Seniors who need care at the Dufferin Care Centre in Coquitlam are extending their own caring spirit to others this Christmas season.
The centre’s 153 residents, their families, staff and members of the community are collecting socks and touques that will donated to Raincity Housing on Dec. 18. Their effort is even bridging generations through a partnership with students at the Mediated Learning Academy and Glen Daycare.
Joyce Halliday, Dufferin’s general manager, said the centre’s “Sock Granny” campaign goes back a couple of years, but it originated with a resident — Barbara Vance — who lived at a care centre in Vancouver that is also under the Retirement Concepts corporate umbrella. She was the original ‘Sock Granny,” and the campaign has since been adopted by other Retirement Concepts’ facilities across British Columbia.
“Even though our Sock Granny is no longer staying with us, she has created a legacy that continues to live on,” said Dr. Azim Jamal, the president and CEO of Retirement Concepts.
Halliday said each centre is able to designate its own recipient of the toasty donations and watching the basket fill with socks, touques and even gloves helps get everyone at Dufferin into the Christmas spirit.
“People feel good about giving as the big bin gets more full of stuff,” she said.
Halliday said anyone from the community is invited to pile the donation basket to overflowing by bringing new warm socks and headgear to the donation basket just inside the front doors at 1131 Dufferin St. until Friday, Dec. 15.
