Hand-made gifts and written well-wishes delivered to a Tsawwassen seniors’ residence were more than just a kind gesture from a group of students - they were genuinely concerned about their newfound friends.
Last week, each resident at The Waterford received friendship bracelets made by Grade 6 and 7 students from Beach Grove Elementary. The seniors living community has been going through a COVID-19 outbreak since late December. The good deed is the latest chapter in an unlikely bonding that began before the pandemic.
That’s when a former Beach Grove teacher arranged for her students to visit The Waterford where they got to meet the residents. Joanne Calder and Nancy Klassen picked it up from there when COVID-19 made face-to-face meetings no longer possible by having their classes write letters.
“We started off doing a ‘get to know you’ letter and they wrote back to us which was one of the most amazing things I have ever done with my classes,” explained Calder. “We have been doing a lot on story and personal story (writing), so to hear the seniors’ personal stories in connection with their own histories was just fantastic. We actually read all their letters out loud to the class. We have also been reading a book about World War II, so many described their childhoods and their memories growing up during World War II.
“The learning aspect of it has been just so incredible and just the communication connection has been amazing as well.”
Personal Christmas cards were delivered on the last day of school prior to the winter break. The students then learned of the outbreak a couple of weeks later.
“We have been worried sick about them all, so we made them friendship bracelets in class with ‘be safe’ cards,” continued Calder.
Next on the project list is making a video and birthday cards for a resident turning 106 early next month.
“These two teachers are firecrackers,” said Janice Miller, marketing and community relations manager for Bria Communities that operates The Waterford. “It’s just been a really wonderful experience to see that kind of thoughtfulness and to see adults having conversations with kids about seniors. What it means during COVID-19 and how seniors are really experiencing a different type of situation. I love that compassion we are seeing coming out of those kids. It’s a really big lift for our spirits.”
Calder is hoping there will be face-to-face meetings again in the near future for her students. Pandemic or not, she is thrilled at what has been added to her curriculum.
“I’ve been teaching for 20 years and I don’t know why this is the first time I have ever done this. It’s one of the beautiful things that have come out of COVID,” she added. “I wouldn’t have thought necessarily to make this connection. A lot of the kids have talked about how they have missed their grandparents and just missing the contact, so any way we can have contact and make connections with people in different ways during this time, it has been very beneficial for the kids. They and the seniors have had so much fun.”
