Shoeboxes aren’t just for storing shoes, they are also a great way to show love and gratitude.

So believes Erlor Dean. She is stuffing shoeboxes with small gifts and handing them out to senior citizens as appreciation for their contributions, in the spirit of Thanksgiving.

“I’m a senior but I wanted to thank people more senior than me,” the 72-year-old laughed.

“Particularly those in rest homes who have contributed so much to the Island; these are the people who paved the way for us.”

Her thoughts turned to gratitude after Bermuda was struck by two hurricanes within the span of a week in October last year.

“I started to get a little worried when I heard we were getting another hurricane so soon after the first,” she said.

“But after it was all over there was some damage, but no one was killed.

“I thought that was pretty amazing. I thought we should be more grateful as a community. We should do more for each other.”

She decided to actually do something about it.

“I don’t know why but a shoebox came into my head,” she said. “I thought, you could do a lot with a shoebox, but Christmas came and went and I didn’t do anything.

“Then in February I thought Thanksgiving would be a good time to launch something.”

She appealed to her friends to “come along on [her] shoebox ride”.

“I said if they didn’t want to do Thanksgiving they could make something up at Christmas or even later,” she added.

“Many of my friends have joined me in this, and some have invited other friends.”

So far, about 40 people have accepted the task. Each person decided individually what their boxes would include.

“There was no need for us all to get together beforehand to look at the boxes,” the retired schoolteacher said. “I wanted this to be low-key.”

She was thrilled to see the reaction when one of her friends delivered a shoebox.

“The senior’s face just lit up,” Mrs Dean said. “She was delighted and asked, ‘But why me?’. My friend said, ‘Why not you?’. It really brightened both of their days.”

Mrs Dean planned to give her shoebox filled with canned goods, pens and other treats to a man in her neighbourhood in Somerset.

“I’ve known him a long time and this is a way to thank him for his support over the years,” she said.

“There are no rules for what to put in the boxes, within reason. I know a lot of people are putting toiletries in them. I think sometimes it’s nice to get a gift, no matter what’s inside.”

The choice of who to give the gift to was also up to the giver.

“I told them that if they didn’t know anyone, to go to a rest home and ask the matron whether there was a resident who didn’t receive a lot of visitors. It gives me great pleasure to know I am bringing joy to someone.”

Mrs Dean taught for four decades at West End Primary and Sandys Secondary Middle School. She retired in 2013 but teaches English in the prisons twice a week.

What would she want in a shoebox gift?

“I try not to be choosy,” she said with a laugh.