Write Letters To Penpals

Seniors, students enjoy PenPal experience

Some local students were happy to finally get to meet their new, senior pen pals recently.

As part of an initiative called ‘Ears to Years’ sponsored by the Tantramar Family Resource Centre, 21 students in Mrs. Catherine Glencross’s grade four class at Port Elgin Regional School took part in a program where they got to become pen pals with a number of area seniors.

Project coordinator Catherine Dean said last week that the program is only a part of the much larger project undertaken by the TFRC in Sackville.

“In 2010, the Tantramar Family Resource Centre, which serves the Sackville, Dorchester and Port Elgin areas, received a grant from the New Horizons for Seniors Program, through Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. This grant sponsored a one year project entitled “Ears to Years”, the goal of which was to gather and preserve the history of local seniors and to share that history with the community in a lasting way,” said project coordinator Catherine Dean.

She explained that several activities were undertaken including a youth workshop which saw local students get together with area seniors at specially arranged community events. In addition, a number of one-on-one interviews were held with local students and TFRC staff and volunteers talking with area seniors.

“But we realized that it’s sometimes hard for younger children, or even for some older persons, to talk with people they don’t know so it was decided that pen pals between the two age groups would be launched, and it’s been a huge success all round,” she noted.

“It’s funny really, in this age of technology where everything is done quick and easy through email and most kids don’t even know how to write a letter, it hasn’t lost its lustre. These kids have been so excited to write the letters and get a reply in return from their new friends.”

The penal portion of the program included various aspects of the grade four school curriculum, tying in Language Arts and Social Studies. The children learned how to write a letter, an outline of questions to help them develop their own questions and answers for the letters; and then the fun began.

“The students were really excited about doing this, and when the return letters arrived everyone couldn’t wait to read the one from their penal,” Glencross said.

Due to confidentiality issues, the seniors were allowed to know only the first name of the students so when it came time to find out who their pen pals were, both seniors and children alike were waiting impatiently.

penpals: i'm going to be moving into my new house

I'm going to be moving into my new house soon and we won't have internet for a few weeks, and no tv, so i am going to be BORED and alone because my friends don't move in for a few weeks :( :( so... this is the time to get penpals, yay! it would be great if i could have penpal mail waiting for me at my new house, as at the moment i'm at home and don't move in until next week. i don't mind writing first, though, but i would LOVE to have a letter there waiting for me! Interests: i study culture so i love lifestyles, cultures, people and learning things. i'm a very nice person, i wouldn't ever hurt a fly. i love making strong friendships, and friendships mean a lot to me. i like reading, emailing, getting creative, shopping, pubs, bars, going out for cocktails (i love tiki bars), doing outgoing things, making plans, just being OUT. most of all i love sunshine and animals. i like having a busy life and keep on doing things, otherwise i get depressed. my life is always taking twists & turns... some good, some bad but it's just because a lot of things are happening right now. so i have a lot to talk about!

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