INNISFAIL – Students at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School helped share the message and meaning of Christmas at the Rosefield Centre.
Grade 1 students visited residents and staff at Innisfail’s Rosefield Centre on Dec. 20.
“(Today) is all about Advent, Jesus, and sharing some Christmas love and joy,” said teacher Laurel Zuk-Dach. “We’re doing a Christmas nativity with the birth of Jesus, (a reader's theatre), and we are also doing a Christmas craft that we’ll leave with the seniors.”
Following the craft, students shared some Christmas music.
“We are going to be singing some songs that the children sang at our Advent concert this year, as well as some other (Christmas) songs,” said Zuk-Dach.
Those songs included Mary Had a Baby, Oh What a Special Night, Take a Walk to Christmas and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
About 23 students in two Grade 1 classes at the school took part in the visit, spreading some happiness at Christmastime.
The visit was part of a regular, monthly visit the students at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School have been doing since 2003.
“They’ve been coming here for years. We pair them up one to one (with the seniors),” said Kerry Williams, recreational therapy assistant at Rosefield Centre. “It’s one of our intergenerational programs.
“It’s a chance for the seniors to interact with the youth and the youth to learn about the seniors, like grandma and grandpa,” she added.
Zuk-Dach said it was a special time that benefits both the seniors and the youth.
“It gives them the opportunity to become comfortable with grandmas and grandpas that they may not have contact with at home,” said Zuk-Dach. “It’s really good for both the students and the grandmas and grandpas."
