Grandfriends Create Memories at Sunrise of Huntington

The Huntington High School Grandfriends club is all about making memories. The teenagers who comprise the organization’s members succeeded on every level in making their Halloween visit to the Sunrise of Huntington assisted living facility in South Huntington a time to remember for everyone.

The club members and faculty advisors Suzi Biagi and Lauren Blackburn brought both joy and laughter to the Sunrise resident, celebrating a special day of activities complete with festive costumes.

“Students dressed up in an array of costumes, ready to celebrate the spooky season with their ‘grandfriends;’ the senior residents they have come to know and care about during the club’s ongoing visits.”

Freshman Hannah Boyle said that she really enjoyed “getting to know the residents and learning about their lives,” and finding out that two of the residents have been friends since the third grade.

During their time at Sunrise, students and residents interacted while engaging in seasonal activities including painting Halloween masks and playing cards.

The visit concluded with a Halloween parade of costumes, where residents awarded students in categories such as “Best Group,” “Scariest” and “Best Overall.”

Grandfriends member Belinda Velasquez Maldonado said that “talking to the residents was really heartwarming” and her favorite aspect of the event.

Over 32 members of the Grandfriends club participated in the Halloween event, with more members expected to attend the holiday sing-along at Sunrise on December 17.

Grandfriends is an intergenerational program in which both senior citizens and teenagers develop an enriched relationship. It also serves to bridge the generation gap. The organization accomplishes its goals through visits to local senior citizen centers and satellite facilities and through various other initiatives. Several dozen students are participating in the club this year.