I was having lunch with my girlfriend and she was telling me about an organization that she and her daughter had gotten involved in, that was bringing them together. It’s a mother daughter joint philanthropic effort. I was intrigued and wanted to know more because it sounded like a perfect opportunity to move closer to my daughter from a place of such goodness and great opportunity.
Debby, along with my other girlfriend Pam, sponsored my daughter Jordyn and myself to join NCL. We were accepted, but I will tell you the process was a quite grueling, as I had to fill out a lengthy application and then I had to have two sponsors.
Once we were accepted, we were on our way to being a part of this amazing organization called National Charity League. Not only do we get to volunteer our time at different charities, but we get to do so spending quality time together, that is deeply impactful. Jordyn has been involved consistently, and is now going on her fourth year. This year my younger daughter Avery was able to start. Now I am participating with both of my daughters and it is really a dream come true on many fronts.
One of our favorite places to go volunteer is at New Horizons, which caters to adults with special needs. Once a month they have a dance that we volunteer at. I have been attending with both of my daughters, and it has been especially powerful for my daughter Avery. She has never been around adults with disabilities. Avery is naturally a very sensitive and compassionate girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. It was hard at first, because she felt badly for them, but when I explained to her how happy they are internally, and she’s able to see how happy they are especially when we come to help at the dances, her perspective shifted. Avery is not only happy to help, but she feels good because she is putting a smile on their faces and her own. I think service work, its the most rewarding thing one can do. This is why I love NCL so very much. I see how people’s lives are touched and how my daughters lives are changed by the opportunity of serving others. It had added another element to our relationship.
