On Friday, January 15th, 2021, Thumbs Up donated 80 Smiles for Seniors Cheer Bags to Elk River Senior Living. The residents at Elk River Senior Living got a double dose of love and attention this week, starting on Monday with the donation of Smile Bags from the local nonprofit Thumbs Up that was followed up by immunizations for COVID on Tuesday.
Dee Tobias, one of the residents at Elk River Senior Living, got a sneak peek of the gifts, and even got to feel the softness of the All the Feels blankets. The gift bags were stowed away until they could be safely delivered by staff on Monday. The bags came with a blanket, a Thumbs Up coffee mug filled with treats, a night light and a mental health resource guide.
“We know seniors are sometimes forgotten about, so we want to make sure they don’t feel forgotten and that they always feel loved,” said Katie Shatusky, the founder of Thumbs Up who lost her grandfather to suicide before starting the nonprofit to raise awareness about mental health issues in the community and to prevent suicides. Our organization has had considerable success reaching youth in the community and now we are turning our attention to seniors and the elderly as well.
To read the full story by Elk River Star News click here.
