Memories Car Club delivers Christmas cookies to elderly

Published 9:22 am Wednesday, December 7, 2022

It may be the most wonderful time of the year for the average person, but for those confined to nursing homes and assisted living facilities, it’s not always the case. So, some members of the community take it upon themselves each year to help brighten up these resident’s holiday season. One effort is led by Denise Webb and Memories Car Club, who deliver cookies to residents of the Manor at Memorial Hospital, as well as Bainbridge Health and Rehab.

This Monday marked the fifth year the club has delivered cookies, this time offering pudding to residents who, for one reason or another, couldn’t eat the usual cookies they brought. “We bought 150 tubs,” Webb said, referring to the cookies. The club also purchased 52 cups of pudding for residents, with two cups per resident. Any tubs left over were given to nurses and hospital staff. “The doctors, when we went in the hospital, I went to their lounge, and they were drinking coffee, they said ‘Oh God we needed this!’” Webb laughed.

This year also saw the clubs efforts sponsored by donations from both First National Bank, as well as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. “This is really the first time we’ve ever had sponsors,” Webb said. “Usually we have to get out and have drives at the cruise-ins, but this year the bank stepped up.” In addition to donations, Shea Campbell and Nicole Braswell of First National Bank also helped with passing out the cookies. “Seeing a smile on their faces puts a good feeling in your heart,” Campbell said. “First National Bank was honored to be a part of it. Brittany Guris from the church also aided in the deliveries.

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“What we did yesterday,” Webb said, “we looked after our seniors in the nursing homes to make sure they had smiles on their faces, and happy thoughts.”

Memories Car Club will not be holding any more events or activities until after the start of the new year. “If somebody is in need of something, and we find out about it and all, we’ll jump on it, but we never know,” Webb said.

“To the girls that went with me yesterday, that’s never been to a time presenting gifts to these residents that might not see people, or that doesn’t have a loved one to bring things to them, putting a smile on their faces and all, like Shea said, gives your heart so much warmth,” she continued. “When you walk out, you know that those people really, really enjoyed, and respect for you thinking of them. And that’s what we strive for at Memories Car Club, putting a smile on your face, and being there when you need us.”

Webb also thanked the Post-Searchlight “for standing behind a good cause, because a good cause is what we need to look at each other about all the time, because that’s what makes the world a better place to live.”

Anyone wishing to donate items for the Car Club’s charity outreach can drop them off at Webb’s store, LTL Flowers and Gifts, now located on Shotwell St, by Uncle Bill’s Pizzeria. Webb specified that items cannot be used, and they do not accept clothing donations. “If they want to bring a little bit of food, there’s always somebody that needs it,” she said.