Community brings Christmas cheer to Pleasant Meadow
Tuesday December 18, 2007 -- Deron Hamel
Individuals and community groups from the Norwood area come together each year to pitch in to help residents at Pleasant Meadow Manor have a merry Christmas.

Many of these groups and individuals can be found volunteering at the home throughout the year, as well.

Come Christmastime, the home is booming with yuletide spirit.

A pair of volunteers dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit the home Christmas Day to deliver presents to residents, and each resident has a Christmas stocking filled with gifts.

Residents will get in on the spirit of the occasion by helping volunteers wrap presents. The home also brings in extra entertainment during the season, which makes the residents happy, says administrator Connie Daly.

Community groups are also a big part of the drive, with several groups coming to the home over the season to spend time with residents and deliver gifts.

The Lion’s and Lioness clubs are a fixture at Christmastime, and can be counted on to stop by and have ginger ale and oranges with residents. School choirs regularly come to the home this time of the year to provide entertainment. Members of nearby St. Paul’s church have a yearly activity they bring to residents.                                        

“They do a secret Santa with each of our residents. They come over one night with all of their congregation and sing songs and give gifts to all of the residents,” says Daly, adding the presents are usually larger gifts, such as sweaters.

Other church groups can be counted on to drop in to give residents poinsettias. Local groups from the Royal Canadian Legion will come to Pleasant Meadow to have friendly visits with residents.

Daly adds that staff members work to identify those residents who might not be getting family visits, and arrange for volunteers to spend one-to-one time with them.

The outpour of support and care from the community always hits home with residents, says Daly.

“They just light up when they see (everyone) — especially the children,” she says.