KENOSHA — Seniors at St. Catherine Commons received a heartfelt surprise this Valentine’s Day with handmade cards filled with kind messages from local students and caring individuals.
"Last year, we raised over 600 Valentine’s Day cards, and this year we had over a thousand, which is really good and surpassed what we expected initially," Ivan Payes from Senior Helpers said.
For many seniors, a simple Valentine’s Day card can mean the world. That’s why Senior Helpers started the "Dear Senior" Valentine Drive, a community-wide effort to ensure local seniors feel remembered and appreciated.
Watch: Kenosha seniors at St. Catherine Commons receive heartfelt Valentine’s Day cards
This year, more than 1,000 cards were collected from schools, organizations, and individuals who wanted to spread a little extra love.
"We, as a community, care about the others in our community," Liz Erman from Senior Helpers said. "It's a community effort, and everybody pulled together to make this happen for our seniors."
As the cards were delivered, the impact was clear. Seniors like Marie and Lorraine smiled and laughed as they read their messages aloud.
"Hope your day is full of sweet treats and fond memories. Happy Valentine’s Day, Victoria," Marie said. "Thank you, Victoria, you made my day."
For some, these were the only Valentines they received, making the gesture even more meaningful.
"It says that I'm perfect, which is nice to hear once in a while," Sissy said. "It's really a nice day just to tell the people that you're with that you like having them with you."
Senior Helpers says they plan to continue the tradition next year, ensuring even more seniors feel the love on Valentine’s Day.
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