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AFB Senior Site Officially Launches

It's a big day for AFB. This morning we officially launched AFB Senior Site—a new, totally accessible, multimedia web site geared toward the millions of seniors with age-related vision loss and their family and friends. With diseases like age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy expected to double as the nation's 78 million baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond, we felt it was really important to help Americans understand that people can continue to live normal, active lives with vision loss. This message is heard again and again in video diaries on the site. Take this one from our dear friend Deanne Jackson, who talks about how she learned to cope with macular degeneration:

VIDEO: Deanne Jackson: From Despair to Hope

The overall goal of the new site is to help this country's growing low vision population maintain independence. On the site you'll find links to community resources and easy-to-implement tips on how to cook, read, get around your community, play sports, pay bills, shave, make phone calls, tell time, use the internet, shop, apply makeup, and organize your clothing with vision loss.

We're really excited about this new web site and encourage all of you to take a look at it and share the information with as many people as possible. We want all Americans to know that little changes make a big difference, and there is hope and help out there.

Helen Keller Documentary Wins Award at NY International Film Festival

And we're back! I returned to the NY office earlier this week after a successful JLTLI Conference in Dallas, TX. Keep checking afb.org for post-conference overviews, reflections, and photos.

Amid a plethora of e-mails in my inbox early this week, I came across a noteworthy press release. Back in 2006, I worked with Emmy Award-winning producer and director Penny Price on a documentary about Helen Keller. The film, titled "Shining Soul: Helen Keller's Spiritual Life & Legacy," commemorated the 125th anniversary of Helen Keller's birth and explored the last years of her life, years that have remained unknown to many. I was pleased to read that the documentary won the Best Director's Award in Short Film Genre: Documentary, 2006 at the New York International Film Festival. I encourage you to check out the release to find out more about the film and note other film festival awards that have been presented to "Shining Soul."

Blogging Hiatus

Things are really busy at AFB right now. We are gearing up for our annual Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute, which is being held in Dallas late next week. That's also where we give out our prestigious Access Awards and Migel Medals. This year we have some exciting awardees including Google, Canon, AMC Theatres, and more. We'll definitely post some photos after the event.

In addition, we are about to publicly launch a new campaign designed to help seniors and their family members cope with age-related vision loss—a growing public health problem in this country. AFB staffers are really excited about our work in this area, so expect a big post on this in the coming week. In the meantime, I wanted to apologize for dropping off the blogging bandwagon and promise we'll be posting more often.

Blind Center of Nevada Takes a Gamble with Hospitality Program

With the recent buzz around the possibility of a new casino in upstate New York, I was interested in reading an article that appeared in the Las Vegas Review Journal about a new employment training program designed to equip blind students with the skills needed to work in Las Vegas hotels and casinos. The program, offered at the Blind Center of Nevada, consists of classes in computers, oral and written communications, and business math; requires students to participate in workshops on job seeking and hospitality sales; and involves the completion of a two-week internship. Though all of the present students are local residents, Bob Waldorf, the Blind Center's vice president of operations, hopes to see the program grow to draw students from around the country.

Programs like this one are so important because the rate of unemployment in the blindness community is very high--less than half of visually impaired working-age adults are employed. Not only will the program benefit the blind, but it will simultaneously fill the staffing gap for the local casinos. It sounds to me like a win-win situation!

"Black Sun" Debuts on Cinemax

Guest Blogger, Abby Manishor, Communications Specialist

Last May, AFB's communications deparment attended a screening of a film titled, "Black Sun," about a painter/filmmaker living with vision loss. The movie is very inspiring because the artist, Hugues de Montalembert continued to pursue an independent and adventurous lifestyle despite the tragic circumstances that led to his blindness. Hugues serves as a great role model for people in the vision loss community and I am pleased to announce that his story will now be available to a wider audience. "Black Sun" airs tomorrow, February 28 at 7 p.m. (EST) on the cable movie channel Cinemax. I encourage you all to treat yourself to this thought-provoking film.

Help expand possibilities for people with vision loss—Donate to AFB.