Nursing Home Resident to Take Helicopter Ride Thanks to WPXI-TV
Gibsonia, Pa. - Dec. 6, 2005 - Two nursing home residents will have their holidays made merrier for them thanks to WPXI-TV, the co-sponsor of PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS®. The residents, Dolores Kastroll of Evergreen Nursing Center in Jackson Township, Butler County, and Rose Nwranski of St. Barnabas Nursing Home in Richland Township have long dreamed of flying in a helicopter. Weather permitting, at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, they will take off from the Channel 11 studios in the station's helicopter and go for a short ride over Pittsburgh. Santa Claus will be on hand to give them a bon voyage gift of binoculars so they can see the sites more effectively.
This year alone, PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS® aims to match 22,275 residents in 260 nursing homes, personal care homes and assisted living facilities with a gift. The residents are in five states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, West Virginia and Tennessee. While the majority of residents request items such as sweatshirts and slippers, occasionally they request a special gift such as the helicopter ride. Other unusual gift requests during the program's 22-year history have included horseback riding, a pizza delivered by four good-looking men and riding in an 18-wheeler.
Founded in 1984 by St. Barnabas Health System president William V. Day, the purpose of PRESENTS FOR PATIENTS® is to brighten the holidays for long-term care patients by matching them with a visitor from the community who brings a small gift. Since its inception, the campaign has provided gifts to nearly 280,000 patients. The program continues to be spearheaded by St. Barnabas Charities, part of St. Barnabas Health System, and has been co-sponsored by WPXI-TV since 1985.
Individuals, families and organizations are still needed to make this year's campaign a success. Donors will be matched with a resident at a long-term care facility near where they live and will be given the resident's gift requests. Getting involved is simple. Those interested are asked to call 724-443-0011 or visit www.PRESENTSFORPATIENTS.com.
Contact:
Kathleen Brenneman
(724) 444-5530
kbrenneman@stbarnabashealthsystem.com
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