Maple Ridge community teams up to show seniors they’re loved this Valentine’s Day

Community groups from all over Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are banding together to show local seniors they are loved this Valentine’s Day.

The Seniors Network, Community Services, Salvation Army, the Meadow Ridge Rotary club, and more have joined forces to put together gift bags, and hand-made gift cards for 400 seniors who need a little bit of extra TLC on the holiday of love.

This is the first time such an effort has been made, said Community Services’ Joanne Leginus.

“We’re doing extra stuff this year because of COVID,” she explained.

“There are many seniors who were already home alone and isolated before the pandemic, and now it’s significantly worse.”

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A call-out for help was answered emphatically.

Cards are being made by students at Eric Langton Elementary, the Environmental School, Thomas Haney Secondary, church groups, friend groups, professional card makers and individual families.

Cookies are being baked by Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Centred Within Yoga has donated the 400 bags; and the Rotary Club, Community Services, and Salvation Army are going to deliver them all.

The plan is to have them dropped off in the days leading up to Valentine’s (Feb. 11-13).

“The goal is to make sure that seniors in our community know that someone’s thinking of them,” said Leginus.

“We’re hoping to bring a smile to their faces, knowing there are some really nice people thinking of them.

“We want them to know they are not alone, and that we are here for them.”