ISU Finance and Administration staff helps Brookdale Assisted Living Center residents this Christmas

POCATELLO – Staff working for the Idaho State University’s Department of Finance and Administration decided that instead of doing an office present exchange they would adopt the Brookdale Assisted Living Center residents.

The activities chairman at the living center asked the residents to make a list of two or three items they would like for Christmas. Then, the chairman coded the items and gave the ISU Department of Finance and Administration a list with phony names to protect the residents’ privacy. The ISU department printed the items requested and put them on the back of paper stars so participating staff could choose a star and purchase what was on the back.

“We were a little nervous when we discovered that there were over 50 residents, but people have been so generous that each one was adopted,” said Amy Haroldsen, administrative assistant in ISU Accounts Payable Office.

Once all the gifts were collected the staff at ISU took the gifts to the center and presented them to the residents. While at the center Haroldsen the ISU employees played the piano to encourage a Christmas carol sing-a-long.

“We felt that this would bring us more cheer to give to our more experienced community members who sometimes are forgotten,” Haroldsen said.

For more information on how you could help contact Haroldsen barnamy2@isu.edu.