Students put together care packages

Students wrap packages

Dori Gilman's Health Occupations class at Adirondack Educational Center in Saranac Lake spent the fall working with residents at Adirondack Health's Mercy Living Center. That is, until COVID numbers got worse and students had to stop visiting the nursing home in Tupper Lake.

 So for Christmas, students wanted to do something to put a smile of the faces of Mercy residents even if they couldn't visit. They gathered helpful items for care packages, including socks, toiletries and treats.

Student wraps gifts

 They wrapped up the packages with cheerful holiday bags and paper. They also colored cards and wrote messages to residents they had worked with and others who needed a holiday pick-me-up.

 Ms. Gilman brought the bags to Mercy a few days before Christmas and dropped them off with administrators there, who made sure they were safely distributed to residents. 

Health Occupations is one of eight Career and Technical Education programs offered by Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES at Adirondack Educational Center. Health Occ is a two-year, half-day program for juniors and seniors that provides students with the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to start a career in healthcare. 

Students pose with patient dummy