[nabs-l] Blind people doing community service

[Joshua Lester]

My community service benefits sighted residents, at the nursing home, as well.
There's only that one blind lady there.
BTW, I'm also interested in hosting a festival, on Labor Day weekend,
to benifit the MDA, because of 2 individuals, who suffer from Muscular
Distrophy.
I've also helped raise money for the hospital, through concerts.
Like I said, I know it isn't much, it's something.
We don't have as many programs, like Darion participated in, here in
Rural Arkansas.
Blessings, Joshua

On 5/20/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Darian,
> Yes, yes. I think most community service is done with groups of regular
> sighted people. If we limit ourselves to doing it with blind friends or a
> blindness group like NFB, that is really limiting. Community service is to
> serve the community wich usually means the broader community. That said,
> I've faced some barriers in getting work so far and I hope its easier for
> others looking. A barrier is that there is just so many volunteers now with
>
> people getting laid off or looking for work; like me, they figure volunteer
>
> experience is a means to network and benefit the community while getting
> professional experience.
> Another barrier I've found is that the coordinators of nonprofits don't call
>
> back as they must be real busy or they don't follow up with you probably
> because they know it will say take longer to train you with their database
> or something. I was going to volunteer at the library foundation, a
> nonprofit supporting the public library and the coordinator said all the
> right things and asked me to stuff tote bags for some fundraiser. I did and
>
> enjoyed it. However she did not follow up with me for more office work even
>
> though she said the right things in the interview. If I  want to help at a
> school event, I feel marginalized. Sometimes they simply say "oh we got
> things under control" even though I know they could use a hand. For
> instance, at the fundraiser dinner/auction for the global charity project
> club I was in, that is what they said. I helped the club raise money for the
>
> charity, but not much in the event. Of course, I've had positive experiences
>
> too. For example I gave out candy during halloween fest at school; that is
> where we had the low income kids come in and trick or treat the dorms. And
> then I helped campus ministry stuff backpacks for catrina school children
> victims. There are more of course, but seems like it can be frustrating to
> find a niche in service work.
>
> Ashley
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Darian Smith
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 4:03 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Blind people doing community service
>
> Hi all,
>   I know  I have been pretty quite on the list  as of late, but I
> figure I should add my two cents.
>
> Obviously, any way you  can use your talents and skills to  better  a
> community of any sort is  a very good thing and is considered
> "community Service".
>
> This is my personal feeling, but I think it would be great if we
> challanged ourselvesa little bit and tried to take our talents and use
> them to benifitnot just the blind.
> I am a big fan of non-blindness based community service.
>   As enough people probably know I dida ten-month service term  in
> AmeriCorps.  I think  I have learned so much from that time, and I
> reminded myself that in order to be considered a part of society, I
> really should do service work shoulder to shoulder with my sighted
> peers.
>   I learned so much about myself, the country, and the issues we face
> in some places.
>
> Just some thoughts, and I would be intereste  in hearing yours.
>   Take care,
>   Darian
>
> On 5/18/12, Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu> wrote:
>> I think this counts, but I'm a musician, as everyone here knows.
>> I go out to the nursing homes, to entertain the residents, with
>> uplifting Gospel music.
>> I know it's not much, but I'm doing what I can, in this community.
>> This is also blindness related, because I'm assisting a blind
>> resident, who has finally decided, that she wants to learn Braille!
>> Woohoo!
>> I've talked about her, on another list.
>> We need to do outreaches like this, as blind people, to make people
>> more aware of us, and our issues.
>> Also, when the sighted individuals see that blindness isn't something
>> that keeps us from doing what we want to do, their perceptions of us
>> will change!
>> I'd like to know what all you guys are doing, to serve your community!
>> Thanks, Joshua
>>
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>
>
> --
> Darian Smith
>
> "To dream what is possible and to put oneself in service of that dream is
> the
> formula
> for a life well lived."
>
> - Dr. Peter Benson
>
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