Nursing home residents may not be able to spend this Christmas with family and friends, so our Anna’s Kindness volunteers brought Christmas to the nursing home.
Nearly two dozen Anna’s Kindness volunteers descended on The Gilbert Residence nursing home in Ypsilanti on Tuesday afternoon, bearing holiday gifts of both art and song.
Our volunteer middle school students created personalized Christmas cards for each of the residents in the facility’s nursing unit, which they delivered in person when they arrived at The Gilbert. Our volunteers then walked around to the back end of the facility where the nursing unit residents live, and sang Christmas carols outside the residents’ rooms. Although masked up, the songs were a beautiful holiday surprise for The Gilbert residents, many of whom were gathered in the nursing station so they could hear the songs more clearly.
Once the final song of the set concluded, our volunteers weren’t finished caroling. The group then walked toward the front of the facility, stopping in every courtyard to serenade each row of resident rooms with a variety of classics like “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”, and “Silent Night”.
At every stop of the caroling tour, the families spread apart to allow for distancing, and then waited for their cue from Anna’s mom, Fran, who led off each tune. After each song concluded, the singers switched directions so that residents on both sides of the courtyard were able to enjoy the songs. And to conclude each stop, the carolers finished up with a rousing version of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and lots of waves, smiles, and applause for the residents, who were looking out their windows.
We’d like to thank our middle school carolers (and their parents): Clague 8th graders Cristina Davillier, Anjali Senthooran, and 6th grader Jake Thompson; Tappan Middle School 8th graders Caroline Kinsherf, Hannah Link, Maddie Gaines, 7th grader Jade Glaza, and 6th grader Claire Cleland. A special thanks to Maureen, Beth, and Phil at The Gilbert Residence for helping us coordinate such a special Christmas volunteer opportunity.
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