Battle Ground Senior Citizens (BGSC) and Battle Ground Parks and Recreation will partner with Home Instead in the Be a Santa to a Senior program (BASTAS) this year. The program provides presents to seniors who may otherwise not receive a Christmas gift.
Home Instead expects 140 of the BASTAS tags in Clark County will be turned into gifts for seniors this year, a press release by Battle Ground Senior Citizens stated.
Debi Friesz with Home Instead sets up purple Christmas trees with gift tags, featuring items as requested by seniors. The BASTAS trees, laden with tags, are delivered to locations in November. Gifts are collected in December, the press release stated.
The Battle Ground BASTAS tree is available at the Battle Ground Community Center, 912 E. Main St., Battle Ground, until gift pickup on Monday, Dec. 9. Tagged trees are also available at the Marshall Community Center, 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd., Vancouver, and Firstenburg Community Center, 700 NE 136 Ave., Vancouver.
BASTAS is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year. Since launching nationwide in 2003, the program has gifted 2.2 million presents to seniors in need, the press release stated. For more information about BASTAS, or Home Instead services, call Friesz at 360-947-1910, or email debi.friesz@homeinstead.com.
BGSC coordinates and manages programs for seniors in Battle Ground and nearby rural areas. Its programs provide seniors with a social outlet featuring educational enrichment, recreational activities and more. For more information about BGSC, call Sharon Wodtke at 360-953-3278, or email BattleGroundSeniorCitizens@gmail.com.
