By Stowell P. Watters
Staff Writer
    Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport collaborate on a Secret Santa program each holiday season, and for 20 years all of the mysterious gift-givers have remained completely anonymous.
    “This year we have 12 volunteer Santas who will give gifts to anyone who needs them, it is a community effort,” said Wendy Lank, director of social services in Arundel.
    Standing in the hallway of the Arundel Town Hall is a seven-foot tree adorned with ornaments, a shining star, tinsel and note cards. Each note card contains the gift needs of one of the 17 families chosen by Lank. The families names are assigned to a number. Just as the Santas’ identities are hidden so are the identities of the families.
    These trees stand tall in local banks and the town halls of each aforementioned town. In addition to the assigned secret Santas, the social service departments of each town encourage residents to pluck a card from one of the many trees and make a family’s holiday season all the merrier.
    The application process, Lank said, does not take into account a family’s income.
    “This is not based on income, it is based on need. While we try to help people who cannot afford gifts, we do not ask families to write their income on the applications,” Lank said.
    The application’s deadline passed in early November, but Lank is still looking for people to donate their time and money to the cause. With funds provided by donations, the Secret Santas snag a card from the tree and purchase the desired goods. These items range anywhere from mittens, to “teenager CDs” to “cool clothes for a teenage girl.” Residents wishing to help out must give from their own funds.
    “If the money from donations runs out the Santa’s take it upon themselves to come up with the rest, so it is important that donations of both money and gifts keep coming in,” Lank said.
    She added that some years the program has excess money, and in that case the funds go to the purchase of food vouchers, which are then distributed in the gift packages.
    Once the items are bought they are wrapped and stored until the secret day. Lank then begins the process of calling and congregating the families under her care and organizing a date for them to pick up their box of gifts.
    Other programs, like the Old Orchard Beach Salvation Army Toys or the Bruce Roberts Toy Fund are still accepting applications for the holiday season.
    “If you are having trouble providing gifts for your family these services are in place to ensure your holiday season is filled with cheer,” Lank said. “The holidays are a time for people to get together and really look at one another, really look after the well being of others.”
    The Senior Center in Lower Village is also in the giving spirit as they are hosting their 15th annual Elder Elves program. This community outreach program is carried out by an average of 20 volunteers who put together gift baskets for elderly people who might otherwise have nothing under their tree on the holidays. While they are all set on volunteers for this year, the program could always use new people for next year.
    The Senior Center receives names of elderly people referred to them by welfare offices and other social service agencies. These referrals help Mary Ann Graham, volunteer and outreach coordinator at the Senior Center, choose residents who need a care package the most.
    “It is anonymous — we only know their first names,” Graham said. “If they didn’t get these they would have nothing at all. We want to make sure everyone has something under their tree.”
    The gift baskets, which will be delivered by the 20 something volunteers a few days prior to Christmas, contain everything from large keypad telephones  and knitted socks to flash lights and toothbrushes. Each item is individually wrapped with care and bought with donated money.