By Brianna Stephens
Violet was excited to receive a special Valentine’s Day gift bag from Renee’ Thomas, a case worker with Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Elderly Services Program. Thomas also brought along her twin baby goats to wish Violet a happy Valentine’s Day.
“This has absolutely made my day! I love them. Thank you for making my day so much brighter,” Violet, a participant in the Elderly Services Program, told Thomas. Recently CAP’s staff delivered just over 100 Valentine’s Day gift bags during porch visits with participants.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, CAP’s Elderly Services staff have made special efforts to make porch visits with and deliveries to seniors while taking precautions against the coronavirus to give them comfort and let them know they are not alone.
“The participants loved the fact that they were recognized for Valentine’s Day, and it made them feel loved,” Thomas said. “They expressed how much they loved me and CAP for all the services we provide them.”
Thomas added it brought joy to her day seeing participants like Violet smile and laugh after holding and petting her goats. As part of their Valentine’s Day gift, Thomas delivered a Valentine’s Day card, spiritual poem, a goody bag with cupcakes, brownies, and coconut snowballs, and a small token of love being a painted rock and a friendship trinket box to her participants.
“Our participants appreciate every single thing we do for them, but when it’s a special occasion it lights up their world to know that on this special day we thought about them,” said Kasey Mills, an Elderly Services case worker in Johnson, Martin, and Floyd Counties.
In her region, Mills delivered her participants Valentine’s Day bags which included a large box of chocolates and a Kate Spade purse, Avon necklaces, earrings, rings, perfume, gloves, masks, and toboggans for the women and flashlights with batteries, cologne, gloves, socks, shaving cream and razors for the men.
“The majority of the time we (CAP) are usually the only ones that make them feel loved on a special occasion, or even daily,” Mills said. “You can see the smile on their face, sometimes tears, when they open the door. They thank us a million times before we leave. Most of the time we get voicemails or phone calls as soon as we leave from them thanking us again and telling us how much they love and appreciate us. That truly makes my heart smile just to see them happy and knowing they are loved.”
