WCR This Week

PHOTO SUPPLIED Good Shepherd Catholic Women's League brings the season's joy to lodge residents.

Every December since 1993, a group of ladies from the Good Shepherd Catholic Women's League in Edmonton brings Christmas joy to the seniors at Jasper Place Central Park Lodge.

We come wearing bright red Santa hats, with happy hearts, warm smiles, a few jingle bells and musical props, accompanied by a guitarist or a pianist to sing Christmas carols.

That is not all. It is not unusual to see some members break from the group during some songs and dance a few steps when Frosty the Snowman came to life one day or the "ladies dancing" appear in the 12 Days of Christmas.

When we finish with our carols, we come out with our homemade Christmas goodies and pass them around.

One year, we were singing carols as usual with a few seniors in the audience smiling, clapping hands or even singing along at times. One lovely lady in the front row just sat in her chair looking lonely, distant and not interested.

Then we began singing Silent Night. Suddenly, she looked up and magically came to life, joined us and in her beautiful voice confidently sang the carol in German. That was her precious gift to us. She touched our hearts and brought a tear to our eyes.

STARTED BY CHILDREN

This tradition started when my daughter's junior high class was challenged to think of a unique Christmas project to do as a class. There were several ideas but her suggestion to bring joy to the seniors lodge where her grandma lived won.

The teacher organized a bus and off they went with their youthful voices and some homemade cookies. Of course, they were a hit and that inspired me to suggest a grown-up version of this project to our Good Shepherd CWL ladies.