KWTV: Something Good: Junior League Of OKC Spreading Cheer Through Chalking
By Brian Mueller | April 1, 2021 | See full article here
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Junior League of Oklahoma City has been helping their community for nearly 100 years, but this year has brought quite a few challenges.
The women’s volunteer group has had to color a little outside the lines this past year to stay engaged with their community.
“We had to get creative about what we were doing because we still wanted to engage with them and we wanted to keep our volunteers involved as well,” said Natalie Fix, a Junior League of OKC member.
Recently that’s meant getting their hands dirty to spread some spring cheer to the residents at Concordia Life Plan Community.
“One of our volunteers said, ‘You know, I saw where kids did a bunch of sidewalk chalk when the pandemic started, what if we went and sidewalk chalked at Concordia,’” said Natalia.
The Junior League of Oklahoma City has been a part of Concordia’s Wellness for Life program for the past seven years.
The outdoor art is the latest activity the group has come up with to stay engaged with independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing residents without being able to have their regular pre-pandemic events.
“A couple of our volunteers went out and took footage of cool new things around town that the residents maybe hadn’t been able to see since they’ve been here in isolation,” said Natalie.
“Even when we were closed to the public, they always tried to communicate with us. They are always nice, and the girls are super when they come,” said Elena McVey, a Concordia resident.
The Junior League said some of the creative ways they’ve developed to stay connected in the past year, will long outlive this pandemic.
“Now I think those can enhance what we do. Even if we can come into the facility, even if we can hug people again, we’re still going to come write those messages on the sidewalk,” said Natalie.
Because pandemic or not, there are some things that are always nice to be reminded of.
