By: Vanessa Ingram
As we age with each passing year, it
becomes more apparent how much we rely on friends and family. When we finally
begin to reach the close of our life spans, friends and family begin to slowly
pass and we find ourselves again looking for new social contact. And because social
interactions are one of the crucial needs of any human being, CCASL has created
the program ZESST.
ZESST (Zags Encouraging Student &
Senior Togetherness) is a community outreach program run by CCASL that is focused
on forging relationships between Gonzaga students and the residents of
Maplewood Gardens Senior Center, an assisted living home for the elderly
located near the Gonzaga campus.
Current and past participants have
enjoyed the memories and friendships that they have experienced through ZESST
and many have so much fun that they volunteer again the next year.
“Many students are focused on the now
because of their youth. This program allows them to help senior citizens
appreciate the time they have left in life and it’s super fun to help them
enjoy their lives.” said Korryn Koussa, a former participant in the ZESST
program.
The goal of the program is to improve
quality of life for residents and raise awareness among students through fun
and engaging activities and events. During these activities, students will
engage with the senior citizens while having fun and building friendships that
will be remembered forever.
ZESST will organize and execute social
activities for the Maplewood residents on Tuesday and Wednesday nights from
6:15-8:00 pm, meeting at CCASL at 6PM and heading to Maplewood by 6:15pm.
This program can be used for a
service-learning requirement as well as an opportunity for Zags to get involved
with the Spokane community. Applications for participation are on a rolling
basis and one need only attend a ZESST meeting and provide their contact
information to participate. For more information contact Jeb Berg at
bergj@gonzaga.edu or 509-313-6937
No comments:
Post a Comment