1. "Career Coach Extraordinaire" to Keynote Upcoming Employment Summit September 6 through 9th
 | | Caption: Marty Nemko |
San Francisco Bay Guardian named Marty Nemko, "The Bay Area's Best Career Coach", and the LightHouse is proud to host him at the first Employment Summit at Enchanted Hills Retreat in September. Mr. Nemko, a Career Coach for 26 years and host of Work with Marty Nemko on 91.7 FM for the past 24 years, will address What Every Blind Job Seeker Must Know and Probably Doesn't! He will share his best ideas for this job market, plus a bit of the inspiration and rejuvenation we used to call "stay the course!"
In addition to Mr. Nemko, some of the blind field's best will round out a very full week, discussing the realities of effective networking; landing and securing a job; reinventing yourself; putting your best foot forward to create a good impression; creating the work-life balance; knowing what HR and employers (blue collar to white collar) are looking for in an employee; how to make yourself indispensable on the job; getting what you want from your employer; how to schmooze; being your own job developer and more. Each day will be jam-packed with insight, information and tools to give you the edge in landing the job.
When: September 6th - 9th, 2011
Who should attend: All clients of the Department of Rehabilitation who are in job search mode and all current and former Lighthouse Employment Immersion participants.
Fees: This program is entirely free of charge
If you are not already registered, there are still some remaining spaces, but they are going fast! In order to participate, YOU are a current client of the Department of Rehabilitation and in job-search mode or are a current or former Lighthouse Employment Immersion participant.
If you have never been to Enchanted Hills Retreat, this is definitely the place to really focus, get your head together and get some good mountain air in your lungs! Because it is a Camp and Retreat Center, do note that accommodations are shared (up to 4 people to a room), but there is plenty of running water for all.
Accommodations are comfortable yet cozy. Space is limited to forty participants. To secure your space please email us a simple paragraph of interest. Indicate your DOR counselor's name and e-mail address, and, if you have one, your most recent resume (make sure that it has your most current address and phone!)
Email your interest in reserving space to Kathy Abrahamson at kabrahamson@lighthouse-sf.org. We'll fill the retreat on a first-come, first served basis, so act now to take the next powerful step in your employment future.
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2. LightHouse at City Hall - Update on Our Jobsite Conversation Series
 | | Caption: The group gathers to listen to docent Ellen Schumer discuss the history of City Hall |
 | | Caption: Mayor Ed Lee speaks to the group |
 | | Caption: Jonathan Lyens |
The LightHouse's Jobsite Conversation Series has attracted many participants and has become one of our most popular initiatives. More than 100 blind jobseekers have now visited blind employees doing jobs as diverse as program management, law, massage therapy, adaptive technology and many more. We usually spend two hours with the employee and their supervisor, and we always include - yes - a free lunch and networking to make the day even more useful. This yearlong series is the result of a generous grant from the BlackRock Foundation.
Here are the details of one conversation, written by three participants in our Blind Leaders program: Casey Bernasconi, Jessa Drury and John Soabas.
Each week the LightHouse takes a group of blind and visually impaired job seekers to visit with and talk with successfully employed blind or visually impaired people in the workplace, getting their perspective on becoming blind professionals. We are all new to job seeking and have been looking forward to picking up valuable information that will be useful in helping us achieve success.
One of the most exciting visits we have had was at San Francisco City Hall with Jonathan Lyens, the Fiscal and Policy Assistant in the Office of Public Policy and Finance for San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee. He has been intimately involved in the budget process in San Francisco for the last four years. He holds a Master's in Public Administration from East Carolina University. Long before he got this job, he knew that what he really wanted to do was to work with the mayor but didn't know how to land a job in City Hall. On the advice of a friend, he began to involve himself in public campaigns and within a couple of years he was hired to this position.
Jonathan talked with us about how he has handled some of the challenges he has faced in the workplace, because he is blind. To begin with, he knew people would have the most basic questions about how he got things done and had to approach his colleagues straightforwardly about being blind. He told them that he was comfortable with his blindness and that he wanted everyone to feel comfortable too and that he would answer any questions they had about how he works.
He also talked about challenges we could relate to. For example, he explained that working in the budget office can be very stressful as the staff work under multiple deadlines to develop a working plan. It is commonplace at times for employees to work until after midnight. These late hours can make getting home from work a challenge. Jonathan described how, before he moved to the City, he commuted to Marin by bus. He found soon enough that buses didn't run near his house around midnight and so his wife would have to pick him up late at night at the bus station. Casey Bernasconi has the longest commute of the three of us and really connected with this detail. "It shows that even when you are successful in your job you still have to deal with the same issues like transportation that we all have to deal with."
Another detail that reassured us about the working world in general - although Jonathan's office environment is high-stress, with deadlines often being met just before time runs out, Jonathan's co-workers are very patient with each other. He told us how each employee learns quickly how heavy the workload is and that everyone deals with it the best they can and makes a point of being kind when the pressure is on. This surprised us, as we assumed that this stress might cause people to be impatient with each other.
Jonathan's supervisor, Budget Director Greg Wagner, also spoke to us and talked about how strange it was at first to hear the speech software Jonathan uses to read documents. He described how Jonathan encouraged him and the staff to "just ask" any questions about his blindness and the ways in which he works around it. Greg said that most of the time the fact that Jonathan is blind is a non-issue and he encouraged us *not* to assume that job supervisors are always thinking about the fact that we are blind or visually impaired. He talked a lot about the interview process and how it's usually best not to bring up the fact that we are visually impaired before the interview itself. The last thing you want is for people to think that you are worried about it.
Mayor Lee stopped by to say hello to the group and commended the Jobsite Conversation Series participants and the LightHouse for this program. He talked about how San Francisco is working to diversify its workforce and be more inclusive. "He's a very personable guy," Jessa Drury said. "He mentioned what a big priority disability issues are at City Hall."
Getting a chance to take a tour of City Hall was a total surprise. It was great! The tour was led by docent Ellen Schumer - she knows an inordinate amount about San Francisco and City Hall. She talked about the materials used to build City Hall, including the marble and its origins. She talked about the dome - we didn't know that it was actually higher than the dome of the U.S. Capitol!
Jessa said, "The main thing I took away from our conversation with Jonathan is that he knew what he wanted to do from very early on and he was able to figure how to get there. He emphasized that a career is part of a bigger life journey and that it's critical for us to learn to recognize the resources we have available to us."
Listen to excerpts of this conversation, including the Mayor's presentation to our group, Go to: http://bit.ly/cityhallvideo
Support programs that nurture blind job seekers. Click on the Donate button at the top of this email to give to the LightHouse.
To learn who we're visiting in upcoming weeks, and to book your free lunch and visit, please go to: http://lighthouse-sf.org/programs/jobsite-conversation-series/
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3. Employment Immersion Graduate Grabs Job of Her Dreams
 | | Caption: Shenell speaking on graduation day of the Employment Immersion Program |
Shenell Steward-Jacks, a recent graduate of the Employment Immersion Program, simply does not recognize the word "no". From day one of the program she knew her ideal position would be with the National Call Center at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield. Previously, she has worked in both the health insurance and banking industries. "My background is in sales and customer service and the position as a Base Operator at Travis offers the perfect way to utilize these skills."
It has been six years since Shenell was last employed and she was bound and determined to find work. She attended every Employment Immersion class, worked diligently at her assignments and applied to various related positions, all the while remaining hopeful that the Travis job would come through.
Shenell gives full credit to the Employment Immersion Program for fine-tuning her job-search strategy and teaching her techniques that helped her get the job. "The program was enlightening. They taught us how to write a good cover letter and résumé and how to use online resources such as Craig's list and LinkedIn. Kate was marvelous, the other students in the class were so very supportive and the structure of the program really helped me to focus."
When she first submitted her resume for consideration she heard the disappointing news "there are no positions available at this time". To make matters more challenging, the position was sought by many candidates and the competition would be great should an opening occur.
Many individuals lose momentum after a program concludes... but not Shenell. She kept the lines of communication open with the Travis hiring manager, calling him and making certain her name was on the "short list". Had it not been for her tenacity and follow-up, she would not be looking forward to starting a new career at the Call Center in the next few weeks.
Shenell will begin training in her new position shortly. She said, "I want to thank the LightHouse staff for their support, for hanging in there with us and for caring." Congratulations Shenell!
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4. Earn a Mark of Braille Distinction and Stand Out Among Teachers of the Blind and Visually Impaired!
Are you a Braille teacher or want to become a Braille teacher? Do you simply love Braille and want to prove to yourself and others that you are a competent reader and writer of Braille?
The National Literary Braille Competency Test will be administered by the National Blindness Professional Certification Board on Thursday, October 13, 2011, at the LightHouse for the Blind, 214 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco.
It's the only California examination location available in 2011, and we're delighted to host this certification of Braille achievement.
The test is used to measure the level of a person's ability to read and write contracted literary braille. Candidates who fulfill all application requirements and successfully pass the test are awarded National Certification in Literary Braille. Although the test can be taken by anyone, it is intended primarily for teachers of braille and future teachers of braille.
Please go to www.nbpcb.org/nclb for more information about the exam (including preparation materials) and to register.
Deadline for registration is September 30. You may also contact the National NCLB Test Coordinator, Deja Powell, at dpowell@latech.edu or 318-257-2029 with any questions.
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5. We Have a Winner - Our Bus Has Been Named!
 | | Caption: A large group of teen campers stand in front of our new bus, to be christened Galileo. |
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Name Our Bus contest. It was very hard to choose from the many inspiring submissions, but we've made our decision and chosen one that we feel embodies the spirit of freedom and independence. Congratulations to Kathryn Woodford who offered us the name Galileo, saying "Galileo was an amazing thinker who challenged ideas and limits and empowered a new future for human beings." Kathryn will receive two tickets for a lunchtime cruise from Hornblower Cruises.
Galileo Galilei (February 15, 1564 - January 8, 1642), commonly known as Galileo, was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. The famous thinker became blind during his most influential scientific and political years and continued to shake the foundations of science and philosophy as a thinker for the rest of his life. His love of the natural world, producing original thought about gravity, astronomy, optics and natural phenomena made him one of the most influential figures of his era.
Our new bus was funded by a grant from the Bothin Foundation. It carries up to 30 people and we have used it this summer to take our campers on fun and interesting field trips to the nearby farmer's market, Guide Dogs for the Blind and Sunrise Horse Rescue, bowling at Napa Bowl, and, for the adults, wine tasting at the Godspeed Winery on Mt. Veeder.
Thanks again to all who participated in the contest.
Looking for Volunteer Bus Drivers
The LightHouse is looking for volunteer drivers who have a Class B license with Passenger Endorsement for half or full day driving stints. Familiarity with a 30 or more passenger capacity vehicle required. If you are interested we would love to hear from you. Please call LightHouse Volunteer Coordinator Don Franklin at 415-694-7371 or email him at dmfranklin@lighthouse-sf.org.
Help Us Park Our Bus
Do you know a business or landlord who might like to donate a parking spot for our vehicle? There are tax advantages for doing so. We're looking for parking within a mile of our San Francisco headquarters or within a half-mile of any BART stop in the East Bay. If you can help, please contact Jerry Bernstein at 415-694-7359 or jbernstein@lighthouse-sf.org.
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6. Gil Johnson Retires From LightHouse Board
 | | Caption: Gil Johnson |
Gil Johnson, whose association with the LightHouse spans thirty years, recently retired from the LightHouse Board of Directors. Gil was a popular, often outspoken, member of the Board since his election in 2000. He was no stranger to the LightHouse prior to joining the Board; Gil worked at the LightHouse for 10 years, beginning in 1977, taking on a variety of responsibilities, most notably Director of Programs.
While on the board, Gil served on the Program committee, and was elected President in 2007. As President and Chair of the Executive committee, he fostered the development of a routine CEO evaluation and a strong Board ethics statement. Under Gil's leadership, we retooled the LightHouse administrative team to better function, without increasing the budget. In addition, we strengthened the Board by working with individual members on how they could support the LightHouse through both resource development and networking.
Said LightHouse CEO Bryan Bashin, "Gil is a national expert on employment, spearheading the American Foundation for the Blind initiative for many years while directing its office in San Francisco. His high standards and dedication to raising expectations in our community characterized his leadership at the LightHouse."
Gil promises he will not "disappear" and will continue to support the LightHouse with his knowledge and expertise. The board and staff wish him the best.
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7. Blind-Built "Please Touch Community Garden" Soon to Open to the Public
The following is an entry by Evarels, who writes for The Tender, a blog about San Francisco's Tenderloin district (see link below). We've received permission to reprint the entry, and have used some of our own photos of the garden to illustrate it.
Several months ago, when walking from the Civic Center Plaza to Van Ness we noticed this mysterious sign on an empty plot of land on Grove Street.
 | | Caption: Blind Leaders Jessa Drury and Dawn Nixon add seeds to small planters to induce germination |
 | | Caption: Blind Leader James Gump adds dirt to a large flowerbed near the entrance of the garden. |
 | | Caption: Blind Leader John Soabas uses a wheelbarrow to move dirt in the garden. |
Several photographers also noticed the art installation behind the fence, "To see the world you could otherwise not see" which we featured in a photo roundup back in January.
Time passed and we forgot about it. But then, going through our photo archives a few weeks ago, we came across it again and decided it was time to investigate the matter further. Which basically meant finally checking the tumblr website referenced in the sign. A few days later, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I finally had the chance to get a proper tour of the Please Touch Community Garden and to hang out with its project director - GK Callahan. Callahan is a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute graduate, a Bourbon & Branch bartender and a teacher at the Lighthouse, a non-profit that offers rehabilitation, education, recreation and employment services for the blind and visually impaired.
The Please Touch Garden has been a long time in the making. A couple of years ago Callahan started volunteering at the Lighthouse, located at the corner of Van Ness and Lech Walesa Alley. Just a few steps away lay this dirty vacant plot in between the former SF Arts Commission Gallery and an empty city government building. The fence in front of the plot had a hole in it which allowed Lech Walesa dwellers the chance to fill the area with needles, all sorts of illegal activities and bodily fluids. Callahan looked at the vacant plot every day from the windows of the Lighthouse and decided to do something with it.
After a year of negotiations with the city, in January he finally received permission to use the space followed by a grant from the SF Arts Commission to turn it into a community garden. His goal, Callahan says, was to strengthen the role of art and nature in the lives of the neighborhood residents. He wanted the garden to be fully accessible and inclusive to all. What makes it so special is that Blind Leaders Program (in collaboration with various public, governmental and community groups as well as neighborhood Volunteers) are designing, building and maintaining it - hence the name Please Touch.
Right now the 4,000 square foot garden has no access to water, so the plants need to be either watered by hand by carrying multiple five-gallon buckets from the Lighthouse offices, or a long hose has to be rolled out from there across the Lech Walesa Alley and to the lot. That's why Callahan wants to incorporate a rainwater harvesting system to capture the rainfall water from the rooftop of adjacent buildings to be used for irrigation.
In recent months the Blind Leaders and volunteers have decorated pots for plants, germinated seeds and planted a variety of fruits and vegetables. Bigger physical tasks have included painting over graffiti-covered walls, and the process of sheet-mulching which involves moving large truckloads of cardboard, then shoveling mulch into wheelbarrows and spreading them both across the garden in order to choke out the weeds.
One of the things that caught my eye when visiting the garden was the extremely light "living wall", built by Aurora Mahassine. She makes these by grinding materials that would normally go to the landfill and calls it Habitile walls. Landscape architect Alicia Yballa also volunteered her skills to the design of the space. A lot more still needs to be done, so they're always looking for more volunteers (if you're interested in volunteering, write to pleasetouchgarden@gmail.com).
Since this is a community effort and they are committed to full ADA accessibility and sustainable materials and methods, they are always in need of donations as they are facing all sorts of unexpected expenses (if you have some bucks to spare, you can make a check to the Lighthouse for the Blind, earmarked for the Please Touch Community Garden (it's tax-deductible). Or you can also make donations in kind, of things such as picnic tables and outdoor seating, paint, wood, etc. If you are as broke as we are, you can always pass along the word or become a Facebook fan.
If all goes well, the Please Touch Garden should be fully open to the public in a few weeks and there should be an opening party some time soon. We can't wait!
To see the original blog post, go to: http://thetender.us/2011/08/08/please-touch-garden-to-open-soon-for-touching/
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8. LightHouse Industries Achieves Special Certification
LightHouse Industries, the manufacturing subsidiary of the LightHouse, recently reached a milestone - we were awarded ISO Certification. ISO is a quality management system that is recognized worldwide. It sets standards for businesses like ours and audits us to make sure we comply with these standards. Certification shows that we are in compliance with government standards and therefore eligible for future contracts. And it shows that we are working to improve our efforts to provide good service to our customers. By following the stringent requirements of ISO, LightHouse Industries is able to consistently achieve high quality in our products and high ratings with our customers.
Congratulations to our staff at LightHouse Industries who have been integral to our achieving this certification.
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9. Sign Up for the LightHouse Fitness Partner Program
 | | Caption: Blind runner with her sighted guide runner |
Sometimes all it takes to get people moving is a good partnership! We want to pair blind athletes with sighted guides for a wide variety of athletic endeavors - anything from working out at the gym to biking, to running the next half marathon.
If you are interested in becoming a Fitness Partner, or being paired with one, either visit our website page http://lighthouse-sf.org/programs/fitness-partner-program/ or contact LightHouse Volunteer Coordinator Don M. Franklin at 415-694-7371 or dmfranklin@lighthouse-sf.org.
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10. LightHouse Launches "Ride and a Guide" a Service Pairing Up Blind and Low Vision Persons with Volunteer Drivers
We have heard from many community members who would love to explore areas of greater Northern California where public transportation is limited or nonexistent. The LightHouse is developing a new service to solve that problem.
Simply put, "Ride and a Guide" will pair up small groups of three to seven individuals seeking to take to the highway for a day or weekend road trip with a volunteer driver. The group provides the agenda (and pays for the driver's base expenses), and the LightHouse will identify a volunteer to facilitate the transportation. Think of it as a rental car service with a driver. The possibilities are endless!
"Ride and a Guide" riders:
If you and your small group would like to be matched with a driver, please call Richard Rueda at 415-694-7334 or email him at rueda@lighthouse-sf.org.
And now, we're looking for van drivers:
Do you love to drive? Would you like to meet new friends while driving a small group to a fun or scenic destination?
If you would like to volunteer for one or more driving adventures, call LightHouse Volunteer Coordinator Don M. Franklin at 415-694-7371 or email him at dmfranklin@lighthouse-sf.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does "Ride and a Guide" work?
"Ride and a Guide" will pair up small groups of three to seven individuals seeking to take a day or weekend road trip with a volunteer driver. The group provides the agenda, and we'll find a volunteer to drive.
What types of travel are "Ride and a Guide" riders seeking drivers for?
"Ride and a Guide" travelers have requested drivers for day trips to Napa for wine tasting; Muir Woods for hiking; San Francisco, Palo Alto and San Jose to tour museums; Lake Tahoe for a day picnic; Santa Clara to visit California's Great America; and Santa Cruz for a beach boardwalk adventure, to name a few.
How do I sign up?
Please call Richard Rueda at 415-694-7334 to learn more and to sign up.
How much advance notice do I need to give to access "Ride and a Guide"?
As this is a new service, we are working diligently to identify and screen drivers who are eager to drive. "Ride and a Guide" seeks to link as many interested parties and volunteer drivers as possible. Ideally, we would like this service to allow for immediate turnaround (one week or less); however, because interest is high and drivers are now being screened, interested riders are encouraged to give a minimum of three weeks notice.
What is the cost of this service?
There are no administrative fees; however, it is the sole responsibility of the point person facilitating the trip to plan for gas and vehicle expenses. If the passengers and driver agree to use the driver's vehicle for transport, it is the participants' responsibility to assume the cost of fuel for the distance of the trip from start to finish. If a rental car is desired, the participant facilitating the trip will be responsible for working with the driver to rent the vehicle in advance and assume full payment of vehicle costs (including gasoline, insurance and maintenance).
Is there a limit on the number of passengers and the distance of travel?
In launching this new service, it is our hope that once paired, riders and driver will meet in person or by phone in advance of the trip to map out logistics and solidify the trip itinerary. The driver and riders will determine a reasonable road trip itinerary whereby the driver's time and any associated costs will be considered and covered. Whether it is the driver's personal vehicle or a rental, the number of passengers the vehicle can seat will dictate the capacity of the trip.
What other responsibilities will the driver have?
As "Ride and a Guide" seeks to pair drivers with blind and low vision individuals interested in a day- or weekend-long trip, it isn't necessarily the driver's role to volunteer, sight-guide or assume any additional duties other than to safely transport the rider(s) to their destination. When pairing up drivers and riders, however, every effort will be made to assign a driver whose interests in the destination are similar; therefore, should the driver wish to join the riders (if invited by the riders), that is allowable.
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11. Building Meaningful Relationships Series - A Lighthouse 'Love and Intimacy' Workshop
Is flirting only a visual activity? Are there teachable ways a blind person can improve his or her abilities to connect better with possible friends and partners? Where else can you learn the finer points of visual and non-visual communication but the Lighthouse for the Blind.
When: Saturday, October 8 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
Please RSVP by October 2nd to Senya Hawkins at sentralya@gmail.com or call him at 415-367-5501 for more information.
Adults 18 and over are welcome to sign up for our first foray into a new workshop series we're calling "Building Meaningful Relationships." Guided by blind professional therapists, counselors and psychologists, these workshops will fill a much-requested need we hear from our community. And we expect to break some new ground!
The first class of the series, Flirting While Blind, will focus on making acquaintances and flirting as a visually impaired person. We will discuss some of the specific barriers that we in the visually impaired community may encounter when meeting someone for the first time. We'll go into detail about flirting with a stranger or a romantic partner. We will present fun, skill building activities that will help to make participants more comfortable when meeting and flirting with others. Because the majority of the communication that goes on in the sighted world is nonverbal, this workshop will help to provide you with skills on how to pick up on those nonverbal signals. It's all part of enlarging each person's tool kit so that everyone can have more plentiful, fulfilling, and loving relationships. Although Building Meaningful Relationships is a workshop series devoted to intimate love relationships, many of the skills presented will be useful for all types of relationships. This first workshop is for all adults 18 and up, whether single or already in a relationship.
So come and enjoy some good food, conversation, and to learn about the secrets of Flirting While Blind!
This workshop is free of charge. Voluntary donations of $5.00 are welcome and encouraged for those who are able.
We'll see you there!
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12. Adaptations Featured Item of the Month - OttLite LED Portable Task Lamp
 | | Caption: An OttLite being used to illuminate a print copy of the LightHouse News Quarterly |
For our low vision community, lighting on the go has never been this easy! Lightweight and portable, the OttLite LED Task Lamp comes with 30 super bright OttLite LEDs - each hand picked to meet OttLite's strict standards for color temperature, brightness and light output to give you the ultimate LED lighting experience. The sleek design features a silver carry handle for easy portability. The lamp stands 10.25" tall and opens up and down to adjust illumination. Uses 3 AAA batteries (not included). Get ready to see clearly and comfortably - your eyes are going to love it.
· See details clearly, with less glare
· Lightweight and portable
· Lamp stands 10.25 inches tall
· Great at home, office, or for travel
· Includes 30 Super Bright OttLite LEDs rated to last up to 40,000 hours
Adaptations is selling the OttLite LED Portable Task Lamp for the low price of $26.00. To order over the phone or for more information, call 1-888-400-8933. To buy online 24/7, visit the Adaptations website at http://www.adaptationsonline.com.
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13. Adaptations Closed for Inventory - End of September
Please note that Adaptations, the LightHouse Store will be closed for inventory on Thursday, September 29 and Friday, September 30.
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14. Reserve your Magnifier Demonstration - New at Adaptations
 | | Caption: Blind Leader Josh Governor uses a video magnifier to read an operating manual |
There is really no substitute for trying the various video and hand-held magnifiers we carry in person. Each month, on the first and third Monday, an Adaptations store associate will host a free one hour overview and demonstration of our twelve desk-top and hand-held video magnification systems. During this hour you will learn how magnification and contrast may enhance your useable vision through the use of video magnification.
When: First and third Mondays, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. (please RSVP)
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
To RSVP for a demonstration, please call Adaptations at 888-400-8933.
Personalized Sessions Also Available
Would you like a one-on-one assessment to determine which kind of magnification is right for you? Make an appointment for a ninety minute session, where you and a trainer will match your vision with the tasks you hope to accomplish, your need for magnification and the attributes of both desk-top and hand-held video magnification systems. For an appointment and information regarding the fee for this service (some individuals 55 and better may be eligible for assistance), please contact Linda Porelle at 415-694-7315 or lporelle@lighthouse-sf.org.
 | | Caption: Dr. Marlena Chu evaluates a patient during a low vision exam |
Low Vision Evaluations
If you are new to low vision and you have useable vision (you can easily read the headlines of a news paper), but have never had a low vision evaluation, we encourage you to do so and can make sure you are connected with a low vision specialist in your area. A low vision specialist will provide you the evaluation that may enhance your useable vision. To set up an appointment, contact Alex Galeczka at 415-604-7318. This service is covered by most Medicare and Medi-Cal plans.
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15. Some New Blind Camp Counselors Share a Bit About Their Summer at Enchanted Hills
By Lisamaria Martinez, LightHouse Donor Relations Coordinator
In this economy, every unemployed individual is struggling. But those of us who are blind start off with one huge strike against us - that is, the public's perception of our abilities. We face some of the strangest ideas of what we are or are not capable of doing such as tying our shoes, walking through a crowded store completely unaided by a sighted person or dressing ourselves in clothes that are fashionable and trendy. The list goes on and on. These notions about blindness can prevent many of us from finding gainful and satisfying employment.
Enchanted Hills Camp is one place where we are chucking aside misperceptions about blindness and teaching each other what blind people are truly capable of if given a chance to excel. Very recently, Enchanted Hills has been echoing with the laughter of campers as young as three and as old as eighty-six. All summer long, a troop of blind counselors and counselors-in-training (CIT's) hiked the hills of camp alongside their blind campers-perhaps not realizing how they were normalizing blindness and acting as role models. Enchanted Hills is a place where a summer job is just a summer job despite how much one can or cannot see.
I spoke to several of the twelve blind camp counselors who worked at Enchanted Hills this summer. Hands down, each counselor repeated to me how much they enjoyed working at our camp but we also found each in their own way worked to counter those misperceptions through their efforts. The following are portraits of these counselors, who without saying these exact words, "got a high" from being a role model and working at Enchanted Hills.
Aziza Cano
 | | Caption: Aziza and young camper Becca Steege pour yeast mixture into bottle to create yeast balloons at Science Camp |
Aziza is 19 and a student at Santa Barbara Community College. She is contemplating a major in psychology. Aziza learned about Enchanted Hills through a mentor and friend who suggested she check out the camp and become a counselor. After asking around a bit about the job, she decided to try it out because "it sounded fun." Aziza sums up her experience as one of this summer's counselors in these words:
"It was a great experience. I think the campers definitely got something out of it. I think they benefited some from having counselors who were blind. I could relate to them since I have recently attended a training center where there were blind people who I could ask questions of. The campers could have honest discussions with us and receive honest input. There were plenty of opportunities for role modeling. For instance, when we talked about sports, we as blind people could give input on how to play sports as a blind person. During Family Camp, we had lots of great discussions with the campers about many topics, including education. Many of the blind counselors shared their personal stories, and I talked about my experiences in high school. I shared my struggles and how helpful it was to have organizations for the blind help you get through the tough times."
Aziza said she learned a lot about herself and her ability to be a leader. "It is different to be organized for a group of people and to keep track of their belongings and not just my own. I have more patience then I realized, and I realized, too, that I have more energy and enthusiasm that I could tap into."
Sage Priolo
 | | Caption: Sage leads a horse carrying young camper Kyndall Abraham |
Sage is 22 and a communications studies major at Chico State. She is a former camper at Enchanted Hills and like the other counselors, worked long hard days at Enchanted Hills this summer. We asked her what it was like as a blind counselor. She said, "I think it was beneficial for me because I could do the things I needed to do as a counselor but I could also really relate to the campers. I was there as a camper before so I could share my experiences." Interestingly enough, Sage noted that she was not the only staff person who felt impacted by her experiences. "It was interesting to observe sighted volunteers who had never worked with blind campers. I thought it was cool to work with those people and see their views change."
When asked why she wanted to become a counselor, Sage said, "I really, really enjoyed my [earlier] experiences as a camper. I wanted to give back to Enchanted Hills because of how much I looked up to some of the counselors. I wanted to be that counselor that campers look up to." When asked about the highlight of her summer, she said, "The Special Needs session was for sure a highlight. It was a lot of hard work, but many of the adults told us they do not have a lot going on for them throughout the year so they dream about coming to camp every summer."
Anthony Dalli
 | | Caption: Anthony Dalli |
Anthony is 19 and a student at the Community College of Kenyata in Redwood City. He wanted to become a camp counselor this summer because he "loves working with kids" and he thought being a counselor would "be a fun experience." In addition to working as a counselor, Anthony worked as a LightHouse Blind Leader interviewing, surveying and collecting data from the families who attended our Family Camp Sessions. He then made recommendations to the camp director as to how to improve Enchanted Hills. What was Anthony's highlight of the summer? "The experience of having kids and teens learning from you was one of my summer highlights. The point of camp is to have kids have fun, but why not learn a little?"
For Aziza, Sage and Anthony, this summer's work at Enchanted Hills was rewarding in of itself, but will also go down on their resumes as a summer job that taught them very important job skills. In their own way they challenged misperceptions of how blind people behave while modeling confidence and self-assuredness to the campers they interacted with. This and the knowledge that they have a rich resource of support in the LightHouse, will, we hope, carry these blind counselors into gainful and satisfying employment down the road.
Support confident role modeling. Click on the Donate button at the top of this email to give to the LightHouse.
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16. Chemistry Camp Gains National Exposure on NPR
 | | Caption: Enchanted Hills Camper Mary Church siphons liquid into a test tube |
After receiving local coverage by KQED, we were delighted this month to hear that Amy Standen's reporting on our Chemistry Camp aired nationally. NPR's Weekend Edition recently featured a longer version of the earlier story. The LightHouse offered the chemistry session in collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind of California, the California Association of Blind Students and the University of California, Davis Chemistry Department.
To hear the NPR national story, go to http://n.pr/chemcampaudio.
To read a transcript of the story, go to http://n.pr/chemcamp.
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17. Science Camp at Enchanted Hills - "Feeling the Science"
 | | Caption: Instructor Risa Wolfson works on the yeast balloon experiment with campers, including Sara Fullmer, CIT Bernice Lozano, Tashiana Brown and Alison Mody |
 | | Caption: Dr. Cristina Reynaga speaks in front of a classroom of campers, many who have colorful inflated yeast balloons sitting in front of them |
 | | Caption: Camper Fredrik Landin creates shapes with yeast-risen dough |
 | | Caption: Trays of various mushrooms, ready to be examined by the campers |
This summer Enchanted Hills Camp hosted a two-day program of science classes for 3rd through 7th grade-aged campers. These classes, dubbed "Feeling the Science", were presented by Dr. Cristina Reynaga Peña, from Center for Research and Advanced Studies in Mexico, in collaboration with Dr. Sherry Hsi from Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science.
During the two-day classroom experience, designed specifically for blind and visually impaired students, young campers participated in projects that involved learning about fungi and plants through feeling, smelling and touching the materials in order to learn basic principals of biology.
Said Dr. Reynaga, "The idea for the course was to give the kids the opportunity to try a different way of experiencing science, using all their available senses and accompanied by explanations of the topics. We try to use things they can relate to, such as showing them how yeast behaves. They all know about sandwiches and [therefore] bread."
The teachers used yeast, which consumes sugar and "breathes out" carbon dioxide, as a way to teach the kids about the life-cycle of certain organisms. Said Dr. Hsi, "We asked the kids, 'how do we know the yeast is alive?' To show them, we had the kids make yeast balloons."
First they "woke up" the yeast with sugar and warm water. The teachers encouraged the kids to "feel the science"; to feel and smell the yeast granules and taste the sugar before it was mixed with the yeast. They made a slurry of the yeast, sugar and water which they poured into a bottle. They then attached an un-inflated balloon on top of the bottle, and waited to see what would happen. The yeast produced a carbon dioxide gas by-product that inflated the balloons. "It's an interesting concept to get across to the youngsters," said Dr. Hsi. "Yeast goes through a life cycle in about an hour-and-a-half to 2 hours - in that short time they live, reproduce and die."
According to Dr. Hsi, the larger-than-expected group in the Enchanted Hills classroom made for a lively, chaotic and definitely fun experience. The group was in camp mode - noisy, giggling, some even put faces on the balloons with markers. Finally, they mixed the yeast slurry with flour to make a dough and learned what those of us who bake bread already know - how the gas produced by yeast leavens or puffs up a flour mixture.
Other projects during the two-day session included passing around trays of different mushrooms and learning how they reproduce and examining various plants. Each class made use of large-scale resin or latex tactile models that are shared by all the students. The teachers assessed how much information the children were taking in by having them demonstrate their understanding through molding and shaping clay. The teachers are interested in measuring learning in a different way, presenting an additional way of testing students that adds to the traditional methods that require reading and writing.
Dr. Reynaga commented on how some of the campers came to the classroom with a fair knowledge of science. "I was pretty impressed with what the kids already knew. On the second day we worked with a smaller group. I had the opportunity to work more closely with some of the kids - they were very smart and really interested in science. I remember one of the girls, she was one of the younger ones; she asked very intelligent questions. That's great! I really enjoyed talking with her, helping her discover things.
"Some of the older kids knew a lot about science - that was great too. I hope this gives them a taste of something they can pursue later on and that they will take advantage of additional resources. Sometimes I've met again with kids who've participated in our program and they remember the work we did and it influences them to continue their interest. It's wonderful when we can change the idea that science is boring for even just a few of these kids."
Said Dr. Hsi, "This was my first experience with blind and visually impaired kids. The kids were really curious, and the other thing I observed is that they were really bold. They were ready to mix things up, spilling things. Of course, this is all happening in the context of camp - they had a lot of fun along with the learning."
Camp Director Tony Fletcher loved seeing the enthusiasm of the young campers and their teachers. "We are truly fortunate to have such highly skilled scientists join us this year for our Science Camp. They showed how passionate they were about their field and about making science accessible."
Learn more about the program here: http://bit.ly/sciencecampehc.
Learn more about the Bready Bubble Balloon experiment by visiting the How to Smile website at http://bit.ly/breadyballon.
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18. Campers visit Sunrise Horse Rescue
This summer a group of 15 young campers enjoyed their first outing in our new bus, Galileo, to visit with the horses that are cared for at Sunrise Horse Rescue.
 | | Caption: Young camper Rio Popper reaches up to touch the horse named Blue. Next to Rio stands Enchanted Hills Camp counselor Laura Von Marveldt and next to her, Lindsay Merget, Vice-President of Sunrise Horse Rescue. |
Sunrise Horse Rescue is a non-profit organization in St. Helena, CA that provides a sanctuary for rescued abused and neglected horses in Napa and Sonoma Counties and provides students of all ages with life enhancing skills derived from the care and rehabilitation of the horses.
The children learned more about the care and feeding of horses, and about Sunrise Horse Rescue's mission. They also got the opportunity to get a hands-on demonstration of the equipment used at Sunrise, including brushes, saddles, bridles and leads.
Many thanks to Joe Schneider, president of the Saint Helena Vintage Lions Club who, because of his love of horses and his interest in our camp, connected us with Sunrise Horse Rescue.
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19. 4th of July Parade in Napa
 | | Caption: Enchanted Hills Camp flat-bed truck-turned-float |
 | | Caption: Counselor James Gump sits on a bale of hay in the back of our float next to the American flag and steadies it to make sure it remains standing during the ride |
 | | Caption: Camper Joyce Cid sits in the back of our float next to campers/musicians Charles Dickens (playing the accordion) and his wife Prudence Dickens (known as the duo Venus and Mars) |
This summer, Enchanted Hills campers attending our Adult Session were honored to be invited by the Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise to participate in the city of Napa July 4th parade. Our "float" was a flat-bed truck, the one that we use with our horses. We piled on bales of hay and raided the arts & crafts cupboard to decorate it, using artificial flowers and pipe cleaners. We hung an Enchanted Hills Camp sign and an American flag on the side of the truck. We also rigged up a large American flag on a pole in the back part of the truck bed and a large red umbrella over the front part to keep the sun off the campers who rode in the float.
Session attendees and singing duo Venus and Mars entertained those in the truck and the parade watchers. Camper Wini Freese, who enjoyed riding on the "float" while enthusiastically waiving a small American flag said, "We looked like a tossed-together outfit, but it was really delightful to do it."
We thank the Rotary Club of Napa for the invitation. Let's do it again next year!
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20. Enchanted Hills Day Hike
Our recreation program is inventing new, year-round ways to enjoy our Enchanted Hills property. Now individuals interested in a more ambitious way to enjoy nature will have the chance to work out with a fun-loving group of hikers who want to add some more fitness to their September. Join us as we head to Enchanted Hills Camp for an intensive six-hour hike, weaving through Wing Canyon, the Sunrise Trail and other hidden treasures. Pack a lunch and we'll provide the water. A bus will leave the LightHouse at 8:30 a.m., returning to San Francisco by 6:30 p.m. Cost for the bus ride is $12.
Saturday, September 17, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Contact: Brandon Young, 415-694-7372 or byoung@lighthouse-sf.org.
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21. Bring Your Wedding, Family Reunion, Conference or Meeting to Enchanted Hills Retreat!
 | | Caption: A cabin at Enchanted Hills Retreat |
 | | Caption: A flowing stream in the forest at Enchanted Hills Retreat |
Looking for the perfect location for your wedding or family reunion? Look no further than beautiful, tranquil Enchanted Hills Retreat, in Napa, California. Just 25 minutes from downtown Napa, the camp is located on 311 acres on beautiful Mount Veeder.
Want to hold your meeting or conference in an idyllic setting? Consider Enchanted Hills Retreat. It's essential from time to time to unplug from our daily routine and seek out other venues that make it easier to connect with each other in a natural setting. Getting your group, team, or staff out of their familiar surroundings and into the more relaxed environment of Enchanted Hills Retreat can be a key element in reaching your shared goals. We provide the meeting rooms, beverage service, a delicious lunch and snacks, so you can stay focused on your work or play.
Enchanted Hills Offers: Low Ropes Course, Nature Trail, Healthy Menu Options, Special Diet Accommodation, Wi-Fi
Enchanted Hills Retreat is located on Mt. Veeder Road, nestled amid majestic coastal redwoods, douglas fir, madrone and tan oak trees. This peaceful setting has enhanced the programs of groups like yours for many years.
For information and availability, please contact our partner, United Camps Conferences and Retreats at 800-678-5102 and ask about reserving some or all of our retreat for your private use.
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22. Glenn Klavert - His Blindness Training is a Work in Process
 | | Caption: Glenn Klavert holds up a piece of colorful batik fabric |
 | | Caption: A smiling Glenn Klavert, holding his cane |
Noeleke Glenn Klavert (Glenn) is an expert in Indonesian and Southeast Asian textiles and artifacts; his specialty is antique batik fabrics. He is also blind. He and his wife Barbara owned the San Francisco gallery, IndoArts, Inc. for many years. Now Glenn continues his business via his home studio and by participating in textile and arts shows. Through IndoArts, he has traded in beautiful and rare textiles, jewelry, paintings, puppets and marionettes, and other artifacts from Indonesian, Southeast Asian, Chinese and Indian culture. While the pieces in his studio are prized by collectors and museums and have rich histories, they also connect him to his heritage.
Glenn came to the United States from Indonesia at age 16 when the Indonesian National Revolution that took place after World War II forced his family and thousands of others of Dutch decent to leave. His family came to Los Angeles with the hopes of maintaining their Indonesian cultural identity. Glenn received an MA in Cultural Geography from UCLA and found a way to honor his heritage in the work that he does.
Glenn first came to the LightHouse of Marin just over a year after glaucoma began to significantly impact his life. He participated in our Living with Vision Loss class, gaining basic skills that he could transfer to home and business. For some time he had enough usable vision to make regular use of a video magnifier - an extremely helpful tool as his primary business involves textiles. In fact, he tells us, one day he brought his video magnifier to a trade show for his own use, but found that the magnifier actually enhanced his ability to make sales - it enabled him to easily show the fine weave of a fabric to potential customers. Fellow vendors saw the value of the magnifier as well and adopted its use and he delights in the fact that a tool which helped him personally also became a tool others could benefit from.
Glenn's vision has deteriorated to the point where the magnifier is no longer useful, but he has found ways to continue working using other tools. "I've taken on the study of Braille, and I plan to use Braille note cards embossed with the information I need to show each piece of fabric or art." He found the iBill (a talking money identifier) to be very helpful at trade shows, but recently broke down and purchased an iPhone - he loves his talking currency identification app! He is an ongoing student of orientation and mobility, carrying his cane (he refers to it as his 'stick') as an extension of himself. He enjoyed using an Apple computer while he was sighted, and in the near future, he plans to incorporate instruction in adaptive computer technology into his life.
Glenn has developed an attitude of acceptance about his blindness because, he says frankly, there are no other options. He notes wryly, yet sincerely, that this is actually the "purest option"; no longer fighting it allows him to be present and grateful each day for all that is in his life, which is clearly very full. These days he continues his business via his home studio and by participating in textile and arts shows. While in his studio, he demonstrated to us the tactile and auditory techniques he uses to identify his fabrics. Specifically, how he uses his finger nail to determine the weight and feel of the fabric when it is unfurled from its folded place or pulled taught - these techniques help him determine the weave type, thread count and age of the fabric. With every piece of fabric there is story within the motifs, designs and colors; all are significant to their functional use and their history and he thoroughly engages the listener as he talks about them.
In getting to know Glenn we have been inspired by the way he carefully balances the important roles he plays both with his family (as the primary health care supporter of his wife, as a stepfather and grandfather) and with his efforts to remain independent through orientation and mobility training and mastering Braille, while still making time for his business. LightHouse Director of Rehabilitation Services Kathy Abrahamson says, "He's very thoughtful not just in how he is with you but his whole presence. He appreciates things. Is this [losing his vision] what he wanted? No. But he's at peace with it. He's very humble and very funny, with a smart, dry wit. Did you know that he also spent time as a chef at the well-known Comforts restaurant in San Anselmo, and invented the first version of their famous Chinese Chicken Salad? I love that salad!"
LightHouse Orientation & Mobility Instructor Dawn Leeflang and Braille Instructor Divina Fontanilla look forward to working with Glenn for many reasons: he is present and motivated at each lesson; he uses what he learns, and he is as much the teacher as he is the student. Glenn has generously shared coping skills, new techniques and history lessons with the LightHouse staff. Ghandi said, "Whenever I talk with someone I learn from him. I take from him more than I give him. In this way, a true teacher regards himself as a student of his students." We truly learn as much from Glenn as he does from us.
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23. 2011 Alice Chavez Pardini Grant Education Advancement Grant
The San Francisco Chapter of the California Council of the Blind will give a grant of up to $2,500 to a Bay Area person who is legally blind and can best demonstrate the need to improve his or her educational or employment opportunities.
Who is Eligible: A legally-blind student in grades 6-12, college, graduate school, or a certificate program who lives in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, or San Mateo counties.
Deadline is October 31, 2011.
Submit a completed application form and essay postmarked by October 31, 2011 to: The Alice Fund Committee
c/o Charlie Dorris
966 Union Street San Francisco CA 94133
To request an application and instruction form or for further details contact Charlie Dorris at 415-775-0487/tyreedorris@aol.com or Ellie Lee at 415-378-6079/ellieleesf@yahoo.com.
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24. California Council of the Blind Fundraiser Set for October 8
You are invited to attend the 2011 fundraiser for the California Council of the Blind's Bayview Chapter. This bountiful lasagna dinner will be held on October 8th from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the East Bay Center for the Blind. Cost is just $10 and all are welcome to attend. For further information, call Cathy Skivers at 510-357-1986.
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25. Trouble Sleeping?
Are you falling asleep during the day? Do you ever feel like your sleep patterns are different than the rest of the world? If so, you may have a sleep problem related to your blindness. Would you like to help find a solution to this issue?
Vanda Pharmaceuticals is engaged in a medication study to address this disorder. Vanda is looking for participants to take part in an FDA trial. You will be compensated for your time if you are accepted into the trial. If you are interested, please contact the referral center at 1-888-389-7033 or go to www.non24registry.com to take a short survey.
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26. Help Improve Access to eBay
The National Federation of the Blind is working in partnership with eBay to continuously improve eBay's website accessibility and create new business opportunities for blind individuals.
Please take a few minutes to provide feedback about your experiences and needs in the realm of Internet shopping (e-commerce) by taking the survey found here: http://bit.ly/ebaysurvey. By doing so, you will help eBay continue to improve the accessibility of its site. Your responses are completely confidential and will be analyzed only in combination with those of other participants.
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