Adopt a Friend Organizer Amy Peacock. (Submitted)

By CKOM News - Lara Fominoff

Spreading holiday cheer

Communities in Hague and Osler help give care home residents a merry Christmas

Dec 17, 2022 | 12:00 PM

The communities of Hague and Osler are coming together to give 19 people living at local care homes a very merry Christmas.

Amy Peacock, who hosts Christmas craft and gift sale events, said she reached out to Sunshine Housing back in October to get a wish list together for the residents staying there.

“At the entrance of our Hague event on October 29 we had a big poster. We had some information about the 19 residents, and one by one throughout the day, they got ‘adopted,’” she said.

Sunshine Housing is a non-profit, charitable organization that runs four group homes – three in Hague and one in Osler – to support adults between the ages of 30 and 70 who are living with intellectual disabilities.

Peacock said it was the first year she’s done anything like this, but she really wanted to give back to her community.

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“The main house in Hague is actually on the same street as me, so that’s what kind of drew me to it,” Peacock explained. “These residents are part of our community, and (I) just wanted to do something a little special for them.”

Each resident was asked a few basic questions, including their sizes, their favourite colours, and what they’d like to get for Christmas. Each person who “adopted” a resident then spent $40 on a personalized gift.

“One resident, her favourite colour was pink. She wanted gel pens and sketch pads and stuff like that. The girl that adopted her got her as much pink, glittery stuff as she could,” Peacock said. “Everyone is just super excited.”

Renee Zeabin, residential and day program co-ordinator with Sunshine Housing, said the initiative was a nice change from the strict rules and regulations imposed on care homes during the pandemic.

“It adds the cherry on top of the cake after COVID,” she said.

“This is kind of like just an extra-special Christmas after all of that.”

Local vendors also made donations, including handmade slippers, Christmas t-shirts and towels for each resident. Money was also collected to buy trays from local bakers, so both the staff and residents could enjoy a few treats.

Zeabin said it was inspiring to see the communities come together, and she said she was thrilled that even after purchasing gifts people were still asking what else they could do to help.

Santa Claus will be joined by local first responders to deliver the gifts Saturday.