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'Girls in Pearls' is a happy hour for senior women looking to craft and connect

Suncoast Pace wants isolated seniors to socialize
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Posted at 5:28 AM, Aug 26, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-26 07:48:15-04

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — They call themselves "Girls in Pearls."

Once a week a group of women, all seniors, join forces to craft and chat and maybe even share a cat picture or two.

The mood is casual, but the result has been magical.

"Almost all of us live alone and don't have anyone to talk to," says Sharon, who's making a lovely Pandora-esque bracelet. "But I've already made quite a few friends here."

Girls in Pearls is the brainchild of Vickie McNeal, a nurse assistant at Suncoast Pace, a Pinellas Park nonprofit that provides care for seniors with chronic health problems.

"My girls have class and we like classy things," says Vickie, helping Barbara find ocean-themed charms for her bracelet.

Girls in Pearls (NO BOYS ALLOWED!) is an antidote to the pandemic, when so many seniors have been forced to isolate, leading to loneliness, depression.

They meet on Wednesdays in a playful colorful activity room.

McNeal created a safe environment to socialize, with masks and distancing. The crafts are engaging and cool, and the girls-only rule allows for the women to connect and uplift each other.

For more information on Suncoast Pace, go here.