A plea for more volunteers to help with the iconic Lakeside School for the Deaf apparently reached the right people. Vice President Cece Girling, who was doing double duty and keeping the project going with a skeleton crew, was delighted with the results of the story. “We had an overflowing crowd of people at our Annual General Meeting on February 16,” she said. “More, I’m told, than we have had in many years.
Volunteers stepped up to fill the gaps in the board of directors, creating a strong board with Fernando Gomez as president, Cece Giring, vice president in charge of fundraising, Terry Crowder as treasurer, Audrey Clark, publicity chairperson and Mary Ellen McCann as recording secretary. Also stepping up to the plate is Steve Cross, who will assist Girling with fundraising.
“Beyond these wonderful people who have committed to the operation of the charity, we’ve been lucky to have been contacted by several people who have had professional training and experience with education for ‘special needs’ children,” said Girling.John Dodds will head up an evaluation team to determine which of the kids should have opportunities for future education or training when they finish at the School for the Deaf. The committee will also use the services of Dale Wilson, who has a PhD in Education of Special Needs Children, as well as Penelope Caragonne, PhD., and Keith Sofka, who also has a background in evaluating special needs children.
Many volunteers with the organization have been concerned for many years that the School for the Deaf label limits the impression the community has about the program. While the charity was founded in 1978 primarily for deaf children, for several years the school has been involved in the care and education of children with Downs Syndrome, quadriplegia, paraplegia, Cerebral Palsy, autism and more.
In what Girling calls a landmark decision, while the official name of the project’s registration will remain The Lakeside School for the Deaf, A.C., the school will be known (except for the minutes at the Annual General Meeting) as the School for Special Needs Kids.
“This makes sense as the school has long since stopped for being just for deaf children,” says Girling, “We also have an outreach to deaf children who cannot attend the school to provide them with audiology evaluation and providing hearing aids.”
Officers say there is a need right now for hearing aids for 15 profoundly deaf children. They cost about 500 dollars (US) each and the new board of directors is hopeful that some in the community will come forward with donations.