LightHouse Blog

LightHouse Board members on retreat at Enchanted Hills Camp, with their image reflected in the lake in front of them

Reflections from Chancey Fleet, LightHouse’s newest board member, on recent Board Retreat at EHC

A few weeks ago, the LightHouse Board of Directors held its annual retreat at Enchanted Hills Camp, atop Mount Veeder in Napa. Although I had visited the camp before to take part in a Tactile Arts and Graphics Symposium, this was my first opportunity to visit as a board member, and my first since…

02/11/2020 / LightHouse Staff / / No comments

Dr. Sharon Sacks, sitting in front of colorful abstract paintings

Dr. Sharon Sacks elected new board chair of LightHouse for the Blind

LightHouse for the Blind is honored and excited to welcome Dr. Sharon Sacks as its next board chair.

An internationally-recognized leader within education for blind and visually impaired children, Dr. Sacks brings her own brand of energy, expectations and ambition to her new role.

Dr. Sacks is blind and follows Architect Chris Downey, and scientist Dr.…

01/26/2020 / LightHouse Staff / Board of Director, Press Release, Sharon Sacks / No comments

LightHouse for the Blind Announces New Communications Director – Lee Kumutat

Originally from Australia, Ms. Kumutat moved to the UK after a ten-year career working in assistive technology marketing, sales and development. Ms. Kumutat is excited to have relocated to San Francisco to work to increase LightHouse’s name recognition, expand student participation and oversee a dynamic team creating high quality content to support all of…

01/18/2020 / LightHouse Staff / Director of Communications, Lee Kumutat / No comments

Call to apply for the Holman Prize 2020

…

01/16/2020 / Joe Dolson / / No comments

2019 Holman Prizewinners Alieu and Mona stand together at the San Francisco Transbay Terminal

Holman Prize for Blind Ambition 2020 – Applications open January 15

Are you blind or visually impaired? Will you be over the age of 18 on October 1, 2020? Creative and entrepreneurial, with ambitious, far-reaching dreams? Submissions for the Holman Prize, LightHouse for the Blind’s annual competition to win up to $25,000 for blind adventurers and creators to complete their most ambitious projects, are open…

01/14/2020 / LightHouse Staff / 2020 Holman, Application, holman prize for blind ambition, low vision / No comments

Cathy Skivers at 2017 Northern California Braille Challenge

LightHouse Remembers Cathy Skivers (1925-2019)

Dear LightHouse Family,

Last week we learned of the passing of Cathy Skivers, one of the longest-lived and most influential leaders in the California blindness community. I’ve known Cathy for more than 20 years, and in that time we developed a special respect and love for one another. I worked especially closely with her 18…

12/20/2019 / LightHouse Staff / cathy skivers, Newel Perry / 1 comment

Red Szell climbs the rock formation Am Buachaille

Watch Holman Prizewinner Red Szell’s Documentary

In June 2019, Holman Prizewinner Red Szell successfully completed his extreme blind triathlon, which included a 10-mile off-road tandem bike ride, an open-water swim and a 213-foot climb up Am Buachaille, a vertical rock formation off the coast of Scotland. His journey is chronicled in the documentary short, Shared Vision, which was screened at…

12/19/2019 / Christina Daniels / Am Buachaille, Holman Prize, holman prize for blind ambition, red szell / No comments

A braille holiday card saying 'Have a roaring good holiday!' & a green dinosaur image.

Adaptations Online Store Now Open

Just in time for holiday shopping, LightHouse for the Blind's Adaptations Store is launching its new online store. Now you can shop 24/7 at www.adaptations.org and have our products sent directly to your door.

We are opening with a SALE!

Visitors save 10% at checkout when they use code LH10. In addition, now you can take…

11/15/2019 / LightHouse Staff / Adaptations, Adaptations Store, blindness products, online store, shopping / No comments

The Windows 10 desktop with the Start Menu open

Welcome to Windows 10

Come join the LightHouse access tech team as we explore features and functions of Windows 10, yes Windows 10.

Do you have concerns, are you skeptical, do you wonder why you can’t stick with Windows 7 instead of learning a new operating system? The time has come to make the transition and we will help…

11/05/2019 / LightHouse Staff / accessibility, Accessible Reading and Braille, Technology, Training, Windows 10, Windows 7 / 2 comments

Conference participant Matthew Morgan takes notes on his laptop. To his right, sits Ethan Meigs, LightHouse Access Technology Specialist.

Tech Trainers Unite: LightHouse Hosts Blindness Technology Trainers Conference

From October 22 through 24, LightHouse’s Access Technology department hosted their second annual Blindness Technology Trainers Conference. Trainers from blindness agencies and other organizations across California gathered to discuss strategies on training blind and low vision students on a variety of accessible technology needed for communication and day-to-day life, from smartphones, to screen readers,…

11/04/2019 / Christina Daniels / accessibility, Accessible Reading and Braille, Advocacy, Education, Technology / No comments