For the past several months JoAnne Kuchinski has looked forward to receiving new letters from her pen pal, nine-year-old Natalia Nash.
She always knows when a letter is from Natalia, because each envelope has the same message written on the front: “You are a star.”
“I am a star,” Kuchinski said proudly at the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s first Pen Pal Day on Monday.
About 40 children in daycare with the Bellevue Child Care Center and seniors with the Scranton Senior Community Center — also called the West Side Senior Center — met for the first time over bingo and pizza at the center to celebrate the year-long intergenerational pen pal program.
Katie Patchoski, the daycare’s assistant director, said the program started because of a field trip to the senior center to give the kids something to do over winter break.
“They met some of the seniors [and] they fell in love with them,” Patchoski said.
Patchoski said the kids told her they wanted to ‘adopt a grandparent’ and find ways to stay in touch with the seniors they met at the center. So, the daycare started the pen pal program with the senior center so the kids could write them letters, usually two a month.
Steven James, 10, started writing letters to his pen pal, Gladys Kennedy, about six months ago.
"I thought it would be really fun to meet people," Steven said.
His pen pal gifted him a remote control truck as a thank you for his letters.
"It's really cool," Steven said.
Natalia said she likes writing about herself — her favorite colors and seasons — to Kuchinski.
Kuchinski said Natalia fills her letters with paper cut-out hearts, which she keeps on her dining room table.
“I so look forward to receiving her letters … It just makes my day, and I just can't wait to get the next [letter,]” Kuchinski said.
Natalia said she likes to make doodles and paper hearts for Kuchinski because she’s “nice.”
“She (Kuchinski) gives me $2 bills, but I don't have that stuff at daycare, so I make little stuff that says [you’re a star] on it,” Natalia said.
Michael Martinez, 10, said he joined the pen pal program so he could make his pen pal smile. He played bingo with retired teacher Peggy Cartwright on Monday.
Cartwright said she appreciates how the program helps children practice their writing skills.
“I know how important it is for kids to write and read … and it's fun when there's a person who's interested in you, who wants to write to you,” Cartwright said.
