Giving season: Service groups bring Christmas to all

MAT-SU — For elderly Alaskans, Christmastime can be both a joyous and difficult time of year, but more than one local organization is striving to emphasize the former.

In the last few years, Santa Cop and Heroes has annually provided 100-plus seniors over the age of 60 with Christmas gifts. Individuals or businesses can sign up to be a “Santa” to a specific senior (or senior couple) who will be alone on Christmas. Santas spend a minimum of $100 to fulfill the senior’s wish list, then police officers, state troopers and firefighters deliver the gifts on Christmas day.

Santa Cop Founder and retired police officer Donna Anthony said it’s important that people in uniform deliver the gifts.

“We have to make sure our seniors are safe, and make sure they feel that way,” she said.

There are already plenty of Santas and cops lined up for this year’s event, Anthony said, but the community can get involved on another level. This Saturday, Dec. 18, Santa Cop will host a present wrapping party at Mat-Su Senior Services in Palmer from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This is the first year that the organization has had more sponsors than seniors, Anthony said, with 119 Santas servicing one to four seniors each.

“We have a waiting list for people to sponsor a senior. It’s actually a good thing,” Anthony said.

Santa Cop and Heroes is not just about giving gifts on Christmas day, either. Many who receive their wish list items also take advantage of the program’s plowing services in winter, and coordinate with individual emergency personnel for assistance year-round.

Friendly faces

Mat-Su Valley senior Sunny Radedaugh, who called herself one of the organization’s “most staunch supporters,” said she “felt kind of weird” about receiving from the organization at first. Then she realized how much the Santa Cop and Heroes volunteers cared about her as a person.

“It wasn’t about the things that they brought, it was the kindness and the respect that the Santa Cop program emanates,” she said. “These people don’t make you feel like you’re in need.”

Radedaugh said she’s gotten to know the firefighters in her neighborhood especially well and become friends with many volunteers through the program. She spoke particularly highly of vice chair Anita Cagle, who called her up this year to ask about her parrot.

“Out of everything this lady does, she remembered my talking bird, Johnny,” Radedaugh said.

An extra hand

Santa Cop and Heroes is partnered with Christmas Friendship Dinner, which has provided Mat-Su residents of all ages with a mid-day meal on Christmas day for more than 25 years. A delivery service, which John said he partook of last year, and free transportation by school bus are also available.

This year’s event is again at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center on Friday, Dec. 25 from 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Event director Bob Bowers said the group delivered approximately 315 meals to residents between Chickaloon and Talkeetna last year, and served about 4,000 people with more than 500 volunteers at the Menard Center.

“The dinner is for anybody that needs a place to go on Christmas day,” Bowers said, and works to show children especially “what Christmas is all about: coming out here and serving others.”

Bob’s wife, Judy, said it’s all in the name of the event.

“Christmas can be very hard for people for so many reasons. Loss of loved ones, being alone with no family, having no or little money for gifts, just to name a few. This is why we picked the name so many years ago: for us and others to be a friend to those who needed one,” she said.

Bob Bowers said they’re “always looking for volunteers,” and this year they’re in need of dessert specialists in particular. Anyone who wants to bake pies, cakes or cookies at the Menard Center on the morning of the event, or volunteer in some other way, can contact the volunteer coordinator at christmasfriendshipdinner@gmail.com or 354-6115.

Christmas Friendship Dinner will also hold its final weekly meeting on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 9:30 a.m. at the Menard Center.

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.