Guests enjoyed balmy spring breezes alongside a gorgeous ocean as they toasted “picture perfect” volunteers at the annual Gifford Youth Achievement Center Volunteer Dinner last Wednesday evening on the deck at Waldo’s Restaurant.
“We’re here tonight to thank our volunteers for their dedication to the children at the center,” said Millicent Carpenter, GYAC volunteer coordinator, as guests mingled over cocktails and a buffet dinner.
“Our volunteers are picture perfect. We couldn’t do this without them,” she added, noting that their roughly 70 volunteers often don’t have an opportunity to visit with one another the center. “They are very special to us, and we want them to know how much we appreciate everything they do.”
Deborah Burnett, who was honored as Volunteer of the Year, works every Friday with children in the GYAC Arts Program.
“Even when she injured her ankle she would hobble in with her cast,” shared Carpenter, giving Burnett a commemorative coin from Waldo’s.
The Gifford Youth Achievement Center was founded in 1998 to enhance the academic achievement of local children through the development of self-esteem and character. GYAC volunteers work after school every day with almost 200 children, offering the students mentorship and tutoring in a secure, welcoming environment where they can learn and grow.
“These children benefit from the whole experience at GYAC. They get a sense that the entire community cares about them,” said Peggy Ames, a volunteer for the past two years. “They know they are in a safe and caring place.”
In addition to individual volunteers, the GYAC has developed partnerships with various community entities to provide the children with an assortment of experiences and exposure they would generally not otherwise encounter. Collaborations with Riverside Theatre, the Vero Beach Museum of Art, Master Gardeners and others assist the children with numerous recreational activities that enrich the academic portions of the program.
Another partnership is with the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County, which provides animal education classes to children at GYAC.
“We teach the kids empathy for the animals, and that translates to empathy for people,” explained Ilka Daniel, HSVBIRC director of animal protective services.
Volunteer Vera Smith said she feels the work the volunteers do “helps the children feel like they can succeed in anything they want to do. Everybody is capable of success.”
To join the ranks of volunteers, call Millicent Carpenter at 772-794-1005, ext. 232 or visit gyac.net. The GYAC will host its next open house at 4 p.m. May 18.