Low Vision Club Reorganizes

The steady growth of the Low Vision Club for almost nine years has brought about a need for change in how the club operates.  Beginning with an initial membership of about 30 in 1997, the club today is comprised of over 800 visually impaired persons including caregivers and volunteers.

If you read the list of club activities published in our last newsletter, you realize how the club’s services to members have mushroomed, and the need for more participation from all concerned.

Most members of the club’s former Board of Directors are professionally affiliated with organizations providing various services for those visually impaired.  This limits the time they have available to work directly on LVC projects, and in some cases prevents them from actively participating in necessary club fund raising efforts.  As a result, they have reformed themselves as an Advisory Council to a new Board of Directors who can actively work on club projects.  (See list of the members of the Advisory Council below.)

Bonnie Truax, president and founder of the Low Vision Club, will continue to serve on the new board, as will Dallas Fees, long time club member, who will also serve on the Advisory Council.

Other members to date on the new Board of Directors are Robert J. Dean, certified public accountant, Joe Gwathmey, president and general manager of Texas Public Radio, and James M. Matson, former president of Matson Multi-Media and a member of the Goodwill Industries Board of Directors.

This group will undergo training in board management for non-profit organizations by the Executive Service Corps of San Antonio under the leadership of General John Jernigan.  They also will develop a new Strategic Plan for the club including Owl Radio.

Advisory Council San Antonio Low Vision Club

Dr. Nancy Amir,OD
Santa Rosa Low Vision Clinic

Larry Belote, VIST Coordinator
Veterans Administration Hospital

Libby Bentley, Exec. Director
Prevent Blindness of Texas

Dr. Jennifer Camp, OD
Brook Army Medical Center

Frances Ehrlich, Seniors Prog.
San Antonio Lighthouse

Dallas Fees
Low Vision Club Member

Dr. Sandra Fox, OD
Lions Low Vision Center

Leslie Hoy, MA, PC
Triangle Consulting

Dr. John Kent, OD
Wilford Hall Medical Center

Robert Kozel, Blind Rehab. Spec.
Veterans Administration Hospital

Cindy Miller, Vice President
San Antonio Lighthouse

Connie Pressler, Regional Director
DARS, Div. for Blind Services

Dr. Gaston Scott, PHD
Low Vision Club Member

James Wheeler
Lions Sight Research Foundation

Upcoming Programs — All at Childrens’ Cancer Research Institute

Saturday, October 15, 2005
Our annual medical update. This year’s program will feature Dr. Rick Sponsel, glaucoma specialist, UT Health Science Center at SA Ophthalmology Department, and Colonel John Kent, director of low vision services for Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB

Saturday, November 19, 2005
Leslie Hoy, author of the book, “TLC for Caregivers” published by the Low Vision Club, will present helpful advice for making the most of your relationship with your care partners. Before and after the presentation, we will have simulation goggles for various eye diseases available for your care partners to try on so they can better understand your vision problems. Copies of the “TLC for Caregivers” book will be available at the meeting.

Saturday, December 10, 2005
The club’s annual Christmas luncheon with special entertainment and traditional Christmas goodies. A catered dinner will be served between noon and 1:30 p.m. Cost is $6 per person payable in advance. Reservations and payments may be made at our November 19th meeting, or by mail to Josefina Miller, 11426 Hollow Tree, San Antonio, TX 78230 before the final deadline of Nov. 30 when we must order the food. Watch for more details in the flier.

Crime Prevention

Many important tips on crime prevention were presented by the San Antonio Police Department at our September meeting, including several phone numbers.  People were asked to call 311 instead of 911 for emergencies which are not life threatening.  This keeps the hotline free for when it’s really needed.  Also, if you just need information, call 211 which is the Texas/United Way Help Line which can assist you with help for a number of problems.

Free Credit Report

LVC member Carl Dorrance provided the phone number for a free credit report — 877-322-8228.  You are entitled to a free credit report each year from each of the three major credit bureaus.  You may request your credit reports online as well at annualcreditreport.com  And if you want to opt out of unsolicited credit card offers or credit checks, call 1-888-567-8688 and use the prompt or use the online form at optoutprescreen.com  The police say it is safe.

Memorial Donations for Paul Young

Paul Young, devoted legally blind artist and instructor for our Low Vision Club Art Class, died suddenly in September only a few days after he started instruction for a new intermediate group.  He gave unselfishly of himself to assist those who desired to paint, even though they may have lost some of their sight.

Because of his work for us, Josefina Miller suggested the Low Vision Club establish a memorial fund in Paul’s memory.  First to contribute were Cher and Tom Ruffini.  If you would like to join them, send a check payable to the San Antonio Low Vision Club, 11510 Sandman, San Antonio, TX 78216 and mark it as a memorial to Paul Young.

Audio Descriptions on TV

CBS-TV advises that several of their programs this fall will have descriptions for viewers who are visually impaired.  On Tuesdays, from 7 to 8 p.m. Central Time, the show is NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service).  A similar show CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) set in Las Vegas airs from 8 to 9 p.m. Central Time on Thursdays.  CBS also airs select theatrical and made-for-television movies with descriptions on CBS Sunday Night Movie, and Blues Clues and Dora the Explorer.  For more information on description, visit access.wgbh.org.

Thought for the Day

Many people walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart.