AUSTINTOWN — Area senior citizens who may not have family to visit them during the holidays will receive special gifts this Christmas as part of the Be A Santa to a Senior program sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care.

Home Instead held a two-day wrapping party where volunteers helped wrap gifts for 1,107 senior citizens in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.

Dottie Johntony, general manager and coordinator of the effort, said there is an increased number of seniors who need items with the 1,107 being the highest total recipients since the program began 16 years ago.

“The need is there. We have many people calling who want to be part of the program. Some years we have so many people we have to turn people down. The places we provide gifts to have more and more seniors needing gifts,” said Johntony, noting gifts are taken to nursing homes, Catholic Charities and guardianship programs of the local court system.

This year, the Trumbull County senior guardianship program will deliver gifts to 217 people and the Compass program to 150 seniors.

To prepare for the event, community members purchased items for those age 55 and older, including the disabled. They brought the unwrapped gifts to the center.

“In my 16 years since this started, bath towels are very popular and most requested items by seniors,” Johntony said.

She said people say it is easier to shop for seniors as compared to children because seniors like practical things such as bath towels, slippers and jogging suits.

“A lot of people who help us wrap gifts come from the places where the seniors are from. We also have school, church and school groups and community members who help us wrap,” she said.

Kay Welch of Canfield said her mother was a client of Home Instead and she wanted to help provide gifts for other seniors.

“They always made it happy for my mother, and I want to help others this time of year,” she said.

Paulette Gettman, a staff member, said she and others who volunteer are always happy to be able to help with the wrapping of gifts.

“We want to make sure our seniors have a gift because so many do not have families who can be with them during the holidays,” she said.

Johntony said the majority of seniors who receive gifts do not have family or if they do have family, they do not see them much because they live out-of-town.

Patricia Hovanic, who works with Trumbull County courts, makes sure the seniors in Trumbull County receive gifts.

“She (Hovanic) is very involved with making sure the seniors receive a visit. Many of the volunteers who deliver the gifts spend time with the seniors. I know many seniors cry when they see someone visit them and bring them a gift,” Johntony said.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com