The New Denver Bluebirds completed a project, 8 months in the making. While it’s not a revolutionary “invention” it is an idea worth considering by other extended care volunteer groups.
The challenge is how to bring children and extended care residents together in a way that offered a quality span of time for meaningful exchanges to take place?
Step 1: In the spring we applied for and received a small Neighbourhood grant from the Vancouver Foundation. This allowed us to rent our beautiful community hall for two mornings in October and November and to buy supplies.
Step 2: We invited the 17 students and teacher of our local school grade two class to join us for two art mornings. (It’s just a short walk down the hill for them.)
Step 3: After conferring with our fabulous new Pavilion Rec. Director it was arranged that she bring the residents up to the hall by bus. It took a couple of short trips to accomplish that as wheelchairs were involved. Thanks Carla, you’re the best. One staff member came along to assist.
Step 4: Just as we do every Wednesday at the Pavilion we presented the assembly (set up at tables for 4 with two students, 1 resident and one helper at each) with a prepared art project. In October we all made balloon critters. This week we made posters of collective self portraits.
Step 5: Once finished thanks to the Auxiliary and Bluebird bakers we all have juice or tea and cookies together. This week both groups brought their lunches so had even more time with their new fast friends.
Step 5: Lovely goodbyes and thank you’s as the class assembled to leave.
Step 6: We volunteers and assisting staff continue to glow as we remember touching moments of true inter-generational connections being forged.
Step 7: We hope to reconvene in December for lantern making so we offered the students a lantern preview. We aspire to continue once a month until spring.
In summary, yes it took considerable effort to set up but all involved will attest that benefits and rewards far outweighed their input.
Thank you’s are due:
- Lucerne School Grade Two, Teacher, students and aide
- SCHC Auxiliary, Administrator and staff at SCHC Pavilion.
- And of course the small but might band of Bluebird volunteers.
- The Village of New Denver for our beautiful renovated community hall.
- Vancouver Foundation for the Neighbourhood grant administered ably by Rachel at the Osprey Foundation in Nelson.
