Algona Seton students hold fun night for senior citizens

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
February 17, 2005

ALGONA - A group of Algona Seton seventh and eighth graders hosted a night of fun for their grandparents, retirees and senior citizens.

On Feb. 10, seniors were invited to a night of Pinochle, 500 and BINGO in the Rochleau Center. There were about 39 students that helped with the fun night and over 50 seniors, grandparents and retirees attended.

"In our community, we have a lot of people do things for us," said John Byrkeland, counselor at Seton Grade School. "They do it and don't ask for anything. Many of them are older and they serve in our lunch line and come and help students during the day. This is a way for us to give them an opportunity to come out and enjoy a night on their own. It is a way of telling them thank you for what they do and not asking for anything in return."

The evening began at 5:30 p.m. with the students serving homemade chicken soup, cheese and crackers, desserts and beverages. During the dinner, a couple of the eighth grade students played piano music in the background.

"It is a lesson for the students to learn how to do something for others, to learn how to serve others and not expect to get something other than a thank you," said Byrkeland. "Sometimes that is the most powerful message that you can ever show someone."

The guests were then taken to their respective games. The games were played for about an hour. The evening came to a close with a sing-a-long.

"It gives them a chance to see what we are doing in the school, what the kids are learning and to see what kind of a future society that we are putting out here," said Byrkeland. "It gives them a chance to talk to people that they don't normally get a chance to talk to."

Each grandparent, retiree or senior citizen left the evening with a key chain with a plastic picture holder attached to it along with any prizes they won.

"You have many years of wisdom with our seniors. They enjoy the conversations with the younger people," said Byrkeland. He added that since some of the grandparents' grandchildren do not live close, it gives them a chance to interact with the young people."

Prior to the event, the seniors, grandparents and retirees were asked to call and sign up for the different games, so the meal and games could be planned accordingly. Information was sent out in bulletins and the parish priests mentioned the fun night at Masses.

Before the seniors fun night, Byrkeland met with the students to teach them how to start a conversation and keep a conversation going, how to serve and social skills such as hanging up coats for their guests.

"I asked students as they were serving to ask the people at the end of the night how they thought it went," said Byrkeland. "There were a lot of good things - smiles, thank yous, are you going to do this again?"

This was the first year that this event was held at Seton, but there are thoughts to continue the event in the future.

"This is a once a year occurrence because it takes a lot of effort and you have to work with the students on their social skills and with home and family to get everything prepared and going," said Byrkeland. "There is a lot to it. Overall there were many good comments. We had a few suggestions, too."

One suggestion was a request that the students wear name tags, so that their guests knew who they were talking to.