When Henrietta de la Cruz lost her vision a few years ago, she says the Council came to visit her and gave her a white cane to help her get around and high contrast measuring cups to help her to continue cooking. As a way of saying thank you, Henrietta decided to support the Council… Continue Reading Monthly Giving Supports the Council Year-Round
We are pleased to welcome Jim Unger as the newest member of the Council’s Board of Directors. Jim, a Rhinelander resident, has over 40 years of experience in the blind and low vision rehabilitation field. Most recently, he worked for the Office for the Blind and Visually Impaired (OBVI) as a vision rehabilitation therapist until his retirement in 2019. Continue Reading Welcome Jim Unger to Council Board of Directors
The Council is excited to announce that Debbie Rasmussen has been named development director at the Council, succeeding Lori Werbeckes, who retired in December. Debbie first joined the Council staff as development coordinator in 2022. Continue Reading Debbie Rasmussen Named Development Director
Have you thought about making a will only to realize you don’t know how to begin? If making a will has been on your mind but you’ve never managed to take the steps to get it done, this is a great time to do it. August is Make-A-Will month! Having a will benefits your loved… Continue Reading Consider the Council During Make-a-Will Month
Judith Rasmussen Judith Rasmussen first learned how to knit as a teen in Home Economics class at school. But after losing her vision, she put down her needles, thinking knitting would be out of her reach. A few years ago, however, she learned of a knitting group that gathered weekly at the library near her… Continue Reading Judith Rasmussen Returns to Knitting and Pays It Forward
Jasmine Bertschy With her first year under her belt, 2025 Council Scholarship recipient Jasmine Bertschy says she’s ready for just about anything college has to throw at her. Jasmine is attending UW – Whitewater at Rock County, where she is pursuing a degree in Psychology with the hope of one day becoming a mental health… Continue Reading 2025 Student Spotlight: Jasmine Bertschy
The Council’s 2024 Annual Report is now available on our website in PDF, Word and audio formats. The Annual Report features our 2024 Year in Review, a “by the numbers” infographic, stories of how our vision services have impacted the lives of clients, and more. You can find the Annual Report on our website at… Continue Reading 2024 Annual Report is Now Available Online
Similar to the national landscape, there are multiple organizations across Wisconsin dedicated to empowering people who are blind or low vision. These organizations, including the Council, all fill a different niche in the vision loss community. Over the past several years, these groups have begun to work together to coordinate services and ensure our respective… Continue Reading Wisconsin’s Blind & Low Vision Organizations Work Together to Better Serve the Vision Loss Community
Nick Sinram As a teen, former Council Scholarship Recipient and current chair of our Board of Directors Nick Sinram didn’t know exactly what he wanted to study in college, but he did have a good idea of where he wanted to do it. Growing up on the Mississippi River in Prairie du Chien, he loved… Continue Reading From Scholarship Recipient to Board Chair, Nick Sinram Gives Back to the Council
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It’s easy to let your home get cluttered and disorganized, especially after the holidays. Having a messy home can cause severe anxiety for anyone, and that is especially true for people who are blind or low vision. Being unable to find something you’re looking for leads to frustration with yourself and with your vision loss.… Continue Reading Organizing Your Home Can Reduce Stress and Frustration
Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809, and that date is celebrated internationally as World Braille Day each year. Before the development of Braille’s revolutionary raised dot system, people who were blind had virtually no way to access written information independently, effectively cutting them off from a vital form of communication. Over the years,… Continue Reading Getting the Rest of Society on Board with Accessibility: A World Braille Day Message
Council staff go out into the community on a regular basis to spread the word about our mission to promote the dignity, independence and inherent worth of people who are blind or low vision; education people about the many services we offer; and encourage others to do their part to make the world more welcoming for people with vision loss. Continue Reading Council Outreach Connects Us With New and Unique Audiences