Change Is In The Air

Things are really “humming” these days with your club.  The revised board of directors is busy implementing a new strategic plan for the next three years.  Committees are reorganizing and new committees are forming to expand club activities.

Josefina Miller, who has led our special events activities for many years in splendid fashion, has asked to be relieved.  We will miss her leadership, but she promises to help when and where she can.  Josefina will be succeeded as Special Events Chairperson by Dana Schilling.  Also we welcome a new chairperson for our greeters in the person of Emily Peil.  Please give them all the assistance you can if they call on you.

Our bowling league with the Blinded Veterans Association continues to garner publicity in both newspapers and on television.  They bowl from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month at AMF Wonder Lanes, 1948 Austin Highway.  Cost is $1.25 per game, and a total of three games are bowled.  Shoes are free.  They also need some sighted volunteers to keep score and assist club members to play.  If you can help or want to bowl yourself, call Dr. Sid Ordway at 653-2827.

Club member Pegi Gonzalez leads a Saturday Game Day program from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a break for lunch.  They play Scrabble, dominos, and card games, and will teach people who don’t know how to play.  There is no charge for the games, but players buy their own lunch at the place where they meet.  Call Pegi at 493-9272 if you are interested.

The Low Vision Club also sponsors a knitting group led by Mary Jane Marazzini in the Arts and Crafts Room at the Incarnate Word Retirement Community on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m.  If interested, call Mary Jane at
826-7417.

Our arts and crafts class has been reorganized and is now under the leadership of craft teacher Elia Pardo.  Their first meeting will be on July 5 in the Resource Area at Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center, 5100 Medical Drive, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.  Kits will be provided for each participant for a small fee.  To join, call Linda Reed at 210-437-3420.

Starting the second Saturday in September, the Resource Center at Warm Springs will also host reorganized painting classes each month led by club member Patricia Holden.  If you are interested in painting or learning how to paint artistically, call her at 679-6607.

Contact club member Kim Van Hooser at 262-3079 about joining her V.I.B.E. (Visually Impaired Being Encouraged) group which will meet during the club’s regular monthly program in the refreshment area of the Children’s Cancer Research Institute.  They will discuss coping with problems specifically affecting younger visually impaired adults.

Upcoming Club Programs

Saturday, July 15, 2006
A Special Program devoted to Disaster Preparedness, Safety and Telephone Numbers you can use for a variety of services.  This program was arranged by Club Member Larry Johnson who is on the Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Disaster Preparedness.  A highlight will be information from Lt. Cynthia Alcala from the Emergency Planning Office of the San Antonio Fire Department about what we need to do as individual citizens in case of a community-wide emergency.

Saturday, August 19, 2006
The annual LVC Talent Show arranged by Dana Schilling and her Special Events Committee.  If you are interested in performing, call Dana at 288-2724.  Also featured will be special talent from outside the club.  Come prepared to be entertained.

Saturday, September 16, 2006
Transportation — Traveling by VIA bus

Books on Tape

And for information and entertainment in between club programs, see club member Ed Brown and check out one of the recorded books from the club’s library of books on tape.  Last year at this time our library consisted of a total of 242 books.  As of June 1, 2006, our total is 390 books.  Here is the breakdown: autobiography & biography 39; comedy 18, drama 90; education & history 32; horror & sci-fi 30; mystery 142; religious 15; and western 24.  Stop at Ed’s table at any club meeting and he will go over the list with you.  Each book is loaned without charge for a limited time and will play on a regular cassette tape machine.

Owl Radio Adds Extra Hour Sunday

If you think the Sunday Express-News has a lot of pages, you’re right.  That’s why our Owl Radio local broadcasts on Sunday now run three hours instead of two.  Volunteers now spend the first hour reading national and international news.  The second hour on Sunday covers items from the obituaries, local news, business, sports and horoscopes.  The third hour is devoted to editorials, columns, advice and a re-cap of the headlines.  Local sessions are from 9 a.m. to noon, and repeated on tape from 7 to 10 p.m.

San Antonio To Celebrate ADA

San Antonio Independent Living Services (S.A.I.L.S.) invites you to join the annual ADA walk, Friday, July 28th, from El Mercado to the Villita Assembly Building to celebrate the signing of the Americans With Disabilities Act.  The club will share a booth at the Villita Assembly site to answer questions about LVC.  For more information contact Marissa Renteria at 281-1878.

Call for Visually Impaired Athletes

Dawn Elder informs us there is an organization in Santa Monica, California called CDifferent which makes it possible for visually impaired athletes to experience the thrill of accomplishment.  If you are interested, check out their website at cdifferent.org.

Memorials, Grants and Contributions

At the request of the family, a memorial fund has been established for deceased club member Edna Evans.  We also have received a generous grant from the Boeing Employees Community Fund for Owl Radio.  Contributions to the club are always appreciated and may be addressed to 11510 Sandman, San Antonio, TX 78216.

Out-Of-Town Directory Assistance

If you wish to avoid charges for out-of-town phone directory assistance, here are three numbers you can use which we understand are free: 1-800-373-3411; 1-800-411-7283; 1-800-411-6387.

Did You Know?

The Spring issue of the NAVH Update reports there are several causes of dry eyes.  As we get older, glands in the eye-lid produce less oil.  Oil keeps tears from evaporating off the eye.  Decreased oil production allows tears to evaporate too quickly, leaving the eye too dry.  Artificial tears can generally be used as often as needed, from a few times a day to every few minutes.
Follow your doctor’s instructions.