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The Catholic Charities Archdiocese of St. Louis will honor Winston Talley, a senior at Hazelwood West High School, as a Volunteer of the Year.

“Winston is a sharing partner in the Sharing Program,” said Joan Smith, director of volunteer services for Catholic Charities. “He is working at the Child Center~Marygrove. The Sharing Program is a way to help children in residence gain an appreciation for their spirituality.”

“I feel like I’m really helping the kids. Their lives have been really bad for a long time, but for an hour a week, I get to make them smile and forget about the outside stuff,” Talley said.

Smith said teachers lead lessons for the children and each child in the class has a partner who helps with the exercises, art and other projects. Talley is a partner.

“Partners help build trust with the child,” Smith said, who described partners as being very important for the children. “Partners commit to one class per week in the early evening throughout the school year. The vast majority are juniors who go on and do something else during their senior year. Winston is in his second year as a partner and that is why he is being honored.”

Smith said she asked Talley why he continued to volunteer.
“‘My grandma always told me I should help other people,’ was his response,” Smith said.

Talley is one of 15 honorees who received an award during a ceremony in early May at the Cardinal Rigali Center.
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