SANFORD — A year ago, Katie Osmer was puzzled about how to make new friends. So she took the initiative and wrote a letter. That letter earned a handwritten reply from the President of the United States, with some advice about making friends ”“ and a promise that he’d be her friend.

That was a pretty exciting time for Katie, who is now 9 years old. She’s made some new friends at school ”“ her two best friends are Kora and Renee, she said ”“ and she’s taking part in sports and other activities at St. Thomas School.

Now, the excitement is bubbling up again. Katie has received an invitation to the White House Easter Egg Roll, set for April 6.

Katie, her sister Elizabeth, her mother Michelle and an aunt will be making the trip, driving to Washington, D.C. and doing some sight seeing before the big event. As well, the family has been invited to take a tour of the White House.

How cool is that?

It all started a year ago, back on Jan. 4, 2014, when Katie had a conversation with her mother about who she could write to for advice on making friends. Katie suggested President Barack Obama. Her mother said, “Go for it.”

“He travels a lot and I figured he must make friends when he’s traveling,” Katie said Tuesday from the kitchen of her Sanford home. “I figured a president would need to make a lot of friends.”

The letter she sent was hand printed. Her spelling, she said, is much better now, a year later.

So she popped the letter in the mail. Weeks went by. And then a handwritten, signed letter arrived from the President of the

United States.

“He said the best way to make friends was to join sports or clubs,” said Katie. “And he said he’d like to be my personal friend.”

Katie said she was shocked to get a letter, and took the president’s advice.

Now, she’s enrolled with the yearbook club, in choir, baseball and drama.

“Politics aside, it’s quite a thing” to receive a letter from the president, her father Robin Osmer said.

The year passed and the excitement eventually became muted until Michelle Osmer got a call from St. Thomas School, saying the White House was looking for her.

The White House Easter Egg Roll is an event that draws hundreds ”“ and there will be an array of sports personalities and entertainers on hand as well. According to a White House news release, there will also be costumed characters and fun activities to promote healthy eating and more.

The trip hadn’t been in the family’s budget, so a Go Fund Me site was set up and quickly surpassed its goal. Michelle Osmer said along with the generous donations, many wrote encouraging notes to her daughter, proving lots of positive feedback.

Michelle said the experience a year ago ”“ renewed again because of the White House Easter Egg Roll invitation ”“ has been good for her daughter. She said Katie has bloomed.

Katie’s sister Elizabeth called the events “pretty amazing.”

Katie herself has seemed pretty matter-of-fact about it all, through interviews with two Portland television stations and two newspapers.

“It’s kind of a boost,” she said of receiving the president’s letter and now the invitation.

When asked if she had any advice for others, she said, “Be confident.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].