GREECE, N.Y. — Sandra Whitcomb leads the Gates Chili girl scout troop her daughter Jesse is in.
Sandra's grandma, Rita Hirschler, is 103 years old and a resident of the Edna Tina Wilson Living Center in Greece.
Knowing her family could not be with her grandma this year, Sandra thought of how all the residents must feel needing to stay at the center over the holidays because of the pandemic. The troop made more than 100 cards to make sure each resident got one.
"We thought it would just brighten their day because I know when I could visit my grandmother there were a lot of residents that didn't get visitors or their rooms the walls were bare. So I thought it would just be something to cheer them up,” said Sandra.
Rita will be turning 104 years old next month. Sandra said that not being able to really see her grandma for the holidays or her upcoming birthday has not been easy.
"It has been very difficult,” said Sandra. “We started doing window businesses, but then she wanted us to come in. So we do the facetime, which is much easier because then we're closer face-wise so she can see us. And it feels to me as if she knows that we're closer to her rather than six feet apart where she can't see or hear us."
Sandra said they are looking forward to her grandma getting the vaccine soon and being able to one day be close to one another in person again.
They plan to celebrate Rita’s 104th birthday with a window visit.