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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.
“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”
These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.
Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.
“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”
Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.
As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.
For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.
Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.
Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.
Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.
If you are interested in volunteering, visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.
Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET
Online
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Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET
Zoom
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Online Event
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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? 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'' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c93ca63/2147483647/strip/true/crop/778x500+111+0/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2Fd0%2F16%2F830eadc84b92a64cf50df4fa1d8c%2Fvolunteer-spotlight-sondra.png"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c93ca63/2147483647/strip/true/crop/778x500+111+0/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2Fd0%2F16%2F830eadc84b92a64cf50df4fa1d8c%2Fvolunteer-spotlight-sondra.png"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? 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"/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c93ca63/2147483647/strip/true/crop/778x500+111+0/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2Fd0%2F16%2F830eadc84b92a64cf50df4fa1d8c%2Fvolunteer-spotlight-sondra.png"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</h1></header> <div class="posted-on"> Posted on 04/09/24 by <b>AARP Florida</b> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer"> <span class="blog-content"><p><div class="RichTextArticleBody"> <div class="RichTextArticleBody-body"><p>Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.<br><br>“My background is marked by a profound dedication to caregiving and a strong sense of empathy and compassion instilled in me through life experiences,” shares Sondra, reflecting on her upbringing in Jacksonville. “I have served in nurturing roles throughout my life, including raising children and providing care for family members within my community. After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. "/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c93ca63/2147483647/strip/true/crop/778x500+111+0/resize/420x270!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faarp-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fstates%2Fd0%2F16%2F830eadc84b92a64cf50df4fa1d8c%2Fvolunteer-spotlight-sondra.png"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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After retiring, I devoted myself to caring for my aging father until his passing, and subsequently supported my husband of over 40 years until his recent passing.”<br><br>These experiences have afforded her a profound understanding of the importance of empathy and grace, especially towards older adults facing challenges in their later years.<br><br>Sondra draws inspiration from her maternal grandmother, whose acts of kindness left an indelible mark on her family and community. It was her grandmother's unwavering faith that ignited Sondra's enthusiasm for helping others, regardless of age or circumstance.<br><br>“In my local community, I've been actively involved in disseminating vital information on various topics, including fraud prevention, brain health, and family caregiving,” emphasizes Sondra. “This past February, I was afforded an opportunity to travel to Tallahassee during a Legislative Week as an AARP Florida Advocacy Volunteer, which was a very rewarding experience.”<br><br>Sondra is also passionate about environmental sustainability and participates in grassroots efforts to promote eco-friendly practices and preserve natural resources. Through her involvement in community activism, she strives to create a more inclusive, equitable, and vibrant society for current and future generations.<br><br>As an active volunteer with AARP, Sondra channels her passion for service into assisting older adults in her community. Her approach is practical and grounded, focusing on tangible ways to make a difference in the lives of those she serves. She feels volunteering with AARP has been enriching on multiple fronts, not only has she gained valuable experience and expanded her knowledge, but she has also formed meaningful connections with new friends. Sondra notes that the small interactions with those she serves are particularly memorable, as they brighten her day with banter and appreciation.<br><br>For Sondra, volunteering is not just about making a difference—it's about standing up for others and taking action to support those in need. She believes that volunteering with sincerity and passion inevitably reflects in one's performance and makes a difference in the lives of others.<br><br>Sondra's message to aspiring volunteers: “Find what moves you and make a difference. Ensure that your decision to volunteer stems from a genuine passion and desire to make a positive impact. Avoid volunteering solely because others are doing it; instead, let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through.," she encourages.<br><br>Sondra's dedication to service and compassion exemplifies the best of what it means to be a community member. Through her volunteer work with AARP and beyond, she has demonstrated the transformative power of empathy and practical action. Sondra's legacy of kindness and support will endure inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and make a difference in the lives of those around them.<br><br>Her example serves as a guiding light, reminding us of all the profound impact we can have when we come together in service of a common good. With hearts open and hands ready to help, we can build a brighter, more compassionate future for generations to come.<br><br>If you are interested in volunteering, <span class="Enhancement" ><span class="Enhancement-item"><a class="Link" href="https://states.aarp.org/florida/looking-for-a-volunteer-gig-check-us-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit our Florida Volunteer Webpage</a></span></span>. AARP Florida offers a wide range of opportunities for volunteers, from advocates to community educators.</p></div> </div> </p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><script src="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.c85a242a55150cd195e494cd6e5b9c77.gz.js" async=""></script> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="https://aarp-states.brightspotcdn.com/resource/00000168-dd17-d487-a96e-df5fe3ee0000/styleguide/All.min.bfe6eb5a8301841feef3af4e9bd1e26d.gz.css"> <!-- bypass --> <style> a:focus, a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } h1.article-headline { margin: 0 0 1rem; } </style> <!-- <style> .Enhancement-item .Figure { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body ul { margin-bottom: 24px; } .RichTextArticleBody-body p{ margin: 12px 0; } .RichTextModule-items { clear: both; display: table; width: 100%; margin-bottom: 12px; } .VideoEnhancement>* { color: var(--primaryTextColor); font-size: 13px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; font-style: italic; background: #f0efed } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement>* { font-size:14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.47 } } .VideoEnhancement-title { padding: 20px } @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) { .VideoEnhancement-title { padding:30px } } .VideoEnhancement-player>* { position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25% } .VideoEnhancement iframe { border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100% } [data-video-player] { display: block; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; margin: 0 auto; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="4x3"] { padding-bottom: 56.25%; } [data-video-player][data-aspect-ratio="16x9"] { padding-bottom: 56.25% } </style> --></div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-NEWSSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">Upcoming AARP Events</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-community-shark-preservation-mods-broward-fl-071524-dgnddpl63ds.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-SAVE-OUR-SEAS-SPEAKER-SERIES-SHARK-CONSERVATION">Save Our Seas Speaker Series Shark Conservation</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Online</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-fl-downsize-declutter-workshop-8724-w9njddh26pv.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CONQUER-THE-CLUTTER-CHAOS-WORKSHOP">Conquer the Clutter Chaos Workshop</a></h2> <p class="time">Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/fitness-strengthen-your-bones-qzn35fzyfjf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-FITNESS-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-BONES">Fitness Class: Strengthen Your Bones</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html): failed to open stream: No such file or directory [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb4d3e-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre><pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Warning</b> (2)</a>: include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app//Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [<b>APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code</b>, line <b>1</b>]<div id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr668c632eb5b56-context" class="cake-context" style="display: none;">$module = array( '_id' => '66158db0e9dff2b1fd9cafcd', 'module_id' => '1098', 'name' => 'RHS - Events Experience', 'type' => 'php', 'data' => '<?php include(APP . "/Resource/experience.master.resource.root.html"); ?>', 'css' => '', 'script' => '', 'cache_time' => '', 'localize' => '0' ) $obj = false</pre><pre class="stack-trace">include - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 eval - APP/Lib/Modules.php(13) : eval()'d code, line 1 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 13 Modules::load() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 29 Localize::getModule() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 294 Localize::replace() - APP/Lib/Localize.php, line 219 Modules::render() - APP/Lib/Modules.php, line 9 include - APP/View/Elements/display.ctp, line 13 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167</pre></div></pre> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-JACKSONVILLE-FL">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Florida Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP <br />in Jacksonville</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:jacksonville@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jacksonville@aarp.org</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/florida/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Florida</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="http://states.aarp.org/aarp-florida-state-offices/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20171231-JACKSONVILLE-FL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png" alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aarpjax" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png" alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ' $scripts_for_layout = '<title>Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service.“My background is" name="description"/> <meta content="Volunteer, Spotlight, Sondra, Morton, Leads, With, Compassion" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/news/volunteer-spotlight-sondra-morton-leads-with-compassion-fl-2024-04-09.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Volunteer Spotlight: Sondra Morton Leads With Compassion"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Meet Sondra Morton, a dedicated volunteer from Jacksonville, Florida, whose life story is woven with threads of compassion and service. 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--primaryTextColor: #2a2a2a; --linkTextColor: #1f66bd; --linkHoverColor: #1f66bd; --secondaryTextColor: #000000; --secondaryColor2: #000000; --secondaryColor3: #000000; --secondaryColor4: #000000; --secondaryColor5: #000000; --black: #000000; --white: #ffffff; --grey: #f0efed; --gridGutters: 30px; --modulePadding: 60px; --pageWidth: 86.11%; --maxPageWidth: 1240px; --horizontalAlignment: center; --fontFamily: 'Roboto', sans-serif; --headerBackgroundColor:#000000; --headerTextColor:#FFFFFF; --headerHeight:50px; --footerbackgroundColor:#000000; --footerTextColor:#918883; }' $highlighting = '' $location = '<a href="/jacksonville-fl/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HOME">Jacksonville, FL</a>' $no_header = false $header_title = '<a href="/jacksonville-fl/happenings/">News Feed</a>' $header_subtitle = '' $isPR = false $navbar = '<nav class="section" role="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="collapse"> <div class="section-toggle">Sections <i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></div> <ul class="secondary-menu" id="secondary-menu" role="menu" aria-busy="true"> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/jacksonville-fl/aarp-events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-OLE" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Online & Local Events</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/jacksonville-fl/things-to-do/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-TTD" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-THINGSTODO">Things to Do</a></li> <li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/jacksonville-fl/happenings/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-NF" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HAPPENINGS">News Feed</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/jacksonville-fl/volunteering/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-VOL" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-VOLUNTEERING">Volunteering</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/jacksonville-fl/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HC">Home & Community</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class=""><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem" href="/jacksonville-fl/movies/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MFG" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MOVIESFORGROWNUPS">Movies for Grownups</a> </li> <li role="presentation" class="more nosep " id="submenu-more"> <span role="menuitem" class="menuitem" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MORE">More<i class="fas fa-chevron-down"></i></span> <ul class="secondary-submenu animate slide-in" id="secondary-submenu"> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/jacksonville-fl/discounts/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LO" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-OFFERS">Local Offers</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/jacksonville-fl/local-resources/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-LR" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-LOCALRESOURCES">Local Resources</a> </li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/jacksonville-fl/jobs/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-WJ" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-WORK&JOBS">Work & Jobs</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/jacksonville-fl/events/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-CC" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-EVENTS">Community Calendar</a></li> <!-- <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/jacksonville-fl/healthy-living/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-HEALTHY_LIVING" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-HEALTHY_LIVING">Healthy Living</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/jacksonville-fl/arts-entertainment/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-ARTS_ENT" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-ARTS_ENT">Arts & Entertainment</a></li> <li role="presentation"><a role="menuitem" class="menuitem " href="/jacksonville-fl/museums/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-NAV-MUSEUMS" data-formelementid="LOCAL-LNK-CLK-MUSEUMS">Museums</a></li> --> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav>' $header_custom = '' $breadcrumbs = array( (int) 0 => array( 'title' => 'News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) ) $row = array( 'title' => 'Back to News Feed', 'slug' => 'happenings' ) $i = (int) 0include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963 AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136 BlogsController::display() - APP/Controller/BlogsController.php, line 81 ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ?? Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118