Scores of senior citizens from the Westchester division were fêted by Councillor Shane Dalling and support groups Hands Farm United (HFU) and Helping Hand (HH) recently at the Westchester Community Centre. Dalling, who represents the communities of Westchester, Passagefort, Portmore Lane, Portmore Gardens and sections of Cumberland, said that his workers mainly targeted shut-ins and elderly people who don't have family members around to care for them. The elderly were given meals and food packages.

a memorable day

The support groups were on hand to aid the seniors and make it a memorable day for them. Hands Farm United is actually a bunch of volunteers who plant ground provisions on a farm in Westchester. When the vegetables are reaped, they are given to the elderly for consumption.

The other support group, HH, assists the elderly in the Westchester division with the preparation of legal documents and also collaborate to clean, wash and paint the seniors' dwellings.

fulfilling

These seniors are mainly the ones whose family members are not around to assist them, or they are not in a position to pay for a helper. Public relations officer for HFU and HH, Kwame Dawkins, said that they also "buy medication for the elderly and read their bible". "Our jobs are fulfilling as this gives us a sense of pride as we help senior citizens living in their communities," Dawkins said.