be available for tax purposes. The money collected will then be evenly distributed among those elderly needing this service, free of any administrative charges, according to the release.
The MRAAA encourages everyone to participate and help someone in need this holiday season.
Last year they raised more than $15,000 for the fund and 434 tags were distributed for gifts.
It seems some of those who get involved with the program aren’t looking for recognition.
“Many people just drop stuff off and then the seniors don’t know who gave it to them,” Curry said.