ATHENS — The spirit of the Christmas season continues to shine bright in Athens as Lt. Katrina Flanagan of the Athens Police Department prepares for her seventh annual “Gifts for the Elderly” goody bag distribution Saturday.
For what has become a cherished community tradition, Flanagan is seeking the final donations to make sure every elderly resident in Limestone County feels the warmth of the holidays.
The deadline for all donations, gifts and monetary, is Friday.
The inspiration for this heartfelt effort first struck Flanagan back in 2018 when she visited a local nursing home during Christmastime. What she witnessed was countless residents who had no family visitors, and no gifts to mark the joyous season.
Determined to make a difference, she set a goal that year to fill 50 gift bags.
Thanks to an outpouring of generosity from the community, that first year yielded 120 bags. Seven years later, that community rally is stronger than ever as they look to fill 400 bags, and our residents continuously step up to ensure these seniors are not forgotten.
Each bag is filled to the brim with essential items and small comforts, including basic needs gifts, fuzzy socks, crossword puzzles, coloring books, and a few sweet treats. Most importantly, and central to Flanagan’s mission, every single bag hopes to include a Bible for the residents.
“Our elderly deserve to be celebrated and feel the love of their neighbors,” Flanagan said. “The Athens-Limestone community is truly the engine behind this. They rally around this cause every year.”
Despite the growing costs of goods, and some years where Flanagan has had to dip into her own pocket to cover the expense, her commitment to her goal has remained the same.] And her goal is to cover every single nursing home in Limestone County, ensuring that every elderly resident receives a gift for Christmas and knows that they are remembered.
“I can’t take full credit for this effort,” Flanagan said. “It’s a massive undertaking that requires a team of incredible supporters who help gather the gifts, pack them up, and take them to the several different nursing homes around the county.
“But together, we will do our best to make sure the holiday love reaches everyone.”
Cash donations – $20 covers an entire bag, which is filled to the top with 12 gifted items.
Mail checks to:
- Limestone Area Community Foundation
Note: “Gifts for the Elderly”
419 S Marion St.
Athens, AL 35611
Gift donations – All gifts must be new and still in the original packaging.
Drop-off locations are:
- Athens Police Department, 951 E. Hobbs St.
- Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, 101 W. Elm St.
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