Before leaving for a well-deserved Christmas break, Island Trees High School’s athletes had one more piece of business to take care of. The Athletes Helping Athletes program took a trip to the Townhouse Extended Care to spend quality time with the residents. Each athlete was assigned to a member of the home and was told what they wanted for Christmas. Requests ranged from sweaters to sweatpants to jewelry. The students were responsible for buying and wrapping a gift. When they arrived at the home, the kids met up with their residents and presented their gifts; the reactions were priceless. Several of the residents cried tears of joy when they realized what had been done for them. Their emotional appreciation overwhelmed some of the students who did not realize how their simple act of kindness could have such an effect.
Our athletes spoke with the residents, listening to tales of their childhoods and hearing stories about their families. Having people to listen to them is a luxury many residents of the home lack, so this was a special treat. The athletes concluded their trip by showcasing their other talent: singing. The group sang nearly 30 Christmas carols, fueled by the joy they saw in the eyes of their audience, many of whom sang along. When it was time to leave both the students and the residents begged our club advisor to consider another trip in the near future.
We hope your holidays were as joyous as that day at Townhouse.
Story courtesy of Island Trees Athletics. You can see more at: http://www.islandtrees.org
