Fifth-graders, sheriff’s deputies connect via letters

Northeast Hazel Dell — Students at Sarah J. Anderson Elementary School have been pen pals with county employees for years. Last week, a bunch of law enforcement officers, led by Sgt. Randon Walker, turned out for an end-of-year celebration at the school. The pen pal program started when county worker Kris Henriksen connected with Jeanne Phipps, “aka “Pen Pal Wonder Woman,” at the Human Services Council and its RSVP Pen Pal Program. That led to about 20 pen pal connections between the county and the kids — and later, Walker’s entire police squad signed up. The pen pal program “is a simple commitment, and has a big impact on the adults, not just the kids.”