Category Archive

LightHouse News

Introduction to Blindness Group Hits the Streets of Napa

05/14/2015 LightHouse Staff

In the last three years, the LightHouse has connected folks who are blind or low vision with each other through our novel week-long Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion Training at Enchanted Hills Retreat in Napa. Participating students have goals that range from independent living skills and learning Braille, to getting back into the workforce.

“Kate Williams, our Employment Immersion Program Leader, was able to spend some quality time with students whose vision has changed mid-career. She reinforced the idea that what you’re doing here and now in gaining your skills will get you back into the working world.” – LightHouse Director of Rehabilitation Services Kathy Abrahamson.

During our April session we did something brand-new. In addition to the wide breadth of instruction offered on our retreat site, we trained students in downtown Napa, specifically focusing on cane travel skills on city streets.

Our staff is always excited about connecting students to their path of independence and we’d love to see you in our next session which runs from Sunday, June 14 through Friday, June 19. We even have special funding for folks 55 and over who live in San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Humboldt and Del Norte counties. But anyone who is blind or visually impaired may be eligible. Give us one week and you will change your life!

Just call or email Debbie Bacon at 415-694-7357 or dbacon@old.lighthouse-sf.org for more information. We look forward to seeing you at Enchanted Hills.

Students gather in our comfortable and intimate Yurt structure to talk about their changing vision

Students newer to Orientation & Mobility training took to the streets of downtown Napa utilizing the new cane skills they learned throughout the Immersion week. Here the group maneuvers under scaffolding set up around buildings that were damaged during the recent Napa earthquake.

Employment Immersion Program Leader Kate Williams meets with students Ola Jozwiak and Dennis O’Hanlon who will be looking towards employment options after securing essential skills such as Orientation & Mobility and Access Technology.

Orientation & Mobility Specialist Terry Wedler works with Bill Cody on best ways to descend a concrete staircase above the Napa River Walk.

“You don’t leave camp alone even if you’re returning to a different part of California,” said LightHouse DOR Kathy A. Students George Montag, Bill Cody and Dennis O’Hanlon soak in the last moments of comradery before returning to their homes for the next phase of one-to-one training.

All immersion weeks have to end with a group shot to remind us where our new path to independence began. Here the entire group of students and staff pose on a bright, sunny day.

LightHouse News

Enchanted Hills Camp Wishlist

05/14/2015 LightHouse Staff

Did you know that over the years more than 25,000 blind youth, adults and their families have enjoyed the unparalleled access to wilderness and adventure, and confidence building of Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind?

As you can imagine, keeping Enchanted Hills Camp stocked with all the supplies and equipment we need takes some doing. We count on the generosity of our camp supporters to freshen things up with donations of new and gently used items, anything from coffee mugs to bookshelves, electric fans to pool toys.

So please take a look at our Wishlist and then check your home or garage to see if you are able to donate any of these items.

If you can donate, please contact Tony Fletcher at 415-694-7319 or afletcher@old.lighthouse-sf.org. Thank you!

LightHouse News

Connect Series Explores Travel Techniques for Newbies

05/14/2015 LightHouse Staff

LightHouse Orientation & Mobility Specialist Katt Jones stands next to UC Berkeley student Tiffany Zhao and her dog guide Helene during our April LightHouse Connect workshop on travel. Tiffany came to the workshop to share her experience as a dog guide user

One of the most important and challenging skills any person who is blind or low vision must embrace is traveling independently. Last month, as part of our ongoing LightHouse Connect workshop series, attendees were treated to a unique opportunity to “travel how you want”. Professionals in the field of Orientation and Mobility, along with several blind and low vision travelers, shared their expertise and experiences along with the conviction that attaining autonomy can be a life-changing journey.

We welcomed a number of folks to the LightHouse for their first experience with blindness travel skills, involving them in a discussion of white canes, dog guides and tools to enhance the travel experience, including GPS solutions. Panelists described what it takes to get a dog guide, including debunking the myth that you can just walk into a dog guide school and walk out with a dog. Orientation and mobility are required skills for any blind person, and just as vital to someone working with a service dog versus a cane.

Other topics covered included the benefits of using a cane: safety, making the public aware of your disability, and independence.

The LightHouse has taught cane travel to students for more than 60 years. If you’re ready to begin your journey, call Debbie Bacon at 415-694-7357 or email her at dbacon@old.lighthouse-sf.org for more information.

Forester Arthur Peterson discusses the importance of his mobility training since becoming blind five years ago. Arthur is active and uses both a long cane and a Trekker Breeze GPS System to travel confidently and with much more information

LightHouse News

Act Now to Reserve Your Cabin at Enchanted Hills Camp, Horse Camp

05/14/2015 LightHouse Staff

If you’ve waited until the last minute to sign up for camp this summer you’d better grab your chance now. Family Camp is completely sold out except for a few spots with lodging in our rustic lower-camp cabins. We still have a few openings in our Youth and Adult sessions. And if you’re ages 16 to 24 and have longed to commune with horses this summer, don’t lose your spot at our new Horse Camp session.

Sign up online using one of the applications on the Enchanted Hills page of our website. For a hard copy of the application, please contact Taccarra Burrell at ehc@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Blog Bits, LightHouse News

Ever Had Problems with a Rideshare or Taxi App?

05/08/2015 LightHouse Staff

Here at the LightHouse, we want to help focus the conversation on apps and accessibility. The logical place to start, it seems, is with transportation network companies (TNCs), which use apps with great success to provide new transportation options.

When you need a ride, who do you call?

The blind community has lots of strong feelings, both positive and negative, when it comes to “ridesharing” apps. These apps, such as Uber, Lyft, Sidecar, FlyWheel, and others, have come to all but replace the old taxi system with a form of transportation that’s cheaper, faster, and, if you know how to work a smartphone, far more convenient than calling a cab. Members of the blindness community have proven to be some of these technologies’ earliest adopters and biggest fans; some of us even attend public hearings to speak in favor of the startups that inhabit our city and make it easier for us to get around.

But even with the best innovations come new roadblocks. In particular, some rideshare companies have not done a very good job of educating their drivers (most-often independent contractors) about the stipulations of the ADA, which makes it illegal for places of public accommodation to deny someone service based on a disability. Many specific issues are going to court, but for every case that ends up in the courts, we know there are dozens more stories that are untold.

This is our call to the blindness community, both in San Francisco and internationally, to weigh in with your feedback about specific rideshare services — not to comment on the recent Uber case per se, but to tell us personally what you’ve experienced as a visually impaired person, using any and all of the available options now on the market.

Which app has the biggest problems? Which ones are doing everything right? Did you ever feel discriminated against? Perhaps these apps have only changed your life for the better — we want to hear about that, too!

To share your story, good or bad, you can comment, send us a message on Facebook, Tweet at us, or even email our community manager directly at communications@old.lighthouse-sf.org. This is about ironing out the rough edges, celebrating what already works, and making sure that we will live in a future where we can expect all the same rights and enjoyments as the rest of the public. We’re looking forward to hearing your feedback!

LightHouse News

Tell BART What You Want This Thursday in a Telephone Town Hall

05/04/2015 LightHouse Staff

When it come to Bay Area Rapid Transit, everyone has something to say. Ever wish you could call up BART officials directly and tell them what you think — what’s working and what’s not? Well, now you can.

This Thursday, May 7, BART officials will hold their first ever telephone town hall meeting and webcast from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to offer the public a seat at the table and to affect BART’s new budget which will be adopted July 2015.

BART officials will take questions from participants who call in live. There is also an online webcast feature that allows you to submit a question in writing during the event and watch along live from a computer. You can also simply listen in if you would rather not ask a question.

This is a great opportunity for members of the communities most dependent on BART to call in and have their voices heard, and participate in a meaningful way to create better and more accessible transportation for the cities we live in. Items of discussion will include a planned base fare increase, new train cars, and the overall $1.6 billion that makes up BART’s annual budget.

Sign up in advance to receive an invitation and direct phone call at the start of the town hall. The webcast link is here. If you’d like to call in at 6:30 p.m. on May 7, the numbers for those who haven’t signed up are 855-269-4484 (English) and 888-400-9342 (Spanish). For more information, see the BART website.

LightHouse News

LightHouse Events Emails and Website Calendar

04/30/2015 LightHouse Staff

Want to receive a weekly update of LightHouse events, classes, outings and fun goings-on? Sign up for our Community Services Activities and Events List by emailing Beth Berenson at info@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

If you are a blind or a low vision youth, or the parent of someone who is blind or low vision, you need to sign up for our new Youth Program Events List. This is the email that will tell you all about the LightHouse social, recreational and educational outings and adventures we offer each month, just for blind and low vision youth. You’ll also hear about scholarship and other youth related educational and leadership opportunities. To sign up for our Youth Program Events List, or for more information about the program, please contact Jamey Gump, Youth services Coordinator, at 415-694-7372 or jgump@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

You can also keep up-to-date on the dozens of fun, educational and interesting community classes, workshops, training courses and events we offer on the LightHouse calendar.

Blog Bits, LightHouse News

Check Out This Amazing Blind Pianist, Nobuyuki Tsujii (+ special ticket discount)

04/30/2015 LightHouse Staff 2 Comments

Nobuyuki Tsujii at the piano

In anticipation of this summer’s Music Academy at Enchanted Hills in Napa, we’re excited to announce our first concert discount, through the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University. Email wbutler@old.lighthouse-sf.org for a 25% off coupon to see Nobuyuki Tsujii Friday, May 1 at Green Music Center in Rohnert Park, CA [ticket link].

Here at the LightHouse, we try to steer clear of stereotypes; like, for instance, “blind people play the piano!” That being said, when a blind pianist, especially one as young as Nobuyuki Tsujii, rises to achieve one of the highest honors in the music world, it’s definitely worth celebrating. Tsujii’s prowess at classical piano is literally breathtaking. From pounding études to sensitive, melting nocturnes, he can truly do it all, which is why he took home the gold medal at 2009’s Van Cliburn piano competition in Texas. Since then, he has traveled the world, educating students about both music and blindness. Blind since birth, Tsujii learned to play the piano using braille music (check out our Music Academy for more info on that). Now working at the highest levels, Tsujii has graduated to learning extensive classical works by ear. An article translated on his website from Japanese explains: “Learning a piece of music involves much more than simply memorizing a sequence of notes and dynamic effects. The musician’s mind, ear, and fingers have to master thousands of details, including subtle variations in tone, phrasing, voicing, and the piece’s musical architecture.”

Tomorrow night, May 1, Tsujii will perform Chopin, Beethoven, and other pieces at the beautiful new Green Music Center at Sonoma State University, and if you’d like to buy tickets, we’d like to help! In support of our upcoming Music Academy at Enchanted Hills in Napa, the Green Music Center has offered 25% off for friends of the LightHouse. Just email communications@old.lighthouse-sf.org and you’ll get back a promo code. If you can’t make the trek, definitely still listen to Tsujii’s performances on YouTube, such as the one below, of him playing a striking étude by Franz Liszt.

LightHouse News

LightHouse Legacy Society: Be a Changemaker, Improving the Lives of Blind and Low Vision People for Years to Come

04/30/2015 LightHouse Staff

In the LightHouse’s 113 year history bequests and other types of planned gifts have been transformative, allowing the LightHouse to flourish and grow as a leader in programs to empower the Blind Community. Over 500 gifts from estates, from small to large have been contributed to the LightHouse.

We are now launching the LightHouse Legacy Society for those who have chosen to include the LightHouse in their will, living trust or other estate plans. LightHouse Legacy Society members will be recognized (if they wish) on the LightHouse web site, in our annual report, LightHouse News and on a special donor wall in braille and tactile letters. And LightHouse Legacy Society members will be invited to exclusive events, to meet peers and get an insider’s look into emerging technology and programs for the blind.

As you can tell, it’s an exciting time at the LightHouse. As we grow and aim to serve three times as many members of the blind, visually impaired and deaf-blind community, from small children to elders, your involvement is essential. Our leadership in the field and our ground-breaking programs are possible because of donors like you.

Are you interested in being an inaugural member in the LightHouse Legacy Society? Or would you like information about including the LightHouse or Enchanted Hills in your Estate Plans? Contact Jennifer Sachs at 415-694-7333 or jsachs@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

LightHouse News

Let us Braille Your Restaurant Menus

04/30/2015 LightHouse Staff

Braille by people who know and use braille daily.

Does your place of business want to be more inclusive for all disabilities? Do you get complaints about your restaurant not being accessible? Are you concerned about complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? The LightHouse is the answer to all of these questions and more.

Our Braille Translation Services can produce text into braille for your blind and low vision readers. For over 25 years we’ve taken care of restaurants like yours. Our turnkey braille production is accurate and easy to read.

LightHouse Braille Translation Services

Restaurant menus (branded with company logo)
Braille-over-print publications
Braille business cards
Tactile Maps and Floorplans
Proofing and approval of ADA braille signage

The LightHouse also offers:

Consulting on how to accommodate individuals with disabilities
Blindness and Dog Guide etiquette

Hiring the LightHouse sends the right message: that your blind and low vision visitors’ needs and right to accessible information are a priority. To learn more or place an order, contact us: madlab@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7349.