Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
SENIORS SHARE STORIES WITH YOUNGER PEN PALS
WEST CHESTER >> Communication is key.
These days, youth across America text from their phones to connect with their friends and family when they are not together in-person.
However, some seniors don’t text nor do they use contemporary computer technology. Some seniors do; many don’t.
For seniors unable to utilize popular digital applications such as Zoom and Facetime to see and talk to other people, the isolation caused by the pandemic has only been compounded.
In the wake of the pandemic, members of the Youth Group at the Baptist Church of West Chester, 221 South High St., decided to take action.
They began writing letters to seniors who hadn’t attended the church since the pandemic, as well as for individuals who did not attend virtual services via Zoom.
The project began last fall when Leah Cramer, 17, joined the church’s Christian Education Board as a youth advisor.
Attendees discussed the isolation of seniors living at home, Cramer said on Tuesday. That’s when she suggested that youth “connect by writing letters.”
In December, the correspondence between new pen pals began.
Cramer sent 27 seniors pen pal forms to fill out, and she got them back in early December.
“We started to match everybody together based on their responses,” Cramer said. Thirteen seniors responded who were then paired with 10 youth members.
One participant is fifth grader Chloe Colson. She is the recipient of the award
for the American History Essays contest sponsored by the Chester County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She shared her award-winning article to her pen pal, Beryl Bradley.
Bradley then sent Colson a congratulatory letter and has most recently mailed her an Easter card.
Cramer said some youth and senior pairings are communicating through Zoom and email along with writing letters.
She said her generation doesn’t write letters. Communication is virtual.
“Our seniors really need these connections,” Cramer said.
“Since they are older they’ve had so much life experience,” Cramer said, adding learning about the stories of the 13 participating seniors of the pen pal pairings has been one of the greatest takeaways for her.
Because of the senior-to youth ratio, Cramer ended up taking on four pen pals.
Cramer attends Downingtown Area High School, virtually. She’s heading to West Chester University in the fall and presently takes college courses through Downingtown’s partnership with Delaware Community College. Her passion and career of focus for the future is education.
When Cramer graduates from Downingtown on June 6, the occasion will also mark her birthday.
Church leader Elberta Clinton said Leah Cramer is a fantastic woman.
“Her church is super proud of her and humbled to have her as one of our own,” Clinton said.
Also during the pandemic, the church launched a program called Spy Smile.
Spy Smiles originated to let the church know of the good things going on during the pandemic, Clinton said. Pieces of uplifting information are emailed to church members. Happy topics range from recent award announcements to recognizing a youth for doing a good deed.
And recently Cramer shared with fellow church members and peers some of the life story she learned from one of her pen pals. His name is Leslie Simmler of West Chester.
“The Pen Pal Program connects our youth with the young at heart,” Cramer said.
A World War II veteran, Simmler, 96, began attending the Baptist Church of West Chester while still a child. He was baptized in 1937 at the location.
Cramer said when he responded to her very first letter in December, he “mentioned that he thought I should find a younger pen pal because he hadn’t written a letter since he was in the Army – 1943-1946 – and he didn’t know anything about technology.”
Still, “I wrote to him anyway, saying no pressure on responding but I hope to hear from you.”
Once participants were matched, books of stamps were mailed to all 13 seniors to make writing letters back easier for them.
“Well, Les sent his stamps back in his next letter,” Cramer said. “My family and I laughed since it seemed like he didn’t want me to write to him, yet he continued to send letters back. The next letter was a complete surprise.”
Instead of a one-pager, Simmler delved deep the third-time-around and shared a few incredible highlights experienced during his lifetime.
“He explained his war story,” Cramer said.
Simmler first graduated from West Chester High School on June 1942 at 17.
He enlisted into the U.S. Army in 1943. During World War II, and toured on several campaigns across Europe and Northern Africa. He went on missions to help bring home the wounded at the end of the war.
When the Army discharged him in 1946, Simmler eventually began a career in the U.S. Postal Service, working in Chester County in this field for more than 40 years as a mailman.
In his third letter to Cramer, Simmler also included a map of where he is staying in Florida, Cramer said. He now spends his winters in Florida and returns to West Chester in the spring through the fall.
“I think I had a good life, your friend,” the veteran wrote to Cramer.
And this spring, Simmler has returned from Florida back home to live the good life in Pennsylvania.
He has kept connected with neighbors, family, friends and his church despite the pandemic. In fact, he recently celebrated the marriage of his grandson.
On April 1, Simmler also met with Cramer in-person at his home alongside her mother. They stayed for an hour and chatted about life, family, friends, faith and the future.
“He’s just a really cool guy,” she said, adding that his mind is sharp.
Today, Cramer said what faith means to her is: “having those connections with people and reminding people that God is still with us even through this very trying time.”
Cramer said that it is important to keep relationships and connections strong too.
“We are stronger together,” she said.
Cramer said her favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”