I got there early, earlier than I needed to be, mostly because I did not want to feel rushed the way I had during the first event. Having that extra time mattered more than I expected. I set up my table at the front, laid everything out carefully, and double checked that all the supplies were ready.
When it was time to start, I went up to give another short speech. This time, it felt noticeably better.
After the introduction, I handed out the flyers, but this time each one had a ticket attached to the bottom. The ticket was important because seniors would bring it back to the table when they were ready to make a kit, and once they handed it in, I knew they had already participated. It was a simple system, but it kept everything organized. Just in case things got busy.
And they did get busy. People started coming up in large groups, and within minutes there was a crowd gathered around the table. There were questions coming from everywhere, comments about the items, people talking to each other while waiting, and a constant background of chatter. People were standing, moving, laughing, and genuinely engaged with what was happening.
The kit building itself moved faster than I expected. Seniors walked through, handed me their tickets, and chose what they wanted to include. Some people took their time deciding, others knew exactly what they wanted, and a few made comments or jokes as they went along. Within about twenty minutes, every single item I had prepared was gone. I can’t lie, I was so happy.
What made the experience even better were the conversations that happened along the way. While helping people put together their kits, I got to chat with a few seniors about their day, their routines, and what they thought of the event. Those interactions felt easy and natural, and they were exactly the kind of connection I had been hoping to create. A few people even asked when I would be planning the next event, which was something I never expected to hear so soon.
By the time everything wrapped up, I felt both relieved and excited. Walking out of the center that day, I felt genuinely happy.