Medic Rescue to Brighten Holidays for 409 Beaver County Residents
Gibsonia, Pa. - Dec. 6, 2005 - For the 13th consecutive year, Medic Rescue is assuming the role of Santa's Helper through the PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS® program. Medic Rescue staff members and volunteers will ensure that 409 residents at four long-term care facilities in Beaver County receive a gift and visit. Medic Rescue will present the gifts during Christmas parties at these facilities:
1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 - Beaver Elder Care & Rehab Center, 616 Golf Course Road, Aliquippa
2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18 - Beaver Valley Nursing & Rehab Center, 257 Georgetown Road, Beaver Falls
2:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19 - Rochester Villa & Manor, 174 Virginia Ave., Rochester
2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22 - Cambridge Village, 1600 Darlington Road, Beaver Falls
"As an ambulance company, so many of the people we see are in a crisis situation," said Claudia Reynolds, Community Outreach Coordinator for Medic Rescue. "PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS® is a wonderful way for the residents to get to know us in a non-crisis way, plus it makes them so happy to receive a gift and visit."
Reynolds and Skip Haswell, Medic Rescue's Director of Marketing, coordinate PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS® in Beaver County. Using wish lists provided by PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS®, Reynolds and a team of volunteers spend hours shopping for each individual's gift requests. While many patients request items such as sweatshirts, sweaters and slippers, occasionally Reynolds comes across an unusual request.
"A gentleman at Rochester Manor requested a gourmet spaghetti and meatballs dinner and Elliott's Nest Italian Restaurant in Center Township has agreed to give him a complimentary one," Reynolds notes. "So that will be a nice evening out for him as well as a delicious meal."
Other patient gift requests are touching by their necessity. Reynolds has seen requests for extra large diabetic socks and comfortable pull-up undergarments. "Those are pretty basic requests, but if it makes the person's lifestyle better and allows them to spend their money on other things, why not?" she says.
The 409 residents that Medic Rescue generously assists through PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS® are just a portion of the 22,275 residents the program will reach out to this holiday season. The residents are in 260 nursing homes, personal care homes and assisted living facilities throughout four states: Pennsylania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia.
Founded in 1984 by St. Barnabas Health System president William V. Day, the purpose of PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS® is to brighten the holidays for long-term care patients by matching them with a visitor from the community who brings a small gift. Since its inception, the campaign has provided gifts to nearly 280,000 patients. The program continues to be spearheaded by St. Barnabas Charities, part of St. Barnabas Health System.
Individuals, families and organizations are still needed to make this year's campaign a success. Donors will be matched with a resident at a long-term care facility near where they live and will be given the resident's gift requests. Getting involved is simple. Those interested are asked to call 724-443-0011 or visit www.PRESENTSFORPATIENTS.com.
Contact:
Kathleen Brenneman
(724) 444-5530
kbrenneman@stbarnabashealthsystem.com
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