Talk given by Eric Benninghoff, Evening of Recognition Dinner May 5, 2013

Hello everyone. My name is Eric Benninghoff and I am a freshman at Weston High School. My brother, Brian has been a part of the Circle of Friends program for over 5 years now. Brian has a pretty tough case of Autism and can’t communicate easily. I can only imagine it is very frustrating to not be able to tell people your emotions, thoughts, and needs. It can be arduous having a member of your family having special needs. Over the years, our family has discovered fun things for all of us to do, including hiking, swimming, and my brother’s favorite: eating. Yet there are still stresses among my parents and I some days because of the needs my brother has. It is very hard for us to see my brother in pain and not know why. Thankfully, we have found relief in the Circle of Friends Program. The work that the adults and teenagers put in to this volunteer program is truly fantastic both at the temple and at home. The Circle of Friends has helped my family come closer together and have even more fun. It gives both my parents and I and my brother the opportunity to do activities we might not ordinarily do. We cannot take Brian to some places such as nice restaurants, movies, or shows much of the time. But now my parents and I can go have a nice brunch or see a movie before we pick Brian up at 4 on Sundays. When his special friends come to our house, my parents and I have a chance to play some baseball or tennis. The Circle of Friends does not just relive some of our stress; it relieves some of my brother’s too. It gives him a chance to spend time with some new friends, interact with others, and try new activities like cooking, playing music, doing art and crafts, and much more. And when his friends come to him at home, he has the chance to do some of his favorite things in his most comfortable environment. It is a great feeling to see Brian smile when we pick him up from the temple or see him at home with a friend. Knowing that Brian is happy makes the rest of us happy too. The Circle of Friends boosts our mood and calms us all down. This allows us to create a stronger family bond and do more activities with all 4 of us. I personally thank everyone who has volunteered their time to this fantastic program as you have really left an important mark on my brother and entire family in a meaningful way! I ask all of you to help support the Circle of Friends so they can continue to do the great work they have been doing for a long time!