LYNCHBURG, Va. – Some local students are using their time off from school to help bring smiles to local seniors.
Four students from Jefferson Forest High School gathered in the Elms of Lynchburg retirement home parking lot on Monday afternoon, carrying homemade signs in their hands and smiles on their faces.
“It’s so much fun actually because the last time we did this, I didn’t know what to expect. There was just people waving, then there was one lady out front who was just dancing,” Jefferson Forest senior Sophia Rosado said, demonstrating how the lady danced. “It was so exciting.”
Jefferson Forest senior Melanie Pratt credits her father for the idea.
“He was inspired by the Bill Bryson book he’s been reading. During this time, (the seniors in the retirement home) can’t have any visitors, no entertainers can come in, so we figured we could do it through the windows. It’s better than nothing," said Pratt.
Their signs, messages of love and hope.
“We have a bunch of free time now and were asked to just sit on the couch and sometimes do homework. We have other things to think about, yes, because we are seniors but we’re also thinking about the other seniors," Rosado said.
“Even though we can’t come in and say hi to them, it’s good just to let them know that we haven’t forgotten about them," Pratt said.
Judging by the smiles and waves from the seniors in the retirement home, the message seemed to have gotten across.