Ohio volunteer with Asperger's named community hero of 2009

From The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio:

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A tree trimmed out of green construction paper lay on a table at Happy Days School. Colorful miniature marshmallows filled a nearby bowl, destined to become sugary ornaments. Cutout paper stars awaited tip-top placement.

Patricia Cole (pictured) talked slowly and surely as she guided a 4-year-old boy with developmental disabilities into the craft project.

First, she grabbed Drew's attention. Then she refused to let go.

Why? Because she knows.

The Kent woman has Asperger's Disorder, a condition similar to autism and typically characterized by limited social skills. The 24-year-old found a comfort zone, though, at Happy Days and the Hattie Larlham Center in Portage County. Cole shines working with children -- particularly those with developmental disorders.

"She has gone past some of the same hurdles," said LeAnne Embick, who worked with Cole while supervising the youth volunteers at the Hattie Larlham Center. "She understands the struggles, and she's using that information to help others."

Cole easily logs more than 100 hours a year volunteering at Hattie Larlham. Once a week, she typically stops in for a few hours of one-on-one time with young residents at the center outside Mantua. She gives even more of her time during the center's summer camp season, devoting entire days to children with autism.

The young woman who once withdrew from personal interaction now even helps welcome new volunteers at Hattie Larlham.

"She came out of her shell," said Bill Wahl, the center's communications coordinator.

It's the same at Happy Days, run by the Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Cole began volunteering at Happy Days while a student at Kent Roosevelt High School. Happy Days hired her a few years ago through a local non-profit organization that finds jobs for adults with disabilities. She clocks in five days a week, offering an extra hand in toddler, preschool and school-aged classrooms and the pool.

Early next year, she'll sit down with the staff at Happy Days to offer insight into the frustrations of living with Asperger's so they can better understand the children in their care. Basically, she's speaking up for those who can't make their own voice heard.

"She's not the one who needs the help anymore," said her mother, Karen Cole. "She's helping."