Balloons Help Brighten Up Swampscott's Residence At Vinnin Square

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — A campaign to "Adopt-a-Grandparent" with a balloon donation during the coronavirus health crisis has now led to more than 200 buddies between the Swampscott Senior Center, the Residence at Vinnin Square and individual recipients.

Fairytale Moments Events organized the campaign that provided more than 100 balloons to the senior center and then 80 more to the Residence with the help of some Stanley Elementary School fourth-graders.

Fairytale Moments Events owner Carolina Velasquez told Patch the Swampscott Police Association sponsored 20 buddies during the program and the fourth-graders eagerly supported the campaign when teacher Kathleen Huntley presented the initiative to her class.

Velasquez said the students raised funds and Huntley matched what they raised. Velasquez said she made up the difference to fill the project's goal of 80 balloon buddies.

"We also had some individual requests for buddies to cheer up patients and staff in COVID units at hospitals and rehab facilities, a few for some seniors in Swampscott and beyond and even a few for offices to cheer up staff," Velasquez said. "Now that events are being held again and there are many occasions to celebrate we are focusing on helping with all those event needs. I hope to do something else (similar to "Adopt-a-Grandparent") in the future and am always open to ideas on how to bring smiles."

(The Sierra Club recommends proper disposal of balloons to help protect animals. The Club said once the balloon deflates, remove the remaining air, cut the balloons and any ribbon into small pieces and seal them tightly in a bag before discarding them.)

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)