Medic Rescue is in its 14th year of sponsorship of the Presents for Patients Program in Beaver County. Of the approximately one thousand residents of the Nursing and Personal Care Homes in Beaver County who participate in this program, Medic Rescue assures that every resident receives a gift for Christmas. Many of the senior residents have outlived their family and friends and we make sure they know someone remembered them during this very special holiday season.

Below is a list of events to make this very special occasion take place.

1. Meetings start in July of each year for planning.

2. In September, the patient's name and wish list is due.

3. In early November, the Presents for Patients kick-off breakfast is held at St. Barnabas, Gibsonia.

4. In mid November, Presents for Patients participate in the annual Christmas parade in Pittsburgh.

5. In late November, Presents for Patients Light Up Night is held at St. Barnabas. Light Up Night is also held at all of the Nursing and Personal Care Homes.

6. Beginning in December, WPXI TV, Channel 11 broadcasts stories relating to this program during the evening and 11 o'clock news. This is done through December 24th.

7. Fundraising starts in July and ends December 24th.

8. Christmas Parties for nursing and personal care homes are scheduled December 10th through December 25th.

Medic Rescue employees buy and wrap the gifts, schedule and plan the parties and are present to visit the patients. These employees want to make sure that the patients know they are still very special to so many people. The smile, the thank you, makes all the hard work worth it as they know they are remembered.

Presents for Patients was founded in 1984 by William V. Day, President of St. Barnabas Charitable Foundation and is co-sponsored by WPXI TV. Presents for Patients is now a four state program; Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. Since the start of the program, over 100,000 gifts have been given to residents of nursing and personal care homes. The program not only covers senior citizens, but also handicapped children in homes.

Medic Rescue has been recognized for it's oustanding contributions to the Presents for Patients Program. Medic Rescue has accepted the challenge of the Beaver County program so that St. Barnabas could concentrate on other areas.