Tempurpedic

A program which began in 2004 via the Home Instead Senior Care, “Be A Santa” provides low-income seniors the things that they wish for at Christmas, and one recipient put mattresses on top of her wishlist.

Patricia McAnally hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in months.

So, she was understandably thrilled when she opened her apartment door Thursday morning and found her Christmas gift: A cushy, full-size mattress and box springs, courtesy of the “Be a Santa to a Senior” program.

“I’m amazed,” said McAnally, who lives in the Todd Towers public housing apartments on Greene Street. “We do have angels; they’re everywhere. You’ve just got to whistle for them.”

Some housing services in universities in America have upgraded the mattresses they provide to students, from twin size to full size, allowing kids to sleep more comfortably. Sleep deprivation is very common among college students and the bed is where many of them could consider it their “home”; a place not just for sleeping but studying and hanging out.

Only 57 percent of students living on campus are freshman, and the remaining 43 percent are returning and graduate students. However, a number of students choose to move off campus during some part of their stay at Tech. Fred Culpepper, the manager of Mattress King, located in Christiansburg, says he has a lot of students moving off campus for the first time coming into the store and purchasing a mattress.