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LightHouse News

LightHouse Staff Visit Alcatraz and Provide Feedback

The LightHouse was contracted to create the braille programs for the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei’s installation at Alcatraz through April 2015.

In early December, LightHouse staff decided to check out the exhibit using the braille programs. The group took a ferry to Alcatraz to see the Ai Weiwei art exhibition and experience the cell block audio tour. We appreciated the chance to talk informally with Kate Bickert of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and Michael Faw of the National Park Service about accessibility. We provided them with an opportunity to learn how people interact with the exhibition installations. They are putting one bit of our feedback into action right away by making plans to record the names of all the people included in the “Trace” installation to improve the experience for blind and low vision visitors.

LightHouse staff assemble for a group photo on Alcatraz

Looking for Android Smartphone Users to Test New BlindShell Interface

This fall BlindShell, a Czech start-up, presented their new, easy-to-use smartphone interface to the LightHouse Labs group while in town for TechCrunch Conference. Their goal is to offer a simple, cheap and intuitive smartphone solution for blind and visually impaired users.

We’re looking for people willing to give feedback on the new system in exchange for the free software. By collaborating with The Czech Blind Union and The Vodafone Foundation, BlindShell has developed an application that uses simple, intuitive touch gestures to access the Android system. It includes functions such as calling, messages, contacts, alarm, notes, color recognition, voice recorder, calendar, settings and favorites. Even users inexperienced with touch screens can learn how to control BlindShell after a 30 minute tutorial. A unique, easy-to-use keyboard for writing numbers and texts is seamlessly integrated. For newcomers, it eases the transition to touch phones without having to learn the more complicated interfaces of TalkBack or VoiceOver. It is capable of running on low cost hardware, making it possible to have an accessible touch screen smart phone for about $100.

The LightHouse believes this may be a good solution for those new to smartphones, and the simplified interface may be easier to learn for older students. BlindShell is looking for beginner level Android users to provide feedback on the user friendliness of this new application. Volunteers that already own phones will be able to access the app for free and get to keep it and all future generations at no cost. You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire about your experience after at least 3 weeks.

If you have an Android phone and would like to be part of the LightHouse trial group, please contact LightHouse Deputy Director Scott Blanks at 415-694-7371 or sblanks@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Now Enrolling Students: Your First Shot to Learn Effective Blindness Skills This Year

Changing Vision Changing Life, Immersion Training at Enchanted Hills

Next session begins January 11 – sign up now by contacting Debbie Bacon at 415-694-7357 or dbacon@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Since June 2013, the LightHouse has hosted our 6-day Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion training program at Enchanted Hills Retreat located in the clear air and beauty of Napa’s Mt. Veeder. Each session brings together up to 25 adult students from all over Northern California and the Central Valley. They range in age from mid-20’s to 90 and are either new to low vision or blindness, or have had a significant change in vision and have requested additional training. While gaining skills and confidence with changing vision is the overall theme of the week, the experience of coming together with other adults who are blind or have low vision to learn or relearn skills that bring them back to the kind of life they desire, remains the pivotal impact of the week-long experience.

How do you flip an egg if you can’t see it? How do you keep colored socks together? What’s a secret way to tell the difference between shampoo and conditioner? During our week of immersion, students find new ways to accomplish familiar life activities with like-minded peers – an experience which is supportive, motivational and enjoyable. Students are introduced to skills, strategies and tools that can transfer from home to school to work, from sun-up to sundown, from cooking to home repair. And for many students, this is the first time they have had the chance to meet others and learn from low vision, blind instructors and mentors. While it is an active week, time out is provided for students to relax and share their personal experiences with each other, gaining insight, perspective and support for moving forward.

This week with the LightHouse is life-changing, but the follow-up work we do is just as important. We know our students want more focus “after” the training so we provide Telephone Conferencing so the group can keep in touch and support each other. Plus we contact each student one week after training to see what they are up to, if they are using their skills and how they are applying them. Each student creates their own “Next Steps Check List”, a sort of road map focused on their education, training, social interaction, community engagement and recreational involvement. This Check List provides the focus that students require, allowing each the opportunity to further develop skills after leaving their week of training.

Some of the specific areas that are introduced throughout the week include:
Reading print materials – from magnification to scanning and listening
Enhancing useable vision; understanding how lighting, contrast and magnification can help organization and labeling
Taking Notes
Financial Management
Time and Calendaring
Successfully accomplishing day-to-day tasks
Basic cooking skills
Traveling and moving safely and confidently in home and in the community
Accessible computer and other low-tech equipment
Training your family and friends – “helping” through understanding
Introduction to Braille
Community, state and federal resources
Personal advocacy
Leisure and recreation

There is a fee to attend the Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion week, however, if you are eligible for the training and living in the counties of San Francisco, Marin, Alameda, Humboldt or Del Norte, this Immersion Retreat is at no charge.

Dates of Next Session: January 11-16, 2015
For more information please contact: Debbie Bacon at 415-694-7357 or dbacon@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Students practice yoga at LightHouse Immersion in Napa

LightHouse Youth Visit Hiller Aviation Museum

LightHouse Youth Visit Hiller Aviation Museum

In late November, a group of LightHouse youth visited the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, California for a hands-on tour of flight and aviation.

LightHouse yout at Hiller Aviation

The tour was led by two spectacular Hiller Aviation docents who shared their love of flight through fascinating personal stories and provided helpful, hands-on explanations of exhibits.

LightHouse Youth at Hiller Aviation.

Visitors had the chance to touch the first plane to land on an aircraft carrier, practice flying a simulation helicopter, have an individual tour of a Cessna airplane and much more.

LightHouse youth Hiller Aviation

LightHouse Youth at Hiller Aviation

A big thank you to Hiller Aviation for having us!

Art Slam 2015 Accepting Submissions

For many years the LightHouse has supported art exhibitions by artists in our community. This exciting opportunity with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco gives disabled artists the chance to share their work with a larger audience. We encourage all artists to consider submitting.

Call for Entries: Art Slam 2015

Open House and Disability Arts Festival
de Young Museum, San Francisco

Slide Exhibition of Art by Artists with Disabilities

Art Slam 2015 is the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s seventh annual slide exhibition of works by artists with disabilities, developed in partnership with the Access Advisors of the Fine Arts Museums and community members.

Each slide in the exhibition includes an image of one artwork along with a brief artist’s statement. Because July 26, 2015, is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, artists are asked to address the theme of “celebration” in their works and statements for Art Slam 2015.

Art Slam 2015 will be shown in the Koret Auditorium on Saturday, March 14, during the Access Advisors’ Open House and Disability Arts Festival.

Eligibility: Art Slam 2015 is open to all artists with disabilities who are at least eighteen years old. There is no entry fee. Up to 225 entries can be accommodated, and they will be accepted in the order received. Only one artwork per artist will be accepted.

Deadlines: The deadline has been extended. All entries must be postmarked no later than Monday, January 26, 2015. Entries postmarked after this date will not be accepted. Artists will be informed as to whether or not their work will be included in Art Slam by February 13, 2015.

Please click the link below to access the online submission form:
Art Slam Call for Entries 2015

 

Enchanted Hills Camp Sessions for 2015

Here is the schedule for the Enchanted Hills Camp 2015 summer sessions.

enchanted hills

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Cycle for Sight Bike Ride for Enchanted Hills Camp: Saturday April 18
Sign up now at http://www.cycle4sight.com/. If you’d like to ride tandem, contact Tony Fletcher at afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7319.

Chemistry Camp: May 1 to May 3
Family Camp I: June 11 to June 14
Blind Babies Family Camp: June 19 to June 21
Adult Session: June 27 to July 2
Special Needs: July 3 to July 8
Family Camp II: July 9 to July 12
Youth Session: July 13 to July 19 (TouchSTEM session is July 15 to 18)
Teen Session: July 20 to July 26
Family Camp III: July 29 to August 1
Music Academy: August 2 to August 8
Horse Camp: August 2 to August 8
Deaf-Blind Camp (Adult): August 9 to August 13 (5 days)

Online applications will be available starting noon on February 2, 2015 (not February 1st as previously stated)

For questions about Cycle for Sight or Camp session, contact Camp Director Tony  Fletcher at 415-694-7319 or afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

We can’t wait to have you up to Mt. Veeder soon!

Missed this year’s Superfest or want to watch a film again?

SFGOVTV channel 78 will be playing some films from this year’s festival. Even more exciting – all of the films will screen with captioning and audio description.

Visit sfgovtv.org for information on how to watch them over the web.

For people outside of SF, you can stream them live: http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=47

Here is the schedule through mid-January:

Saturdays

9AM Vectors of Autism
9:40AM Once Again
10AM The Interviewer
10:15AM Everything is Incredible
10:30AM Restraint and Seclusion
3PM Juggle and Cut
3:15PM The Interviewer
6PM Vectors of Autism
6:40PM Once Again
10PM Restraint and Seclusion
10:30PM Everything is Incredible
10:40PM Juggle and Cut

 Sundays

9AM Juggle and Cut
9:15 AM Restraint and Seclusion
9:40AM Once Again
10AM The Interview
10:15 AM Vectors of Autism
10:50 AM Everything is Incredible
7PM The Interview
7:15PM Juggle and Cut
8PM Everything is Incredible
8:10PM Once Again
8:30PM Restraint and Seclusion
10 PM Vectors of Autism

 

 

 

LightHouse Marin Has a New Address as of December 15

“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Instead of moving forward with a sword however, the LightHouse is putting its best cane forward and making a move. We’re excited to announce that as of Monday, December 15th, our satellite office LightHouse Marin will be moving to 851 Irwin Street, Suite 206, in San Rafael, only three blocks from our current home, the Whistlestop Active Aging Center. We will still be very accessible from the Marin Transit Hub (east, across Heatherton at 3rd Street). LightHouse visitors and students can sign up with Whistlestop Wheels transportation services to take them from their homes right to our door and there is one hour visitor parking for those driving in.

Our new address: 851 Irwin Street, Suite 206, San Rafael, CA 94901-3343. See below for walking/driving directions.

Our office is expanding and will include space to facilitate our classes and support groups. While we set up our new home, we’ll see students by appointment during December and then be open to the public on January 5, 2015. Our phone number (415-258-8496) and fax (415-258-8501) remain the same. We are also thrilled that our collaboration with Vision Impaired of Marin, who facilitates support groups and social opportunities with other blind and low vision adults, will continue as they make the move with us.

Growth is good for everyone and we congratulate Whistlestop Active Aging Center, our home for the past five years, as they expand into our old space and grow their transportation program, a service our students heartily benefit from. We thank Executive Director of Whistlestop Joe O’Heir and his staff for five years of ‘living together’ and we look forward to future collaboration as close neighbors.

When we first moved to Whistlestop one of our goals was to ensure that our students would develop the skills and confidence to easily participate in classes at Whistlestop, and we’ll continue to do so. The Whistlestop Café is easy walking distance from our new address as are the Whistlestop classes, so LightHouse students can continue to benefit from both agencies: great training and support from the LightHouse and continued participation in the community with Whistlestop.

Come visit LightHouse of Marin in our new space beginning Monday, January 5th – LightHouse Social Worker Jeff Carlson looks forward to greeting you.

By the way, we are looking for a Class B driver to drive our 14-passenger shuttle bus, which we will keep at the Marin office, to special events in and around the Bay Area. If you or someone you know might be interested in this paid position, see our job description or contact Tony Fletcher at 415-694-7319 or afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

DIRECTIONS TO LIGHTHOUSE MARIN

Again the new address is 851 Irwin Street, Suite 206, San Rafael, CA  94901

Walking Directions/Parking Lot
The new office is one block east of the San Rafael Transit Center, between 2nd and 3rd Streets and between Irwin and Hetherton Streets.

Walking, from the San Rafael Transit Center:
Cross Hetherton at 3rd Street (Hetherton is one-way, heading south)
For Main Entrance, continue one block to Irwin.
Turn right onto Irwin.
Entrance is midblock, on the right, up a few steps.

For Parking Lot (Accessible) Entrance:
Cross Hetherton at 3rd Street (Hetherton is one-way, heading south).
Continue ½ block.
Turn right after the driveway.
Entrance is on the left (no steps), midblock.

Driving Directions
The building is located one block east of the San Rafael Transit Center, between 2nd and 3rd Streets.

Directions from North 101
Take the Central San Rafael exit.
Continue onto Hetherton.
Turn left on 2nd Street.
Turn left on Irwin Street.
Turn left on 3rd Street; halfway down block, turn left into the parking lot.

Directions from South 101
Take the Central San Rafael exit.
Continue onto Irwin Street.
Turn left on 3rd Street; halfway down block, turn left into the parking lot.

Jeff Carlson sits at his new desk

new Marin office building

Find Your Musical Self – LightHouse Youth Music 101

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”
― Albert Einstein

Join LightHouse youth as we explore the world of music. Participants will have the opportunity to listen to, learn about and create their own musical expressions amongst a range of musical genres and instruments.

An experienced musician will provide a monthly intensive and fun study focusing on a theme or instrument. Youth will have the opportunity to demo their own skills, and try the new genera or instrument. At the end of each lesson there’ll be a jam session using simple household items re-envisioned to demonstrate musical themes and instrumentations.

2015 Winter and Spring Music 101 Schedule:
January 10: Dammed Drumming (Drums)
February 14: Getty for Guitars (String Instruments)
March 14: Wind Winders (Wind Instruments)
April 11: Keyboard Craziness (Piano and Keyboards)
May 9: Dangerous DJ (Electronic sound)

Who: Blind and Low Vision Youth, ages 8 to 18
What: Music Appreciation 101
When: 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., second Saturday of the month
Where: LightHouse San Francisco Headquarters
Waiver: Each participant must submit a LightHouse Youth Program waiver if they have not done so for a previous outing or event.
Cost: FREE for low vision and blind youth

Classes will be limited to 8 participants, and all participants must RSVP.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Jamey Gump, Youth Services Coordinator, at (415) 694-7372, or jgump@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

We’re Off to See the Wizard – Get Tickets for January 10 and 11 Annual Great American Songbook Benefit

Enjoy the Songs of the Great Composer Harold Arlen and Support Enchanted Hills Camp

“Harold Arlen is the most original composer of all of us.” – George GershwinPortrait of Anne and Steve Gill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year the Gill Family and friends continue their tradition of special concerts in honor of their daughter Anne, a longtime Enchanted Hills camper. New for 2015 is a rousing series of two concerts exploring the work of composer Harold Arlen of Wizard of Oz, Old Black Magic and It’s Only a Paper Moon fame.

What: Harold Who? A Tribute to Harold Arlen
When: Two Performances – Saturday, January 10 and Sunday January 11, 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Spieker Ballroom at the Menlo School, Menlo Park
$15 donation requested. Seating is on a first come, first seated basis
All proceeds benefit our Enchanted Hills Camp Special Needs Session

For more information contact Steve or Nancy Gill at (650) 948-4648 or nancyggill@yahoo.com.