EFFORT BRINGS SANTA TO SENIORS

Like to brighten this holiday season for a local senior citizen? Home Instead Senior Care is teaming up with area nonprofit agencies and retailers to sponsor Be a Santa to a Senior - a program that collects, wraps and delivers gifts to seniors in Saratoga, Washington and Warren counties.

If you would like to help, look for Christmas trees that went up last week at local Price Chopper storees and other locations. Ornaments on the trees carry the first name of seniors and their gift requests. Pick up an ornament, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store, along with the ornament attached.

Volunteers will collect, wrap and distribute the gifts to the seniors. A citywide gift-wrapping day for the presents will take place from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 17 at Saratoga Springs High School, 186 West Ave. (Snow date is Dec. 18.)

"Be a Santa to a Senior each year sets new records in contributions of gifts to a group that often is forgotten during the hectic holiday season," said Nelson Carpenter, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Saratoga, Washington and Warren Counties.

Businesses or individuals interested in adopting groups of seniors or helping at the citywide gift-wrapping day can call contact Cindy Riecker at 580-1042. For tree locations in your area or for more information about the program, log on to www.beasantatoasenior.com.

-- Staff reports

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How to help

Be a Santa to a Senior trees are at the following locations:

Price Chopper stores (Ballston Avenue and Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs, Route 50 in Wilton and Plank Road in Clifton Park)

The Senior Citizens Center of Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Hospital

Boscov's, Clifton Park Center

The Greater Glen Falls Senior Citizens Center

Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, 213 Meadowbrook Road

Queensbury Senior Citizens, 742 Bay Road, Queensbury