Laughter, Learning, and Belonging: The Story of Carol and Laura

By Betsy Solomon, Executive Director, Shepherd’s Center Webster-Kirkwood, Webster Groves, MO

The sound of laughter spills down the hall from a nearby classroom. Inside, Carol and Laura sit side by side, leaning over a tablet to share a funny YouTube video. It’s a familiar scene at Shepherd’s Center Webster-Kirkwood, where the two friends have become known as “Tech Champions.” Every week, they meet with a volunteer Tech Tutor to build their digital confidence, learning everything from turning on a device to streaming music and joining Zoom classes.

Their friendship—and their determination—runs deep. Carol and Laura first joined Shepherd’s Center programs in 2011, when new classes began at Harrison Avenue Missionary Baptist Church. What started as a few occasional classes has grown into a defining part of their lives. Over more than a decade of programs and laughter-filled mornings, they’ve built a circle of friendship that feels like family.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, that bond was tested. Like so many older adults, Carol and Laura suddenly found themselves cut off from in-person activities and with no experience using technology. Determined to stay connected, they enrolled in the Center’s Tech Tutor program and received tablets through a partnership with the St. Louis County Library. With patience and a sense of humor, they dove into digital learning, discovering Zoom, YouTube, and even online bingo.

For Laura, mastering technology opened the door to a new rhythm of life. She now joins her favorite Shepherd’s Center exercise and Coffee Talk classes online, streams classic westerns, and keeps up with friends from home. For Carol, the experience revealed a new way to lead. She often helps classmates navigate new apps and encourages them to keep going when they get stuck. “We can get this,” she tells them, embodying the spirit of lifelong learning that has defined Shepherd’s Centers for more than fifty years.

That same spirit shines on Fridays, when Laura laces up her sneakers to join the Shepherd’s Center Sliders, a dedicated group of line dancers who have been moving together for more than a decade. Even during the pandemic, the group found ways to dance safely, meeting outdoors in a church parking lot year-round.

For Laura, the health benefits have been life-changing. Through consistent dancing, yoga, and nutrition classes, she’s improved her strength and balance—and even managed her diabetes well enough to go off insulin. “Dancing keeps me healthy,” she says, “but it also keeps me happy.”

Carol and Laura’s stories remind us of what Shepherd’s Center is all about: learning, laughter, and belonging. Whether through a tablet or a line dance, both women show that growth doesn’t stop with age; it simply takes new forms. Their journeys reflect a truth that Rev. Dr. Elbert Cole, founder of the first Shepherd’s Center, knew well: the greatest human need is to feel needed.

The Shepherd’s Center of Webster-Kirkwood, one of 55 Aging Forward affiliates nationwide, was founded in 1998 with the support of Webster Hills United Methodist Church in St. Louis, Missouri. Now championed by an interfaith network of fifteen church congregations, Shepherd’s Center Webster-Kirkwood serves 1,400 older adults each year through many essential programs and services: lifelong learning, medical transportation, simple home repair, seasonal yard cleanup, tech support, and volunteer opportunities.