On Saturday, March 15th, from 1 PM to 4 PM, members of the AYLUS Roslyn Branch volunteered at a group home in Levittown under CP Nassau. CP Nassau (The Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County) is a non-profit organization that assists children and adults with disabilities to help them reach the highest level of independence. Group homes are a program under CP Nassau where residents live and have services provided to them by staff who assist with daily needs.
On this particular day, the volunteers decided to make marshmallow Rice Krispies treats. And with St. Patrick’s Day approaching, the treats were dyed a bright green and decorated with Lucky Charms marshmallows to add an extra touch of luck and charm. The volunteers assisted the residents with melting and cooling processes while the residents had fun doing everything else. They mixed up the marshmallows and cereal together and decorated the treats. From being in boxes to being stirred up in a sticky and gooey mixture of marshmallow fluff and butter, the plain cereal had a remarkable boost in flavor. The residents enjoyed mixing the Rice Krispie mixture as it was both soft and easy to mix, but the cereal provided an interesting rough texture, and the marshmallow was a slimy, gluey coating that added more to the fun. We also enjoyed picking out the marshmallow parts in the Lucky Charm cereal, though it was time-consuming, it was rewarding as we had a bowl of all marshmallow to top off the treats. Picking all of them out was a nice challenge for the residents because the bits were just big enough for them to pick up, but many pieces would be hiding in a corner of the bag, away from sight.
After finishing making the Rice Krispie treats, they were left to cool in the fridge for an hour. In this time we did arts and crafts with the residents. Some residents left to take a break, but the remaining ones were enthusiastic and we enjoyed their presence. We made horseshoe wind chimes (for more good luck) and picture frames with them. We ensured the residents could participate as much as they could to their fullest ability, whether that be picking out their favorite colors or painting with paint markers, or decorating with stickers. Our goal is to have accessible activities that everyone can enjoy doing.
The marshmallow treats were done as soon as we finished arts and crafts. The volunteers and the residents enjoyed a sweet and chewy treat. We were left with many leftovers, which we left for the other residents and the staff. And then we did our most eventful activity, UNO. Volunteers played alongside residents in many heated rounds of UNO. It’s anyone’s game when there are +4’s and Reverse cards. No matter if we won or lost, we had fun. To win, maybe all we need is some St. Patrick’s Day luck.
As our time was concluding, we played our final card games before saying goodbye. We learned that even when we aren’t directly helping someone in the moment, we are still making a difference. We strive to continue to make a positive impact in the lives of others by making their day or brightening their week.
Members who participated include (3 hours): Leo Zheng, Angelika Jiang, Michael Zhang, Leah Chan
Reporter: Leah Chan
