By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SENIOR citizens were treated to food and Christmas gift packages yesterday thanks to Mt Olive Baptist Church in Bain Town.

Armed with masks and practising social distancing, the elderly waited to get their packages. Brenda Harris Pinder brought her mother, 85-year-old Cecelia Walker Harris, who has dementia.

She said they have been staying at home for the most of the time during the pandemic, but she appreciated yesterday’s event due to “cabin fever” setting in.

“I’ve been worried about her but actually this is probably the third time that I’ve been out of the house in a long time because I want to make sure that she’s okay and I thought it well to just bring her out because some time you get cabin fever being inside,” Ms Pinder said.

“She’s been well because I’ve been making sure you know no drop-by visits. I tell (people) I’m the boss, but she’s in charge.

“With dementia, she remembers certain things and it takes her way back into history,” she explained. “Sometimes she don’t remember who I am and so having to deal with that it’s not always easy.

“It’s so important too that we give back to the senior citizens because sometimes they’re forgotten and they are our gems and we have to really, really make sure that we do our part to make sure that they’re comfortable.”

Ivy Charlton, 65, came to bring her neighbour and childhood friend 76-year-old Leotha Adderley from The Grove.

“We were neighbours from when I was a little child, so she’s like a bigger sister to me,” the 65-year-old told The Tribune. “Whenever I could, I help (her). I try to show love year-round. It isn’t just a seasonal thing.”

Ms Adderley was appreciative of the luncheon, which was organised by Mt Olive Baptist Church and the Rotary Club of West Nassau.

The Rev CB Moss, pastor of the church, said the event was not a lavish sit-down affair like years past, but it gave people a good supply of food and Christmas packages.

He added: “God has been good to so many of us and the only way we can show our real gratitude is by helping others. Now over the years this was a major sit-down formal affair but with the arrival of the coronavirus the question was whether we were going to do it this year at all but we could not discontinue something that had become an institution and folks the seniors citizens were looking forward to it because it’s a major highpoint in the Christmas for them.”