Meet Amy Sherlock, a recent graduate of the University of Delaware, Class of 2019, and alumna of Lori’s Hands. Amy studied Health Behavior Science with a concentration in Health and Disability. Amy recently spoke with current intern, Emily Antonisin, about her experience as a volunteer and intern at Lori’s Hands.
How did you find out about Lori’s Hands?
On the Student Central website during my junior year because I wanted to become more involved on campus.
Why did you pick Lori’s Hands?
Lori’s Hands interested me because it seemed like a great opportunity to help people.
How long were you with Lori’s Hands?
About a year and a half. I started out as a volunteer in the spring of my junior year, visiting one client with two other girls. Then I became an intern during the spring of my senior year where I had four clients, including my first client who I continued to visit.
What was your favorite part of it all?
Bonds. When you are a college student, you are so self-contained on campus: you see students and go to class and then go home to your dorm. LH allows you to get out in the community and interact with real people and the real things going on in their lives. It reminded me of home in a way; interacting with people that reminded me of my grandma was comforting. I could always see that my clients appreciated what I did and looked forward to my visits every week. LH gave me a better perspective on my own life as well. One of my clients had Crohn’s disease and depression and one of the first things we did was fold her laundry. It was just a normal load; my partner and I folded and put everything away, and it took only ten minutes. My client was super grateful; she told us we just saved her four days of work. It was eye-opening to learn how these seemingly small tasks have such huge impacts.
What was challenging?
One challenge I faced was with my first client. She had to move into an assisted living facility, and I saw her through that transition of having to sell her house and then move. Because of the bond we formed, I experienced similar emotions and I felt for her. It actually made me value volunteering even more. The experience brought meaning to my efforts and made me want to help even more.
What do you do now?
I am taking a gap year, working in a middle school as a one on one TA with a student who has muscular dystrophy. She’s sweet and we get along really well. I am applying for grad school for Occupational Therapy. My grandma, who is 96 years old, had two strokes. OT helped her regain her independence and enabled her to remain living on her own.
How is your Lori’s Hands experience impacting you now?
It helped me feel more compassion for others and recognize the importance of understanding other people’s perspectives. I now always try to remember that I don’t know what someone else’s experience is, and that may be why they are doing things differently. Yes, I got experience of helping my clients clean and get groceries, but it was the bonds I formed with clients that really made my experience and taught me a lot.
Is there anything you wish you got to do but did not?
If I had more time, I wish I could have met more clients.
Final thoughts?
This experience is not like any other volunteering opportunity you are going to get. You actually get to interact with community on a person to person basis and it puts a lot of meaning into what you do.
Written by Emily Antonisin, current Lori’s Hands Intern
