Julia, Claire and Jody Laibstain.
For the past 30 years, Beth Sholom Village has hosted an annual “Switch Day” on Christmas, since it is a family day for a majority of BSV employees. The community has always played a role in coming together to help others, and this day is no exception when volunteers replace regular employees.
Eighty volunteers walked through the doors on Wednesday, Dec. 25, starting as early at 6:30 am. The team of Sid Pearl, Harvey Eluto and Keith Pearl arrived as usual to begin cooking breakfast. Sandy Pearl also came as she does every year to set up the dining room and feed some of BSV’s less able bodied residents. Other people facilitated bingo, decorated cookies and ran roulette.
A lot of new faces also participated this year. Jason Lurie, Rhonda and John Branyan, and Corey Maccumbee enjoyed playing checkers and card games with residents. Rebecca Bickford volunteered in the Memory Enhancement Unit and made a friend with resident Frances Golden. Scott and Lori Alprien’s family were also a new addition to the growing team of volunteers. Regulars also participated as families: Steve, Caren, Mathew and Mason Leon, the Laibstain family, the Goldners and the Dobrinskys.
Connections were made between volunteers and residents with promises to return before next year to visit.