ALGONA—RSVP volunteers who exchange pen pal letters with area elementary students say everyone involved in the program wins. Students improve written communication skills, teachers creatively instruct language skills, and volunteers share life experience, shared interests, and friendship.
Dawn Bernhard is the coordinator of the local RSVP program. Volunteers have to be at least 55 years of age and Bernhard pairs them with third graders from Seton and Lucia Wallace schools. The Seton program runs from January through March and is usually between 30 and 40 students. The Lucia Wallace program runs from March through May and is approximately 100 students. Some volunteers will have a pen pal in both schools.
See the full feature in the Jan. 14 Kossuth County Advance.