Emma Wick: One of Kids to Kids' Most Remarkable Volunteers

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on our site in May, 2006. At the time, Emma was our most senior volunteer at age 92. Sadly, Emma passed away in April 12, 2008. She was 94. Rest assured, her memory lives on not only on our site, but also in the books she helped restore for local children.

Kids to Kids wouldn't be such a success without its wonderful volunteers. Many of these volunteers are senior citizens, devoting their time to sorting and cleaning donated books.

The group of devoted volunteers at the Boulder City Senior Center recently cleaned their 100,000th book!

A longstanding member of the Boulder City group is 92-year-old Emma Wick, the most senior of Kids to Kids' senior volunteers.

Emma has been involved with Kids to Kids for about two years, and enjoys volunteering her time each Friday at the Boulder City Senior Center.

A resident of Boulder City since 1980, Emma says she has been a lifelong reader, and loves the idea of helping children learn to read through a program like Kids to Kids.

Emma says, "Children don't seem to read like they did when I was a kid. We didn't have a television, and no CDs. I lived on a farm, so we learned to work hard and not complain. I read every library book I could get my hands on. I love to read."

She grew up on a farm in North Dakota, and says, "We had no theater, no city hall, nothing. We had to find our own amusement." That amusement most often came in the form of books from the school library.

Emma adds, "The minute I learned to read, I was on my way!"

Emma has been involved with helping children for most of her life. She got an early start when she mentored 32 children in a church choir. She says proudly, "It has been so gratifying to check in with these children as they've grown up to be fine citizens. They're doctors and nurses and physical therapists and members of the Peace Corps."

She still sings in her church choir and is involved with other civic organizations such as the local Women's Association.

When asked about Kids to Kids, Emma says emphatically, "Kids to Kids is a wonderful program and I love it. I'm always amazed at what beautiful books these children have today that I didn't have when I was a child."

In response to questions about her secret of longevity, Emma says, "You have to feel passionately about something."

We're honored that Emma and her fellow volunteers at the Boulder City Senior Center are so passionate about Kids to Kids!

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