Morningside Ministries received a unique donation by an even more unique donor. The donation came on behalf of a 7th grade, Keystone middle school student named Evan Meade. Evan had requested donations to Morningside Ministries in lieu of gifts for his recent birthday. Such a unique bequest didn’t go unnoticed by staff.

“I’ve been in the business many years and we have a loyal, stable group of people who support Morningside Ministries. Most of the donors have had family members who have been cared for here at Morningside Ministries,” said Jack Rodgers, Director of Development.

“So, here comes this 13-year-old, and for his birthday, instead of birthday presents from his friends, he wants to give gifts to Morningside,” Rodgers said.

“Many young people don’t have any associations with the elderly… it’s neat to see more intergenerational things going on in nursing homes,” Alvin Loewenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Morningside Ministries, agreed.

Evan is a part of a team called ‘The Randomist’ in the First Lego League (F.L.L.). This league is a worldwide robotics program for 9 to 14 year olds, which is designed to get children excited about science and technology and teach them valuable employment and life skills. F.L.L. is a wonderful international program, and it is truly inspiring the next generation of scientist, engineers and inventors.

Each year, teams throughout F.L.L. develop solutions to real world problems and can compete for an additional “Global Innovation Award.” The theme this year is ‘Senior Solutions.’ Evan and his team of four others will conduct research, develop strategies, and implement tactics that lead to the design of a practical invention for seniors. Simply put, his goal is to better the lives of older generations to the best of his ability.