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Friendship Club Challenges Teens to Be Their Best
East
Brunswick, besides being a fabulous community, is now home to the newly
founded Friendship Club dedicated to enlisting and empowering area
teens to organize and demonstrate their care for the elderly and
infirm. Each week on Fridays, the teens, ranging in age between 12 and
16, mobilize and visit residents of the Chelsea Assisted Living Center
providing engaging and enjoyable culturally artistic and theatrical
activities .. They also distribute mini Challah rolls, as well as
flowers in honor of Shabbat –
the Sabbath, sponsored in part by the Shop Rite of East Brunswick. The
teens, who are all part of Chabad of East Brunswick’s Bas Mitzvah
Program, will also be conducting musical performances, as well as
participating in fun activities and projects bringing smiles on the
faces of the senior participants. 
“This has not only been a fun experience for the residents of Chelsea, but most of all a Mitzvah
(good deed) for all of the volunteers of this project,” said Rabbi
Aryeh Goodman, Director of Chabad of East Brunswick. The program’s goal
for the teens is to foster a healthy, personal connection with each of
the residents.
“We really look
forward to this program taking place, as we always welcome new faces
and especially the youth who bring joy and smiles into our residence.
The youth are a wonderful remedy for those who may be lonely and a
great prescription for making and maintaining relationships between the
residents and the youth.” said Gloria Petro, Executive Director of
Chelsea of East Brunswick. “Rabbi Goodman has been working closely with
Lee Becourtney, our Program Coordinator, to make this exciting, new
program a reality.”
“I love coming on
Fridays and seeing people who I can now call my friends,” said Madison
Klarer, age 13. Ashleigh David, age 12 from East Brunswick chimed,
“they love our Challahs too!”
“When you’ve got a
winning team of caring teens, it just makes people happy – and that’s a
very good thing for the elderly of our community,” added Rabbi Goodman,
“because everyone knows that when you’re in good spirits, you can
handle things in your life much easier.”
The Friendship Club
plans to expand its reach to different areas in the community. If you
would like to volunteer, or have some one that needs a visit, please
contact Chabad House at 908-938-3777.
Address: The Chelsea of East Brunswick - 606 Cranbury Rd. East Brunswick, NJ
Time: Every Friday June-August @ 3:30 PM
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