MARIETTA - While many Cobb residents will be celebrating Christmas this year with their families, some seniors will be alone at home.

But the staff at Cobb Senior Services will host a "Senior Santa" party for about 130 homebound seniors on Dec. 11 at its Windy Hill Multipurpose Center in Smyrna, to help bring cheer to homebound seniors. The event will feature Christmas carols sung by West Side Elementary School students, an appearance by Santa Claus, Christmas Bingo, karaoke and a traditional Christmas meal with turkey.

Donations have made it possible for each senior to receive Christmas gifts at the party, as well. Free transportation will be provided for the seniors to the facility.

"You would be surprised at the number of seniors for whom it's been a while since they've had somebody give them a gift or even participated in a Christmas program," said LaTronda Andrews-Perry, a Cobb Senior Services coordinator who established the Senior Santa program in 2005.

"When they get there, they're just so happy. It's just the fact that they get to interact and they know somebody cares. They're not just at home by themselves during the holidays."

The seniors are age 60 and older. Many are unable to leave home because of chronic illness, a disability or lack transportation. But they all have been enrolled in various Cobb Senior Services programs such as Meals on Wheels, the Senior Day Center and services for Alzheimer's patients.

Each senior submitted a gift wish list, and the agency accepts donations to fulfill as many as possible.

"It can range from needing a refrigerator to needing a computer or just a gown," Andrews-Perry said. She said nearly all wishes - within reason- get fulfilled.

"We started because we have a lot of our clients who are homebound and have no family support," Andrews-Perry said. "A lot of them around the holiday time suffered from loneliness and depression."

The Kermit Sanders Lodge of the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police plans to make a $2,000 donation to Senior Santa, said David Stone, an FOP member and retired Cobb police corporal. He said the 400-member lodge that serves Cobb, Cherokee, Paulding and Douglas counties wanted to help a worthy cause in addition to its own Shop with a Cop and other service programs.

"The money that we operate off of comes from the community, so it's incumbent to give back to the community," Stone said.

Senior Santa is limited to seniors already enrolled in Cobb Senior Services programs. However, participation is open next year for those who decide to join the agency. Donations will be accepted for next year. For more information, call (770) 528-5368.