Santa’s older elves have been hard at work helping the Big Man sort through Geelong kinder children’s Christmas-wish letters.
The festive crew at Uniting AgeWell Kalkee Community Murray are busy with the mail to the North Pole on two fronts: via intergenerational programs with local kinders and through their popular Street Library, which is doubling up as Santa’s letterbox in the lead-up to Christmas.
The Street Library normally stocks books, mainly children’s, that the community has access to. Now a red box has been placed in the library for letters for Santa, with another little box with replies from the Elves, with each return envelope bearing the child’s name.
Over the years, the four-year-olds from Geelong College Kindergarten as well as those from Oberon Primary have developed a special relationship with the aged care residents, and often visit them. They do activities together – drawing, reading and more – and of course the little ones were keen for the residents, acting as Santa’s Official EPA’s (Elf Postal Agents), to help send their wish lists to the North Pole.
Hot favourites include a train, dolls, an Ipad and a gingerbread man, with one future politician hedging his bets and writing, “I love you Santa, but I also love presents.”
Kalkee Murray Lifestyle Coordinator Fiona Allchin says, ”Residents were delighted to reply, on behalf of Santa, telling the children they have been put on the ‘nice list’ and that he will consider their requests before delivering their presents down the chimney or via the reindeer pulling the Magic Sleigh which can get through the front door.”
Meanwhile, Geelong College Kindergarten children will be visiting the residents on December 3, when their reply letters from the elves will be given to them, along with a little present of a squishy reindeer for each.
The Director of Early Learning at the kindergarten Julie Bickett says intergenerational activities encourage the children to think about how companionship, kindness and how the gift of time can be celebrated and shared. An opinion shared by Uniting AgeWell which has intergenerational activities across all its residential sites in Victoria and Tasmania.
The last word belongs to one of the residents, Margaret, who says “Children are the real magic of Christmas. They bring so much joy to us all.”
Learn more about the magic happening at Kalkee Community, Murray