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Mom’s Daughters Add Color to Retirees’ Lives

Residents of Heritage Pointe retirement community are enjoying a splash of color, and some Orange County teens have forged remarkable new friendships, thanks to a unique mitzvah project that recently brought the two groups together.
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July 22, 2009

Residents of Heritage Pointe retirement community are enjoying a splash of color, and some Orange County teens have forged remarkable new friendships, thanks to a unique mitzvah project that recently brought the two groups together. 

Dor v’Dor, a community service group for mothers and their teen daughters sponsored by Women’s Philanthropy of Jewish Federation Orange County, completed a mural project at the Mission Viejo Jewish seniors residence in June. Seven mom-daughter teams, led by volunteers Vikki Zuckerman of Foothill Ranch and Barbara Shapiro of Newport Coast, painted colorful designs on the walls and thresholds of the cafe and arts-and-crafts room. The project was part of a renovation program launched in 2006 that has seen the development of a memory-care wing, remodeled living units and improvements in the common areas.

Orange County’s first Jewish home for the aging, Heritage Pointe was formed in 1984 and houses 200 retirees in need of varying levels of care.

Heritage Pointe board member Madeline Zuckerman — who is not related to Vikki Zuckerman — contacted the group last spring after the board asked her to find a local artist to liven up the facility’s most frequently used public rooms.

“I felt that since it’s a Jewish home, the volunteers needed to come through the Jewish community,” she said. She found an eager reception at Dor v’Dor, despite the fact that none of the volunteers have a design background.

Using clip art and customized drawings, volunteers created whimsical images of cookies, muffins and other treats along with a giant wood coffee cup cutout in the cafe. A floor-to-ceiling, bright yellow heart was painted on the double door entryway to the arts-and-crafts room with the words “Imagine,” “Create” and “Inspire” painted above it in cheerful calligraphy.

The project culminated in a celebration on June 19 that had residents and volunteers making pastel-colored handprints inside the massive heart.

“The hands connect the generations,” Vikki Zuckerman said. “It’s sharing the love from one generation to the other.”

Jean Aird, 90, was the first resident to roll up her sleeves.

“I think it’s wonderful that so many people are involved in this,” Aird said. “I think it will be great and I feel so honored to have my hand mark here.”

That sentiment underlaid the volunteer spirit during the three months it took to complete the mural project. With mothers and daughters visiting up to three times a week from April to June, sometimes staying as late as 10 p.m. to work on their designs, the girls and residents formed relationships that bridged the age gap between them.

“It meant a lot [to the residents] that this generation of youth cared enough to be here and make their environment fun for them,” said Bonnie Jeannette, Heritage Pointe incoming board president. “The residents loved having the youth here and many of them became friends.”

“I was so crazy about everybody, I didn’t want to do anything but stand around and watch,” Sarah Golub, 91, said as she climbed carefully out of her wheelchair to add a lavender print to the door. “That’s what I call bringing life.”

The project taught the girls valuable lessons in honoring and respecting elders, according to Vikki Zuckerman. Many of the girls were touched by stories residents told them and by hearing them speak Yiddish.

“It was really interesting talking to the people,” said Heather Shapiro, 18, a four-year Dor v’Dor member. “They’re all really sweet and it was nice to see how excited they were when we were here.”

Among the girls’ favorites was resident Freada Samel, who read to the girls personal tales of surviving the Holocaust from her recently penned memoir. Volunteer Alayna Zuckerman, 13, was so taken by the 89-year-old that she plans to honor Samel and her brother, who was murdered by the Nazis, at her bat mitzvah in September.

“It was a real lift,” Samel said about the girls’ visits. “It made me feel good looking at young faces.”

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