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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The NAU women's basketball team baked cookies and sang Christmas carols for the residents at The Peaks Senior Living Community in Flagstaff on Tuesday afternoon. The team spent more than an hour singing Christmas favorites and interacting with the members of The Peaks community.

"It was a good experience," said senior point guard Paige Haynes. "It makes you think of your grandparents and it was good that we could come out here and do something for them. It looked like they really enjoyed it. It touches us, especially at this time of the year."

The team spent the majority of its visit singing and interacting with residents of The Peaks' Pearl's of Life Memory Care unit, which serves those with early and mid-stages of dementia. The student-athletes and coaches sang a lengthy program of Christmas carols while also distributing home-baked cookies. Many of the residents sang along with the team while others joined in dance and asked for hugs from the student-athletes.

"They just loved it so it made it so much easier to sing to them," said sophomore Jasmine Sneed. "It was so fun and we loved it. They were just really sweet and appreciative so that made it even more worthwhile."

After visiting the Pearl's of Life unit the team serenaded other residents of the facility in the dining hall, volunteering more than an hour of time to spread holiday cheer throughout the community.

The Peaks is a not-for-profit partnership formed by Northern Arizona Healthcare and Intergenerational Living & Health Care and was built on the campus of the Museum of Northern Arizona. The community offers a full continuum of care and services including independent living, either in separate bungalows or the main lodge, assisted living, and the Pearl Garden unit.