Robert Casales, BC PULSE Student Volunteer
At Little Brothers- Friends of the Elderly, we have a Highlight of the Week series where we shine a spotlight on members of the LBFE community including board members, older adults, volunteers, students, staff, CitySites (and more!) to learn about them and their experiences with LBFE. This week’s highlight is of one of our Boston College PULSE student volunteers this past semester, Robert Casales! Read on to learn more about Robert:
Please tell us a little about yourself (PULSE, major, hobbies, etc.)
I am a senior at Boston College majoring in International Studies and minoring in Philosophy.
What inspired you to get involved with LBFE?
I was inspired to get involved with LBFE because of my grandparents. As I was growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and really enjoyed their company. I listened to their stories, played card games with them, watched movies together, cooked with them, etc. Now that I only have one grandparent left, I miss the company and presence of an elderly figure in my life.
What skills/talents are you able to contribute to a site?
I’m pretty good at card games and chess so it makes for good competition with the residents that I work with. Aside from those things, I consider myself to be a good conversationalist and am able to listen and respond to residents that just want to talk to somebody.
Describe your favorite memory with an older adult.
My favorite memory with an older adult is going on bike rides with my grandfather when I was little.
What has been your favorite memory so far during your service time with LBFE?
My favorite memory so far during my time with LBFE has been playing chess with John, who is one of the residents at Ausonia House. Not only is it fun playing with him, but I love speaking to him because he is so wise and knowledgeable that I leave every week with learning something new.
Remember to check out next week’s blog to see who will be highlighted then!
If you want to stay updated on what we do at LBFE, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.