Kelley Morley- Service and Sisterhood

This semester, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to volunteer weekly with the Arc of Spokane’s Explorer Program at Spark Central, which is a creativity center in Spokane. Each week, I sit alongside Setons and those from the Explorer’s Program and participate in Spark Central’s “Drop in and Draw” event. One member of the Explorer’s Program who always brings a smile to my face is Matthew, a young budding artist who is passionate about drawing animated characters from his favorite Disney and Pixar movies. Matthew walks into Spark Central with a huge portfolio, filled with large-scale, colorful creations of his that he shares with us at the table. Not only is Matthew an incredible artist, but he is also a talented performer, often reciting lines from the movies that his drawings are from as he flips through the pages of his portfolio. Since I am nowhere near as artistically talented as Matthew is, I often spend my time at Spark Central listening to more about his process, tips, and tricks he uses to create each of his drawings. Each week that I step into Spark Central, I can count on Matthew to inspire me both creatively and personally, as he often shares how one of his favorite parts of his artwork is the joy that it brings to others. 

In addition to the great experiences I’ve had volunteering through Setons, I’ve also gotten to grow so much closer to this group of 29 girls that were previously strangers to me. Right before Thanksgiving break, we drove out to the Ross Point Retreat Center in Idaho for our Setons Retreat, which was planned so perfectly by Brittany and Katie. The weekend was full of tears, laughter, dancing, and the coziest sleepover of my life, as all of us slept right alongside each other on the carpeted floor of the retreat center. The retreat brought a new meaning to my understanding of our motto “all together through service.” The memories, experiences, relationships, and love that came out of this weekend together will carry into the rest of the service, activities, and events that are yet to come.