Youth make new friends at St. John’s Community Care Adult Day Program in Illinois

The day began with a vigorous game of balloon volleyball.

Junior and Senior High youth group members from St. John Evangelical UCC in Collinsville, Ind., recently made lasting memories with participants in nearby St. John’s Community Care Adult Day program.

When St. John associate pastor the Rev. Katie Jo Bielke found out the youth group members had a day off of school, she invited them to to volunteer with the program. St. John’s Community Care was founded by the church in 1985, first as an in-home services program, and in 2001 opening its day center. It specializes in aging and dementia care support services.

As the paper jack-o-lanterns took shape, youth volunteers and program participants were able to learn a bit about each other.

The youth groups joined program participants in a lively game of balloon volleyball, followed by a craft time. After helping to prepare the craft activity, the students joined their adult participants in making Halloween jack-o-lanterns to adorn the walls at the center. The craft time provided lots of opportunities for conversations and making new friends.

The paper jack-o-lanterns were displayed for a few weeks, and then each participant took home a pair — the one they made, and the one their youth partner made: a unique way to remind the adult participants of their new friends.