Methuen Volleyball

This was a fantastic way for us to start off the year. We not only use community service as a way to understand that we need to give back to the community around us but also as a way to build our team togetherness and this year was no different. A junior member of the program Ariana Baez thought back to when her own grandfather was in an elderly care facility and remembered that many of the people in the facility never had any visitors and that would seem like the loneliest existence imaginable. Each year I challenge the girls to come up with a community service project that will make a difference for others. When asked this year, Ari immediately suggested visiting three facilities in the town of Methuen and spending time with residents as a way to give them something to look forward to. Ari handled all the arrangements with the facilities, coordinated dates, and made sure that everyone on the team was aware of the dates. Many of the girls had grandparents or great-grandparents that were in facilities such as these so everyone was on board. My own grandparents were also in one of the facilities that we visited many years ago so I naturally loved the idea and was all in as well.

We spent three days visiting facilities which included Cedar View Health and Rehabilitation, Methuen Family Care, and Nevins Nursing Home. Each visit was around two hours in length, and we got to spend some real quality time with the residents of these facilities. Ath the first facility (Cedar View) they were extremely welcoming. They had signs welcoming us and making us feel right at home. They had long tables set up and chairs next to and around residents. We sat with them and completed some really intricate coloring designs that were sun cathers to hang on their windows. We listened to music, talked, and really made some great connections. The second was Methuen Family Care. We entered the building and were greeted by residents and staff. Here we made cupcakes with residents helped them decorate them and then sat at tables eating and talking with them as well. Finally we visited Nevins where the girls were actually able to play volleyball with the residents using a miniature net and a beach ball. All 3 visits were fantastic, and everyone asked for our schedule so that they could possibly take some of the residents to a match or two. The girls and residents laughed and talked, and I really think made each others day.

I’m lucky to coach these girls and the work they did to make this idea a reality was amazing. I so proud of Arianna for organizing all of this and getting us to the facilities.

These girls deserve a lot of credit after rebuilding a veteran’s home last year, and visiting these facilities this year, they have really shown some incredible character.