Thanks to the generosity of so many in our community, every one of the 1,314 seniors residing in local skilled nursing facilities (SNF), will receive something to warm their hands, feet and hearts this Christmas, as a result of the Gifts for Seniors drive.

The Gifts for Seniors drive kicked off on November 12, with donations being collected at the Kmart on Wilson Road and Hall Ambulance in downtown Bakersfield.  In addition, local businesses HP Sears, San Joaquin Valley College and Commercial Trade Bureau, helped to gather non-slip socks and slippers, mittens, scarves and even plush animals.  Hall Ambulance employees donated over 400 items, alone.

Kern County media assisted greatly in getting the word out, particularly in the outlying communities. A lady from Tehachapi, heard about Gifts for Seniors and drove to Hall Ambulance’s downtown Bakersfield location to drop off 45 items that she crocheted, including scarves and booties.

Items donated were displayed in a unique manner at Hall Ambulance’s Business Office, located at 1001 21st Street, in downtown Bakersfield.  “Last year, the ladies came up with the idea to decorate the office Christmas tree with the donated gloves, socks and scarves,” said Robin Slater, manager of the business office.  “The result was a purposeful, beautifully decorated tree with items that will certainly be cherished by the seniors who receive them.”

The ladies of Hall Ambulance’s Business Office Division are personally delivering the snuggly items to residents at each of the ten Bakersfield-area skilled nursing facilities. The seniors are responding with smiles, touches and heartfelt expressions of appreciation.

“We thought about all the different ways we could give back collectively,” said Tracy Burnside, lead projects coordinator in Hall Ambulance’s Business Office,  “seniors are often left out, isolated from family and with limited resources.”  For that reason, we wanted to help give warmth and smiles to the golden-agers of our community.