While many children are focusing on their own Christmas wish lists, some local elementary school children set aside their own holiday celebration to help bring cheer to others.
Fourth-grade students at Hunter Elementary School paid a special visit to residents at Life Care Center of Elizabethton Thursday. During the visit, the children sang Christmas carols as they delivered cards and presents to the residents.
Prior to the visit, students collected toiletries, puzzle books, socks, playing cards and nail polish to give out as presents.
“The kids picked the items out and brought them in — items they thought the residents would like and need,” teacher Amanda Barnett said.
The children also made Christmas cards to hand out to the residents.
On Thursday, the big day for students came and they took a field trip to Life Care Center to deliver the things they had collected.
“This is in lieu of having our Christmas party,” Barnett said.
Barnett and fellow fourth-grade teacher Pam Espinoza wanted to do this project with their students to show the importance of giving back to the community and to also show that even small things can have a big impact.
“They need to know how to give instead of just receiving all the time,” Espinoza said.
As the students walked through the hallways of the nursing home, they sang Christmas carols and stopped in all the rooms along the way to deliver presents and holiday cheer.
The faces of the residents lit up in smiles as the children entered the rooms or stopped to say hello and deliver a present. Some clapped and cheered for the children, while some simply cried with joy. And, the residents weren’t the only ones who felt the emotions of the day.