Lift the plates and glasses, put them on the rack, garnish the table with glitter, reset the table, and repeat. Such actions continued for approximately one hour until the grandfather clock rung six and seniors ambushed the dining area for the evening’s meal and activity. At this point, the room illuminated, brighter than the glitter bands the students had placed on the tables minutes earlier. The students’ faces that expressed awkward smiles and arms that snugly contracted into the cushioned seats transformed into lively, pleasant miens as well as arms that clink the porcelain dishes with their steel extensions. All was the service experience of Jesuit’s Interact Society at Bentley Manor Retirement.
Wednesday, September 16th, approximately 3:40 P.M.: Mr. Knize’s blaring voice springboards Jesuits’ students from their ninth period desks. Most head to athletic practices or clubs, but a select organization of students rush to the Bentley Manor Assisted Living Center to prepare for their first service endeavor. Those such as Samuel Powell ’17 anxiously leap into the Toyota 4Runner of William Name ’17 to discuss the upcoming and highly-anticipated event with Matt Peracchi ’17. The drive short and smooth, Interact pulls into the curved driveway of Bentley Manor, a retirement home for citizens of advanced age. Greeted by pale, beige-white walls and a giant ceiling, Jesuit students slowly walk towards their directed location and await their orders.
Much like Jesuit’s Father-Son Casino Night on September 17th, the seniors at Bentley were preparing for their own casino-style event. Cardstock cut-outs draped the pillars supporting the colossal ceiling, cardstock in the shapes of diamonds, spades, cloves, hearts, and the quintessential poker chip. Fliers sat on the tables, nudged in between the sugar trays and spice shakers for the purpose of alerting the seniors. What could be missing? The answer: the Juniors receive their orders to drape every table with gold sheets, reflecting the jackpot a lucky senior would win later that night. They quickly achieved their goal, but the small hand of the grandfather clock still remained far from the number eight. And as seniors were populating the hall one by one, who would remain to accompany them?
Interact’s presence revealed many smiles among the dwellers of Bentley. Unfortunately, visitation between the youth and the elderly of today’s world seemingly declines by the year. Unlike nations such as China, where visitation requirements between children and their grandparents are mandated by the state, no such law exists in the US. Therefore, Interact was obligated to fulfill that requirement over a bacon and waffle dinner.
“I believe that our service project went extremely well because we were able to in interact (hence the name) and bond with the seniors at Bentley manor,” Will Name ’17 claimed, “as well as learn about an important part of our community that is too often overlooked.” At first, conversation seemed incompatible between the two age groups, as the room remained quiet and few voices echoed off the tall, bowl-shaped ceiling. However, as time progressed, the noise level gradually increased as surprisingly familiar topics of discussion emerged. Riley Hoofard ’17 and Connor O’neill ’17 found common ground in college, extracurricular activities, and sports. But perhaps the greatest conversations didn’t involve similarities between the two kind (however few there were), but rather differences. Martin Flores ’17 discussed with a resident staff named Peg about differences in music, communication, and perspectives towards society. “I found the almost instantaneous rapport I formed with the residents I talked with very refreshing,” he said. “Our discussion definitely made my day,” and it certainly made Peg’s as well. In a cheerful closing remark, Flores promised that he’d “be sure to sign up for other opportunities in the near future.”
