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Wabasso's Adventure Club puts grade-school students side-by-side with residents |
| Channels » Home » News » Wabasso's Adventure Club puts grade-school students side-by-side with residents |
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July 24, 2004 |
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This article by Cindy Votruba was reprinted with permission from the July 24, 2004, edition of the Marshall (Minn.) Independent.
WABASSO -- On a steamy Tuesday afternoon in front of the Wabasso Health Care Center, several kids and elderly residents were dabbing brushes into cups of water and acrylic paints, trying to decide how to fashion their welcome signs.
During the summer, Wabasso Community Education has an intergenerational program, the Adventure Club, which brings together elementary school children with residents of the Wabasso Health Care Center for crafts and other activities.
Every Tuesday afternoon, the residents and kids get together. This past Tuesday, they were making welcome signs.
Chris Pitzl, the activities director at Wabasso Health Care Center, started the Adventure Club when she was the community education director. When she became activities director at the Health Care Center, she passed on the program to Kelly Hertling, the current community education director.
“I discussed with her (Hertling) on providing a program during the school year, which is called Kids in Action,” Pitzl said. Kids in Action is the school-year version of the Adventure Club.
Each month follows a different theme--June was “Pleasing Painting Projects,” July is “A Blast With Crafts,” and August will be “Outrageous Outdoor Opportunities.”
As the kids and residents used paints and markers to create their door signs, Pitzl showed various decorations they could use. “Ask if they want a butterfly or a daisy or (a sign that says) enter with a happy heart,” Pitzl told the children.
“Oh, isn't that pretty,” Marvel McConnell said as one of the kids held up the daisy.
Gustic Schwantes, one of the residents, carefully painted a watermelon onto her sign. “'This makes me feel young,” Schwantes said.
The kids were making their own designs. “Ah, I'm doing a flag,” Emma Robasse, one of the children, said.
Emma and Samantha Pohlen said they’ve been doing several art projects with the residents. “We did kites,” Emma said.
Samantha said they also made picture frames with the residents. “It’s in my room, but it doesn’t match my room,” [she] said.
“I like art any day [more] than gym,” McConnell said.
Pitzl noted that Elizabeth Lamprecht, one of the residents, and Elizabeth Pohlen, one of the children, had the same first name. “I don’t think you’re the same age,” Pitzl said.
“Hardly,” the 92-year-old Lamprecht said.
What Pitzl wants the kids to learn from being part of the Adventure Club is developing friendships with older people as well as respect, hoping it will spur them to continue visiting nursing homes. “A little more awareness of the elderly,” Pitzl said.
As the summer wears on, Pitzl’s seen a sense of responsibility among the kids. “The thing I’ve noticed is their willingness to help the residents,” Pitzl said.
Elizabeth Pohlen assisted Grace Stip with making her welcome sign. “Do you want a stem on it?” she asked, referring to the daisy design.
Elizabeth said she simply enjoys giving the residents a hand with art projects. “I just like helping them,” she said.
Pitzl was pleased to see the “little hands working with the elderly hands. It was so neat seeing them work together,” she said.
Pitzl said the residents have expressed they love to see the kids coming every Tuesday and it reminds them of the time they had young children or spending time with their grandchildren.
“They love to see the enthusiasm the children have and share with them,” Pitzl said. “"I'm extremely pleased with the amount of participation with the community and the residents.”
Jack Price, one of the residents, said the Adventure Club is a good program. “You’re actually doing things and it brings out the ‘artistry’ in you,” he said.
For the last 20 minutes, the children get a chance to play an outdoor game like kickball or dodgeball. The children helped Pitzl move the residents to a shady spot to watch the game, pushing wheelchairs or lending a shoulder to lean on.
“Give the residents a ‘high five’ or shake their hands and tell them you’ll see them next week,” Pitzl said.
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