SCCC students spread love to nursing residents

+Basketball+players+Karolina+Szyd%C5%82owska+and+Wiktoria+Kazimierowicz+hand+out+a+Valentine+to+a+Brookdale+resident.+This+is+the+second+time+the+library+has+sponsored+this+event.+%0A

Annette Meza

Basketball players Karolina Szydłowska and Wiktoria Kazimierowicz hand out a Valentine to a Brookdale resident. This is the second time the library has sponsored this event.

Annette Meza, Managing Editor

Valentine’s Day is all about spreading love, and that’s exactly what Seward County Community College students did today. The SCCC Lady Saints volleyball and basketball teams visited two nursing homes and an assisted living center, which were Good Samaritan Society, Brookdale Liberal Springs and Wheatridge Park Care Center. 

Annette Meza
Students and staff arrive at Brookdale Liberal Springs, the second nursing home of the day to give out a Valentine and talk to senior citizens

The event was sponsored by the library and brought together by Deanna Martin, library technician, for the third year in a row. Students have been coloring and submitting Valentine’s cards since December, Martin said. Anyone was welcome to join the group to the nursing homes. 

“I feel like doing this is very important because it makes the residents feel loved and also excited to see people who aren’t their family. We had about 40 students come and participate,” Martin said. 

It wasn’t only student athletes visiting the nursing homes though, regular SCCC students also decided to participate in this activity. 

Ruth Rivera, sophomore education major, said she really enjoyed doing this for the nursing home residents because it’s a nice way to spread the love on this special holiday. 

“I didn’t color any, but I did want to come and participate for fun,” Rivera said. 

Jade Harper
Basketball players Destiny Alston and Kamry Perez knock on the door of a senior citizen to give them a Valentine. This is the second time the library has sponsored this event.

Christina Thomas, freshman basketball player, said she enjoyed handing out Valentine’s cards to nursing home residents. 

“The resident I gave my card to was really happy and was surprised, so it was really sweet to be able to make their days,” Thomas said. 

Activities like this help the residents get social interaction and help them get out of their rooms, Richard Parra, administrator at Good Samaritan Society, said. 

“We try to do things like this once a month for the residents to just make their days a little better,” Parra said.