The Senior Service Club was recently created by the members of green SLJC team, in order to help students to fulfill their required service hours, but also to bring the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and connect with people who have decades of wisdom and stories to share.
The club partners with Ashwood Meadows, allowing students to visit senior residents and provide assistance. The collaboration was made possible through the sponsorship of the SLJC program, which helped the club connect with Ashwood Meadows’ event coordinator
Since then, junior Nancy Xue has taken the lead in organizing the club’s visits, coordinating with Ashwood Meadows to set up dates and plan meaningful activities for both students and residents.
“Ashwood meadows was really easy to talk to and I was able to call and get the business information of their events coordinator. Once I got her information she gave me all of the dates that the nursing home was free for us to come in,” says Xue.
It’s important to remember that many of the nursing home residents have limited social interactions, and studies have shown that loneliness in seniors is linked to a decline in both physical and mental health. The club aims to combat this by fostering relationships that go beyond just volunteering, and by creating relationships built on shared stories, laughter and genuine care.
“We are getting closer with older generations and getting rid of the connection barrier between younger and older generations,” says sophomore SLJC member Hayden Williams.
With each visit, students have the chance to step into a world outside their own. As the partnership continues to grow, club members hope to expand their efforts by incorporating new activities and encouraging more to get involved.
“I’ve gone two times now and each time has been so rewarding. I have loved working with all of the seniors and their stories are so inspiring, I am also pretty passionate about the arts so creating arts and crafts with them has helped me branch out a lot,” says Xue.
The Senior Service Club has planned to meet regularly once a week. The club gets together every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., where members plan activities and prepare for their nursing home visits, which take place on Saturdays. They welcome all, whether they need service hours or simply want to connect with the community, to join.
For those interested in joining, please attend our Wednesday meetings at 12:30 P.M. in Room H111, or contact Tess Robertson.
