Being Blessed with New Friends: A Vocare Reflection

For Vocare I was placed at Goodwill Community Opportunities Club in Wauwatosa. Goodwill COC is a day service home to those with intellectual, developmental, and cognitive disabilities, and those with severe brain and nerve damage. As an underclassman watching Vocare assemblies, I knew I wanted to work with those with special needs, and two years of involvement with our Marian Scholars Program reaffirmed my passion.

Coming into Vocare like everyone else, I did not know what to expect. I hadn't worked with adults with disabilities before. On the first day, Ella Doorington, DSHA '25, and I walked in and were immediately greeted with open arms from everyone. Yet the first thing I did was learn a new card game called Spades from a participant named Peter.* He was really the first person I got to know. After the first day and about 10 games of Uno and a dance party, I quickly realized that Goodwill was not just a day service program, it was a family.

Most of the staff had been working there for five-plus years, and some of the participants have also been going for many years. One of the staff, Angie, really connected with everyone in particular. One participant did not call her Angie but instead called her Mama. Everyone got to know each other long enough and cared about each other in such depth that they really were family, and I became everyone's new sister.

I helped lead dance days, helped with arts and crafts, social skills, and nutrition classes, and helped diversify our community by assisting on our various outings. We had so much fun, Yet, even if all we did was sit and play Uno, I would have still loved my Vocare experience because getting to know everyone was my favorite part.

The most memorable moments were not things we did, but things people said that will stick with me. One participant who loves to rap and sing, said that we were the best friends he ever had, and another, when I was zipping up her coat one day, put her hands on my shoulders and said, “You help me so much. I'm gonna miss you." There was beauty in how a small action I helped with, was so significant to them.

Vocare isn't meant for seniors to change the world, but it is meant for special moments like that, and I felt complete. Each of the participants are so unique, happy, and passionate in their own ways, even the nonverbal participants. In no way are they suffering, but instead happy to be alive, which inspired me.

On my last day of Vocare, I looked back at my two weeks, and saw no dull spots. I was naive and thought that nothing bad could happen on my last day. This lasted until we were playing a board game and one of the participants had a seizure right in front of me. Peter, the man who had initially greeted me and taught me how to play Spades, is a type 1 diabetic and seized due to low blood sugar. This was a scary experience and something I didn't think I would have to deal with. The two Marquette High boys and I were responsible for moving the other participants to a different room to entertain and distract them and the other staff needed to help Peter. I thank God that Peter was OK in the end, and after he had some time to rest, everyone went up to him to ask how he was doing, and he said, "Better now that you're here.”

Vocare turned from a requirement to a privilege. Before Voacre, I was wrapped up in my own bubble and my own family, taking the people I had in my life for granted. I won't lie: Vocare did not change who I am forever and what I stand for, yet it did propel my care for others and the passion I have for fixing the stigma associated with those with special needs. Though now, post-Vocare, I keep my time with people close to me
sacred. Vocare blessed me with a new family, new friends, and unforgettable memories and I can confidently say that Vocare was the highlight of my senior year

*Names have been changed to protect participants' identities.