AUGUST 2012

Wine and Food Fundraiser - Join the LightHouse at the August 18th Feast it Forward Festival

Join the LightHouse on Saturday, August 18 for the Feast it Forward FEASTival. Learn more about the festival.

Joe Donaldson Rejoins the Work Force With Help From LightHouse Employment Immersion Program

The LightHouse Employment Immersion class continues to help blind and visually impaired folks find jobs in this difficult market. The Marcled Foundation has awarded us a significant grant, letting us continue offering this much needed program. Read more about our employment program and Joe Donaldson, one of our newly employed program participants.

Camp Class Teaches Blind Kids the Practical Use of Chemistry

In May the LightHouse hosted the 2nd annual Chemistry Camp at our Enchanted Hills Camp. Program creator Henry “Hoby” Wedler talks about this year’s session and how he is teaching practical reasons for blind kids to study chemistry.

Blindness Specialists Gather for Weekend Intensive at Enchanted Hills

This year over forty participants from around the state, representing a diversity of agencies of and for the blind, engaged in a weekend rich with dialogue, idea sharing and camaraderie. Read Lion’s Blind Center Employment Specialist Serena Olsen’s reflections on Providers Weekend here.

Give Us Your Feedback and Enter to Win $75

The LightHouse is developing and will distribute “strip maps” which will present concise information about selected Bay Area transit routes in Braille or large print. The strip maps will be developed for BART, Muni, SamTrans and Caltrain routes. Learn how you can help with this and be entered into our drawing to win a $75.00 gift certificate to Adaptations.

Travel with Ease - Get Free Tactile Maps Through the LightHouse

One of the biggest challenges faced by blind travelers is obtaining a concept of their surroundings. The LightHouse makes travel in the United States easier by providing tactile maps, also known as TMAPs. Using raised lines to indicate streets and Braille labeled street names, TMAPs give the blind traveler the information they need to travel confidently. The maps are free to California residents and only $15.00 to everyone else. Read how to get tactile maps here.

Young Adults Learn the Ropes of Leadership

LightHouse has just completed the first of three workshops aimed at getting blind youth proficient in the skills employers are looking for. We launched the Future Leaders Training Program (formerly known as Transition Summit) last month in the beautiful setting of Enchanted Hills Camp. Read more about the Future Leaders Program here.

Angel Island Adventure

On a sunny Bay Area day in May, a handful of young blind sailors took to the waters off Marin County in kayaks with Angel Island as their destination. What a wonderful way to spend a weekend. Learn more about their paddle here.

Napa Rotary’s Cycle for Sight Supports Camp in a Big Way

We want to express our immense gratitude to Rotary Club of Napa for choosing to support Enchanted Hills through Cycle for Sight. Read more about their contribution and the ride itself.

Keep Summertime Dreams Possible

There are very few places where blind children can run, hike, swim, ride horses and make lifelong friends who are also blind. From building self-confidence to normalizing blindness, Enchanted Hills Camp is a place where being blind is more than okay. For three generations Enchanted Hills has made a difference because of people like you. Please donate today.

LightHouse Offers Enchanted Hills Kitchen Training with Future Employment in Mind

The LightHouse has begun offering short-term employment opportunities in our Enchanted Hills Camp kitchen. Read more about these job opportunities.

Enchanted Hills Retreat – The Perfect Place for Your Meeting or Event

The Gladys Fisher Lodge, one of a group of comfortable and affordable lodgings at Enchanted Hills Retreat

Beautiful Enchanted Hills Retreat is located just 25 minutes from downtown Napa on Mount Veeder Road. Want to hold your family reunion in the summer or fall but your house is too small and hotels are way too expensive? Does your workgroup need to get out of the office for a training or retreat? Is your church, club or organization in need of a place where you can get three bountiful meals and a place to gather for a day or a week?

We offer rentals of our retreat for groups as small as 20 and as large as 140. For more information and availability, call 415-694-7310 or email Camp Director Tony Fletcher at afletcher@lighthouse-sf.org. Read more about Enchanted Hills Retreat.

Adaptations Featured Item – LightHouse Talking Analog Watch

Hands holding a LightHouse talking analog watch

The Adaptations Store is proud to announce its newest addition to our watch-line up: a LightHouse branded talking analog watch. The large white face of this watch measures just over 1 ½” in diameter and contains highly visible extra-large, black numbers along with easily distinguishable minute, hour and seconds hands. A crystal clear voice indicates the time with just the touch of a button. This handsome timepiece also features a genuine black leather strap and a highly polished metal casing. We are selling the LightHouse Talking Analog Watch for $60.00.

Come in to purchase the LightHouse talking analog watch, find it online or call our toll-free number, 1-888-400-8933. The Adaptations store is located at LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters. Hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and every third Saturday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

New Look and Feel for Adaptations Blindness Products Store

We’ve revamped and restyled our store to make shopping easier and more fun while adding the new products you’ve been asking for. Find out more about our store.

Consider Including the LightHouse in your Estate Plans

By including the LightHouse in your Will, IRA, or as an insurance beneficiary, you will join thousands of people who for more than a century have helped invest in and sustain our future, enabling our ongoing efforts to assist individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

Your bequest is critically important because it provides a source of support that is not subject to fluctuations in the economy. For years public-spirited citizens and their families have remembered the LightHouse and enabled us to make stable plans for future operations across northern California and at our Enchanted Hills blind camp. The LightHouse is truly grateful for the deep loyalty and compassion such planned giving represents and we'll do whatever it takes to assist our donors in leaving a legacy.

If you would like to be referred to a legal professional for assistance with a planned gift or have further questions about planned giving, contact our Development Department at 415-694-7365 or giving@lighthouse-sf.org.

Try Out Our Easy and Flexible New Online LightHouse Calendar

We have designed a new calendar that allows you to sort events by month or program type. Just go to lighthouse-sf.org/calendar to take a look at events for July, August and September 2012. Let us know what you think at lhnews@lighthouse-sf.org.

Dialogue with the Director

LightHouse CEO Bryan Bashin has established a regular time to personally hear from any community member about LightHouse services and opportunities for our organization.

When: Tuesday, October 9, 2012 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters

These informal evenings have proven to be very useful as the LightHouse develops new programs and services. To reserve your place in the dialogue, please contact Chuck Godwin at 415-694-7348 or cgodwin@lighthouse-sf.org by 5:00 p.m. Monday, October 8.

Noteworthy News

Blind Chef Christina Ha Finalist in “MasterChef” Cooking Show

The popular Fox Network cooking show MasterChef is currently featuring blind chef Christina Ha, whose expertise and grace under pressure has been rewarded by a climb into the finals. Read more about Christina here.

How Can Blind People Stay Safe?

A growing number of blind and visually impaired people are turning to self-defense techniques to help keep them safe and boost their confidence. Read this BBC News article about how blind people stay safe.