SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - The holidays can be a lonely time for some people and for more than 30 years, the CHEER Community Center has worked to ensure that no homebound senior in Sussex County spends Christmas morning feeling forgotten.
Donation boxes inside CHEER centers across the county are beginning to fill up with brightly wrapped presents labeled "male" or "female," each one destined for a senior who may otherwise go without a gift.
The effort is part of Operation Christmas Cheer, a countywide program designed to bring comfort and companionship to seniors during the holidays.
"A child should not go without Christmas. And as we get older, we become seniors. And seniors should not do without Christmas either." said Board President, Walter Koopman.
CHEER is also accepting donations of pet food and supplies.
Each participating senior receives three to four gifts along with a holiday dinner. CHEER also says they accept donations of pet food and supplies to ensure that seniors' pets are remembered, too.
Linda Lorber, a CHEER member since the spring, said the program fills a crucial need in the community.
"I think they'll know they're not forgotten. It’s a way of making sure that some of the people in our community who don’t have relatives, don’t have money, don’t have the means to get out and buy things for themselves, that they’ll receive items," Lorber said.
The effort is part of Operation Christmas Cheer.
Last year, CHEER says they served 287 seniors through the program and hopes to reach even more this year.
Volunteer Bennie Matthews says the experience embodies the true spirit of the season.
"I think it might be a blessing to everybody, for the people who give and the ones that receive. To me, that’s the meaning of the season," Matthews said.
Any senior who wants to take part in the program can register to become a member on the CHEER website.
Organizers say Operation Christmas Cheer runs through Dec. 19, and wrapped gifts can be dropped off at any CHEER location. They also said that the gifts wil be delivered on Christmas morning along with a warm meal.