Connie Heise spent many years as a den mother for a troop of Cub Scouts, so she was delighted when a group of Boy Scouts dropped by for a visit at Primrose Retirement Community of Duluth a few weeks ago. The Scouts spent an evening with the residents, building and designing pinewood derby racecars. On Sunday, the Scouts returned for some friendly competition. Heise, 88, and fellow residents crowded a hallway to watch the little wooden cars they helped assemble and paint zip down a 35-foot track. "They are really a nice bunch of boys," Heise said. "These young boys, they really do well with old people. It's good for the boys, and it's good for the seniors." The idea to have the Scouts come in originated with Cindy Hnatek, Primrose's life enrichment coordinator. Hnatek said she thought it would be fun to have the Scouts visit, and the traditional pinewood derby proved to be a good way for them to bond - particularly because many residents have been involved in Scouting with their own children or grandchildren. "I love it," Hnatek said as she watched the races. "Just seeing the reactions from the seniors and getting them involved - that little bit of competition. I do have a lot of seniors here that are very competitive, and they love this."
The Scouts are members of Troop 25, based at Elim Lutheran Church in West Duluth. For their efforts, they collected community service hours, which go toward rank advancement. Scoutmaster Keith Olafson said the invitation from Primrose provided the boys with an opportunity to interact with seniors and practice some in-person, hands-on skills. "They get to go to a different community, per se, and interact with people that have a lot of knowledge and history," he said. "It's almost like having a bunch of grandmas and grandpas." While the Scouts in attendance were ages 11 and up, the pinewood derby is actually an event typically held by the younger Cub Scouts, who build the model cars from kits with the help of their parents. But Olafson said the boys are now at an age where they can take a more active role in helping build the racecars, and volunteering is a central component for the group. Jace Elder, 16, is a Life Scout and the troop's senior patrol leader. He summarized the experience. "Just volunteering, having fun and getting to help people," he said. "It's a big part of what the Scouts are about." The Scouts loaded the wooden cars into the four-track starting gate for a series of races. Residents cheered on their cars as they sped down the track, reaching the finish line in just seconds. For those looking for bragging rights, an automatic timing system helped keep track of the leaderboard. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"3024790","attributes":{"alt":"Boy Scout Jace Elder, 16. Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com","class":"media-image","height":"472","title":"","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"300"}}]]Resident Ellen Niemann, 90, also was involved with the Scouts as a mother. She said has volunteering played an important role in her life, and she worked for many years in pastoral care. She spoke highly of her teammate, Andrew Bush. "He was really the designer," she said. "All I said was I wanted a rainbow car, and he took care of it from there. But we worked together." As she was talking with a reporter after the races, Niemann was interrupted with a bout of applause from her fellow residents. It was announced that her car had topped the speed charts for the day. Her teammate presented her with a holiday gift bag, in addition to the prizes that the Scouts handed out to each participant. "I couldn't have done it without you," she told Andrew. "You were a joy to work with."Connie Heise spent many years as a den mother for a troop of Cub Scouts, so she was delighted when a group of Boy Scouts dropped by for a visit at Primrose Retirement Community of Duluth a few weeks ago. The Scouts spent an evening with the residents, building and designing pinewood derby racecars. On Sunday, the Scouts returned for some friendly competition. Heise, 88, and fellow residents crowded a hallway to watch the little wooden cars they helped assemble and paint zip down a 35-foot track. "They are really a nice bunch of boys," Heise said. "These young boys, they really do well with old people. It's good for the boys, and it's good for the seniors." The idea to have the Scouts come in originated with Cindy Hnatek, Primrose's life enrichment coordinator. Hnatek said she thought it would be fun to have the Scouts visit, and the traditional pinewood derby proved to be a good way for them to bond - particularly because many residents have been involved in Scouting with their own children or grandchildren. "I love it," Hnatek said as she watched the races. "Just seeing the reactions from the seniors and getting them involved - that little bit of competition. I do have a lot of seniors here that are very competitive, and they love this." [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"3024789","attributes":{"alt":"Boy Scout Connor Suliin, 13. Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com","class":"media-image","height":"469","title":"","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"300"}}]]The Scouts are members of Troop 25, based at Elim Lutheran Church in West Duluth. For their efforts, they collected community service hours, which go toward rank advancement. Scoutmaster Keith Olafson said the invitation from Primrose provided the boys with an opportunity to interact with seniors and practice some in-person, hands-on skills. "They get to go to a different community, per se, and interact with people that have a lot of knowledge and history," he said. "It's almost like having a bunch of grandmas and grandpas." While the Scouts in attendance were ages 11 and up, the pinewood derby is actually an event typically held by the younger Cub Scouts, who build the model cars from kits with the help of their parents. But Olafson said the boys are now at an age where they can take a more active role in helping build the racecars, and volunteering is a central component for the group. Jace Elder, 16, is a Life Scout and the troop's senior patrol leader. He summarized the experience. "Just volunteering, having fun and getting to help people," he said. "It's a big part of what the Scouts are about." The Scouts loaded the wooden cars into the four-track starting gate for a series of races. Residents cheered on their cars as they sped down the track, reaching the finish line in just seconds. For those looking for bragging rights, an automatic timing system helped keep track of the leaderboard.
Resident Ellen Niemann, 90, also was involved with the Scouts as a mother. She said has volunteering played an important role in her life, and she worked for many years in pastoral care. She spoke highly of her teammate, Andrew Bush. "He was really the designer," she said. "All I said was I wanted a rainbow car, and he took care of it from there. But we worked together." As she was talking with a reporter after the races, Niemann was interrupted with a bout of applause from her fellow residents. It was announced that her car had topped the speed charts for the day. Her teammate presented her with a holiday gift bag, in addition to the prizes that the Scouts handed out to each participant. "I couldn't have done it without you," she told Andrew. "You were a joy to work with."Connie Heise spent many years as a den mother for a troop of Cub Scouts, so she was delighted when a group of Boy Scouts dropped by for a visit at Primrose Retirement Community of Duluth a few weeks ago.The Scouts spent an evening with the residents, building and designing pinewood derby racecars.On Sunday, the Scouts returned for some friendly competition.Heise, 88, and fellow residents crowded a hallway to watch the little wooden cars they helped assemble and paint zip down a 35-foot track."They are really a nice bunch of boys," Heise said. "These young boys, they really do well with old people. It's good for the boys, and it's good for the seniors."The idea to have the Scouts come in originated with Cindy Hnatek, Primrose's life enrichment coordinator.Hnatek said she thought it would be fun to have the Scouts visit, and the traditional pinewood derby proved to be a good way for them to bond - particularly because many residents have been involved in Scouting with their own children or grandchildren."I love it," Hnatek said as she watched the races. "Just seeing the reactions from the seniors and getting them involved - that little bit of competition. I do have a lot of seniors here that are very competitive, and they love this."
The Scouts are members of Troop 25, based at Elim Lutheran Church in West Duluth. For their efforts, they collected community service hours, which go toward rank advancement.Scoutmaster Keith Olafson said the invitation from Primrose provided the boys with an opportunity to interact with seniors and practice some in-person, hands-on skills."They get to go to a different community, per se, and interact with people that have a lot of knowledge and history," he said. "It's almost like having a bunch of grandmas and grandpas."While the Scouts in attendance were ages 11 and up, the pinewood derby is actually an event typically held by the younger Cub Scouts, who build the model cars from kits with the help of their parents.But Olafson said the boys are now at an age where they can take a more active role in helping build the racecars, and volunteering is a central component for the group.Jace Elder, 16, is a Life Scout and the troop's senior patrol leader. He summarized the experience."Just volunteering, having fun and getting to help people," he said. "It's a big part of what the Scouts are about."The Scouts loaded the wooden cars into the four-track starting gate for a series of races. Residents cheered on their cars as they sped down the track, reaching the finish line in just seconds.For those looking for bragging rights, an automatic timing system helped keep track of the leaderboard.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"3024790","attributes":{"alt":"Boy Scout Jace Elder, 16. Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com","class":"media-image","height":"472","title":"","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"300"}}]]Resident Ellen Niemann, 90, also was involved with the Scouts as a mother. She said has volunteering played an important role in her life, and she worked for many years in pastoral care. She spoke highly of her teammate, Andrew Bush."He was really the designer," she said. "All I said was I wanted a rainbow car, and he took care of it from there. But we worked together."As she was talking with a reporter after the races, Niemann was interrupted with a bout of applause from her fellow residents. It was announced that her car had topped the speed charts for the day.Her teammate presented her with a holiday gift bag, in addition to the prizes that the Scouts handed out to each participant."I couldn't have done it without you," she told Andrew. "You were a joy to work with."Connie Heise spent many years as a den mother for a troop of Cub Scouts, so she was delighted when a group of Boy Scouts dropped by for a visit at Primrose Retirement Community of Duluth a few weeks ago.The Scouts spent an evening with the residents, building and designing pinewood derby racecars.On Sunday, the Scouts returned for some friendly competition.Heise, 88, and fellow residents crowded a hallway to watch the little wooden cars they helped assemble and paint zip down a 35-foot track."They are really a nice bunch of boys," Heise said. "These young boys, they really do well with old people. It's good for the boys, and it's good for the seniors."The idea to have the Scouts come in originated with Cindy Hnatek, Primrose's life enrichment coordinator.Hnatek said she thought it would be fun to have the Scouts visit, and the traditional pinewood derby proved to be a good way for them to bond - particularly because many residents have been involved in Scouting with their own children or grandchildren."I love it," Hnatek said as she watched the races. "Just seeing the reactions from the seniors and getting them involved - that little bit of competition. I do have a lot of seniors here that are very competitive, and they love this."[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"3024789","attributes":{"alt":"Boy Scout Connor Suliin, 13. Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com","class":"media-image","height":"469","title":"","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"300"}}]]The Scouts are members of Troop 25, based at Elim Lutheran Church in West Duluth. For their efforts, they collected community service hours, which go toward rank advancement.Scoutmaster Keith Olafson said the invitation from Primrose provided the boys with an opportunity to interact with seniors and practice some in-person, hands-on skills."They get to go to a different community, per se, and interact with people that have a lot of knowledge and history," he said. "It's almost like having a bunch of grandmas and grandpas."While the Scouts in attendance were ages 11 and up, the pinewood derby is actually an event typically held by the younger Cub Scouts, who build the model cars from kits with the help of their parents.But Olafson said the boys are now at an age where they can take a more active role in helping build the racecars, and volunteering is a central component for the group.Jace Elder, 16, is a Life Scout and the troop's senior patrol leader. He summarized the experience."Just volunteering, having fun and getting to help people," he said. "It's a big part of what the Scouts are about."The Scouts loaded the wooden cars into the four-track starting gate for a series of races. Residents cheered on their cars as they sped down the track, reaching the finish line in just seconds.For those looking for bragging rights, an automatic timing system helped keep track of the leaderboard.
Resident Ellen Niemann, 90, also was involved with the Scouts as a mother. She said has volunteering played an important role in her life, and she worked for many years in pastoral care. She spoke highly of her teammate, Andrew Bush."He was really the designer," she said. "All I said was I wanted a rainbow car, and he took care of it from there. But we worked together."As she was talking with a reporter after the races, Niemann was interrupted with a bout of applause from her fellow residents. It was announced that her car had topped the speed charts for the day.Her teammate presented her with a holiday gift bag, in addition to the prizes that the Scouts handed out to each participant."I couldn't have done it without you," she told Andrew. "You were a joy to work with."
