The eggs went ''Beep'' at LVIB's Annual Beeping Easter Hun
March 22, 2024
NEW PORT RICHEY, FL – March 21, 2024— On Saturday, March 16th, more than 30 children who were visually impaired, blind, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and their siblings, gathered for the annual Beeping Easter Egg Hunt (BEEH) at the Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind (LVIB). The children shared a lovely breakfast provided by the Hudson-Bayonet Point Lions Club, then ran outside to look for beeping and brightly colored eggs in LVIB’s Sensory Garden. Once their baskets were full, they exchanged their eggs for candy and participated in activities. They had so much fun engaging in the sensory bin, a fine motor egg game, and arts and crafts.
The BEEH, which is supported in part by the Suncoast Credit Union, was hosted by LVIB. This event is highly anticipated by both the children and their parents and has been a cornerstone of Lighthouse’s Children’s and Babies’ Program. Children who are visually impaired cannot see or have difficulty seeing the eggs so they depend on the constant beeping sound the eggs emit. This year, LVIB invited Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services of Floria (DHHSF) children to participate. Children who are deaf and hard of hearing experience barriers when attending regular Easter egg hunts, and they appreciate the support they receive from DHHSF so they too can feel included.
The Lighthouse is extremely grateful for all the support that made the BEEH possible. The 2024 Chasco Coronation Ball King Pithla & Queen Chasco, J. David Wright and Becky Bennett, whose reign began the night before, were on hand to pass out crowns and help with the hunt. Other volunteers from Suncoast Credit Union, Seniors in Service, Trinity Rotary, and the community, and donations in many forms from J. David Wright, Trinity Rotary, and Hudson-Bayonet Point Lions Club, made for a very successful event. Many volunteers had never been to a Beeping Easter Egg Hunt before. Deborah Gallagher, Senior Member Advocate at Suncoast Credit Union said she was thrilled to see how inclusive the event was and Jane Franco, former Director of a local preschool said, “watching the sighted siblings help their visually impaired brothers and sisters naturally filled our hearts.”
The Lighthouse Babies’ Program is funded in part by a generous $10,000 grant from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $44 million to help provide a better future for the children of our community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, two cents are donated to the Foundation to support local initiates, like LVIB.
The BEEH is just one of the events for youth enrolled in Lighthouse programs. The Lighthouse Early Intervention Program (also known as the Babies’ Program) helps young children develop residual vision and other senses and learn adapted skills needed to cope with vision loss, so they are as prepared as possible when entering pre-school. The Children’s Program teaches independent living skills for home and school. Teens in our Transition Program develop skills for their future so they are prepared for independent living, higher education, and employment. Learn more about Lighthouse programs for babies, children, and teens at www.lvib.org/babies-to-teens.
The BEEH, which is supported in part by the Suncoast Credit Union, was hosted by LVIB. This event is highly anticipated by both the children and their parents and has been a cornerstone of Lighthouse’s Children’s and Babies’ Program. Children who are visually impaired cannot see or have difficulty seeing the eggs so they depend on the constant beeping sound the eggs emit. This year, LVIB invited Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services of Floria (DHHSF) children to participate. Children who are deaf and hard of hearing experience barriers when attending regular Easter egg hunts, and they appreciate the support they receive from DHHSF so they too can feel included.
The Lighthouse is extremely grateful for all the support that made the BEEH possible. The 2024 Chasco Coronation Ball King Pithla & Queen Chasco, J. David Wright and Becky Bennett, whose reign began the night before, were on hand to pass out crowns and help with the hunt. Other volunteers from Suncoast Credit Union, Seniors in Service, Trinity Rotary, and the community, and donations in many forms from J. David Wright, Trinity Rotary, and Hudson-Bayonet Point Lions Club, made for a very successful event. Many volunteers had never been to a Beeping Easter Egg Hunt before. Deborah Gallagher, Senior Member Advocate at Suncoast Credit Union said she was thrilled to see how inclusive the event was and Jane Franco, former Director of a local preschool said, “watching the sighted siblings help their visually impaired brothers and sisters naturally filled our hearts.”
The Lighthouse Babies’ Program is funded in part by a generous $10,000 grant from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $44 million to help provide a better future for the children of our community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, two cents are donated to the Foundation to support local initiates, like LVIB.
The BEEH is just one of the events for youth enrolled in Lighthouse programs. The Lighthouse Early Intervention Program (also known as the Babies’ Program) helps young children develop residual vision and other senses and learn adapted skills needed to cope with vision loss, so they are as prepared as possible when entering pre-school. The Children’s Program teaches independent living skills for home and school. Teens in our Transition Program develop skills for their future so they are prepared for independent living, higher education, and employment. Learn more about Lighthouse programs for babies, children, and teens at www.lvib.org/babies-to-teens.
