La Salle-Peru High girls soccer team creates Valentine’s Day cards for seniors in long-term care facilities

There is nothing better than doing something that puts a smile on someone’s face or that makes them feel loved.

That is the goal for the LaSalle-Peru girls soccer team.

On Sunday, coach Christin Pappas’ team gathered at Ottawa artist Jeremy Johnson’s My Abstract Art and Apparel gallery in downtown Utica to not only spend time with one another but to make Valentine’s Day cards for seniors in long-term care facilities.

A few weeks ago, State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, launched a drive that encouraged churches, schools and community members of the 38th Senate District to write Valentine’s Day cards to be collected and then delivered to the facilities in the district.

With a couple of tables covered in paper, markers, colored pencils and paint, the Lady Cavaliers were hard at work creating cards they hope will bring joy to people who need it. In the end, the group produced 92 cards, many of which rivaled anything with “Hallmark” written on the back.

“As a coach, every year I always try to set up something for the team to do that gives back to the community,” said Pappas, whose team missed out on playing last spring because of COVID-19 but maintains high hopes of returning to the field this season. “This year has been very limited as far as what we could do, but this was something that came up that I felt would be something we could do and a great fit. Being a team is more than just winning games for me, and this is something we are able to do together and for a great reason.

“This has been a great day, not only for us to be able to get together, but also for the girls to know what they are doing today is going to put a smile on someone’s face.”

Lady Cavaliers senior Lea Selquist said she isn’t much of an artist, but the mix of being able to get together as a team while also doing something special for the community is something she’s been looking forward to since she found out about it.

“When I first heard of what we were going to do today, I just thought about how, hopefully, this will be encouraging for the older people in our communities that will receive these,” Selquist said. “I was also excited that we were going to be able to get together as a team and spend time with each other. I have some really creative and talented teammates; some of these cards are just fantastic. This has been just a fun day all around, being with teammates and coaches, but also knowing what we are doing here will bring joy to someone else.”

L-P junior AnnMarie Depenbrock followed Selquist in admitting art isn’t exactly her strong suit but that she knows the cards that her and her teammates made are going to make an impact.

“My brother paints a lot, and sometimes I paint with him. I’m not an art major, but I’m having a lot of fun today,” Depenbrock said. “I’m very hopeful that these cards will make someone happy. I know my grandparents love to get letters from me, so, hopefully, the cards I made today will find their a way to someone like that, and it will make their day.”

Depenbrock’s classmate, Analiyah Flores, says, although being tough to do, throughout the past months she has tried to look on the bright side of things and that Sunday was special for her with the combination of being able to hang out with teammates but also doing something that she hopes will be uplifting to someone in her community.

“I’ve tried to think about the positives throughout all of this since the pandemic started last spring,” Flores said. “Today has been great in the fact it gives us a chance to get to know each other better on a personal level, not just as soccer players. The past months have been tough on everyone, but those who are in senior facilities have maybe had it tougher than any of us.

“It’s good to know what we are doing something that will brighten someone’s day.”

Rezin’s office will collect Valentine’s Day cards through Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Mail-in or drop-off locations:

Peru Office

350 5th St., Ste. 264, Peru, IL 61354

Mail-in only location:

Morris Office

1802 N. Division St., Ste. 314, Morris, IL 60450

For more information or to arrange a separate drop-off time, call 815-220-8720.