Who doesn’t like to receive a letter?
For Seniors Week, the Langley Human Dignity Coalition organized a campaign to collect and distribute cards, letters and artwork to local seniors. The items, more than 600 of them, were created by local children and youth to help seniors feel less isolated during the pandemic.
“Our seniors have been devastated by COVID-19,” says teacher Wendy Cook. “Not only are they the most susceptible to contracting the virus they remain to be the ones who become isolated in our communities.”
She is co-chair of the human dignity coalition which promotes dignity, equality and inclusion of all people.
“The call was put out on the COVID-19 Coming Together (Langley) and through the Langley Human Dignity coalition reaching out to community organizations and the Langley School District,” explained Rosemary Wallace, the City representative on the human dignity coalition.
Some of the submissions were digital creations, providing music, art and messages for seniors during the annual week to honour older residents of the community.
“When we arrived at the school board office there were items for two tables that had been dropped off,” explained Cook, “but then Chris Janzen [a teacher] from [DW] Poppy arrived and we filled four more tables, then Balan Moorthy [from Walnut Grove] arrived with four more tables full, finally a representative from Langley Community Services arrived and we needed another two tables.”
From June 1 to 8, the cards, letters and art were delivered to the Langley Seniors Resource Society, Langley Lodge, Jackman Manor, Langley Seniors Village, Magnolia Gardens, and Langley Lions Senior Village.
“I was so overwhelmed with the response and the children’s imaginations and their creations,” Wallace said.
