A 91原创 London Drugs has collected hundreds of Christmas gifts 鈥� donated by shoppers who will become secret Santas to more than 600 seniors in this community.

The donation drive is part of the store鈥檚 annual Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program, which runs at all London Drugs locations across Western Canada and is intended to support seniors.

At the 64th Avenue store, this campaign has been 鈥渧ery successful,鈥� engaging dozens of shoppers yearly, shared assistant manager Steve Blain.

As part of the campaign, the store has placed a small Christmas tree near the checkout. Instead of ornaments, the artificial tree is decorated with tags, which represent actually wish lists sent in by local seniors organizations.

People can simply pick up the tags and get on with their shopping spree.

The items purchased for donation can then be handed over to a store employee or left under the Christmas tree along with the tag, Blain explained.

The store has also added a new element to the campaign this year, he noted. In addition to a gift, shoppers can also give a greeting card to a senior, which they can get for free when they purchase any greeting card at a regular price.

Lillian Fast, the store manager, is expecting more than 700 gifts this year as part of the campaign, which runs until Thursday, Dec. 8.

Talking about the response from the community, Fast said the campaign had been a 鈥渉uge success鈥� so far.

鈥淧eople love it every year,鈥� Fast said. 鈥淪ometimes we get such a high participation that we run out of tags, and people still want to donate.鈥�

A big reason for such high numbers is the support from local teachers, who take a 鈥渂unch鈥� of tags and distribute them to students. These students then collect donations and bring them to the store.

The drive has been so successful that Blain feels the donations can benefit more seniors in the community. Even after meeting the needs of the participating seniors organizations, the store many-a-times is left with a pile of donations that are shared with others in need.

Blain feels the project is something he is 鈥減ersonally very proud of,鈥� making his job 鈥渆ven more exciting.鈥�

鈥淚 am happy that seniors will get a little extra for Christmas. There are some who don鈥檛 have families鈥� this will mean a lot to them,鈥� he concluded.

One of the beneficiaries of this initiative by the local store is 91原创 Seniors Village.

Precious Hansford, recreation aid at the facility, shared that most of the residents at the senior鈥檚 village can鈥檛 shop for themselves due to disability or other reasons.

Some of the items residents require include body lotions, socks, toiletries, face cream, shampoo, slippers, winter clothing and blankets.

Hansford feels the initiative by London Drugs is a 鈥済reat help for seniors鈥� and makes them 鈥渞eally happy.鈥�