LUMBERTON —About 500 senior citizens will again walk away with a basket filled with Christmas goodies at the 11th annual Sharing and Caring event scheduled for Saturday.

The free event for seniors ages 62 and older will take place at Lumberton Junior High School, located at 82 Marion Stage Road in Lumberton.

Doors will open at 7 a.m., followed by registration for the Health Fair. Event participants must register to receive door prizes and food donations. A welcome and prayer will start off the program at 8:30 a.m. The event will feature blood pressure checks, diabetes screenings and educational displays.

Entertainment will be provided throughout the day, and lunch will be served.

After the program, baskets filled with donated food items will be given out to participants.

“We’re going to serve until all items are dispersed,” state Rep. Charles Graham said. “It’s a good opportunity for our seniors here in Robeson County.”

The event was started 11 years ago by state Rep. Garland Pierce. This year’s event is being organized by Graham, the Lumberton Pine Street Senior Center, Southeastern Health, the Robeson County Department of Social Services, Avon Products, the American Red Cross, Lumber River Council of Governments, the Robeson County Fair Board and local churches.

Other sponsors of this year’s event include Campbell’s Soup, Fayetteville-based Second Harvest, Pepsi, Sanderson Farms, Mountaire Farms, Robeson County municipalities, the Bargain House, U.S. Coast Guard, local and state government elected officials, other local businesses and residents of Robeson County.