 Well, the holidays can be tough on some local seniors who cannot travel to see their loved ones this season, but thanks to the generosity of the Brainerd Lakes community members, their holidays just got a little brighter. Sarah Winckelman has the details on the Be a Santa to a senior program. It's a giving tree that focuses on seniors. Seniors that possibly don't get a visitor during the holiday season probably don't get any gifts during the holiday season. The gifts of seniors are submitted by local nonprofits, service organizations and church groups that together have recognized nearly 300 seniors who will have an extra special holiday. My name is Gail and the gift ideas are grocery card, candy and socks. Gift ideas are only suggestions, so you can kind of use your creativity on what you think an isolated senior might want. There are 9 different tree locations throughout the Brainerd Lakes area and all you have to do is find a tree, grab a bulb and buy a gift. Customers come in and they look for it. Every year they kind of, when is the tree going up? Once the tags are taken, the gifts can be brought back to the same location, either wrapped or unwrapped before December 13th. Lotion, shampoos, fuzzy slippers, socks, blankets, things like that that is very easy for the community to buy. Then volunteers will distribute those gifts on December 20th. The person delivered it and she literally started crying, threw off the lap blanket she had on her lap because it wasn't in very good shape, put the new one on and just, you know, of course there's hugs and all those kinds of things. Homan said hopes to hear many similar stories after the area's 8th annual Be a Santa to a Senior program. Reporting in Brainerd, Sarah Winkleman, Lakeland News. The full list of locations can be found on our website at lptv.org. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.