Volunteering at a Camp for Deaf Children Essay - 2169 Words

Reflections on Volunteering at a Camp for Deaf Children It was the first night of camp, and the kids were lining up for dinner. Most were still showing signs of adjusting: the older, seasoned campers were renewing friendships and checking out possible new ones, the girls carrying on animated conversations while their eyes strayed ever so slightly, sweeping the area like radar, acknowledging the presence of a teenaged boy with a blip in the eyes; the younger campers were more reserved, fighting nervousness and apprehension. I noticed one boy, who looked about eight years old, harassing the others in line and refusing to follow his counselor’s admonitions to keep his hands to himself. He kept bothering other campers and just turned away†¦show more content†¦I had always felt warm and fuzzy about the project, about how nice it was for the deaf kids to have a â€Å"normal† experience in the wilderness, just like any other kids. For several years, with other members of my Lioness Club, I had enthusiastically voted to con tribute part of our fund raising revenues to sponsor children at camp. This summer, though, I had finally made the commitment to spend a week here, working in the kitchen at almost 6000 feet altitude, near Pinecrest, California. As the week progressed I observed the kids frequently and marveled at their â€Å"normalness.† Although I was in the kitchen preparing and cleaning up after meals for most of the day, I still had time late mornings, afternoons, and evenings to follow the campers and the counselors at various activities. I got to know several of the counselors, who worked directly with the kids, and the staff, who oversaw the projects and activities. (The adults in camp consisted of the staff, some of whom were deaf; the counselors, most of whom were deaf; and us, the kitchen staff, all of whom were hearing and were members of Lions or Lioness clubs in California. The staff and counselors were paid; we were all volunteers.) Many of the deaf counselors could read lips and speak with us in that particular muted, husky monotone that all deaf speakers seem to share. Others could not or—as I found later—would not communicate with us. One of the deaf staff members, Andy, was about toShow MoreRelatedNazi Germany And The Nazi War11227 Words   |  45 Pagesfor their children. Also, while a member of the HJ, the children would have free room and board, would be well cared for and provided an education. During the hard economic times in Germany, this was a strong incentive and motivated parents to put their children in the HJ. However, after Germany attacked Poland in 1939, Hitler declared that membership in the HJ would be mandatory. The HJ was a logical extension of Hitler s belief that the future of Nazi Germany was its children. As a resultRead MoreEssay on Fall of Asclepius95354 Words   |  382 Pageslisten. He ran as fast as he could. The camera followed him. He stopped briefly at the camera. If you have any sense, I suggest you run like hell! They are infected! They are not human anymore! What do you mean? Rose tried to ask him. It fell on deaf ears when he was too far away to hear her. The soldiers switched their clips for live rounds. The rioters were now within twenty feet. The soldiers fired, but the bullets passed harmlessly through the rioters. Thomas could swear he saw one rioterRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pageshe cannot keep up (literally!) with Dr. Robbin’s accomplishments on the track, Dr. Judge enjoys golf, cooking and baking, literature (he’s a particular fan of Thomas Hardy and is a member of the Thomas Hardy Society), and keeping up with his three children, who range in age from 23 to 9. Preface Welcome to the fifteenth edition of Organizational Behavior! Long considered the standard for all organizational behavior textbooks, this edition continues its tradition of making current, relevant researchRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pagesits original dimensions.† Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. To my family who have always encircled me with love and encouragement—my parents (Samuel and Charlotte), my wife (Mary), my sons and their wives (Kevin and Dawn, Robert and Sally) and their children (Ryan, Carly, Connor and Lauren). C.F.G. â€Å"We must not cease from exploration and the end of all exploring will be to arrive where we begin and to know the place for the first time.† T. S. Eliot To Ann whose love and support has brought out the