ALLEGANY, N.Y. — Many of the residents of Absolut Care of Allegany were so excited about the Halloween parade of children from Allegany-Limestone Elementary School that they dressed early Tuesday morning so they would be ready.
The parade of approximately 500 children from the school campus, located next door to Absolut Care on Maple Avenue, has been held the past three years as a community effort, said Principal Kimberly Moore. She noted the children were broken up into a morning group visit by younger students and a visit by older students in the afternoon.
Years ago, the event was held on a smaller scale and involved costumed students from a couple of Allegany-Limestone Elementary classrooms who visited the activity center of Absolut Care.
Over the past few years, however, the Halloween parade of students on school grounds has been followed by many of the students visiting the Absolut Care seniors, Moore stated. She said the community has pitched in with the parade by providing local law enforcement and fire department personnel for security.
“This is kind of becoming a community activity,” she continued. “A larger number (of classrooms) went over to the nursing home this year. The teachers set all of this on themselves by taking the students over there.”
“When we were on the parade route (outside of school) we could see the people who are living over there,” Moore said of the seniors. “They lined up by the windows and waved to the kids who went by in the parade.”
At Absolut Care, social worker Jessica Kramer said the group of children was the largest she’s ever seen at the facility.
“It’s been a definite tradition since I’ve been here” the past seven years, Kramer added.
As for the nursing facility, Kramer said the seniors had prepared for the event the past several weeks.
“We talked about candy and costumes (for the seniors) and where everybody would be properly positioned,” she shared. “They put their costumes and hats on bright and early.”
“It’s really nice and they look forward to it,” she said, noting that both the facility and residents purchased candy for the event.
Amy Button, activities director, said the parade is beneficial for everyone involved.
“This is great for the different generations to interact,” Button observed. “They all wanted to be a part of this.”
