Students In the Spotlight
My friendship with Janet: Antonia's story
I am a sophomore student studying neuroscience at Eastern Michigan University. I am hoping to pursue a career in the medical field after I graduate. When I learned about Lori's Hands, I was eager to get involved. I was aware that this would be an ideal opportunity to apply my skills, contribute to the organization's expansion, and even have a great impact in my community. I started volunteering with Lori's Hands at the start of the summer, and it has been an extraordinary experience.
While I had high hopes for volunteering with Lori's Hands, I've been astonished by the relationship I've formed with one client in particular. Since our first meeting, Janet has invited me into her home every Sunday with great affection and care as though I was her own daughter. In the couple of months I have been assisting her, I have discovered that she is exceptionally gifted. She enjoys swimming, walking, playing the piano, puzzle games, and, above all, being healthy. Each time I visit her I learn something new. Similarly, Janet finds it captivating when I share with her about my background and Kenyan origins.
While some may, at first, think I alone assist Janet, I can also say that she is assisting me; she is helping me to grow and to see things from different points of view. There are always exciting things happening with Janet. Over time, I can say Janet has become family to me and without this experience, college would not be the same.
Lori's Hands imagines a more impartial world wherein each individual can progress in years with respect and interconnection locally and in which each individual's assets are valued and shared. I can honestly share that, in my experience, this has been the case. I am more than thankful to be a part of Lori's Hands and to have developed such a strong relationship with Janet.