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Poland students surprise 90-year-old woman with pep rally in her honor
POLAND
Posing for pictures beneath a “Welcome to Bulldog Country” banner with a blue-and-white “Queen of Poland” sash draped across her, Sara Hill-Strock started to cry.
“Tears of joy,” she explained.
The 90-year-old was surprised, delighted, and feeling a little sentimental when a group of Poland Seminary High School students showed up Monday at Shepherd of the Valley to surprise the lifelong Poland resident with a parade and pep rally in her honor.
Hill-Strock has lived in Poland her entire life, a fact of which she’s very proud. Her mother graduated from PSHS 101 years ago in June, and Hill-Strock graduated from the school nearly 71 years ago – on May 28, 1946, to be exact.
All these years later, she continues to get together for monthly meals with some of her classmates from the group of 45 people with whom she graduated.
“I just love Poland,” Hill-Strock said, struggling to hold back tears. “This was a special day for me.”
The surprise visit was made all the more emotional by the significance of the date. On May 1, 1954, Hill-Strock married her husband, who has since died.
“I’m sentimental about that because I had a wonderful husband,” she said.
The couple raised three children in the village.
Hill-Strock began to suspect something was going on early Monday, when she was advised she might want to get her hair done that day.
Later, as she was wheeled into the assisted-living facility’s lobby, she was greeted by family members and blue-and-white decorations to match the school district’s colors.
Outside, dozens of high-school students gathered for the main event. Members of the marching band paraded through the parking lot, joining football players and cheerleaders standing in formation in front of the building.
Hill-Strock joined in on the cheers, happily waving pom poms the cheerleaders gave her.
The event had been in the works for months, organized by Lisa Slipkovich. Slipkovich, activity director of Shepherd of the Valley, asks residents questions about themselves to gauge what type of activity she should plan for them as part of the Second Wind Dream initiative, which fulfills wishes for senior citizens.
It wasn’t difficult to figure out what Hill-Strock would enjoy.
“Sara is a huge, huge Poland fan. You get her talking and she can go and on,” Slipkovich said. “She has a lot of pride.”
High school Principal Kevin Snyder said the event was good for his students, too.
“I think it’s an incredible way to show what great kids we have, and also it’s an opportunity for them to give back,” he said. “I think it’s indicative of how tight-knit this community is. There’s a reason why people don’t leave Poland for long.”
Hill-Strock has never wanted to leave, even insisting her children choose an assisted-living facility with a Poland address.
“It’s just a good place to live,” she said. “I’m proud to be from Poland.”