Community Service

The Greenwich Association for Retarded Citizens (G.A.R.C.) of Greenwich High is a group of students interested in interacting with disabled students.  These students go to the high school as well, and look forward to getting to know us.  Each of the students have different disabilities but they each have the desire to make friends.  This group is totally volunteer basis for all of it's members, no one has to attend.  I have been a member of this group for the three years I have attended in Greenwich High.  Spending a lot of time with these children I have learned to understand that they are just looking to make friends.

I joined this group as a freshman because I had worked with children with Down Syndrome during the eighth grade at Central Middle School.  My interest carried on through out the years because of the numerous fun times I have had, and have made friends with many of the girls.  They are all very personable and pleasant to talk with.  They each have special characteristics defining them from the others, making each of them special in different ways, just like the rest us.

Aside from the meetings that we have every so often to discuss activities we can do, we usually do fun and interesting activities.  We go out for pizza frequently because it seems to be the group consensus on what we would all like to eat.  During the holidays we celebrate in interesting ways; on Halloween we have a party where every one gets dressed and brings candy.  For the Christmas season we are going to celebrate with a party at a members  house and listen to Christmas carols, and have dinner.  We have had bake sales and have sold candy in order to raise money for the clubs activities.  These are usually a success because every one participates and we all seem to function well as a group.  When there are dances or football games at school we each take one of the girls and it's good for them because they get to interact with the rest of the school at a big function. 

This club is not only fun, but it's like going to a meeting with some of your friends.  We are a small group and we all get along.  Since we are a small group it is also difficult for us to do a lot of things. It is difficult to educate the larger part of the public who doesn't know what these kids are like. It is also hard to raise money to do many activities.  It would be great if more kids would join each year, and it would be great if the ignorance level had lowered.  Many students just don't want to know anything of these kids.  I chose to discuss G.A.R.C. because it is a group that could use help from the community at Greenwich high, and I thought I could help by explaining exactly what we do. Why talk about something else, when I could tell of something I enjoy and that needs more attention.