The holidays are a time for sweetness, joy, and love. This year is no exception at West End House, even if some of our traditions had to be adapted. Our community has come together around opportunities for young people to create, express themselves, learn, stay active, and have fun!
As we wish our community happy holidays and get ready for our winter break, we’d like to share a few highlights and expressions of gratitude for all who have helped to make the season bright.
Family Advisory Network: Our generous “FAN Club”
In early December, leaders from among our families kicked off the season by volunteering their time decorating and preparing for the festivities to come. Although we minimize the number of people entering our building each day, we were thrilled to welcome them inside for a special day of service.
Decking the Halls With Creativity
Club Members in our Learning Hubs worked after (remote) school to prepare for upcoming celebrations, creating oversized decorations and banners that we hoped to use in an outdoor, live-streamed winter showcase. When COVID and winter weather forced a change of plans, we were still able to enjoy them throughout the building, and featured them in our Winter Showcase.
Winter Showcase: Encore! Encore!
Our Virtual Winter Showcase was a huge hit! Since premiering on Facebook on Friday, December 17, the video has captured more than 600 watches on Facebook alone! This week, we posted an Encore — a Jingle Bell Rock dance-off recorded by Club members on TikTok.
In case you missed it:
Abundant Joy, Overflowing generosity
We celebrated as a community with cookie decorating (and eating!), Holiday Bingo, a Zoom Visit from the Red Sox’s Wally and a real-life visit from Santa! Members of the West End House extended family – supporters and partners, Board members and volunteers, parents and caregivers and the young people themselves contributed time and resources to make the season a memorable one. From flowers gifted to us by the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum to gifts delivered by Santa, generosity was overflowing this season.
On our last day together before the break, each Learning Hub decorated pieces of a Club-wide Gingerbread House. Once assembled, the festive creation reminds us that even when we spend time physically separated we’re all connected as one big family.
Happy Holidays to our West End House Community!
