EVERETT — Jamarcc Harrison shrugged off his sweatshirt and extended his arm over the bingo cards to give Dan Thomas a look at the tattoos inked on his triceps.
Harrison talked with Thomas about making rap music. He scribbled down the online site where Thomas can watch his videos. Thomas carefully folded up the paper, tucked it into his wallet and promised to take a look.
Thomas talked about his business and his bride of 55 years. She sat beside him in a wheelchair moving the bingo pieces here and there. He patted her leg.
Harrison is 17. Thomas is 76.
The teen is a senior at Cascade High School and part of DECA, the school’s marketing club. Last week Harrison and his classmates spent the morning with people at Bethany at Silver Lake, a nursing home and rehabilitative center.
Thomas was visiting his wife, Helen, who lives in the center’s memory care unit. He stops by twice a day. They have breakfast and lunch together.
“This is a good-looking group of kids. I’m impressed how cleancut they are. Now, that’s coming from an old guy,” Thomas said.
Harrison liked how intently Thomas listened to him. The older man seemed interested in his music. He even joked that Harrison could teach him to rap.
“I like how cool he was with me,” the teen said.
The visit was organized by Ryan Hilal, 16, and Indri Saskiaputri, 18. They collected donations for gift bags and planned the morning’s events. Their reasons were personal.
Saskiaputri, a senior at Cascade, works at an assisted living center in Mukilteo. She knows how much a visit can mean to the people there, especially those who don’t get out much.
Hilal’s grandfather, who lives in Lebanon, has dementia. The Cascade junior visited him last year. Their time together left an impression.
“It’s reassuring to see the people here and know they’re OK,” Hilal said. “I like to think of someone helping my grandpa out.”
About three dozen kids played bingo, sang carols and handed out treats. One group of teens colored and decorated sugar cookies with residents who have dementia.
“It’s nice to have the older kids involved. I think they remind some of the residents of their grandchildren,” said Karen Davis, the activities director at Bethany.
She was impressed that Hilal called months ahead of last week’s visit and asked what kind of activities the older folks would like.
Bethany has regular volunteers who help out with activities or read to residents.
Shamra Lomsdalen, 74, was happy to see the teenagers.
“It’s so sweet of them to help us play bingo,” she said.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley.
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