Noah Freeman, left, leans in to listen to resident Florence Yost as members of the Freeport High School football team attend a Christmas party Friday at Concordia in Jefferson Township. The players took part in the Adopt-a-Resident program at Concordia this year as a way to give back to the community.

JEFFERSON TWP — Residents of the Concordia personal care home were joined by Freeport High School's football team for the residents' annual Christmas party last week.

The football players made for an upbeat, if perhaps unusual, addition, bringing presents for the residents through the Adopt-a-Resident program.

“I think it's a wonderful thing,” Dolores Dietz, 81, said. “There's so many people here who have nobody, so this makes them feel more welcome.”

The program is helpful for the residents, some of whom may be lonely during the holiday season, said Shirley Freyer, director of public relations at Concordia.

“I don't know if (my family will) be in to see me,” said Irvin Hanson, 93. “I hope somebody would come visit.”

Hanson has four children in the Butler area, but with the busy holidays, residents at Concordia don't always get to spend as much time with loved ones as they would like.

“With the death of loved ones, it is difficult around the holidays,” said Garnet McCall, 89. McCall's husband passed away in 2004.

In the past, the Adopt-a-Resident program, which started in 2000, was an employee- and family-driven event, according to Freyer. It has grown to include community members and area churches, but a football team is a new twist, Freyer said.

“This is the first year that a football team has adopted us,” she said. “It really started with the (Freeport football) coach. He wants to teach them more than football.”

John Gaillot, Freeport head coach, has tried to create a culture of giving back to the community within the football program. The team previously helped out at Concordia over the summer, organizing activities and talking with the residents, he said.“It's not all about football,” Gaillot said. “It's about their academics and how they treat other people.”In Gaillot's eight years as head coach, he has seen the players grow, even having two previous players working as assistant coaches.“Tough guys on the field, but off the field, it's 'What did you do to help somebody today?'” Gaillot said.Ryan Kadyk, a Freeport ninth-grade player, said the experience feels a little different to him because his own grandmother is a resident at Concordia. Kadyk understands what the residents go through during the holidays.His grandmother, LaVerne Kadyk, 87, sneaked out of her own Christmas party to see her grandson give presents to the other residents, she said.“There's a bit of generational gap, or two or three,” McCall joked.But for Freeport junior Noah Freeman, the generational gap is not too difficult to overcome. For him, talking to the residents is easy, especially when the residents can bond over football with the students.Freyer stressed having young people at Concordia around the holidays helps the residents by bringing in optimism and energy.“Bridging the gap between generations is healthy for our residents,” she said. “To have a younger person take an interest in you and talk to you, it's just healthy and nice.”The residents aren't the only ones who benefit though, Freyer said, because the young people can learn respect and gain a greater perspective on the world.As the party wound down, Kadyk, in a wheelchair with a present on her lap, added, “Go Yellowjackets!”

Helen Puko talks Friday with Freeport High School football player Jacob Goldinger during a Christmas party at Concordia. The players were there as part of Concordia's Adopt-a-Resident program.