We’re pleased to announce this year’s Council Scholarship recipients! Executive Director Denise Jess says the decisions were especially difficult this year due to the excellent pool of applicants. Each year, $2,000.00 scholarships are awarded to students around the state who are blind or visually impaired and are enrolled in post-secondary education in the fall. Past… Continue Reading Introducing Our 2023 Council Scholarship Recipients
The Council was pleased to add braille instruction to our Vision Services menu last year. Like all our vision services, braille instruction at the Council is tailored to the goals of each individual client. “We see clients who use braille in a variety of ways,” says Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Rachel Pavone, who teaches braille… Continue Reading A Gift is Making It Easier to Produce Braille Instruction Materials
The Council’s Advocacy Days, which kicked off in April with a series of online discussions, provides an annual crash course on how to make a difference by communicating with local and state officials. This year, one of the key messages of Advocacy Days was that a conversation that combines data with stories of lived experience… Continue Reading Building Data into Your Advocacy on Health Care Issues
If you or someone you know is looking for a way to make a difference in the lives of others, learn and grow, and meet new people, consider filling out a Council board application. Current board members cite various benefits from belonging to the board. “My position on the board has enabled me to reach… Continue Reading Make an Impact: Join the Council Board
Attitudes, beliefs and values are often formed in families. Philanthropic values are important as they instill a sense of helping others and expand your compassion beyond the needs of your immediate family. Many families choose to create a passion for giving by making charitable donations a part of their traditions. At family gatherings, such as… Continue Reading Start a Family Tradition of Giving Back
Shannon Columb is a 2019 Council scholarship recipient turning her passion for the outdoors into a career. She is a senior at UW-Stevens Point and graduates in May 2020. She sat down with Council writer, Katherine Corbett, to talk about how she picked the right major for her, how she learned to accept herself as… Continue Reading Student Spotlight: Shannon Columb
Thursday, September 12 (sold out) 6:30-9:30 p.m. Vignette Dining Club, Fitchburg Tuesday, September 24 6:30-9:30 p.m. Touchdown Tavern, 125 E. Main Street, Reedsburg Wednesday, October 23 (sold out) 6:30-9:30 p.m. Vignette Dining Club, Fitchburg Dining in the Dark is a delicious multi-course meal that challenges participants to rethink the importance of vision… Continue Reading An Evening of Fresh Food and a Unique Perspective at Dining in the Dark
Over 100,000 people in Wisconsin are blind or visually impaired. As the population ages, this number is expected to double in the next 10-20 years. Chances are good that you already have—or will have in the future—someone who is blind or visually impaired in your social media audience. People who are blind or visually impaired… Continue Reading The Power of Engagement: How and Why to Make Social Media Accessible to Everyone
There is nothing like feeling the wind on your face and travelling smoothly over water in a sailboat. Thanks to developments in technology, people who are blind or visually impaired can race sailboats without sighted assistance on board. How does Adaptive Sailing Work? People who are blind or visually impaired take part in two types… Continue Reading Technology Makes Sailing Fully Accessible to People who are Blind or Visually Impaired
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A smart TV can offer great accessibility features for people with vision loss. But setting up and learning to use those features can be a challenge. Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Rachel Pavone says there are a number of strategies for painlessly mastering accessible smart TV features designed for users who are blind or visually impaired.… Continue Reading Getting a Smart Start With Your Smart TV
April is National Volunteer Appreciation month. It’s an opportunity to recognize and celebrate volunteerism and its positive community impacts. Americans have always stepped up when it comes to volunteering. According to Americorps, nearly a quarter of Americans age 16 and over donated time formally through an organization between September 2020 and 2021. “Volunteers share their… Continue Reading Volunteering Can Be Gateway to Ongoing Connection
Lions Club International has been a leading advocate for and supporter of people with vision loss since 1925. That’s when Helen Keller challenged Lions Clubs around the world to be “knights for the blind.” Each spring, the Council nurtures our relationships with Wisconsin Lions Clubs by updating them on our current work and goals and… Continue Reading The Council and the Lions: A Lasting Relationship Rooted in Shared Goals