Rio Americano high school students delivered 50 fresh evergreen wreaths for the door of every senior resident at Sunrise Assisted Living Facility, located at 5451 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Carmichael on Friday, Dec. 4th.

The wreaths were made in conjunction with the school’s Special Education students, who delivered their homemade swag wreaths in groups of six with intervals coming by every hour with more fresh evergreen wreaths made on campus. This community outreach was organized by Rio school pride and spirit support group OneRio as a way to unite Rio students for a good cause. The group paired up with Sunrise Assisted Living, the local senior care facility in their community, to bring holiday spirit and the fresh scent of Christmas to people who could use some holiday cheer.

This special effort to bring holiday cheer to the community’s elderly began with OneRio’s Rio Wreaths fundraiser that offered people the opportunity to donate their purchased wreath to the goal of providing 50 fresh evergreen wreaths for every senior resident door at Sunrise of Carmichael.

To make sure Rio Americano could reach its goal, Wendy Finnecy, a substitute teacher for Rio Americano, organized a wreath making event with the Special Education students as part of OneRio’s efforts to bring Rio Americano groups together in school pride, spirit, and community outreach events and programs.

“I think it’s fantastic when we involve Special Education students as part of all the great things happening at Rio. It was great seeing all the students from different groups coming together for a good cause,” said Finnecy. “And the kids had so much fun working together to bring some holiday cheer to the elderly residents of the community.”

Rio Americano students and other student groups, which included Rio Student Government, Civitas, Rio Band, Rowdy Raiders spirit group, and sports teams, joined alongside Special Education students to make the wreaths from pine boughs from Mikey’s Christmas Trees lot. They created 40 swag wreaths that were delivered by Rio’s Special Ed students to Sunrise of Carmichael throughout the day Friday with a final group of Rio students delivering the last wreaths from the Rio Wreath fundraiser after school at 3:30 p.m.

“I know if my grandma was not able to be in her own home and decorate for the holidays she would really love seeing a fresh wreath on her door every time she goes to her room,” said Rio Americano sophomore Marin Wright. “The fact that everyone who lives at Sunrise gets one on their door and we created this bit of holiday spirit for them with these homemade wreaths makes it even better.”

Sunrise of Carmichael, which offers assisted living to the elderly as well as Alzheimer’s and memory care, prides themselves on providing a warm, caring, home-like environment, focused on providing comfort, independence, and happiness to their residents who can no longer care for themselves in their own home. The care facility was thrilled to have Rio Americano offer to provide a touch of home in the form of a fresh scented wreath for every resident door.

“We do our best here to make residents feel at home, especially at the holidays that can make people long for home and family,” said Darrel Richards, activities coordinator for Sunrise of Carmichael. “Having the students of Rio help us provide that sense of community and holiday cheer with a lovely Christmas wreath greeting them at their door is a true gift in the holiday spirit.”