CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office is making sure seniors aren’t forgotten about this Christmas by organizing the Silver Santa Project.
Silver Santa gives gifts to the elderly who are low income or don't have family close by to get them Christmas presents. Deputies and sponsors adopt a senior and buy them gifts.
This year gifts were delivered to 89 seniors in seven different assisted living facilities across Citrus County.
Michele Tewell is a Community Resource Officer for the city of Inverness and she and her husband played Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
"During Christmas time we tend to focus on the children and we forget that lost population that are stuck in nursing homes," Tewell said.
Lee Alexander from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office organizes the Silver Santa project.
"These people have most likely spent their lives working and giving to our community and in a lot of cases served in the armed forces and then they’ve kind of been forgotten," he said. "This is our way of saying no you haven’t, there are those of us out here that still remember."
"This is the Sheriff’s Office and Plaza Dodge's opportunity to sponsor some seniors and bring them a little gift and to them it makes a world of difference," Tewell said.
And the joy they brought showed as assisted living residents opened gifts of sweaters, blankets, puzzles, and more.
Tewell said, "Just the expression on her face when she got it, it was wonderful."
