Center For Vision Loss

Unfortunately our 2011 Chrysalis Award Dinner had to be cancelled on October 29 due to the snowstorm which created dangerous conditions throughout the Lehigh Valley, the Poconos and beyond.  We have decided not to reschedule this event but put our energies into our 2012 Chrysalis Award Dinner and we will post information about that in the future.  Unfortunately our sponsors, friends, patrons and guests did not have the opportunity to meet Dr. Bower and hear about her career and experiences. However, if you click on this link  http://youtu.be/HMBLTPLMmvo  you will be able to see a video presentation of another talk that Dr. Bower presented. 

We do wish to thank the Sponsors and Friends who made this year’s event possible: A D Computer, Air Products, Buckno Lisicky & Company, Catalyst360, Colon-Rectal Surgery Associates, Concannon, Miller & Co. PC, Dr. Ihor and Marta Fedoriw, Fox Optical & Gallery, LLC, Genentech, Highmark Blue Shield, Victor and Elizabeth Joliat, Lang Faylor Chomo Company, Lehigh Valley Council of the Blind, Lehigh Valley Hospital Network, Minuteman Press of the Lehigh  Valley, The Morning Call, Stephanie Olexa, Ph.D. and Seth Weber, Esp., Leon Peters, Versatile Voicing, viamedia, Edward and Rosalie Vogrins, Anonymous, Dr. Neil Boderman, Dr. Thomas Burkholder and Lions of District 14-K and District Governor Joe Chunko. We also thank the DeSales University Staff for their help and understanding throughout the planning and subsequent cancellation of this event and can’t wait to have the students from the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts and pianist Bob Muth return to entertain us next year.

We were pleased, however, that our honoree Dr. Amy Bower, her family and her colleague Kate Fraser, Perkins School for the  Blind science teacher, did arrive in the Lehigh Valley prior to the snowstorm. Dr. Bower and Ms. Fraser were able to conduct a fun and inspirational Saturday morning workshop with our student customers who are blind or visually impaired. The group chatted animatedly with Dr. Bower about her career as a legally blind Physical Oceanographer and then worked with Ms. Fraser on  experiments about water temperature and salinity and buoyancy using adaptive technology (and a few eggs!).  While the students focused on their work,  their adult partners were able to participate in a support group session hosted by James Van Horn, our counselor. A pizza party followed before everyone headed home.  We thank Amy and Kate for a job well done and a morning to remember!

On Tuesday, September 13, 2011, students in Dr. Christie Gilson’s freshman writing seminar at Moravian College took part in a service learning project with customers from the Center for Vision Loss. Dr. Gilson, who is blind,  is a member of our Board of Directors. Together the students and customers had a great time on a beautiful fall day walking, shopping, and eating in downtown Bethlehem and learning about disabilities and each other. Click this link to read about their experiences http://www.moravian.edu/news/inCommon2/2011-2012/11_09_29/article2.html.  It will take you to INCOMMON, the e-Newsletter of Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary, September 29, 2011.

In 1925, Helen Keller spoke to the Lions at their International Convention at Cedar Point, Ohio. There Miss Keller exhorted the Lions to become “Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness.”  Following that event, Lions took up the challenge to support programs and services relating to blindness and visual impairment. In 1928, local Lions heard Miss Keller speak at Liberty High School in Bethlehem and decided to form the two county blind associations which eventually consolidated into the Center for Vision Loss in January, 2010.

Following a very tasty country-style banquet, the agency thanked the Lions and Lionesses by presenting each club with a special card containing a patch which could be sewn onto a club flag. Then Doug Yingling took the podium and filled club members in on the “state of the agency,” describing the changes that occurred in the last fiscal year in staffing and programming.  Ruthie Asmus, Prevention of Blindness Coordinator, discussed the PediaVision Assessment Solution equipment which the agency is now using to vision screen children. And the event closed with the clubs making pledges to the agency for the new year.  In all over $47,000 was raised from intitial donations.

The Center for Vision Loss applauds the efforts of the Lions and Lionesses of District 14-K and thanks all club members for their continued interest in serving the blind and visually impaired in the Lehigh Valley.

Left to right: Lowell Hawk, Lions liaison; Doug Yingling, Executive Director; Joseph Chunko, District Governor; Brad Ott, Board Member and Master of Ceremonies, Dennis Butz, 2nd Vice Governor

Beautiful Skytop Lodge in the Poconos was the setting for the Eighth Annual Pocono Mountains Community Fundraiser Dinner on Thursday, July 28, 2011. This event that “epitomizes community collaboration and demosntrates the wondrous results of unified compassion”  is supported and spearheaded by sanofi pasteur. This year the event raised more than $180,00 which was awarded to four non-profit agencies.  And best of all, Center for Vision Loss’s project to implement a state-of-the-art vision screening device that will serve more than 3,300 Monroe County children took second place! For its efforts, Center for Vision Loss received $43,800 from the fundraiser and an additional $6,500 from sanofi pasteur.

Bob Philips, Center for Vision Loss board member and CEO of the Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce, was the master of ceremonies.  More than 400 guests enjoyed the event’s signature dinner–a traditional New England-Style Lobster Bake– and the vibrant music of Exact Change.   Doug Yingling, Executive Director; Karen Huetter, Development Director; Rita Lang, Manager of Innovative Programs; Cindi Starner, Monroe County Branch Coordinator; Nell Mayotte, Caseworker/Prevention of Blindness Vision Screener; Mary Lou Phillips, Receptionist; Michael Mandile, Monroe driver; and Ross Wasielke, member of agency board of directors and client represented the agency.

Center for Vision Loss wishes to thank the volunteers of the Pocono Mountains Community Fundraiser Committe, sanofi pasteur, and event sponsors for choosing our project and continuing to recognize our vital work in the community.  The agency, as Visual Impairment & Blindness Services,  also won awards in 2005 and 2008. We also congratulate the evening’s other award recipients for their efforts to improve the lives of Monroe’s residents: Monroe County Youth Employment Services, Pocono Area Transitional Housing and Women’s Resources.  

From left: Michael Mandile; Ross Wasielke; Doug Yingling; Cindi Starner; Ellyn Schindler, sanofi pasteur; Nell Mayotte; Rita Lang; Mary Lou Phillips and Karen Huetter pose with check.

On June 28, 2011, William Hoos, a Vanda Pharmaceutical representative, visited the Center for Vision Loss to speak to our consumers about a common sleep disorder that affects people who are totally blind.  He also provided details on the clinic trials that Vanda Pharmaceuticals is conducting on a medication to help this condition. Click to hear the audio version of this presentation.

Those who are totally blind often find that their sleep patterns differ from the rest of the world. This could be due to a real sleep problem related to the lack of light needed by the body’s internal clock. The name for this condition is Non-24 Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder. Mr. Hoos educated the audience on the characteristics of the condition. He also invited interested audience members to contact Vanda for further information about the study. There is still time to enroll in the study or learn more about it.

There are several ways to get more information:  Call 1-888-389-7033; E-mail info@non24registry.com; take a sleep survey directly at www.non24registry.com or visit the Vanda Pharmaceutical website at www.vandapharma.com. There is also a new educational website devoted to information about the sleep disorder at www.24sleepwake.com.

We are pleased to report that in June, 2011, the Center for Vision Loss received a five-year accreditation by the National Accreditation Council for Blind and Low Vision Services (NAC). NAC is the only independent accrediting agency in its category. It develops standards to promote effective, sound and publicly accountable programs of service that help blind and visually impaired children and adults achieve their full potential. 

NAC officials wrote: “This important achievement is an indication of your agency’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of life for people with vision loss. We hope that the individuals you serve, the governing body and your staff take pride and comfort in displaying the certificate representing your compliance with the NAC standards of performance.” 

Preparing the agency for the NAC review team in March, 2011 required many hours of work on the part of the Center for Vision Loss staff team headed by then Director of Vision Services Doug Yingling.  Now Executive Director, Doug states that the Center for Vision Loss values the accreditation process because it leads to improved programs for clients and strengthens professional relationships within the field.

Saturday, June 11, 2011 started out as a soggy, wet day.  We all wondered who would be intrepid enough to brave the weather and join us in the 7th Annual Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community. By 8:30 am, however, minutes before the 5K portion of the event began, the rain turned to mist and began to stop. At Center for Vision Loss we were pleased to welcome our 13 participants who came appropriately dressed in foul weather gear which, it seemed, helped to ward off further downpours!  To date, our unofficial tally of money raised by our walkers is $2,985 and we know that many walkers have pledged to collect more to put us over $3,000!

We thank all of the folks who raised money to support Center for Vision Loss and our work with blind and visually impaired residents in our community.  We also thank Highmark Blue Shield for providing all of the support and logistics to make this event possible for the 23 participating non-profits this year.  Jodie Ruediger, Highmark Community Programs Specialist,  who organizes this Walk as well as other Walks throughout the Highmark Blue Shield service area in Pennsylvania, is to be commended for her positive and motivating approach to helping all of us  make more friends for our agencies in a fun and healthy way.

You can still make a donation to Center for Vision Loss for the Walk by going to http://www.walkforahealthycommunity.org  You can also send us a contribution by mail (make your check payable to “Center for Vision Loss”). We do need to receive your gift no later than June 30 to be counted as supporting the Walk.  If you have any questions, call 610.433.6018, x. 241.  And if you missed us this year, we’ll find out soon the date of the Walk in 2012!

Walkers, from left, Carol and Tony Swartz and Jeffrey Appleby sign-in at Center for Vision Loss table.

Congratulations go to walker Ross Wasielke for raising the most money by an individual!

Click here to download our VISION newsletter in PDF format. If you do not have adobe acrobat installed on your computer you can download it from Adobe by clicking here (link opens in a new window).

Click here to download the Annual Report 2009-2010.

Click here to download our VISION newsletter in PDF format. If you do not have adobe acrobat installed on your computer you can download it from Adobe by clicking here (link opens in a new window).

Click here to download our VISION newsletter in PDF format. If you do not have adobe acrobat installed on your computer you can download it from Adobe by clicking here (link opens in a new window). MORE

It’s time to circle Sunday, April 22, 2012 on your calendar and make plans to attend our 6th annual Basket Bingo & Brunch! This favorite “fun” fundraiser will again be held at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem. 437 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA, 18018, from 1-5 pm. It will feature the fabulous Hotel Sunday Brunch, 20 games of bingo featuring Longaberger Products as prizes, plus many interesting raffle items and door prizes.

Early Bird Tickets will cost $48 per person and can be purchased until March 16, 2012. After that date, the regular ticket price of $55 will be effect until the reservation deadline of April 13. Click here to get a printable Ticket Reservation Form. Last year we were sold out but the good news is that this year we will have space for more tables and more seating. So gather your friends and make plans to have an enjoyable afternoon which supports the Center for Vision Loss’s Vision Rehabilitation Services.

To date, we thank the following businesses for helping sponsor this event: Inova Technologies, Lessig Oil & Propane, HMK Insurance, Hotel Bethlehem and Minuteman Press of the Lehigh Valley. Sponsorships are still available and welcome and include tickets at some levels. Call 610.433.6018, x 241 to inquire.

For more information now, call 610.433.6018, x. 241.