09/25/2026
The Starfish Award is inspired by the well‑loved Starfish Story — a reminder that even one small act of care can change someone’s life.
The Volunteer Empowerment Team is delighted to honor Lauren C as the September recipient of the Women for Sobriety Starfish Award. This recognition celebrates our volunteers whose steady compassion, reliability, and behind‑the‑scenes dedication create meaningful ripples of support throughout our community.
About Lauren:
Meet our newest Starfish Award recipient, Lauren C! You may also know this 4C sister as soundofthesea128 on WFS Online. Lauren joined WFS in October 2024, and immediately began to exemplify the spirit and values of WFS. She can be counted on to always provide warm words of encouragement, whether it’s on the forums or during a meeting. Lauren is always there to extend “Congratulations!”, “Well done!” or “You’ve got this!” She also uses her knowledge of the New Life Program, along with her lived experiences, to offer helpful suggestions to her sisters in need.
When Lauren reached her six month sobriety date, she immediately volunteered to be an Online Meeting Assistant (OMA) and soon after became a Certified Facilitator (CF). Being a mom of two young boys with a busy schedule, Lauren chose to volunteer as a substitute facilitator, a position we frequently need. Lauren is also a teacher, so she has more available time and freedom to give back during the summer months, when she is on school break. It’s common to see Lauren jumping in to cover many vacant spots for other facilitators during the busy months of June – August. This is just one way this sister gives of herself.
Lauren’s passion is movement – a skill she employs to support her own recovery. In October 2025, Lauren began an informal Step Challenge on WFS Online to strengthen connections and share her movement success with other sisters. Lauren’s initiative has grown widely since its inception. She recognized the promise in her Step Challenge and has now offered to expand it to become our major fundraiser in 2027. As such, Lauren will chair “Hope in Motion”, a community-wide activity and fundraiser that will debut in May 2027. Lauren is using her technology expertise to research and identify fitness apps that will track participant activity and create engaging experiences for all of us. “Hope in Motion” will be inclusive of many different types of movement such as walking, running, cycling, swimming, yoga and strength training. It will also include adaptive activities to accommodate as many women as possible. Stay tuned for more information on this fun campaign!
Finally, I must recognize this volunteer’s leadership skills. Lauren has assembled a strong committee of young volunteers who are eager and enthusiastic to help with this campaign. I attribute Lauren’s energy and charisma with her ability to attract new volunteers to this initiative. Lauren is the face of the WFS future. She is a competent self starter who is undaunted by hard work. Her contributions to WFS make her a well deserving candidate for the September Starfish Award, and I recommend her wholeheartedly.
— TruPat
Her Journey, Her Words
What first called you to volunteer with Women for Sobriety?
As soon as I joined WFS in October 2024, I knew it was a special place and I wished I had found it sooner. I wanted to volunteer as a way to help me in my own sobriety journey, to give back to WFS, and to connect with other women. I became trained as an OMA as I approached my six-month mark, and since then I’ve subbed as an OMA and CF, created the WFS Step Challenge, and helped in any seemingly small capacity that I could – for example, speaking about my volunteer experience at a conference or becoming a mentor to newer OMA’s.
What hesitations did you have at the beginning, and how did you move through them?
The first hesitation I had was “What if I mess up? What if I don’t know how to respond? What if, what if, what if…” At around six months sober, I was only starting to believe in myself again. I was only starting to hold on to the hope that I was worthy of a new and sober life.
Subbing as an OMA enabled me to start seeing tangible ways that I was capable and competent on a regular basis. Did I mess up sometimes? Yes! But, I had the support of WFS sisters to show me that it is okay to be human and make mistakes, and that those mistakes don’t make me any less capable or competent.
How would you describe your experience as a volunteer so far?
My experience as a volunteer has shown me that giving back doesn’t have to mean taking on more than I can handle. One hesitation I had in the beginning was whether I would be able to commit a lot of time to volunteering. Between learning how to create a new life for myself, raising two rambunctious boys, and working full-time, I wanted to ensure my priority remained my sobriety. WFS understands that, and subbing in when needed has worked out great for both my schedule and my sobriety. I’ve been able to contribute in ways that feel meaningful while still honoring what I need in my own life and recovery.
In what ways has volunteering supported your sobriety or personal growth?
Volunteering, sobriety, and personal growth are all intertwined for me now, and I am so thankful for that. It has given me the gift of seeing the Statements actually change my life. Volunteering makes me reflect a lot on Statement 10: All love given returns. I am learning to know that I am loved. In giving my love, time, and energy into my various roles I am also receiving that love back twofold.
Volunteering gave me strength, confidence, and inspiration. Early in sobriety, I took the advice of TruPat to heart that we needed to build our sobriety toolkit. A major tool in my toolkit has been walking. It started as a habit to fill the time I was usually spending partaking in my substance, but it has now become so much more. I wondered if any other women in WFS enjoyed spending time in nature or used walking as a tool in their sobriety journey as well. From there, the idea of a monthly Step Challenge was born. It has been a joy to see what walking adventures other sisters are on and to encourage each other as we work toward our group step goal. I’m excited that we now have a group of amazing women working alongside me on a movement-focused fundraiser that you will hear more about in the coming months!
I credit my continued commitment to my sobriety journey to the women in WFS and the volunteer roles I have said yes to these past two years. This is the magic of WFS! Through my various roles, I have slowly learned to love myself and confidently say that I am a Capable, Competent, Caring, and Compassionate woman.
What advice would you offer to someone who is considering becoming a volunteer?
When I was young, my dad encouraged me to find what I love to do and make that a part of my life. I think I’ve carried a little bit of that advice into my volunteer roles with WFS. I found opportunities to give back to WFS in ways that I personally love and feel connected to. My advice would be to find what feels meaningful to you. Volunteering doesn’t have to look one particular way or require a huge commitment of time. Find something that connects to you and start there. For me, volunteering doesn’t feel like work; it feels like love. Love for myself, love for others, and especially love for WFS.
