Girlfriends

     Started by the amazing Carolyn Malkin,

Girlfriends is a program that brings high school girls and senior women together in the town of Westport, CT. It is a collaboration of the Westport Center for Senior Activities, the Dept. of Human Services, and Staples High School. A pair of Staples HS girls (sophmores and juniors), visit a senior “girlfriend” at home once a week. Sometimes when they visit they’ll just talk, have a cup of tea together, or  show the senior how to do something on their computer or iPad or phone.

For the teenagers, it’s a great opportunity to earn community service hours and make new senior friends. For the women, it is a great opportunity to act as a mentor and get to know some of the young people in our town. The senior women can be wonderful mentors for the girls — sharing with them what life was like when they were teenagers and also offering nuggets of wisdom and advice that only a grandmother can ; )

My mother Jo Woog is lucky enough to have two lovely girls visit her weekly and recently the whole group met at the Senior Center to celebrate Valentines Day.  There was dancing, pizza, cookies and cake.  A great time was had by all.