Blake Students visit Tilden Village residents...

The following provided by Blake Middle School. Blake Middle School 8th grade students - Andrea Cabochan,Mikayla Pollard, Sadie Rothstein, Julia Wall - pianist, Zoe Whelan, John O'Leary, Colin Kay, Jack St. Mary, Kyle LaVangie, Harshil Shah, Pranit Shah, Kenny Manning, Sam Carnes and Jake Grzeskowiak - guitarist.

Tilden Village residents enjoy annual visit from Blake Students...

Displaying pure joy and holiday spirit, members of both the Blake Middle School 8th grade staff and students held their annual Holiday Dinner with Entertainment on Wednesday evening in the community room at Tilden Village for the residents.

The residents enjoyed a delicious meal consisting of turkey pie, corn, peas, green beans, mashed potato, squash, rolls, cranberry sauce and beverages. There was also an array of delicious desserts and coffee to finish the meal.

Many of the students brought parts of the meal, and then they also served the meals, one holding a tray, while the other served. They worked in harmony with each other and were as busy as Christmas elves, moving from table to table, back and forth to the kitchen, refilling items, and smiling the entire time. Blake teachers Ann Marie Fratolillo and Mike Gibbs were behind the
scenes in the kitchen heating the food and washing the dishes!

In addition, an 8th grade pianist and a guitarist entertained during the meal.

This event has been an annual event for many years. The tradition started back in the late 1980's by then Blake Middle School teacher, Kathy Craig, when the idea of having the students sing Christmas carols and deliver cookies to the residents started it all. In the early 1990's, the event changed to providing a dinner for the residents along with some sort of musical entertainment and it is now something the residents look forward to and enjoy each year.

Giving of themselves; the greatest gift of the season.