Posts Tagged ‘Featured’

Urgent: The Braille and Talking Book Library Needs Your Help

The Braille and Talking Book Library, in Sacramento, desperately needs your help. Funding was removed from the current Budget Act that was not used for library services, but which served to meet matching fund requirements necessary to obtain the federal funding that enables the Braille and Talking Book Library to operate. Loss of these state funds means that federal funds can also be lost.

Please urge the Budget Subcommittees to amend this upcoming budget to include that matching fund money so that the library will not be threatened with dramatic service cuts. The Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 1 on Education Finance will hold a hearing covering library services on Thursday, May 3 at 9:30 a.m. or upon adjournment of the Senate, in Room 3191 of the State Capitol. A similar hearing will be held by the Assembly Subcommittee on Budget Education Finance on Wednesday, May 9 at 4:00 p.m. in Room 126 of the State Capitol.

Come to these hearings and make your feelings known. If you can’t, please contact the members of these subcommittees. The rosters are shown below.

Senate subcommittee:

Senator Carol Liu, Chair
Phone: 916-6514021
Email: carol.liu@sen.ca.gov

Senator Ted Gaines
Phone: 916-6514001
Email: ted.gaines@sen.ca.gov

Senator Rod Wright
Phone: 916-6514025
Email: roderick.wright@sen.ca.gov

Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance:

Susan Bonilla, Chair
Phone: 916-3192011
Email: susan.bonilla@asm.ca.gov

Assemblyman Bill Berryhill
Phone: 916-3192026
Email: bill.berryhill@asm.ca.gov

Assemblywoman Julia Brownley
Phone: 916-3192041
Email: Julia.brownley@asm.ca.gov

Assemblyman Brian Nestande
Phone: 916-3192064
Email: brian.nestande@asm.ca.gov

Assemblyman Sandre Swanson
Phone: 916-3192016
Email: sander.swanson@asm.ca.gov

Getting Ready for Summer – Volunteer Day at Enchanted Hills

On a mild, dry day in in early April, in between spring storms, twenty-five enthusiastic volunteers and staff members rolled up their sleeves to work on several important maintenance projects at Enchanted Hills. These projects are part of the work that goes in year-round to keep camp in good shape for Enchanted Hills Retreat attendees and campers.

This special group included some eager young people, members of Napa area Key Club International, the high school student organization sponsored by the Kiwanis. Theresa Comstock, the current president of Kiwanis Club of Greater Napa, supervised the youngsters in their work.

The energetic team dug in to protect our campground by clearing scotch broom, a tenacious weed that is a fire hazard. They also trimmed and re-positioned beloved blackberry bushes, the fruit of which will be used this summer for jam and blackberry pies. Volunteer Steve Erdmann and his group planted two new oak trees in lower camp while other projects included prepping recycled building supplies, repairing wooden fences, cleaning the pool and splitting wood for the campfires our campers enjoy so much.

Upon arrival, staff and volunteers were treated with homemade scones and fresh coffee. Later staff members James Griel and Natalie Davis provided a delicious sandwich bar luncheon. Camp Director Tony Fletcher said, “Volunteer workdays allow us to accomplish so many tasks that we normally don’t have the people-power to accomplish. Even more important is that we end up making connections with our volunteers who then come up with ideas for improvements and innovations that will help us all year-round.”

LightHouse Student Gets Opportunity of a Lifetime or How A Jobsite Conversation Turned into a Real Job

Last fall, Amy Gac was one of a group attending sessions of our Jobsite Conversation Series. These weekly excursions bring blind and low vision jobseekers to the offices of employed blind and low vision workers. Each session gave the jobseekers a chance to listen, ask questions and network.

Amy’s interest in going to these meetings was like a lot of other blind jobseekers. She generally knew what she wanted to do with her next employment step, but somehow she thought she might learn a little something extra by getting a direct personal connection with successful blind peers. The beauty of the Jobsite Conversation Series has been to show, in concrete form, how blind jobseekers with vague or unrealized dreams of employment can actually achieve those goals.

“I was thinking about starting my own business but I was also ready to settle for a more stable position in customer service with the IRS,” Gac says. “I was also considering taking an admin position in construction since I worked in Purchasing and Estimating for many years.”

But that fateful day in November brought Amy in contact with current LightHouse Board member Gena Harper, who is a financial advisor with MorganStanley SmithBarney. While talking with Gena, Amy found a focus for her ambition. She zeroed in on becoming a financial advisor. “I have always been interested in starting my own business and I knew that MorganStanley SmithBarney has a fantastic training program. I saw Gena, who is a very happy, confident, and capable woman, as a role model. And the [potential income] didn’t hurt either.”

Things moved rapidly from there. Says Amy, “I made a follow-up call to Gena the next day, and we met for lunch the following week. Then Gena arranged for me to meet her boss. [Finally], after a career suitability test and a series of interviews, I received a job offer to become a financial advisor.”

Passing the Series 7 exam will allow Amy to legally trade securities on behalf of her employer. She is confident she will pass the exam and thinks she will do well in her new job. “Cold calling doesn’t make me nervous and I enjoy working with numbers.” Once she passes the exam, she figures the hardest aspect of the job will be making sales goals. As she launches into her new career, Amy has many resources at her fingertips. Along with the coaching and mentoring she has been getting from her trainers, she uses adaptive equipment such as ZoomText and magnification to get the job done.

We are so proud that our Jobsite Conversation Series provided Amy with such an important connection and we wish her the best of luck. If you or someone you know is interested in partnering with our Employment Immersion program to get to work, contact Kate Williams at kwilliams@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7324.

Accessibility Out of the Box With The LightHouse, San Francisco

Apple provides intelligent and innovative solutions for people with visual disabilities, allowing them to access and enjoy using Mac, iPad, iPhone, and iPod. Join representatives from the LightHouse, San Francisco, and learn about accessibility features for your Mac and iOS devices including screen magnification, VoiceOver, Text to Speech, settings for high contrast, and more.

When: Tuesday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Apple Store, San Francisco
One Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 392-0202

Please visit www.apple.com/sanfrancisco for additional details. Reservation is not required.

Wine Appreciation with Sommelier Roy Austin

Visually impaired sommelier Roy Austin will share his impressive and extensive wine knowledge in this series of classes. He will introduce students to the nuances of wine and winemaking through a perfect blend of tastings, education and humor. Wines produced in California will be the focus of this first series of classes.

Dates: The first meeting is on Thursday, April 12. Subsequent classes are on the second Thursday of each month, through September 2012
Time: 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters

In addition to developing a deeper appreciation for the art of wine by exploring a wide array of vintages, regions and varietals through monthly tastings, this class is also an opportunity for adults between the ages of 21 to 50 to mingle amongst fellow connoisseurs.

For more information about the classes and applicable fees, contact Brandon Young, Community Services Coordinator, at 415-694-7372 or byoung@lighthouse-sf.org, or John Liang, Director of Community Services, at 415-694-7334 or jliang@lighthouse-sf.org.

CPUC Public Participation Hearings on Basic Phone Services

The Digital Network for Students with Visual Impairments: How do visually impaired students approach the new trend of digital social networks by using assistive technology?

Sunggye Hong currently works for San Francisco State University and trains teachers of students with visual impairments and is currently seeking participants for a study.

The purpose of this study is to examine the role digital social networks play in the development of social skills of students with visual impairments and the degree to which visually impaired students are participating in such activities.

Sunggye is looking for a student who is blind or visually impaired and is 12 to 18 years old to participate in a survey study. The survey will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete and will focus on the use of digital social media such as online social networks, text messaging, and assistive technology when using such digital media.

If you have any questions or concerns at this point or in the future, or would like to know more about the study, please feel free to contact:

Sunggye Hong, Assistant Professor

Department of Special Education, San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94132
hong72@sfsu.edu
(415)338-3430

LightHouse Launches Guide Athlete Program

Sometimes all it takes to get people moving is a good partnership! The LightHouse is excited to announce the launch of our new Guide Athlete Program. We want to pair blind athletes with those with vision, for a wide variety of athletic endeavors – anything from working out at the gym to biking in the upcoming Cycle for Sight Fundraiser to running the next half marathon.

We got off to a fantastic start during the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, where we staffed a table and collected the names of 30 people interested in volunteering for this program.

If you are interested in becoming a guide athlete, or being paired with one, contact LightHouse Volunteer Coordinator Don M. Franklin at 415-694-7371 or dmfranklin@lighthouse-sf.org.

AC Transit Seeking Feedback from Riders

AC Transit is developing a comprehensive fare policy and looking for public input on elements ranging from goals and principles, to pass pricing and transfer rules, to the timing and level of fare increases. The overall aim is to have fares that are more logical and equitable, and fare changes that are more rational and predictable.

We encourage you to learn more about the issues at www.actransit.org, (“Have Something to Say About Fares” article) and then give them your input via online form (see link near the end of the article), e-mail, voicemail, fax, or letter. AC Transit is also holding a public meeting to talk about fare policy and engage riders and other members of the community in discussions with staff. The meeting will be:

Thursday, February 17
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
AC Transit General Offices
1600 Franklin Street
Oakland

2011 Youth Slam Applications

The Youth Slam is a biennial program in its third year that gives blind high school students a week-long college immersion experience focused on exciting STEM (Sience Technology Engineering & Math) subjects like Forensics, Kineseology, Computer Science, Robotics, journalism, Rocketry, Architecture, Environmental Science, and a taste of driving via the Blind Driver Challenge.

Students will spend a school week in the dorms at Towson University from July 17-23, 2011, under the guidance of competent blind mentors, dining in the dining hall, navigating campus to get to classes, engaging in challenging and learningful academic activities, and getting a taste of independent college life, including fun evening activities.

Spaces are filling, but applications are still being accepted through March 1st.  More info about Youth Slam and the application process can be found at www.blindscience.org.

A YouTube video highlighting the 2009 Youth Slam can be found by clicking here.