PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation kept its annual tradition alive when its volunteers visited, treated, entertained and presented gifts to the seniors and staffers at the St. Martin’s Home in St. Johns Estate on the first day of 2017.
A number of the foundation’s volunteers visited the Home on Sunday, January 1, for the annual tradition.
Volunteers arrived at the home around 11:00am and shortly after began serving the seniors vegetable bean soup. They personally helped to feed seniors who were unable to feed themselves properly.
While waiting for lunch to be served, volunteers performed a sign language song for the seniors entitled “One Family.” The seniors appeared to have enjoyed the presentation as they followed the sign language as volunteers did them for the song particularly the section in which the following words were sung: “because we are one family, we rely on each other, follow each other gratefully. We share the burden and responsibility throughout our lives.”
The volunteers also assisted in serving and feeding the seniors their lunch and afterward delivered what the foundation calls its “royal treatment.” This treatment consists of gently massaging clients, trimming their nails and changing the nail polish of the females and listening to their stories while interacting with them.
While at the home, Tzu Chi helped to celebrate the birthday of a St. Martin’s Home client who had reached the ripe age of 97-years-old.