Elves for the Elderly’s inaugural campaign is being called a resounding success.
That’s according to organizers, Jane Kelly and David Barrie, owners of REVolve Cycle in downtown North Bay.
They partnered with Nipissing Manor and the North Bay Regional Health Centre Foundation identifying seniors who might not have anyone around them at Christmas time and information was collected about the kind of gifts they would use.
Tags were then prepared and placed on a tree at REVolve Cycle, with anyone interested in taking part doing so by taking a tag and going shopping. No names were included, just age, gender and gift suggestions.
“It turns out that one of our instructors also works at the regional health centre,” said Barrie. “They’ve been doing something similar on a small scale. So we partnered with them and expanded the idea. Before only people who would visit the hospital would see the tree and the tags, so we put one in our building and printed posters and posted on social media.”
Barrie says they are blown away by the success. Folks would come off the street to grab a tag or give them a call seeing how they could help.
“We wanted to start small this year but the response has been overwhelming. We’ve replaced tags on the tree three times,” said Barrie.
Barrie says between both facilities over 60 tags have been filled out. The tree has been up since the end of November.
“Our REVolve members, instructors, family and friends have opened their hearts and will make Christmas a bit brighter for a number of seniors,” said Kelly.
Barrie says this year was to gauge how successful the event could be, as well as work out the kinks.
“Hopefully by next year, we’ll have an earlier start and expand to more facilities and businesses,” he finished.
