Senior Center

By Brittlyn Jackson

LEAP students were excited to return to the Senior Center after the start of the fall semester! We started our morning with our usual game of Bingo, called by Olivia and Andrea.

I usually help call the games, but this morning, I got to sit back and participate. We were on our final round of regular Bingo, and I had every space covered except one. I26 was the call I needed to win. Olivia started, “I… twenty… six.” BINGO! Nataly and I both won a round of the game!

After Bingo wrapped up, we moved on to our regular schedule of games and activities. Today was especially fun because it was Rock Day, so each senior got their own rock to decorate. Olivia, Andrea, and Mikaela helped everyone with designs and supplies while painting their own rocks. Mikaela even managed to design two! The first was inspired by Piet Mondrian’s Composition, while the other was inspired by herself and appropriately named “the potato.” The best part? There was no paint whatsoever on the “potato” rock.

Although I didn’t get the chance to participate in the rock painting, Nataly and I were given an important task. We first helped sort through the donations that arrived that morning and stocked them into the inventory. Afterward, we were tasked with packing two crisis bags with non-perishable food items. These bags were then given to two individuals in need, giving us a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into supporting the seniors in our community.

We ended the morning with lunch: delicious potato soup, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, and an apple. After spending the morning joking about Mikaela’s potato rock, it was only fitting that our meal featured actual potatoes!

Our visit to the Senior Center was a great reminder that every visit allows us to connect, have fun, and make a difference in our community. Whether we were competing over Bingo, helping decorate rocks, sorting donations, or preparing crisis bags, there was always something new to experience and someone to help. We are all looking forward to our next visit to the Senior Center, and, of course, I’m hoping my Bingo luck follows me into our next visit!