Carson City Senior Center makes Christmas delivery for hundreds of homebound seniors

The Carson City Senior Center collected more than 550 gifts from area residents and businesses for homebound seniors this year. The Carson City Senior Center’s Meals on Wheels program delivers almost 300 meals to homebound seniors daily. In the past year, the Center has provided over 79,500 hot meals.

“It’s overwhelming,” Warren Bottino, program manager for Meals on Wheels for the Senior Center, said. “I would never have imagined so many people wanting to give.”

Through Bottino’s outreach to the community, hundreds of homebound seniors will receive gifts, delivered either by their Meals on Wheels driver or by community volunteers. The Senior Center distributes gift request forms to be filled out by seniors in the program.

Larry Fagerhaug, vice president of human resources for Carson Tahoe Health said the company’s employees donated enough gifts for 140 people.

“We stumbled into this program last year when Warren called to ask if we could help with some last-minute requests,” he said. “We purchased gifts for 25 people last year. This year, we had a waiting list of employees who wanted to participate.”

Bottino said 265 gifts were collected last year, compared to the 550 donated this year, which doesn’t include dozens of donated gift cards. Senior gift requests include sweaters, socks, dog food and toys and useful items like a good frying pan.

“It feels really good to be able to give people something they really want,” Fagerhaug said. “Each year we look for opportunities to thank our community for choosing us as their health partner. We ask ourselves, ‘what more can we do’ and we are excited to take part in the Senior Center’s programs.”

Bottino said the Senior Center thanks the following individuals and organizations for their generous support:

Carson Tahoe Health, Vidler Water Company, Mary Geisler of the Kiwanis Club of Sierra Nevada, Ron Waicul, Ron and Betsy Milligan, Jeanette Champagne of Rocking and Rolling, Pam Wood and Kathy Johnson, Sharon Love, Phyllis Dugan, Mary Louise Salas, Diane Phillips, Jan McCauley of Edward Jones, Linda Stewart, Kathy Ensminger, Linda Allen, Kirsten Sherve, Dixie Bush of the Carson City Soroptimist Club, Lisa Gabel-Schmid and employees from Harley-Davidson, Lou Skaggs and the Carson City Lions Club, Marcy Peterson, Sharon Richison of Bethlehem Lutheran, Ana & Art Winston, Elaine Coburn of the Nevada State Legislative Council Bureau, Jackie Zaro, Debra Platt, Carrie Krupp and Carson City Tire Pros, Carson Periodontics, Rhonda Abend/Paul McIwee from EPS West, Leni Manning and the Raiders Booster Club, Sally Zola and Loretta Roche of Kaempfer Crowell, Taylor Ruepp and the Toiyabe Golf Club, Cheryl Remick, Kendall Buscay, Cindy Ramirez with Lifetouch Church, Fred Prawlawski, Joyce Johnson, the La Tea Da Knitters, Betty and Bill Redmond, Victoria Williams of Coldwell Banker, Debbie Hocksprung and the Gold Dust West Youth Bowling League, Cecil and Karen Crandall, Donna Desimore, Ashley Reitnauer ,Felecia Casci of the Nevada Division of Insurance, Pat May, Tina Springer at the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, Realty and Management, Steven Lyon and the Kiwanis Club of Carson City, Jackie and Raymond Zaro, Luci Zvend, Alan Flynn, JP DeMagistris, W. Wayne Wilson and the Disabled American Veterans, Mike Grimm, Christine Cassinelli – Laird, Pauletta May and Stacy Woodbury and Southwest Gas employees.

About the Carson City Senior Center
The mission of the Carson City Senior Center is to enhance the quality of life and autonomy of individuals 60+ through a broad range of services and support. Through congregate dining and Meals on Wheels, the Carson City Senior Center serves hundreds of local seniors. The Center also provides health and fitness education and activities, transportation and day trips, and many other services including help with prescriptions, durable medical equipment, tax preparation and many others.