The freshly painted pumpkin sign was nearly complete. The artists, decades apart in age, studied its grinning face, complete with triangle eyes and nostrils.It needed mischievous eyebrows, The Springs at Lancaster Village resident decided. The highschooler nodded and dipped the paintbrush in a bright green. “Like this?” she asked, beginning to draw them on at a sharp angle as the resident smiled and agreed. The sign, like the others being created around the table, would later be hung on the senior’s apartment door.  The painting party on Friday, Oct. 18, was the second time this year that Blanchet Catholic School students came to the retirement home, a monthly meeting bringing crafts and conversation for residents. The school recently established a GlamourGals Foundation chapter, joining a national network of student-led volunteer work which aims to make connections across generations and reduce senior isolation. It’s one of two branches in the state, both established this year.The program is known for having students give makeovers to seniors during visits, which the Salem group plans to work up toward depending on resident and student interest. For now, they’re focusing on craft activities.The school and the retirement home are across the street from each other. Establishing a GlamourGals chapter revitalized a yearslong relationship between the school and retirement home, said Toni Nanneman, Blanchet’s development director.Up until the pandemic, students in a gospel club had come over every month to host activities, including a prom for the seniors.“It’s really about continuing that relationship, because it’s so close, it’s so easy. Just giving the kids that opportunity to connect with the seniors,” she said.Nanneman hadn’t heard of GlamourGals until Salem businessman Larry Tokarski reached out to see if Blanchet would be interested in starting a chapter. He offered to fund startup costs through the Mountain West Center for Community Excellence, which supports senior and community services Salem.In the spring, Nanneman gauged student interest and got a group of about eight committed to joining the club next fall. She thought that would be plenty.But when they announced the GlamourGals launch at a school assembly in September, 50 students signed up. It means that seniors will have around 20 visitors each month, while allowing students to miss the outings as needed for tests and sporting events. Nanneman said mostly girls have signed up, but boys are welcome.  Two students in the Salem club are part of exchange programs from Spain and Germany, she said. The table of all-women on Friday buzzed with excitement from the seniors when the Spanish student introduced herself.“This is a really unique opportunity for them because they don’t have these kinds of clubs at home,” Nanneman said. On Friday, the community room at the retirement center was filled with chatter for the full hour of the event, as the pumpkin signs transformed from plain wood to bright autumn decorations.Nancy Stinson, the retirement home’s life enrichment director, said the program has been a hit.“They love spending time with the younger people. They feel really special. The youth bring something out of the residents,” she said.  Students had been given a list of questions to fall back on to keep the conversation going if needed, but the conversations rarely ever lulled. One resident, watching the meeting from a nearby couch, remarked that the women seemed “completely changed,” and that he’d never seen them smile and talk so much. The club is not just a benefit for the seniors, Nanneman said.“It’s a piece of light. Not all of (the students) have grandparents that are alive or close by,” she said.Junior Elly Kennedy is the club’s president, and was one of the first students to sign up. She organizes the meetings and activities. Kennedy said she enjoys listening to the seniors’ stories, and that they’re really fun to talk with.At the first meeting in September, the club brought supplies to make friendship bracelets.  “A lot of the girls now have matching friendship bracelets with a lot of the ladies,” Kennedy said. Next month, they’ll do manicures. A Lancaster Village resident and Blanchet student add eyes to a painted jack-o’-lantern during a GlamourGals meeting. (Abbey McDonald/ Salem Reporter) Disclosure: Larry Tokarski is a founder and an owner of Salem Reporter. He is not involved in news coverage produced by Salem Reporter. Read more on that here.Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Seniors, Blanchet students bond over crafts appeared first on Salem Reporter.