If you pay attention to your surroundings, you will see many people who need help. They may be the children who lost parents, people who are disabled, or the elderly who live alone. As teenagers, we need to learn to help others with a kind heart. Sometimes you may not know who needs help. But the Montrose Service Club gives everyone a chance to help people really easily.

The Thomas Upham House is a residence for senior citizens who are not able to take care of themselves. At the nursing home, nurses take good care of them. They have a very fun schedule every day with activities such as playing bingo, reading books, and watching old movies. Some of the elderly were very lonely because they lived at home alone. But now they have many peer friends at the Upham House. Montrose Service Club members go there every Thursday after school from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The students talk with the residents and share stories.

Although some of seniors are not able to speak, they are still listening. Lily Wei ’20 said, “I think it is really meaningful. I d like to doing some volunteer work and I enjoy it.” Zihan Sun ’19 said: “These old people are really nice. One time, we cut some paper for them to decorate their rooms for Christmas. They looked happy, and I like to see smiles on their faces.”  Club leader Carlie Cichocki ’18 said, “By visiting Thomas Upham House every Thursday, we demonstrate our belief that no one should be deserted and feel lonely just because they are not able to care for themselves anymore. By showing up every Thursday, we show the residents that we care about them and value their company.”

Visiting the Thomas Upham House can also influence our daily lives. Carlie said, “TUH makes me more considerate of others when making plans to get together or even when sitting down to lunch. It helps me to remember that accidental exclusion can make someone just as lonely as purposeful exclusion.” We can also gain wisdom from our visits. As Carlie said, “Thomas Upham House Club allows girls to open their hearts to those who are often forgotten. The visits bring such joy to the residents and we learn so much from our older citizens. They have so much wisdom to share and sometimes just need a listening ear.”
Carlie is really excited to encourage more girls to join this team: “I would love for more girls to attend Thomas Upham House Club! — the more smiling faces that come, the better! Plus, we do crafts…” If you are interested in this activity and want to help others, come to join now. I believe you will have a great time. See you at the Front Door at 3:30 on Thursday.