Special Treat for the Elderly

The Foundation of Goodness had the wonderful opportunity to liven up the holiday season for 45 elders from the Lankadara Elders’ Home in Borella & St. Thomas’ Elders’ Home in Kotte and bring smiles of joy to the elderly who have been left helpless in their latter years.

Donors Krishna and Nithya Selvanathan who have worked with FoG over the years to uplift the lives of many rural impoverished beneficiaries approached us in late 2016 with a unique request. They wanted to entertain a group of elders to enjoy the end of the year and celebrate the start of a brand new one. One of the main criteria for them though was to ensure that both male and female elders from different religious backgrounds had the chance to participate.

By working with the Lankadara and St. Thomas’ Elder’s Homes we were able to ensure that people from Buddhist, Catholic and Islamic faiths were a part of this special treat which included a delicious lunch and a gift pack containing deodorant, Vaseline crème, Dove shampoo and for the men, aftershave.

The elders were absolutely delighted by the gifts and were in high spirits during the meal but most of all, they were touched that someone thought of them and wanted to do something special to liven up their lives. Parted from their families due to tragedy or misfortune, it is rare for these residents to have a reason to celebrate. The joy that they felt during these events could clearly be seen on their smiling faces and the endless gratitude they expressed.

This incredibly thoughtful and loving gesture by the Selvanathan family reflects the true spirit of the season, as the greatest gift you can give another is to fill their hearts with happiness, especially as it went hand  in hand with an effort to bring together members of different communities and  religious backgrounds in unity and harmony.

17th January 2017