Executive Director Denise Jess receiving a check from David Anderman of the Madison South Rotary Foundation. The Council relies on a variety of funding sources to help us meet the needs of Wisconsinites who are blind or low vision. We receive gifts from individuals almost every day. Store customers round up their purchases to the… Continue Reading Local Grants Support the Council’s Efforts to Change Lives
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!
Are you an artist living with blindness or low vision? Do you know someone who is? We are currently accepting submissions for Gallery Night 2024, scheduled for Friday, November 1. We welcome artwork in a wide range of formats. Last year’s display included paintings, photographs, digital drawings, knitted and crocheted pieces, wood carvings, ceramics, and… Continue Reading Showcase Your Talent at Gallery Night
We’re halfway through 2024, and the Council has accomplished so much already this year! But that’s no reason not to be excited about everything we achieved last year. Our 2023 Annual Report is full of the year’s highlights, including our advocacy successes, trends in vision services, our scholarship program, improvements we’ve made to our property,… Continue Reading Annual Report Now Available Online
We’re pleased to announce this year’s Council Scholarship recipients! Each year, we award $2,000 scholarships to several students from around the state 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… Continue Reading Introducing our 2024 Council Scholarship Recipients
When a friend, family member, coworker or other person in your life loses their vision, it can be hard to know how to describe things to them. For instance, telling someone who can’t see that a chair is “over there” isn’t going to do them much good. Much of our standard language for describing things… Continue Reading Don’t Say “Over There”: How to be a Better Describer for Someone who is Blind or Low Vision
Are you an artist living with blindness or low vision? Do you know someone who is? We are currently looking for artists to feature at Gallery Night 2024, scheduled for Friday, November 1. For over a decade the Council has been exhibiting the work of artists who are blind or visually impaired at Gallery Night… Continue Reading We’re Looking for Artists for Gallery Night!
The Council is excited to announce an upcoming event, On Sight: Vision Loss Resources in Southwest Wisconsin, taking place in Dodgeville on Wednesday, October 9. The free informational event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Iowa County Health and Human Services Building, 303 West Chapel Street in Dodgeville. The purpose of… Continue Reading October “On Sight” Event Brings the Council to Southwest Wisconsin
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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