Westminster Students Make Weekly Visit to Neighboring Retiree Residents

For a new service project this year, a group of Westminster Christian Academy students decided to reach out to neighboring senior living facility Delmar Gardens to see how they could make a difference in the daily lives of its residents.

Every Thursday after school, about 10 students visit the retirees for an hour of bingo and refreshments. The students serve as callers and play along with the residents before serving food and beverages and simply sitting, talking, and laughing with them.

The idea to engage the community at Delmar Gardens originally came from sophomore student Michelle Morley, who had previously been involved in a ministry there. Upon hearing her suggestion, other students expressed interest in joining.

“Both the students and the folks there get to share their lives and their stories with one another and, in turn, see evidence that every single human being is made in the image of God,” says Larry Hughes, Westminster biblical ethics teacher and faculty sponsor of the group. “The residents have all talked about how much they enjoy the students. There are clearly relationships developing, and it is beautiful.”