HUNTLEY – Martin Elementary School in Lake in the Hills has been on the receiving end of generous donations from a “Grandma” over the past two years.
Though her identity remains a secret, as she has only told Principal Matt Webster and the school’s secretaries to refer to her “only as Grandma,” the mysterious woman has donated a handful of knitted hats and scarves to the school, which have gone on to benefit several children in the school.
“One morning, as I was sitting in my office, I happened to see her making her way down the sidewalk toward our school,” said Webster. “Since she wasn’t a face I was familiar with, I went to greet her, opened the door for her, and struck up a conversation on the way in.”
Webster notes the woman never introduced herself but when asked by him how she could be helped, started to show Webster the aforementioned donations she had brought along.
According to Rose Kundich, president of the Huntley Sew’n Sews, “Grandma” may or may not belong to the club. (Kundich has not heard of any chatter regarding this donation.)
“She also brought these by last year, but I missed it when she came. She didn’t want to have any sort of special treatment; she just wanted to deliver the good deed that day and be on her way,” Webster said.
Webster estimates this “Grandma” has dropped off about a dozen items for the school’s children, which includes hats and scarves: “We have yet to figure out just who she is.”
He added that between the school nurse and social worker, those items have gone to students who may be in need of things like that.
When asked whether he had anything to tell this woman, Webster replied in kind: “Our message to her would just be one of thanks. We pride ourselves on being a school and a district that works with and invites our community to be a part of the learning process,” he said. “She’s certainly serving that role in caring for our kids. We would simply want to thank her for all she’s doing.”
