Deer Lakes Soccer Santas continue annual gift-giving tradition to seniors at Cheswick Rehabilitation and Wellness Center

Deer Lakes’ Soccer Santas made their annual delivery of Christmas presents to residents of the Cheswick Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Indiana Township on Monday.

The tradition began about six years ago when Deer Lakes girls soccer coach Frank Accetta started coaching at the district. He wanted the girls to experience the joy of giving to seniors who might not get gifts or have visitors or family members coming to see them.

“It’s always a real nice experience for everybody,” Accetta said.

Each year, the center provides Accetta with a list of residents who want to receive gifts, and he will divvy it up among the girls on the varsity team.

The girls buy the gifts with their own money and wrap them.

About 30 residents received presents from the team this year, Accetta said. Some of the middle school players volunteered and chipped in, too.

Normally the whole team will go to the center to deliver the gifts and chat with residents, but that wasn’t allowed this year because of covid-19 restrictions.

Accetta picked team members Madeline Boulos and Kylie Lollo to help him and assistant coach Jeff Boulos deliver the presents. They had to drop the presents off in the lobby.

Lollo said not seeing the residents was disappointing. But she was happy the center still allowed the team to buy them gifts.

“It’s nice because we all know the people who are getting the gifts don’t really have a family,” Lollo said. “Them getting the gifts really brings joy to all of us.”

Accetta said the tradition instills the true meaning of Christmas.

The residents don’t ask for expensive things, and seeing the look of joy on someone’s face because they were given something as simple as a blanket is priceless, he said.

“It breaks your heart,” Accetta said. “Kids today and adults today, they forget simple things in life. Just being able to get a simple Christmas present, it means a lot to somebody, and (to) have someone visit them and talk to them.

Becky Schrader, activities director for the center, said the residents love seeing the girls. It lights up their whole day.

“They talk about it. How nice it is that these kids do this and come in and see them,” Schrader said.

Schrader said the center made sure the residents knew where the gifts came from because the girls weren’t able to see them this year.

“This year especially,” Schrader said, “getting a gift has brightened everybody’s mood.”