Carlo Abruzzese – A Volunteer’s Perspective

by Tony Adessa

	Steven Kukhahn and Carlo Abruzzese Photo by Mary Anne Voss

A volunteer for Maitri since March 2009, Carlo Abruzzese happily offered his thoughts and feelings on his work with Maitri residents. On a beautiful Indian summer day enhanced by a verdant Maitri patio, Carlo sat down with Tony Adessa, Maitri’s Development Director, to provide the following background and insights.

Carlo is a self-employed architect, specializing in the residential sector throughout the Bay Area. Another great passion is fine arts painting, to which he hopes to devote greater time and focus.

He learned about Maitri from Stan Stone, Maitri’s Volunteer and Activities Coordinator. Having known Stan socially for perhaps a decade, Carlo was well aware of Maitri. Carlo had wanted to do some volunteer work and, stemming from the current economy, had free time to offer. Motivated to approach Stan about volunteering for Maitri, Carlo obtained the formal training required of Maitri volunteers earlier this year.

Carlo feels he is a Maitri resident’s “hands and feet;” on a given day, he might run errands, pack belongings for a departure, or engage in any number of activities. From day to day, he never knows what he will do and has come to enjoy the unknown. He added: “you’re often the worker bee.”

A bit nervous at first, Carlo soon realized that volunteering for Maitri was “whatever you feel comfortable doing.” A Maitri volunteer never has to do something beyond this comfort level; one just helps as needed.

Carlo feels he has been taught a sense of humility that comes from being with the residents. He continued: “being around people who are terminally ill, we are forced to confront our own humanity. It’s not scary – it’s life.”

“Fun things” often find their way into his day, and he emphasized that his volunteer work is not about being sad or worried. Rather, “experiencing joyful moments and sharing them with residents, laughing and joking with them, and putting a smile on someone’s face” are the highlights of his volunteering at Maitri.

Carlo wanted readers to know that at Maitri, “everyone is friendly and supportive.” He compared Maitri’s staff and residents to “a big family,” adding “I like that.”