HOLIDAY PRESENTS MANY NEEDY SENIORS WILL GET GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS AFTER ALL.

Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer

BURBANK - Christmas stockings won't be empty this year for 175 of the region's elderly residents, who will receive presents from shoppers at a local Kmart and Sav-On Drugs store.

As part of a program organized by a senior care company, shoppers ``adopted'' needy seniors from convalescent homes, senior housing or their own homes and fulfilled their Christmas wish lists.

``The seniors that we're targeting through our organization are basically ones that won't be having a Christmas without our gifts coming to them,'' said Gary Reid, director of the Burbank branch of Home Instead, which sponsored the Be a Santa to a Senior program.

At the Burbank Kmart and Sav-On, Christmas trees were set up with the first names of seniors and their gift requests.

Shoppers picked an ornament off the tree as they entered the store, bought a present for the senior and left the present and the ornament at the store.

Gifts ranged from an answering machine to sweat shirts, slippers and pajamas.

The average income for seniors in the program is about $750 a month and they also may be dealing with recent deaths of loved ones.

``At Christmas time, a lot of the elders are at risk of being depressed because of loneliness,'' said Aloyce Rachal, program manager for Partners in Care, one of the participating agencies.

The gifts were collected from the day after Thanksgiving until this week, and they will be going to seniors living in Burbank, Glendale and surrounding communities.

``The program was a huge success. I mean, all the gifts (seniors requested) were bought and it was amazing,'' Reid said.

On Tuesday, more than 20 volunteers wrapped the presents at the Joslyn Adult Center in Burbank. The gifts will be delivered to seniors at their homes today through Friday.

Reid said a Kmart worker told him some teens bought presents as well.

``She said it was just great to see teenage children buy gifts and bring them to them,'' he said.

Teens also were among the volunteers wrapping gifts at the Joslyn Adult Center, and Burbank Unified School District will be providing a vehicle to deliver some of the gifts.

This was the program's first year, and Reid said he expects it to continue next year.

Alex Dobuzinskis, [phone]

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com

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Kathy Nguyen and Corinne Tozaki, both 14, wrap gifts provided by customers of Kmart and Sav-on drugs for needy seniors in Burbank, Glendale and surrounding areas.

Joel P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News