Skip to content

Richmond scout groups connect with seniors during winter holidays

Christmas carols, gifts and gingerbread houses were enjoyed at local senior homes.

More than 80 scouts from the 28th Richmond Scout Group visited local senior homes to bring some holiday cheer this past weekend.

The scouts, ages five to 17, sang Christmas carols and gifted paper snowflakes and braided paracord ornaments to seniors at three senior homes — Rosewood Manor, Courtyard Gardens and Hamilton High Street Residence — on Dec. 10.

Those who visited the Hamilton High Street Residence were also invited by staff to help seniors build gingerbread houses.

"Over the past couple weeks, scout leaders have spent time with the scouts and preparing them to sing Christmas carols and the gifts for the senior residents," said Eli Chan, a youth leader for the 28th Richmond Scout Group.

Chan told the Richmond News their group stopped senior home visits when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and they wanted to bring it back as a form of community service.

"The number of kids that were interested in visiting the seniors was overwhelming that we ended up visiting three senior homes instead of the planned one," she said.

"It was a really nice way to connect with the seniors and ... some of them even said the kids reminded them of their grandchildren, so it was nice to be able to just reach out and have a conversation with the seniors."

Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected].