Students Spend Time With Elderly In South Jersey
By Paul Kurtz
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) - In South Jersey, a group of prep school students provided some companionship to residents of a Cherry Hill senior assisted living facility.
17-year-old Caleb Reyes, a senior at The Kings Christian School, patiently painted autumn leaves in watercolor with his new friend, 91-year-old Earnest Franciotti.
"Good, I'm steady," Franciotti says. "You can see my arm. I've been steady."
A small group of elderly would-be Rembrandts sat down with about a half-dozen student volunteers -- who tell KYW Newsradio they were more than eager to help:
"The fact that we're serving them means a lot to them, so I just like to put a smile on their face. I enjoy it."
"I like to talk to them as much as possible. get to know them cause I like to give back. I like helping people."
This is part of the schools monthly missions program in which groups of students fan out in the community to help the elderly, the needy and the ill.