Intergenerational Interaction Yields Positive Results
A sure sign of summer here at Westminster Canterbury Richmond is the sight of smiling teens, ages 13 – 18, adorned in their new white polo shirts and red string badges, walking the hallways, ready to serve as summer volunteers! Some are newbies, feeling timid at first. Others are veterans, willing to start more adventures with more residents. All are eager and ready to assist our residents and staff. No feat is too much for them – not even washing cars in the morning, pulling weeds midday, or folding 10-plus loads of laundry in the afternoon!
One of the most endearing aspects of the summer teen volunteer program is its long-standing ties to the Westminster Canterbury community: some of our teen volunteers happen to be sons and daughters of our employees, and some of our staff used to be teen volunteers! A unique circle of life, if you will, occurs from summer to summer as we see young teen volunteers return each season and become a deeper part of our community. What a treat it is to see them grow up right before our eyes. Just as lovely is when we see them grow in their sense of service, reflecting what we call The Westminster Canterbury Way (TWCW).
We will miss our teen volunteers as they finish their last volunteer day on August 16. We thank them for the great opportunity to get to know them and share in our joy of serving. We look forward to seeing you next summer!