Boys & Girls Club’s Torch Club Kids Swap Valentines with Seniors at Putnam Cottage

Les and Adorian painted together and then swapped their paintings at Parsonage Cottage on Feb 17, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

On Saturday several members of the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich’s Torch Club headed up North Street to Putnam Cottage to paint Valentine’s with seniors. Under the leadership of Camryn Ferrara and Ashley Culvert, the boys and girls paired up with residents to chat, make friends and create works of art. While hearts were the theme, given the room was still decorated for the holiday, every painting was unique.

According to Mr. Ferrara, who is also an athletic coordinator at the Club, the project was part of a national “Seeds of Kindness” theme. In fact, he said there are Torch Clubs across the country doing similar projects in their communities.

On Saturday, each child from the Torch Club paired off with a senior to get to know each other and chat while they painted.

Adorian, a 6th grader from Central Middle School asked Les, a senior he was paired with, what sports he was passionate about.

“I played softball, golf and basketball,” Les said.

“I play lacrosse, basketball and football,” Adorian said.

The two chatted as they painted. In the end, Adorian’s painting said, “I love sports” and Les wrote in tandem, “I do too.”

Les and Adorian painted together and then swapped their paintings at Parsonage Cottage on Feb 17, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Emma and Torch Club’s Jonathan put their paintings side by side at Parsonage Cottage on Saturday, Feb 17, 2018. Photo: Leslie Yager

At the other end of the table, Jonathan and Emma worked side by side on their paintings. Emma told Jonathan about her adult sons who include an architect and an advertising executive. Jonathan, an 8th grader at Turn of River School in Stamford, created a heart and a dog, which he painted brown by mixing blue and orange paint.

Torch Club members from the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich paired off with seniors at Parsonage Cottage for a Valentine’s Day themed painting project. Feb 17, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Katherine and Maryssa painted hearts together on Saturday at Parsonage Cottage. Feb 17, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager

Katherine, a resident at Parsonage Cottage chatted with Maryssa, a 6th grader at Western Middle School who is a competitive cheerleader at Spirit Zone in Byram. Maryssa, who came straight from practice on Saturday learned that Katherine contracted Polio when she was just four and battled until she was a teenager. The virus attacked her legs, though she said everyone was different, and others lost use of their arms, for example.

Growing up in France in the 1930s, Katherine credited her recovery from the epidemic that attacked so many children, to two American doctors who advocated a routine of exercises, massage, and hot & cold treatments.

“To this day I am thankful to them because I was able to walk again,” she said.

At the end of the painting session, paintings were swapped, group photos were taken and everyone had pink and white ice cream.

The Torch Club from the Greenwich Boys & Girls Club recently received a grant from Old Navy for $5,000, which they will put toward the weekend long Torch Club Summit they are hosting in May for 10 Torch Clubs.

On Monday, Presidents Day, the Torch Club is holding a flag football tournament in the Club’s field house.

In March the Torch Club kids are planning an activity night with the folks from Abilis that will include mini golf and kick ball. Also, on March 24, they will host the annual dodge ball tournament, which is always fun!

Torch Club members from the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich paired off with seniors at Parsonage Cottage for a Valentine’s Day themed painting project. Feb 17, 2018 Photo: Leslie Yager