NASHVILLE (BP) – Somewhere between exercising, working tirelessly in his yard, rebuilding classic cars, cutting hair and serving multiple roles as a lay leader at his church, 82-year-old Neal Buchanan still finds time to volunteer as a reading tutor at the elementary school near his home.
Buchanan, a member of Lincoya Hills Baptist Church in Nashville’s Donelson community, has been passionate about childhood literacy for his entire adult life. He was recently honored for his devotion to the cause by being featured on two brands of Kellogg’s cereal boxes – Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes.
“I am not sure why they selected me; I guess it’s because I have been doing it longer than anyone else,” said Buchanan in his typical humble manner.
“I think they chose him because he is the oldest one on the list,” joked his wife Gail.
Buchanan, a former school principal, has been volunteering at Pennington Elementary School on a weekly basis since 1999. He visits the school once a week, working with three or four students for 30 minutes each.