Beloved Foster Grandmother Honored For 25 Years Of Service

August 11, 2024

Today's good news comes from Tuckerman, Arkansas.

In a heartwarming celebration, 92-year-old Velma "Granny Bobo" Bobo was honored for her extraordinary commitment to the children of Tuckerman Elementary School, where she has volunteered as a foster grandparent for 25 years.

With over 20,000 hours of dedicated service, Granny Bobo has touched the lives of more than 200 children, many of whom face significant challenges.

foster grandmother
Velma Bobo / Credit: K8 News

Foster grandparents like Granny Bobo provide essential support to children with special or exceptional needs.

"Our foster grandparents are assigned to children who have special or exceptional needs. Those children," explained Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Martinez, "could be facing situations such as having a parent who is incarcerated."

Granny Bobo's unwavering dedication has been a constant source of comfort and guidance for the children under her care.

"She hardly misses a day," Martinez noted. "I think she had to miss one day due to some slight health problems, and having to miss that one day just drove her insane."

Now, at the age of 92, Granny Bobo has made the difficult decision to retire. To honor her remarkable service, local news station K8 News arranged a special surprise visit to Tuckerman Elementary, where Granny Bobo was met with an outpouring of love and gratitude from the community she has served so faithfully.

During the celebration, a news anchor praised her for enriching the lives of so many young people.

"You have enriched the lives of so many young people here in this community. I think it is 200 plus over 25 years. If that doesn’t deserve a round of applause, I don’t know what does," the anchor remarked.

As a token of appreciation, the station gifted Granny Bobo $400, a gesture that left her overwhelmed with emotion. The entire community joins in celebrating Granny Bobo's incredible legacy of kindness, love, and dedication. She may be retiring, but the impact she has made on the lives of countless children will be felt for generations to come.

Watch the video below.