Each year, Okeechobee County employees are encouraged to adopt a senior for Christmas.
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According to Assistant County Administrator Denise Whitehead, the Adopt a Senior program is run by the county’s senior services department and involves clients who receive a home delivered meal each day.
“County and Constitutional Offices staff are given an opportunity to adopt a grandparent and are given a wish list from that specific senior. Many individual staff adopt at least one senior, but several departments work together to adopt a group of seniors. The Community Development Department adopted several seniors and worked together to fill the wish lists. The library staff decided to participate in the program rather than do their own gift exchange, and the clerk’s office participated and adopted quite a few seniors to help with the program,” she explained.
A representative from the county clerk’s office said, “This year, the Office of Jerald D. Bryant, Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, is fortunate to say we adopted 34 grandparents through the Senior Services Adopt-a-Grandparent program. The opportunity to donate gifts to our most wise and revered residents is an honor that we cherish deeply. We wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!”
Whitehead said the program has been around for a long time and the county staff loves to get involved.
“It’s a way for all of our departments to support the county’s Senior Services clients, and we really enjoy it. We have been doing it for several years, longer than I have been with the county. Several of us check in with Senior Services to make sure all seniors on the client list received gifts and help cover if there are any shortfalls. This year I’m happy to report that all seniors were taken care of,” said Whitehead.
