Discover the Power of Pen Pals on bUneke UnScripted

Sheri Sather came up with the idea to create an Instagram page called Power of Pen Pals while on a road trip after her son, Justin met Sammie, one of his pen pals. Eight-year-old Justin has been communicating with Sammie and other youngsters since he was six and Sheri decided to turn a family vacation into a chance for her sons to meet Sammie. On their return trip , she had the idea to extend the community and communication online. That's where they met Perise Forbi, a college student who has been working in Cameroon to reduce the overwhelming plastic pollution in his country. Perise reached out to Justin for ideas of how to manage all the plastic he and others have been collecting.  He needed to do more than rescue it from the shores and streets, but was out of ideas.

Justin, who created an organization called Justin's Frog Project (For the Love of Frogs), has been inspired by children and young adults all over the world.

Sammie Vance approached her mother with an idea when she was little more than eight years old. Her mom, Heidi, helped Sammie make an appointment with her school's principal,  who would need to sign off on the idea. Sammie, herself a little shy, wanted to discuss how she could recycle plastic bottle caps into a Buddy Bench that would encourage even the most shy students to find new friends. Her project was so successful, her school now has two benches and she has created a global movement before her 10th birthday!

This podcast goes beyond Power of Pen Pals by bringing Justin, Perise and Sammie together for our listeners. You can read their individual stories on buneke.org. Be on the lookout for more outstanding stories that come as a result of the Power of Pen Pals, because Sheri has volunteered to be the liaison for bUneke and the hundreds of pen pals and will bring them to life in future issues of bUneke Magazine.