MADISON, S.D. (KELO) – The pandemic has been tough on a lot of people, and with the holidays approaching that can make it even harder. However, you can help spread some holiday cheer to residents at the Bethel Lutheran Home in Madison, South Dakota.

Letters from all over the Madison community have been pouring into Bethel Lutheran Home.

It’s all thanks to an idea started by Tyler Quenzer. While he lives in Minnesota, his grandma is a resident at Bethel Lutheran Home.

“I came up with the thought of sending Christmas cards to her, and originally the idea just started as me sending an email to my family and calling my family and friends and having them participate, so it just started as a small idea and then as I went through the course of that, I thought it’s not just my grandma that lives in this long term care facility, Bethel Lutheran Home has 50 plus residents and they are all going through the same difficulties and challenges of not being able to see their loved ones,” Christmas Card campaign organizer, Tyler Quenzer said.

Once the Christmas card campaign was approved, cards started pouring in.

“So we’ve had cards, from not only individuals, which is so important, but also businesses,” director of development of Bethel Lutheran Home Foundation, Rosie Jamison said. We also had an outreach from Deubrook schools.”

Some of the cards and artwork are now displayed around the facility. But that’s not all.

“The activities department has been doing a lot with the cards and distributing, and what we are doing is on the trays of the residents, each day, their noon meal, we have cards distributed in that way, and it is so fun because everyone is looking forward to their tray now instead of the mailbox, which is really fun,” Jamison said.

An easy way to spread holiday cheer this time of year.

“That’s been so cool to hear, how they’ve been inundated with a steady flow of cards and gifts that have just warmed the hearts of the residents and the staff,” Quenzer said.

“We really can’t tell everyone how much it has meant to us to see the outpour of concern, interest, and Christmas spirit,” Jamison said.

Jamison says people have sent decorations and even handmade ornaments.

If you’d like to send a letter you can send it to:
Bethel Lutheran Home
c/o residents
1001 S. Egan Ave., Madison, SD 57042