St. Pete 5th graders make cards to brighten Valentine's Day for senior citizens
Students create Valentine's Day cards for seniors
Fifth graders at Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Pete made Valentine’s Day cards for senior citizens on Friday. FOX 13's Kailey Tracy reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - A little kindness will go a long way in Pinellas County this Valentine’s Day.
What we know:
Meals on Wheels, which has been serving home-bound seniors since 1966, is trying to spread love to senior citizens. The program says seniors often face isolation and loneliness, especially during the holidays.
"Many of their Valentines aren't around anymore, and so, to have the kids, that's very helpful," Susan McIntyre, the development director for the Neighborly Care Network, said.
"To support our clients and remind them that they are not forgotten, being able to send a little something extra with the meals is a big deal, and especially when they're created by children. We'll do it with some adults. Some work groups do this, but when they come from the kids, and here these children are making word search puzzles, that is just, you combine both this happy Valentine and something for them to do. We love it," she said.
They’ve teamed up with students at Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg for the fifth year to create Valentine’s Day cards for Pinellas seniors. On Friday, fifth graders created word searches to put in their handmade cards with drawings and heartfelt messages for the local seniors.
What they're saying:
"I’m really happy that we're doing this for them because it feels so nice just to know that we are going to make someone's day with just a little act of kindness," student Amayah Arora said.
"We're making someone feel good by including them in everything and giving them gifts," Nico Hunsberger, another fifth grader, said. "Sometimes we get Valentine's gifts, so we should treat others the way we want to be treated and give them some stuff."
"It’s going to feel really good because some of these people don't have anybody to talk to," student Joey Ross said.
What's next:
Neighborly’s Meals on Wheels volunteers will deliver the cards on Feb. 13.
The Source: This article was written with information provided by Neighborly Meals on Wheels Pinellas and Shorecrest Preparatory School.