Presents wrapped for free

Seniors who needed help wrapping presents, putting on bows or writing out tags did not have to worry this year.

Thursday, employees of The City of Green River's Finance Department were on-hand at the Golden Hour Senior Center to wrap, tie bows and write out tags for any seniors who needed presents wrapped.

"We bought all of the supplies," employee Trish Mansfield said. "We're always done thing for the senior center for a good while."

Employee Zaundra Hamilton said they were providing a service to some of them that may not like to wrap presents or are physically unable to.

"It's fun. We do it as a team building thing," Hamilton said. "It's kind of our community service."

Hamilton said the employees will bring any unused rolls of Christmas paper from home and purchase anything else they need. Although there was a wide-range of paper to choose from, the seniors just dropped their items off and left the rest up to the staff. The employees would quickly get to work, selecting which paper to use with which ribbon or bow. Once the gift was wrapped, they would decide which tag to put on it.

"Whatever's left over we store for next year," Hamilton said.

This was only the second year the finance department has volunteered to wrap presents, but they seen the success in providing such a service.

"We enjoy doing it," employee Tara Smith said. "I just like being able to help the senior citizens."

Smith said she also enjoys seeing how her coworkers wrap their presents. She can try different techniques and pick which one works best for her.

This isn't the only project the group has done to help out at senior center. Mansfield said in the past, they have volunteered to wash the center's windows or delivered meals for the Meals on Wheels program.

Whatever the group decides to do, they know they are making a difference for the seniors.