On Friday afternoon, a student delegation traveled to Ogden’s Three Link Tower apartments and Fellowship Manor to lead singalongs of holiday favorites with senior residents. Among those participating were the school’s cheer team, drill team — also known as the Bonnie Lassies — and members of student government.

The singalong tradition began in 2016, when students made their first visit to Three Link Tower apartments. This year, the event was expanded to include Fellowship Manor, where Senior Social Service Coordinator Rhonda Carlson says some residents contend with feelings of loneliness and isolation during the holiday season.

“A lot of our residents here are by themselves for the holidays,” Carlson told the Standard-Examiner. “Several of them, their family doesn’t come out and see them very often, especially during the holidays. … This just brings Christmas spirit to the building for those who are lonely during the holidays and, obviously, interacting with the younger generation. I saw a lot of them smiling and it made me happy.”

The Fellowship Manor event took place in the building’s penthouse, where residents sang along with the students. Some were even inspired to get up and dance alongside them.

“You get here and you just feel like you make people happy and, so, it makes you feel happy; just lightening up the mood. So, it gets better every year because you see more faces, you see new faces and people will tell you … ‘We’re just so happy to see you guys every year.’ So, it gets better by the year,” said Sarah Spinelli, a student and cheerleader at Ben Lomond.

For Fellowship Manor resident Pat Champion, who’s celebrating a remission of lung cancer, the singalong proved to be the ideal way to mark the occasion.

“I feel like this whole program — and those sweet, wonderful, adorable girls — made my year,” Champion said. “I don’t see my kids too often. They live in other states and things like that and I don’t see that many young, teenage people. It’s so great to see all the energy and the love and the beauty and everything. Just amazing.”

The spirit of giving will extend into Saturday at Ben Lomond as the school hosts hundreds of families from Box Elder, Davis and Weber counties for a Community Christmas event.

Sponsored by the Ogden-Weber Community Action Partnership and Ogden School District, the event will see the school transformed into a “department store” where items donated by individuals, organizations and companies will be available for participants, free of charge. Thus, participating families will be able to simulate the Christmas shopping experience.

Participation in the event, running from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., is contingent on qualifying criteria, including financial need and attendance in prior educational and self-sufficiency classes. The Community Christmas also will include a resource fair and Christmas carnival. For more information, go to https://www.communitychristmasut.org/event-info/.