Senior smiles

WASILLA — Sometimes the kindness of strangers can make just about anyone’s day, as 10 ladies from the Wasilla Senior Center found out Saturday afternoon.

Last month, a notice was posted at the center asking female residents to sign up if they were in need of holiday cheer and provide wish lists of things they would like Santa to bring. Not knowing who was making the request, 10 residents obliged. At Curves of Wasilla, 16 employees and members of the women’s gym took the list of names and began putting together decorative gift baskets to deliver to the center Saturday.

They spared no expense.

Colorful Christmas baskets filled with robes, slippers, jewelry, gift cards and numerous other items were wrapped in festive bows and paper, all in the spirit of the holiday season.

Barbara Gentis has been a resident at the Wasilla Senior Center for less than a month, and although she has a son who comes to visit her regularly, she tends to get a little lonely. Gentis said she misses the sunny days when she lived in California, but knows it’s best for her to be near her family here.

“I have no idea what they’ve brought us, but that sure is generous,” Gentis said Saturday, looking at the anxious women from Curves holding their wrapped creations.

“That’s my lady over there,” Stacy Hecker said, pointing to Gentis. “This is what it’s all about; giving back to the community.”

As Hecker presented Gentis with her gift basket, a surge of surprise and zeal came across Gentis’ face.

“Slippers! I need those,” she said, holding a purple pair of fuzzy slippers.

Angie Washington, owner of Curves of Wasilla, looked on with a full heart.

“We helped with Toys For Tots last year and thought this year we’d help out the seniors,” Washington said.

Washington admitted it took little convincing to round up an eager group of volunteers at Curves to donate their time and resources to help out a Wasilla senior in need of some Christmas cheer.

“We came here to sing last week, but they’re going to like this a lot better,” she said.

Bernice Vinette has been living at the center since March, having spent the last 20 years in Melbourne Beach, Fla. Her son moved to Wasilla in 1971, started a family and has no plans to leave the Mat-Su Valley. A series of hurricanes swept through Vinette’s neighborhood in the past years, forcing her to evacuate a number of times. She was convinced to move to Alaska, closer to her son.

“It’s a pretty good dog-gone place,” Vinette said of Wasilla and the senior center. “Alaska has been nice to its seniors and this is just lovely.”

Lanissa Grogan walked over with Vinette’s basket of goodies and smiled.

“You must be Bernice,” she said.

Grogan is the daughter of Linda Berry, another member of Curves, and decided to tag along to spread the Christmas cheer with her mother.

Vinette looked through her items and came across a small, clay snow baby similar to the other decorative snowmen she’s collected over the years.

“Oh my goodness, I love snow babies!” she said. “This is so overwhelming. Thank you.”

As the women from Curves conversed with their new senior friends, one woman was getting more notice than she expected.

“This is the first female mayor of Wasilla,” Washington said to another Curves volunteer, shaking the hand of Pat Hjellen.

“It’s an honor,” the volunteer replied.

Hjellen smiled and greeted her Santa with warmth. “That is so nice of you to come by here today,” she said. “It is truly wonderful.”

Contact J.J. Harrier at valleylife@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.