Society Pages
Winter, 2006
A Newsletter of Society for the Blind
Society Pages
Winter, 2006
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Summer Youth Retreat 
For 10 days last July, 15 young people between the ages of 11 and 18
participated in a variety of activities designed to provide them with the
opportunity to learn the skills necessary to succeed at home, in the
classroom, among friends, and, eventually, in the job market. During the
retreat, the youth interacted with other blind students and professionals
for friendship, mentoring, and training for independence.
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 Thanks Ruland's!At the Society, we are facing a severe shortage of space for our teachers to work and our students to learn. Last May, Ruland’s Quality Used Furniture, Led by Steve Ruland and "Rotary Steve's", stepped in and completely refurbished our large front room, setting us up with 8 high-walled cubicles, complete with new carpet, desks and filing cabinets. Students and staff alike now have more spacious, comfortable, and quiet work environments. We would like to offer a big thank you to Ruland’s, AARP Sacramento, and all the volunteers who made this possible. |
Autumn
Regatta  |
From the Executive Director,
Kevin Duggan As the new year begins, I want to thank all of our volunteers, donors, staff and students for all of your hard work as we continue to develop the Society's community throughout the Sacramento region. It has been, and continues to be, an exciting time as we grow our current programs, develop new programs, and work to secure a new facility to provide improved services to individuals throughout the community who are blind or who have low vision. I wish you and your family a happy and healthy new year and I look forward to working with you in 2006. 
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for the
Youth of Northern California
Saturday, October 8, 2005
California State University, Sacramento
The Blind and Low Vision Olympics for the Youth of Northern California strives
to promote healthy competition and challenge young people to reach their
athletic potential. We also work to establish a foundation for youth and their
parents to encourage mentorship, friendship and networking by fostering an
atmosphere of high expectations and encouragement through our hosted athletic
events and adaptive sports techniques.
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On the Web! Did you know that... |
Advanced Retreat |
The volunteers didn’t have much in the way of time. Says Kevin Duggan, the
Society’s Executive Director, “With our 50th anniversary celebration planned for
October 2004, we needed help fast.” Led by Satish, the team, which included
Sulochana Madugala, Ken Roach, Pat Todd, Jaswinder Kaur, Janet Webb and Brian
Schroeder, got down to business.
One of the most popular classes at the Society for the Blind is assistive
technology, where three dedicated instructors help people to use computers, the
internet, and other technology. At the center of the action is Marianne Hewitt,
an utterly charming, soft-spoken assistive technology teacher. Marianne’s
strength as a teacher is her ability to listen to the student and calculate how
to tailor the available assistive technology tools to the individual’s needs.
“It’s not a cookie cutter world,” she explains. “You have to understand the
technology and match it to the goals of the student and the environment in which
the student is working.” Marianne is well-equipped to perform this type of
match-making as she is trained in all of the software involving screen-reading,
magnification, Braille note-taking, refreshable Braille, and scan and read
technology.
About 12 years ago, Marianne was facing a serious eye condition called “Fuchs’
Dystrophy” which leads to a disintegration of her cornea. She hoped to receive
corneal transplants, but the surgeries failed to work. “The good news was that I
had time to transition by enrolling in several programs that taught blindness
skills.”
Prior to losing her vision, Marianne was an operations manager for an online
shopping service. In that position, she acted as a bridge between the technology
staff and the product staff. In her free time, Marianne worked as a volunteer on
several literacy projects. She enjoyed reading, and she felt that literacy was
an essential tool for all people. “When you lose your sight, understanding
assistive technology is the equivalent of blind literacy.” She learned the
technology so well that she decided to teach it to others.
In her role as an assistive technology teacher, Marianne finds herself
constantly teaching and bridging. “Not only do many of our clients have to
overcome their loss of vision, but they need to overcome technophobia as well.
This is particularly true with some of our seniors who grew up in a pre-computer
world.”
“Her background and winning personality make Marianne a superior instructor,”
says Kevin Duggan, the Society’s Executive Director. “Marianne combines great
knowledge, life experience, good humor and a natural empathy for others.”
Off the job, Marianne enjoys hiking, reading and her two grown children. When
hiking isn’t available, you can find her rapidly striding about with her guide
dog, Cisco. She misses the cool climate and hills of San Francisco, but she
enjoys the many trees of Sacramento.
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Our Bingo sessions raise many of the funds needed to support our programs and ser vices. You can help us out by volunteering in this fun, fast-paced environment. We have three weekly sessions at the Grand Oaks Bingo Hall in Citrus Heights. Sundays and Tuesdays, 6PM to 10PM, and a Tuesday matinee, 10AM to 2PM. For more information about this exciting volunteer opportunity, or about Bingo in general, contact Tracy Davis, Bingo Operations Manager, at (916) 452-8271 x324 |
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Society for the Blind Donor Wall
| Cat Tale Press Vision Service Plan Harris Interactive Country Club Lions Club ESA Foundation Fair Oaks/San Juan Lions Club Gourmet Wraps Delta Gamma Fraternity Sacramento Alumnae Chapter America's Charities Sidney Stern Memorial Trust St. Luke's Episcopal Church Peter P. Bollinger Investment Co. American River Bank McDonough Holland & Allen Palace Bingo Corp. Sacramento Yacht Club Gilbert Associates, Inc. Optimist Club of Sacramento Arizona Business Leadership Association |
Sommerkal Construction SBC Dr. F.P. Dehn June Dewey Michele Di Sandro Jo Dickinson Thomas F. Ahern Isabel Albright Michael and Joanne Allyn Penny Appleman Eugene and Evelyn Bass David and Sandra Bender Carol Bennett Marc and Jenny Bien Michael Borg David Boyd Ora Branson Joe Brazil Nadine Brennan Eve and Carroll Brock Miriam T. Carr Pat Carruthers Eileen Carson Edie Cassidy Martin Castro Cynthia Chatman Sailaja Cherukuri John Chuchel Nadine Clausen Richard and June Clawson Ronald Cole Lois Coley |
Roger Connot Robert Cope Don Daugherty James Davis Claudia Davison Constance Diernisse Joyce Dilworth Sally Dowling William Dutter Mark Dyer Mitchell Ellison William and Susan Eubanks Chester and Doris Flint Leo Fong Philip and Ida Frank Heather R. Frank Joanne Fredrickson John and June French Connie Gaines Junay Gardner Logan Thelma Gates-Jackson Reverend Earl Green Karen Griffin Thomas Haig Channing Hall Felix E. Henderson Paul and Julie Heuser Alan Hirsch George Hisamoto Jon and Kathy Hutchison Patrick Immoos and Anita Meeker-Immoos Dr. Roland Iverson |
I. S. Jain Carol Johns Dorothy Johnson Melba Johnson Marian Johnston Carrie Jorgensen Anna Kahl Margaret Knezovich William and Ann Kohl Edward Korphage John and Laura Kosbau Jerry Kuns Gloria Laborde Eleanor Laszlo George and Marie Law Steve and Shari LeClair Howard and Margaret Lee Nadyne Legg Stephen Lerner Larry and Evelyn Lieb Dr. Vernon Lightfoot Tom Linker Brian and Bertha Lippman Laurence Littleton Stuart and Vana Lott Karen Lowrey Geraldine Lubick Pam Lygren Alfred and Sylvia MacKenzie Roger Magyar Natasha Martin |
Bernie Mason Laura Mason-Smith Mike and Jennifer May Robert McHugh Terry McPartlan Carol Merrill Larry Metzger Herman Morales Jim and Kay Morandi Jorge C. Munoz Barbra Nardella Quintin and Alice Narum Kathleen Nickerman Sue Noack Jeanada Nolan Clarence O'Day Frieda Orloff Frank Palmer Michael Peitzcker Gail Peterson Steven Peterson Oscar Pfanner Dan Pfiefer Jr. Arthur Pillsbury Dave Plevyak Esther Pollock Paul and Susan Prudler Paul and Alice Peterson Bob Pugh Dorothy Putman Erin Quinlan Barbara Rechtfertig Satinder Rekhi |
Herbert and Agnes Ritter Dale and Winnie Ritter Barbara Romero Albert Neal and Maureen Rose Barbara Rossi Thomas Roth Sharon Rubio Dr. Randall Sarte John Schade Dan Schauer Marcella G. Schultze Steve and Rosemary Scott Russ Sheehan Claire Skalisky Howard and Diane Slater Athel Smith Bill and Millie Stone Jim P. Streng Charles A. Sumner II James and Ruth Tippet John and Linda Utt Fred Valdez Vincent and Cheryl Villano Alice Williams Gilbert K. Wilson James Wilson Frank and Judy Wolfe Rose Wolfson Jack and Bernice Woo David Zimmerman |
Included on the above list are individuals and organizations who made a donation to
the Society for the Blind between July and October, 2005
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Society Pages –
Winter, 2006 |
Upcoming Events in
2006 |
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