A senior care service asked for Valentine's cards. Massachusetts kids sent over 2,000
LEXINGTON - Thousands of senior citizens were feeling the love this past Valentine's Day thanks to kids in Massachusetts.
Weeks ago, Assisting Hands Home Care in Lexington started a "Letters for Love" campaign as a sweet surprise for seniors. With COVID and flu circulating during the winter season, many older adults were in isolation to protect their health, so the call went out to make their day a little brighter with Valentine's cards.
They were aiming to get 500 cards from elementary school students, but only had 100 when WBZ-TV aired a story about the effort. That wasn't enough for all the seniors the company serves at hospitals, long-term care facilities and rehabilitation centers around Boston.
Well, Assisting Hands ended up collecting over 2,000 cards and say they are so grateful to everyone who got involved. But most grateful were the seniors who received them.
"Wonderful surprise" on Valentine's Day
Elizabeth Finn, a resident at Brightview Concord River in Billerica, said she appreciated that someone made sure she and other seniors who "needed a happy note" got one on the holiday.
"I was just so happy that someone brought this forth from the kids," Finn said. "It was a wonderful surprise, I was delighted. It really made my day."
The schools who wrote cards are going to be getting a special certificate. This was the first year Assisting Hands collected cards for seniors, but they say it was such a success that they're going to make it an annual event.