By Hayleigh Gowans
Staff Writer
For at least 20 years, Fayetteville resident Diane Adams has made it her mission to provide calendars for the upcoming year for seniors across Onondaga County — and she is currently looking for donations for this year’s drive.
“I think it’s great to do something small but nice,” said Adams. “And so many people are willing to help out and donate. I’ve had people who start collecting months before I even put the boxes out.”
More than 20 years ago, Adams was working as an ombudsman at long-term care facility in Onondaga County when a woman named Ruth asked if Adams would be able to get her a calendar to use for the upcoming year. After finding and providing a calendar to Ruth, Adams got the idea to start collecting and distributing them on a larger scale.
Often, residents in retirement homes are on strict budgets and cannot afford to buy themselves calendars — something Adams said helps enhance and organize all people’s lives.
“It’s the little things that mean the most to people,” said Adams. “They’re always very happy to get a little gift for the beginning of the year.”
Drop boxes for calendar donations are located in several Onondaga County Public libraries, including the Fayetteville Free Library, the Baldwinsville Public Library, the Maxwell Library in Camillus, the Liverpool Public Library, the Central Library on S. Salina Street in Syracuse and the Manlius Library. (Note: The Manlius Library does not have a collection box, but they are being collected by the front desk.)
In the past, Adams has collected close to 4,000 calendars in one year — and said she has hopes to collect around 2,000 this year based on the needs of local facilities.
In addition to looking for calendar donations, Adams said she is looking for volunteers to help collect the calendars on Jan. 10 and help her distribute them to nursing homes and long-term senior care facilities. If you are interested, you can call Diane Adams at 637-6632.
