Last Friday, October 26th we hosted a very special Broncos Reading Corner opening at the Anchor Center for Blind Children’s new facility. When we first began discussions about putting a Broncos Reading Corner at the Center, we knew it would be special and unique, but we had no idea just how wonderful, moving our experience would be. Spending the afternoon with Cristina, Uriah, Drew, Alex, Aidan, Diego, Cici, Jesus, David, Elie, Haley, Alma, Miranda, Nicholas, Daniel, Arturo and Skyla, their families and the Anchor Center staff was something we will not forget.
At each of our Reading Corner openings, the highlight is an interactive reading for the kids with Broncos Ring of Fame member Billy Thompson and Miles (the Broncos mascot), in which Miles acts out the adventures in the book! In preparation for our visit at the Anchor Center, we knew we needed come up with a way for visually impaired children to enjoy this experience and to introduce them to Miles! Working in conjunction with staff members at the Anchor Center, we came up with several ideas — we began by having Miles come in shaking pom pons (an auditory cue for the children) and gave them the opportunity to come up and touch Miles to give them a sense of him. One of the children, remarked…he’s big, furry and wearing football pants!
Throughout the interactive reading, we gave the children props that helped them experience what Miles was acting out and what Billy was reading to them — ice for ice skating, paint brushes for painting, instruments for making music and sand with rocks to pretend they are panning for gold. In addition, we wanted the children to experience and/or act out with Miles; having water mist over them like they were rafting, a fan blowing while having them put their arms out as if they were hang gliding and playing sounds from a train for them to imagine they are on the train. This concept turned out to be not only fun or the children at the Anchor Center but for us as well. We end each opening with a celebration of cookies and punch…a perfect ending for any child. A special day that had all of us…seeing life differently!
The concept of Broncos Reading Corners is part of the Broncos Community Development’s mission — to improve the lives of Coloradoans through youth, health and hunger/homelessness initiatives. Within the youth initiative, education and literacy is the focus. Each Reading Corner grant provides age-appropriate books, Broncos-colored book bins and football themed furniture. Currently, Broncos Reading Corners are in 22 DPS Elementary School libraries and five Denver area non-profit agencies.
The Anchor Center for Blind Children is dedicated to providing early intervention/education to blind and visually impaired children throughout the state of Colorado. Anchor Center’s staff of highly trained vision specialists, therapists and teachers strive to foster the full potential of children who are blind by providing exemplary education, therapy and family support services. Anchor Center’s goal is to assist all blind and visually impaired children so they may develop the tools they need to lead happy, healthy, successful lives.
The Denver Broncos and Anchor Center for Blind Children…Champions in the Community!
