Spotlight on April, Our House Manger 

In this section of the e-Newsletter we typically spotlight one of our amazing volunteers.  This month we are changing it up by focusing on April Bignell, our House Manager. This month April celebrates her second year working at JW House. April originally became involved with JW House as a volunteer, and we hired her in August 2009 as our House Manager. As House Manager, April works diligently placing families in the house and managing our roster of over 45 volunteers. Our guest book is flooded with praise for April's warmth and hospitality and we are appreciative to have her as part of our staff! Read below for April's thoughts on working at JW House.

April greeting one of our past guests at JW House's 2nd Anniversary Celebration in 2010. 

Some things are simply worth the wait - even if it's half a century. I remember dreading the annual writing assignment, "Write about a hero in your life". Certainly there were people in my life whom I admired, but I never felt I was being honest because "hero" simply seemed bigger than anyone I knew. Then I met JW, a typical teen in many ways, but also a young man with a vision, a young man whose wisdom was well beyond his tender years. It was shortly after JW told me that he and Dr. Wong had a crazy idea (they wanted to build a house where families could be together near the hospital) that I realized JW was "my hero", a hero I had waited half a century to meet! From the moment JW told me of his vision, I could see myself doing EXACTLY what I am doing now - coming to JW House everyday to carry on his dream, to tell his story, and to help those in need find a place of peace and respite.

I'm humbled by the stories and strength I see in our guests and honored to walk alongside them for just a bit of their journey. My "box of blessings" is always overflowing and whenever I get discouraged, it's never long before a conversation with one of our guests helps me put my troubles into perspective! Each day at JW House I learn. I have learned that simply being present to someone can make all the difference in the world in that moment. Most importantly though, I have learned that JW House is where I belong.

 April Bignell