CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Facebook Adopt-a-Senior pages have been popping up from across the country, and one local mom Ashley Calderon,wants to make sure high school seniors in the Coastal Bend have a special year despite so many milestones being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This Facebook Adopt-a-Senior page gives the community a chance to adopt a senior and send them a simple thank you note or a gift card to lift their spirits.
This page caught on quickly. In just a few days more than 9,000 people from all over have joined the group. This has sparked interest from many area local businesses like Mira’s Sports and More to adopt area seniors.
“A lot of these kids I have known since they were like 3 or even when they were born. Now they are seniors, and it hits home. I went to the adopt-a-senior page and decided we would do a 100. Within minutes, those 100 fulfilled so I jumped to 200, and those 200 fulfilled, and now, I don’t even know the number, maybe 300, 400, 500,” said owner of Mira’s Sports and More Sandra Morales.
As for many area high school seniors, they love the idea that the community is behind them.
“My friend's mom actually adopted me, and I thought it was pretty cool, sending me money, love, and reassuring me everything is going to be okay, that they are here for me,” said Tuloso-Midway senior Chence Hull.
“So it is just awesome seeing our spirits being lifted by receiving a basket with our favorite things or letters of encouragement. Some people even Venmo their senior money,” said Calallen senior Chantel Karpesky.
“It is just amazing to see our community come together to support the seniors and show them that they are still loved and that there are people out there who care about them,” said Tuloso-Midway senior London Ayala.
Despite so many milestones being missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic the class of 2020 says there is a lesson to be learned.
“I am looking at things more positively because you never know how valuable something is until you have lost it,” said Hull.
“I say that the lesson here to learn is that you should count each moment as a blessing and never take for granted who you are surrounded by or who you are with,” said Ayala.
“We are a family, we are a community, we are united, and when someone is hurt we all hurt, and we all come together. It is the beauty of Texas and the beauty of Corpus CHristi,” said Morales.
A community coming together to show us all, whether big or small, kindness can go a long way.
If you'd like to adopt a high school senior or share a teen in your life who could use some support visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2270894929680630/?fref=nf
