In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month, we're shining a spotlight on a volunteer who consistently goes above and beyond to support Beyond Blindness events and initiatives. Mychal Ferguson, Manager of Officer Administration at STAAR Surgical, serves on both the Dr. Frank Villalobos Golf Classic and Vision Beyond Sight committees, while also supporting additional corporate volunteer events throughout the year. She actively rallies sponsorships and brings a positive, can‑do energy to every task she takes on.
We asked Mychal what inspires her to give back to Beyond Blindness.
What originally inspired you to get involved with Beyond Blindness, and what keeps you coming back?
My grandfather, Edward Duran had a large passion for serving others. After his retirement from Orange County Office of The County Counsel, he spent much of his free time volunteering with various organizations such as the boards at Our Lady of Fatima and JSerra high school and along with my Uncle and Aunt our family raised dogs for CCI (Canine Companions for Independence). My mom also does quite a bit of volunteer work in Oregon. So my family is very service minded. Coming into STAAR I was given the opportunity to spend some time working with Beyond Blindness and jumped on it and now have been a proud member of the committees for the annual celebration as well as the Frank Villalobos golf tournament for several years running. I keep coming back for the people, the employees at Beyond Blindness are incredibly kind and the kids and their families are always so appreciative of the work we do.
Mychal (right) poses with fellow volunteers at the Dr. Frank Villalobos Fall Golf Classic
It’s meaningful to be part of something that truly supports families caring for children with visual impairments.
Can you share a moment or experience at Beyond Blindness that made you feel your impact in a meaningful way?
My role at STAAR is very project oriented so I LOVE to see a team put together something from start to finish, so each year at the celebration and the golf tournament I like to take a moment to appreciate how many people came together to coordinate all the moving pieces to create such a special experience for our donors.
If you’ve volunteered with other organizations, what feels different about the work or the community here at Beyond Blindness?
I have done some other volunteer work, but Beyond Blindness is the first time I have had the opportunity to get involved in a committee role for events and personally solicit donors. There is a very strong sense of community among the employees and committee volunteers- we are all on the same page about the mission.
How has volunteering with Beyond Blindness changed your perspective on service or shaped you personally?
It’s always nice to be able to do something that makes you feel good about the way you spend your time, and I walk away after these events very tired, but content. Then we all rest for a couple weeks and get ready to do the next one!
What do you think Beyond Blindness offers volunteers—or families—that they can’t easily find elsewhere?
I think they give families a much-deserved break from being the sole caregivers of the children Beyond Blindness serves, by supplying resources and holding events such as “Parents Night Out”. Every time we do an event, it’s nice to see how many volunteers engage with the kids.
How has your experience volunteering with Beyond Blindness influenced your team dynamics, company culture, or se
At STAAR we have had the privilege of hosting Beyond Blindness at our offices in Lake Forest and Monrovia multiple times, and employees who aren’t able to attend events outside the office always get engaged and stop by to work on projects for future events, as well as take a turn on the Braille typewriters – those are a big hit with our engineers and R&D department employees. We have a strong sense of community at STAAR as well, so having Beyond Blindness come in is always really special and brings us together.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities by contacting volunteer@beyondblindness.org.