BC Cares hosts day out for seniors

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
October 20, 2005

Senior citizens from throughout Siouxland took a day out on Oct. 18 to visit Briar Cliff University in Sioux City.

Senior Citizen's Day Out is an annual event sponsored by BC Cares. Over 100 residents from nine local care facilities made the trip to Briar Cliff for lunch and a choral concert in the Stark Student Center.

"I think it is really wonderful that our young people here can be in touch with the elders of our community," said Sister Janet May, OSF, director of campus ministry at BCU. "I think it reminds them of their grandparents, even great-grandparents for some of them. I just see a tender side of them coming out when they are with the older people."

The residents were from care facilities including Holy Spirit Retirement Home, Sunrise Manor, Hallmark Care Center, Countryside Senior Living, Westwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Casa De Paz, Regency Square Care Center, North Park Senior Living and Northern Hills.

"In a sense, these are people who have given a lot to young people through the years and now young people can give them something back," said Sister Janet. "I see their faces light up when they see these people. Some of them were joking around with them and that is wonderful."

There were about 60 students that helped with the lunch and about 50 students donated a meal from their meal plan for the residents.

"I think it is a good opportunity for our students to get to know the elderly people of Siouxland," said Mike Jensen, a junior at BC and student coordinator of the event. "They are a very important aspect of our community. Without the elders you don't have community because they are the ones who pass down the teachings."

The students served the meal and some sat down to eat with the residents. Not only were students there, but coaches and staff also helped at the lunch, noted Sister Janet.

"It is a very simple thing for us to share a meal with them," said Sister Janet. "The students give up one of their guest meals to have them here, so they really are the guests of the students."

The event began with an ecumenical prayer at 11:20 a.m. followed by lunch and entertainment by the Briar Cliff University Chamber Choir. Throughout lunch, Sister Arnold Staudt, OSF, played the piano for the guests.

"It was really wonderful seeing them mingling with the people, bringing them in, assisting them with their wheelchairs, sitting at the table and visiting and serving them," said Sister Janet. "They were having fun with it. That was wonderful to see."

Jensen commented that one of the women that he talked to told him what Briar Cliff was like when she attended in the 1950s when it was an all girls school.

"It was very interesting to me to hear about Briar Cliff 50 years ago," said Jensen.

According to Sister Janet, Senior Citizen Day Out has been continued at BC "because we see the value of it. I think our students need to reach out to all age groups and that is why we have different kinds of events that we sponsor here."

"I think our students need to see that as a campus community that we prize our seniors," said Sister Janet.

She explained that for some seniors college was not part of their life experience, so they are excited to go to Briar Cliff and see what it is like.

"It is important that we go down to the nursing homes, but it is nice to bring them up here, too, and have a special party for them," said Sister Janet. "It is nice to do it in the autumn of the year because these people are in the autumn of their life."

Jensen hopes that the students gained mutual respect for the elderly people and that they will not forget about them.

"It was a good service experience. I think the students took a lot from it," said Jensen.