Club members, craft day
Creativity and connection, one visit at a time.
The Generational Club is a student-run volunteer group at Marriotts Ridge High School. Every month, our members visit local senior living homes to lead craft and painting activities designed to bring joy to residents living with dementia and help maintain fine motor skills. We're proud to partner with the Howard County Department of Aging.
Why We Visit
Isolation and the loss of fine motor skills are common challenges for older adults living with dementia. The Generational Club exists to bring color, company, and gentle hands-on activity into their week — one craft table at a time. This year, our Health & Aging Committee is extending that work with a public health lens, including a new partnership with a local Korean-American senior community, where language and cultural context shape how isolation and care actually show up.
Connection
Real conversation and company while creating something together, one small table at a time.
Creativity
Guided painting and craft projects designed to be simple, calming, and enjoyable at any skill level.
Care
Activities are chosen with dementia-aware training and support fine motor skills, memory, and mood.
Volunteering teaches high schoolers things a classroom can't — real responsibility, empathy for people outside their usual circle, and the confidence that comes from doing work that actually matters to someone. It's also one of the most common activities students list on college applications, though what actually makes volunteer work meaningful goes deeper than just logging hours.
What We Do
Every visit is planned around what residents enjoy and what facility staff recommend.
| Craft & Painting Sessions | Regular visits to local senior living homes where members lead simple, guided art projects — no experience needed, for volunteers or residents. |
|---|---|
| Motor Skills Workshops | Hands-on activities like painting, beading, and paper crafts, chosen to help residents maintain fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. |
| Facility Partnerships | We coordinate directly with facility staff and the Howard County Department of Aging to plan activities that are safe, welcoming, and dementia-friendly. |
| Health & Aging Committee | A new initiative tracking how our visits affect resident engagement and wellbeing over time, with particular attention to language access and cultural context in immigrant senior communities. |
| Walk to End Alzheimer’s | On September 26, 2026, Generational Club walked as a team in the Howard County Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Centennial Park. The club also collected $100 in donations for a Howard County Alzheimer’s organization. |
Photos
A look at our craft sessions, painting days, and trainings, organized by activity below.
Volunteer Visits
Senior Day at Bethel Korean Church
Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Painted Drawstring Bags
Canvas Paintings
Beaded Jewelry
Memory Collages & Mixed Media
Seasonal & Handmade Crafts
Fundraising & Bake Sales
Meet the Club
The Marriotts Ridge student behind the Generational Club. More officer profiles will be added here as the club grows.
Our Partners
We're grateful to work alongside local organizations who help make our visits possible.
Howard County Department of Aging
Our visit schedule, activity planning, and volunteer training are coordinated with the Howard County Department of Aging and the senior living facilities we visit — so every craft session is safe, welcoming, and built around residents' needs.
Brighton Gardens of Columbia
One of the senior living communities our members regularly visit for craft and painting sessions with residents.
Winter Growth Assisted Living Center
Another senior living community our members regularly visit for craft and painting sessions with residents.
Bethel Korean Presbyterian Church
A Korean-American church community where our Health & Aging Committee volunteers at senior day events, and where language and culture shape how we connect.
Four Steps to Your First Visit
Apply
A short form about yourself.
Train
A short orientation on dementia-aware engagement, co-led with the Howard County Department of Aging.
Get Matched
Paired with a facility visit team based on your availability.
Start Visiting
Show up, create, and connect — no art experience required.
One hour of your time makes more of a difference than you'd think.
No art experience needed — just a willingness to show up and create alongside our neighbors.