Catholic Explorer

Resident Rose Reminger and Cub Scout Patrick Krueger examine their cards for a winning number during a bingo game at the Carmelite Carefree Village Feb. 3.

Valentine’s Day has been called a Hallmark holiday—a day when people express their love by sending cards to those they care about.

Showing someone you care can require a lot more effort than purchasing a greeting card or a bouquet of flowers. A group of Darien Cub Scouts donated a Sunday afternoon to show residents at the Carmelite Carefree Village retirement home how much they care. The scouts showed up Feb. 3 to play games and interact with the senior residents.

Thirty members of Cub Scout Pack 36, which is sponsored by the Darien Lions Club, turned up on Super Bowl Sunday to play bingo and chitchat with the seniors. The annual event has been held for 12 years, according to Christine Klassek, program director at the Darien facility.

“It’s really a wonderful time,” Klassek explained over the phone prior to the annual function. “The children come in their uniforms and sit with the residents and engage in conversation. Sometimes they sing songs with the seniors and they usually play games like bingo.”

Klassek said she organized the intergenerational event and is pleased the scouts have continued the tradition.

Betty Patton, age 83, and Samantha Rochowicz, 10, enjoy chatting during the intergenerational bingo game held at Carmelite Carefree Village in Darien.

Dietrich Oelker, leader of the pack for the last 10 years, said their pack started participating because they were searching for a community service project for the boys, who range from kindergartners through fifth graders. At the time one of the older boys was a student council representative at his school and the council members had visited Carefree Village and played bingo with the seniors. He said the members had enjoyed the experience and suggested the event for the pack as well.

“And we have been doing it ever since,” Oelker said. “The seniors are all very excited about it and it is a good community service project.”

Pack leaders donate prizes for the bingo games including chocolate bars, sugar-free candy, boxes of tissues, bottles of hand lotion and room deodorizers.

As events coordinator for the pack, Sue Schneider is responsible for purchasing the items and scheduling the event. She said Klassek contacts her every year to make sure the boys are coming because the seniors enjoy the afternoon so much. Schneider said the feeling is mutual.

“This event is, by far, one of their favorite events of the year,” Schneider said of the Cub Scouts’ feelings toward the afternoon. “They really look forward to it every year. Of course they like playing bingo but, surprisingly, they get really involved in talking with the senior residents. The seniors become like little kids again. It is so nice. You can see the smiles on their faces.”

A table of three residents seemed to enjoy sharing the afternoon with two young scouts. Bernice Rotza, Mary Mc Donnell and Rose Reminger assisted first graders Patrick Krueger and Daniel Frank with their bingo cards and vice versa.

Peter Petrouski, age 91, chooses a prize from a tray held by Dylan Oelker, whose father Dietrich is one of the Cub Scout leaders.

“I have a lot of fun with the children,” the 88-year-old Rotza said during a slow point in one of the games. “It is so nice to have children around for a change.”

Also 88 years old, Reminger said playing with the boys keeps her alert and keeps the residents, including her friends, Bernice and Mary, who is 100 years old, going.

The event is so popular that siblings of the Cub Scouts also showed up. 10-year-old Samantha Rochowicz came because her younger brother, Nicholas, is a scout.

“I came to play bingo with the seniors and it has been really fun,” Rochowicz said.

She admitted to talking a bit about a number of different topics with Betty Patton, who is 83. Patton was enjoying the discussion as much as the youngster.

“These children are so much fun,” Patton exclaimed. “They’re just beautiful.”

The feelings were mutual. Schneider’s son, Jacob, has attended the event for four years and said he likes talking with the seniors.

“I usually talk to them and get to know them a little bit,” the 11-year-old boy said. “We talk about a lot of things. It really depends on what they ask us.”

Jacob said mixing the young boys with the seniors is a great idea since it is educational as well.

“Talking with the seniors really helps with your social skills,” the bright fifth grader explained. “If you are going to be communicating with anyone in public, this is a good experience.”

Peter Petrouski enjoyed the afternoon as well, and not just because he was a winner. The 91-year-old gentleman and one of the few male bingo players among the women enjoyed having additional male companionship no matter how young.

“I really enjoy” having them here, Petrouski said. “The afternoon is something different and the kids seem to get a big kick out of it too.”

“It is so nice that the two groups get together,” Klassek told the Explorer. “Each generation can learn so much from the other.”