'Linking Hearts and Hands' program begins in Newark

Nadine Brill, Lincoln School mascot Sparkle Bear, and Henry Hann are shown at an assembly last Friday.

Students in the Newark School District have been discovering more and more the joy that comes from spending time with folks much farther in life's journey than they.

Students of all ages have visited area nursing homes and the high rise apartment building at 200 East Miller Street, where many senior citizens live. They've played games together. Shared stories. Sang songs, snacks and meals. Some of the visits have been made during school time. Some during holiday time or weekends. And while the activities have differed, there has been one common denominator. The young and old have mutually benefited from the experience.

Kelley School Principal Chris Mizro asked Interim Superintendent Henry Hann if the school district could expand its outreach to senior citizens.

Mizro has received many positive reports about how much senior citizens enjoyed Kelley students visiting them during the school's Make A Difference Day each October.

Hann, who has been interested in promoting greater interaction between the school district and the community, embraced the idea. What developed is a program called Linking Hearts and Hands in which students, parents and or guardians will be invited to participate in various types of outreach activities with senior citizens.

On March 1, Lincoln school students and their parents or guardians, who wish to participate, will visit Newark Manor Nursing Home residents. Each child, and his or her parent or guardian, will be paired with individual residents in one large meeting room where they can play games, share stories, look at scrap books or photo albums, read a book or make a craft together and more.

On March 29, Perkins School students, parents or guardians will have the opportunity to do similar activities with residents at DeMay Living Center. In April, May and June Kelley School, Middle School and High School students, along with parents or guardians will participate in outreach activities at 200 East Miller Street and in senior citizens homes.

In April, younger students from Kelley School will visit high rise residents.

Mizro hopes fourth and fifth graders will visit senior citizens in their homes and can help them with some chores, inside or outside their homes, like raking a lawn, weeding or cleaning outdoor furniture before summer arrives; cleaning out a cupboard or more.

Middle and High School students will also help seniors in their homes in May and June.

There will be a great amount of planning involved in each weekend event. Nadine Brill, who retired in 2003 after 25 years as executive director of the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross, and who is involved in many charitable causes in the community, has signed on to be the Linking Hearts and Hands coordinator.

'Nadine Brill has earned respect in our community and region because of her years of service in helping others. She will make sure this program is a great success,' Hann said. 'She will help us establish many wonderful relationships between the young and old in our community.'

Mizro agreed. 'Nadine has generously embraced this enormous, but wonderfully worthwhile challenge of helping to connect students with senior citizens to a much greater extent than ever before in our community. Her hope, and ours, is that these relationships, over time, will develop into long lasting ones that will provide both young and old with memories they'll cherish for a lifetime.'

Brill is delighted and honored to be able to oversee the Linking Hearts and Hands program. 'The way I see it, the world has gotten so big and many grandchildren live far from their grandparents,' Brill said. 'There are many students who'll benefit from befriending a senior citizen and many senior citizens, in turn, who will reap just as many benefits from their friendship with students. We are hoping deep friendships will result from these connections. We're starting out small, but we can already see how this program can really blossom and make a significant difference in many lives.'

Brill will help make contacts with seniors in the community who would like to receive visits. More information about how senior citizens can participate in Linking Hearts and Hands will be forthcoming in area newspapers, on the Newark school district website and through community organizations.

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