Senior centers in Audrain and Cole counties worked with the Callaway County Sheriff's Office to deliver about 100 care packages to local homebound and senior citizens.
"A man called yesterday from Callaway County, and he was excited," Mexico Senior Center Director Ione Bickell said. "He was so surprised when the sheriff drove up."
For several months now, the Clark Senior Center and the Mexico Senior Center have been delivering meals in Callaway County. Both senior centers work with Aging Best, the agency that until recently also worked with the Callaway Senior Center to serve homebound seniors through its senior nutrition program.
"Everyone in Fulton has been wonderful to work with," Bickell said.
The Clark Senior Center has been covering the southern part of the county, including Holts Summit and New Bloomfield and the communities along the Missouri River, while the Mexico center has been delivering to Fulton and Auxvasse.
For the past four years, the Mexico Senior Center has been putting together Christmas care packages during the holidays, working with the Audrain County Sheriff's Office.
"We want the seniors to know we care about them," Bickell said.
The care packages include essentials like toilet paper, paper towels and tissues, snacks and a puzzle book.
"We get such a blast out of it," Bickell said. "I love doing this every year."
Because the Mexico center is currently serving Callaway County, Bickell wanted to extend the holiday delivery to Callaway as well.
"I couldn't bear the idea that they wouldn't get a Christmas present," she said.
The senior centers reached out to Sheriff Clay Chism, who was happy to help.
"The immediate answer was YES!" the office posted on Facebook.
Deputies volunteered to help with the holiday deliveries Thursday and Monday.
"It's nice for people to see the sheriff's department in a different light," Bickell said. "They're not just law enforcement; they're people who care."
Bickell said the regular nutrition program could use a few more volunteer drivers.
"We definitely need some volunteers," she said.
Bickell invited interested volunteers to call the Mexico Senior Center at 573-581-7743.