Another Great Christmas Party

Thanks to Josefina Miller and her hard-working Special Events Committee, we had a wonderful Christmas Party on December 18th at the Children’s Cancer Research Center.  What fun and a great opportunity to socialize.  Hope you were there!

Upcoming Meetings

Saturday, January 22, 2005

A week later than usual, we begin our ninth year with our annual organizational meeting with the LVC’s Board of Directors.  We will hear presentations from the board members who represent agencies and low vision clinics about the services they provide, followed by a question-and-answer period.  Here’s your chance to find out where to go for whatever it is you need.  Come prepared to participate.  We’ll be meeting at our regular spot at the Children’s Cancer Research Center, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive.

Saturday, February 26, 2005

Once again, a week later than usual, this time meeting in the large main auditorium where we used to meet at 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, across from Methodist Hospital.  (The Health Science center promises to have all the surrounding construction finished before our meeting.)

Reason for the switch in dates and to a larger location is that our speaker will be Dr. Lylas Mogk, author of the book Macular Degeneration, The Complete Guide to Saving and Maximizing Your Sight, written in conjunction with her daughter, Marja Mogk.  She is probably the best known speaker on macular degeneration in the U.S.

Dr. Mogk is a practicing ophthalmologist and founding Director of the Visual Rehabilitation and Research Center of Michigan, part of the Henry Ford Health System.  She is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Low Vision Rehabilitation Committee.  Dr. Mogk is flying from Detroit to speak to our club about macular degeneration, and will present the principles from her book.

Saturday, March 19, 2005

EXPO 2005 — Our Seventh Annual Low Vision EXPO — to be held throughout the first floor of our regular meeting place at the Children’s Cancer Research Center, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive.  This is your annual opportunity to see the latest in low vision aids and explore community resources.  Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Vendors will display all types of low vision aids including magnifiers, closed circuit TV’s, and computers that speak to you.  The equipment will be available for a ‘hands on” experience.  Agencies dealing with visually impaired people will have representatives there to answer questions.  This is an event you won’t want to miss!

Harold Haswell Does It Again!

He may be over 90, but that doesn’t slow down Low Vision Club member Harold Haswell.  He is still involved in Senior Olympics at the local, state and national levels.

Harold won six first place medals at the Texas Olympics Games in October, which qualifies him for all six events at the national next June in Pittsburgh, Pa.  He will compete in three swimming events, plus the discus, javelin and shot put.  WOW!  Way to go, Harold.

Owl Radio Coming to the Hill Country

The Low Vision Club’s radio reading service will be expanding to the Hill Country.  Target date is February, 2005 for broadcasts to begin over a sub-channel of Texas Public Radio’s Station KTXI in Kerrville.

Listeners in the Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Ingram and Hunt areas will hear Owl Radio’s daily readings of the San Antonio Express-News plus all other programs enjoyed by listeners in the San Antonio area.  However, to receive the broadcasts they will need a special radio pre-tuned to the designated frequency for the Hill Country.  These pre-tuned radios will be supplied free to anyone certified by a health care professional as print impaired for any reason.  A donation of $25 will be requested to help cover the costs of the service, but not required.  The initial supply of radios is being purchased with donations made to the Low Vision Club in memory of Margaret Fees.  The LVC also will assist in the formation of a Kerrville Low Vision Club chapter.

We Have A Special Radio Station

That was the headline on a story written by Bill Patterson, one of the volunteer readers for Owl Radio, in the Fall, 2004 edition of the newsletter for Guide Dogs of Texas.  He covered all the pertinent facts you already know about the station, but also provided an insight and a behind-the-scenes look at how it all works.

Bill revealed that a team of two volunteers handles each hour of the two hour daily readings of the San Antonio Express-News.  They arrive at the station at least one hour before broadcast time and rapidly (sometimes frantically) cut articles out with scissors and arrange them in the order they are to be read.  A quick perusal is made for hard-to-pronounce words or names, sometimes checking a dictionary for pronunciation.

During the broadcasts, one of the team members acts as program “engineer,” adjusting the volume and transmitter controls, and they both take turns reading their articles.  While the first hour of news is airing, another pair of readers has started cutting out other pages of the newspaper to do their live reading in the next hour.  They will perform in the same fashion, both teams working under the watchful eyes and ears of a fifth person operating as station manager.

Other volunteer readers produce and record special interest programs in a second studio.  These are broadcast at different hours, some on a weekly schedule and others bi-weekly or monthly.  Included are such programs as book reviews, recipes, business news, pet care, and department store or grocery ads.  The remaining hours not devoted to locally produced programs are provided by satellite transmission from In-Touch Network in New York.

And, thanks to Bill Patterson, now you know how it works, and why we are so grateful to our Owl Radio volunteers for their efforts.

Exercise Class Help You Stay in Shape

Oasis will be conducting exercise classes for visually impaired persons from 9:15 to 10 a.m. every Friday starting January 21st at the Warm Springs Resource Center, 5101 Medical Drive.  To signup or get more information, call Oasis at 647-2546.  Classes are FREE.

Memorial Fund for Adela Aguilar

A special fund has been established in memory of Adela Aguilar, long-time member and devoted worker for the Low Vision Club, who recently passed away.  Many club members have contributed to date.  If you would like to join them, make your check payable to the Low Vision Club, but mark it for the Adela fund.  Checks should be mailed to the Low Vision Club, 11510 Sandman Dr., San Antonio, TX 78216.

Annual Fund Raising Drive

This is the time of year when we conduct our annual fundraising drive for both the Low Vision Club and Owl Radio.  All of you should have received a special letter requesting a donation along with a return envelope addressed back to the club.  Thanks to the many who already have replied.  If you have forgotten, this is your reminder.  Working together, we can accomplish many wonderful things.