“I haven’t had a substantial death impact me, but I have experienced grief before,” said Madison “MJ” Helmick ’26, Computer Animation. As a Lazarus Scholar with Ringling College of Art and Design, Helmick has committed time throughout her college career to Tidewell Hospice’s Blue Butterfly program for children. Her contributions to the local nonprofit recently earned her the Young Leader Service Award from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).
The award ceremony took place at a luncheon on Sept. 16 as part of the NHPCO’s 2024 annual leadership conference in Denver, Colorado.
Blue Butterfly provides specialized grief services for teens and children. But Helmick appreciates that the work they do can benefit all young people, whether or not they’ve lost someone close to them. “I wish I had the additional support that Blue Butterfly provides,” she explained. “Such as creating a safe space to learn about their mental health and openly expressing any and all emotions.”
As a scholar selected for the four-year Lazarus Experiential Learning Assistantship, Helmick is committed to volunteering for a local nonprofit that addresses issues related to poverty. But as she began learning about the community nonprofits partnered with the Lazarus program, she struggled to find the right fit.
“I was having a difficult time, and nothing had felt quite right,” she said. “It wasn’t until we watched the video about Blue Butterfly that something clicked. The support kids are able to receive is something I wish I had when I was younger. And now I have the opportunity to impact their lives.”
Her work with Blue Butterfly includes assisting counselors with group sessions and activities in a shared space in Newtown on the first and third Wednesday of every month. She’s also offered her artistic abilities to the organization, most notably creating designs for Tidewell’s Legacy Books, in which hospice patients can write details about their lives to be given to loved ones. Helmick shares her experiences with her peers and sometimes recruits them to help with Tidewell projects.
“Although I’m not going into any relevant field, volunteering with Blue Butterfly has taught me many transferable skills, challenged my creativity, and broadened my perspective,” said Helmick. “My target audience will most likely be the same age as kids at Blue Butterfly, and by learning about them, I learn how I can best appeal to their age and what sort of stories they not only want to see but need to see.”
The Lazarus Engaged Learning Assistantship is made possible by the generous support of the Rudi Lazarus Foundation and partners with AmeriCorps to address poverty in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Lazarus scholars in the four-year program serve multiple hours per week with a local nonprofit focused on issues like hunger, nutrition, literacy, homelessness, and housing, as well as serving children and youth affected by poverty. Lazarus students develop capstone projects, recruit classmates and the Ringling community, participate in community education initiatives, and share personal reflections on their service.
