Sharing respect, kindness, joy and love. That’s what Huntington High School’s Grandfriends club is all about. It’s a really special organization. The group is has been making a positive difference in the community for many years.
Grandfriends is an intergenerational club focused on creating activities, planning events and collecting donations that will be used to put smiles on the faces of local senior citizens. The club provides its members with an opportunity to connect with the older generation and offer service to Huntington’s senior citizen community.
“Grandfriends gives you an amazing experience of helping and talking to the senior citizen population,” one of the club member’s said. “Seeing the smiles on their faces when doing something even so small, will make your day.”
Teacher Suzi Biagi is the club’s faculty advisor. The executive board consists of Brianna Isaza (co-president), Mary Grace Rorke (co-president), Cassidy Casabona (vice president), Victoria Mangan (treasurer), Marcella Markotsis (co-secretary) and Victoria Befumo (co-secretary).
“It’s a great club and I’m so happy to participate in it,” Ms. Isaza said. “Most people aren’t too aware of Grandfriends, but once they learn about it they will see the greatness. I have been a member for four years now and I’m so grateful for all the wonderful memories and friends that I have made in it. Now as co-president and being in the midst of a pandemic, it has made our events different than years before, but we have made it work! We did a virtual caroling the other day for our senior citizens, which was lots of fun. Everyone in the club is amazing. We are so grateful our members makes this club what it is! Not to mention Ms. Biagi who is our lovely advisor and Mrs. [Camille] DeCanio, who has also been a faculty advisor. This club would be nothing without them. They are amazing human beings.”
Club activities include making Thanksgiving Day baskets and distributing them through local senior citizen centers, writing pen pal letters, Christmas caroling at assisted living facilities (and now virtually) and hosting an annual senior-senior prom in the high school cafeteria.
“It’s truly an amazing experience to be a part of Grandfriends as it is such a unique club at Huntington,” Ms. Casabona said. “Although we are limited with the events that we can do this year, I’m so happy that we were still able to share some joy to the senior citizens this holiday season by virtually caroling and donating gift cards for Thanksgiving.”
Interested in learning more or joining the group? Grandfriends meets on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Use Google Classroom code 2duidyf to log into the meeting. Text Remind code @grandfr to 81010. Send a message to Ms. Biagi at sbiagi@hufsd.edu.