Twenty-nine seniors were playing bingo in the main room at North Park the morning of Dec. 16 when the fourth-graders from Passow School entered.
Some dressed for the occasion. Several wore reindeer antlers. One boy in a suit wore an elf hat with oversized ears. Another boy in a plaid shirt wore a Santa beard and mustache. A girl was dressed like a gold star.
The 70 or so choir students — essentially the entire fourth grade — were back for a second year to entertain the seniors.
“They used to do the tree lighting with the fifth-grade choir, but it got so crowded,” said music teacher Laura Dahl.
The students line up in three rows. Accompanied by Dahl on keyboard, they sing all the classics: “Deck the Halls,” “Silver Bells,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Clause is Coming to Town,” “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
A couple of seniors took photos. Others tapped their fingers or nodded their heads to the music.
The students took turns reading and acting out a story titled “You Are Special” by Max Lucado, which involved paper stars and a wood-carver.
To conclude, the children handed out handmade stars made of yarn and Popsicle sticks. This reporter — who didn’t realize he’d reached senior status — got one along with almost everyone else in the room.
“I thought it was very nice,” said James Van Vourus.
The children trooped out with a gift of cookies, and the seniors returned to their bingo cards.