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Lee University students recently made Easter wreaths for the residents of Legacy Senior Living in Cleveland, as part of a LEAP (Learn, Engage, Achieve Program) service project.

“I really enjoyed putting together wreaths for the residents,” said Stephanie Larche, LEAP student. “I feel like the demographic of people we served is sometimes overlooked, so getting to do a project to let them know they’re valued and cared for was very meaningful to me. I had my own grandparents in mind while making wreaths, and they live far from me, so I’d love to imagine young people local to them caring for and serving them the way I got to do here in Cleveland through LEAP.”

The service project was designed for LEAP students and initiated by Dr. Angela Waltrip, director of LEAP, and Kathi Douglas, community coordinator. Waltrip and Douglas purchased items and the students put together Easter wreaths made from pool noodles. The students were joined by their LEAP coaches Jake Fast, Douglas, and Amber Taylor Delong.

“LEAP students always enjoy doing service projects together,” said Waltrip. “Since the time of the pandemic, students have really wanted to reach out to our senior citizens. This year, they wanted to do something bright and colorful to remind seniors that they are loved. We were overwhelmed with the creativity of all of the students.”

Each semester, LEAP provides a service project for Lee students to fulfill their service hour requirement. Thirty students participated in this project, creating a total of 76 wreaths that were delivered to Legacy Senior Living this month.

“These Easter wreaths made our residents so excited,” said Christina Clevenger, executive director for Legacy. “We are so thankful to Lee University’s LEAP students who spent many hours creating these wreaths. Our residents are so proud to display them on their doors.”

Walmart and Lowes also gave a donation of “gifts in kind” for the project, donating ribbons, flowers, glue guns, and glue.

LEAP started in 2015 and currently serves 140 first-generation or underrepresented students each year who meet the eligibility criteria. The program currently provides individual success coaching, peer mentors, direct student aid, financial aid counseling, financial literacy education, cultural and academic enrichment opportunities, and other personalized services according to individual students’ needs.