Kindness That Spans Generations: A Family’s Legacy at Lakewood

Not long after Lakewood Nursing Home first opened nearly fifty years ago, my daughters, Sharon and her sister, began visiting residents there with me. They were young at the time, full of energy and curiosity, and our visits soon became something we all looked forward to.

Back then, Lakewood was a much smaller place, and the girls would play the organ for residents or bake and decorate cakes to celebrate birthdays. We had family friends who lived there, so we visited often. Before long, the girls started walking over on their own — stopping in to chat or share a smile with whoever might need it that day. Even at that age, you could see how their kindness lifted the residents’ spirits.

They were taught from an early age to be kind to all ages, and that lesson stayed with them.

Years later, life came full circle. My mother-in-law became a resident, and a few years after that, so did my own mother. For eleven consecutive years, Lakewood was part of our family’s life — sometimes with both moms living there at the same time. My family visited daily, and I saw firsthand how many residents didn’t have visitors of their own.

“We were taught from an early age to be kind to all ages — and it’s a lesson that never left us.”

I often sat with my mom for her meals, and when I could, I’d help others — wheeling someone to their room, offering a listening ear, or bringing a plate of homemade treats to share. It broke my heart to know that for some, we might have been their only visitors. The staff worked hard and were often stretched thin, but they were always grateful for a helping hand or a plate of fresh-baked cookies. The smiles we saw in return were all the thanks we ever needed.

One memory that still touches me happened years later, when Sharon was hospitalized during the COVID pandemic for brain surgery. One of her nurses mentioned that she used to work at Lakewood years ago. After a brief conversation, she recognized our family name — and said she remembered caring for my mother. In that moment, we both felt a quiet joy knowing that the kindness we shared had somehow found its way back to us."

Story shared by Alice O.

Christmas Kindness Friend & Volunteer

Reflection: Kindness has a beautiful way of weaving through generations — from mother to daughter, from family to community. Alice and Sharon’s story reminds us that compassion doesn’t just brighten one day; it leaves a light that lasts for decades.

When we visit, volunteer, or simply show up for someone who feels forgotten, we carry that same spark forward — proving that love given freely never fades.

At Christmas Kindness, we’re honored to walk alongside families like theirs who remind us that kindness, once planted, grows roots that reach far beyond what we can see.

We are so thankful for Alice and her daughter, Sharon, for all they do to continue to spread kindness in our community!

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