Photo by Natalie Miller

Grade 3 students from Norwood take part in 'Grace's Wish' barbeque activities.

Clad in aprons, bonnets and armed with wacky props, the Kitchen Kuties entertained residents of the long-term care home in Norwood. But two very animated children in the audience may just have stolen the spotlight with their enthusiastic hand clapping, bopping and curiosity about a frying pan banjo.

Photo by Natalie Miller

Olivia Garrett, 1, and Jacob Moloney, 2, steal the show during a performance by the Kitchen Kuties band. The group, which has up to 23 members, entertained residents and guests at Pleasant Meadow Manor yesterday.

The musical group, which has up to 23 members, provided live entertainment for Pleasant Meadow’s community barbecue. Staff invited community members, local schoolchildren and family members to the midday corn roast. While the home holds a barbecue annually, this one took on particular meaning for resident Grace Patterson.

She was the guest of honour, as the barbecue was in support of her wish to meet talk-show host Oprah Winfrey. Those who attended the event were encouraged to sign form letters endorsing Grace’s wish that will be sent to the Oprah show. Grace dropped a wish into the wooden wishing well at the long-term care home back in August. While staff members have fulfilled many of residents’ wishes, this one requires a little more creativity and a lot of community support, which is why OMNI launched the letter-writing campaign to connect Grace and Oprah.

“I think it’s wonderful,” says Karen Vandenberg, a Grade 3 teacher at Norwood District Public School, about Grace’s Wish.

She brought two dozen of her students to the barbecue. Her colleague, Grade 3 teacher Jeannie Hill, also brought 24 students to the event. She says the children enjoy the outing.

“It’s part of community spirit and respect for elders,” says Jeannie.

Approximately 150 people showed up at the affair. Employees prepared 600 hotdogs and boiled 15 dozen cobs of corn over an open fire. Children played in the grass with a giant beach ball while residents dined on the patio nearby the home’s wooden wishing well, from which Grace’s wish was drawn.

Melitta Hartwig, who lives in Hastings, volunteers at the home one day a week.

“I come and talk to people who like to listen to my gibberish,” she says.

She is particularly fond of Grace’s company and a fan of Oprah as well. “It’s great,” says Melitta of Grace’s Wish. Melitta herself has written letters to Oprah’s magazine applauding the talk-show host. “I love the way she does positive things for people. I have the same wish as Grace.”