Paying It Forward Comes Full Circle at Local Retirement Community

The coronavirus has people from coast to coast hunkering down inside their homes, providing them with an abundance of free time. Residents at Stoneridge Creek senior living community in Pleasanton are spending some of their time giving back, and they’re getting some unexpected and heartwarming support from a 7-year-old.

Residents and staff at Stoneridge Creek are making face covers, headbands, and bandanas for the health professionals in the adjacent health center and throughout the community. So far, they’ve created and donated 100 pieces, and they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. The group is determined to meet their set goal of 1,000 donations. The group said that as long as people need these items, they’ll make them.

Each resident makes the items in their apartment home. To ensure the items are clean and ready to use, the residents leave the items outside their door; a team member then picks them up and washes each item, so they’re ready to be delivered to various departments on campus.

Little did the residents know that they would soon receive a gift in return. That gift came from a first-grader named Arya, who’s determined to keep spirits high among residents at the community. First, Arya sent handmade cards to the residents with messages such as “Love will hold us together through the storm” and “This too shall pass.” It doesn’t stop there – Arya sent the residents a video of her singing the well-known uplifting song “Tomorrow.” She has also volunteered to be a pen pal for a number of residents.

Paying it forward has come full circle for the residents at Stoneridge Creek and they're humbled to receive such encouraging support.