Adopt-a-senior gives normalcy to Holmes graduates
Callie Cline shows off the gifts she received from Sacha Roach.
Some of the most memorable experiences in a young adult’s life happen during their senior year of high school. There are dozens of memories to be made with a class trip, prom and graduation being a few of the celebrations that will leave lasting impressions for a lifetime.
But for the Class of 2020, those memories were taken away this year as graduates were set to leave their high school years behind them in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Because of what these graduates were missing out on, many schools and members of the community were working to come up with ways to try and make their final days of school — although spent at home — as special as possible.
One local Holmes County resident decided to go the extra mile to give seniors a unique send-off to high school during quarantine that also could involve members of the community. Lakeville resident Laurie Vales wanted to create an adopt-a-senior program where local residents would pair up with a senior from West Holmes or Hiland high schools and give them various gifts so they could see how special graduating could still be in the middle of a pandemic.
“I saw a Facebook page that was set up for Knox County area seniors, so I wanted to offer something for our seniors in the area. I set it up and added my son, (a West Holmes senior), and it took off from there,” Vales said. “I wanted them to have something to make them feel special and let them know how much people loved and supported them.”
Just by creating the Facebook page, Adopt a Senior 2020 Holmes County Ohio and Surrounding Area, more than 2,300 people became members of the page, and every senior at West Holmes and Hiland high schools was matched up with a community member. The process of setting up seniors with an adopter was pretty simple, Vales said.
“I only used Facebook, and it was not hard because the support from the community has been amazing,” Vales said. “It really took off like crazy. I think people felt good doing this for the seniors, and in a time when things were so negative and this was a positive. I think that everyone knew what these kids were missing and wanted to do something to brighten their day.”
Getting all seniors adopted out didn’t take much time because Holmes County residents knew they were doing something good when so much bad was going on in the world around them, so Vales didn’t have to work too hard for every local senior to be a part of the program.
“Most seniors were snagged up instantly, and I did try to help if there were seniors not adopted within a couple days, but really, everyone just played along. Yes, we (Vales and her family) personally adopted five seniors and some that were friends with my senior. Some of the participants were teachers, parents, grandparents or just community members because everyone wanted to be involved,” Vales said.
When it came to deciding what to give the seniors, those participating in the program came up with ideas all on their own — no recommendations were given out by Vales. Some gave practical gifts while others decided to get creative.
“There was someone who sent a handmade card to every senior from West Holmes,” Vales said. “Some of the seniors got T-shirts or signs commemorating 2020; others sent gift cards or snacks and even college survival kits and flowers. I am not sure how each person handled (giving or receiving the gifts). We delivered some personally, we mailed some, and I think sometimes the student knew who adopted them and other times they didn’t. The seniors really loved getting the gifts.”
Vales’ son, John, a West Holmes graduate, was one of the first seniors to be adopted, by not just one family, but several. Because his mom came up with the idea, he might have had a slight advantage over some of his fellow Holmes County seniors when it came to getting congratulatory gifts during the adopt-a-senior project.
“I think the program in general was an excellent idea that allowed people of our community to be there for each other with everything going on with quarantine,” John Vales said. “It promoted a lot of happiness and friend reunions in general and was overall a good thing for everyone.”
Although it is difficult to provide a sense of normalcy to anyone during this difficult time, Laurie Vales is hopeful the adopt-a-senior program she began at least helped to take the seniors’ minds off of some of the big events they were unable to participate in this year due to COVID-19.
“I am not sure we could bring normalcy in this time,” Vales said. “I do, however, think it diverted the seniors’ attention from all of the things they weren't getting to do. Instead, they were able to focus on the cards and congrats, the gifts, and just the support of everyone.”
Vales also is hopeful that even if life is back to normal next year and in future graduation years, the adopt-a-senior program is something that may be able to carry on in the future.
“I would love to see it continue. I think that would be awesome,” Vales said. “I have said the whole time this doesn’t have to be done for a senior, but it could also be a neighbor, a relative or a co-worker. Giving is something we can do every day because it makes us feel good to make others feel good. This was made possible because of all the kind people in our community. All I did was start the Facebook page. I hope it made people realize how little things can make someone feel so good. Our lives are changing with the pandemic, but it doesn’t mean it has to be for the worst.”