Volunteer Voices, Katherine Koller, Weston

Hi my name is Katherine Koller. For the last four years, I have been spending time every week with a girl who has severe special needs. We like to play games, read books, and most of all; we like to make a mess. Joining Circle of Friends has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.
Every day with she has the potential to completely change the way I look at life. I remember one day we were playing candy land, and she said to me, “I’m the luckiest girl in the whole world, aren’t I?” I can only hope that I somehow contributed to her feeling that way. She’s so incredibly optimistic. It really puts life into perspective when you think about how much people complain about all their problems, when in truth her problems are so much greater than ours.
But I think I may be talking too much about how rewarding it is for me, and should focus now on how incredible the program is for the children we visit. It is so beneficial for these children to have someone close to their age to play with. We’re different than the usual helpers, doctors, and specialists they’re used to. I remember one day my Circle of Friends partner and I went to our special friend’s house, and she was so excited to see us that she asked us how our day had been. Now that might not seem like a big deal, but it turns out that for her it was. Her mother informed us later that day that she had never asked anyone how their day had been before.
In addition to her severe physical and mental disabilities, she suffers from Prader-willi syndrome, which means she is in a perpetual state of hunger. Her brain will never tell her that she’s full. The other day, as my Circle of Friends partner and I were leaving, she was begging us to ask our moms if we could stay late. We responded that we couldn’t stay, it was her dinner time. And then she told us she didn’t want dinner, she wanted to play. That was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard.
The hardest part about this program for me is that she asked if we’d be coming forever. I’m going off to College in year and a half, and will only be able to see her during vacation. It’s a sad reality, but I will never regret joining this amazing program. Circle of Friends has impacted so many lives, and I’m so thankful to Frieda for starting it.