Pen pal program pairs kids, retired people

FAIRFIELD - The Jefferson County Retired Senior Volunteer Program is pairing adults and elementary students so they can get to know each other through letters.

The pen pal program began a few years ago and included students from Pence Elementary School and Maharishi School. Though Pence has not been able to continue with the program since COVID, four students at Maharishi School are regularly corresponding with volunteers in the community.

'I think it's a rare opportunity now because so much else has been closed down,” said Jefferson County RSVP coordinator John Miller. 'Plus you can do it safely at your own home. You don't have to go any place or wear a mask and risk being infected. And you can take your time, writing as much as you care to. I think it really makes a difference in a child's life.”

Miller recalled hearing a story about an RSVP pen pal, Laurence Topliffe, who was asked by his pen pal whether he was 'cool.” Topliffe wrote back that he thought it was cool to help people become happy and healthy, to help them eat right and to create a peaceful world with no violence.

'I think it really gave the kid far more than he expected to receive and helped him to appreciate a broad definition of coolness,” Miller said.

Pen pal Lisa Cohen said usual topics of correspondence are light such as discussing favorite colors and favorite animals. Cohen makes her cards special by writing them by hand, then taking a picture of the handwritten note and converting it into an image that can be put on a send-out card.

'I feel it's more fun that way, and I can put photos of our dog in there, too,” she said. 'One little girl wrote to me to say she loved turtles, so I'll get photos of turtles and send them to her.”

Cohen said she joined the program because she loves writing letters and receiving them, too. In fact, she's kept every letter she's ever gotten.

Miller said he hopes the program will be able to return to its former size, reincorporating students from Pence, once the pandemic has passed. When Pence had the program, former Principal Chuck Benge wrote to him to tell him that the program was amazing and that the students loved it.

PULL QUOTE

'I think it really makes a difference in a child's life.”

- John Miller, Retired Senior Volunteer Program