Theresa Baxter delivers meals and gifts to seniors for the Christmas holiday. PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Santa’s sleigh of gifts, including hot meals and household items, came just in time on Monday for nearly 130 seniors in need in the community. Mrs. Claus, better known as Beyond Special K (BSK) Program Coordinator Theresa Baxter, cooked up flavorful macaroni and cheese, string beans and potatoes, dressing, baked chicken and turkey.

In addition to the meals, the seniors also received cookies and pound cake made by Shirley Aaron, along with cupcakes baked by Patricia Knipper.

Theresa Baxter (right) and Harmony, 8, deliver meals and gifts to seniors at Sunrise Apartments in Gifford. PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL

“It made me happy to see them happy,” said 8-year-old Harmony, one of Santa’s elves, or volunteers, who went door-to-door delivering gifts. The seniors had bright smiles as they waited for their holiday packages.

“Harmony has been with me for the last few years,” said Baxter, who is Harmony’s GiGi/grandmother. “She’s always involved with me doing Christmas activities.”

Baxter, who is the senior citizen program coordinator of BSK at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center (GYAC), is a familiar face in the county who provides resources to those in need. Baxter said the “Christmas with the Seniors” event is critical because some people do not have family support.

“A lot of people are falling through the cracks when they have no one to contact. Some people don’t have insurance. Some people don’t have family close by or who looks out for them. Some people may have just had surgery,” Baxter said. “I deal with seniors, but not only seniors. I’m a community liaison. Seniors are our top priority, but there are plenty of other people who also need help. I act as a one-stop shop for people who need food, clothes, medical supplies and more.”

Another one of Santa’s elves, Joe Katimi, also helped with deliveries. Sleigh conductor Lebon Nicholas transported the packages in a GYAC senior citizen shuttle to various areas, including Sunset Apartments in Gifford and Gardenia Gardens just south of the Vero Beach city limits.

Baxter also personally delivered meals to two shelters and other places in the community.

“I wait for Santa (Baxter) every year and appreciate everything she does,” said 62-year-old Lydia Anderson, a resident at Sunset Apartments. “I always shoutout the Gifford Youth Achievement Center for Christmas and Thanksgiving.”

Harmony, 8, (right) with Lydia Anderson at the Christmas with the Seniors event. PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL

Baxter has been helping seniors and others in the community since 2007. The community advocate said she has been delivering meals and items to seniors during the Christmas holiday since 2008.

“She’s always been out here. I’ve been here for 14 years,” said 85-year-old Dorothy Tolbert, also a resident at Sunset Apartments. “She does this every year. She’s been doing this a long time.”

Baxter said this is the third year she used an Angel tree for the event. The organizer said she gets excited when she fills out the Christmas wish list requests from senior citizens.

“Some of them were hesitant to tell me their gift requests,” Baxter said. “You never know what donors will do.”

Donors then picked paper angels – each with a senior’s name and a wish list item – from a Christmas tree set up in GYAC’s lobby. Baxter said the Angel trees allow donors to have personal connections with the seniors.

Lebon Nicholas drops off Christmas packages at Sunset Apartments in Gifford. PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL

“The donors will ask questions about the person’s favorite color for a certain item,” Baxter said.

The citizens received a variety of household items including microwaves, comforter sets, bath towels, kitchen towels, hygiene products, shoes, cleaning supplies, television, air fryers, coffee pots, clothing, alarm clocks, toiletries, pots and pans and more.

Christmas with the Seniors is part of GYAC’s Beyond Special K Program, which aims to keep seniors active in the community through exercise classes and enrichment activities.

Baxter organizes pre-Thanksgiving holiday dinners. The community leader also coordinates a mobile food pantry, where she and a team of volunteers hand out fresh vegetables, meat, pastries and dry goods to residents.

The mobile food drives, which operate in partnership with Shining Light Garden, The Treasure Coast Food Bank and For the Love of Paws, are held on the second and fourth Wednesday each month at the GYAC parking lot. Baxter also gives out cat and dog food at the Wednesday events.

Baxter said she also coordinates the “Breathing Room” program for the Alzheimer and Parkinson’s Association of Indian River County, another community partner organization. The clients come to the Gifford Community Center once a week on Monday afternoons and participate in activities – such as Bingo, word searches, arts and crafts, exercise, along with bing bag tosses – to give their caregiver a breather.

From handing out meals to seniors, to organizing community food drives, residents agree that Baxter is a heaven-sent angel. Her life-long passion for serving others isn’t dwindling down anytime soon.

“I love providing for our seniors and community needs,” Baxter said.