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Recently, at the Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind (LVIB), a group of clients and instructors, all visually impaired or blind, met for the first session of LVIB’s Leisure & Relaxation Program. This event, funded in part by the Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring, was much anticipated as the pandemic continues to isolate and cause distress in a population that is already isolated by vision impairment and are at a higher risk of experiencing depression than people who are sighted.
The event kicked off with arts and crafts. As the participants painted napkin holders, they introduced themselves and relaxed. They talked about how the isolation of the pandemic was worse than losing their vision, how they spend most of their time alone, and how they really appreciate being together. Then, as the paint dried, they moved on to Bingo. The game started slowly, but once the participants got used to the large print bingo cards and the raised numbers and text, things got interesting. The winner confessed that she used to be an avid bingo-player before she lost her vision and playing with the group gave her so much satisfaction. After losing her vision, she thought she’d never play bingo again.
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The need for the Leisure & Relaxation Program is considerable and there are no other programs like it. So many people who are visually impaired feel alone and they have access needs that are not usually met in the community. The population served by LVIB need large print, magnification, tactile embellishments, good lighting, and environments that are easy to navigate. Also, many need help learning new skills so they can do things independently and that is what they get when they come to LVIB. The mission of LVIB is to educate, empower, and employ people who are visually impaired and blind. To meet our mission, we provide residents of Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus with no-cost vision rehabilitation and opportunities to maintain and increase independence. To learn about the Lighthouse, please visit www.lvib.org.
The Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring (FMCFOC) is playing an important part in the Leisure & Relaxation Program. Access is being made possible through a FMCFOC grant that enabled LVIB to purchase accessible games and pocket-talkers. Since 2005, the Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring has been dedicated to building healthy, safe, and vibrant neighborhoods by strategically re-investing locally through qualified grassroots nonprofit organizations in order to provide hope, opportunities, and solutions to those who need it most. To date, FMCFOC has granted over $3.6 million dollars to 180 local nonprofits. To learn about the Florida Medical Clinic Foundation of Caring, please visit www.fmcfoc.org.
The next session of the Leisure & Relaxation Program is in development. LVIB is seeking donations and grants so that more people in need can attend. The major obstacle is transportation. Most clients live on a fixed income and cannot afford the cost of a taxi to get to and from LVIB. While LVIB is able to provide transportation for its Independent Living Skills Programs, we have limited means so are asking for help from the community.
Photo caption: Paula Tunget, Vi Massell, and Rhonda Warren. The first session of LVIB’s Leisure & Relaxation Program began with arts and crafts. It was the perfect ice breaker and soon there were lots of smiles and warm laughs.
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