On April 28, 2024, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., AYLUS Roslyn volunteers visited Bayville Intermediary Care Facility and assisted people with cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is a condition that affects movement and posture. Cerebral palsy is caused by damage that occurs to the developing brain. People that have cerebral palsy should be treated with respect and kindness. They have feelings like us but might not be able to express it, so we should help them to the best of our abilities to feel happy.
When we arrived at Bayville, the residents were patiently waiting for the DJ to arrive for their monthly birthday party for the residents that have birthdays in April. There were four April birthdays. First, we watched Men in Black II with the residents while they were waiting for the DJ to arrive. The movie was very eye-catching. The residents watched with great interest. After we finished Men in Black II, we assisted a few residents who wanted to sit next to their friends, so they asked us to move them next to their friends. When the DJ arrived, we sang and danced with the residents to make them feel important and happy. The DJ had a really good playlist of songs and the residents really enjoyed each song. Some of them moved their hands with the music happily. Even though the residents have physical limits, they still enjoyed every moment we were there for.
By participating in the event, we learned patience, respect and responsibility can impact people’s lives both physically and mentally. We also learned how important to work together. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Volunteers that participated: Zihan Wang (2 hours), Yile (Andy) Liu (2 hours), Michael Zhang (2 hours)
Reporter: Michael Zhang
