Falls are one of the leading causes of injury, and even death, in Wisconsin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Wisconsin had the highest fall death rate among older adults in the United States in 2021. But many falls can be prevented. Fall reduction classes across the state can provide skills… Continue Reading Fall Reduction Training Keeps You Safe at Home and in the Community
State lawmakers are leaving Madison for the year as the 2023-24 legislative session comes to an end. The Council worked diligently over the past year to advocate for bills that would positively impact the lives of people with vision loss and other disabilities across the state, and against bills that could have caused harm. Through… Continue Reading Legislative Session Ends with Some Wins and a Strong Foundation for Future Progress
Earlier this month, Council Executive Director Denise Jess traveled to Kansas City to attend the VisionServe Alliance’s (VSA) 2024 Executive Leadership Conference. The Council has been a member of the VSA for around a decade, and they are an invaluable partner in our mission. VSA is a membership group formed over 30 years ago to… Continue Reading VisionServe Alliance: Working to De-Silo the Vision Services Field
Imagine you are a Wisconsin resident who, like thousands of others every year, wants to go fishing. So you go online to buy a fishing license on the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) web-based system only to find that you’re not eligible to make the purchase because you lack the required form of ID. Many… Continue Reading Advocate for Equal Access to the State’s Natural Resources
Our student spotlight is shining brightly this month on Luka Santin. It is all about music for this Madison 20-year-old who has been composing songs since the age of 10. Luka is currently a junior at Lawrence University in Appleton working on a degree in jazz and contemporary improvisation, with the long-term goal of being… Continue Reading Student Spotlight 2021: Luka Santin
Each year as part of our effort to provide educational programming across Wisconsin, the Council hosts a Low Vision Fair, open to anyone with vision impairment, friends and family members, and professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic ruled out an in-person fair this year, so the 2021 edition was a virtual event. Despite the challenges of taking… Continue Reading 2021 Low Vision Fair Was a Virtual Hit
One of the most effective ways to support the Council is through monthly giving. We call our monthly donors the White Cane Circle, and we invite you to become a member of that esteemed group. Monthly giving offers benefits to both you and the organization. It allows you to spread your contribution over the entire… Continue Reading The Magic of Monthly Giving
Registration is now open for our upcoming virtual Age-Related Macular Degeneration Symposium! The Council is partnering with the University of Wisconsin Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences to present this online, virtual event on Thursday, October 14 from 4 to 6 pm. Macular degeneration is one of the nation’s leading causes of vision loss in… Continue Reading Register Now for the October 14 Age-Related Macular Degeneration Symposium
Dawn Meyer has noticed ads promoting pedestrian safety and White Cane Law awareness on the sides of Green Bay Metro buses. But the 55-year-old resident admits she’s not sure what it all means. Continue Reading White Cane Safety Day is a Great Opportunity to Be a Pedestrian Safety Advocate
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Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training helps people who are blind or who have low vision move around safely in all environments. Navigating busy street intersections is one of many important skills included in O&M training. Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist Brent Perzentka of the Council is a member of the City of Madison’s Vision Zero… Continue Reading O&M Strategies Can Keep You Safer at Tricky Intersections
We’re pleased to welcome Nate Wegehaupt as the newest member of the Council staff. Nate came on board April 1 as our new Communications Coordinator. In that role, he will write newsletter articles, website content and social media posts; prepare email communications for distribution; help maintain the website; and perform various other communications tasks. Prior… Continue Reading Welcome Nate Wegehaupt to the Council Team!
Advocacy can take place at many different levels, from local councils all the way up to the U.S. Senate. The first step in any advocacy effort is to identify who makes the decisions on the issue you’re trying to address. For example, calling your representative in Congress probably won’t help you get a new streetlamp… Continue Reading May 16 Advocacy Day Panel to Focus on Local Impact