A LOOK AT THE ARTS & CULTURE of Milledgeville and Baldwin County
Fraser at a music in motion session . GC University Communications
STUDENTS TEACH SONGS IN SIGN LANGUAGE scene and heard
Volunteer as farmhands for service-learning
As part of community and public health courses through the College of Health Sciences , three students chose unique opportunities to volunteer this semester .
The senior public health majors Donovan Fraser , Jamie Puckett and Brennan Smith were tasked with choosing an organization with which to volunteer . Facilitated by Dr . Ernie Kaninjing , assistant professor of health and human performance , the exercise teaches students practical skills for interacting with unique communities .
For his philanthropic work , Fraser chose the Life Enrichment Center ( LEC ), a private nonprofit program for adults with intellectual disabilities established in 1967 . At their on-campus sessions , Fraser works as an assistant and helps keep clients on track with creative expressions through music .
“ We get everyone situated , make sure they ’ re all participating and make sure they ’ re having fun ,” he says . “ We ’ re making a sense of community so they know we ’ re here for them .”
He has a personal connection to the LEC ’ s mission . Before he was born , Fraser ’ s mother was told he may have complications . That wasn ’ t the case , but Fraser would want someone to make him comfortable if he were in their shoes .
“ Some individuals have a negative perception of those with any type of disability ,” Fraser says . “ Volunteering with them breaks down those barriers and those misconceptions you see on television . It ’ s totally
14 Milledgeville Scene | 20 Under 40 2022