Aveo residents meet their pen pals
An intergenerational pen pal project was a hit for Brisbane residents.

Retirees at Aveo’s Forest Grove Retirement Living in Brisbane’s Durack have been communicating with Year 4 students from Brisbane Christian College in Salisbury through letter writing.
Forest Grove community manager Chelsea Challenor, who came up with the Pen Pal project, said the 75 residents that took part are inspiring a new generation to take up the lost art of letter writing and experience the pleasure of receiving a handwritten letter in the mail.

“Residents were paired with a Year 4 student and an enthusiastic flurry of back-and-forth letter writing began,” Ms Challenor said.
“Everyone involved has made a special connection and it’s been a huge success spanning participants aged from nine to 104.”
Forest Grove community hosted a morning tea for the pen pals to meet face-to-face over scones and fairy bread, an event that Ms Challenor said set the room “abuzz” with chatter.
“I hadn’t expected so much excitement, everyone was genuinely happy to meet each other,’’ she said.
Retiree Milton Eckermann said his pen pal Eric couldn’t stop talking when they met.

“It’s wonderful to meet a child so willing to learn from someone else with age no barrier,” Mr Eckermann said. “I think there has been growth on both sides.”
Resident Angela Frank said her pen pal drew beautiful creative pictures on her letters.
“She asked interesting questions as if I was somebody in her age bracket,” she said. “When they are writing to you the younger pen pals have no concept of age.”

Brisbane Christian College’s chaplain Jess Johnston said the students loved the opportunity to write letters and connect with their new friends.
“So much care and thought went into every letter,’’ Ms Johnston said. “Many of the children don’t have grandparents in Australia so it was special to bond with someone of an older generation. They all look forward to continuing the exchange of many more letters in 2025.’’
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