About ten years ago, my mother took my husband and me – plus my dear friend Lucia – to WaterFire. It was a wonderful experience. There was something so magical about the evening: the music, the fire dancing on the water.
It would be seven years before I started volunteering for WaterFire. My friend had moved to Providence and my mother was beginning a long, downhill slide. Volunteering at WaterFire gave me a chance to escape from the reality of a parent who was no longer the same person with whom I had spent so many years having fun and doing things on a regular basis…
As time went by, Mom had to leave her home for independent living, and then assisted living. Last September she fell and broke her hip and femur. Now I was spending 3 to 4 days a week with her at the hospital and then at hospice.
Being able to continue with WaterFire eased some of the pain of dealing with the imminent loss of my magical mother. She continued to enjoy hearing about my adventures at WaterFire, whether on land or water. And I felt honored to be able to give my time, limited as it was, to an organization that gave my mother such joy and me such pleasure.
I thank my friend Lucia Huntley for introducing me to the WaterFire family of volunteers and all of you for allowing me bring the magic of WaterFire to thousands of people. I will continue to volunteer whenever I am able. I know that my mother is watching over and enjoying my contribution.
I so appreciate being a part of this incredible group.
– Sarah Roche
Nashua, New Hampshire