A local senior program has expanded in the region, and according to Director, Stacy Venteicher, they are now currently recruiting new members.
One of the services they provide is the Pen Pal program which connects third-grade students with seniors and is now in its third year in Carroll. This year, they are adding more schools: Carroll Community School District, Glidden-Ralston Community Schools and Zion Lutheran in Denison. Venteicher says she is looking for interested parties who can be partnered with a child in this letter exchange program.
Volunteers write six letters per year, and RSVP provides all of the supplies, including postage. The seniors are asked to come out to two events over the school year. The first will be in the fall when they review student profiles and select one with which they will correspond. Venteicher says, for instance, a volunteer that likes to fish can pair up with a child who loves fishing, and right away they have something to talk about. The second event will be at the close of the year.
Venteicher says another great thing about this program, especially in a world that relies heavily on instant technological forms of communication, is that these third graders know how to craft a letter. Anyone interested in learning more or signing up to volunteer can stop by the RSVP office at 514 N. Court Street to fill out an application and select the school of interest, which also includes Holy Spirit, Schleswig Schools and St. Rose in Denison. Or, they can call 792-4212. Venteicher says they will accept volunteer applications through the end of September, and they need a lot of them to make sure kids from each school have a pen pal.
