Gifts, Food and Holiday Joy for the Oljato Senior Center

The Oljato Senior Center was chosen for our 2022 Navajo Santa Senior Center Program. The center is situated in picturesque Monument Valley, Utah, and serves approximately 180 elders.

Founding Board Member, Marianne Felt, worked with the Oljato Senior Center Supervisor, Bonnie Crank, to obtain their “wish list” of needed items which included: a commercial mixer; food processor; a ladder; cookware; kitchen tools; storage containers, tables, chairs, a roaster oven, and a grill. Thanks to a generous grant from American Express, we were able to purchase all of the needed items on their “wish list”.

Due to the pandemic, the Oljato Senior Center had only recently re-opened for in-house dining and socializing.  On December 2, Navajo Santa funded a special Christmas lunch for the elders. Our face-masked volunteers helped the Senior Center’s staff serve the meals, along with distributing gift bags filled with scarves, hats, gloves, hygiene kits, first aid supplies, and candy.

Funding for the gift bags and holiday lunch was generously provided by the George S. & Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation. Thanks to Board member Kathy Kankainen and to elf Marty Thomas for purchasing the gift bag items, to Costco, and to Paula and Gary Evershed for donating first aid and hygiene supplies. And to our amazing volunteers and donors who made for a very happy Christmas celebration for the Oljato elders.

Ya’at’eeh Keshmish