In This Issue Shared Experiences Motivate and Inspire Veteran Fall 2010.pdfF u n d r a i s i n g...
Transcript of In This Issue Shared Experiences Motivate and Inspire Veteran Fall 2010.pdfF u n d r a i s i n g...
Fall 2010
for the bl ind and visual ly impaired
He survived World War II aboard aship in the South Pacific, the loss ofhis house in a tragic fire on his 48thbirthday and the death of his belovedwife Caroline. Then Alfred Salice wasdiagnosed with age-related maculardegeneration.
“I decided that I was fortunatethat I had good vision for 88 years,”said Salice, now 90. “And I do havesome vision. I’m not blind.”
Al’s daughter Carol George saidher father consistently sees a glassthat is half-full. “He’s always lookingat the bright side of things. You cancount on him to be positive.”
Following his wife’s death, Alsought activities to help fill his days.When the weather was good, he’dplay golf. He took up painting in hiseighties, which he enjoyed during thewinter months. Al noticed his visionwas changing when he wasn’t able tosink the ten and twelve foot putts heused to make regularly. After severallaser treatments and eye injections,Carol asked if there were anotherresource to help her father.
“And that’s when we heardabout Vista Center,” said Carol, aretired nurse. “I’m glad that we wereproactive!”
Al now has talking books, a lightedmagnifier and white cane sincebecoming a Vista Center client. Andhe’s pushing himself to try morethings. Al took part in Choices andChanges, an educational programthat is available to adults with visualimpairments and their family mem-bers. Led by Vista Center’s socialservices staff, the sessions provideexposure to services, skills andequipment that promote independ-ence.
Al appreciated that peopleshared their personal experiences inliving with vision loss, challenginghimself after hearing what other peo-ple had overcome. “We had a manwho took a train and a couple ofbuses to get to our meetings and he
Shared Experiences Motivate and Inspire Veteran
Carol George kisses her father Al Salice.
Continued on page 8
In This IssuePage 2Ask the Expert
Page 3
Notes from theExecutive Director
Page 4 and 5
Woof to Woof
Vintage Affaire
Menlo Charity Horse Show
Page 6 and 7Appreciation andAcknowledgements
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Susan MartinPresident
Steven Sanislo, M.D.President-Elect
Mike FreitasDana GriffinPatricia WyrodVice Presidents
Meaux CostelloTreasurer
Lindy SherwoodSecretary
Claire BiancalanaPast President
Pam Brandin, M.P.A.Executive Director
Annie ChapinCharles ChenDavid KraneRosa MussallemAlla PanchenkoNaomi Chavez PetersRon SchwartzElaine StanleyIngrid SywakNels WestmanMark Wieland, M.D.Suzanne WilcoxAnna Zappettini
Ray Clegg WestmanDirector Emerita
Vista Center for the Blind andVisually Impaired
2470 El Camino Real Suite 107Palo Alto, CA 94306-1715650.858.0202fx 650.858.0214
413 Laurel StreetSanta Cruz, CA 95060-4904831.458.9766fx 831.426.6233
www.vistacenter.org
With the fall sports season upon us,and the focus on teams and team-work, I want to give a big cheer forthe Vista Center team! It’s ranked #1in my book, and by many others aswell — and I have client surveys,thank you messages and letters toprove it.
The points that our team scoresare for people helped and liveschanged, and we have no qualmsabout “running up” the score. In fact,over the last decade, we’ve tripled it— going from 800 in 1999 to nearly2500 last year, individuals who areblind or visually impaired who areonce again able to embrace life fully.This is a great source of pride!
Clients bring a vitality and sense of purpose to our two centers that
inspire all of us.
At the heart of our team is ourhighly professional and caring staff,providing a comprehensive array ofindividualized rehabilitation services inthe client’s own environment or inone of our two warmly inviting cen-ters. We address the needs of eachclient with commitment and passion— and with excellent services thatare continually updated to reflect thebest practices in the field of visionrehabilitation.
Our clients are an integral partof the Vista Center team, each work-ing with staff members on their indi-vidual rehabilitation goals until theyare attained. Clients bring a vitalityand sense of purpose to our two cen-ters that inspire all of us. Other starson the Vista Center team are our
many generous donors and LegacyCircle members, wonderfully talentedand engaged board members, fantas-tic volunteers (see more about ourfundraising events) and our expand-ing list of referral sources. We could-n’t be #1 without every one of thesepeople!
On another note, several of youhave asked me the status of VistaCenter’s Palo Alto facility over thenext few years. Rest assured! We willdefinitely be staying in our presentlocation until the end of 2013, atwhich time it will be necessary tomove. Our sights are on an enor-mously exciting possibility for ournext location, and we will look for-ward to telling you more about thatas we move closer to making it areality.
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Pam Brandin
To receive ournewsletter electronically, sendyour name andemail address [email protected].
Please become amember of theVista Center GreenTeam!
Notes from the Executive DirectorOur Ask the Expert column willappear in upcoming newsletters ande-news. This installment featuresexpert Selma Chin O.D., our seniorlow vision specialist. Dr. Chin hasbeen with Vista Center for the last 18years and is an assistant professor atU.C. Berkeley’s School of Optometry.
I have trouble with contrast. Isthere anything I can do toenhance contrast on overcastdays?For someone who is visually impaired,contrast is vitally important inimproving what we call “FunctionalVision.” On overcast days, the worldlooks grey and it may be harder tosee the curb, speed bump or even acar that blends in with the environ-ment. To improve contrast on thesedays, wearing a yellow or gold tintedsunglass or lens is often helpful.
Yellow tinted lenses make shad-ows and other blue or grey coloredobjects in the environment look dark-er while keeping the lighter coloredobjects yellow. For additional sensitivi-ty to glare, polarized yellow sun-glasses may also be helpful; however,the polarized lens will decrease theamount of light transmitted. It is bestto try out the glasses on overcastdays to determine which ones arebest suited for your vision.
My mother has significant visionloss and will be staying with usover the holidays. Is there any-thing I can do to make her staymore comfortable and even moreimportant, safe?
When people are in their own envi-ronments, they can function effective-ly from memory. When placed in anunfamiliar environment, this becomesmuch more difficult. Contrast can bethe single most important change youcan make to improve “functionalvision.” This may be as simple ashaving a dark colored shower mat ona light floor. Highlighting steps andstairs with a different colored rug atthe bottom of steps or taping a con-trasting color on the edge of the firstand last step is also helpful. If yourmother uses a walker or a cane,removing loose rugs or tacking themdown is also an option.
With regards to TV, sitting closerand increasing the contrast and colorof the picture will enable your motherto see the television better. For din-ing, choose dishware that contrasts tothe color of the food being served. Anexample would be to serve coffee in ayellow mug. As you become moreaware of using contrast in the envi-ronment, the ideas can be endlessand your mother will feel as if her“vision” has improved!
Expert Advice From Vista Center’s Low Vision Clinic
Selma Chin O.D.
Phot
o:Da
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Fundra
isin
gWoof to Woof, June 5
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Menlo Charity Horse Show, August 10-15
Vintage Affaire, June 26
Vista Center client Brandon Biggs (second from right)smiles for the camera after singing the National Anthem.He is surrounded (from left) by Vista Center presidentSusan Martin, his mother and Vista Center employee SonjaBiggs and Menlo Charity Horse Show chair Betsy Glikbarg. A break in competitionFlying Lady lives up to her name with help from Tara Ardalan.
Rosewood’s Madera staff servedshrimp with a corn custard.
Lovely ladies
Wine up for auction
Adorable adoptables
Allowed on this couch
Obedience trainingVista Center board member Mike Freitas and KathyGarver, Cissy of TV’s Family Affaire, talk with Woof toWoof attendees.
Best hair contest
Up and over
Raising paddles for Fund-A-Need
Segways made their debut this year.
Auctioneer Ursula Hermacinski
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Woof to Woof Premier Sponsors
Bay Federal Credit Union
Claire Biancalana
Pam Brandin
George Couch
Erik’s DeliCafe
Harvey Fishman, M.D.
Mike Freitas
Carin and Glenn Hanna
Julie Rawles Financial, Inc.
Law Offices of Deborah A. Malkin
Lee-Kahn Foundation
Lighthouse Bank
Moore & Miller Insurance
Ray Westman
Woof to Woof Committee
Claire Biancalana
Pam Brandin
Annie Chapin
David Farberow
Mike Freitas
Carin Hanna
Keith McKenzie
Nels Westman
Vintage Affaire Underwriters
Anonymous
Borel Private Bank & Trust
Callan Associates
Lyn Jason Cobb
DLA Piper
DPR Construction
Latham & Watkins LLP
Patterson & Sheridan, LLP
Stephen & Paula Smith
Union Bank
URS Corporation
Vintage Affaire Committee
Vintage Affaire Committee
Martha Barry
Nacole Barth-Ellis
Claire Biancalana
Pam Brandin
Nicole Buttitta
Lani Dorff
Carrie Drake
Doug Dull
Pat Dunbar
Debbie Eastburn
Martha Edwards
Justine Franklin
Karen Fryling
Grant Giske
Christine Graham
Susan Gregory
Dana Griffin
Dave Heppberger
Steve Hicks
Sara Hollister
Hilary Holmquest
Jovita Honor
Susan Kokores
Suzanne Legallet
Jamie Marks
Mary Marsh
Susan Martin
Loretta Mingram
Alla Panchenko
Glenn Procter
Candy Provines
Vanessa Roach
Lindy Sherwood
Annette Smith
Stephanie von Thaden
Britt von Thaden
Jan Woolsey
Patricia Wyrod
Alisa Young
Menlo Charity Horse Show Premier Sponsors
ABC7 - KGO - TV/DT
Allon Fine Equestrian Tack andClothing
Ann Fay Barry/Summerhouse Farm
Antarès Sellier
Asset Management Company
Atherton Lane Advisers, LLC
Avalon Hunter/Jumpers Inc.
Bay Ridge Farm
Bay Rose LLC
Beaumont Farms & Chestnut Hill
David Bell/Merrill Lynch
Vicki Bentley & Cindy Morrell
Bertram Capital
John Bragg/Bridgeport Farms
Brandon Hill Farms
Branscomb Farms
Paula & Bandel Carano
Charlebois Farm
City National Bank
Lyn Jason Cobb & Herschel Cobb
Rheta Cole
Michael & Lori Corley/Wells FargoAdvisors
Gloria & Caitlin Darke
EquestrianConnect.com
Equestrianlife.com
Ermenegildo Zegna
Tracy Katayama Esse & Oscany Inc.
Elizabeth Everitt/Princeton Capital &The Johnston Family
Keara Fallon/Metrik
First Republic Bank
Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley
Steve Goldenberg/Oppenheimer & Co.
Graniterock
Emma & Fred Goltz/Sandhaven Farm
Hawkins & Sickel Families
In Honor of Nancy Hey
Institutional Cash Distributors
IPPOS
Jacque & John Jarve
Kristen Kendall/Wells Fargo Advisors
Kiehl's
Michael Kors
Ann & Tom Livermore
Peter Lombardo/Frontier Farms
The Long Family
Millenium Tower
Mission Hospice & Home Care
Neiman Marcus
The Murray Family
The Nohra Family
Nordby Signature Homes
Nordstrom
Northern Trust
Signe Ostby & Scott Cook
Pegasus Show Stables Inc.
PhelpsSports.com
Private Bank of the Peninsula
Ralph Lauren
Rector Audi
Verla K. Regnery Foundation
Rhys Vineyards
The Ritchie Family/Guckenheimer
Robert Half International
Robert Rogers, Equestrian, LLC
Robert Foundation
Rock Ridge Ranch/Noel Dybdal &Debbie Gardiner
Rosewood Hotels and Resorts
Appreciation and AcknowledgementsRound Meadow Farm
Royal Riders/Blue Ribbon Blankets
Rubicon Farms
San Marcus Training Stables
The Shanahan Family
The Sherry Family
ShowBiz Magazine
Tom & Stacey Siebel/Mountain Home Stables
Shreve & Company
Sonoma Valley Stables
Squire, Sanders, Dempsey, LLP
The Steiny Family
Team Starkman
Tiffany & Co.
The1stMovement
UCSF Medical Center
US Bank – US Bank Private ClientReserve
Waldenbrook Farm
Wasserman Foundation
Willow Brook Stables/ Kate Considine
Windy Hill
Menlo Charity Horse ShowCommittee
Linda Andrews
Sonya Arriaga
Marsha Arutunian
Janice Ashford
Susan Baiata
Lisa Bailey
Tim Ballengee
Nacole Barth-Ellis
Joel Bartlett
Nancy Bates
David Bell
Judy Beisler
Vicki Bentley
Teresa Bergin
Gretchen Bering
Robert Bradford, Jr.
Pam Brandin
Barbara Brown
Gil Brown
Pam Brown
Sydney Brush
Judith W. Burdick
Selina Burgoon
Nicole Buttitta
Leslie Call
Paula Carano
Catherine Carlton
Judy Castaillac
Kelly Caviglia
Nan Chapman
Ann Clermont
Susan Coan
Lyn Jason Cobb
Rheta Cole
Lara Collier
Nancy Collins
Lori Corley
Drew Corradini
Alden Corrigan
Liz Crowell
Caitlin Darke
Lisa Davis
Don DeFranco
Kathi de Grosz
Mary Fischer Diffie
Dottie Dutton
Noel Dybdal
Martha Edwards
Pam Ehikian
Phyllis Fletcher
Melissa Freeman
Robin Gandolfi
Rose Garlock
Sepi Ghiasvand
Tom & Betsy Glikbarg
Steve Goldenberg
Gary Hanes
Wendy Harries
Catherine Harvey
Nancy Hassen
Marianne Haverty
Connie Hawkins
Scott Hayes
Dave & Lynne Heppberger
Nancy Hey
Polly Hey Panos
Barbara Hiller
Joann Holder
Matthew Holder
Melissa Hollatz
Hilary Holmquest
Craig Hudson
Suzanne Jain
Jamey Jonathan
Sara Jorgensen
Kristen Kendall
Susan Kokores
Ali Kolozsi
Tracy Korss
Catherine Larson
Judy Levin
Sandy Levison
Debra Leylegian
Tom Livermore
Genevieve Wolff Lydstone
Bridget Madigan
Mark Martella
Grayson Martin
Susan Martin
Sue Matthews
Jenifer McDonald
Kelly McKnight
Jolyn Montgomery
Harrie Monteith
Melissa Montresor
Cindy Morrell
Gail Morey
Michelle Mosman
Greg Munks
Peggy Munkdale
Penelope Murray
Ben Narasin
Raymond & Nicole Neal
Elaine Nelson
Polly Neumann
Marilyn Newell
Lisa Newton
Glenn Nielsen
Linda Nohra
Martha & Barry O’Neill
Bill & Nancy Parker
Wendy Darling Parkin
Catherine Perez
Pam Perez
Anne Peterson
Barbara Phillips
Nancy Popa
Nancy Price
Jeanne Quinlan
Tom Rattigan
Caerry & Nancy Robinson
Almira Rida
Suzanne Rischman
Jeanie Ritchie
Stephanie Ross
David Rummler
Negar Sadrzadeh
Linda & Mark Salvador
Nancy Sammann
Jim Sansoterra
Diane Schilling
Susan Schneider
Robyn Shanahan
Chris Shaw
Lori Sherry
Lindy Sherwood
Stacey Siebel
Judy Smith
Marilyn Sokol
Peri Soyugenc
Marilyn Spiegl
Deborah Stacey
Ingrid Sywak
Juno Szalay
Ayako Tanaka
Bente Tellefsen
Sally Tennyson
Jeanie Treichel
Agneta Turner
Gina VanDeVelde
Eric Wassman
Rose Ann Woolpert
Patricia Wyrod
Jane Yates
Thank you to the committee members and sup-porters of our three special fundraising events of2010. The enthusiasm, dedication and devotionto these events create a life-changing impact onthose living with vision loss in our communityand their family members. Please accept ourheartfelt gratitude and appreciation.
Due to space limitations, we are unable toname all of our fundraiser contributors. We thankevery donor, sponsor and attendee for allowingus to continue our mission to empower individu-als who are blind or visually impaired to embracelife to the fullest.
We empower individuals whoare blind orvisually impairedto embrace life tothe fullest.
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PAIDPERMIT #77
PALO ALTO, CA
2470 El Camino Real, Suite 107Palo Alto, CA 94306-1715
650.858.0202 Phone Number650.858.0214 Fax Number800.660.2009 From 408 Area Code800.639.6081 From 831 Area Code
www.vistacenter.org
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Continued from page 1
was blind! I decided if he could dothat, I could push myself to walk theseven blocks to the barber shop,” Alsaid. He regularly interacts with oth-ers with vision loss at a monthly VistaCenter support group he attends nearhis San Jose home. Carol said herfather has really connected with awoman in the group who has thesame eye condition. She wishes therewere more social opportunities forpeople her father’s age. “He has somuch to offer,” she said.
Carol said, though upbeatthroughout his eye treatments, herfather had been in denial thinking hedidn’t need any help. She called uponher persuasive nursing skills toencourage her father to initially visitVista Center and “just gather infor-mation and then decide what to do.”She said her father is now more opento assistance due, in her opinion, to
hearing about the struggles of otherswith vision loss.
Al is accepting some help fromhis family to retain his independence.Carol purchased a phone with largenumbers for her father and assistswith his mail and bill paying. Her sonRod installed a talking thermostatwhile Carol’s brother David markedhousehold appliances.
“Dad’s stubborn. His independ-ence is important to him and I wantto do it his way,” Carol said. “But I dorest better knowing that he is usinghis new-found skills.”
Are you or a loved one trying to gather more information about vision loss? Please visit our website at www.vistacenter.org and click on ourResources tab for some of our favoriteonline references.
for the bl ind and visual ly impaired