WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — Roots of Empathy is a program that focuses on raising levels of empathy, resulting in more respectful and caring relationships. Its mission is to build caring, peaceful and civil societies. The program was designed for children, but the leaders of the Bonnechere Manor Day Program in Cobden modified it slightly to incorporate seniors, to enhance their well being through physical, mental and emotional interaction.
Visiting once a month for the past year were mom Alissa Verch with her daughter Evelyn Winter Shank, said Brenda Robson, recreation programmer.
“Our clients were so excited for Evelyn to come once a month for the year to watch how she grows,” she said.
Ms. Verch and Evelyn visited once a month for eight months. She was four months old when she started visiting and the final visit, which was sad but momentous, was December 20. Evelyn turned a year-old on Dec. 24.
Program assistant Lynda Dewar said, “We had a luncheon and a little birthday party.
“We presented mom and Evelyn with a little gift thanking both of them for being a part of our program for the last several months.”
On the Thursdays that Evelyn was to come, but hadn’t yet arrived, the first words out of the clients’ mouths were, “Is the baby coming today?”
Ms. Dewar said the best part of this program was, “Watching the interaction between the clients and Evelyn and sharing in their excitement of her visit from one month to the next.”
