(Submitted photo/ Oumnia Tahiri)

By Angela Brown

COVID-19 Support

Francophone group shares holiday cheer at Villa Pascal during COVID-19

Dec 21, 2020 | 4:20 PM

Residents at Villa Pascal long-term care home in North Battleford received some welcome Christmas cheer Saturday morning when children from a local Francophone centre visited to celebrate the holidays, at a distance.

The youngsters and their parents remained outside the facility due to the province’s COVID-19 restrictions.

About 25 children and parents from Groupes de Jeux Parents et Petits (the Parents and Tots Play Group) participated.

Group organizer, Oumnia Tahiri, said she hopes the kids helped bring a smile to many of the residents in care.

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The children usually visit the Villa Pascal during the holidays each year to see the residents, and they wanted to continue to show their support in some way during the pandemic.

Tahiri said the group hoped to show the seniors “we are here for you; we didn’t forget about you.”

Youngsters sang holiday carols outside the entrance as the residents watched through the windows, and listened in from inside.

The kids also gave gifts of hand lotions and hand soaps to the home that will be distributed to each of the residents after the items sit for over 24 hours as a COVID-19 precaution. They will be given to the residents on Dec. 24.

The kids also created some colourful, uplifting snow pictures in front of the facility.

The event was organized by the Association des parents Fransaskois (APF) and Centre francophone des Battleford located at the Don Ross Centre. APF provided the gifts.

Villa Pascal Recreation Co-ordinator Dorothy Androsoff thanked everyone involved in the initiative.

“It’s fantastic,” she said. “We have had so much support from the community this year it’s just wonderful.”

Androsoff said families are not able to visit their relatives at the facility in person currently due to COVID-19 protocols, so any effort from the community to reach out is appreciated.

–

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW