On Feb. 5, members from the Service Club traveled to the Gretna Family Community Center at 3:30 p.m. to help make Valentine’s Day boxes and cards for the senior residents. At the facility, each service member constructed a box, which they then decorated with one of the residents. After the decoration and card making, the high schoolers took the completed boxes to the residents’ room to be used on card distribution day on Feb. 13.
“This was a great activity for the young adults to get together and help out their community,” service club director Mrs. Ann Ross said. “I saw a lot of smiles from both parties involved\; it was a very worthwhile experience.”
Service Club members met again at the Gretna Family Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 3:30 p.m. to distribute their hand-made cards to the residents’ Valentine Day boxes. Each resident was given a variety of different cards made from students in grades 9-12. Not only that, but the service members brought a portable radio to play throwback music from the ‘50s and ‘60s. This ignited a spark of nostalgia in the residents\; they got up and busted some moves with the service members.

“I liked seeing them (the residents) dance around and feel like something so little meant so much to them,” sophomore Hailey Wojtas said. “My favorite moment was when they were all dancing with us, especially when the little old lady kissed my hand. That moment made me feel really special.”
The response the residents gave to the Valentine Day activities was heartwarming. During the small party, the residents were seen dancing with the service members, sharing memories from their younger years and collectively reading handwritten Valentine’s Day cards with the other senior residents. At the end of the Valentine’s Day festivities, rather than their daily day-to-day routine, the residents were left with memories full of immense laughter and dancing.