USD Magazine, Spring 1993

Senior Paula Matteucci and Celeste "adopted" each other three years ago.

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graduate, I'm going to give you the balleri– na so you'll remember me by it."' With the subject of graduation linger– ing in the air, Paula and Celeste both look at the floor. Paula walks away with a paper towel and some Windex, begins cleaning one of Celeste's sliding glass doors and says, "We're not talking about that." Celeste silently watches Paula clean for a moment and says quietly, "I'll think about it tomorrow." This is volunteering at its best, because the experience is so fulfilling, and at its worst, because the ending is so difficult. While volunteers take on projects to accomplish specific goals - clean a senior citizen's home, serve food to the homeless, act as mentors for junior high school stu– dents - they also form relationships with the people they serve. Often, the relation– ships transcend the business at hand and become treasured friendships. When these relationships end or change, as they almost always must, "it's harsh," in the words of one USD student volunteer.

has been such a gem," Celeste says with a smile, her attention not straying far from her young friend. "I could not have stayed here and gotten along with– out her." Osteoporosis prevents Celeste from raising her arms above shoulder level, making many cleaning tasks impossible. It's more difficult for her to get around these days, too, and Paula often has taken her to the doctor or the grocery store. Heart trouble and other health complications have slowed down Celeste's body, but not her spirit. "She has an understanding and a peace in life," Paula says. "She has radi– ated that and passed it on to me. She gives me peace." But the separation looms in the back of their minds. Celeste points to a statue of a ballerina on her living room table. "Paula was a ballerina, you know, " she says, her voice filling with emotion. "She has been such a dear, precious per– son in my life. I told her, 'When you

familiar as he was to her from the movie screen. Gallantly, he tried to play along, but they had never met.) Periodically, Paula dusts these frames and cleans the mirrors, glass doors and the chandelier over the dining room table. Just as often, Paula sits with Celeste and they chat, "grandmother" to "granddaughter," friend to friend, heart to heart. It's clear that Celeste cherishes these Saturday visits. It's clear, too, that both Paula and Celeste cherish their friendship. "Paula

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