March Madness

March Madness may mean basketball to some, but it also could describe the Low Vision Club’s activities last month.

It started the week of March 6 when the Low Vision Club’s Owl Radio marked the fourth anniversary of our radio reading service with daily treats for the volunteers.  Highlight was a “Celebrity Read” with local radio personalities assisting our regular volunteers in reading the Express-News over our airwaves.  Guest celebrity readers were again assembled by Milton Glueck of KSLR- KLUP Radio who also read.  Others included Mary Denman, former KLUP program host and a previous volunteer reader for Owl Radio, Karen Claus from KSMG, and Elizabeth Ruiz and Brad Messer of KTSA.  Technical assistance was provided by Wayne Coble of KSTX.

And then came our eighth annual EXPO on March 11th when more than 500 individuals crowded the first floor lobby of the club’s regular meeting site at the Children’s Cancer Research Institute to see exhibits of low vision aids and ask questions of various agency representatives.  For more than four hours the aisles were packed as club members and the general public toured the floor.  Because of the extensive advance publicity given the event, 76 new prospects requested further information about the club and indicated a desire to join.  These are being re-contacted by club volunteers, and many will soon be added to our membership rolls.

Help Wanted

A message from LVC Board and Advisory Council member Dallas Fees who serves as coordinator for all LVC volunteer projects:

“Following the EXPO, we are in need of 5 or 6 telephone callers as we had a large number of attendees indicate an interest in becoming members.  I am a caller myself, and it takes about an hour one time a month to call, chat with members on the list provided about the next club meeting, and spend a few minutes talking with each friend.

“The LVC Board is also looking at the possibility of forming a volunteer group of our members to assist other non-profit agencies with their needs.  As a matter of fact, the San Antonio Lighthouse is in need of a part-time volunteer PBX operator to cover their board through the lunch hours.”

Anyone interested in any type of volunteering is asked to call Dallas Fees at 333-2233.  He’ll find a project you can enjoy, and we really do need your help.

New Knitting Class

Club member Mary Jane Marazzini is starting a class on knitting at Incarnate Word Retirement Community.  It will be on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m.  For further information, call her at 826-7417.

Upcoming Programs

Saturday, April 15, 2006
If you’re bored, our April club meeting will be just what you need.  We’ll review all the activities of the Low Vision Club, and discuss ways you can benefit even more from your membership.  Also, you will be able to make reservations and payments for our Spring Fiesta luncheon to be hosted on Saturday, May 20, by the club’s Special Events Committee.

Saturday, May 20, 2006
“Spring Fiesta”…a chance to socialize and enjoy some great Mexican food served in the lounge area of the Children’s Cancer Research Institute, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive.  Cost is only $6 per person, but reservations must be received and paid for by Saturday, May 6, when we must order the food.  For more information, call Josefina Miller at 690-4772 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. only please.

Saturday, June 17, 2006
Our bi-annual trip to the San Antonio Lighthouse Senior Center, 2305 Roosevelt.  See their excellent facilities for activities of all kinds.  Also several tables will display low vision aids from the Lighthouse store available for you to purchase if desired.

Independence is Attainable

The Winter issue of “Update” published by the National Association for the Visually Handicapped contained a splendid article on achieving independence.  Here it is in part.

“Let’s start with basic misconceptions.  The eye is a camera and does not see – the brain does.  Consequently, you can not damage your eyes by using them to read or see fine details.  Although your eyes may tire more easily as you get older, resting them for a few minutes will restore them to previous sight.  Keep in mind ‘If you don’t use it, you can lose it.’

“Today there are many ways to attain independence despite limited vision.  The first thing is to try to forget ‘what was,’ and work with ‘what is!’”

“With the wide array of all types of visual aids available, you can continue to read your mail, sign checks and do those tasks important to you.  However, it is essential to remember that more than one device is usually required.  Proper lighting can play a vital role to enable you to see more clearly, and bringing the task items closer to your eyes will enlarge them on the retina, the eye’s film.”

“For the young person with limited vision, these tasks are usually much easier to learn.  The older individual should keep it mind that he/she has to actually re-educate the brain to learn to use remaining vision more effectively.  Keep in mind that MOTIVATION is needed, and the more you use the vision, the better the brain can learn to see, although it will not be the same as it was in the past.”

The article continues with information about the assistance offered by NAVH.  Incidentally, the NAVH “Update” newsletter is distributed FREE, but they do request tax-deductible contributions so they can continue their work.  To subscribe, call (212) 889-3141 in New York.

“The Lion King” to be Audio Described

ACCESS San Antonio has arranged for “The Lion King” musical playing at The Majestic Theater to be audio described live at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2006.  For more information, reservations and fees to be charged, call Beto Escobar at (210) 393-3524.

LVC Items and Tapes

Don’t forget the club has many helpful items available at the Resource Table at our monthly meetings.  Cindy Garcia and Elia Pardo, our club’s information specialists, have a number of FREE items on display.  Also club member Ed Brown has cataloged our library of 314 Taped Books which play on regular cassettes.  Stop by his table and he will go over the list with you.  These are loaned without charge for a limited time.

Please notify us if you move or change telephones

Every month the post office returns a number of LVC meeting fliers from people who have moved.  Also our callers can’t find people who have changed their telephone numbers.  When changes occur, please call
the club at 344-1479.  We want to stay in touch.  Thanks.