The deadline to submit names for Stuff A Christmas Stocking For A Senior is fast approaching.

So residents in Strathmore and the county who want to make a local seniors’ Christmas just that bit brighter, need to submit those names by December 1.

Marlene Risdon from The Rack On Third in Strathmore explained that things are going well right now.

“In the month of November, I'm getting the names in. This year, we've got all of the lodges they're automatically all in, and then I'm trying to get more independent people that live on their own,” she said.

Risdon explained that seniors don’t have to have any special circumstances to be nominated to get a gift. On December 1 that’s when anyone can start picking up names of people they want to buy for.

Risdon says anyone can hand in the name of a senior. She said last year the program was so successful there were 433.

"This year my goal is over 500,” she said.

Participants fill out a form that they can get at the store, or Risdon can email or fax the form. The information provided has the name of the senior and an idea of what kind of gift they would like for Christmas. The gifts that are handed out are modest.

“I've already got one organization, a kids’ group has already booked 25 names,” she said.

In addition, she has some people who are waiting and have promised to participate. “I ran out of names last year,” she said.

Participants deliver the stockings to those who are receiving them, so at a lodge, or to the home of an independent senior. The deliveries must be completed by December 22.

"I had a lot of people last year, it was kind of neat. Mum and dad and the kids would come in and they each get a name The kids would go shopping,” she said, which turned out sometimes to be a funny situation because of the funny items picked out by young kids.

"The kids thought it was really neat because they were told ‘you're going to buy for like a grandma or grandpa’,” she said.

More information on Stuff A Christmas Stocking For A Senior can be found by visiting The Rack On Third on Facebook.