At Parsonage Cottage, Greenwich Seniors Love a Visit from Santa!

The residents and staff of Parsonage Cottage Senior Residence received an early Christmas present on Friday thanks to an enthusiastic group of community-oriented Greenwich Country Day families supported by the Parsonage Cottage Junior Advisory Board and board member Mimi Santry.

The front parking lot of Parsonage Cottage was turned into a Winter Wonderland, and the merriment included two festively decorated jeeps, followed by a socially-distanced parade that included Santa Claus (Connor Santry), Mrs. Claus (Kristen Rosenbaum), Rudolph (Eliot Spizzirri), The Grinch (Nick Spizzirri) Frosty the Snowman (Dana Santry), Father Twas the Night before Christmas (Teddy Rosenbaum) and four Elves (Erin O’Connor, Julia Welsh, Cam Calcano, and Jojo McCurdy.)

Part-two of the holiday event, was a delivery of baskets of holiday cheer carried by additional 7th-grade elves from Greenwich Country Day and their mothers.

The group delivered of 32 baskets for residents and 17 gift bags for the Parsonage staff.

Executive Director Penny Lore expressed appreciation for the creative and festive effort for the residents and the staff.

“Celebrating the holidays like we usually do at Parsonage is not an option this year, and of course, there is an emotional cost to that. This drive-by parade brought joy to everyone here at Parsonage,” Lore said. “It really did lift spirits!”

Ms Lore explained that knowing that the residents and staff have been dealing with the pandemic since March, the idea was to bring some Christmas cheer to Parsonage.

“Of course, I am so grateful for the residents, but for my dedicated staff, this was something so extra-special for them, and the thoughtfulness and generosity truly touched them,” she added.

The specially curated baskets were given extra attention because of the pandemic, Santry explained.

“A great deal of care went into designing the gift baskets for the staff and residents,” Santry said. “We recognize that many people feel isolated, forgotten, and unappreciated during the holidays. We felt it was important that the gifts be personal. The boys made handmade cards complete with a photo, so it didn’t feel like a commercial card. Dancia Callahan monogrammed each caregiver’s name onto a zippered bag for the same reason. Laurie Costantino hand-selected jewelry from her company LuLu DK for the staff as a personal touch. The intention was to let them know their community appreciates them.”

The holiday event is not the first time the Junior Advisory Board and local supporters have joined forces to have some fun and increase awareness of this special senior community.  

In the spring, they held a very successful technology drive of more than 30 iPads. Before that, in June of 2019, ten local teenagers formed the Parsonage Cottage Junior Advisory Board, and to launch their efforts, they threw a “Tee Party.”

The goal was to create an event that would raise funds and awareness of the critical services provided to the elderly at Parsonage Cottage.

Using the beautiful grounds at Parsonage to host the event, the fundraiser included 18 holes of miniature golf, a DJ, and lunch with over 130 Greenwich residents and 27 corporate and family sponsors gathering for two hours of fun.

See also:

Living Life Your Way at Parsonage Cottage

About Parsonage Cottage Senior Residence:

Parsonage Cottage Senior Residence is an affordable home for our own Greenwich older adults to be able to age in place, near friends and family, remaining in the town they call home. Quality of life and health is so much better when we are in familiar surroundings, allowing for peace of mind for our residents, as well as their family members, who can visit more often.

Lore enthusiastically described the state-of-the-art, traditionally designed, large “cottage” as idyllically set on magnificently landscaped wooded acres in the heart of beautiful mid-town Greenwich.

“It’s really the people that make the difference. We have a caring staff, a hard-working Board of Directors, and every resident is treated as a member of the family,” said Lore.

Recently updated, the Cottage boasts 34 bright, spacious single rooms and three double rooms, all with large private baths. Residents are allowed to bring their own furniture to create a familiar home environment because, after all, there’s no place like home.