OLEAN â This year marked the 20th anniversary for the Warm Hearts program at Olean Medical Group.
Linda Witte conceived the idea of delivering gift bags to seniors throughout Cattaraugus County and the group has carried out the program ever since. Witte, a Common Council member, remains involved through Meals on Wheels, a Cattaraugus County Department of Aging program delivering meals each day to seniors.
Organizers said the collection of the gift bags was a bit different this year, though, since Olean Medical Group staff were involved with fundraisers for a few of their younger patients who were in need.
Time was not on their side. Typically, they put together at least 100 gift bags containing healthy soups, fruits, puzzle books, teas, cocoa, socks and other items and hand them over to the volunteers who deliver daily meals. With only days before the gifts were to be delivered, medical group staff were able to compile a quarter of the bags needed.