This past Saturday, we were invited next door to bless our neighbours at Forest Heights Long Term Care Centre and show them the love of God in practical ways. The Good Neighbours Day volunteers signed up for either outdoor work (fixing up the exterior grounds at FHLTCC) or indoor work (hosting a spa day for the residents).
The outdoor team turned and weeded the gardens, and cleaned up pinecones, branches and garbage around the grounds. Our volunteers would tell you that a lot of their time was spent collecting the pinecones that one resident had hidden among the plants in each garden. It was no small task; together the team collected at least four bags of pinecones!
Inside, each resident who attended the spa day was offered a beverage, a hand soak, hand massage and manicure, a face mask, hair styling, and a small potted plant to take back to their room. On top of the spa services, our volunteers accompanied some residents to and from their rooms, cleaned out and refilled water basins, replenished spa supplies, served lemonade, iced tea and coffee, and more. We heard from many volunteers that it was wonderful to have the time to chat with the residents one-on-one while painting their nails, or sitting with them while they soaked their hands.
It was a busy and rewarding morning! We look forward to returning in the future to better get to know, learn from, and serve our friends and neighbours at FHLTCC.
