Whichever Way We Can

As families shrink and disperse, too many of our elderly neighbors are forgotten during the holidays, and even small remembrances can brighten their spirits. Last week the Thunderbird club (the car, not the wine) of Santa Clara and members of the local Episcopal church wrapped gift bags for senior shut-ins.

“Senior Stocking Stuffers” has been an annual labor of love for a lady whose garage each fall becomes the repository for hundreds of toiletries and personal items. Her husband and son tolerate and assist her volunteerism (not that she allows them to have any choice in the matter).

When I arrived the ladies were putting the finishing touches on the gifts, the cars were loaded, and the drivers had received their instructions. I offered to help, but the hostess gave me the slightly pained look that professionals evince when dealing with the untrained public, “How about taking some pictures?” Okay, we help whichever way we can. © 2006 Stephen Yuen