Look At All The Opportunities
December 1, 2022
Opportunity Village is a non-profit organization with multiple locations within the Las Vegas area. As the name implies, part of their mission is to provide individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities opportunities to develop valuable life skills. The program’s focus is on helping them make new friends and explore possible career options. For many community members in Las Vegas this program helps them provide for themselves and create a life that they are confident with.
Sophomore Camryn Lumada-Williams greatly appreciates the mission of this organization. Her older brother has special needs and because of them he has the ability to participate in many different activities and just have fun. Without Opportunity Village he may not be able to experience these things.
“My brother is one of the people they help take care of,” Lumada-Williams states. “It’s really helpful in a way to help calm him down but also have fun while he’s there.”
Opportunity Village has celebrated the Christmas season with their fundraiser, the Magical Forest, every season for the past 31 years. All of the money earned from the season goes to their organization and those who need it. Many companies also help sponsor and support the festivities. Magical Forest gives the community a sense of togetherness, with plenty of activities like a gingerbread contest, potato sack slides, train rides, and carnival games. Santa is also present and ready to hear the community’s Christmas wishes.
Opportunity Village offers various different volunteer opportunities within the community. Junior Mallory Thompson recently had a volunteer opportunity at Opportunity Village along with members of her church. On a Saturday morning she and her friends headed over and worked hard to clean up. During their service project these students helped take down the lights, cobwebs, and decorations left over from Halloween and put up the Christmas lights.
“Everything there was so cute and had a great vibe to it,” Thompson explains. “I’m planning on visiting later this month to check it out while it is up and running.”
Thompson loves that Opportunity Village stands for what they do. While she was up there helping the organization get ready for the coming season she definitely felt like she just became a part of this magical fairy-tale.
Overall Opportunity Village has a noble mission and brings plenty of Christmas cheer to the season.
“Opportunity Village has a great mission to not only help the adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities but let them have fun as well.” Lumada-Williams explains.
