Kendra Shot is the organizer of Santas for Seniors Queens County. (Rick Conrad)

UPDATED DEC. 4, 10:30 A.M.

Even though the Canada Post strike is continuing, the organizer of Santas for Seniors Queens County says seniors will still get their gifts in time for Christmas.

In previous years, organizer Kendra Shot has mailed out the cards. But this year, she says that she and some other women will hand deliver more than 300 envelopes with gift cards to seniors around Queens County.

“We’re going to make sure they get out before Christmas because I know a lot of seniors wait for this to help with their Christmas dinners,” Shot told QCCR.

On Tuesday, Shot got some great news that somebody wanted to adopt 50 seniors.

“I’m feeling very, very happy about it because last year at this time, we had to add another week to get all the seniors adopted and by the looks of it, I’m praying we’ll have everybody adopted by Friday.”

Later on Tuesday, Shot announced on the Santas for Seniors Facebook group that all 337 seniors have been adopted.

This is the fifth year for the volunteer-led program, which helps low-income people 55 and over celebrate Christmas. 

Anyone could nominate a senior, or seniors could nominate themselves. They gave Shot the person’s full name, age and mailing address. People told Shot what they’d like, whether that’s a gift card for groceries, gas or other goods.

All nominees are anonymously posted to the Santas for Seniors Queens County Facebook group. And then people adopt as many seniors as they’d like.

Donors buy a holiday greeting card and include the requested gift cards. They put a stamp on the front of the envelope and the number of the senior on the back. People can drop them off at three locations in Queens County – Exit Realty or Route 3 Cellar Taproom and Grill in Liverpool, or Stew’s Corner Convenience and Gas in Greenfield.

Over the past four years, more than 1,200 seniors in Queens County have been adopted.

Shot said despite people feeling the pinch this year, they’ve still found a way to contribute. 

“I’ve noticed even with the people adopting this year, they can’t do as much as they’ve done in previous years, but they want to help,” Shot says.

“This kind of puts a jump start in my step, because I’ve got my Christmas shopping done, my cookies done, my baking, and the presents wrapped. It puts a little fire in me to get up and get going, but now I do get to sit back and relax.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to the audio version of this story below

Kendra Shot is the organizer of Santas for Seniors Queens County. (Rick Conrad)

The organizer of a local program that helps seniors over the holidays is hoping for a little Christmas magic this year.

Santas for Seniors Queens County connects low-income seniors with others who want to help them have a good holiday. And it relies on Canada Post to help make it happen. 

Organizer Kendra Shot says this year, she’s worried about how the postal strike may affect the festive fundraiser.

“I’m hoping by the end of the week that maybe they come to some terms and settle this strike. I will put them in the mail but there’s no way we can hand deliver because we have mailing addresses for the seniors, and not home addresses.”

This is the fifth year for Santas for Seniors Queens County. Since it began, it’s helped hundreds of Queens County seniors each year.

Anyone can nominate a senior, or seniors can nominate themselves. People tell Shot what they’d like, whether that’s a gift card for groceries, gas or other goods.

All nominees are anonymously posted to the Santas for Seniors Queens County Facebook group. If you want to add any Queens County senior to the list, contact Shot with the person’s full name, age and full mailing address.

“55 and over, low income, need a little extra help this winter. That’s what we’re here for,” Shot says.

“You adopt your senior, buy a holiday card, buy your gift card, there’s one or two usually listed per senior, you don’t have to buy both of them. Put it in your holiday card, seal it, on the back of your card write your number, on the front of the card, place a stamp.”

Completed cards can be dropped off at Exit Realty or Route 3 Cellar Taproom and Grill, both in Liverpool, or at Stew’s Corner Convenience and Gas in Greenfield. 

Shot says she’s seeing more seniors from Greenfield and Caledonia participating this year.

As of Tuesday, 328 seniors are signed up, with 158 adopted so far. Last year, a little more than 300 took part.

Seniors can be nominated until Dec. 1. Shot says all cards need to be dropped off by Dec. 15 so that she can mail them out in time for Christmas.

“Basically 90 per cent of the people that are nominated do not even know that they’re nominated. So, they’re going to get a card in the mail from a complete stranger with a little extra help. There’s no set denomination for amounts. We’re all feeling the crunch of the increased prices it’s more so the thought that counts.”

Shot and her volunteers used to collect gifts from donors and deliver gift bags to as many as 400 seniors. She said they changed it to gift cards during Covid.

They also used to work with local service organizations and other groups to identify seniors in need, but because of confidentiality rules, they had to stop doing that.

Despite that, more than 1,200 Queens County seniors have been adopted in the past five years. 

“It makes me feel good because No. 1, to give back is the best feeling at Christmas for me. Gifts aren’t Christmas, it’s how you actually make somebody feel.”

This year, Shot says she’d also like to get more businesses involved in the fundraiser. The managers at White Point Beach Resort got together and adopted 12 seniors.

If you want to be nominated or if you want to nominate somebody else, message Kendra Shot on Facebook, or call her at 902-646-0265 or email her at kendra_shot@hotmail.com.

And if you want to “adopt” a senior, check out the Santas for Seniors Queens County Facebook group.

“We’ll get them all adopted, we do every year, and put some smiles on seniors’ faces.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to the audio version of this story below

Photo Ed Halverson

A program supporting seniors over the holidays has met its goal weeks ahead of its deadline.

Queens Santa’s for Seniors connects people with seniors to provide them with gift cards during this festive season.

Anyone can nominate a senior and seniors can nominate themselves to be put on the list. Organizer Kendra Shot then connects those on her list with people who have signed up to donate.

Shot launched this year’s program at the start of November and it didn’t take long to have 290 seniors signed up. On Nov 22 she announced every senior had been adopted.

Shot decided to set an early deadline to adopt a senior this year after getting down to the wire in 2022.

“We went to the week before Christmas,” said Shot. “It was like five days before Christmas before I got everybody adopted. So, this year we got everybody adopted fast.”

Shot is extending her deadline and is accepting more seniors through the first week of December. She says she need to cut it off then to ensure the cards can be delivered before Christmas.

Shot says seniors shouldn’t be shy about asking to be included.

“They’re more than welcome to nominate themselves as well. I don’t need a complete stranger to nominate you, if you want a little extra anything, just, please, shoot me a message,” said Shot.

People can still contact Shot through the Santa’s for Seniors Facebook page or by phone 902-646-0265. We’ve provided that information on our web page.

To hear the broadcast version of this story click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

Photo Ed Halverson

Organizers says a volunteer program to help seniors over the holidays is more important this year than ever before.

Kendra Shot has run the Queens Santa’s for Seniors program for the past four years.

When she started, donors would select an anonymous senior from a list on the Queens Santa’s for Seniors Facebook page and buy gifts for them from their wish list. A team of 30 volunteers would gather the gift parcels and distribute them to over 400 seniors across Queens County.

Last year Shot decided the work had become too much to handle between trying to receive, store and delivery the items and shifted away from gifts to gift cards. She says the move didn’t sit well with some people, but it was the right thing to do.

“I’ve had senior say, yeah you know this is a good idea because I can go get what I need because sometimes they’ll say they wanted lotion or sweatpants or something and they got the wrong sizes, or they got the wrong colour so this way they can go purchase what they need,” said Shot.

Seniors can select gift cards from any retail store in the area with most choosing stores that offer pharmacy or food options. Shot says the choices they make show seniors are being particularly hard hit by the rise of inflation.

“Their pensions aren’t going up to reflect the cost of food, the cost of heating fuel. I mean, I don’t want to get into the political matter of it all, but I have some that are like, I don’t know I’m either going to pay for my oil or this will help me get a little groceries because I have to get oil this month and I’m not going to have much left over for food,” said Shot.

Over 300 seniors received cards last year and Shot is hopeful now that everyone has adjusted to the move from gifts to gift cards even more will be handed out this year.

She only opened the 2023 edition a week ago and already 252 seniors are on her list and half of those have already been selected. Shot would like to see businesses and workplaces band together to participate, that way, the financial load is spread across a larger number of people.

To nominate or select a senior for the Santa’s for Seniors program Shot says people can visit the Facebook page or call her directly at 902 -646-0265.

To hear the complete interview with Kendra Shot click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

Photo Ed Halverson

For the third year in a row some Queens county seniors can look forward to a surprise in their stocking.

Santa for Seniors gives people the opportunity to donate gifts anonymously to seniors living in Queens.

Organizer Kendra Shot says over that time, the program has grown from supplying 250 presents in the first year to providing over 400 seniors with gifts this Christmas.

Shot says about 60% of the people on her list are returning seniors but ensuring those numbers are accurate can be difficult.

“Make sure that everybody that’s on my list is looked after and are still in their residence. But a lot of them have passed on, a lot of them have been moved to homes. It’s challenging but I don’t want anyone to go without.”

Donors can sponsor a senior from an anonymous list posted on the Seniors for Santa Facebook page.

Traditionally, gifts would include items such as toiletries, sweets and warm clothes but this year Shot has seen a drastic increase in requests for gas and grocery gift cards.

“A lot of the seniors are choosing between heat and food so the gift cards actually, are going to help tremendously.”

Shot says the pandemic has been particularly hard on senior’s pocketbooks.

“I’ve had people ask for warming blankets, little electric blanket throws for their couch so they don’t have to turn their heat up. It breaks my heart.”

Shot says once again, the people of Queens have opened their hearts and all but 50 or so seniors have been adopted.

The last day to sponsor a senior is Friday.

Gifts can be left at Route 3 Cellar Tap Room and Grill or at the Liverpool offices of Belliveau Veinotte chartered accountants.

Shot says she and a team of volunteers will distribute the present between December 20 and 23.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.

Hunter and Kassidy Lowe deliver Santa for Seniors gifts last Christmas. Photo: Lindsay Lowe

A program that surprises seniors at Christmas is returning this year.

Santa for Seniors offers the opportunity for people to anonymously nominate seniors living in North and South Queens to receive a present over Christmas.

Organizer Kendra Shot posts the seniors who have been nominated on the Santa for Seniors Queens County Facebook page. She identifies them only by number and their gender when creating a wish list of a few items for each nominee.

Shot got the idea after hearing about a similar program being operated in Bridgewater and Halifax.

“So it snowballed from there and we started it here and it’s pretty popular,” said Shot.

People can choose which senior they wish to adopt by commenting on the post or by contacting her directly.

Shot said every recipient reacts differently to receiving anonymous presents and sometimes their pride prevents them from accepting the gifts. But once it’s explained that someone thought enough to want to give them a present, it is warmly received.

“But the majority of people basically stood there with tears in their eyes or crying because somebody actually thought of them,” said Shot. “And where so many are living alone, God knows what Christmas is going to be like this year.”

Shot said the idea took off last year with 205 seniors being adopted to receive gifts. This year the group is tracking to smash through that total with over 300 names on her list already.

The wish lists generally ask for toiletries, chocolates, warm clothing and gift cards but Shot said when putting the gift bags together, most people go above and beyond what is expected.

“Everybody goes overboard, which is fine, but it feels good. I think that is the main point,” said Shot. “People are doing it because it makes them feel good that they are helping somebody else as well.”

Shot is taking precautions with COVID-19. Presents are dropped off at Route 3 cellar and then quarantined before being delivered by her team of eight volunteer elves between December 20 and 23.

To nominate a senior to be adopted or to adopt one yourself, follow this link.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson