JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. (WBNG) – The Johnson City Senior Center and the Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference held a meet-and-greet picnic Wednesday afternoon, bringing together seniors and children who had exchanged pen-pal letters for seven weeks.
The Children’s Home of Wyoming gave 13 of its youth a chance to make new friends with local seniors through the pen-pal program, which culminated in the picnic at the Johnson City Senior Center.
Karen McNett, a worker at the Children’s Home, said the event will be a good memory the kids will keep with them for years to come.
“It’s gonna be memorable. It’s going to be something they’ll never forget. Especially considering how some of our population are freed and have no one. Some of them have only experienced the negative side of adults. So this shows them another side of adults that’s positive. They can have a positive relationship with an adult who’s not even related to them,” McNett said.
A bond over birds
One of the relationships on display Wednesday was the bond between Steven and his pen pal, Louise. Steven said the two bonded over their love for birds and other animals in their letters and that he’s happy to finally meet her.
“She loved birds, and she was gonna ride an elephant when she was younger. But then she got scared, so she got a horse!” Steven said.
Matching the kids’ energy
Jaclyn Bombard of the Broome County Council of Churches said workers with the Children’s Home told her the kids were particularly excited about the pen-pal program compared with their scheduled English classes. She said the seniors matched their energy.
“They felt like they were almost foster grandparents to these children. So those relationships for people who may not have those kinds of relationships, hopefully it’ll be as impactful as you had mentioned. It’ll be a lifelong memory for them,” Bombard said.
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