Thanks to Homestead Nursing Home

I would like to thank the staff for letting the Franklinton Baptist Youth Group (and a few straggly adults) come to celebrate Christmas with the residents. The warm welcome we received from everyone just warmed my heart.

We had one resident request a song (though we told her it would be off key). She didn't care and sang with us. Another sweet lady sits in the hall waiting for us to reach her wing. Each year she requests the same song, "Silent Night." Our two young ladies sang one of the most beautiful versions I have ever heard. The adults were teary-eyed standing around them. Then I heard a faint voice blending in. I looked around and it wasn't any of us. I peeked in the room and it was our friend's roommate smiling and singing along. The youth also got to meet Mr. Alvin Roberts, a local craftsman. We sang the elementary rendition of "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer" for him and his statement was "I don't think I ever heard that version. His smile lit the room.

We were able to shake hands, and laugh, and encourage, and thank many of them. I was able to personally thank one of the residents, a veteran, for fighting for our country and for helping us remain free so that we could visit and sing Christmas Carols. Oddly enough though, it was they who wanted to thank us.

At the end of our visit we had a sing-along right at the door. We were small in number but big on letting each one know how special they are to us. What we lacked in size we made up with "gusto." It takes so little to brightened their day. It only takes time, really, something we are forever saying we don't have enough of. Try to imagine how much time our seniors have on their hands. Don't you know they would just love to bring cheer to someone? They did us.

Jo Brewer