10/24/2025
Nursing Home Visit – October 12, 2025
In observance of Columbus Day on the following Monday, Tzu Shao had the day off on Sunday, October 12. Yet despite the holiday — and a storm warning that brought mild winds but heavy rain — 24 members chose to spend their day bringing warmth to others through a joint nursing home visit.
Choosing to serve on a day off takes both heart and initiative. Those who came demonstrated true commitment and compassion.
As part of the visit, Tzu Shao group presented a musical performance. Following tradition, a song was selected that the elderly residents could hum or sing along with. This time, we performed the 1960s classic “Edelweiss.”
The oldest among the youths was born in 2007, and none had heard the song before. Yet in just three hours, they learned two-part harmony and memorized all the lyrics — a remarkable show of teamwork and focus.
Accompanied by piano, the girls sang the first verse, the boys followed with the second, and the entire group joined in harmony for the third. The melody’s gentle beauty drew everyone in. When they sang “Every morning you greet me,” the young performers smiled warmly at the residents; and at “You look happy to meet me,” their faces lit up with genuine joy.
After the performance, the members stepped off the stage and into the audience — chatting, holding hands, and sharing cheerful high-fives.
Most of the residents were in their eighties, some even older than the Tzu Shao members’ own grandparents. Many sat in wheelchairs, while others were connected to IV drips or catheters. Approaching them took courage and empathy. Yet the young participants — though shy and unsure at first — reached out sincerely, simply wanting to bring happiness to the seniors.
On that rainy autumn day, the youthful energy and kind hearts of Tzu Shao illuminated the nursing home, filling it with music, smiles, and a warmth that lingered long after the day was done.
