Are you good at gift-giving? Buy a child a present and see.

Want to know what gift-giving means? Buy a present for a senior citizen.

When employees from Housing Authority Insurance Group visited the Torrington Housing Authority as part of their annual holiday fundraising tradition, they were not carrying big-ticket items – although it should be noted that flat screen TVs and one-year digital cable subscriptions were purchased for and installed at the Thompson Heights, Willow Gardens, and Laurel Acres senior housing developments. On the afternoon of the party, HAI Group employees brought umbrellas, blankets, gift baskets, bags of non-perishable food, and other presents.

The afternoon agenda was simple: bingo, snacks, drinks, a Santa visit, gifts, and camaraderie. By the end of the afternoon, everyone had enjoyed themselves and the reactions were memorable.

That bingo is serious business with certain people proved true during the parties. When one HAI Group employee made an error while calling numbers, she was corrected and razzed in equal measure. The residents play twice a week for small stakes so when real prizes were introduced to the game, tensions rose.

“They do a good job here,” resident Al Fields said. “But we can get pretty competitive.”

They’re also grateful. After one bingo game during which Leana Pinette won a new, blue blanket, her table buzzed. The residents surrounding Pinette clamored to touch her present. Pinette, who has lived at this development for 17 years, proudly passed it around so everyone could feel how soft her newly-acquired treasure was to the touch.

“It’s very nice,” Pinette said proudly of her blanket and the party. “The state takes up some of your money to live here, so getting new things is nice.”

Gathering with friends and having company, like Pinette and friends did when they were younger, was equally special.

“Nobody comes to your place when you live alone,” she said. “When you want to talk with someone, you go to the TV room. Everyone’s here today, so it’s fun.”

HAI Group employees had their share of fun raising the money for the presents. Casual dress weeks were sold, holiday craft and food vendors were brought to 189 Commerce Court, and contests and raffles were held. All totaled, over $8,000 was raised in a building containing barely 100 people.

Best of all, the giving was not a one-way street. The Torrington senior residents, gracious and joyous in accepting gifts from HAI Group, raised $1542.91 during a craft fair and donated it to town charities including the Friendly Hands Food Bank and the Community Soup Kitchen.

They usually donate to local charities, this is the first time anybody donated to them,” said Kathy Klimkosky, Resident Services Coordinator with the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging. “They just love to get presents.”

One blue blanket proved that without a doubt.