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ASB Visions Newsletter |
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December 2004:
ACCESS, ATHLETICS, and INSPIRATION
Associated Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired presents the 45th Annual Louis Braille Awards
Wednesday November 10, 2004 was a night dedicated to recognizing models of access, athletics and inspiration, as Associated Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired (ASB) presented the 45th Annual Louis Braille Awards to General Electric, the Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports and Timmy Kelly. Patricia C. Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and President of Associated Services for the Blind, commenced the ceremony by congratulating the honorees and thanking individuals and corporations for their support. A.E. Piscopo, Chief Executive Officer & President of The Glenmede Trust Company, served as honorary chairperson for the event. He spoke of getting to see first hand the invaluable programs and services ASB offers to people who are blind or visually impaired during a recent tour of the agency. Jim Reed of Verizon presented the Corporate Louis Braille Award to General Electric, also a platinum sponsor of the evening. Jonathan Jacoby, after demonstrating for guests a number of the accessible appliances which had won the company this recognition, accepted the award. GE donated a washer and dryer with a braille overlay kit that was raffled off at the event. The winning ticket belonged to ASB board member John W. Church, Jr. who had opted to donate the appliances to an ASB client, so Emily Langford of Philadelphia is the lucky winner. ASB Board member Russell Redenbaugh presented the Special Recognition Award to Isabel Bohn on behalf of the Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports which she founded in 1995. The organization was recognized for programs that have helped thousands in our region overcome traditional barriers to athletics. And those seeking inspiration need look no further than singing sensation and Individual Louis Braille Award honoree Timmy Kelly who opened the ceremony with a performance of God Bless America. Kelly has wowed everyone from Eagles and Phillies fans to Governor Rendell and President and Mrs. George W. Bush. The event concluded with Timmy singing What a Wonderful World. Lauren Hart of NBC10 presented the award to Timmy Kelly. ASB Board Members Connie Colla of CN8 and Ed Cunningham of WHYY were the evening's co-emcees. Proceeds of the annual Louis Braille Awards directly benefit ASB's clients. In addition to General Electric Corporation, sponsors of the evening included The Glenmede Trust Company, KPMG LLP, Northwestern Human Services, and Verizon Communications, Inc.
RICB marks 15th broadcast of Thanksgiving parade Live from the foot of the Washington Statue at Eakins Oval in Center City, the Radio Information Center for the Blind (RICB) recorded its 15th broadcast of the TV 6 ABC Boscov’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, giving RICB listeners the opportunity to enjoy the parade from the comfort of their home with friends and family. RICB’s Thanksgiving Day broadcast is unique in that it provides descriptive narration of the floats, marching bands and balloons for the three-hour parade. RICB volunteer John Krug, along with ASB employees John Corrigan and Richard Patterson braved the rain and wind this year to give detailed description of the parade as well as introduce special appearances by guest stars Kelly Ripa and Miss America Deidre Downs. Listeners also had the opportunity to hear performances by The Tramps, and Motown singer, Martha Reeves. This was Krug's second year narrating the parade, which he says is the most fun he has had as a volunteer. Thanksgiving trivia, history, and anecdotes from past parades were also incorporated into the broadcast to entertain listeners. For more information on RICB, please call (215) 627-0600, ext. 3206.
School project positively impacts ASB clients This Fall, students taking Management 100 at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania embarked on a project to make Philadelphia more accessible to people who are blind and visually impaired, and the result has been a business community more open to customers with disabilities. ASB has enjoyed a partnership with the Wharton School for many years, with students conducting research projects in different departments throughout the agency. This year, the United Way invited ASB to develop a project for Management 100, a required credit course for Wharton School freshmen which provides students with opportunities to increase their leadership and communication skills while making a contribution to the local community. For this project, students worked with ASB’s Marketing, Public Relations, and Development Departments to establish a Seal of Access program, which sets guidelines for businesses to follow to become more accessible for people who are blind or visually impaired. Once met, businesses receive an ASB Seal of Access for display. Although the students have wrapped up their work on the project for this semester, they plan on staying in close contact with ASB and local businesses to ensure this program continues. A Seal of Access Guidebook listing approved local businesses is available by contacting (215) 627-0600. Calling all General Electric Employees and Retirees ASB has become eligible for the GE Foundation Community Matching Gift Program. Each year, if ASB receives a minimum of 10 donations from General Electric employees or retires, the GE Foundation will match each gift dollar-for-dollar. Gifts can be designated to ASB in general or to the program of your choice. Please help us benefit from this generous opportunity by making a gift to ASB today! Contact ASB Development at 215-627-0600, ext. 3278 with any questions. First Annual Golf Tournament To Benefit Associated Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired
The Ace Club ASB client serves as role model for his family John Curran has always known that someday he could have circulation problems, since that medical condition runs in his family and led to his father and grandfather having their legs amputated. So it came as a very big shock to him when he and two of his seven siblings started having problems with their eyesight, not their legs. John first started experiencing the effects of Retinitis Pigmentosa about 8 years ago, but it wasn’t until 4 years ago that it started impacting his life. “The disease didn’t seem that bad and all of a sudden it took a strangle hold on me,” he said.ASB At this time, John was working in the carpet business. Although he could no longer perform his duties there, he was determined to keep working, so he took a job as a newspaper delivery person. Since he could not see the houses very well from a distance, he would take each paper to the top step, making him very popular on his route. He also used newspapers to guide him, by rolling them up and running them along fences. Not having formal mobility training, he gave up his route two years ago because it became increasingly dangerous for him. At the suggestion of his physician, he enrolled in ASB’s Personal Adjustment to Blindness Training (PABT) class last July, although he admits that he could have used the training sooner. Being taught how to use a white cane from ASB’s mobility instructor has given John increased confidence. “It’s freedom,” he said. He has also learned how to read braille and type, both skills he did not have before he lost his vision. Once John graduates from PABT, he hopes to enroll in ASB’s Computer Technology Center. John credits ASB with changing his life by giving back his independence and filling him with hope for the future. | ||
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| Copyright 1995-2003. All rights reserved. Associated Services for the Blind, 919 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone: (215) 627-0600 | Fax: (215) 922-0692 |
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