150 people signed up at the club fair for Students Helping Older People Club (S.H.O.P), and 130 people responded to their survey afterward. It’s three times bigger than the next-largest club. What is it that makes the club so popular?

Junior Shahar Hartman who is one of the club leaders said that S.H.O.P consists of a group of students who possess an amazing opportunity to spend time with friends, earn community service hours, and enjoy the gratification of contributing to their community all at the same time.

Hartman joined the club his freshman year with some of his friends from middle school. He said that he and his friends have been working with the same senior citizen for three years.

“We’ve formed a really good bond with her,” Hartman said.

Sophomore Sophie England just joined S.H.O.P this year, and says that she was motivated to join because of the chance to help senior citizens.

“I thought it’d be a great opportunity to help other people,” England said. “And I think a lot of people want to work with senior citizens.”

Sophomore Alex Roberts was inspired to join S.H.O.P because of the ability to help others.

“It seemed like a good opportunity to give back to the community and at the same time have fun with your friends,” Roberts said.

According to Hartman, students can either assist a senior citizen by shopping and spending time with them, or by providing technological support.

“The most popular option is to actually shop for them and talk with them, and for that you go once a week or however often your senior needs,” Hartman said. “Then there’s technology assistance, which is about once a week, where the student goes down to the senior center and helps the seniors with technology problems.”

According to Hartman, not only is the S.H.O.P’s popularity rising, but the club is expanding by implementing new programs.

“This year we’re going to run two new programs. One is called Oral History, it’s sponsored by the government. It’s like oral history for these people so they can get validated and their legacy carries on,” Hartman said. “And we’re also going to bring back the Senior-Senior Prom, which existed a while ago, but we took it on again, which is a prom with the seniors [citizens] and the seniors [from the high school] that help them.”

Senior citizen Mary Haas is assisted by sophomores Natalie Jew and Jillian Elba and has been doing S.H.O.P for five years, and she plans on continuing next year. According to Haas, S.H.O.P benefits both the senior citizens and the young people.

“I can go shopping by myself, not that I’m infirm or anything like that, but I think it’s a wonderful service, not only for me but for the students also,” Haas said. “I think it’s a wonderful experience for students their age to get a feel for what it’s like to go shopping–the cost of things, what is available out there.”

According to Haas, she has enjoyed her interactions with the students who help her.

“They were wonderful about doing everything, they’re really terrific,” Haas said. “Everyone has been so agreeable, and Jillian and Natalie always tell me how much they enjoy the shopping.”

Hartman says it is no coincidence that S.H.O.P has grown so popular because of the strong personal connections that are created.

“It’s a fantastic club to get to know other people and to learn from people who have a lot more experience than you,” Hartman said.