To see what’s available in your area, go to www.safeandmobileseniors.org/findaride.htm and click on the name of the county in which you live.

For people who are visually impaired and blind living in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus, the Lighthouse provides free transportation for Lighthouse services. Please contact the Lighthouse for details.

Ruby Tuesday Community GiveBack

Join us on June 27 to celebrate Helen Keller’s birthday, and independence for persons who are visually impaired and blind.

Take advantage of a great opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal and help a worthy cause. The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind has been selected as a recipient of Ruby Tuesday’s Community GiveBack Program, for a special celebration of Helen Keller’s birthday on Thursday, June 27^th. Participating Ruby Tuesdays will donate 20% of all meal purchases to the Lighthouse on that day, when diners present the event flyer. Help us celebrate the birthday of the most famous blind or blind-deaf person in American history and raise funds to support our efforts to help visually impaired and blind persons in the community become more independent.

The Ruby Tuesday restaurants participating in this GiveBack for the Lighthouse are:

• Ruby Tuesday of New Port Richey, 8512 Ridge Road, New Port Richey, FL 34654, 727-843-8809
• Ruby Tuesday of Spring Hill, 13095 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill, FL 34613, 352-592-4435
• Ruby Tuesday of Zephyrhills, 7909 Gall Blvd., Zephyrhills, FL 33541, 813-783-1115

A Ruby Tuesday flyer must be presented to your server when placing an order. Click on the links above to get a flyer for your Ruby Tuesday location, or pick up a flyer at the Lighthouse Port Richey (8610 Galen Wilson Blvd.) or Brooksville (6492 California St.) locations.

Helen Keller, who was born on June 27, 1880, changed the way many Americans think about vision impairment. Even though she’s been gone for almost 50 years, her story is still changing attitudes today. Helen lost her vision and hearing due to an unknown illness when she was 19 months old. Through the efforts of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, she learned to understand the world around her and to communicate with others. She was the first blind and deaf person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Throughout her life, she advocated for programs to assist the blind and deaf and for many other humanitarian causes.

About the Lighthouse

The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind offers free adaptive training for persons who are blind and visually impaired of all ages, living in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties. We are partially funded by the Florida Division of Blind Services, the United Way of Pasco and Hernando Counties, and Pasco County Commissioners. We rely on donations to meet the need for service.

Please contact the Lighthouse for more information:

Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, Inc.
Pasco: 8610 Galen Wilson Blvd., Port Richey, FL 34668, Phone: (727) 815-0303
Hernando: 6492 California St., Brooksville, FL 34604, Phone: (352) 754-1132
Citrus: Toll free: 1-866-962-5254

• President: Dr. John Mann, Director of Instructional Media and Technology
• Treasurer: Edward Quigley, Accountant, Quigley CPA
• Past-President: Cami Austin, Senior Vice President, Synovus Bank
• President-Elect: Kim Bogart, Interim Chief of Police, New Port Richey Police Department
• Secretary: Tina Shelton, Marketing Director, Scott McPherson, P.A. 

Directors

• Michael Batchelder, Salesman, Saturn Corporation
• Sally Daniel, Chief Deputy, Hernando County Tax Collector
• Wayne Ekren, Wayne K. Ekren, Esq. Attorney at Law
• Shawn Foster, Managing Partner, Southern Strategy Group of Tampa Bay
• Terry Haas, Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
• Bob Memoli, Broker/Realtor, Florida Luxury Realty
• Roger Michels, Michels & Lundquist Funeral Home
• Jamie Mick, Property Manager, Prudential Realty
• Bruce Mills, Accountant, Prosser Howells, P.A.
• Dr. Rao Musunuru, Cardiologist, Bayonet Point Hudson Cardiology
• J. Bruce Pienkos, Investment Broker, Wells Fargo Bank
• James Polk, Resolutions Negotiator/Consultant, Nature Coast Consultants Inc.
• Charles (Chuck) Worthen, Retired & Lighthouse Client Alumni/Lighthouse Volunteer

2012-2013 Lighthouse Board of Directors.
Front Left to Right: Cami, John, Sylvia (Executive Director), Tina and Ed.
Back Left to Right: Wayne, Jamie, Bob, Chuck, Terry, Bruce M. and Bruce P.
Absent: James, Kim, Michael, Rao, Roger, Sally, Shawn.

Re-posted with permission, courtesy of The Ledger.com
By GARY WHITE | The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.)
Published online: May 20, 2013
Retrieved May 20, 2013 from:
http://www.theledger.com/article/20130518/NEWS/130519419

LAKELAND ­| Darlene Acree had never really considered what it’s like to be blind before her life changed at age 17.

Acree was riding in a car driven by her boyfriend when he apparently fell asleep traveling at 90 mph. The vehicle hit a tree, and Acree’s face slammed into the glove compartment.

She went from having 20-20 vision to being completely sightless.

“I had never met a person who was visually impaired or blind,” said Acree, a Lake Wales native now living in Lakeland. “I thought people like that are just born that way. I was very ignorant until it happened to me.”

Acree, 40, now devotes her professional life to helping others with visual impairments. She works as a senior rehabilitation specialist for the Florida Division of Blind Services‘ Lakeland office.

As Acree recuperated after the accident, an ophthalmologist directed her to a counselor at the Division of Blind Services. She said the counselor’s encouragement gave her hope during a time of doubt.

With assistance from the state agency, Acree learned how to get around independently using a white cane. In 1992, she received the first in a series of guide dogs, a Labrador-golden retriever mix named Petey.

“My end goal was to get a job, but it was very important for me to take these steps before I reached that end goal,” she said. “For me, mobility was my biggest challenge — using my cane. Then I applied for a guide dog. Getting a guide dog was a life-changer for me.”

Acree said she was the first student with a guide dog at Polk Community College (now Polk State), where she earned an associate’s degree. She later got a bachelor’s from Warner University in Lake Wales, taking her classes on campus.

“My dog was the only one allowed to sleep in class and get away with it,” she said. “Sometimes, he’d even snore.”

Acree added a master’s degree from Auburn University in 2011. Though she did most of her work online, the program required her to spend one week each term on campus in Alabama.

While pursuing her master’s, Acree landed an internship with the Division of Blind Services. Her counselor retired around the time she finished her degree, and she was hired to take her place in 2011.

“I thought if I could use what happened to me to help just one person in life, it would be so worthwhile,” she said, “and that’s what led me to be a counselor here at Blind Services.”

Acree lives in downtown Lakeland and makes a short walk to and from her office, assisted by her third guide dog, a “goldador” named Maggie. She employs adaptive technology to do her job, including a computer program that turns written words on her screen into robotic speech. She uses keyboard commands instead of a computer mouse.

Sitting at the desk of her third-floor office on a recent afternoon, Acree wore a headset connected to a phone over her left ear and an earbud plugged into a computer in her right ear. Maggie, off duty with her harness removed, slumped on the carpet a few feet away.

Acree lives with her longtime companion, John Sellers, a man with normal vision, but said she insists on her independence. Sellers is a courteous man prone to opening doors for women, and Acree said early in their relationship, she had to “have a little talk” with him.

“I said, ‘Please, I need to do as much as I can for myself,’ ” she said.

Technological advances have made life easier for blind people. Acree recently bought a portable device that reads UPC labels, allowing her to identify cans in her cupboard and other products at home. Another device tells her the color of a piece of clothing she holds up to it.

While technology is helpful, Acree said internal strength is what really matters for blind people.

“My dad always said, ‘Never use your blindness as an excuse,’ and I try not to do that,” Acree said. “If I’ve learned anything in the past 23 years of my life, it’s you can do almost anything you want with or without vision. It’s what’s inside that counts.”

###

Comments by Sylvia Stinson-Perez

Darlene Acree, Senior Rehabilitation Specialist at DBS (Florida Division of Blind Services), has been working closely with the Lighthouse and our Vocational Rehabilitation clients since 2011. Together, we work to help people maintain their jobs,  return to work, and find employment. Darlene truly understands the many challenges that people who are visually impaired or blind face when going to work. Some of these challenges include transportation, access to printed materials, and making sure co-workers and supervisors understand that people who are visually impaired and blind are very capable in the workplace.

In White’s article, Darlene explains that she has chosen to live within walking distance of her job which, for people experiencing vision loss, is often the best solution to transportation problems. She also uses a text-to-speech software program for access to print on paper and on the computer. We are fortunate to have Darlene as part of the Lighthouse team that provides independent living programs for people who are visually impaired and blind, in the home, at school, and in the workplace. 

The Lighthouse provides no cost vision rehabilitation and adjustment to blindness services to people of all ages who are visually impaired and blind. Our programs inspire hope, confidence and independence by teaching persons experiencing vision loss how to maximize their unique abilities. We offer Little Lighthouse Early Intervention services for babies, year round activities for children, training designed to help teens transition into adulthood independently and confidently, independent living and/or job readiness for adults, and independent living classes designed specifically for seniors.

Our new employment initiatives provide training, and when possible, paid employment to people who are visually impaired and blind. The Lighthouse has a new manufacturing contract that is employing persons who are visually impaired and blind.

New Employment Opportunity for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind is happy to announce a new opportunity to provide employment to persons who are visually impaired or blind.

Zep Meter Mist 3000 Dispenser and Fragrance Refills — available to government agencies from the Lighthouse.

The Lighthouse is now contracted to assemble and ship the Zep Meter Mist 3000 dispenser and fragrance refills to government agencies. This contract is providing employment for two visually impaired and blind people. The Zep Meter Mist 3000 protects environments against unpleasant odors. Clock settings provide for hourly on/off activations, and a programmable shut off feature allows the user to set daily and weekly activation. Fragrance refills are available in a wide variety of scents. To order the Zep Meter Mist 3000, please call RESPECT of Florida at 850-942-3555 or visit www.respectofflorida.org.

The Lighthouse is working to put people who are visually impaired and blind back to work.

The mission of the Lighthouse is to provide persons who are visually impaired and blind with the skills needed to achieve their maximum independence. As part of that mission, the Lighthouse provides training and employment for persons who are visually impaired and blind. The unemployment rate for these individuals is 70%. The goal of the Lighthouse is to reduce this statistic in the counties it serves, which are Pasco, Hernando and Citrus. The Zep Meter Mist 3000 dispenser and fragrance refills contract supports employment and training opportunities for those who are visually impaired.

The Lighthouse is a certified employment center with RESPECT of Florida. RESPECT is a Florida state program that helps non-profit organizations market products and services that are produced by individuals with disabilities to government agencies.

For more information about Blind Enterprise at the Lighthouse, please visit our website.

Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, Inc.

Pasco: 8610 Galen Wilson Blvd., Port Richey, FL 34668, Phone: (727) 815-0303
Hernando: 6492 California St., Brooksville, FL 34604, Phone: (352) 754-1132
Citrus: Toll free: 1-866-962-5254

In the Independent Living Skills Program, clients learn how to function independently and safely.

Learning to live and function with diminished vision or a lack of functional vision can be a frightening and challenging experience. Vision loss can result in emotional and physical isolation and injury, and for those of working age, it can lead to unemployment. Adults who experience vision loss often become isolated as a result of the inability to drive, read, or use the telephone adequately. In addition, they often experience health issues or unsafe situations due to difficulties shopping, preparing meals, managing medication, and many are prone to falling.

To address these issues, the Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind offers Independent Living Skills Classes for low vision or blind individuals who live in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties. The next 12 session classes start on June 1st.

These classes, which are held twice a week at the Lighthouse in Port Richey and the Lighthouse in Brooksville, teach individuals with vision loss to effectively utilize any remaining vision and how to use their other senses. The training includes medication management, meal preparation, writing checks, and the use of assistive technology, computers, Braille, and the white cane. The classes are free and transportation is provided.

The Independent Living Skills Program is designed to take each client through a process of self-discovery, emotional acceptance, and skill acquisition, so that by the end of the program, each client has successfully developed the skills and confidence needed to achieve maximum independence.

Persons who are experiencing vision impairment can contact the Lighthouse to learn about the Independent Living Skills Program, as well as the other Vision Rehabilitation programs offered. The Lighthouse always appreciates referrals and any opportunities to provide outreach and information to the community. We also invite the public to tour any of our facilities.

For more information, please call 1-866-962-5254 or visit us online at www.lvib.org.

About the Lighthouse
The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind offers free adaptive training for persons who are blind and visually impaired of all ages, living in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties. We are partially funded by the Florida Division of Blind Services, the United Way of Pasco and Hernando Counties, and Pasco County Commissioners. We rely on donations to meet the need for service.

Please contact the Lighthouse for more information:
Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, Inc.
Pasco: 8610 Galen Wilson Blvd., Port Richey, FL 34668, Phone: (727) 815-0303
Hernando: 6492 California St., Brooksville, FL 34604, Phone: (352) 754-1132
Citrus: Toll free: 1-866-962-5254

Lighthouse volunteers help in the office and in the community.
Thank you to everyone for all your support.

In 1974, an executive order by President Richard Nixon established National Volunteer Week. Since then every sitting President and many Governors and Mayors have issued proclamations during National Volunteer Week urging individuals to give their time to worthy organizations and causes. The theme for this year’s National Volunteer Week is “Celebrating People in Action”. It honors volunteers that take action and help their communities.

Volunteers are extremely important to non-profit organizations that have limited funding and rely on the volunteers who help them make a difference for those in need. Volunteering not only helps improve the community, it also benefits the volunteers themselves. By offering their skills, volunteers positively impact their own lives too.

The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind relies on volunteers to help support its mission to provide persons who are visually impaired and blind with the skills needed to achieve their maximum independence. The Lighthouse works with people of all ages, from babies to seniors, who experience visual impairment. The annual Chasco Coronation Ball is the Lighthouse’s major fundraising event and requires the assistance of a number of volunteers to be successful. Special thanks to the 17 volunteers on this year’s Ball committee who contributed over 400 hours. Some of those, also, serve on the Lighthouse’s volunteer Board of Directors.

Lighthouse volunteers include those individuals familiar with the organization such as clients, former clients and their family and friends. Ed, a former client, helps out weekly by preforming administrative duties. He is currently embossing Lighthouse business cards with braille for braille readers. Volunteers, also, include business associates and individuals, who have no previous connection with the Lighthouse, but just want to donate time to a worthy cause. In the last fiscal year, 59 people from all walks of life responded to our many requests for volunteers.

The Lighthouse is grateful for the efforts of its volunteers. As Executive Director, Sylvia Perez explains, “Volunteers are critical to helping the Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind accomplish its missions. Helen Keller once said, ‘Alone we can do so little, together so much’. We are so fortunate to have volunteers who are able to do the things we might never be able to get to—things are an important part of helping people who are visually impaired and blind have a high quality of life. Happy National Volunteer Week to all of you!”

Anyone who is interested in volunteering can obtain additional information and download the volunteer application from Volunteering at the Lighthouse.

Submitted by Lighthouse Volunteer, Caryl Melancon.

Victoria and Sandy Barley at the 28th Annual Chasco Coronation Ball.
Photo courtesy of Photos by J David.

The 28^th Chasco Coronation Ball was held on Friday April 5th at Spartan Manor in New Port Richey. Victoria Barley was crowned Queen Chasco and Sandy Barley was crowned King Pithla. This is only the second time a married couple has been selected. Both Victoria and Sandy are very involved in the West Pasco Community, donating many hours of community service to a number of not-for-profit organizations. They are committed to making Pasco a better place to live for everyone.

Victoria Barley, who is a realtor, was nominated by Youth & Family Alternatives and Senior RAP House Leadership Council. Her volunteer service includes the Youth and Family Alternatives Senior RAP (Runaway Alternatives Project) House Leadership Council (Committee Chair), the Community Service Council, YMCA of the Suncoast, Good Samaritan Clinic, American Cancer Society, West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, and West Pasco Board of Realtors. In 2012 Victoria received the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen Award and Volunteer of the year from the Community Service Council of West Pasco.

Sandy Barley, who is the Operations Manager at the Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, was nominated by Rotary Club of Trinity and Youth & Family Alternatives.

Sandy’s affiliations include the Rotary Club of Trinity, the Community Service Council, Youth and Family Alternatives, RAP River Run, Krewe of Chasco, Pasco Kid’s First, and the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce. Sandy has been awarded the Paul Harris Fellow twice, the Four Avenues of Service Award from Rotary, Rotary District 6950 Large Club President of the Year in 2010 and Volunteer of the Year from the Community Service Council.

The Lighthouse has been hosting the Chasco Coronation Ball for 28 years. The Ball kicks off the Chasco Fiesta each year, by crowning the new King Pithla and Queen Chasco.  All proceeds from the event go to support the Lighthouse Blind Babies and Children’s Programs. This year marks the Lighthouse’s 30^th anniversary of providing services to the visually impaired and blind.

About the Lighthouse

The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind offers free adaptive training for persons who are blind and visually impaired of all ages, living in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties. We are partially funded by the Florida Division of Blind Services, the United Way of Pasco and Hernando Counties, and Pasco County Commissioners. We rely on donations to meet the need for service. In 2013, the Lighthouse is celebrating 30 years of inspiring hope, confidence and independence. We could not have done this without you.

Please contact the Lighthouse for more information:

Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, Inc.

• Pasco: 8610 Galen Wilson Blvd., Port Richey, FL 34668, Phone: (727) 815-0303
• Hernando: 6492 California St., Brooksville, FL 34604, Phone: (352) 754-1132
• Citrus: Toll free: 1-866-962-5254

Submitted by Lighthouse Volunteer, Caryl Melancon.

Students Donna, Becky and James in the computer lab with Penny, one of the Assistive Technology Instructors at the Lighthouse.

Leaving the Heart Open

Losing vision is like leaving one garden to live in another.

Exchanging definition of form and focus, and profusion of color… for what?

A shock to the system, once the door of vision slams shut—

Variegated emotions: Grief, Loss, Frustration, Fear, Uncertainty once the curtain falls …

It’s hard at first—Yet, I have seen green shoots poking,

Nudging their way up through fertile soil, Determined to adapt to the

Garden’s changed landscape … And the miracle is: They Do!

They press through no matter what; fortitude, their signature fragrance

Having adaptation’s roots firmly fixed, they are dauntless

Emigrés, leaving familiar lands, their situation—another garden path to explore.

How eager their attitude! How ready to embrace the unknown!

Every fruitful one has learned the secret of prospering.

Averting defeat by refusing to drop out … give up …

Risking failure in hopes of something more

They covet the blossoms of the diligent, going to any lengths.

Only thing I can say is: Keep going. Keep trying.

Persist. Plant. Water. Fertilize. The harvest will come. When it does,

Every effort you’ve ever made will scent the Air: Fragrant …

Nothing so beautiful as learning to embrace the dance of shifting circumstance …

© 2013, Penny McPherson

 

In 2013, the Lighthouse celebrates its 30th year of providing visually impaired persons with services that inspire hope, confidence and independence. Please share the Lighthouse vision by giving a donation, so we can continue to provide the services needed. Mail your donation or donate online at lvib.org.

Thanks to our clients, donors and supporters for making the first 30 years possible and for embracing independence for those living with vision loss.

To learn more about the Lighthouse and ways you can help, please call (727) 815-0303 or email lighthouse@lvib.org.

Sincerely,
Sylvia Stinson-Perez
Lighthouse Executive Director

PS: With cuts to government funding predicted, your donation for services is needed now more than ever.

LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND BLIND, INC. IS A NONPROFIT 501(C)3 CHARITY, REGISTRATION NUMBER CH662. A COPY OF THE LIGHTHOUSE’S OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

30 Years Serving People With Vision Loss

30th Anniversary Logo designed by
Lighthouse Volunteer Stephen Mortimer
http://www.smortimerphoto.co.uk/Design 

Submitted by Lighthouse Volunteer,
Caryl Melancon

Back in 1983, there were no rehabilitation programs for the visually impaired and blind in Pasco County. Therefore, the Florida Division of Blind Services held a town hall meeting at the West Campus of the Pasco Hernando Community College to determine if there was a need for local services. Over 150 people attended and voiced strong support for the establishment of a center. In May of the same year, the First Methodist Church of New Port Richey donated a house and the B.L.I.N.D Club of New Port Richey donated $500. The Suncoast Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired was born and, in October, 1983, began helping the visually impaired and blind members of the community to acquire the skills needed for maximum independence.

The agency, whose name is now Lighthouse for Visually Impaired and Blind, moved to its Port Richey location in 1996. In that same year, the “Little Lighthouse” program was started to provide early intervention for visually impaired babies. The program was expanded to both Hernando and Citrus Counties in 2001. In 2005, the Lighthouse was accredited by the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind. Sylvia Perez, who herself is visually impaired, became the Executive Director in 2008, and that same year, the first annual White Cane Awareness Day Walk was held.

The following five years brought continued growth and the expansion of programs and services to assist the visually impaired in three counties. The Children’s Program was added to provide children 5 to 13 years of age with accessible activities, and the School to Work Transition Program was added to provide teens and young adults, ages 14 to 21 years, with training for making the critical transition from high school to college, the workforce and independent living. The Lighthouse also added Computers/Assistive Technology to help visually impaired individuals develop the skills needed to reduce isolation and increase access to information. Vocational Rehabilitation and The Lighthouse Opportunity Center also became available for clients of working age in order to assist them with being successful in the workplace.

The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, with two locations, provides services free of charge in West and East Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties. An estimated 20,000 visually impaired persons and their families have received services since its doors opened 30 years ago. For more information, about Lighthouse’s programs and services, please visit their website at www.lvib.org.

About the Lighthouse

The Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind offers free adaptive training for persons who are blind and visually impaired of all ages, living in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus Counties. We are partially funded by the Florida Division of Blind Services, the United Way of Pasco and Hernando Counties, and Pasco County Commissioners. We rely on donations to meet the need for service.

Please contact the Lighthouse for more information:

Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, Inc.

• Pasco: 8610 Galen Wilson Blvd., Port Richey, FL 34668, Phone: (727) 815-0303
• Hernando: 6492 California St., Brooksville, FL 34604, Phone: (352) 754-1132
• Citrus: Toll free: 1-866-962-5254