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<title>From a Requirement to a Desire:</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>This is an exact idea toward which we are headed! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Michelle <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Community-service
[mailto:community-service-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Darian Smith<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, February 09, 2014 9:38 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Community Service Discussion List<br>
<b>Cc:</b> National Association of Blind Students mailing list; Ohio
Association of blind students<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Community-service] {Disarmed} From a Requirement to a Desire:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-mail-urlshareusercontenttopclass>Good
morning,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal> last year i had the privilege of meeting a young
lady from Ohio. She contacted me to express interest in serving as a part
of the community service group project that was to help out with the book
fare at the 2013 national Convention, and to speak at our annual
seminar. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> Though she went on to win a national scholarship, she
was still gracious enough to attend the seminar and give a great speech
that ultimately ended up in “ future reflections”
which is the official publication of our parents division.
Today kaiti Shelton serves as a leader in our Ohio affiliate as
president of it’s student division and chairs the
convention service project committee (CSP) of the community service
group. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> below you will find the article.
I hope you find it as enjoyable as I have.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Future Reflections
Summer 2013</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'>(<a href="fr320310.htm">back</a>) (<a
href="fr3203tc.htm">contents</a>) (<a href="fr320312.htm">next</a>)<o:p></o:p></p>
<h2><strong>From a Requirement to a Desire:</strong><br>
<strong>Why Service is Important</strong><o:p></o:p></h2>
<p>by Kaiti Shelton<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><em>From the Editor: This article is based on a speech Kaiti Shelton
delivered to the Community Service Group at the 2013 NFB national convention in
Orlando. Kaiti is a sophomore at the University of Dayton in Ohio, and she was
awarded a 2013 NFB National Scholarship.</em><o:p></o:p></p>
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Kaiti Shelton reads Braille with a boy in the Ohio BELL Program."
style='position:absolute;margin-left:272.8pt;margin-top:0;width:324pt;
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src=aidan-katie-touching-brl.gif align=right hspace=10
alt="Kaiti Shelton reads Braille with a boy in the Ohio BELL Program." v:shapes="_x0000_s1026"><![endif]>When
I was in kindergarten, my mother enrolled me in Girl Scouts. For the next seven
years I spent much of my free time camping, hiking, and working to earn badges with
my friends. Along the way my troop also did small things to give back to the
community in which we lived. I remember planting flower bulbs and pulling weeds
outside my elementary school, helping to decorate the display case in the
school commons area, and working at an event to benefit St. Jude's Research
Hospital. The event, called the Mathathon, is similar to the American Cancer
Society's Relay for Life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Back then I didn't really understand why my friends and I were doing these
things. As I handed out water bottles to runners at the Mathathon, a part of me
couldn't help but wonder, "When is this thing going to be over so I can go
play?" Even when I ran my two laps around the school's baseball field to
complete my work in the Mathathon, I wondered when I could stop running; I was
tired, hot, and thirsty. I knew that what I was doing was nice, and that it was
good to help people, but I didn't understand the intrinsic value of service.
Whenever I did something, I expected an award in acknowledgement of my actions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>That all changed when I joined my high school's Student Senate as an
advisory representative. One of the requirements for maintaining membership in
the Student Senate was the completion of fifteen hours of community service per
semester. A lot of the activities Student Senate offered for members to earn
service hours involved making the school look nice in some way. Major events
included decorating the gym for dances and painting festive pictures and
sayings on the cafeteria windows each month to celebrate holidays or special
events.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>While I probably could have participated in these activities to an extent, I
didn't think I would be able to give back as much as I wanted to. I didn't want
to sit in a corner idly waiting for something else to do while my classmates
performed visual tasks. I realized that if I was truly going to give back, I
would have to create opportunities for service that would align with my
strengths and afford me a real chance to help to the best of my abilities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>My mother played a major role in helping me get started. First she agreed to
let me help her with a project she had been working on for years. An advocate
of Braille literacy herself, my mom wanted to create a Braille book lending
library for the Sightless Children's Club, a nonprofit organization in Ohio
that seeks to provide assistive technology to legally blind students. While my
mom kept track of the donated books and made a list of titles, authors, genres,
and grade levels, I made Braille labels to stick on the spine of each book for
quick browsing on the shelves. The books were then packed into boxes and taken
to the club's location, where they have since been stored in a library room of
considerable size.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Once the library project was complete, my mom suggested that I capitalize on
my love of music and my knack for working with kids. As a child I had attended
music programs at the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually
Impaired. My mom thought I might love to give back to that program. I took her
suggestion, completed volunteer training, and began volunteering at monthly
music groups that winter.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3><strong>A Passion for Service</strong><o:p></o:p></h3>
<p>I did not quite know what to expect when I showed up for my first day of
volunteering. I was a freshman in high school. I had only a vague idea what
music therapy was, and even less of an idea of how or why it worked. I did not
have a set of instructions telling me what to do or how to do it, and I was
briefly taken aback when I was told that some of the students were nonverbal
and used wheelchairs. I had never met anyone who was nonverbal, and I had had
limited contact with wheelchair users. I realized that, just as I wanted to be
treated normally, the students I would be helping would want the same thing.
After briefly observing the group and noticing how the two music therapists
assisted the students, I began to assist them myself. By the end of the day I
felt more at ease, and I had aided several students in playing their
instruments of choice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>As I continued to help with the music program, I realized that I loved
volunteering and looked forward to making music with the group members each
month. A year into my volunteer work, I realized that music therapy interested
me, and I planned to pursue it as a career. I was recognized with the agency's
Paul Silverglade Youth Volunteer Award for my contributions to the youth
services program. I was surprised, honored, and grateful to be given such an
award, but at that point I knew I was doing service for purely intrinsic
reasons. I was no longer after awards and accolades as payoffs for doing a good
thing. The benefits I received as a volunteer were far more important than any
plaque ever could be. I had found a career that excited me, as well as a
passion for community service. I continued to volunteer at the monthly music
groups for the rest of my high school career, and I still visit when I am home
from college.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3><strong>The Impact of Service</strong><o:p></o:p></h3>
<p>In spite of a hefty course load at the University of Dayton, I am still
extremely interested in giving back to the community. I manage to juggle this
interest along with my homework and classes through involvement in several
campus organizations. Last year I volunteered with an after-school music
program called the Edison Music Project at one of Dayton's inner-city elementary
schools. I taught basic piano, clarinet, and percussion to fifth- and
sixth-grade students. I joined the coed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, and
I have participated in service projects including cleaning up trash around
campus, ushering for the spring musical, and participating in a dance marathon
to benefitt the Children's Miracle Network of Hospitals. As a member of the
University of Dayton Music Therapy Club, I have provided musical enrichment to
nursing home residents, teens with developmental disabilities, and patients at
Dayton Children's Hospital.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Last semester I participated in what was possibly the most powerful service
event of the year. Along with the sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota, a professional
women's music fraternity of which I am now a member, I went to a St. Vincent de
Paul women's shelter to play for the residents. The women were deeply moved by
the music; they laughed, cried, and were very appreciative of our performance.
It was great to see that something as simple as music could change someone's
day and make her so happy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Another powerful service project in which I participated as a member of the
greater campus community was an annual program called Christmas on Campus.
Interested University of Dayton students sign up to adopt a first- or
second-grade child from one of Dayton's less privileged elementary schools. The
students provide the children with a small Christmas gift and chaperone them as
they enjoy a few hours of kid-friendly activities on campus. I really enjoyed
spending time with the second grader I was paired with. I felt like I helped
him have a good time right before the holidays.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>More recently I have been an active volunteer with the first Ohio BELL
program. I hope to assist in other NFB programs in years to come. Each of these
service projects has shown me the importance of giving back to the community
and using my talents and skills to help others.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3><strong>Conclusion</strong><o:p></o:p></h3>
<p>What does involvement in community service mean to you or to a student you
know? Community service has several secondary benefits that are great for
volunteers. On the extrinsic level, volunteering can assist students build
résumés that are helpful in applying for jobs and scholarships. Students might
even earn an award for their service. Aside from the socialization that comes
from working as a member of a team and interacting with others, students who
volunteer also have opportunities on the intrinsic level. They can gain empathy
and compassion for others, improve their communication skills and confidence, and
find a career they are passionate about pursuing. Unique to blind students are
the opportunities to learn patience for answering questions related to
blindness while actively demonstrating that blind people can lead independent
lives and contribute to their communities. I believe this is probably the best
way to educate the public on the true nature of blindness.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>However, it is important to bear in mind that service is not about building
a résumé or looking good to a scholarship committee. It should not be done for
the purposes of building social skills or as a means of searching for a
vocation. Furthermore, the goal of doing service as a blind student should not
be to educate the sighted public. Service is not about what is good for the
volunteer, but what is good for the person or people the volunteer is seeking
to help. Sometimes those extrinsic rewards will come along as the result of
service, but when service is done for the right reasons those byproducts will
be far more meaningful. I encourage all students to become active servant
leaders in whatever ways they can and to strive to do so solely for the
intrinsic value of helping others. I also encourage parents and teachers to
help their students find ways to serve that utilize their unique talents and
capabilities. Charles Dickens wrote, "No one is useless who lightens the
burdens of another," and he was absolutely right. Blind students can serve
just as effectively and with as much sincerity and compassion as their sighted
peers. Whether the project is a large-scale mission trip to a foreign country
or an hour of volunteering at a community food bank, the important thing is
that it is being done.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The National Federation of the Blind Community Service Group is currently
working towards becoming a division. If you are interested in joining the group
or aiding in the transition to division status, please contact Darian Smith for
more details. You can reach him at <a href="mailto:dsmithnfb@gmail.com">dsmithnfb@gmail.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p align=center style='text-align:center'>(<a href="fr320310.htm">back</a>) (<a
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'>Darian Smith</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'>Chairperson, Community Service Group -National Federation of
The Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'>(415)215-9809<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'><a href="mailto:dsmithnfb@gmail.com">dsmithnfb@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>“</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> "I
don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only
ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought
and found how to serve”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> -
Albert Schweitzer.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'> Your unwanted
vehicle can be just what the blind need to make possibilities reality.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'>Donate your car to the National Federation of the Blind today!<br>
For more information, please visit: <a
href="http://www.carshelpingtheblind.org/">www.carshelpingtheblind.org</a> or
call 1-855-659-9314<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</blockquote>
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