Amissa Blumenthal

Congregation B’nai Amoona

Many of the women who live in Mary Ryder Home do not have local family members to visit them. Therefore, they always welcome new “friends” to stop by on a regular basis. And, that’s just what Amissa did. She provided companionship to the residents, going after school for about a year.  

Daughter of Patricia Powers and Fred Blumenthal of the Shaw neighborhood, Amissa visited with the women for 1½ hours each time. She did a variety of activities such as fingernail painting and working with the choir.

When Amissa would arrive each week, the home knew she was there as everyone would call out her name. She had a steady clientele that would line up to get their nails done. They would always ask Terri Jones-Signaigo, assistant administrator and volunteer coordinator at Mary Ryder Home, when Amissa was coming back as she made their nails look so nice. 

They said they felt like they had just gone to a salon. “Amissa was so polite and patient with the ladies,” said Jones-Signaigo. 

Amissa comes from a musical home so singing with the choir and assisting the choir director was something she really enjoyed. She helped prepare the choir for their two annual performances, the Christmas show and the March dinner auction. There are 14 to 17 women in Mary Ryer Home choir at any given time and they range in age from 56 to early-70s. Singing is very important to the women and when Amissa taught them a song, it just made their day. 

A student at Hixon Middle School in Webster Groves, Amissa enjoyed the friendship, admiration and appreciation she received from the residents. It made her feel grown up to take part in her mitzvah project and she gained a sense of inclusiveness for people with challenges.  

Jones-Signaigo said, “I think it takes a very special type of a young lady who is willing to give up an afternoon of hanging out with their friends to come and spend time volunteering in a residential care facility. I don’t think Amissa realizes what a huge impact she made in the lives of our residents. It is hard to explain to a young person that they made these women feel like they were the most important people in the world. I wish there were more kids like Amissa. Our world would be such a better place.”