They wanted a few new pen pals. Now these seniors are making friends around the world

Residents of Wauklehegan Manor in McAdam, N.B., wait in anticipation each morning for the mail to arrive — at least since their photos have been seen by thousands of people from around the world. 

It all started with a single Facebook post on Monday, one that quickly travelled far beyond Atlantic Canada. 

Debi Bourque, the executive director of the long-term care home, said they never imagined the reach the post would get. 

Bourque said activity co-ordinator Kim Godbout suggested posting the residents' photos and the manor's address so people could be their Christmas pen pals.

They expected maybe 20 cards or letters would arrive to be read and displayed on the piano, said Bourque. 

But what happened has been nothing short of "overwhelming."

"Life has been crazy since then," said Bourque. 

She said spending every day with the 35 residents means they constantly have to find new things to excite them.

Appeal makes the international rounds

In a matter of hours after posting, the appeal was making the rounds internationally.

Kindness is our superpower.- Brianne Arsenault

Comments on the post were flooded with people from Australia, Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, other Canadian provinces and plenty from New Brunswick — all wanting to send a card.

Some have arrived already, mainly ones from locals. Bourque said a local daycare made ornaments for each resident and sent them over already.

Brianne Arsenault, a Grade 1 teacher at Sackville's Salem Elementary School, said her students have done pen pal projects in the past, so when she came across the post earlier in the week, she thought it would be a good opportunity to do it again.

"I thought 'why not bring a little bit of Christmas cheer to seniors who sometimes don't have family that are able to visit,'" said Arsenault. 

She said her students were really excited when she told them about it and two other classes at the school also were going to send cards, to ensure every resident got one.

"Kindness is our superpower, that's our initiative at our school, and this is our five- and six-year-olds being kind and showing that kindness is their superpower," said Arsenault. "And they're going to make someone else smile during the holidays."

Bourque said people were messaging the manor and asking for the total number of residents so they could send a card to everyone. 

She said others inquired about languages spoken by the residents or connections with other countries. Some people asked if the home had any veterans because they wanted their platoon to write in.

"They were kind of looking for somebody that they could talk to about whatever passion they had, which was kind of neat. So we had to do some digging with our residents to find out," said Bourque.

Cards from far and wide

She said since the residents started hearing about all of the people wanting to send them cards, they've been asking for daily updates about the places where the cards are coming from.

Arriving in the mail soon will be cards with photos attached from Angie Nohl. Despite sending six cards, she has no connection to New Brunswick. She lives in Lewisville, Ohio.

She said she recently liked a page on Facebook that shares "wholesome" posts, which is where she stumbled upon the Wauklehegan Manor post. 

"I've been looking for stuff this year to do to give to other people. And this just came across and then I saw their little pictures and clicked on it. And I'm like, 'well I'm going to do that,'" said Nohl. 

She said from there, she scrolled through photos that the manor had posted and said she could tell that they cared about their residents. 

"I hope when I need a facility for my family, they're as good or half as good as that manor," said Nohl. "Because it's just amazing what they do."

The cards she sent include a poem that she and her daughter wrote, and some photos of them and their cat.

After sending her cards, Nohl went to work, where she talked about her experience. She said it inspired her co-worker to send some cards as well — which are on their way as of Thursday.

"Your little post grows and grows," said Nohl. "You never know how far it can go."

Bourque said as the cards keep coming — and the post's reach gets wider — the residents get more excited. 

The good cheer may not end with the season. She said they had a few people reach out who didn't think their cards would make it before Christmas, so they already offered to send some Valentines.