VOYCE is an organization that supports long-term care residents in Missouri. They have implemented Project Holiday Cheer which encourages people to create holiday cards to be given to long-term care residents. This year teachers can bring their classes to the library to make holiday cards to be sent out.
Librarian Dr. Gregory Baum said he received the idea from math teacher Gayle Piepho last school year and decided to open up the opportunity for students to do so in the library.
“We just learned about it, so Piepho had shared the opportunity with the whole staff so [librarian Margaret] Sullivan and I thought it would be a good fit for the library and so we contacted [VOYCE] and signed up,” Baum said.
Language arts teacher Kristen Mater took all of her classes to participate in making cards. She said that it is substantial for students to be aware of other people’s situation in order to spread positivity
“I think it important for students to understand that there are other people outside of our little bubble who need some love and kindness and could use a little cheering up,” Mater said.
Baum said one reason he wanted students to participate in this project is to perform acts of charity for long term care residents who may not receive letters often, especially from teenagers.
“A lot of these people who are in these long term care facilities aren’t going to get cards otherwise so it’s a nice way for us to give back to our community, reach out to people who might not normally hear from highschool age students,” Baum said.
Senior Aliza Carlson who went with Maters class said she enjoyed creating holiday cards because it was a good way for her to spread kindness to her community.
“I thought [making the cards] was a really fun thing to do and didn’t even think about the people in the nursing homes and I think it’s a really great opportunity for us,” Carlson said.
Baum said another reason he decided on this project was so students could gain the ability to write cards so they can use this information in the future.
“A lot of students have never written a card before and don’t know how to do it so it teaches them the skill of how to make a card and how to write a card,” Baum said.
