Volunteer Spotlight: Emma Brkljacic

This month we spotlight our absolutely incredible Fall intern Emma Brkljacic for all the positive & meaningful impact she has made across multiple GiGi’s Playhouse Tampa programs & enhancements made to the day-to-day operations at the Tampa Playhouse.

Since beginning her internship as Health Coordinator in August, Emma has supplied versatility, creativity and dedication to the Playhouse as she has jumped right into sharing her passion and expertise in the field of Public Health. Most notably, her decades-long involvement in the sport of gymnastics has made it possible for Emma to twice host a special GiGiMOVE: Gymnastics Program that provided a specialized, inclusive fitness program for individuals with Down syndrome that helps participants build strength, coordination, confidence, and social skills through movement-based activities. By adapting the program to fit participants’ interests and abilities, Emma was able offer a program that provided purposeful goals involving physical development, sensory regulation, and social engagement while encouraging a lifelong love of movement in our participants.

Building off her experience as a USA Gymnastics & Safe Sport Certified Coach, as well as a national championship-winning collegiate gymnast, Emma was able to parlay her specialization in the vault, beam and floor gymnastic events into routinely serving as a Program Co-Lead for GiGiFIT Adult. Emma’s energetic, engaging and empowering coaching in the GiGiFIT Adult program has aided in supporting participants in reaching their exercise & fitness goals.

Behind the scenes, Emma strengthened our Playhouse’s outreach by contacting families through email and phone, and building surveys and polls to gather valuable parental input. Her creative talents also shined through photography for programs and events, as well as writing engaging blogs that helped highlight the heart of our Down syndrome community. Her contributions have truly supported our mission in countless ways.

Emma’s latest grand contribution was helping plan, prepare, and coordinate GiGi’s Playhouse Tampa’s 4th Annual Bowling For Turkeys Fundraiser. During the event, we were incredibly fortunate to have the support, energy, and leadership of Emma, whose behind-the-scenes efforts helped make the event run seamlessly from start-to-finish.

In the days leading up to the event, Emma played a crucial role in preparing raffle baskets, assembling goodie bags, and helping ensure every detail was ready for our families and supporters. On the day of the event, Emma continued to shine by assisting with family check-in, ticket raffles, and helping with event setup so everything was organized and welcoming for families and donors alike.

Not only did Emma support our families, but she also supported the staff by assisting fellow volunteers, answering questions, and directing families to their bowling lanes with patience and a smile. Her ability to handle multiple roles with positivity and ease truly helped the day run smoothly and was a cornerstone to the success of this year’s Bowling for Turkeys Event.

For all these reasons – we celebrate and spotlight Emma!

If you are interested in volunteering for any of our programs, or any of our other volunteer roles, please fill out the volunteer interest form on our website: https://gigisplayhouse.tfaforms.net/4719651?lid=a4z2J000001VX2GQAW&tfa_2793=Tampa&pid=a0q50000005qQZxAAM&tfa_2912=