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
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
Are you an artist who is blind or low vision? We are currently accepting submissions for Gallery Night 2025, which will take place on Friday, November 7. We welcome artwork in a wide range of formats. Past exhibits have included paintings, photographs, digital drawings, fiber arts, wood carvings, ceramics and more. You can check out… Continue Reading Showcase Your Talent at Gallery Night This Fall
Wisconsin summer is in full swing, and we at the Council hope you are able to spend some time outdoors and enjoy the warm weather. While you’re outside, it’s important to protect your eyes from the sun. Sunglasses don’t just make you look cool; they are vital in protecting your eyes from UV rays and… Continue Reading Protect Your Eyes Outdoors This Summer with Sunglasses!
Advocates and Council staff met in a State Capitol hearing room to strategize about their legislator meetings. Public policy advocacy has been a cornerstone of the Council’s mission since our founding over 70 years ago. In May we continued that mission with our annual Advocacy Days event, both virtually and in-person at the State Capitol… Continue Reading Advocacy Days Brought Council Priorities to Lawmakers
We’re pleased to announce this year’s Council Scholarship recipients! Each year, we award $2,000 scholarships to students from around Wisconsin who are blind or low vision and will be enrolled in post-secondary education in the fall. Past recipients have used the scholarship funds in a variety of ways to help fuel their college experience. In… Continue Reading Introducing our 2025 Council Scholarship Recipients
Karen Heesen Karen Heesen has been teaching students who are blind or low vision at the Wisconsin School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WSBVI) in Janesville how to read braille for 25 years. In that role, Karen has helped generations of students with vision loss connect with written language. Her efforts have not gone… Continue Reading Former Board Member Karen Heesen Wins Crystal Apple Teaching Award
In May, the Council joined the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance and the Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona for another fantastic Birding by Ear event. We had a full house at the Nature Center on a fantastic spring morning where we heard over 50 different species of birds passing through Dane County. Birding by Ear… Continue Reading Birding by Ear Shows the Importance of Inclusion in Outdoor Activities
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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
When someone comes to the Council for services for the first time, they often carry a variety of emotions. They may feel grief from having recently lost their vision, or anxiety about whether they’ll be able to continue doing the things they love. But thanks to the support of the people who give to the… Continue Reading Close the Year with a Gift That Opens Doors