Volunteer Day 2017 at Westchester Villa Retirement Home in Inglewood

During the holiday season, the “I Have A Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles (IHADLA) strives to spread holiday cheer among its students and their communities. We hold several holiday events during which our Dreamers celebrate and receive gifts, but during this time we also seek to show our Dreamers the power of giving back through several community service activities. One such activity, which has become a yearly tradition for IHADLA, is the Dreamer Volunteer Day. This year, our high school Dreamers continued the Volunteer Day tradition by spreading holiday joy during a community service trip to the Westchester Villa Assisted Living Home in Inglewood.

IHADLA Dreamer and Westchester Villa Resident During Dreamer Volunteer Day in Inglewood
A Dreamer helping a resident with a decoration during the IHADLA Dreamer Volunteer Day 2017

The Inglewood Dreamers Continued an IHADLA Holiday Tradition

The Inglewood Dreamers have been visiting the Westchester Villa Assisted Living Home for the past four years. Last year, they brought holiday cheer to the residents by singing holiday carols with them; this year, they helped the residents create holiday decorations to make the Villas look cheerful and festive. Using arts and crafts supplies and glue, the Dreamers and residents created various fun decorations, including red holiday stockings and ribbons. Of course, there was also plenty of time for the Dreamers and residents to converse and get to know each other over holiday cookies and refreshments.

IHADLA Dreamers Community Service at Westchester Villas
The Dreamers’ trip to the Westchester Villas has become a yearly tradition

In addition to helping the residents create decorations, the Dreamers also collaborated to decorate the Westchester Villa Christmas tree. All the visiting Dreamers helped place glass ornaments on the Villa’s tree. When the Dreamers finished, the tree was covered in sparkling silver, gold, and red ornaments and twinkling white lights for the Westchester Villa residents to enjoy.

Dreamers Decorating Tree During Character Education Trip to Westchester Villa Assisted Living Home
The Dreamers also helped decorate Westchester Villa’s Christmas tree

Dreamer Kenneth Brown Performed Music for the Westchester Villa Residents

The evening’s activities included music performed by one of our Inglewood Dreamers. Kenneth Brown, a Dreamer who hopes to be a musician in the future, performed music with his trumpet for the residents and the other Dreamers as they created their decorations and decorated the tree. Kenneth’s music filled the halls of the Villas and brought even more holiday cheer to the event.

IHADLA Inglewood Dreamer Playing Trumpet during Community Service Trip
Dreamer Kenneth Brown provided great music for the event with his trumpet

This Trip Was Great for Both the Dreamers and the Villa Residents

Both the Dreamers and the residents had a great time getting to know each other, working on their arts and crafts projects, and sharing the spirit of togetherness of the holiday season. We hope that next year’s Christmas trip will be just as fun for everyone involved!

Group photo of Inglewood Dreamers in Front of Decorated Christmas Tree at Westchester Villas
A group shot of the Dreamers with the decorated Christmas tree

More Photos from the Dreamers’ Community Service Trip to the Westchester Villa Assisted Living Home in Inglewood

Dreamers and Westchester Villa Retirement Home Residents Making Decorations
The Dreamers helped the Westchester Villa residents make stocking Christmas decorations
Inglewood Dreamers trip to Westchester Villa Retirement Home
A Dreamer and Westchester Villa resident working on their decorations
IHADLA Westchester Villa Assisted Living Home Trip for Inglewood Dreamers
The Dreamers and the Westchester Villa residents had a great time learning about each other and making decorations

How You Can Help

If you would like to help us continue to offer holistic education programs and activities for our Dreamers, please visit our How You Can Help page by clicking the graphic below or navigating to the How You Can Help tab on our website. You can get involved with IHADLA in many ways, such as by donating, volunteering, mentoring, or being a Dream Speaker for our students.

How You Can Help I Have a Dream Foundation Los Angeles