Halifax group crafts personal holiday gifts for seniors

Members from the Prescott Group in Halifax are gathering to make homemade gifts for seniors heading into the holiday season.

"It’s good giving back to the community,” says long-time member Jennifer Richardson.

The Prescott Group provides programs, community engagement and employment opportunities to individuals with and without disabilities. They currently have around 250 participants and run stores like the North End Bakery and Pinkie’s Thrift where their members can choose to work.

Community engagement and employment supervisor Charlene Kuhn says each day there is something new happening at the facility and on Friday it was wreath making.

"One of the things we do here at Prescott is we host sessions for seniors,” says Kuhn. “What we were doing today was making a chocolate wreath for them and those will be given out throughout the month of December to the individuals taking these classes.”

Members like Bonnie Doward add their own special touch.

"We are taking the wrapping and then the candy and then we are wrapping it and tying it so we're making it like wreaths and tying the bows,” says Doward.

Michelia Dibacco says she enjoys putting together the chocolates and packing.

"It turns into a pretty and beautiful gift for seniors,” says Dibacco.

Kuhn says it's also about encouraging the members to work together.

"Everybody really enjoys working together...and completing a project together from start to finish and being able to give them out is a full circle moment and it's an opportunity for them to give back,” says Kuhn.

Each member has their own reason for participating.

"I love giving back to seniors,” says Sarah Holesworth.

"It makes me feel wonderful, brings me joy," says Bonnie Doward.

"They need stuff for Christmas,” says Brenda Pottie.

"To be supportive and contribute," says Michelia Dibacco.

Every year the group does something for seniors.

“Last year I believe it was a gift card and a homemade card that we gave back. But we always think it's important, every holiday we try to give back something,” says Kuhn.

The team is also making a number of crafts and baked goods as they prepare for their holiday craft sale next week. This provides the members with an opportunity to make goods to sell which in turn brings money back into the Prescott Group.

Andrew Thorne says his favourite things to bake are chocolate chip cookies and muffins. The Prescott Group took Thorne to France to compete in a baking competition last year and he placed bronze.

"I like baking a lot,” says Thorne.

Jennifer Richardson and Brenda Pottie worked as a team of two to sand wooden bases for their crafts.

"This is a base for Snoopy,” says Richardson.

"I like doing creative things like colouring,” adds Pottie.

The programming at the Prescott Group is also about building relationships and developing skillsets.

"An individual might be struggling with a ribbon and then somebody helps them with it or shows them an easier way to do it and then you turn around and they are showing one of their friends how to do it. It's a ripple effect,” says Kuhn.

Kuhn says people can donate to the Prescott Group through its website or volunteer. 

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