Agency collaborates with U of M on ceramics workshops for young people
with severe vision loss

More than 90 students who are blind or visually impaired tapped into their creativity through a ceramics workshop series put on by the University of Michigan in conjunction with the Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Young people from the city of Detroit, as well as from Wayne and Macomb counties, participated in the workshops, which were taught by U of M Professor and artist Sadashi Inuzuka, who himself is visually impaired.

Workshop participants were encouraged to explore their creativity, making everything from prehistoric creatures and automobiles, to self-portraits and gifts for mom and dad.

The seven-session series, which ran between the first and 15th of May at the U of M Detroit Center, marked the eighth time the Agency has collaborated with Sadashi over the past ten years. U of M art students were recruited to help conduct the workshops, creating an opportunity for the students to meet and interact with children who have visual impairments.

The Agency once again thanks Professor Sadashi, who obtained grant funding to conduct the workshops, for his commitment to metro Detroit children with severe vision loss.

An art show highlighting the youngsters’ work will be displayed at U of M’s Detroit Center this fall.

For more information about Agency children and youth programming, call Mary Beth Kullen at 313-272-3900.

Champions of community service, Lions of Michigan hold state convention

Representatives of Lions Clubs throughout the state gathered in Sault Sainte Marie this past weekend for the Lions of Michigan state convention.

The Lions of Michigan are dedicated to providing service to others, placing special emphasis on helping those with disabilities within their own communities and throughout the state.

Club officers, district officers and delegates from metro Detroit met with their counterparts in western, central and northern Michigan to honor individual members and clubs doing outstanding work in their communities.

"Lions Clubs are dedicated to helping those who need it most," says GDABVI Board Chairman Fred Simpson, himself a Lion and convention attendee. Simpson, who is a Past District Governor, points to initiatives such as SightFirst, an effort by Lions Clubs throughout the world to help prevent the spread of Onchocerciasis, or River Blindness. Through the Lions’ SightFirst initiative, $30 million has been raised to support the distribution of Mectizan, the drug used to treat and control the spread of the disease, to 114 million people in Africa and Latin America.

There are more than 45,000 Lions Clubs throughout the world, consisting of 1.3 million club members – all volunteers – in 202 countries and geographical areas.

GDABVI salutes Lions Clubs throughout Michigan and the world for their commitment to community service and thanks them for their support of GDABVI.

UltraViolet rays can be damaging to the eyes

Summer is coming... and that means fun in the sun. And while most people know the harmful effects that ultraviolet (UV) rays can have on the skin, many are not aware of the damage that they can cause to the eyes. Possibly the most frightening aspect of UV damage is that it is cumulative, meaning the negative effects may not present themselves until years later.
Click here to learn more.

My perspective - Mona Ramouni

Life is full of challenges, great and small. As a person who is totally blind, I face many challenges… and one of the hardest is becoming comfortable with the concept of interdependence.

Through my work as a volunteer tutor with GDABVI’s Accessible Computer Training (ACT) program, I’ve come to better understand that, while I may sometimes need the help of others, I also have something to give back.

Things haven't always been so clear to me, though. My natural inclination is to want to do things by myself… to feel that I don't need anyone's help.

So initially, when I agreed to become a volunteer tutor, I knew I would be teaching others with severe vision loss to use the computer utilizing a speech synthesizer, from which they could learn basic typing, Internet, and email skills. But that was really all I thought would come out of the experience.
Now I don't like admitting I'm wrong, but just this once, I was. Because even though I have taught these skills to new computer users, I have learned so much more in return by witnessing their willingness to learn. So as I teach others, they teach me much more… and I am blessed to finally be the one to give back.

My experience as an ACT tutor has helped me learn that interdependence is part of the human experience. That's because no one, be they sighted or blind, can do everything alone.

For more information about the Agency’s Accessible Computer Training program, call Cathy McAdam at 313-563-1412.