Senior correspondence;
Students connect with elders in pen-pal project

By Hank Beckman
Sun Correspondent

When Rich Bernklau helped a co-worker move into Wyndemere Senior Living Campus five years ago, the fifth-grade teacher at Winfield Central Elementary School in Wheaton wasn't looking for subject material for his students.

But he looked around at all of the productive senior citizens and decided they would be perfect at enhancing his student's growth and education. So he began a student-senior pen pal club, providing an opportunity for seniors and students to get to know each other.

Every October, Bernklau's students send letters to Wyndemere hoping to find a senior to be a pen pal with. Residents who are interested answer letters to students. Later, the pen pals meet one day of the school year.

This year's meeting took place Jan. 26, with the entire fifth-grade class arriving at Wyndemere to meet their pen pals.

"This is two generations meeting, and it's wonderful to put them together," said Randalynn Kaye, marketing director for Wyndemere. "They learn from one another."

"Our residents are very active in giving

Courtesy of Carson Stoga Communications

John O'Melia, left, and Emanual Arnnautovic visit Jan. 26 during the "meeting of the pen pals" at Wyndemere Senior Living Campus in Wheaton. Emanual is a student at Winfield Central Elementary School in Wheaton.

"This is a chance to stay in touch with younger people," he said.

O'Melia's pen pal this year is Emanuel Ranavtovic, who came to America from Bosnia when he was 5 years old.

"He writes me about his experiences, and we write each other Christmas letters and Halloween letters," Emanuel said.

One Wyndemere resident is used to being around children. Glenn Flansburg taught high school for 37 years, eventually rising to assistant principal at Glenbard West High School.

"I write them a letter, and it forces them to form a bond with someone they don't know," Flansburg said. "They need to know that there are other people out there that are interested in them."

For people who think seniors are incapable of humor, Flansburg is living proof they're wrong.

"I always give them the same advice my father gave me," he said. "`Always visit family members every five years to keep up with what they're doing -- but only for 15 minutes at a time. That way they can't ask to borrow money.'"

back to the community," said Michelle Golden, Wyndemere's project manager.

For Bernklau, the heightened emotion of shared experience between the two groups is one that never goes away.

"I never get over how excited the kids are to write and receive the letters," Bernklau said. "It's rewarding, enriching and heartfelt.

When they come here and start talking to their pen pals, it's as if there is no age gap."

Kaye stressed that Wyndemere's residents have a higher-than-average educational profile and many could point to a lifetime of accomplishments.

One Wyndemere resident who fits that

profile is Dr. Curt Gronner, a retired dentist and 77-year member of the Boy Scouts of America.

The World War II veteran and University of Illinois graduate's special passion is travel and collecting American Indian artifacts.

Gronner enjoyed showing his extensive collection of artifacts -- taken mostly from Whiteside County, Ill., but some from as far away as Kentucky and Oklahoma.

Michael Tirre is Gronner's pen pal this year.

"It's a good experience," Michael said. "You get to meet new people."

Mary Peccarelli is a retired teacher with four grandchildren

who is active in a variety of volunteer work. Her pen pal is Aaron Varjan.

"I feel good spending time with my pen pal," Aaron said. "We write each other about our lives and what we're doing."

One Wyndemere resident, John O'Melia, found his calling early in life. After being among the first Allied troops to liberate the concentration camp at Dachau, Germany, O'Melia decide to devote his life to serving mankind.

After college, O'Melia went to work for the YMCA and devoted 42 years to various assignments, starting at an inner-city YMCA in Cleveland and working his way up to become national director of program services.