Granite Falls kindergartners throw surprise party for 90-year-old volunteer, ‘Grandma Helen’

Published 12:01 am Saturday, September 24, 2011

GRANITE FALLS — The kindergartners waited as quietly as they could.

The group of 28 students at Monte Cristo Elementary School tried to hide by ducking their heads as they sat near the front of their classroom. Some let out a few excited whispers and short giggles. When a favorite classroom volunteer came through the door Friday morning, teacher Jill Harrison counted to three.

“Happy birthday, Grandma Helen,” the boys and girls shouted.

Helen Conway clapped her hands and smiled. She asked if the students knew how old she was. Many knew they were celebrating her 90th birthday.

“I haven’t heard this many ‘Happy birthdays’ in 90 years,” she said.

Several of Conway’s family members also attended the classroom party. They helped her put on a pink birthday sash and tiara decorated with plastic jewels. The party was truly a surprise to her, Conway said.

Conway and Harrison attend the same church and they are close friends. When Harrison heard about Conway’s milestone birthday, she rallied her classroom for the surprise.

As a classroom volunteer over the past year, Conway helps with whatever projects are needed, Harrison said. She practices counting with students and getting art projects ready for them to work on. She even gets homework — a recent class activity called for measuring and cutting yarn at home for students to make necklaces with Fruit Loops cereal.

At Friday’s party, the kids and Conway celebrated by eating cupcakes. When the kids returned from recess, Conway wasted no time getting back to work. She folded packets with school picture day information. When that task was complete, she started cutting fabric squares for students to use to make their own scarecrows.

“There are so many jobs in kindergarten that there aren’t enough hands,” Harrison said. “She’s inspiring to other people. At 90 years old, she’s still giving back to her community.”

Conway has made volunteering a large part of her life. She was an active member of Mukilteo Presbyterian Church for 50 years and served as a Mukilteo Food Bank volunteer from 1979 to 2004. She worked as the director of the food bank for the majority of that time and was recognized as Mukilteo’s 1999 Citizen of the Year.

Conway has four children, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She lives in Lake Stevens with her daughter, Lisa Heath, and her granddaughter, Meg Heath, who attended the party.

Her great-grandson, Clayton Green, is in second grade at Monte Cristo Elementary.

“She’s so sweet and so good,” said Clayton, 7. “Sometimes we make little smoothies.”

Grandma Helen makes pretty good chocolate chip cookies too, he added.

Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.