ASHBURN, VA — A virtual campaign is bringing smiles to the elderly stuck inside during the coronavirus pandemic.
A group of children from Ashburn, Virginia are making custom greeting cards for elderly people while they stay home from school.
Two sets of sisters in Ashburn decided to make the best of this time.
“Yeah, I’ve just been drawing little hearts and happy faces and flowers and suns and stuff.”
The Huggins girls and Hendrix sisters aren’t creating out of boredom.
“We’re kind of quarantined in here but they are quarantined all alone and they don’t have their family around to make them happy.”
The sisters are among the first to participate in Every Letter is a Virtual Hug.
“The success of the virtual campaign has been amazing. We have gotten so many letters just in the past couple days,” said a Tribute Assisted Living staff member. "I think this is definitely lifting their spirits, knowing that people are thinking about them."
Senior living facilities are currently in lockdown to protect the most vulnerable from coronavirus.
“They can’t have any visitors right now so we are making them all cards so they are happy,” said one of the children, Hayden. “I’m writing your smile is like sunshine.”
Hayden’s letters went to one of the senior residents, Mrs. Hamilton.
“Your smile is like sunshine with the eyelashes. You can tell it’s done by a sweet little girl,” said Mrs. Hamilton.
Her own children haven’t been able to visit for weeks.
“Some people get depressed. If the sun is shining it’s better.”
Another senior resident, Andrew Gordon, recently suffered a stroke and says he wants nothing more than to breathe in every bit of life.
“I’m craving for fresh air,” said Gordon.
His card, written by a child named Emily, was simple and perfect.
“I just wrote you are not alone,” said Emily.
“You are not alone. This means that children out there although young they realize how important other people are," said Gordon. "To say this is powerful.”
