Retirement News : Seniors : Kids, seniors learn by eggs-ample

Kids, seniors learn by eggs-ample

Date Added: 28-03-2005

The best laid plans of Easter bunnies and activity directors sometimes go astray.

But when you combine caring seniors with cute kids, good things usually will find a way.

That's what happened Thursday morning at Cambridge Place where activity director Cherie Berg had planned for a classroom of Head Start youths to join the independent living seniors for an outdoor Easter egg hunt.

Cambridge's seniors had enjoyed an earlier Valentine's Day visit from the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. The kids sang a love song, and everybody decorated cookies.

Berg's Easter plans called for the kids to dye eggs inside and then hunt for them on the grass outside. She also bought a couple of small toy golf clubs and balls for the kids to take a swing at.

One of the most fun parts was to be 90-year-old Irma Mainard dressed as a bunny while greeting the kids.

Mainard is usually a whirlwind of activity, volunteering at the nursing home, dressing as the Easter bunny or a Saint Patrick's Day leprechaun and hand-making a different table decoration each month for Cambridge's 20 dining tables.

But she was ill Thursday and could not attend, Berg said, adding that Mainard called to make sure the party would go on without her.

This week's snow also was a little unexpected, Berg said, since she had made plans for the outdoor fun earlier "when it was sunny, springy and about 60 degrees."

No matter, Berg decided to have the party indoors in the center's activity room.

She had to scramble on one more thing: the Easter eggs.

Head Start teacher Carol Highwood told her that small children weren't allowed to dye real eggs that might not be refrigerated for several hours since they might contract Salmonella infections.

Berg simply substituted plastic eggs for the real things, and the kids had fun picking out, decorating and showing off the stickers they chose for the eggs.

"This is intergenerational and fun for everybody," Berg said. "Our seniors revel in seeing kids, for short spurts. And some of these kids don't have grandparents living nearby."

Highwood said members of her class kept looking out the window for the bus to take them to Cambridge, asking, "Is it here yet? Is it here yet?"

Cambridge resident Lillian Dove, 91, beamed at the kids and helped a few select stickers for the eggs.

"I'm really enjoying these little kids," she said. "Wouldn't it be nice to be that young again? This is wonderful."

She also visited with Head Start volunteer Ivy Joslyn, 77, who is active in the Foster Grandparents program.

"Working with kids keeps your juices flowing; it keeps you young," Joslyn said. "And it feels great to get unexpected hugs from the little ones."

Devon Slater, 5, showed off the Easter bunny sticker he chose for his eggs.

"I was really looking forward to coming today," said Logan Walker, 5, whose grandparents live in California. "There are lots of nice people here."

For More Information:

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050325/NEWS01/503250323/1002