PRETTY
PRETTY SPECIAL AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IN THE LAND OF 10,000
STORIES WITH BOYD HUBERT.
>> Reporter: THE WATKINS
ASSISTED-LIVING HOME HAS STOOD
FOR YEARS IN CONTRAST TO WINONA
STATE UNIVERSITY.
STATE UNIVERSITY. YOUNG AND OLD, SEPARATED BY A
FEW BLOCKS AND LOTS OF DECADES.
UNTIL THIS FALL, WHEN
SKATEBOARDS AND BACKPACKS.
>> SUPER SURREAL.
>> BEGAN BRIDGING THE GERITOL
GAP.
GAP.
GAP. >>
GAP. >> PEOPLE ASK WHERE I LIVE OFF
CAMPUS, I SAY IN A NURSING
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. THEY ARE LIKE WHAT?
>> Reporter: WHAT?
INDEED.
INDEED.
INDEED. HANNAH, A SENIOR NURSING STUDENT
LIVES NEXT DOOR TO FRESHMAN,
JOE OLSON.
JOE OLSON. IN SPACE SHARED WITH FOUR OTHER
STUDENTS AND 45 SENIORS.
>> DECIDED TO JUST DO IT.
>> Reporter: CHERYL IS THE
ASSISTANT LIVING DIRECTOR THAT
CAME UP WITH THE PLAN.
FOR THE EMPTY ROOMS IN THE
CENTURY OLD WATKINS MANSION
LONG AGO CONVERTED FOR SENIOR
LIVING.
LIVING.
LIVING. >> AT LEAST I'M A SENIOR,
THAT'S MY JOKE.
>> Reporter: SINGER, ASHLEY AND
THE OTHERS DID NOT MOVE HERE TO
BLEND IN WITH THE WOODWORK.
>> YOU HAVE A VOICE YOU REALLY
GRAB ONTO.
GRAB ONTO. >> Reporter: THAT IS ASHLEY
WITH HER BIBLE STUDY PARTNER,
ALAN THOMPSON.
ALAN THOMPSON. >> THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THE OLD
TESTAMENT REVIEW.
TESTAMENT REVIEW. >> Reporter: ACROSS THE PARLOR
FROM WINONA JENSEN, A WINONA
STATE GRAD STUDENT THAT HOSTS
WEEKLY CROCHET LESSONS.
>> THEY ALL MOTHER ME, THEY
TAKE KARE OF ME.
>> Reporter: WHICH IS EXACTLY
WHAT CHERYL HAD IN MIND.
>> I HEAR HOW STUDENTS DO WITH
THEIR STUDIES, ARE YOU EATING
ENOUGH, GETTING ENOUGH FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES.
AND VEGETABLES. >> STICK, IT HELPS US STAY
YOUNGER.
YOUNGER.
YOUNGER. >> Reporter: DIANE SHELDON IS
NOT THE ONLY ONE EMBRACING
THEIR NEW HOUSEMATES.
>> NEVER MARRIED, THEY ARE LIKE
MY LITTLE GRANDCHILDREN.
>> Reporter: LORIS CROCHET,
ASHLEY'S TECH-SUPPORT AND
MANICURES WITH HANNAH.
>> THIS FRIDAY AT 1, WE WILL DO
NAILS.
NAILS.
NAILS. >>
NAILS. >> Reporter: 10 VOLUNTEER HOURS
A MONTH GETS STUDENTS A RING
AND A MANSION FOR $400.
>> ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SPEND
TIME WITH REALLY NICE PEOPLE,
OF COURSE.
OF COURSE. >> I HAVE SAUSAGE HERE.
MAC 20 VOLUNTEER HOURS DROPS
THE RENT TO $200.
>> TWO SLICES TO START.
>> Reporter: ALL MEALS
INCLUDED, DINING WITH RESIDENTS
ENCOURAGED.
ENCOURAGED. >> THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT
MAKE IT FEEL LIKE HOME.
>> THIS OUTFIT, OH YEAH, MY
FRIEND.
FRIEND.
FRIEND. >> IT IS REFRESHING, A BREATH
OF FRESH AIR.
>> WATCHING THEM LAUGH AND HAVE
BANTER BACK AND FORTH.
>> IT WAS REALLY GOOD.
>> OUR BIGGEST HOPE OF THE
PROGRAM WAS THERE WOULD BE
THOSE CONNECTIONS.
THOSE CONNECTIONS. >> Reporter: WHO SAYS
GENERATIONS HAVE TO BE MILES OR
EVEN FIVE BLOCKS APART WHEN
THERE'S SO MUCH TO GAIN SHARING
A BIG ROOF AND A LITTLE BIT OF
EACH OTHER.
EACH OTHER. >> HONESTLY, I WOULD NOT WANT
TO BE ANYWHERE
>>>
>>> FIVE
>>> FIVE OF THE STUDENTS AT WATKINS ATTEND WINONA STATE, A
SIXTH A STUDENT AT ST. MARY'S
UNIVERSITY.
UNIVERSITY. THE ASSISTED-LIVING HOME MAKING
PLANS TO WELCOME 10 STUDENTS
NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
THAT'S AWESOME.
THAT'S AWESOME. >> I WAS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT STORY WHEN BOYD TOLD ME
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS A NO-
BRAINER, RIGHT.
BRAINER, RIGHT. IT WAS BRAVE OF THEM TO DO
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. >>
THAT. >> I LOVE YOU HAVE VOLUNTEER
HOURS, IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE,
THEY PROBABLY SO ENJOY HAVING
THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND.
>> THEY DO, JUST LIKE