A recent survey by the senior living referral service Caring.com found that two-thirds of Americans do not have an up-to-date will. October 16-22 is National Estate Planning Week. It’s the perfect time to map out or update an estate plan. When you do, we hope you’ll consider including an estate gift to the Council in… Continue Reading Planned Giving Shows Strong Support with a Focus on the Future
October is Pedestrian Safety Month, which includes White Cane Safety Day on October 15. How keen is your pedestrian safety knowledge? Take our quiz and see how you do! 1. What percentage of Wisconsin residents do not drive? a) 11% b) 31% c) 6% d) 21% Answer: b) 31% Factoid: Non-drivers face daily challenges in… Continue Reading Test Your Pedestrian Safety and White Cane Knowledge
Patty Slaby of Arcadia has found many benefits to living and working with her guide dog, Carter. “Walking in and out of medical facilities, church, stores, businesses and just taking walks,” Patty says. But the partnership demands that both participants stay focused and play by the rules. “You must be aware of what your dog… Continue Reading Guide Dogs: A Relationship Built on Love, Trust and Discipline
Council volunteer Joe Hodgson National Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 19-25. The Council values all of the things volunteers do to support its mission. Council volunteer Carol Doolin In 2019, 30 volunteers gave a total of 1,406 hours of service. Those hours are valued at $35,755. Here is just a short list of some of… Continue Reading Thank You to All Council Volunteers
One-on-one training at Reins. Horseback riding is a way to get physical exercise, learn a new skill and have fun. All of these elements are part of everyday operations at Reins, a therapeutic horseback riding center in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. Reins offers horse-assisted activities and therapies for anyone with a disability ages four and older.… Continue Reading Horseback Riding: An Accessible and Enjoyable Activity
Council staff at the end of the dementia-friendly training in January 2020. Inclusivity, integrity and uncompromising respect are the Council’s core values. To continue incorporating those principles into our services, we recently became a dementia-friendly organization. Each month, partner organizations present at our staff meetings to all share what they are doing in the community.… Continue Reading Living Through Values: The Council Becomes a Dementia-Friendly Organization
Tribute gifts are donations made to a nonprofit in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one. These donations are made as a way to show appreciation, recognize a special event, celebrate a birthday or anniversary, or remember someone who has passed away. When Ramona “Moni” Stodola passed away, her family decided to… Continue Reading Tribute and Memorial Gifts: Celebrate and Honor a Loved One
In an effort to serve the unique needs of the blind and visually impaired community during this challenging time, we would like to share information and resources of particular interest to our community. These are general suggestions and advise everyone to seek medical advice or guidance from other officials to handle individual circumstances. Transportation If… Continue Reading Urgent Transportation Needs During COVID-19
The Federal Government is standardizing how state ID cards and driver licenses are produced and issued. The result is a REAL ID. Due to concerns about DMV access during COVID-19, the deadline was moved from October 1, 2020 to October 1, 2021, to ensure everyone has enough time to get their REAL ID cards. This… Continue Reading Everything You Need to Know About the REAL ID
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The Older Americans Act (OAA) was first passed in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” initiative, with the goal of supporting older Americans to continue living at home and in their community with dignity and independence for as long as possible. It authorized a wide range of services, including home-delivered meals, support… Continue Reading New Rules Provide Opportunity to Improve the Older Americans Act
Community Shares of Wisconsin (CSW) is honoring Council Executive Director Denise Jess for her years of work promoting the rights and dignity of people living with vision loss. At CSW’s September 28 Community Change-Maker Awards event, Denise will be presented with the Linda Sundberg Civil Rights Defender Award. The Linda Sundberg Award is given each… Continue Reading Executive Director Denise Jess Receives Civil Rights Award
The Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired is among the 70 nonprofits that benefit from Community Shares of Wisconsin workplace giving campaigns. Workplace giving is a simple and effective way for employees to support area nonprofits by having a specified amount deducted from each paycheck. In most cases, employees can choose to make… Continue Reading Workplace Giving Makes It Easy to Support the Organizations You Value