Cheryl L.

An interview with Malachi Center Volunteer Cheryl LaRosa.

Galen: Thank you. So the first question I have is why did you decide to get involved with the Malachi Center? And if you could kind of tell me about that story.

Cheryl: Okay. Malachi Center, I knew from their program of feeding the homeless, but then when I heard they had a reading program to help after-school students, I love reading. I believe if you can read, you can conquer the world.

So I decided that I needed to be involved in this program. I did it once before when I was still working, but I could only volunteer on Fridays. Because those were shorter days for me. And then the next year they didn't have any Friday tutoring, so I didn't volunteer again until I retired.

Galen: So your involvement now is within the reading program and reading to kids after school?

Cheryl: Yes. And it's more than reading to them. You read to them and encourage them to read the next page and you help them with words that they might not totally understand, or they may understand it in the context, but not really know its definition. So it's a valuable program because these are kids that maybe are not exposed to books or reading except in school. So it's nice to get this reinforced in an after school program.

Galen: Right. And do you find that, you know, over your continued volunteering, with some of the kids you’ve really been able to see them start loving reading themselves and, and see them kind of grow with their reading abilities?

Cheryl: Yes. I have one student who I saw year after year, and even after she aged out of the program, I saw her some more and we became friends. And I do believe it was a positive influence. She has since moved to California. So we don't and stay in touch as much, but I like to stay with the same student year after year. I think it's good to build that kind of connection.

Galen: Yeah. I can imagine that. So then my next question is if you could talk a little bit more about what some of your favorite aspects of volunteering at Malachi center are? I know you touched on that a bit with the reading program, but maybe if you could explore a little bit more about what some of your favorite parts of volunteering are?

Cheryl: Well, I think it also keeps things real. I think many of us volunteers, we live in the suburbs and even though we may have grown up in the city, we are not as connected to it now, except for maybe the finer things.

We go to the art museum, we go to severance hall and go to Playhouse square, but we forget that there's a whole community of people that are living there and are struggling, in part because of the fact that people moved out to the suburbs and kind of let the center fall into.

So it keeps you real, it reminds you you're driving through the neighborhoods to get there. It just reminds you of the hardships that you may have left behind, but they're still there.

Galen: That's really powerful to kind of have that connection with that aspect of the city and, and the people. So then I guess my final question is related to what you enjoy about volunteering there, but you know, since you've been volunteering, what would you say the impact has been on yourself from volunteering at the Malachi center?

Cheryl: Well, I always say that sometimes you get more than you're actually giving because these kids, they really do love you. I mean, they give you their hearts. And so I, I think that, you know, like I have my own grandchildren and we have good relationships, but in truth they have good parents and live in good neighborhoods and go to good schools. Some are in college now and they don't really need me, which is fine.

It's a great relationship to have, to just be loved for who you are. Not because somebody needs you, but these children really kind of need us. And so it gives you a feeling, especially as we grow older and we're not working anymore and we slow down and some of the things we used to do, we can't do with this much vigor. So it's kind of nice to feel that these young children still need you.

Galen: One last question: is there anything that you want to tell me about, about your experience at Malachi center that you feel like I didn't ask about? Or something you'd like me to ask more or something you'd really like to share?

Cheryl: Well, the only thing I'd like to share is that they always need volunteers and they always could use more or cash to keep the program going, because it does take a lot to keep the program going. So I would just like people to know about the good they do and, and say they can't do that good without some help from the community.