A sweet surprise for Mother's Day at Vermont senior facilities

A sweet way to show love and appreciation to residents and staffers at Vermont senior care facilities on Friday. The state teamed up with Ben and Jerry's for Operation: Ice Cream for Mother's Day. Our Dom Amato has the scoop.

"Delivering smiles is what we're aiming to do today!" said Monica White, the director of operations for the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living.

DAIL made sure health care workers and senior residents don't go unnoticed this Mother's Day.

"Why ice cream? To bring joy and smiles to the faces of folks who have been on the front lines," White said.

Ben & Jerry's donated more than 4,000 servings of ice cream to be delivered to senior care facilities across the state, including the Converse Home in Burlington.

"Every day is a challenge and we just take it one day at a time," said Clayton Clark, the executive director of the Converse Home.

Clark says the treats are a welcome surprise during a tough time.

"I think this is a great opportunity to show that even in a time of physical distancing, that creative minds can come up with ways to have people feel good and appreciated and connected to the wider world," Clark said.

Individual ice cream cups were separated and brought to more than 50 senior homes with physical distancing in mind, of course.

"Drop-offs are going to be masked and gloves, they won't enter facilities," said Monica Caserta Hutt, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living.

The treats will be packed away for a few days and shared with staff and residents on Sunday.

"Vermont's three great resources, right? Our older Vermonters, our health care workforce and Ben & Jerrys," Hutt said.

A little something to remind us there are better times ahead.