Have a Heart

By Andrew Garoppo '24, March 10, 2023

IC community strengthens bonds with Longview with Valentine’s Day Cards.

Students, including Jayna Simeon ’26, were all smiles after making their Valentine’s Day cards

(Photo by Andrew Garoppo '24)

This past Valentine’s Day was a little brighter for some residents of the Longview Senior Living Community thanks to some Ithaca College students who took the time to spread a little love by making homemade cards for the residents.

Ithaca College and Longview have had a decades-long partnership that aims to create a shared environment to enrich both the college students and the Longview community with opportunities to share intergenerational experiences.

That, and the spirit of the holiday, inspired Gillian Coffey ’24 to create the event.

“I thought it would be a fun way to reconnect with those memories of making cards for each other in elementary school,” said Coffey, who had previously taken part in the college’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which included staff and residents from Longview. “I also thought it would be sweet for the Longview residents, because visitations are sometimes more restricted due to COVID, which I’m sure can get lonely at times.”

“You don’t always need a valentine to enjoy Valentine’s Day, because the holiday isn’t just about romantic love. It’s also about loving yourself and your community.”

Jayna Simeon ’26

Emma Bogdanich ’23, chose to take part in the event so that residents who weren’t expecting a card from anyone else didn’t feel left out and had something to make them smile. She wrote in her card “love is a treasure…the more you give away the more you get in return.”

The love at this event may not have been of the diamond rings and bouquets of roses variety, but the students who took part know that these small acts of kindness for the Longview residents is just as impactful.

“It’s one of my favorite holidays,” said Jayna Simeon ’26. “You don’t always need a valentine to enjoy Valentine’s Day, because the holiday isn’t just about romantic love. It’s also about loving yourself and your community.