Cedar Trails Senior Living Brings Story Corner to the Community

Planetary Scientist Carl Sagan once said, “One of the greatest gifts adults can give – to their offspring and to their society – is to read to children.”

Putting books into the hands of children and forming meaningful intergenerational relationships is a priority for Arrow Senior Living communities! To support our efforts, we have launched what we call “Arrow Story Corner.” Each month a resident records the reading of a children’s book that highlights an “Arrow Tradition,” and these stories are shared online for all to hear. This tradition has grown from our company-wide Black History Month Story Corners, where residents all around Arrow Communities read children’s books highlighting black figures in history.

To support small businesses and literacy efforts, we host a fundraiser and partner with the EyeSeeMe Children’s Bookstore to purchase and donate copies of the books we read to local schools, and then a portion of our fundraising efforts also support The EyeSeeMe Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to create programs that increase childhood literacy for under-served communities and to promote African American History and multicultural literature that will increase respect and tolerance for diverse cultures.

This month, Cedar Trails Senior Living is taking things a step further and embarking on the adventure of monthly Story Corner events in our community. One of our very own residents will read the Story Corner book of the month to children, as well as other residents, and share in a craft event and snack time. The featured book will then be added to our community library for residents to read to visiting grandchildren. A copy of the book will also be donated to local schools with which our community partners.

Our residents are excited to be able to read to their grandchildren and other children. The children do so enjoy being read to, especially when it is their grandparents doing the reading.

We work closely with the Freeburg Primary Center. Our residents like going to the school to give out books and school supplies. We love when the children come to Cedar Trails to give out cookies, play games, and sing to the residents.

Three of our residents have read books for the Story Corner Series. We always invite their families to watch the story readings that are recorded for YouTube.

Our residents love to read any of the Little Golden Book series. The ones that were chosen as favorites were The Little Golden Book about God, The Poky Little Puppy and The Tale of Peter Rabbit. This is the time of year where we all enjoy “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” It is fun to watch the children’s eyes and expressions as we read stories to them.

All our Arrow communities encourage adults to give the gift of reading to youngsters. The relationships formed during the time spent between the reader and listener can be life changing for both generations.