Category: News and Views
If you know of anyone in the Grayson County, Texas area, please let them know about this.
Local blind have more resources
By Holli Estridge
Herald Democrat
Blind and visually-impaired people, and their friends and family in the
Texoma region have a new place to go for local resources and support.
Carla Thompson of Denison, at the urging of her Texas Commission for the
Blind counselor, started Visually Impaired People, a support group that
meets 10:30
a.m. the third Thursday of each month on the third floor of the Texoma
Council of Governments Building in Sherman.
Current VIP members range from those who are totally blind to people with
slight visual impairment, Thompson said, but most members are legally blind.
The group's mission is to provide a support group for the blind or people
who are losing their sight and their friends and family members. VIP is also
working
with the Texoma Area Paratransit Authority to improve transportation for
legally blind people in the region who are no longer able to drive.
Thompson said she started the organization after she and her Commission for
the Blind counselor discussed the number of visually impaired people in the
Texoma region.
Thompson's counselor suggested she start a local support group.
Thompson started VIP in April, after contacting each person on the
Commission for the Blind mailing list as a starting point. Formerly the
Texas Commission
for the Blind, the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services
provides services to visually impaired people, including independent living
instruction,
Braille lessons and access to a library of books on tape.
The VIP's first meeting brought a large crowd, but Thompson said she thinks
transportation problems have kept several members from attending additional
meetings.
As the group grows, Thompson said she hopes VIP will educate the community
about the needs of the blind and let local residents know what blind people
can
give to the community. Among the current members of VIP are a massage
therapist and a restaurant employee.
The VIP also hopes to perform community outreach programs in local schools
to talk to children about the blind. "We have talked about the possibility
of
a `Walk in my shoes' seminar to show children what it's like to live as a
blind person," she said. "We want to raise awareness."
So far, VIP has served as a place of encouragement and support. "We learn
from each other about different gadgets that are out," Thompson said, "like
this
machine that reads color. You can hold it against a shirt, and it will read
`khaki.'" Through her membership, Thompson said she has received
encouragement
from others in learning Braille.
For more information about VIP, contact Thompson at (903) 463-3119.