Senior Santas spring surprise

A group of “Senior Santas” from The Gardens at Wakefield Plantation helped give three Wake Forest women a merry Christmas.

Gardens resident Louise Latta saw an announcement in a local newspaper about Wake County’s Holiday Cheer program. Through the program, the county allows volunteers to select individuals and families who need help during the holidays.

Latta asked residents to donate money so she could buy presents for the three women they chose to help.

The women, Mary Jeffreys, Alice Branch and Sarah Gilmore, are all from Wake Forest and are senior citizens as well.

The ladies from The Gardens, an apartment community for senior citizens, loaded up their gifts and goodies on their bus and visited each woman Friday.

Cleveland Jeffreys didn’t tell his 90-year-old aunt, Mary Jeffreys, the women from The Gardens were stopping by. She was moved to tears when Latta presented the gifts.

“I didn’t know this would happen,” Mary Jeffreys said. “I’m thankful.”

Cleveland Jeffreys said he thought his aunt deserved the Christmas surprise for all she’s done for him.

“She’s a special person,” he said. “She raised me. I had to do something special.”

To show his appreciation to the Wakefield women, Cleveland Jeffreys serenaded them with The Christmas Song.

“Out of that tiny piece of newspaper, see what can happen,” Hall said. “And he gave back to us.”

“That one trip made it all worth it,” Latta said.

At the next stop, 93-year-old Alice Branch was thrilled to see the women stop by to visit. The ladies reminded her of the friends she used to have lunch with at the senior center in Wake Forest.

“I just didn’t even think anything like this would happen to me,” Branch said.

Latta made sure to get Branch a tube of red lipstick, which was one of the items on her wish list. They also gave her a leopard print scarf.

“I just can’t thank y’all enough,” Branch said. “I just can’t thank y’all enough.”

Each woman received a sweat suit, a pair of gloves, socks, underwear and a fruit basket.

Sarah Gilmore, 80, was the youngest woman the “Senior Santas” visited, but she was just as pleased to receive her gifts.

“This is my Christmas,” Gilmore told the women.

Back on the bus, Latta reminded the ladies how fortunate they all are to be able to help others.

“It makes my heart feel so good to see them smile,” she said.