Meet Kathleen Wagner, a delightful soul with a warm smile and a sparkle in her eyes. Rain or shine, she shows up at every session with her trusty bag of library books in tow. Her rapport with the little ones is simply magical, and she pours her heart and soul into every reading session. Kathy is always ready to read to as many kids as needed, effortlessly stepping up when other GrandPals are absent. With her joyful demeanor and warm smile, she can handle any group size with ease, spreading joy and laughter wherever she goes.

“As I entered the classroom that day, the sweet voices of two young boys, Julian and Michelangelo, greeted me warmly. They handed me a printed invitation to the yearly GrandPals lunch, organized by the teachers and parents as a token of gratitude for reading to the little ones. Clearly confused, they seemed to believe the lunch might be at their house. As they debated whose home would be more convenient for me, Julian exclaimed, ‘Please Come Miss Kathy!’ His eyes shone with excitement as he suggested, ‘It’s your choice. We can go to my home, which is much more convenient. I don’t want to drive, and I have a big cat.’ Michelangelo chimed in, ‘It’s really up to you, Miss Kathy. Whatever you choose will be ok with me.’ Little did they know, they were inviting me to a special celebration right there at school. I couldn’t bring myself to tell them the lunch was to be held at school. Their innocent enthusiasm and genuine desire to include me in their world touched my heart in a way I’ll never forget. What surprised me the most was that these two, who usually have a hard time deciding on things like what book to read, suddenly showing such kindness and respect towards each other. Peacefully and kindly, they agreed and politely offered options. It was astonishing because typically, they would argue over every mutual decision, yet suddenly, they were polite and accommodating towards each other. This unexpected display of maturity and harmony truly blew my mind.”