Leo Club members attended a bon dance at the Palolo Chinese  Home (PCH) to help elderly residents celebrate “obon.”

Bon dances, also known as obon festivals, are a traditional Japanese Buddhist custom meant to remember and honor the spirits of ancestors.

Saturday’s bon dance was not only for the festival but also to provide the home’s residents with entertainment and reminiscence of a cultural event that they may have participated in years ago.

Senior Zoe Sprott joined the group for her first Leo club activity of the year.

“My favorite part was being able to dance the usual bon dance songs while still doing service and providing entertainment. The seniors we helped seemed glad that we were there to help them,” said Sprott.

Whitney Miyahira is the Leo club adviser.

“This was a great experience. I think we all really enjoyed working with the folks at Palolo Chinese Home and were really impressed and inspired by the students’ patience, care and enthusiasm for working with the elderly, “said Miyahira.

As with all new experiences, surprises and challenges were inevitable.

“When working with the elderly, there are always challenges but I wouldn’t call them difficulties. One of them is being patient. Often these folks go to bed very early and have a set routine so even if we were trying to entertain them, some of them were a little grouchy and disgruntled. Still, the Leos and I learned how to carefully escort several participants and their wheelchairs into the elevator down to the recreation hall,” said Miyahira.

For club members, this year’s bon dance at the PCH proved to be a success.

“There was a moment when one elderly woman got up and decided to dance with us, and that was a nice surprise.  It was a great experience. I got to help the elderly while still participating in the bon dance. I would not have spent my Saturday evening any other way,” said Sprott.