A partnership among the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office, Elephant’s Fork Elementary School and Autumn Care of Suffolk is spreading the love.

The multi-generational approach to Valentine’s Day has been going on for four years now. As part of the partnership, the children at Elephant’s Fork make Valentine’s Day cards for the seniors at Autumn Care, and the sheriff’s office delivers them with a smile.

It’s just the sort of thing that benefits everyone involved.

The youngsters in the Becoming A Man and Young Ladies of Distinction programs at Elephant’s Fork got a taste of what it means to do something nice for someone else, just because it is a nice thing to do. Their elders who received the valentines got a few moments of brightness in their day. And the sheriff’s deputies got the joy of helping make it all happen.

Many of those in Autumn Care and other nursing homes don’t receive the frequent visits they crave from family and friends. While a valentine from a local child and a friendly smile and brief visit from the sheriff’s office isn’t a replacement for long visits from those they know and love, it can be a small point of light that brightens their day. And that, after all, is the whole point.

You don’t have to be an elementary school student or a sheriff’s deputy to be a bright spot in the day of someone in one of our local nursing homes. They are also looking for more volunteers, and you can start the process with a phone call.