Professional photographer Lorraine Miller-Wolf’s photo exhibition features images of North Coast residents who participated in one of LightHouse’s Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion sessions at Enchanted Hills Camp. This evocative group of photos is currently located on the second floor of the Humboldt Senior Resource Center, in the same building that houses LightHouse of the North Coast.

Lorraine grew up in Southern California and moved north to finish her schooling at Humboldt State University. She met Richard Wolf, her husband of 28 years, through a friend. Richard, originally from Ohio, is a retired nephrologist (a doctor that specializes in kidney care and treating diseases of the kidneys.) Lorraine originally connected with LightHouse of the North Coast Services Coordinator Ali Lee to see if LightHouse could provide services for her mother. Later Lorraine experienced a detached retina which was repaired with surgery. Both these experiences brought home to the couple the desire to give back to the blindness community.

In 2011 Richard volunteered as our Kids Camp doctor. Both Lorraine and Richard attended the May 2013 week-long Immersion intensive which attracted students from as far north as Crescent City and as far south as Gilroy. Richard continued his role as camp doctor while Lorraine volunteered as the camp photographer and yoga class assistant.

Ali Lee said, “The brand of volunteerism Lorraine and Richard provide LightHouse comes from long and deep commitments to the local community and we’re to have gotten to know them. She’s the professional photographer, with a penchant for curating photographic exhibits for non-profits and exploring tactile art forms. He’s the doctor, carrying an iPad, with a penchant for recumbent cycling and bee keeping. And they have inspired another Eureka doctor, nephrologist Dr. Alan Mathew, to volunteer at Enchanted Hills Camp this summer.”

This summer both Lorraine and Richard will volunteer again for the June Immersion Training, alongside other mentor-teachers. Their expertise will complement instruction by assistive technology specialists, braille teachers, Orientation & Mobility Specialists and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists.

Several years ago Lorraine curated, on behalf of LightHouse of the North Coast, an exhibition of artwork by local blind and low vision artists called “Modified Acuity” and both Lorraine and the artists participated in Arts Alive, in Old Town Eureka. Lorraine’s current exhibition of photographs from our Immersion session, including the photos shown below, will be on display at the Humboldt Senior Resource Center through June. The photographs feature people being introduced to braille, adaptive kitchen skills, blindness technology, and walking at Enchanted Hills with their white canes. The close-ups show hands reading, vision rehabilitation teachers instructing, mentors guiding, and people laughing. The photographs exemplify what Lorraine describes as “each person blossoming” within the intensive learning environment in rural Napa. As thoughtful artifacts, these photographs are evidence of the potentials of the immersion training experience.

Lorraine told us, “If even one person becomes aware of the work the LightHouse does it will be worthwhile.” The exhibition then moves to the Mad River Community Hospital during July and August. Lorraine’s work can also be viewed online at www.millerwolf.com. Contact her at lorraine@millerwolf.com or 707-633-5006.

New to Vision Loss? Sign Up for Our September Immersive Training Session
Our next Changing Vision Changing Life Immersion Training at Enchanted Hills will be held September 7 through 13. If you are interested in joining us please contact Rehabilitation Counselor Debbie Bacon at dbacon@old.lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7357. Those in the North Coast phone 707-268-5646 or email northcoastinfo@old.lighthouse-sf.org.

Here are two photos from Lorraine’s photo exhibition, which can be currently seen at Humboldt Senior Resource Center, which is also the location of LightHouse of the North Coast.