Crafting New Friendships: Student Finds Opportunity to Use Talents to Bless Residents
Carl Sandburg High School sophomore Sophia Bonaminio was looking for a way to serve, an opportunity to use her gifts to bring happiness into the lives of others. But what she received in return was more than she expected.
“Helping out the residents of Victorian Village over the past year has brought me such joy,” Sophia says.
After a long stay at the hospital, Sophia’s grandmother received post-acute rehabilitation services at the Health & Wellness Center for three weeks in 2021. After her great experience there, Sophia kept Victorian Village in mind when searching for a meaningful service project.
Sophia enjoys making crafts in her free time, so she focused some of her energies on making holiday cards for residents at Victorian Village. “This is a great way to share my fun with residents,” she says.
She began with Christmas cards in December, then made Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter cards. “I already have a fun idea for 4th of July,” she says.
Sophia is a busy student, taking dance lessons twice a week, teaching younger children, carrying a heavy load of AP and Honors classes, competing on the school Mathletes team, and being a part of student council. But service is a priority for her.
“It really makes me happy to meet the residents,” she says, “especially when they remember my name each time I come in.” Each visit, Sophia stays a little longer and gets to meet more residents.
During her last visit, Sophia helped deliver cards to residents and saw that she was three cards short. She went home, made four more cards, and brought them to Victorian Village so no resident would be left out.
Our Victorian Village community looks forward to each visit from Sophia, and the feeling is mutual. “Sharing my time and talents with Victorian Village has truly been heartwarming,” she says.
