GrandPals

GrandPal Donna Wepplo

Ella Leving • May 28, 2024

Donna Wepplo brings more than two decades of experience as an educator, having taught primarily in kindergarten and first grade at Community Park School in Princeton. She finds immense reward in witnessing children’s growth from preschool graduates to rising first or second-graders. Donna’s passion for teaching in her community shines through as she embraces the opportunity to work with kindergarten children once again through the GrandPal program, making it a cherished highlight of her week.

“I loved how the children brought their classroom knowledge into our GrandPal reading sessions. They were so proud of recognizing punctuation marks and would call out ‘There’s a quotation mark, there’s a period.’”

  • GrandPals

    GrandPal Lois Gerstein

    Meet Lois Gerstein, A former medical social worker with an MSW from NYU, she also ran a children’s bookstore, combining her passion for books and...

    Ella Leving • Apr 08, 2025

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  • GrandPals

    GrandPal Caroline Purnell

    Caroline Purnell has been a GrandPal for the past two years. She is retired from teaching French, Spanish, and ESL for adults, and embodies a...

    Ella Leving • Apr 03, 2025

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  • GrandPals

    GrandPal Dave Olson

    Meet Dave Olson, a recently retired Special Education teacher with a passion for supporting students of all abilities. Originally from the Philadelphia area, he began...

    Ella Leving • Apr 01, 2025

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  • GrandPals

    GrandPal Deb Pillow

    Deb Pillow, originally from Michigan and with a background in teaching and storytelling, found her perfect fit in GrandPals after moving to Princeton from Arizona...

    Ella Leving • Mar 27, 2025

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  • GrandPals

    GrandPal Bob Swierczek

    Bob Swierczek, a United States Navy veteran, resides in Princeton, where he selflessly dedicates his time to various volunteer roles. He serves as a crossing...

    Ella Leving • Mar 25, 2025

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  • GrandPals

    GrandPal Christine Piatek

    Christine Piatek was a GrandPal at Littlebrook School before the pandemic and eagerly rejoined when the program returned in full swing. Before retiring, she worked...

    Ella Leving • Mar 20, 2025

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  • Open Doors

    Frances

    Frances: A heart full of dance and joy in Princeton We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Frances at the Suzanne Patterson Building’s Nutrition Program, and...

    Ana Carolina González-Peña • Mar 18, 2025

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  • GrandPals

    GrandPal Frank McBrearity

    Frank McBrearity is pursuing a degree in MGA (Master’s of Grandparent Administration) and spreading joy one fist bump at a time.   I believe I...

    Ella Leving • Mar 13, 2025

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  • Open Doors

    Patrick Ryan

    Embracing Life and Connections: The Story of a Global Adventurer in Princeton Meet Patrick Ryan, a spirited Princetonian whose adventurous spirit and love for life...

    Ana Carolina González-Peña • Jan 15, 2025

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