Volunteer
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 the Volunteer Coordinator to learn more about available volunteer opportunities.
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| Ashley Garcia proudly displays her award as her parents and St. Thomas Aquinas HS presenter look on. |
Reflections from a Young Volunteer
It is estimated that over 125,000 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 certificate above), 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.
Ashley Garcia