Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 23, 1990 TAG: 9005230152
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By KIM SUNDERLAND NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: FLOYD LENGTH: Short
For George Harman, 13, a seventh-grader at Floyd Elementary School, it was a letter from Italy.
Harman, 13, received the letter recently from a boy in Bornato, near the Swiss Alps. Marco Monnetti, also 13, found the balloon and decided to write.
"When I got the letter I was so excited I thought I'd cry," Harman said.
It had been two years to the month since Harman and his classmates sent their balloons off as an experiment in Joan Starkey's fifth-grade social studies class - similar to the message-in-a-bottle routine.
George's mom, Carman, said he had forgotten all about his balloon until Marco's letter arrived.
"He couldn't understand why he was getting a letter from Italy," she said. "But when he remembered, he was thrilled."
Writing in broken English, the young Italian described his family and home and included a colored map of Italy with an arrow showing where he lives.
Marco wrote that his "mum" and "dod" work in a bakery. He has a younger brother, as George does, and lives on a hill.
"Please write and describe your family. Sincerely, Marco Monnetti."
George plans to take time out from tennis, soccer and volleyball to write his new pen pal a letter.
"This is so educational," said Carman Harman. "It lets kids know that anything can happen."
George agreed and advised adults to "send a balloon off and see where it lands. You never know."
by CNB