LeadingAge staff swapped their laptops for paint brushes, books, and bingo balls, as they volunteered at member organizations across the country. More than 30 staff from the national headquarters visited Seabury at Friendship Terrace in Washington, DC, on the organization’s all-staff National Day of Service, June 27. Remote employees visited members in their areas.

As staff pitched in on some light maintenance projects and joined activities with residents, they discovered hidden talents among their colleagues. There are “plant whisperers,” a master engineer, an exceptional trivia game hostess, and a unique bingo caller. Staff joined residents in cleaning the onsite greenhouse, pruning and watering plants, assembling planters, painting residents’ doors, and leading bingo and trivia games.

“It means a lot to us and to our residents. Thank you!” said Semira Negasi, executive director, Friendship Terrace. 

“I think we all simply had a great time. When all the staff gets together, it’s like a big family reunion when you get to hang out with all your cousins who keep you laughing all day. Except yesterday we had more cousins because of all the staff and residents we were able to meet from Friendship Terrace. Our family expanded yesterday,” said Linda Couch, vice president, Housing and Aging Services Policy.

“As a summer intern who has only visited a few older adult communities and a resident advisor on my college campus, I appreciated the opportunity to contribute to the community at Friendship Terrace. I saw an inspiring level of commitment and connection between the staff and residents and a degree of community-building that we aspire to in college dorms,” Christopher Arroyo, summer intern at LeadingAge, through the Student Program. 

Our remote employees ensured that the LeadingAge Day of Service spanned coast-to-coast. “I got to spend the day with Rose Villa in Portland, OR—a community that’s near and dear to me. I entered this amazing field more than 20 years ago working in provider communities, so time spent with elders and team members feels like home,” said Kirsten Jacobs, senior director, Shared Learning Initiatives. 

The National Day of Service aligns with the LeadingAge commitment to give back to communities we touch. Each year at the Annual Meeting, attendees have the opportunity to participate in a service project that benefits older adults in the city we visit. Looking forward to the 2023 Annual Meeting? Registration opens July 17!