Workers at Merrill Lynch unofficially call their program “Ringing in the holidays,” a kind of reference to the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” in which each ringing bell means an angel has received its wings.
Although each year Merrill Lynch humbly plays down its own name while promoting the Christmas Calls program, after 20 years offering to let local senior citizens call anywhere in the world for free, it is hard to avoid giving them credit.
On Dec. 8, seniors can once more call their friends and family members from the Jersey City office of the company, part of its effort to show its own holiday spirit.
The program began as 20 years ago at its New York World Headquarters, according to Elaine Weseley, one of eight Merrill Lynch employees who helped 100 seniors that first year. Then-company Chairman and CEO William A. Schreyer personally recruited volunteers after an employee suggested putting otherwise idle office telephones to use at holiday time.
Since then, Vice Chairman Stephen L. Hammerman, Executive Vice President Edward L. Goldberg, and Senior Vice President George A. Schieren have each served as chairman of this effort. Like the core of volunteers, each has given up a day of their holiday vacation to give a gift to others.
“The extra effort that the Merrill Lynch ‘family’ devotes to Christmas Calls is fantastic,” explained Hammerman. “It is no wonder that the seniors have such a marvelous time!”
Since then, the program has expanded across the nation with 187 offices helping more than 20,000 seniors reach loved ones around the world.
Calls made from the various offices have included ones to Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India and a nursing home resident in Alabama who spoke to her sister in the Philippines for the first time in a decade. Calls can include family members still living in other countries or those serving in distant military bases.
Karyn Urinowski, Director of Social Services in Secaucus, said the firm is not doing this for publicity, but as a service to people whom might not be able to call home for the holidays.
Urinowski said the brokerage house is giving back to the seniors who haven’t talked with relations overseas for years or who may not have enough cash to call home, or who need help with translations or the technical aspects of making a phone call overseas.
“We do this every year, and every year more people participate,” Urinowski said.
In previous years, the brokerage house had as many 200 volunteers, including employees, their spouses, and kids. Volunteers placed the phone calls, delivered food, and even accompanied seniors on the buses that picked them up and dropped them off.
The first year the program was offered, in Jersey City in the mid-1990s, only 150 people showed up from around the county, a year later, after word got out, ten times as many people showed up. Since then the numbers have increased every year. Secaucus usually has several dozen seniors participating.
Because of the county population’s diverse ethnicity, translators have been made available in past years. Santa Claus often pays seniors a visit, greeting them and giving out small gifts, while staff members take pictures and made sure the seniors got home again safely.
This year’s events include free refreshments, gifts and a box lunch. Transportation is also free with special arrangements available for homebound seniors.
To register, call the Secaucus Senior Center at (201) 330-2034 The deadline for registration is Dec. 2.