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Just Across the Street – Explore the Sound Commons Exhibit with a Sighted Guide on Saturday, August 13

Just Across the Street – Explore the Sound Commons Exhibit with a Sighted Guide on Saturday, August 13

PHOTO: LightHouse staffers Justine Harris-Richburgh and Christina Daniels use mallets to play wooden xylophones at the Exploratorium’s “Sound Commons” exhibition.

“Sound Commons” is a new Exploratorium art installation at UN Plaza, located right in our front yard. On Saturday, August 13 a group of LightHouse volunteers from Oracle will give guided tours of this tactile and interactive exhibition just across the street from the new LightHouse building.

If you’d like to check out this fabulous exhibition on August 13, email volunteer@lighthouse-sf.org or call our volunteer reservation line at 415-694-7320.

When: Saturday, August 13, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: LightHouse for the Blind, 1155 Market Street, 10th Floor, San Francisco, 94103

LightHouse staff peer down echo tubes during a guided tour of Exploratorium’s “Sound Commons” exhibition.

From the Exploratorium website: “[Across the street from the LightHouse you can experience] the ringing of chimes and other harmonics when you visit Sound Commons, an interactive, sound-based installation designed to encourage playful social activity in this challenging public space…Three long Echo Tubes, looking like exposed ductwork, will create surprising echoes and other sound effects as people clap and talk into them. Another experience will inspire quietude: a bed of gravel embedded with sound-sensors will challenge users to walk as quietly as possible and score them on their tip-toeing skill.

Read the entire article.

Our Volunteers Want to Read Your Mail During Our Off the Page Event on Saturday, August 13

Our Volunteers Want to Read Your Mail During Our Off the Page Event on Saturday, August 13

Do you need an extra set of eyes to get you through a stack of mail, magazines or newsprint? On Saturday, August 13, the LightHouse is hosting an Off the Page Volunteer Event, the first of many. This month’s Off the Page event will be presented by volunteers from Oracle.

When: Saturday, August 13, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: LightHouse for the Blind, 1155 Market Street, 10th Floor, San Francisco, 94103

At the new LightHouse building we have cozy, closed-door reading rooms available so that you and a vetted volunteer can go through your mail or paperwork privately. Refreshments will be available. This is a great way to potentially schedule additional reading time with a volunteer ongoing.

There are four slots available on August 13, so be sure to RSVP soon before they’re all filled up. Email 1altruism@lighthouse-sf.org (please put the words, “Off The Page” in the subject line) or call our volunteer reservation line at 415-694-7646.

Changing Vision Changing Life II – A New Addition to Our Immersion Training

Changing Vision Changing Life II – A New Addition to Our Immersion Training

PHOTO: Cooking Instructor Sydney Ferrario preps food with students.

Are you ready to kick your skills up a notch? We’ve added a brand-new session to our Changing Vision Changing Life Series of small group trainings: The Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) II Immersion.

This motivating six-day overnight session is designed for students who may have participated in CVCL instruction in the past and are now focused on practicing the skills they’ve learned in a more intensive and structured manner.

Note: You don’t need to have attended a previous CVCL session to attend this one. However, you need to have had some basic training in Orientation and Mobility, independent living skills and/or access technology.

This session is great for students who are currently training in all of the areas above and can benefit from multiple days of one-on-one and small group instruction.

In this session, students will work on all of the following:

Access Technology, including

  • Computer training (Mac or PC) – using the software you are currently learning
  • Smart Phone Training – Apple or Android
  • Tablet Training – Apple or Android

Peer Group Support – Moving Forward
Advocacy – Taking Control
Orientation and Mobility Training 1:1
Introduction to Braille
Smart Cooking for Independence
Low Vision Training – Using your Tools to Your Benefit
Physical and Recreational Exploration to Enhance Mobility

When: This session will run from Sunday, September 18 (arrival at 3:30 p.m.) through Friday, September 23 (leave at 10:30 a.m.)

Where: The session will be held in our headquarters building at 1155 Market St., 10th Floor in San Francisco. Participants will stay overnight throughout the week in our Student Residences.

Cost: There is a $1300 fee for this training but you may qualify for partial or full scholarship if you are not already working with the Department of Rehabilitation or the Veterans Administration.

To find out if this session is the best fit for you please contact Debbie Bacon at dbacon@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-357.

30% & Growing is Your Monthly Networking Meet-Up

30% & Growing is Your Monthly Networking Meet-Up

PHOTO: Members of the 30% and Growing Club hang out at the Albatross Pub in Berkeley: (Left to right) Aly Slaughter, Laura Millar, Josh Miele, Christina Daniels and club leader Serena Olsen.

Depending on where you get your statistics, 57-70% of working-age blind people are unemployed. But what if we turned that statistic on its head? What if, instead of agonizing over the dauntingly high unemployment rate among blind people, we reframe and consider that at least 30% of blind people are fully employed? Well we’ve done just that. On the third Thursday of each month, the LightHouse celebrates working blind people at our 30% & Growing blind professionals networking meet-ups in San Francisco and the East Bay.

Who: Adults 21 and older
When: 30% and Growing meets on the third Thursday of each month, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Here are dates for August, September and October.

August:
Thursday, August 18, 6:00 p.m.
Cadillac Bar & Grill, 44 9th St., San Francisco

September:
Thursday, September 15, 6:00 p.m.
Lost and Found, 2040 Telegraph Ave., Oakland

October:
Thursday, October 20, 6:00 p.m.
Upcider, 1160 Polk St., 2nd floor, San Francisco

In a thriving metropolis like the Bay Area, every conceivable profession has a meet up group, but where do aspiring-to-be-fully-employed blind people have the same opportunity?

30% & Growing creates that space where being a fully employed blind person is perfectly normal. It’s a space where busy working blind people can take a quick time out to connect with their peers, enjoy some libations, and argue with their friends about current events—just like any other worker bees at the end of a work day.

With 30% & Growing, we intend to grow the ranks of our fully employed working-age blind people by leveraging this tremendous resource for those coming up in the ranks or even thinking about it. Blind job seekers now have this monthly resource available to them allowing them to learn from those that came before them and cull advice about their professions of interest and the unique experience of navigating a career as a blind person.

But we don’t just network – we laugh a lot. We’re serious and social, taking in the buzz of local watering holes like The Beer Hall and Dirty Water in San Francisco or Lost and Found and the Albatross in the East Bay, sampling craft beers, wines or cocktails and sating our palate with light snacks and appetizers. More importantly, 30% and Growing offers connection, dialogue, relationships, and community, and a time and place to go out with friends and colleagues for happy hour, just like any other hard-working tax payer.

For information on upcoming gatherings please contact Serena Olsen, Evening & Weekend Program Coordinator at solsen@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7316.

June Sea Kayaking Adventure Packed with Laughter & Learning

June Sea Kayaking Adventure Packed with Laughter & Learning

PHOTO: LightHouse kayaker and ETC guide take to the sea during June’s adventure.

In June the LightHouse Youth Program partnered with LightHouse Adult programs to make this year’s sea kayaking trip a memorable and meaningful one for all ages.

Participants, experienced and novices alike, paddled out into Tomales Bay on a beautiful morning, careful to avoid disturbing the eel grass, vital to the ecology, that sways in the water just off shore. After learning kayaking basics under the tutelage of experienced guides from Environmental Traveling Companions riding the best kayaks for ocean, we landed at a nearby beach, enjoyed lunch and set up camp.

The afternoon was reserved for swimming and getting to know one another, followed by a dinner by the shore and an evening hike where we learned more about the local environment. Laughter filled the night time air and talents emerged out of evening games and storytelling. After a hearty breakfast the next morning, an arduous paddle into the wind brought us back to the launch site for reflections and goodbyes.

If you like to get out on the water in the midst of beautiful surroundings, please join us for a late summer water adventure on the American River on September 24-25. For questions or to reserve your spot, contact Serena Olsen, Evening & Weekend Program Coordinator, at solsen@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7316.

Teens and Adults – Whitewater Raft the American River with the LightHouse – September 24 and 25

Teens and Adults – Whitewater Raft the American River with the LightHouse – September 24 and 25

The LightHouse and Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC) collaborate in September as we offer a whitewater rafting experience on the South Fork of the American River. Youth and adults ages 14 and up are invited to attend this exciting rafting trip and overnight campout.

If you are interested in joining us, please contact Evening & Weekend Program Coordinator Serena Olsen by Tuesday, September 6 at 415-694-7316 or solsen@lighthouse-sf.org.

 We will leave early Saturday, September 24th to arrive at the South Fork of the American River by midday for an exciting afternoon of whitewater rafting. Once we finish our river float, we will go to ETC’s overnight camp where we will cook dinner together. After dinner, we’ll enjoy socializing around the campfire with old and new friends. The next morning we will pack-up camp and return to San Francisco by noon, traffic permitting.

  • Who: Youth and Adults who are blind or have low vision (ages 14 and up)
  • What: Whitewater Rafting and Overnight Campout
  • When: Depart 7:30 a.m. Saturday, September 24th and return 12:00 p.m. (noon) Sunday, September 25th
  • Where: South Fork of the American River and ETC’s Overnight Camp
  • Transportation: Transportation from and to the LightHouse will be provided
  • Waiver: Each participant must submit 2 waiver forms, one from the LightHouse and the other from Environmental Travel Companions. Please contact Serena Olsen to receive the waivers. Spots will only be reserved when payment and signed waivers are received.
  • Cost: The cost of the event is $100.00 per participant. LightHouse will cover overnight costs, transportation, dinner, and breakfast the following morning. Spots will only be reserved once payment and the two signed waivers are received.

 Please bring the following items on this trip:

  • Water bottle
  • Hat or visor
  • Sunscreen
  • Sleeping bag
  • Change of clothes
  • Swimsuit
  • Water shoes
  • Jacket /hoodie
  • Cane or mobility device
  • Any necessary medication
  • Personal toiletries (for the overnight campout at ETC’s campsite)
  • Two signed waivers for LightHouse and Environmental Traveling Companions
Youth Program End of Summer Family Fun Night on August 20

Youth Program End of Summer Family Fun Night on August 20

The LightHouse Youth Program invites you and your family to join us for our End of Summer Family Fun Night on Saturday, August 20. There will be games and family competitions that participants of all ages and abilities will enjoy while giving families the chance to get to know one another and share ideas, stories and resources. Expect plenty of silliness!

Who: Families where one or more members are under 18 and at  least one family member of any age is blind or has low vision.
When: Saturday, August 20, from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m.
Where: LightHouse Building, 1155 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco, 94103.
What to bring: Potluck contribution and lots of energy.
Waiver: Each youth participant must fill out and submit a LightHouse Youth Program Application if they have not done so already.

For more information or to RSVP for this event please contact Jamey Gump, Youth Services Coordinator, at 415-694-7372 or by email jgump@lighthouse-sf.org by Friday August 19.

Thank You to Our Community Partners

Thank You to Our Community Partners

Photo: Student and volunteer Dennis O’Hanlon tells the story of how the LightHouse assisted him in his journey back to work during the LightHouse Grand Opening Donor Event.

The LightHouse wishes to thank its devoted friends and community partners who have recently shown their support by providing significant funds to help our programs go further and reach higher:

Delong-Sweet Family Foundation – for Enchanted Hills Camp
Disability Communications Fund – for Technology Training
Robert Foster – for Enchanted Hills Camp
Patricia Heim and Sergius Lashutka – for Enchanted Hills Camp
Jerry Kuns and Theresa Postello – for Enchanted Hills Camp
Marco A. Vidal Fund – for general operating support – LightHouse of Marin
Jane and Robert Micks – for general operating support – LightHouse North Coast
Mutual of America – for the Campaign for a 21st Century LightHouse
Susan O’Sullivan – for the Campaign for a 21st Century LightHouse
The Palisades Educational Foundation – for general operating support
Fred Ruhland – for the Campaign for a 21st Century LightHouse
Frederic and Kristine Silva – for the Campaign for a 21st Century LightHouse
Todd Stevenot and Anne Sandbach – for the Campaign for a 21st Century LightHouse
Telecare Corporation – for Superfest International Disability Film Festival
Wells Fargo – for sponsorship for our Grand Opening Celebration and for Employment Immersion
Workday Foundation – for Enchanted Hills Camp

First Weeklong Immersion Class Pioneers Intensive Blindness Introduction in our New Building

First Weeklong Immersion Class Pioneers Intensive Blindness Introduction in our New Building

In June we launched the fourth year of the Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) Immersion Training program at our new Headquarters offices at 1155 Market Street in San Francisco.

Gaining an understanding of what is available to you, getting hands-on with new skills and developing renewed confidence with changing vision is the overall theme of the week. While the experience is different for everyone, the act of coming together with other adult students and teachers who are blind or have low vision, to learn or relearn skills and get back into the stream of life, is a pivotal part of the week-long experience.

Join us! We have several Changing Vision Changing Life (CVCL) Immersion Training scheduled this summer at our new Headquarters offices at 1155 Market Street in San Francisco.

Our new Student Residences can accommodate 2 to 3 students per room. Each Student Residence offers wireless internet connections, recharging stations and a personal bureau.  Students will be provided with a continental breakfast, lunch and dinner. The lodging is akin to a modern Bed and Breakfast – private men’s and women’s facilities are a short walk down the hall from each room. Student lodging is secure and comfortable both for learning and for connecting with others when there is a break from training.

  • Where: LightHouse for the Blind, 1155 Market St., 10th Floor, San Francisco, California 94103
  • Session Dates:
    July Session: July 10th to 15th (note: all training in Spanish) (Deadline for sign-up is July 1st.)
  • August Session: August 16th to 22nd (training starts at our Napa site and finishes in San Francisco) (Deadline for sign-up is August 5th.)
  • September Session: September 18th to 23rd (Deadline for sign-up is August 9th.)

Jorge Ellington

Student Jorge Ellington arranges his legs into a pretzel-like formation during morning yoga in our new fitness studio during the Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion.

Over 160 active adults from all parts of Northern California have participated in the LightHouse immersion training programs at the Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa. Providing a second venue to facilitate Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion brings to our students the urban feel of training as well as the additional access a city has to offer, such as visiting the library for the blind; attending an audio described movie at a local movie theater or participating in an accessible art tour at one of the many museums in San Francisco.

In our new urban environment you and your peers will be immersed in building a foundation of independent living skills, access technology skills, orientation and mobility and peer support to get you started on your journey of living your life the way you want in maintaining your independence. All of this along with the energy and vibrancy of one of the most beautiful cities in the world surrounding you.

The CVCL curriculum, presented in four or five sessions per day, includes: ways to read printed materials; understanding how lighting, contrast and magnification can help you every day; techniques for organizing and labeling in your home or office; best methods for taking notes; basic cooking skills; traveling and moving safely and confidently in your home and in the community and understanding how accessible computers and other high and low tech equipment can enhance your life.

You can’t learn everything about blindness or low vision in a single week. But you’ll emerge hungry for more, understanding why you’ll need to put in the effort required to excel in many nonvisual aspects of life. And you’ll have a whole lot of fun and friendship along the way.

Evening discussions focus inwards, from conversations about holding yourself accountable on your journey, to self-advocacy to questions about how friends, family and partners can understand/support you and your path. Sometimes the process is planned, other times it becomes very organic. Each person and every group of students is different and we individualize much of the experience depending on your own aspirations.

Transportation access to San Francisco from Humboldt County will be provided for North Coast students and for those who reside in the bay area, 1155 Market sits right above the Civic Center BART and is only a short cab ride or bus from the Cal Train Station and the temporary Trans Bay Terminal.

Blind or low vision students who are interested should have a genuine interest in learning the skills for moving forward; enjoy learning with a group of peers and are able to participate full day (from 9:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day) of active learning and physical participation (urban mobility and public transit in San Francisco).

Note, there is no cost to attend if you are 55 or older and living in San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Humboldt or Del Norte counties. Limited scholarships are available for persons under 55 and not eligible for Department of Rehabilitation Services.

The Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion Training is open to adults who are ready for a jump start or a recharge as their vision has changed. Be among the very first classes in our new building. Interested? Contact LightHouse staff in San Francisco, San Rafael or Eureka:

Fourth Annual Blind Blood Drive a Resounding Success

Fourth Annual Blind Blood Drive a Resounding Success

On Tuesday, June 14 the LightHouse hosted Giving Blood, Giving Life: Bay Area Blind Community’s 4th Annual Day of Giving Blood Drive. It was the first blood drive to take place in our new headquarters building, made even more poignant held two days after the tragedies of Orlando.

Director of Community Services Lisamaria Martinez told us before the event, “Blind people are often on the receiving end of philanthropy. At the LightHouse, we actively strive toward changing the perceptions the public has of the abilities of blind people.”

Today she went on to say, “We’re so grateful for the terrific response from our community. Thirty-nine generous people donated 32 ounces of life-saving blood, including LightHouse students, staff and community members, both first timers and regular donors. Every chair was full, all day long.”

We thank all those who participated and look forward to an even bigger response next year.