“I met Kathy and John at Foodie’s Feast in Marblehead—it’s a gathering place for the neighborhood people. You won’t find a more compassionate person than Kathy. She organizes hikes, walks, and runs for charitable causes—and not just through Community of Friends. Both she and John do such great service.
“I had taken a few tours with other organizations, but Kathy encouraged us to try Grand Circle and OAT. The trips are great—especially because of the quality of the guides. And there’s a chance on every trip to visit schools and other organizations that Grand Circle Foundation supports, so that’s a very big draw for us. We’ve been with Grand Circle ever since.”
George Hartling
6-time Grand Circle traveler and Community of Friends board member
Marblehead, Massachusetts
“When I first heard about the Backpack Program, I jumped right in to be a part of it. I have such fond memories of buying all my supplies for Back-to-School each September—I remember how excited I always was to fill my own backpack. I could not even imagine not having enough money to start the school year out right and to not have the supplies that I so took for granted each year.
“So, I headed to my neighborhood Target store. As I stood in the aisle with the notebooks, pencils, and rulers, I realized just how old I was and just how uncool I had become. Fortunately, there was a large group of young kids in the same aisle so I asked them for their advice. When I actually said I thought Hannah Montana was okay for an eighth grader, they knew that I needed their help. We had a great time filling the backpack with ‘cool, trendy’ things and I felt great knowing that I was sending a young woman off to school on the right foot.”
Julie Kremer
Director, Worldwide Culture and Communication
With Grand Circle since 2002
“I have three children of my own, with my first one heading off to Boston College in a couple of weeks. My family and I have been very fortunate and I feel it’s important for myself, as well as my children, to give back to others. I try to instill in them a sense of appreciation versus a sense of entitlement. Volunteering with them over the years has been very gratifying. I know how expensive it can be to send a child off to school each year—who would think how expensive pens and pencils can get! So by choosing a child to support in this way makes me feel happy that a little girl will not feel different—but just like everyone else because she has a new backpack and all the supplies that she needs to get the school year off to a good start.”
Lisa Norton
Executive Vice President
With Grand Circle since 1990
"When it comes to children, I get very excited. There is a warm feeling you get when you are a mother and grandmother and it's difficult to explain. I have an eight-year-old granddaughter and see the struggles she goes through at school, so I help her out as much as possible—and if I can help another child to start on the same level playing field as others, then I feel that I have helped them in a small way. School is not easy for a lot of children and not having the proper supplies can make it difficult to keep up with the rest of the students. Plus, it's almost like a birthday or Christmas when you get new things you weren't expecting! And it's really fun for me to go shopping, so we both benefit from it!"
Nan Lowell
Help Desk Analyst
With Grand Circle since 2005