‘I love hearing him call me grandma’: Grandparents celebrated ahead of National Grandparents Day
For Las Vegas grandmother Gwendolyn White, there’s nothing she’d rather do than spend time with her five grandchildren.
On Saturday, that meant heading to the Whitney Recreation Center with her 5-year-old grandson, Akeen Shepard, for an event that celebrated the practice of grandparenting ahead of Sunday’s Grandparents Day.
The four-hour event, put on by Clark County and insurer Health Plan of Nevada Medicaid, which is a UnitedHealthcare subsidiary, featured dance classes, brunch in a gymnasium with 1950s-themed decorations, and other games and activities.
White said she’s been a regular at the recreation center for the past four years. When she got wind of Saturday’s festivities, she figured it would be a great opportunity to bring Shepard, the only one of her five grandchildren who lives in Las Vegas.
“They do a lot for the community here and they have a lot of activities for seniors,” White said. “I figured my grandson would have a good time here. I’ve been watching him since he was six months old. I love hearing him call me grandma. Having that bond is important for me, and it’s important for the grandchild.”
A typical 5-year-old, Shepard sported a T-shirt that featured several Marvel superheroes. His grandma said he loves pizza, lemonade and riding on the train at the mall, but on this day, he was excited for the face-painting and the ice cream he was promised.
“Vanilla,” he said while showing off the spider painted on his forehead.
Chanel Smith, a program supervisor with the county, said organizers expected around 150 people to come out for the event.
One of the activities on Saturday offered children a chance to paint a ceramic tile. The tiles, Smith said, will eventually be displayed outside the center as part of its 20th anniversary celebration later this year.
Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.
