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Pupils help resident celebrate 100 years

PUPILS HELP RESIDENT CELEBRATE 100 — Second-grade pupils attending John Gregg Elementary School created special birthday cards for Bergholz resident John “Yonk” Warbel, who celebrated his 100th birthday Jan. 18. Approximately 400 cards were crafted by children in grades preschool through sixth, to highlight the milestone event. -- Contributed

BERGHOLZ — Reaching a 100th birthday is quite the milestone.

So it came as no surprise when some people stood up and took notice of John “Yonk” Warbel, a Bergholz-area resident who celebrated having lived for a century on Jan. 18.

What people didn’t realize, however, was just who exactly would be standing up and taking notice.

Approximately 400 children in grades preschool through sixth grade at John Gregg Elementary School created birthday cards for Warbel, sending him well-wishes and happy birthday messages.

The school’s students have been spreading kindness to those throughout the community, with this event being something truly special.

FILLED WITH JOY — Bergholz-area resident John “Yonk” Warbel could not contain his joy when opening the more-than 376 cards he received from children at John Gregg Elementary School for his 100th birthday on Jan. 18 -- Contributed

Each grade was asked to make a card for the World War II veteran.

Edison officials noted the students crafted 376 messages, which were collected and given to Warbel in time for his big day.

Last year, Melissa Huggins, a visual impairment aide at John Gregg, took over the position of coordinating Operation Christmas Card.

The project focuses on sending military personnel who are stationed overseas, stateside and veterans who are living in any of the local nursing homes, a Christmas card.

The reasoning is so the soldiers can remember that they are not alone and that someone is thinking about them during the holiday season.

Huggins decided to spearhead this latest endeavor of honoring Warbel for his 100th birthday.

“Our secretary, Casey Barnhouse, has been Mr. Warbel’s neighbor and friend for approximately 30 years,” Huggins stated. “She had made a Facebook post asking people to send birthday cards to him for his 100th birthday.”

She explained John Gregg Principal Tammy Burchfield had approached her and inquired if she would be willing to gather the cards from the student body at the Edison Local school.

Huggins commented on how the younger children were able to sign the birthday cards they were sending Warbel, as some cannot yet spell their own words.

She noted pre-written messages were given to the pupils, making it easier for them to complete the project.

Older students were permitted to add their own personal messages to the cards.

“I placed a message in the cards that were being done by kindergarten and preschool pupils,” Huggins stated. “There were messages like ‘Wishing you a Happy 100th Birthday.’ The rest of the student body included their own personalized messages, drawings and birthday wishes.”

Warbel is a lifelong resident of Bergholz, having lived in the same home that he built in the Wolf Run area in 1954.

He celebrated this special milestone birthday by having a party during the weekend.

He was able to spend some of that time looking through and reading his cards.

According to officials, he was quite moved by the support he received from the children at John Gregg.

“Turning 100 is pretty good when you have so many people making you feel so special,” Warbel stated.

Huggins explained how the children equally enjoyed this project as much as the Operation Christmas Card project done prior to the holiday break.

“Operation Christmas Card yielded roughly 2,500 cards,” Huggins concluded. “I was able to send approximately 700 cards to 10 local nursing homes, 15 stateside service members and 11 overseas service members.”

The children expressed their excitement at having the opportunity to do yet another activity for the people in their community and beyond.

Those at the elementary school work with the students to spread kindness and do nice things for others.

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