We had a wonderful experience meeting with the residents of St. John’s. Their appreciation and joy with watching and interacting with all the kids was readily apparent and truly genuine, making the entire time extremely enjoyable. The host of the event was great, storytime really captivated the kids, and then just letting them play freely with the toys and interact with the residents was the true highlight. I was there with 2 babies, my daughter Grace (11 months) and our family friend Bodie (16 months), both of them had a blast! One of the residents happened to share my daughter’s name, Grace, which gave her such a thrill, and it was something so little like that, that really put a spotlight on how much joy events like this can bring to all involved.
As a parent, and as someone who has recently had elder family members in retirement and assisted living communities, it’s extra special to watch the joy that kids can bring to people by doing nothing more than simply doing what they do. We look very forward to continuing to be a part of these great experiences.
-Crystal Marie Kennedy-Handal