Secret Santas invite local knitters to try their hand at fiddle muffs

Oct 19, 2018 | 2:46 PM

WILLIAMS LAKE – During her mother’s stay at the residential care facility in Williams Lake, Brenda Thompson became aware that some of the other residents of Deni House had very few visitors, while others had none at all.  

Statistics tell us that isolation and loneliness are widespread among elders, but until you experience it first hand, it can be hard to fathom.  “It was especially heartbreaking around the holidays,” Brenda recalled.  “These are the people who paved the path for us to have the things we have today,” she said.  “They should be treated like the treasures they are, and they shouldn’t have to feel lonely.”

When she read online about a group who created gift baskets for seniors during the holidays, she immediately knew she wanted to do that for the residents of Deni House.

Despite being on a fixed income herself, in 2014 Brenda and a couple of friends gathered enough items to make two Christmas gift baskets.  “We learned that two new souls had arrived in care at Deni House right at Christmas time,” explained Brenda.  So, the ladies split the bags into four, to make sure those newcomers got a little something; a welcome and Christmas gift combined.   “We weren’t there to see their reaction, but staff at Deni House told us they were like kids in the candy store and over the moon with excitement.”  Thus began a wonderful tradition.

Each year since, Brenda and her other ‘Secret Santa’ friends have been increasing the number of bags they are able to donate.  She credits Lucy Morton, Faith Morton, Mona Vanderheide, Lorne Anderson, Carol Sloat and Alana Jones for committing to raising the bar all the way to the top this year, by filling 25 bags so that every resident at Deni House gets one.

The Secret Santa team collect items themselves, as well as from friends and family, but several businesses have jumped on board after learning about the project.  Brenda explained that Walmart donated the gift bags last year, and Kit and Kaboodle is donating 25 of them this year.  Williams Lake Dental has donated some denture brushes, Andres Electronics is offering a discount on ear phones for MP3 players, and the meat trays donated by Safeway in 2017 were enjoyed by Deni House staff and residents alike.  The group is hoping more businesses decide to contribute this year. 

Research and consultation with management and staff at Deni House has helped them create a wish list of items they would be grateful to put in the gift bags this year.  Among them, one of the more unique items is a ‘fiddle muff’.  These are simple-pattern knit hand muffs with colourful textured yarn, but then buttons, ribbons, beads, tassels, toys, anything that would be fun to fiddle with — are added to both the inside and outside of the muff.  The aim is for residents to keep their hands warm, but also to have things to fiddle with — a common need for those affected by dementia. “We are inviting all knitters to let your imagination run wild,” exclaimed Brenda.  “It’s a great way to use up leftovers.”

Other items on the 2018 Secret Santa wish list are: pyjamas (all adult sizes), mittens or gloves, slippers or socks (must have no-slip option on the bottom), ear phones for MP3 players, ball caps, games, playing cards, movies, music, large-print crossword puzzles, colouring books, wax crayons, pencil crayons and any crafting items.  Brenda advised non-perishable snack foods, and even some sweets are also permitted, as staff will remove specific items from bags of residents who have allergies, or diabetes and can’t consume sugar.  “It seems like the bags for ladies come together easily, but men are a different story,” Brenda says through a smile. “Those ones really make us put our thinking caps on,” adding if anyone has ideas, they would love to hear them.  It’s all about putting smiles on their faces on Christmas morning,  “But, it’s about keeping them there for the days, weeks and months to follow, too.”

The project is a labour of love that these Secret Santas are hoping will carry on indefinitely.  “We’re looking for some young people to join us, so they can learn and even grow the program for years to come,” Brenda added, emphasizing that more people in general could benefit from finding a way to interact with seniors and people in care facilities.  “So many people talk about it, and say they would like to get involved.  More people just need the encouragement to actually do it, to find out how rewarding it is for everyone involved.”

For several years before she embarked on the ‘Secret Santa’ journey, Brenda admits she had been a bit hum-bug about the holidays.  “I just hadn’t been able to get in the Christmas spirit. But, the feeling I got from being able to do this for these wonderful people, made me light up like, — pardon the pun — a Christmas tree!  It would do my soul good to know someone else’s life had been enriched by the same experience.”

The gift bags are delivered to Deni House staff, who put the bags under decorated trees in rooms that have their own tree, and the rest are given to each resident directly.

If you would like to contribute to the holiday gift bags for residents of Deni House in Williams Lake, you can contact Brenda Thompson at (250) 267-5611 or email ltlcrazyhorse@gmail.com.

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