"Who in the room is Jewish?" 9-year-old Julia Utley called out to the Junior Girl Scouts busily making greeting cards at Alta Vista Elementary School in Redondo Beach last week.
Raising their hands, Rachel Greenleaf and Charlotte Cohen called out in unison, "I am!"
Julia beamed with pride as she responded, "Me, too!"
The cheerful exchange occurred as 13 fourth graders gathered in the school's Hands on Art Room to create christmas flowers argentina cards for local seniors who may lack gifts, family and companionship over the holidays.
Wanting to be inclusive, the girls also made Hanukkah and generic holiday cards, as well as some written in Spanish.
The effort was part of Be a Santa to a Senior, a program sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care in Torrance, a provider of non-medical, in-home care and companionship for older adults.
More than 40 South Bay businesses and social service organizations have partnered with Home Instead Senior Care this year in a collaborative effort that will deliver more than 800 gifts to socially isolated, low-income seniors throughout the South Bay.
The Junior Girl Scouts, all members of Troop No. 5865, volunteered to make cards to accompany the gifts as a way to earn a community service badge.
Initially asked to make 100 cards, the girls, all from Redondo Beach, upped the ante to 900 once they learned how many seniors Home Instead planned to accommodate.
Scout leader Kristy Greenleaf explained the community service project was aimed at obtaining a Girl Scout Bronze Award, which entails an Agent of Change Journey.
"The girls are learning the power of themselves; the power of the team and the power of the community," Greenleaf said over the noisy chitchat and singing going on at the worktable. "If we could do one thing by ourselves, [in other words], or as a Girl Scout troop, couldn’t we do a lot more if we involved the whole community?"
To involve the community, the troop requested a table at last Saturday's Alta Vista 2011 Holiday Festival so families, siblings, friends and other students could make more cards.
"Last year our group went Christmas caroling at a senior center," said Greenleaf, a troop leader for many of the same girls since they were in kindergarten. "The girls all wanted to sing to the elderly"—an idea first suggested by Greenleaf's daughter, Rachel, 9.
On Dec. 19, the girls plan to go a step further and sing christmas flowers argentina blogs carols for a gift-wrapping party at the Spectrum Athletic Club in Manhattan Beach.
Brianna Baker, 9, was not only delighted to make Christmas cards ("It's really fun to do, and it's helping seniors in the community," she said)—she was looking forward to caroling. "I can't wait to go sing!"
Brianna said her mother, Karin Baker, suggested the card-making idea to the troop. "My mom knew about [Home Instead Senior Care], and we had to do some of the same [community service] things for the Bronze Award, and so we knew we wanted to make cards," Brianna said.
Karin Baker said she heard about the Home Instead program from a friend. "I thought that would be a really cool way to get the girls involved in a small way," Baker said. "They can't go out and buy the gifts; they're not sophisticated enough to wrap them yet. But they can create the cards that go along with the gifts."
Supplies—from card stock and Crayolas to glitter and stickers—were paid for with the proceeds of the troop's Girl Scout cookie sales. Some things were contributed by the girls themselves or donated.
Baker's employer, American Honda Motor Co. in Torrance, "donated quite a bit of the paper the girls are using," she said.
As for the cards, the girls were free to create any kind of greeting they wanted, although no names were used. "They can draw; they can color; they can cut and paste; they can use glitter, stickers, any kind of paper,” Baker said.
Greenleaf did issue a few directions at the start of last week's session, however. "We're not going to use glitter today," she said. "You guys, I want you to take your time and do a really nice job, OK?"
She needn't have worried.
Many cards were beautifully done, with writing that bordered on calligraphy in some cases, while others were decorated with bows, snowflakes, stickers and drawings.
Olivia Bulgarini, 9, said she liked making the cards "because it's really nice to make cards for the seniors. I know they are really nice people and it helps them."
As for Ally Kim, 9, "I like crafts, and I think it’s really good to help people."
Malena Buffagni, 10, wanted to "bring joy to a lot of seniors," she said, proffering a card in the shape of an ornament that said "Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" in Spanish.
Malena, whose parents are from Argentina, grew up speaking Spanish. "Since Brianna's mom knew that I knew Spanish, she told me to do some in Spanish because some of the seniors can't speak English," she explained.
Other girls worked on Hanukkah and Happy Holidays cards.
All decked out in boots and a flower in her hair, Leila Ghazvini, 9, said, "I love to help the seniors."
Charlotte Cohen, 9, wrote "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" on the front of her card. "Now I'm working on the back and drawing hearts," she explained.
Julia Utley, 9, pasted jeweled snow flakes on one card. "I want to do this because I really like helping people," she said. "I love that."
Farrah Benedict, general manager of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Torrance and the South Bay, said she is grateful for the help of the Junior Girl Scouts, especially since the "Be a Santa to a Senior" program has ballooned from giving 200-300 gifts during the first six years to giving nearly three times that many this year.
"Many senior citizens continue to face economic challenges, particularly those who live alone, with no family nearby to help provide resources," Benedict said. "Be a Santa to a Senior is a way to show our gratitude to the older adults who have contributed so much to our communities."
But it's not just about the presents, added Benedict; it's also about providing human contact and social interaction for those elderly men and women who are unlikely to have company during the holidays.
Here's how it works: participating social service organizations identified needy and isolated seniors in the community and provided those names and the items needed to the local Home Instead Senior Care office. Only first names and the initial of last name were given out.
"Ethel T. might want a pink sweater or a grocery store card," Benedict said. "The name and the gift idea are attached to an ornament and placed on one of many trees all over the South Bay."
Shoppers selected an ornament from one of several tree locations—including one at the Del Amo Mall—purchased the item requested and returned it unwrapped to the same location.
Although the last gifts were collected Monday, volunteers are still needed for the community-wide gift-wrapping party that will include adding handmade cards to each gift. The three-hour event will be held Dec. 19 at 3 p.m. at the Spectrum Athletic Club at 2550 Park Place in El Segundo.
Those who participate will be entertained by Christmas carols sung by the card-making Junior Girl Scout Troop No. 5865.
About this column: Katharine focuses her off-beat sights on a wide range of issues for Redondo Beach Patch. Her columns run Tuesdays.
Related Topics: Alta Vista Elementary School, Be a Santa to a Senior, Blossom Chronicles, Junior Girl Scouts, and Troop 5865
Do you plan on wrapping presents at the Spectrum event? Tell us in the comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment