How to Help
The Lighthouse of Broward County, Inc. provides
services at no charge to people who are blind or visually impaired in
Broward County, Florida. To be able to continue to provide these
services to all visually impaired and blind children and adults who need
our help, the Lighthouse needs the help of individuals, community
groups, foundations and corporations. Gifts of all sizes combine to make
it possible for the Lighthouse to operate. Remember your gift is tax
deductible and you and/or your organization will be recognized in our
newsletter. You can be assured that your gifts are helping blind
children and adults achieve a more independent, satisfying life.
The Josephine S. Leiser Foundation Challenge Grant has set aside $35,000
to mark Lighthouse of Broward’s 35 years of service to South Florida.
Every gift up to a total of $35,000 received through October 31, 2010
doubles in value! This special challenge grant means your gift of $25
doubles to $50, $50 becomes $100, $250 becomes $500 and so on. Tap into
the “Leiser Challenge” and double the good today!
The Lighthouse of Broward works hard to stretch your donation to do
maximum good – and every penny of your gift stays in Broward County to
support our local programs! Here are just a few examples of what your
generosity makes possible:
- $25 = An hour of Braille instruction so a child can learn to read
- $50 = One Bright Beginnings training session for one child
- $100 = Four Braille lessons for a child or adult
- $500 = 10 hours of computer training (w/special software) to
prepare a visually impaired child for school
- $1,000 = 12 sessions of mobility training to teach a blind or
visually impaired child to walk safely
Share the Gift of Sight Today…Click
Here to Make a Donation!.
Volunteers perform a wide variety of duties. You can
help with clerical work, assist teachers in classes, or lead client
activities and assist with outreach programs.
Please call the Lighthouse at 954-463-4217 or
send an email to
vision@lhob.org to
learn more about available volunteer opportunities.
It
is estimated that over 52,000 people in Broward County are severely
visually impaired. Lighthouse of Broward is a center that provides
services that enhance the independence, productivity and quality of life
of blind and visually impaired children, youth, working age adults and
elders. This center has been my home away from home for the past two
summers. I found this organization through Volunteer Broward, an
organization that finds the perfect service opportunity for the
individual person’s interests and needs. I decided to volunteer at
Lighthouse of Broward County, to be given the opportunity to work with
blind and visually impaired people. It was something that I had never
encountered before and caught my interest.
Every summer the Lighthouse of Broward County hosts a summer camp for
visually impaired children. The campers have activities planned everyday
and volunteers are needed to serve as guides and companions for the
little ones. Not only is the lighthouse host to the KIDS Beacon of Light
Camp, but also serves as an accredited, full service educational and
rehabilitation agency. The Lighthouse mission is: to enhance the
independence, productivity and quality of life of children and adults
who are blind or visually impaired. I thought that by donating one or
two days a week of my time I could brighten the day of a little camper.
After my first day at the lighthouse, I wanted to spend every available
day that I had with the little bundles of energy. After 287 volunteer
hours during the past two summers, I have learned to “see” life through
others that do not have what we ordinary people take for granted, the
ability to see. Little did I know that I would receive so much love,
welcome and trust from someone who just met me. I became amazed by the
sensitivity of their other senses. When I would walk into the Activity
Center (where all of the campers meet), campers would feel my hands, or
listen to my footsteps and immediately recognized that it was me. It
took me such a long time to crack this mystery, for goodness sake, the
children couldn’t see! Anyone would think it impossible for a blind
person to go horse back riding or roller skating, but the Lighthouse
Kids go for it and jump right in. I even saw the phenomena of the older,
visually impaired teenagers, guiding the younger ones thereby teaching
by example. My favorite trait of the lighthouse children is that they
make the most of their disabilities. Instead of harping on the negative
and what they cannot do, they focus on their strengths. I soon
discovered that when one sense is damaged, the others are greatly
magnified. This particular fact interested me so much that before my
second summer as a Lighthouse volunteer I decided that I wanted to start
a science program with experiments all based on the reliance on smell,
touch, taste and hearing. So after a proposal of a 5 week program called
“Hands on Science” to the Lighthouse, they accepted my proposal and
scheduled the time to block it in on the schedule. I was very excited to
share my passion for science with others that were so enthusiastic about
life and learning. Teams of kids were set up with volunteers and put
with kids that would complement their abilities. To make them think and
brainstorm, I had the campers come up with a hypothesis before every
experiment. Afterwards I would provide an explanation for every
experiment’s outcome so the kids could see if they guessed correctly.
The biggest hit of all the experiments was the Mentos and Cola (see
enclosed pictures). Who doesn’t like spouting soda volcanoes? The
experiments were a huge success and I was so excited that the kids
grasped the scientific concepts so quickly.
Other than my role as “mad scientist” (see enclosed copy of
certificate), I was also a camp counselor. My job was to assist in
aiding blind children, help teach classes and be someone fun to play and
hang out with. I met so many compassionate volunteers from around the
county, and made friends with all the people in the Transition Program
(teaches everyday life skills to people ages 14-21).
I am truly thankful, honored and blessed for the opportunities and
experiences that the Lighthouse has given me, and will continue to
return every summer until I graduate from high school. This program has
opened my eyes to the outside world, and makes me realize how fortunate
I am to see. This center has made me appreciate my life and thank the
Lord for gracing me with the presence of the Lighthouse kids.
There are several ways to make a gift including:
- An outright gift of cash of securities
- A gift in memory or honor of loved
- A bequest through your will
- A planned gift, such as a gift annuity
To make a gift to the Lighthouse of Broward, call our development
department at 954-463-4217. Your call will be confidential and without
obligation. We will not sell or trade a donor's personal information to
any other entity in existence unless we receive written permission from
the donor. Your gift information will be completely secure and
confidential.
If you would like to mail a donation send your
check to:
Lighthouse of Broward
Lois L. Deicke Center
650 N. Andrews Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Please be sure to
use our legal name when making a bequest or planned gift: THE
LIGHTHOUSE OF BROWARD COUNTY, INC. If you
would like to make a donation online: [Donate
Online Here] The Lighthouse of
Broward County, Inc. is an official charity, 501 (c) 3, registered and
recognized by the IRS. Contact the Lighthouse of Broward County,
Development Office (954) 463-4217 for a copy.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE
OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE
1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY
ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. THE LIGHTHOUSE OF
BROWARD COUNTY, CHARITABLE REGISTRATION NUMBER SC-00197, RECEIVES 100%
OF CONTRIBUTIONS.
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