At first blush, it’s harder to imagine two more different groups of people than the RISSE soccer team refugee kids and the residents of the Mansion, a Medicaid assisted care facility in Cambridge, N.Y., where I live.

I have to confess it was my idea to bring these two together, Morgan Jones, the director of the Mansion, loved the idea and so I asked the Round House Bakery if they would cater lunch for 30 residents, eight staffers, eighteen refugee kids and two teachers.

The kids come from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, some don’t yet speak English. Almost all are shy. The Mansion residents come mostly from rural farms and small towns and most have never seen a refugee or immigrant, apart from farm workers.

We all feel each will gain something from exposure to the idea, the refugee kids will see a part of America that they never knew existed – there is no equivalent of assisted care in most of their home countries, the elderly die at home with their families.

And the refugee children will see how America deals with aging. It will be especially healthy for the residents to have lunch with these children, they love being around young people and benefit from the stimulation of a new experience.

That’s what I’m thinking, anyway, we’ll see how it turns out. Ali believes strongly in showing these children as much of America as they can get to see. I agree. And they’ll see other people in need of love and nurture. In a sense all of this people share the experience of living outside of the mainstream, and struggling to keep what they know and love.

I believe they have more in common than might first appear obvious.

At ll a.m., I’ll go to the Mansion and meet Scott Carrino, who is bring 55 “beautiful sandwiches,” he said. The cost will be $435.27. The residents and the refugee kids will eat lunch together, and then the kids will make themselves their own fudge sundaes, courtesy of the Mansion.

If it doesn’t rain, they’ll come over to Bedlam Farm to watch Red her sheep. (It’s supposed to rain.) I hope they get over here to see Red, but if they don’t, I’ll be happy to give them a couple of bags of interesting books – graphic novels, trivia and puzzle books, stories of the universe, of animals, facts about American history. They’ll have plenty to read on the van home.

For me, a special day bringing two of the worlds I love and the Army Of Good supports together and under one roof. If I ever cry, it might be today. it is an intensely emotional experience for me.

I’ll have my camera, of course.

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