Wyomingites continue to be affected in many ways by inflation, and one of the most affected populations is seniors, which is why WyoLotto is on a mission to make sure Wyoming remembers that seniors need support too.
“So many seniors are without family nearby and many don’t have a car, so the holidays can be difficult—but, together we can change that,” said Jon Clontz, WyoLotto CEO.
For the third year in a row, WyoLotto is partnering with Alf’s Pub to gather Christmas presents for every senior in need by challenging everyone in Wyoming to purchase a gift on a list put together by the Senior Companion Program with Wyoming Senior Citizens, Inc., a non-profit.
Last year the program was able to get a gift for every senior, and the program is ready to do it again.
“We’ve had incredible support from the community, and we are so glad that our seniors are being taken care of. Even something as simple as a warm pair of slippers or a bag of dog food can go a long way,” said Nita Stephenson, Senior Companion Program Manager.
“We have seniors in every corner of the state that participate in our program, and we hope we can give each of them something that makes their holidays a little brighter,” Stephenson added.
“The Wyoming Lottery’s mission is to maximize what we give back to the state’s cities, towns and counties, and we are especially excited to give back to our seniors again this holiday season,” Clontz said.
“The wish list needs at least $12,000 worth of items to fill it, and we have $6,000 so far from the Lottery and Alf’s Pub, so we need everyone to help us fill the list and get a gift for every senior out there!” Stephenson said.
“We realized that with the pandemic and now inflation, our Wyoming seniors have been isolated and had to go without certain needs. During the holidays we see a lot done for gathering toys and food, but this is a gap that needs to be filled,” said Bryan ‘Alf’ Grzegorczyk, owner of Alf’s Pub and Package in Cheyenne.
Anyone interested can purchase the items through Amazon lists created by the Senior Companion Program.
Shopping begins Dec. 12 and will stay open until every item has been purchased.
The Wyoming Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs will gather the items at central locations and deliver them directly to the seniors’ doorsteps all over Wyoming. If you would like to purchase an item or contribute, the process is simple.
How to help:
- Go to wyolotto.com/holidaygiving
- Choose a shopping list for shipment to either Cheyenne or Casper listed in the information
- Add items from those lists to your cart
- Proceed to checkout
- Once you select Proceed to checkout, make sure to select the correct delivery address based on the list (under “Other Addresses”)
- For Cheyenne: “Wyoming Senior Companion Program, 3120 OLD FAITHFUL RD STE 200, CHEYENNE, WY 82001-5887, United States”
- For Casper: “Vernita Lackey, SENIOR COMPANION COORDINATOR/FOSTER GRANDPARENT COORDINATOR, 951 WERNER CT STE 295, CASPER, WY 82601-1355, United States”
- Once you select Proceed to checkout, make sure to select the correct delivery address based on the list (under “Other Addresses”)
Once you have paid for the item on Amazon, the item will then be delivered directly to a Wyoming senior through the Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs. These items will help to maintain independence and add quality to lives throughout Wyoming.
“We are counting on all of Wyoming to lend a hand. Help us change someone’s day and holiday,” Clontz added.
To learn more about the Wyoming Senior Companion Program, please go to https://www.wyomingseniors.com/services/senior-companion-program.
Remember to give responsibly if you want to gift lottery tickets, please give them only to those on your list that are 18 years of age and older.