Kareena Gupta, 17, and her sister, Esha, 14, of Summit stand beside a participant of SAGE’s Spend-A-Day adult day program, where the sisters came to sing in 2018 and 2019. They were unable to return in 2020 due to COVID-19 but videotaped a concert of themselves performing to help raise funds for the program and to make sure Spend-A-Day participants knew they were not forgotten.
SUMMIT — Kareena and Esha Gupta of Summit first encountered SAGE’s Spend-A-Day adult day program in 2018, when they visited the facility to sing for the participants. The sisters said they enjoyed performing as much as the participants enjoyed listening. They visited again in 2019 for a repeat performance and had every intention of returning in 2020. But with COVID-19, the Spend-A-Day program has been temporarily closed, which means the participants, many suffering from cognitive impairments, have not been able to return to SAGE.
Rather than wait for Spend-A-Day to reopen, the sisters decided to videotape a concert from home to send out to the program’s participants to let them know they are not forgotten.
“Esha and I wanted to create a music video to stay connected to the clients and bring them some joy and hope,” said 17-year-old Kareena.
Esha,14, shared the sentiment. “It’s so important that we stay positive. I’m glad to have been able to spread some happiness.”
The sisters used a production company to help combine their song selections with photos from SAGE. Once the project was completed, they decided to take it a step further and turn it into a fundraiser. The half-hour video was sent to their family and friends, and the money raised is being used to help reopen SAGE with COVID-19 safety protocols in place.
“We are so inspired by Kareena and Esha’s support of our Spend-A-Day clients,” said Pam Marusic, director of Spend-A-Day. “For such young women to come up with this idea to raise money and awareness, it’s just unbelievable. We are so thankful.”
To view the video, visit https://bit.ly/37sAMop. To learn more about the Spend-A-Day program, call 908-598-5520.
Since 1954, SAGE Eldercare has been helping make the communities it serves amazing places to age. The nonprofit organization provides a wide array of information, support and services designed to help individuals lead the most independent and active lives possible. For more information, call 908-273-5550 or visit www.sageeldercare.org.