Parkdale Elementary spreads holiday cheer to HR Care Center residents

Each resident received nine handmade gifts, made during a PTO-sponsored art project day Dec. 12. Each classroom had a specific art project to complete: painting colorful pictures, personalizing a calendar, designing several greeting cards, sewing fleece hats and blankets, decorating gift bags, making silk floral arrangements, painting ornaments and creating a beaded window display, said Alison Betzing, PTO volunteer coordinator.

“Each art project was assembled by the students, and they created nine gifts for each of the 30 residents,” Betzing said. “Each gift was made for the purpose of decorating the individual’s room and bringing cheer to each resident throughout the year.”

In addition to the gift bags, each resident will receive four or five cards throughout the year, for “birthdays or just because.”

On Dec. 19, four of the residents — Christopher Schell, Lexie Jordan, Alvin Slory and Truman Keel — traveled to the school with Shannon and Tom Yates, volunteer with Providence Down Manor, who drove the residents to the school in that facility’s bus. Once there, “a few students from each class introduced themselves and described what they contributed,” said Betzing. “The students and residents were able to interact together, with lots of smiles to go around.”

Shannon said the visiting residents had a great time at the school, and the gift bags were very well received by those back at the center. “Everyone’s favorite thing was the wind chimes with crystals,” she said, noting how they sparkle in the residents’ windows. The handmade hats, blankets and scarves were also a big hit, and the calendars are hanging in each room.

“People were crying,” Shannon said. “They loved it.”

The residents are now writing thank you notes to the Parkdale students, and Shannon hopes a pen pal relationship will emerge.

“Now that school is back, we’ll send something their way,” she said.

Parkdale Elementary thanks Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital “for providing transportation, and a special thank you to Tom Yates, who drove them from HRCC to and from Parkdale,” said Betzing. “A special thanks also to the Parkdale community, for donating many of the supplies needed to complete each art project. Another special thank you to the hospital volunteers who provided several handmade blankets to go in a few of the gift bags.”

Also in December, artist CJ Rench came to Parkdale Elementary to help students create small sculptures that each were able to take home. He also donated 100 percent of the proceeds to the school’s annual Happy Human Ornament sale (photo at right), 50 percent of which were donated to the FISH Food Bank.