Community donates gifts to Rainbow residents

Over the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected us all in many ways; however, nursing home and assisted living residents often intensely felt COVIDinduced adversity, facing continued isolation and supply chain disruptions for their medications, necessities, and medical equipment. Many lost friends, family, and roommates to the illness. Thankfully, Bristow is home to many generous, kind, and compassionate people with hearts to serve and love their neighbors. Those people selflessly offered of themselves to gift a vulnerable population most in need of love and connection again this Christmas season.

Each year, the community comes together to gift the residents of Rainbow Health Care Community at Christmas. In years long gone, one or two groups gifted residents each Christmas; fortunately, in the last few years, several groups and families felt the generous spirit and gifted them. The Bristow Police Department and several beautiful young ladies with Tanya Langley’s Dollhouse Beautique are two such groups who joined in on the festive fun.

One group, Bristow Community Connection, organizes a community gifting each year, collecting, packaging, and delivering gifts from people of all ages and walks of life across the community. Who can forget 10 year old Marshall McRae? He single-handedly purchased, measured, and cut material with his own money, sewing blankets for each resident last year. Although Marshall was unable to join the community’s gifting this year, the residents remained in his thoughts and prayers. As in years past, those gifting this year donated according to their abilities whether through gifting their time, money, talents, space, or goods. All shared their love.

This year, each resident received a gift box filled with a fleece lined stocking hat, gloves, wide fleece scarf, and socks. The soft, snuggly items provide warmth and comfort for residents to enjoy outside on the veranda or inside for times when they feel a little chilled. Residents also received some lotion, non-petroleum based chapstick, candy, and cards from community families, organizations, and local students and children.

Although COVID somewhat limited donations, it never diminished the loving spirit the Bristow community holds for its elders at Rainbow. In appreciation of their generosity and loving hearts, please take a moment to thank all those who contributed to this year’s love gifting with Bristow Community Connection: Sheryl Cortez, Carolyn Kuykendall, Nancy Findlay, Karen Pinson, Sue, Ted and Georgia Smith, Debra Lucas, Katy and family, Bristow VFW Post 3656 Auxiliary, Bristow Historical Society, Bristow Garden Club, Tanya Langley and The Dollhouse Beautique, Mrs. Gilbert’s students, New Begin nings Church, the staff of the Montfort & Allie B. Jones Memorial Library, and multiple anonymous donors. Until next Christmas, allow the generous and kindhearted among us to inspire caring, compassionate acts of generosity across the community throughout the coming year.