TOP PHOTO:  Community Trust Bank in Downtown La Follette is hosting a silent auction to help generate funds for the Santa for Seniors program.

Bids on these items and more are being taken today at the Downtown La Follette offices of Community Trust Bank.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – The ETHRA Office on Aging is conducting the Santa for Seniors program this Christmas season.

While children are the beneficiaries of many holiday programs, people often don’t think about the isolated and lonely seniors who need to be remembered as well during the season.

Becky Pierce with ETHRA is currently soliciting sponsors for our needy seniors.   Here is a quick rundown:

  • Similar to Angel Tree except for low income and isolated Campbell County Seniors
  • Participants must have been nominated to write a “Santa Letter.” Pierce has chosen three representatives in the county that have a lot of contact with the older needy adults in our county that will be making the referrals for this. (although if there is someone you would like to see put on the list you can contact Pierce, and she will try to find a sponsor for that person)
  • Nominated seniors will write a wish list for Santa. Those lists will be divided up among sponsors (Usually an office works out really well because you can pool resources for the person).
  • All items are returned to the ETHRA office wrapped (if possible) and the ID number on the gift.
  • You will not know who your senior is, and you will receive complete instructions with your wish list. Your tags will be numbered with ID number.
  • Gifts will be picked up and distributed by the agencies that have been chosen to nominate the seniors leading up to Christmas Day.
  • Gifts will have to be dropped off at the ETHRA office by Dec. 16 to allow time for delivery.

It’s important to note that most of the people ETHRA serves with this program aren’t on anyone’s Christmas list and would otherwise not be celebrating Christmas.

If you are willing to be a Senior Santa, you can contact Becky Pierce at bpierce@ethra.org or 865.705.9675.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/02/2019-6AM)