By vikki bowes-mok, words alive volunteer
Karen Miller is Words Alive’s Weekly Warrior of the Year.
Week after week, Karen is a huge asset to our Learning Kit assembly team, improving processes and leveling up materials while patiently showing new volunteers the ropes. With an incredible eye for detail, her quality control ensures no child receives a kit missing a pom pom or googly eye!
By day, Karen is a quilter making treasures to donate to local children’s organizations. By night, she crochets baby beanies for Mary Birch Hospital and cuts/counts take-home projects for Words Alive. She has three grandchildren whom she adores and they love to ride roller coasters together. She recently began playing mahjong and is hooked.
Now let’s hear from Karen about her work with Words Alive.
Why do you volunteer with Words Alive?
Having taught preschool for 25 years, the mission of Words Alive is a natural fit for me. Children + Teachers + Books = Perfect Trifecta! I also value their inclusive philosophy, respecting each staff person and volunteer as an individual. I love the vibe at Words Alive. It's a happy, vibrant place, buzzing with productivity and camaraderie every week. I look at assembling the learning kits as wrapping a gift and I picture the children opening their gift with a bright smile and diving into a new book. Now, that's a beautiful thing.
Is there a story you’d like to share about working with Words Alive?
Each week I’m reminded that many hands make “work” fun. I enjoy talking with volunteers and hearing their life experiences. I soak up their ideas and methods for a new or better way to get the job done. With Alex’s operations leadership and enthusiasm, Weekly Warriors is thriving and I’m so happy to be a part of the team.
What are you reading right now?
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Yes, that War and Peace. It’s a challenge and I’ve given myself permission to not finish it, if it comes to that.
Any book recommendations?
On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. Difficult subject matter yet the most beautifully written prose I've ever read. I learned that the author is a poet and this is his first novel. Bravo! (His name drew me in too.)
Apeirogon by Colum McCann. I saw this book on the library shelf and said, “I don't even know what that word means.” So I googled the definition, read the book, and then was compelled to research further and watch interviews with the author and the story's real life dads. What a visceral reading experience — is this a true story, are they really forced to live like this, it’s unstable and confused — all of which the author said was intentional because that's the daily reality of the region and the people. Apeirogon is the most impactful book I've ever read, bar none.
Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?
“Don't judge a book by its cover.” Well, that's usually how I select a book - by its title. No book jacket reading for me. I want to know as little as possible about the story so I can read it without preconceived ideas, hints, or spoilers.