As a group of second- graders enthusiastically sang the song, “We Appreciate You,” they pointed to the senior citizens sitting in the audience.

On Thursday, May 21, some second-grade students from Golden Brook School, along with Center School’s fifth-grade chorus and a pair of young keyboard players, treated an audience of local seniors to a vibrant, upbeat spring concert.

The event was held in the Warde Health Center’s auditorium and was organized by the Windham Helping Hands organization.

People from Warde Health Center, a nursing home and assisted-living facility, McAuley Commons senior housing, Windham Terrace Assisted Living, Pine Hill Retirement Home, Grace House, along with seniors in the community, had been invited to attend.

Former Golden Brook School Principal Beth McGuire, a Windham Helping Hands volunteer, told the audience that the event had brought together two of the most precious groups in the community: seniors and school children.

“The kids have really been looking forward to today,” she said. Previously, the organization had hosted small events with a few children at local senior facilities in town. Seeing how much seniors enjoyed meeting the kids, the group decided to bring together seniors from several places at one time to a large event. Prior to singing “We Appreciate You,” the second- graders performed the classic song, “The Water is Wide.”

“We appreciate all you’ve done for us all these years,” Golden Brook School music teacher Eric Graff told the seniors. After they left the stage, the students handed out gifts to the seniors – pins they had made in art class, along with poems featuring springtime pictures. One Warde Health Center resident liked the poem so much she placed it on her door.

Sarah Locke, a Center School third-grader, performed “When the Saints Go Marching In” on keyboard. She was followed on the keyboard by her sister, Kendra, who played “The Old Mill.”

Led by music teacher Nancy Fothergill, the fifthgrade chorus sang a collection of jazz standards: “Gotta Be Jazz,” “Basin Street Blues,” “My Favorite Things,” “Route 66,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing” and “Birdland.”

All the performances drew smiles and applause from audience members. After the show, Blanche Hannon of Windham Terrace said she enjoyed the concert and admired the students for getting up in front of people and performing.

“The teachers did a great job,” said Jim Folan, another senior from Windham Terrace. “They have to be happy with what (the students) did.”