“To see the faces of residents light up during the holidays is exactly why we do what we do,” said Stillwater Center director Michelle Pierce-Mobley.
For the second year in a row, Montgomery County held an all-virtual Holiday Giving Tree, where county residents could pick tags with the names and Christmas wishes of Stillwater Center residents.
More than 90 tags were displayed on this year’s virtual tree, and all were picked by community members, according to Stillwater staff.
Stillwater Center has residents who are toddlers through seniors older than 80. Gift requests ranged from warm blankets to wireless headphones to body lotions and perfumes.
Stillwater Center resident Stephen L. looked forward to any gift that matched his interest in superheroes or Star Wars.
The 23-year-old said he was looking forward to spending time with his family this holiday, where they’ll eat his favorite Christmas dessert: chocolate pie.
Stillwater resident enrichment community coordinator Shanda Sulfridge said Christmas is a special time for residents and staff alike.
Some patients at Stillwater have family who live far away or aren’t in contact with their relatives, so the Holiday Giving Tree allows everyone to have a gift to open on Christmas morning, Sulfridge said.
“Christmas really levels the playing field,” she said. “There’s an abundance of people who want to make the holidays bright for everyone here.”
Stillwater Center program manager Bryan Bailey said the community showed up to support the facility’s residents this holiday. The facility happily accepts other acts of service, like playing music or reading books to residents.
“We know the holidays are a special time when so many people are looking to spread some cheer, and every resident has a grin ear-to-ear when they open these presents,” Bailey said. “Having the community’s support shows residents that the public is thinking about them and cares about them, just like our staff do every day.”
A physical giving tree, located at the Montgomery County Administrative Building, was also available with tags that point citizens to the virtual tree.
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