A light snow began to float down from the sky as people arrived at Concordia at Cabot's Haven 1 building for a Thursday night filled with Christmas carols and cheer.

“Deck the halls with boughs of holly,” sang about 60 people evenly spaced around the building.

As the carolers sang, some residents stood on the balconies while others were just inside and watched from the warmth of their homes. One resident flashed a light on and off to thank the carolers from his balcony, which was decorated in Christmas lights.

Haven 1 residents Earl and Nancy Mowery stood on their patio with a buffer of snow between them and the nearest carolers more than 20 feet away. They smiled as they waved and said hello to one caroler after another.

“This is fantastic,” Earl Mowery said. “Yeah, wonderful,” said Nancy Mowery.

Nancy Mowery said the couple had just moved to Concordia in April, and they are currently in quarantine.

“That snow coming down is just perfect,” she said. “This is fabulous; it just puts you in the spirit.”

Earl Mowery said it's been tough to be isolated, but the carolers brought a much needed respite.

“Everybody is so nice and so kind,” he said. “They're being very generous and loving to sing carols to us who can't get out.”

Cassie Walker, a Concordia event coordinator for the Havens, said she was only serving as a liaison because the caroling was organized by the community.

[naviga:iframe width="100%" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XU14M-Yv_DM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen][/naviga:iframe]

Walker followed the carolers to all three of the Haven buildings, as they spent about 30 minutes at each building.

“We see how our residents are shut off to visitors and their families. They really needed this,” she said. “We're really happy that the community reached out.”

Passing out packets of Christmas song sheets, Jill Leicher of Penn Township said her husband initially came up with the idea, and she liked it.

“Music lifts everybody's spirits, and I think just seeing friendly faces from their balconies and singing along themselves will bring some Christmas cheer,” Leicher said. “That's what we're here to do.”

The Leichers posted the event on Facebook, which gained traction in the community.

Jenny Baz of Cabot saw the post and brought her daughter, Sadie White, to sing for the Concordia residents.

“We just wanted to bring joy to people. Everyone needs joy,” she said. “I hope they look out and it makes them smile.”

Baz said the best Christmas songs to sing are any by the Pentatonix. Sadie said her favorite song is “Jesus Loves Me.”

“I hope she remembers this and continues to give back to the community while having fun and making the best of what we're in,” Baz said of her daughter.

Leicher said as interest in the event grew, various groups and organizations wanted to get involved. She said she heard about Girl Scout troops, churches and Knoch athletics programs that showed interest.

Knoch freshman Aaron Lauer wore his Knoch hockey jersey, shorts and a Santa hat. He said one of his grandparents once stayed at Concordia at Cabot for a period of time, so he understood how lonely it can be at times.

He said the carol singing is “great. With all these older people and some who are sick too, they have to stay inside. We can bring the holiday cheer here to them.”

Aaron said he understood about COVID-19 restrictions from school and athletics, but he knows it can be worse for seniors living in places where there are even more strict regulations and isolation.

“These people here, most of them are probably grandparents. They haven't seen their children and their grandchildren in a while,” Aaron said. “I think, especially this year, because there's so many people here, it'll mean a bit more.”