A Small Gesture Can Make a Big Impact
Athena E., Commack High School Chapter PR Officer, explains how she learned how big of an impact a small gesture can leave on someone.
When I first joined GlamourGals, I was a little nervous about writing My Dear Friend cards, as I was not sure how to write a meaningful message that would make a senior smile. As the year progressed, I had so much fun making these cards, from designing a warm and inviting cover to writing a thoughtful message. It is truly rewarding to let someone know that I am thinking of them and hoping they have a great day! I learned that even simple messages like these can help someone feel a little less alone in the world. Knowing this, my confidence also improved, because I felt like I was taking action in a way that mattered to our community.
Last year, my chapter was unable to visit seniors for most of the year due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, that did not discourage me and others in the chapter from connecting with the seniors. We made gift baskets, My Dear Friend cards, and even organized a music-guessing game that we attempted to play with seniors virtually on Zoom. We continued to have meetings after school every two weeks to make crafts. I also participated in holiday caroling, where we went to a senior residence to sing and give gift bags.
GlamourGals is important to my community because we are a unique group of students that take action to end senior isolation. There are few groups within our community that visit senior homes, much less give the residents makeovers. I believe that we provide a different and exciting personal communication that cannot be replicated outside of GlamourGals. It is heartwarming for seniors to talk to young girls, like us, while the manicures make them feel youthful. We socialize with them and engage in an activity that brings them joy and perhaps reminds them of good times. There are amazing organizations in our community with similar goals to GlamourGals. However, Glamour Gals is a unique, fun, and intimate group that stands out from these other groups, making us a vital part of our community.
