While heavy rains pounded Michigan last Wednesday evening as storms swept through America’s heartland, inside The Shul in West Bloomfield, MI the atmosphere was warm and pleasant. Four hundred and fifty people gathered to acknowledge the work of teenagers who dedicate hours every week at the Friendship Circle in Michigan.

“The event was an opportunity to shine a light on these teenagers and the work they do,” said Bassie Shemtov, co-director of the Meer Family Friendship Circle. Shemtov pointed to the fact that teenagers today get a bad rap, and are often regarded as self-absorbed and irresponsible.

“Through volunteering at Friendship Circle they are proving to the world that teenagers are not who people think they are.”

The teens, who are typically between twelve to fifteen years old, are overcoming inertia with initiative by befriending these children, investing hours at the Meer Family Friendship Circle and visiting these children at home. Every day, 90 volunteers spend time with 120 special needs children at Life Town, an indoor city where children practice life skills through role play.

“It was exciting to be part of the event, to be able to have a role in this organization and be a part of this community,” says Brianna Dines, 16. As a president of Friendship Circle at her school, W. Bloomfield High School, Dines works to promote the organization and recruit more volunteers at her school.

“Since I started four and a half years ago, I’ve grown a lot as a person; I learned that you often need to try something different to make friends,” she says.

During the event, volunteers were awarded according to the amount of hours they dedicated to Friendship Circle, beginning with the bronze award for 50 hours, then silver, gold and finally platinum, for 250 hours.

Seventeen year-old Alex Sklar attended Wednesday’s event, which he enjoyed “because volunteers got a lot of support of the work they do with these children,” he explains. The bonds formed are mutually beneficial, with volunteers learning altruism and special needs children gaining the priceless gift of friendship.

“I learned from Friendship Circle that we need to accept people for who they are, because everyone can contribute in their own way.”