Thelma Brayboy (Photo: WBOC)SALISBURY, Md.- Ninety-three-year-old Thelma Brayboy of Salisbury was selected by The Village at Harbor Pointe to receive a special Valentine's Day meal. Brayboy was selected because someone sent the assisted living center a letter describing her kind character.
The Village at Harbor Pointe asked the public "if they knew of a senior who will be home and alone this Valentine's Day and to nominate the local homebound senior for a Valentine's Day of fellowship, dinner and cheer. The homebound senior will receive a free Valentine's Day dinner at home with meal delivery and companionship. Valentine's Day can be a sad and lonely time, and the Village at Harbor Pointe wants to bring fellowship and good food to a lonely heart."
Trish Shockley, who is the center's business manager, said, "We wanted to do that for someone in the community; to reach out to someone in the community who really needed it, who doesn't have family in the area. Someone who's lost their husband or their wife, someone we could try to put a smile on their faces."
That person was Brayboy. She lost her husband around 10 years ago and her only son lives in the Philippines. Her friend and part-time caretaker, Judy Stein, described Braybody as someone who always gives to everyone else.
Braybody was excited. "This is the best Valentine's Day I've ever seen because usually I'm trying to do something for somebody else, but with my handicapped seeing I haven't been able to get a card or anything."
The meal prepared for her was shrimp and crab meat linguini, crab balls and steamed shrimp, and fresh fruit and cupcakes for dessert. The Village at Harbor Pointe says it will be serving the community like this at least once a month in the future.
