Caption: Magnolia Elementary students Cameron Wearins, left, and Skyler Wilkes work to decorate Christmas cards for the Robeson County Public Library system’s holiday card drive. The cards will be delivered to senior adults in nursing homes, assisted living facilities or at senior centers in local communities.
Local elementary school students used their artistic flair to brighten the holiday season for hundreds of senior adults in assisted living facilities, nursing homes or senior centers as part of a holiday card drive by the Robeson County Public Library system.
Students in Magnolia and Peterson elementary schools participated in a project by the Robeson County Public Library to spread holiday cheer: one Christmas card at a time.
“I always explain to the students that these cards might be the only gift the residents receive and each year they surprise me with their creativity and kindness,” said Ashley Clark, who serves as a media coordinator/librarian at Magnolia Elementary School.
“Our students were happy to participate in showing some Christmas love to the senior citizens of Robeson County. They did an amazing job and shared some joy with the senior citizens,” said Breanna Oxendine, who serves as a school social worker at Peterson Elementary.
Clark said Magnolia Elementary students worked on the cards when they visited the school library and even spent time creating cards outside of school.
Students from Magnolia and Peterson elementary schools donated more than 500 cards in the effort.
The “Dewey Delivery” Christmas Card Project was born during the days of COVID-19, which caused senior care facilities to restrict visitors like family members, leaving them to visit by standing by residents’ windows or engaging in video calls.
“My dad is at Wesley Pines and I spent almost a year outside of his window. During Christmas, a lot of the residents hung their cards in their windows. While some windows had 20 or more cards displayed, other windows had just a few or none at all,” said RCPL Outreach Specialist Caroline Lloyd.
At first, she thought of using social media to ask people to send her father cards. But, the sight of windows with no holiday greetings on display motivated Lloyd to do more.
“What if we could ask people to help with a Christmas card drive and I could deliver them to as many nursing homes as possible?” she said, recalling her thought.
Thus, Lloyd’s idea came to life and was a success, she said.
“I delivered close to 2,000 cards that year. This project has become a joyous tradition since then and we appreciate everyone who participates!” Lloyd said.
Cards will be delivered in the coming days to seniors in assisted living facilities or nursing homes in Lumberton, Pembroke, Red Springs, Fairmont, St. Pauls, Maxton and Rowland areas.
“Most of these towns have their own rest homes, but we will deliver to senior centers in the towns that do not have those facilities. That way, each of our towns represented with libraries receive cards,” Lloyd said.
Library patrons and school students participated this year.
“We wanted to encourage local children to get involved and visit their public library,” said Asia Carter, Outreach Specialist at McMillan Memorial Library.
She hopes that students will return to local libraries and enjoy free access to learning materials, activities and welcoming spaces for them to learn and grow there.
Raelynn Blanks poses for a photo while working to decorate a Christmas card for the Robeson County Public Library system’s holiday card drive.