Students from the Life Skills Class at Lassen High School enjoy time with the seniors who live at Eskaton Lassen Manor. The students visit monthly to help package dried goods from Lassen Modoc Food Bank. This helps the students learn life skills, while the seniors living at Eskaton get the benefit of socialization with the youths.

“The location of the food bank isn’t easy for our residents to get to by bus,” says Charlotte Roberts, Social Services Coordinator at Eskaton Lassen Manor. “So we bring the food to them.”  Rice, canned goods, instant mashed potatoes, and dried beans come in cases. The students gather around oblong tables and place the items into plastic bags. One bag is then distributed to each resident living at Eskaton Lassen Manor.

This partnership began with Charlotte Roberts and Mickey Leiding, Special Education Coordinator at Lassen County Office of Education. Twelve students, grades 7 through 12, have visited Eskaton five times since April, 2016. “We started during Earth Day,” said Roberts. “The students planted seeds in cups with the residents.”

In December, the students and residents made sugar cookies. A resident provided the recipe, rolling pin and cookies cutters. The students rolled out the dough and cut the cookies. Roberts baked them and the students frosted and decorated them.

Roberta, a resident, said, “It’s nice to get acquainted with young people.” MaryAnn, another resident, added, “I think the kids know our names better than we know theirs. I hope they continue to come interact with us.”

The residents at Eskaton Lassen Manor will keep mentoring these students for the remainder of the school year and beyond.

Eskaton Lassen Manor also has a Kids Connection with kindergartners at McKinley Elementary. For more information about Kids Connection, visit www.eskaton.org/kids