LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Home for the holidays has a different meaning for some seniors in assisted living facilities or nursing homes around Lexington. To spread some holiday cheer, Silver Lexington took a Christmas parade to senior living communities around town Thursday.
Amber Lakin and Susan Neville, owners of Silver Lexington, enjoy putting this event together.
“This is kind of our day to just love back on our senior community,” Lakin said. Neville added, “my husband this morning, he goes, ‘Man you all have turned this into a local holiday.’ I’m like, ‘Yes, this is a local holiday for us and our seniors.’”
It’s the Silver Lexington Senior Living Christmas parade, and it’s grown into an annual tradition.
“This is our favorite day of the year,” said Lakin. “So our fifth year, every year, we get people that are looking forward to it. We hear from the communities. They say, ‘What day are you guys coming this year?’”
It all started in 2020 as an idea to celebrate the holidays with seniors across Lexington who were stuck in lockdown situations. The inaugural event went so well, Silver Lexington decided it should continue.
“We decided, you know it’s not easy for the elderly to get out during the holiday,” Neville shared, “so we’re just going to continue to bring the cheer to them and here we are five years later.”
“This year we didn’t even have to put it out there to ask more people to be in the parade,” Lakin said. “We were full.”
The parade is truly an all-day affair, traveling more than 50 miles and visiting seniors anywhere from independent living to nursing homes.
“I think it’s a beautiful thing that they do, and they do it every year and I try to be out here every year,” said Virginia Clare, a resident in one of Liberty Ridge’s garden homes. “It lifts people up in the assisted living. They look through the windows because it might be too cold, but it gives a lift to everybody, that people come out and do such a nice thing. It really is special.”
Mary Pratt, in her second year joining the Christmas caravan, said, “it just makes it so much worth it, just to see their smiles and everything as we go by and toss out candy and just blaring music.”
“I just think that it brightens up everybody’s day,” said Neville. “It’s just important for them to know that they are loved by everybody, and it’s just really special.”
The route took the parade to 29 senior living communities and facilities around Lexington, bringing gifts and smiles to each one. Of course, at the end of the line, Santa Claus gave a parting wave, wishing “Merry Christmas” to all.
