In a world that often celebrates youth, many seniors may feel overlooked, battling social isolation and its associated challenges like depression and low self-esteem. But this December, Captain Scott Legacy Society’s Volunteer Ambassadors set out to change that narrative. On December 14th, 2024, we brought joy, laughter, and connection to the seniors at the Salvation Army Southview and Terrace location in South Vancouver with a heartwarming photoshoot and card-making event.
Our creative Volunteer Ambassadors devised a thoughtful plan to ensure the seniors felt truly seen and celebrated. Equipped with backdrops, props, and professional photography equipment, our team transformed the senior centre into a festive photo studio. Seniors had the chance to take individual portraits and group photos with their friends and family, creating beautiful keepsakes to share with their loved ones. To add a personal touch, we printed the photos on the spot and collaborated with the seniors to craft their own holiday cards to house their cherished pictures and share with their loved ones.
The event was a lively celebration of joy and connection, embodying the spirit of the holiday season. Seniors embraced the opportunity to gather their friends for pictures, strike playful poses with volunteers, and proudly showcase their portraits to their peers— all over hot chocolate, peppermint tea, and holiday cookies! The room was filled with laughter, music, and a shared sense of togetherness.
Here’s what our Volunteer Ambassador Ami, had to say about the event:
“For me, this event was very heart-touching. I met so many seniors, heard of their life experiences, and thought, ‘Would I be able to live even half of all of that?’ I didn’t know if I would be comfortable with random elderly people (when I don’t get along with my grandparents very well), but the event was so good. All of the seniors seemed comfortable and happy. Thank you to the whole volunteer team for bringing smiles to all of the seniors!” - Ami
And from our Volunteer Ambassador Jojo:
"Chatting while making Christmas cards with the lovely folks at Salvation Army Southview Terrace has been one of my most favourite volunteer experiences so far. I learned how much others appreciate your time and company. Helping others is not about donating a lot of money, it’s how much you invest your time and heart. I am very thankful for this opportunity organized by the amazing staff at Captain Scott and Southview Terrace. It has changed my view on volunteering and got me thinking about how I can help my community in more meaningful ways. I cherish and remember all the smiles; meeting everyone was wonderful. It truly made my holiday brighter and cheerier. Each time I think back it still makes me smile, and I am excited to volunteer more especially to encourage others to volunteer to make an elder’s day. Volunteering at the Holiday Picture Day, reminded me of something important I had forgotten. Elders are vital in our growth as they were our role models and caregivers when we were young. Everyone gets busy and sometimes we tend to forget what matters. From those 3 hours of spreading some holiday cheer to the folks at the retirement home, I realized even when busy nobody is too busy to make time for an elder." - Jo Jo
The success of this event has left the senior home eager for our return, and we couldn’t be more excited to plan future visits. Stay tuned for more updates on our upcoming events at the senior home or explore ways to get involved with our Volunteer Ambassadors program here. Let’s continue to create moments of joy and connection together!
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