Originally posted in the Penticton Herald. Written by Marie Zettler, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Eganville Leader Jan 15, 2026
Beachburg -- Some students in Beachburg Public School (BPS) – and, more recently, Cobden and District Public School (CDPS) – have been expanding their circles of friends to include seniors in their respective communities.
These intergenerational opportunities are being provided by the GrandPals program, which connects students, usually at the Grade 5-6 level, with adults aged 55-plus for eight weekly one-hour sessions, where they can share personal life experiences, sometimes illustrated by photos or other objects brought in by the participants to symbolize important events or activities they have experienced.
The GrandPals program originated in Orangeville, Ontario, in 2010, when a teacher team at Montgomery Village Public School connected students with older adults in a retirement residence. Students were brought to the residence for weekly visits, where they engaged in activities with senior residents. The aim was to develop empathy, a service mindset, and other attributes related to character development, in the students.
During their visits, students created weekly written reflections of their experiences. At the end of the program, the older adults (aka GrandPals) received a copy of these reflections as a parting gift.
In the spring of 2025, Bonny Johnson, a volunteer with Whitewater Seniors Home Support and Active Living, introduced GrandPals to the Township of Whitewater Region, seeing it as a natural extension of the community’s spirit of neighbours helping neighbours. A classroom teacher at BPS, Kaylie Graham, agreed to involve her class in the program. Working alongside seniors’ program coordinator Julie Bennett, and retired educator Cindy Simpson, Ms. Johnson coordinated the partnership between the seniors’ program and Ms. Graham’s class.
With the Beachburg experience under their belts, the committee provided the program to Emily Hoelke’s class at CDPS last fall. Senior volunteers for this round, Paul and Ruby McLenaghan, Hubert Corriveau, Connie White, Linda Mills, Helen Francis, Lorraine Hamilton, Fay Bennett, and Cindy Simpson, were matched up with teams of two to five students.
Volunteering seniors for each series of GrandPals sessions are provided with orientation to familiarize themselves with the aims of the program and to work through some scenarios that may develop. Teachers are also given training to prepare their students so they can maximize the benefits of the experience.
Whitewater Seniors Home Support and Active Living has woven GrandPals into its broader mission of connecting generations through community service and wellness.
“This program brings out volunteers we might not have seen otherwise,” explained Julie Bennett. “People who don’t usually sign up to deliver meals or drive are excited to come into schools and connect with kids. It’s such a natural way to build community.”
Beyond the classroom, GrandPals has sparked new volunteer energy, from shared meals to community celebrations. The intergenerational bonds formed in the program continue long after the final session.
Ms. Simpson sees GrandPals as a worthwhile program for seniors and students alike.
“The seniors have the opportunity to gain more perspective on the families who live in their community as they build relationships with the children and learn about their circumstances and their hopes for the future,” she said. “Similarly, students are able to appreciate how things have changed over the years as the GrandPals share their history, the life choices that they made, and the impact those choices had on their lives.
“We learned that each school, class and student is different and our interactions were adapted in a manner that enabled us to build meaningful relationships with our little groups. Simply choosing what artifacts we chose to show the children necessitated us looking back on our lives and gauging what was important and what the students might find interesting and engaging.”
But there are perks for the volunteering seniors as well.
“I can tell you that there is nothing more rewarding than meeting one of ‘your’ kids in the grocery store and seeing their face light up and maybe having them invite you to watch ‘their’ hockey game,” she said. “Intergenerational relationships can only benefit all those involved.”
"Every group is unique,” added Ms. Johnson. “GrandPals is such a worthwhile program for seniors and students alike.”
At the end of each GrandPals series, a “gala” to which parents and other significant adults in the life of each participating student are invited to see projects that have been completed to tell the stories shared by the seniors.