Foot Soldiers Park, Youth Advisory Board cheer up Lighthouse Rehab residents during holidays

Foot Soldiers Park and their Youth Advisory Board paid a visit to residents at Lighthouse Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Selma recently to remember the elderly during the holiday season.

“Don’t forget about us. Come back over to see us sometimes. We enjoyed you. I love you.”

These are the words that came from “Ms. Mary,” a resident at Lighthouse, as she talked with members of the National Youth Advisory Board (YAB) of Foot Soldiers Park (FSP) in person and via Zoom to those in other states.

The young people on the advisory board had been planning their visit to Lighthouse Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center for a couple of months and were all smiles that the day had finally come.

“I can hardly wait to give back to them like they gave to everyone else for all their life,” stated Kristan Moore, a sophomore at Selma High School.

The visitation began with prayer led by the newest YAB member, Michael Thomas Jr., a senior at Southside High School, and introductions by YAB Vice-President Sydney Pritchett, a junior at Selma High School.

Now, let the singing begin! Camron Benjamin, a sophomore at Selma High School, had been hearing a snippet of a song played over the PA system at school for several days and was convinced it was “Merry Christmas” because that’s all he heard in the short break between classes. A few others thought the song was called “In My Mind.” Little did Camron know, it would turn out to be “Silent Night.” Yes, they Googled it before heading to the Lighthouse, finally heard all the lyrics and quickly added it to the lineup with no true rehearsal.

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Cue the music. The Temptations. Wait for it. Camron steps forward as lead, clears his throat and opens with “In my mind.” The audience goes wild! They had chosen the perfect final song, it seemed. One of the residents asked for an encore! They did it again. Same reactions. The room was in high cheer.

After lots of singing, clapping and laughing, it was time for the big game. BINGO! YAB rearranged the room to make the residents comfortable and the number calling began. Some YAB members used their own hands to represent the hands of the senior citizens who had very limited activity in their fingers, while others used their voices as amplifiers for those with limited hearing (Camron called the numbers while Safiya White, a sophomore member from Selma High, echoed him with her outside voice). “Ms. Mary” had the hottest board but almost everyone got a chance to shout in their tiny voices “Bingo!” Gifts were sponsored by Rural Health Medical Program, Inc., Councilwoman Jannie Thomas, Councilman Clay Carmichael and Mrs. Eboni Thomas Pettway. Because of the very gracious donors, every person in the activity room received a gift, and gifts for others who were unable to make it to the activity room were left to be placed under the tree for them.

It was YAB President Mackenzie Lewis, a senior in high school in Columbus, Ohio, who requested the Zoom because she “loves Selma and I wish I was closer to you all so I can be there in person.” Mackenzie had previously stated that “People are not close in our city like you all are in Selma.”

YAB member Kristian Stamps hopped in her car heading to Selma from Jackson, Mississippi, but she incurred two flat tires. The zoom call really made her day. “It was not my intent to miss this person. The portion of the zoom I was able to participate in was really good. Thank you to everyone who made it happen.”

The day had been well spent but not before the FSP co-founders, Joanne Bland and Kimberly Smitherman (executive director), adopted some of the other residents whose names had not been chosen under the tree yet. Joining them from Ohio was one of their YAB parents, Traci Lewis, who also participated via zoom. “This is so wonderful, and I love Mrs. Bland’s comment on service. I’d like to adopt Mr. […].”

Lots of long good-byes took place. Ms. Mary shed another tear and gave yet another “I love you” to YAB members. The young people are certainly contemplating returning in the spring. It was a great day in Selmatown.