SARASOTA, Fla. — 14-year-old Kyla Logan excels in school and has a packed schedule of extracurricular activities, but she still finds time to volunteer. Her creations for Tidewell Hospice are helping make life a little easier for families facing death.
"I do cross country in the fall, track and field in the spring. I volunteer at my local library, the Lakewood Ranch Library. I'm going to join the teen board on it. I'm planning on doing that and I also volunteer with the Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library and I'm planning on getting a job this summer," Logan said.
On top of all of that, she volunteers her time to create beautiful Legacy books for hospice patients.
"...people can write all about themselves in it. So like their name, birthday, where they were born, favorite things to do, what their life was like really. It kind of gives their families a little bit of a reminder of 'oh yeah this person lived such an interesting life that it's a good thing that we have this'," Logan explained.
As a student with many extracurriculars, her passion project has earned the praise of healthcare providers like Maria Paliotta, the volunteer manager for Tidewell Hospice.
"We all know that our teens today are so very busy. The pressures are high and for them to want to give back and give in such a special, meaningful way, really means so much to us," Paliotta said.
Logan says she tries to make at least 5 legacy books a week, all with different themes in the hopes that each book will be that much more meaningful to the family. Paliotta said volunteers like Kyla are truly special.
"It has an impact on the patients, the families, the communities we serve," she said. "And if we could make that difference at a time of someone's life and be a little bit part of their journey to make it easier and more special, that's where the impact comes in for us and we're thrilled to be able to see it and be a part of it."
A big impact from such a small gesture. For Logan, she feels it's time well spent, knowing she's making a difference. "This is kind of my way of relieving the stress of daily life. I do it every night, one of the last things I do before going to bed."