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Your Chance to Name a Space at the New LightHouse Headquarters

Your Chance to Name a Space at the New LightHouse Headquarters

Several naming opportunities are still available as part of our Campaign to Build a 21st Century LightHouse, a project that has enabled the LightHouse to grow our programs, serve more people and expand our impact. Thank you for being a part of it, and helping us provide transformative services for people who are blind or have low vision.

Every named room is marked by a permanent sign accessible in large print, braille and tactile lettering. These attractive signs are a distinctive hallmark of the new LightHouse and we’d be delighted to honor you, your family or friends with the opportunity.

The new LightHouse welcomes all who are blind or have low vision. From teens looking to meet other blind kids and do some fun weekend activities, to adults adjusting to changing vision and learning the skills they need to go back to work and everything else they want to do. A community of peers and mentors, the LightHouse is for blind people to gain skills, find support and grow. We have also invited hardwood floor installation seattle wa to build the room floors so it can be safe for the guests.

Contributions to the Campaign for a 21st Century LightHouse will provide tangible benefits for the blind kids, teens, adults and seniors that benefit from the joy and learning of the LightHouse for the next century. To learn more about the campaign, naming opportunities or how a gift from your estate can be used to name a space and leave an enduring legacy in you or a loved one’s honor, contact 415-694-7333 or jsachs@lighthouse-sf.org.

Here is our current list of naming opportunities:

Access Technology Demo Room

Adaptations Store

10th Floor Reception

Auditorium-Multi-Purpose Room (capacity 150)

Blindness Skills Training Area

Conference Room 925

Fitness Gym and Yoga Studio

Immersion Student Lounge

Integrating Stairwell

Living Room 11th Floor

Living Room-9th Floor

Volunteer Area

Thank you to our donors who have named rooms:

10th Floor: Herbst 10th Floor Reception and Community Learning Center

Art Room: Dove’s Nest Craft Studio

Board Room: Harold S. Dobbs Board Conference Room

Braille Room: Winifred Downing Braille Room

DPR Conference Toom 955

Enchanted Hills Office: Gena Harper and Mike May Enchanted Hills Camp and Retreat Office

Executive Suite: Michael and Leslye Dellar Executive Office

Finance Offices: US Bank Finance Suite

Ham Radio Room: Bill Gerrey, WA6NPC Amateur Radio Station

MADLab: Jerry Kuns and Theresa Postello MADLab

Pre-function Lounge: Susan O’Sullivan Room in memory of Audrey Baker

Recording Studio: Mike Cole Recording Studio

Staff Lounge: Mutual of America Staff Lounge

STEM Lab: Innovation Lab by Toyota

Student Kitchen: Hilda Angelica Cavagnero Student Kitchen

Student Residence: Erman Vincent Cavagnero Student Residence

Teaching Kitchen: Betty Ruhland Teaching Kitchen

Tech Training Rooms: Kebbel Family Tech Labs #1, #2, #3

UC Berkeley Clinic: Joseph K. Chan Low Vision Clinic

Video Conference Room: Polara Video Conference Center

Giving Voice: Michele Spitz supports LightHouse, extraordinary filmmakers, burgeoning artists and Superfest 2016

Giving Voice: Michele Spitz supports LightHouse, extraordinary filmmakers, burgeoning artists and Superfest 2016

Professional voiceover artist and lifelong patron of the arts Michele Spitz is dedicated to making the world more accessible to people with disabilities by providing her vocal talents to filmmakers, publishers, speaking venues and charitable organizations. Wherever Michele’s voice is, her heart is also: short and full length documentaries, feature films, children’s programming, museums, industrial videos, audio manuals and PSAs.

Michele is most passionate about her audio description work for the visually impaired — having voiced 37 films including documentary features. In addition to Michele’s audio description work, she also personally underwrites hundreds of patron attendance tickets, as well as artist interactive programs for the performing, visual and cultural arts world. This underwriting program serves: disabled, seniors, veterans and underserved communities.

Michele has also provided her voice for our Superfest International Disability Film Festival, as well as for our headquarters — hers is the voice you hear on our phone system’s recorded greeting!

In light of her unyielding support of LightHouse programs and the growing relevance of audio description as a force in media, Michele sat down with LightHouse’s Paul Blaney to discuss her passion for art and her unwavering support for those with disabilities.

LightHouse: Why is supporting artists with disabilities important to you?

Michele: Art is healing; we can all identify something in art that resonates within us. However, for the blind community, access to visual art can be challenging. It is my hope to ensure that visual art is appealing and accessible to everyone.

LightHouse: What drew you to LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired?

Michele: LightHouse for the Blind is leading the way for those with blindness or low vision and supports the quest to identify and build community. Through trailblazing programs, resources, guides and activities geared specifically for blind people, LightHouse reinforces the need for accessible and meaningful support.

LightHouse: What important message would you like to convey to those unfamiliar with artists with disabilities?

Michele: Living with a disability should not prevent one from accessing and appreciating art. It is my hope (through audio description and underwriting performing arts programming) to expand awareness of the blind community, so everyone can deepen their enjoyment of art.

LightHouse: How do you select your audio description projects?

Michele: I often ask myself: ‘What haven’t I covered? What can I do next to support people living with disabilities?’ I want to be involved with projects that raise awareness and connect people to their community. Often, it’s lack of exposure that prohibits people from understanding the nuances of the art world. It’s my job to break stereotypes and give people ample opportunities to explore for themselves the interplay between art and humanity.

LightHouse: What are your future plans for working with the disability community?

Michele: I will continue to pursue partnerships with artists who push the envelope in developing projects with and for the disability community. My goal is to forge long-lasting relationships reflective of my passion for the arts, my desire to heighten awareness and, in doing so, attract more people to the cause.

LightHouse: Thank you for chatting with us Michele!

You may read more about Michele’s work at womanofherword.com.

Michele Spitz "Woman of Her Word" Logo