Santa visits Hillcrest early
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/12/2023 (747 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Residents at Hillcrest Place Personal Care Home are feeling merry after local business owners organized and donated presents for all of them.
On Wednesday, business partners Sheryl-Lee Watters, Shawna Peters and Tanya Drinkwater delivered the presents to the 100 residents at Hillcrest.
Watters, a former nurse who stared her career in health care at Hillcrest, said she was inspired by an “Adopt a Grandparent” program that was running in a community in the United States, and decided to do it in Brandon.
Tanya Drinkwater, Kristy Peters, Shawna Peters, Jim Brereton, Sheryl-Lee Watters, Maci Watters and Justin Watters pose for a photo at Hillcrest Personal Care Home, where they donated a gift to each of the 100 residents on Wednesday. (Submitted)
Tanya Drinkwater, Kristy Peters, Shawna Peters, Jim Brereton, Sheryl-Lee Watters, Maci Watters and Justin Watters pose for a photo at Hillcrest Personal Care Home, where they donated a gift to each of the 100 residents on Wednesday. (Submitted)
“It was amazing. It was so good. The staff were blown away. And we were so blown away that McDonald’s and Kuipers donated as well,” said Watters. “But the residents, oh my word, their smiles and the tears in their eyes.”
Watters said she has had success building her business, Nu Skin, on social media and decided to promote the Adopt a Grandparent campaign there as well.
“I knew that if I can build a really successful business on social media, then why not build (Adopt a Grandparent) the get the support using social media? We figured out that would be $30 a box, then each person who donated could decide what they want written on the card,” Watters said.
She said the response was great and allowed them to buy supplies for the presents, which included a specialized foot cream for seniors’ feet, comfy socks, sweet treats and a hand-written Christmas card. McDonald’s Restaurants donated coffee for the Hillcrest residents and Kuipers Family Bakery donated cookies. Watters said she was touched by the seniors’ reactions.
“One of the (residents) said to me ‘I don’t have a daughter anymore. Or even my house or my vehicle. Nobody gives me gifts.’ And I was like, Oh my gosh. And then there’s one other man, he said ‘I’m just so honoured that you would bring this to me,’” Watters said.
Watters said to brighten the mood even more, her partner’s husband dressed up as Santa Claus and greeted the residents.
“(Staff) would say their first name and then he would walk in a room, and it was so cool. He used their name and said ‘Good morning. You are on the good list,’ so cute. And they were so surprised. I think they thought it was Christmas morning,” Watters said.
She said the plans are in the works for next year and she’s hopeful they can raise enough donations to add a second personal care home.
» khenderson@brandonsun.com