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Foster grandparents honored

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“I wasn’t getting out of my pajamas until 4 p.m., and I was on the computer all the time,” Charlotte Gaustad said.

So she talked to Ophie Keene, then head of the Foster Grandparents Program, and said she needed something to get her out of the house 

Now Gaustad, or “Grandma G.” as the kids call her, has been in the program for 14 years and loves it.

The first two years she worked with Julie Duford, and now she works with third grade teacher Gail Burghardt at Linderman Elementary School. 

Gaustad points to a small gray tub and explains, “everything in there is mine.”

The tub might contain papers to grade, laminating, art projects, anything she can do to help Burghardt. 

During an average day, Burghardt sends third graders to her for help with homework, if they didn’t get it done, or reading. 

“She laminates things, makes games, helps me create things and supports me when I’m doing projects. She’s very artistic,” Burghardt said.

If Gaustad could choose a favorite activity, it would be an art project of some kind. Every year she does a project with the kids. Each child decorates a T-shirt, then Gaustad cuts the arms and neck out and sews the bottom shut, forming a bag to be used on field trips or to shuttle things home. 

“Charlotte (Gaustad) helps with clerical stuff, such as student portfolios, classroom auctions, management and checking homework folders,” Burghardt added. “I call her my ‘angel behind the scenes.’” 

Gaustad is one of several angels with whom Foster Grandparents Program Director Maxine Garcia works. The program is under the umbrella of the Area VI Agency on Aging and includes Flathead, Lake, Sanders, Mineral, Ravalli and Lincoln Counties.

All foster grandparents were honored at a luncheon at the Polson VFW on Nov. 1. Gaustad was honored as the longest-serving Foster Grandparent with more than 2,000 hours. Other local foster grandparents feted were Eleanor Cole, Patrician Wenzinger, and Connie Wilson, who work at Linderman Elementary School; Kaye Bowman, who lends a hand at Little Lambs Preschool; and Evonne Wall, who pitches in at the Boys and Girls Club in Ronan.

To find new people for the Foster Grandparents Program, Garcia puts flyers up at senior citizen centers and runs ads. 

“Also our current Foster Grandparents recruit for us,” Garcia said, if they know someone who would make a great helper.  

Working as a foster grandparent give seniors something valid and valuable for them to do. 

“We cover transportation, a tiny little stipend and insurance when they are on the way (to their assignment) and while they are there,” Garcia said. The insurance is supplemental, above and beyond what they have.

“The best thing I will say is it is a win, win, win (situation). We hear (seniors) say over and over how they love it,” Garcia said. 

The children win because foster grandparents establish one-on-one connections with them in the classroom, and the school wins because of those relationships. 

Foster grandparents are required to put in at least 15 hours per week up to a maximum of 40 hours.

During Gaustad’s career as a foster grandparent, she’s interacted with about 300 children. 

“It used to be I would say, ‘Gee, I’m tired today. I feel old,” Burghardt said. “Charlotte would say, ‘Let me know how that feels.’”

Now Gaustad has shortened her work hours from six hours per day to four or five hours a day, Tuesday through Friday. On Mondays she works at Soup’s On, a local soup kitchen.  

She and Burghardt have been through divorce, death, marriage and other life events, and she feels supported by the Linderman staff and enjoys the children.

As Garcia said, a win, win, win situation. 

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