Students Bring Valentine's Cheer To Heron Pointe

BROOKSVILLE - In the dining area of Brooksville's Heron

Pointe Health and Rehabilitation Facility, resident

Israel Kacanek, 86, was the life of the party

Wednesday.

After more than 60 years as a member of Rotary

International, he was proud to see local high school

students carrying on the tradition of community

service, even if he was on the receiving end.

"It was a surprise," he said, smiling.

On Valentine's Day "eve," students from Brooksville's

Nature Coast Technical High School's Interact Club - an

offshoot of Rotary International - brought some holiday

love to the 125 residents of Heron Pointe.

Armed with handmade baskets of candy, bouquets and

balloons, the students spent the afternoon chatting and

mingling with the residents, many of whom perked up for

the visit.

Freshman Christina Armbruster, 14, made sure every

resident received sunny Valentine's Day stickers on

their lapels.

"I put some smiles on people's faces," she said. "One

man was telling me about how he was in the military,

and that was cool. I love stories."

For residents uncomfortable with human interaction, the

group also brought the school's therapy dog, Guido, a

golden retriever, dressed in a festive red-and-pink

Valentine's Day collar.

Interact adviser Patricia Genovese, who teaches

American Literature at Nature Coast, said she hopes to

make the field trip an annual event.

"We make such a big deal out of holidays, but sometimes

folks in hospitals and facilities get (left out)," she

said. "We're bringing them that one-on-one attention

that they need."

A community outreach organization, the school's club

consists of 40 students who work on service projects

and fundraising throughout the year. Past projects have

included raising money for the county's future dog

park, donating books to needy schools in Kenya and

mailing care packages to soldiers in Afghanistan.

"I find that the singular thread that runs through all

of the students is compassion," Genovese said. "They

understand that if you're going to live in a community,

you're responsible for taking care of each other."

And the students "get back" just as much as they give,

they said.

"The residents are really friendly, and it's fun to

give them gifts," senior Kayla Kinney, 18, said. "They

love conversation."