How can you and the MH Senior Center bring Christmas joy this season?

Soon we will hear some nostalgic songs about Grandma cooking away in the kitchen, baking mouth-watering cookies that she enjoys giving away. We will see Christmas cards with the joyful silver-haired Mrs. Santa, of happy grandmas and grandpas in bright colored sweaters shopping for the family.

Many anticipate the holiday season with joy, but sadly, many older adults do not look forward to the holidays.  For them, the holidays bring sadness and feelings of isolation. Longing thoughts of lost loved ones or family that are thousands of miles away make it difficult to feel festive. Some don’t feel well enough to travel or even prepare for the holidays. Without the help of caring people, many of them will find Christmas a day to survive rather than a day to celebrate.

Madeline Albright, the first woman U.S. Secretary of State, once said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Ms. Albright’s words describe what is going on in the city of Morgan Hill. For years, the city’s Senior Center staff and hundreds of volunteers, backed by the nonprofit Friends of the Morgan Hill Senior Center, lifted the spirits of older adults, not just during the holidays but throughout the year.

Recognizing the importance of activities that are sure to get one’s endorphins flowing, they have organized several that can ward off sad, difficult thoughts or feelings.  Here is a peek at the December schedule:

  • The week of Dec. 16 (date to be announced) — the Mount Madonna Middle School Choir will perform at the Senior Center.
  • On Friday, Dec. 20 — the YMCA Senior Nutrition Program will be hosting the Holiday Lunch for 150 lucky older adults. If you wish to enjoy the ham, potatoes, vegetables and desserts prepared by the Senior Center’s food prep team that has wowed many older adults, you need to be at the center by 10 a.m.
  • Dec. 20 is also the day of the Holiday Dance. It will be held in the multi-purpose room at the Morgan Hill Centennial Recreation Center (CRC), 171 W. Edmundson Ave., from 3 to 5 p.m.

Photo courtesy Dorie Sugay. Margaret H. and Eric Wallace with two characters at the Morgan Hill Senior Center Christmas Dance last year.

The Senior Center has provided enriching programs and life-changing assistance to older adults — providing nutritious and delicious meals served daily, tax preparation services, curb-to-curb transportation, intellectually-stimulating presentations, to name a few, with ongoing initiatives in the areas of housing and health services in the cue.

It takes many hours, a lot of energy and precious dollars to launch and maintain the programs that have been helping older adults in the city. The Friends of Morgan Hill was established to provide financial support and has successfully far exceeded its mission; a partnership with the Mt. Madonna YMCA has been a great benefit, allowing the Senior Center to help more people than it otherwise could, but the Senior Center cannot continue all the programs for our older adults, let alone introduce enhancements to services, without the help of the community.

To ensure the center could continue its work, the Friends of the Morgan Hill Senior Center established the Morgan Hill Senior Endowment Fund.

Whether there is an older adult in your life who could directly benefit from what the Senior Center can offer or not, your participation is critical to caring for those who came before us. Sometime in your life, you had a favorite teacher, a counselor who guided you, a neighbor who applauded you — this is how you can “give back” to them. We hope you will help.

There are several ways to donate:  deferred gifts, bequests in a will, retirement plans, charitable gifts, memory gifts and life insurance. For a gift of $5,000 or more, your name will be placed on the Giving Tree at the Senior Center lobby, or Room Naming Rights in the Senior Center.

Your gift from the heart, at any price, will be appreciated just as much. Remember what Ms. Albright said — let’s be that small group of committed individuals who help change the world for our seniors.

Details: Please contact Denise Melroy at [email protected] or Cricket Rubino at [email protected].

Dorie Sugay is the executive director of Visiting Angels in Gilroy and involved with senior issues in South County. She can be reached at (408) 846-2988 or email her at [email protected].