Sara Thoma and the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association
The Blind Men’s Association at Camp Happiness has been around since 1910, more than a century of being the spot where people with little or no sight could count on having fun, being with others who understand their disability, and simple getting to do lots of things they thought they might never do again.
Today, now that it is the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association newly revitalized and led by a strong and experienced woman who serves as the Director, it still has the charm and cheerfulness of the original Camp Happiness. But is in a far better position with far more capabilities and assistance, to be of great service to people whose disability is often overlooked with many people not even aware of how it impacts daily life.
The mission of the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association is to “enhance the quality of life for the blind and visually impaired through education, socialization and fostering an environment of hope and purpose.”
One visit to their current meeting place, across Burlington Avenue from the original Camp Happiness house in Leonardo, is enough to prove the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association is accomplishing its mission on an everyday basis which is delighting the men and women of all ages who look forward to the socialization each one says is “special, necessary, and something to look forward to.”
So meet Sarah Thoma, the dynamite, enthusiastic and hardworking Director who sets a high standard both in her programming for the group, as well as in ensuring everyone spends the day chatting, creating., laughing, sharing a meal, learning, and simply having fun. And while the guests are all busy doing all of the above, with a formidable group of volunteers who say they get more from the experience than they give, Sarah is busy working on researching grants, coordinating volunteers, running fund raisers and anything else that will make every day’s experience just a little better for each of the people she obviously loves.
Sara has been with the Association for less than three years, working hard and long on a “rebirth” of the agency had had been closed for two years but looked like it had been neglected many years before. Her first job, she felt, was to transform the house and property to ensure safety and comfort for the members. Looking back, she laughs, “Little did I know that was the tip of the iceberg.”
After getting that handled, including creating lovely grounds filled with comfortable chairs and tables for outdoor days overlooking the bay, she set about writing manuals for both the Board overseeing the Association as well as volunteers, setting protocols and policies to create an infrastructure. It also included exchanging board members who had lost the vision of the original founders and replacing them with eager new volunteers ready to uplift Camp Happiness and the Association spiritually, financially, and enthusiastically.
That part of the job is behind her now. And Sarah wanted to set up regular activities members could count on and look forward to.
Because they also depend on the support and assistance of other nonprofit organizations, it’s on Wednesday mornings now two of the trio of daily employees, Sarah and Kat Gramas, Operations Manager, with the help of Martha Sapaio, a part time bookkeeper, visit Lunchbreak to pick up their generous supplies of lunch for the members, as well as fresh fruit to take home and enjoy later. There are other days when generous friends call to see if they can donate lunches or gifts for the members as well.
A routine has also been established. The members arrive, usually by one of two busses supplied by the Association, coming into the building around 10:30, enjoy a morning snack and greeting, then take on hearty conversation a lot of laughs, and camaraderie, before starting the activities planned for the rest of the day.
Sometimes it’s someone coming in to give a talk or a demonstration, other times it’s an artist coming to show works of art and lead residents in unusual artistic projects. As a result, the meeting room includes an entire wall of paintings and crafts, some of which have won honors at the Monmouth County Fair and some are simply creative, just as art designed with paints while the novice artist is moving his brush or fingers in touch with music he’s listening to.
It’s late afternoon when the members say last minute goodbyes and share final stories with their friends then head to the bus for their trip home.
The 26 campers in Camp Happiness range in age from 21 to 96, each with varying degrees of visual impairment, but all with huge smiles, hearty laughs and sheer happiness at their Wednesday and Thursday meetings.
But they go home thinking about the next events they have in store…be it a trip to a concert, or the beach, a museum or a speaker at a meeting, an exercise to learn or a new challenge they want to take on. The Association takes the members to restaurants, and parks, and partners with other groups, including the Colts Neck Lions Club and the Monmouth County Park System for an even broader spectrum of activities.
It was called Camp Happiness in the first place because the men who started it looked at their special camp as a place where they were all happy. Those who are part of the New Jersey Blind Citizens Association today cherish the title and epitomize it with great smiles, deep laughter and happy faces. But they’ve added their own name to show the many things they’re now able to do. These Blind Citizens are better known among themselves as “Blinds on the Go.”
Volunteers and donations are always welcome for this non-profit organization. To find out more about it, contact the Director Sarah Thoma at 732-291-0878. See firsthand how helping someone with your own talent makes you feel better about yourself.
