20/200 Fellowship

Current News Letter

Sue West — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:43:37 +0000

Treasure Coast Resource Center

For the Blind and Visually Impaired

20/200 Fellowship, Inc.

4992 S.E. Kingfish Avenue

Stuart, FL 34997

Phone (772) 220-0095 Fax (772) 221-2122

NEWSLETTER

January 2010

From the desk of the Executive Director: Sue West

Hello to everyone! Happy 2010 from the staff at the Resource Center! We hope that everyone has a healthy and prosperous new year.

We do not know what the new year will bring to the Resource

Center, but we are striving to keep things moving forward. We still need funding in the form of grants and donations. If you want to make a donation or have any ideas that may get us through this difficult time, please feel free to call me.

We have been getting requests for loaner CCTV’s and at present we do not have any to loan out. If you have any such equipment that you are not using and would like to donate to the Resource Center for someone else’s benefit, it would be greatly appreciated.

Gracie’s Corner, January, 2010

As I am writing this column before Christmas Day, I can’t tell you what a wonderful rip roaring and fantastic time I had, but I can tell you, I’m panting in anticipation of all those yummy goodies and sweet aromas of that wonderful Christmas Day. And, to tell you the truth, I’m kind of looking forward to plotting and planning ways to acquire some of those goodies for myself. Of course, I could enlist the aid of my buddy, Jewell. She is quick and cute and can wiggle her way into the graces of the soft – hearted. But wait!! She also has a big mouth, being a pit bull. Hmmm. Maybe I’d better rethink that one. She could grab a big juicy turkey leg and be out the door before anyone would miss it. Even me! Back to the drooling board….

And then there’s Miss Whiskers. She may help me with this dilemma. However, if she does not go along with my plan, I’ll get that horrible supercilious stare that is enough to freeze a turkey on fire. She would just give me that look, and without a word, would start washing her face and smoothing out her whiskers, dismissing the whole thing with a whisk of her tail. What’s a woofer to do? I just can’t starve on this day of feasting. I’ll be skin and bones! Did I hear someone snicker, “It’s about time? ”

Hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful and blessed holiday and that you haven’t broken any of your New Year’s resolutions. I won’t, because I didn’t make any. Ho! Ho! Ho!

BITS AND PIECES

January, 2010

Our newsletter is quite short this time as we are not sure what is happening to our agency. It’s quite possible that we will have to close our doors due to the fact we have not been able to establish a substantial funding source to keep us going. Unfortunately, the Division of Blind Services stopped funding us this time last year due to their own lack of money. Our Executive Director, Sue West, has been working extremely hard to get financial help. However, due to the economic downturn, she has been unable to find a new source of funding. Finding such sources has proved to be a very challenging task. Nevertheless, Sue is still working diligently along with the Board of Directors to find a solution. It would be very sad to have to close the doors as I believe we have so much to offer the blind and visually impaired individuals in the Treasure Coast area.

Due to the uncertainty of our future, this Newsletter will be for January only to keep everyone up-to-date. At a later date a determination on the Newsletter will be made based on the fate of the Resource Center.

The following programs are scheduled for January:

January 13^th – Garden Club 1:00-2:30 PM

January 22^nd – Friday Nite PUB

Yak-n-snack game night 7:00-9:00 PM

January 27^th – Eye Openers Yak-n-Snack 1:00-3:00 PM

The December Garden Club meeting was a lot of fun and very interesting. A good combination, don’t you think? Ann McCormick brought in some plants from her garden and they were planted in pots by the group. These plants are being taken to the fairgrounds where they will grow and wait to be brought back to be transplanted into our Sensory Garden.

Our combination Thanksgiving/Christmas/Hanukkah celebration dinner was held on the 16^th of December. It was very well attended, and the food was wonderful. Each person brought a dish to share. The Resource Center provided the turkey. The conversation was lively and we even sang a few Christmas carols. After we finished the meal, presents were passed out and opened. This was a lot of fun. When it was all over, folks left with a feeling of good cheer, and looking forward to a Happy and Healthy New Year!

CHANGE IN MAILING ADDRESS!

Please note that we have stopped using our post office box.

Our mailing address is now 4992 S.E. Kingfish Ave., Stuart, FL 34997.

The 20/200 Fellowship would like to thank

Mr. Winfield Spence, Ms. Carmella Davis, John Spellman, Mr. John Cooney, Miss Gloria Conway, Sheila Dixon, Edward Requardt, Patty Luzadder, The Homan Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Ted Meyn, Jessica McLean, Sandy Parker, Edna Gutierrez, Savanna Club Men’s Club, Mr. & Mrs. Donald Chapman, Mr. & Mrs. James Moir, Loretha Jones, Peggy Mazza, Elizabeth Moussas.

You are our angels.

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

If you wish to make a donation in memory of a friend or loved one, we will be very glad to send the family an acknowledgement letter at your request.

Current Events: Click Calendar Tab

Sue West — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:09:37 +0000

January 13^th – Garden Club 1:00-2:30 PM

January 22^nd – Friday Nite PUB

Yak-n-snack game night 7:00-9:00 PM

January 27^th – Eye Openers Yak-n-Snack 1:00-3:00 PM

Points to Ponder and How You Can Help

aeadmin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:56:27 +0000

Every seven minutes someone in America will become blind or visually impaired. (Source: Common Senses, Inc. – Blind Awareness)
Currently, more than 1 million Americans are blind and another 2.4 million suffer some vision impairment. (Source: National Eye Institute)
80 million Americans suffer from potentially blinding eye diseases. (Source: Research to Prevent Blindness)
Disturbingly, the number of Americans with age-related eye disease and the vision impairment that results is expected to double over the next three decades. (Source: Prevent Blindness America)

People do not go blind by the millions, they go blind one by one.

Are you or someone you love at risk?

Volunteer Service Program

aeadmin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:30:58 +0000

This program enhances the independence of visually impaired persons by pairing visually impaired individuals and volunteers, who work together to design new methods of performing daily tasks. Volunteers may work with children in our camps or adults in their homes or both. In whatever capacity they work with us, our volunteers always say they get as much from the experience as their partner does.

Low Vision Aids Demonstrations

aeadmin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:30:28 +0000

The 20/200 Fellowship is the place to turn to when you are not sure what your next step should be. There comes a point in the process of vision loss where a magnifier or CCTV makes all the difference to maintaining independent control over your correspondence and finances. Since you’ve never used these devices before, you don’t know what you need or whether to spend $20 or $2000 for the equipment that will serve you best. Anyone looking for their first magnifier or requiring a new device is welcome to come in and experience the equipment firsthand, try it out and experiment before committing to a purchase.

Tech 1-On-1

aeadmin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:29:22 +0000

Technology opens doors! Fellowship courses in adaptive technology are designed and taught by those who use the technology every day. Adaptive tech can be anything from synthesized voice computer programs to Perkins Braillers and everything in between. The course goals vary based upon the needs and skills of the individual.

Multigenerational Peer Networking Meetings

aeadmin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:36:16 +0000

You don’t need to be the same age to be a peer, you just need to have the same experiences! The 20/200 Fellowship’s networking and support groups give blind and visually impaired residents of the Treasure Coast the opportunity to work together towards resolving the issues that they face on a daily basis. Participants exchange information, tips and tricks for living independent lives.

Eye Openers – Geared towards the individual who is newly experiencing sight loss, this group meets twice a month to discuss techniques for maintaining independence in the household and in the community.

Friday Nite P.U.B. (Professional United Blind) – Designed for individuals who are interested in employment topics, this group meets once a month on Friday evenings. Discussions are centered around independence in the workplace.

Dot 6 Kids Club

aeadmin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:35:31 +0000

Children from elementary school through their teen years have taken part in Kids’ Club after school and summer camp programs. Visually impaired kids and their sighted siblings experience fun ways to improve their literacy (in either Braille or print), improve mobility skills through field trips, and learn daily living skills through cooking and crafts. Collaboration with area businesses, agencies and organizations helps the 20/200 Fellowship give its kids a varied, fun and educational experience.

Read the Palm Beach Post’s article about the Fellowship’s Dot 6 Kids Club!

Watch slideshow from Palm Beach Post’s article of the Fellowship’s Dot 6 Kids Club!