Cary Park District spreads holiday cheer to seniors: ‘Reminder community has not forgotten them’

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the Cary Park District helped seniors stay connected to the community with holiday gift bags.

Five years later, the gesture has turned into a staple program that has grown each year.

This year’s Holiday Party in a Bag was the biggest yet, with over 50 volunteers handing out 123 grab-and-go packages, each filled with a hot catered meal, additional food items and festive treats and small gifts, said Courtney Baker, the Cary Park District’s communications and marketing superintendent.

“We have been told that, for some seniors, this bag represents their only holiday celebration,” Baker said. “For many, it is a reminder that their community has not forgotten them.”

With the help of nearly 30 sponsors, 55 volunteers assembled the bags, packed the meals and delivered them Monday directly to cars. The small gesture is a way to let seniors in the community know that they matter, especially those living alone, Baker said.

“At its heart, Holiday Party in a Bag is about more than food,” she said. “It’s about dignity, connection and the power of a community coming together to look out for its neighbors, especially during the holidays.”

The group of volunteers included community families, Cary-Grove High School football players and students and Cary Park District board members and their families.

The program was organized by Missi Brezina, the park district’s program manager, whose family also volunteered with the group, Baker said.

This year, Holiday Party in a Bag received nearly $1,000 in donations, allowing the program fee to be set at $8 per bag, Baker said. Dozens of Cary families, along with a local women’s church group, helped fund this year’s program.

Seniors sign up for the program through the park district, which gets the word out through its website, on social media and brochures. The Cary Park District also uses the co-op network to reach people in the Barrington, McHenry, Crystal Lake and Lake in the Hills park districts, Baker said.

Donations for next year’s Holiday Party in a Bag can be made at bit.ly/CarySponsorSenior.