The Charlotte County Seniors Resource Centre (CCSRC) is hoping more seniors will sign up for its partnership with the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) to set up their Christmas lights and decorations this year.
Emma Keech, the manager of the CCRC, said this is the second year the program has been in place.
“It’s a really wonderful program,” she said. “We accept seniors who need a little help getting decorations outside of their house, the lights, and they’re able to call us up and Aaron and his students and spread Christmas magic.”
Aaron Collier is an instructor at NBCC in the Industrial Electrical program. Last year, students from the program spent the day putting up lights outside the homes of seniors who needed that extra helping hand.
“We had seniors who had decorated outside for a long time, maybe just because they weren’t able to, and through that, it was an infectious community spirit,” Keech said.
She said Lutz, Parish, Gerrish – a local law firm – donated lights last year for those who didn’t have any. It is something the CCSRC is asking for again this year, as well as extension cords.
Collier said last year the students had a fantastic time helping support community members.
“They had a positive outlook on the whole program,” he said.
NBCC does one community service day per academic year, according to Collier. He said some students are not from Charlotte County – many travelling from other parts of New Brunswick – so they get to participate, but also take these good deeds back home with them.
“Some of the seniors have quite a good sense of humour, which was really great to see them all interacting with the students,” he said.
Others, he explained, brought food out to the students as a way to show them gratitude for their work.
The program hopes to take on 30 homes. Collier said it doesn’t have to be a full light setup; it can be as simple as needing to put up a simple display.
Students have 8-foot step ladders, which is their limit for safety reasons, but Collier said anything within that is manageable. They are sent in pairs, so no one works alone.
Residents do have creative control, of course, within the safety boundaries.
Keech said seniors who are interested in participating in the program should reach out to the CCSRC, and they’ll take the necessary information. Students will return after the holidays to take them down.
The deadline to apply is Dec. 3, and set up is expected to begin on Dec. 5.
