Kennebunk police brighten holidays with Golden Ornament project

KENNEBUNK, Maine — You walk into the Kennebunk Police Department, and right away you see the ornaments attached to the garland draped near the front window.

There’s something about them. They’re clear, and there is a long strip of paper coiled inside each one. Intrigued, you pluck one from the garland and read that strip, rotating the ornament a bit to read everything written on it.

You read about an 84-year-old man. You do not learn his name, but it says he’s a wonderful man. He has had a rough year. His wife passed away. Then he was the victim of a scam, the kind criminals pull on seniors. On this strip of paper, it says the man could use some gift certificates for Walgreens and CVS to help him get things he needs.

In your hand, you hold a Golden Ornament — as in the Golden Ornament project, the annual project officer Candice Simeoni has spearheaded for several years to help cheer local seniors and help them feel connected to their community during the holidays.

The idea is you take that ornament, head to CVS and Walgreens, get those gift certificates, maybe throw in some other thoughtful items, and deliver them to Simeoni at the police station on Summer Street by a date before Christmas. From there, Simeoni and her volunteers deliver the gifts to the gentleman who has had a challenging year and sure would appreciate the goodwill.

The man won’t know Simeoni is coming bearing gifts, however. It’s a surprise. He was nominated by someone who crossed paths with him — a friend, perhaps, or even someone who works at the town hall or the library or volunteers for Meals on Wheels — and who wanted to see something nice for him. 

“It’s all anonymous,” Simeoni said.

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Kennebunk police delivering holiday cheer to seniors

Simeoni, the president and founder of the York County Elder Abuse Task Force, started The Golden Ornament Project in 2019. She had less than 20 nominees that year. And this year? She has 70.

The project addresses an important need in the community, according to Simeoni.

“I always feel like we forget what I think is the most important niche in our communities, and that’s our older population,” she said. “I see these people all the time, and it breaks my heart because I think a lot of them are lonely during this time of year.”

A lot of these people are “amazing gems,” Simeoni said, and they need love and support just as much as the children and families for whom giving trees are set up throughout communities this time of the year.

Simeoni said she is glad to see her fellow officers participate in the project and feel so enthusiastic about it.

“Humanizing the badge is so important to me,” she said.

Police Chief Bob MacKenzie called the project a “perfect opportunity to provide much-needed cheer for some of our residents during the holiday season.”

“Our community members are always quick to step up, donate, or grab an ornament,” MacKenzie said.

Even the department’s officers and other staff members make sure to take an ornament and buy gifts for the anonymous people described on those strips of paper.

“It allows us to feel a deeper connection with those we serve,” MacKenzie said. “It truly warms my heart to see how we, as a community, come together to make others happy during the holiday season.”

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In her office on Tuesday, Simeoni had a few of those ornaments on her desk — ones for which the gifts already had been delivered to the seniors described inside them.

In addition to the ornament for the man who got the CVS and Walgreens gift cards, there were ornaments for a 76-year-old woman who had a challenging year and a 96-year-old woman who lives by herself at an assisted-living facility. The 76-year-old loves tea and chocolate, so that’s what her benefactor got her. The 96-year-old loves writing letters, so she received stamps and blue stationery, her favorite.

Currently, Simeoni’s office is filled with colorful bags with gifts waiting to be delivered to local seniors. While some of those gifts are fun ones, like chocolate, tea, and a fresh pad of stationery, there are helpful and practical gifts, too. The fingers of a pair of gloves wave from the top of one bag, for example. Even wrapped rolls of toilet paper are stacked on Simeoni’s shelves — a true gift for anyone who struggles to meet basic needs on a fixed income. Those pay-as-you-throw trash bags are also popular gifts for seniors.

Simeoni said the nominating process is what keeps the program genuine and helps prevent people from taking advantage of the goodwill of others. Throughout November, Simeoni accepts nominations of seniors from people throughout the community. In December, the deliveries begin. This year, people are asked to return their gifts to the police station by Dec. 19.

Simeoni said the people who pick ornaments and fulfill the wishes inside of them also find the project rewarding. She mentioned three individuals, all friends, all who lost their last living parent in a single year. Shopping for local seniors made them feel like they were shopping for their parents, she said they told her.

“It’s beautiful,” Simeoni said. “I really love this project.”