Residents at a seniors long-term care facility were rewarded with a colourful surprise Saturday, when 14-year-old Jessica Adams brought her birthday party to the Simon Fraser Lodge.
She and seven of her friends came clutching dozens of tulips and carnations as gifts. Jessica's gift that day, it seems, was to give back.
"They all stopped and looked and they all smiled," said Jessica, who just turned 14 on Jan. 28.
One by one the friends, flush with 100 flowers, gave the single stems to those gathered in the dining hall - mostly the ladies, Jessica said.
Not long before, she and her mother were brainstorming ways to celebrate her birthday. Bowling or mini golf just didn't seem right.
"I liked it because it would be a nice thing to do," said Jessica of her mother's suggestion to give the flowers.
She and her mother Liza Adams were still smiling Sunday, remember the stories from the hour and a half spent walking the halls, going room to room.
One lady wanted a flower in every colour. Jessica didn't have the missing piece - a white carnation - so they tracked one down until the woman had what she wanted.
"Then one lady, she said 'I'll think about it,'" said Jessica with a laugh. "She came back and found us and got a flower."
Jessica is shy about her birthday gift and said just as much credit goes to her friends, all Grade 8 students at College Heights Secondary, and lists them all by name: Kennedy Martin, Alexa Martin, Emily Smith, Ashlee Hick, Sophie Jensen, Hannah Bilodeau, Alysha Madsen.
"It was so inspirational" said Liza of watching the girls interacting with the residents. "(Jessica) was able to spend what's normally a very special day for yourself but to make someone else feel like it was special day for them, that to me, was amazing."
Liza said the response from the residents made the day.
"They were so appreciative," said Liza. "Just to see their smiles on their face was enough to know that you made a difference for them that day."
Jessica got her own surprise at the end. The group sang happy birthday and one man handed Jessica a bunch of balloons.
"He was so excited to give her the balloon bouquet," Liza said.
"It was fun," said Jessica, adding she will try to go back and sing for the group. "It made me feel good."
Having a group come in like that isn't common, said Inez Corbett who works with the lodge's recreation department. And flowers can't help but brighten "a dreary, snowy, winter day."
But more than the flowers, Corbett said it mattered that the girls were the ones handing them out.
"That's a huge, huge part of what makes it such a nice gesture, is the actual personal contact," said Corbett, who gave the girls the tour on Saturday.
"I think in many ways it was a good experience for the girls as well because it gave them a better idea of what living in a long term care facility is like."
The three house cats were especially a hit.
"That seemed to quite tickle their fancy," said Corbett with a laugh.
Corbett said it's important to have friendly strangers come through the lodge, especially since many seniors don't have regular visitors or family in the area.
"It just makes all the difference in their lives just to have somebody take the time to sit down and have a little conversation with them," she said.
The Simon Fraser Lodge is always looking for volunteers for its programs or simply to sit with its residents, Corbett said, and those interested can contact the YMCA.
