Remembering Bonnie

Those who attended the “Celebration Of Life” for our Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bonnie Truax, on September 12, 2009 were treated to a moving experience. It was held at the newly redecorated Pearl Stable in place of our regular monthly meeting.

Numerous individuals took the microphone to chronicle some of Bonnie’s many achievements… not only with and for the visually impaired…but also while serving as educational programs director at the Institute of Texan Cultures.

Bonnie’s selection by Voices magazine as one of the 100 women in the United States who have made significant contributions to their communities was mentioned, along with her salute in a proclamation from the Texas Senate and recognition by the Governor of Texas. In lieu of flowers, donations were requested for the Low Vision Resource Center. They now total approximately $4,500. And the beat goes on ……

Future LVC Programs

October 17, 2009
By this time you will have attended the program by Dr. Nancy Amir, OD, from the Santa Rosa Low Vision Clinic held at the Warm Springs Resource Center. She talked about and demonstrated numerous daily living items she brought with her, and explained best how to use them. In addition, the club’s Resource Table maintained by Cynthia Garcia offered many free items to take home and use.

Announcement also was made of the passing of longtime LVC member Gemma Sanders. Her family has requested that donations to the club be made in her name in lieu of flowers, and be mailed to the Low Vision Club at 11510 Sandman Drive, San Antonio, TX 78216. Similar donations for Owl Radio volunteer Buddy Robichaux produced more than $3,600.

November 21, 2009
Our special Medical Presentation presented this year by Dr. Frank Scribbick, clinical professor of ophthalmology at the UT Health Science Center, who will speak on “Nutrition and the Eye”, and Dr. R. Gary Lane, board certified ophthalmologist and retina specialist, who will cover the “Latest Research on Eye Diseases.”

It will be held in our regular meeting rooms at the Warm Springs Resource Center, 5101 Medical Drive (between Wurzbach and Babcock Roads). Social hour with refreshments from 9-10 a.m. with the program to follow from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

December 5, 2009
Our customary Christmas Dinner at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church Gymnasium, 6914 Wurzbach Road (about ½ mile west of Babcock). We had a great time here last year, and once again the church will provide us with rent-free space. Several sponsors also will contribute to hold down individual fees, despite the fact that food charges have risen substantially.

The program will begin at 11 a.m. with a traditional Christmas Dinner at noon catered by Bill Miller and served by LVC volunteers. The program will end by 1:30 p.m., and volunteers to help clean up are welcomed. Advance reservations will be required, and may be made at our club meeting on Nov. 21, or by mail to the Low Vision Club at 11510 Sandman St. San Antonio, TX 78216 and received by November 27 when we must give our guarantee to the caterer. Complete details will be mailed in the next meeting flier.

January 23, 2010
This is a “biggie”. We will leave Warm Springs and participate in the Low Vision Symposium conducted by the San Antonio Low Vision Coalition. It will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Region 20 Education Service Center, 1314 Hines Ave. in zip code 78208. The symposium will be open to the general public. and advance registration is requested. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Calvin Mein. More details to follow.

February 20, 2010
Program Committee working on this, but save the date.

March 6, 2010 (Change from normal 3rd Saturday)
Our EXPO 2010 in the gymnasium at Colonial Hills United Methodist Church on Vance Jackson (Same EXPO location as last year). This is a MUST meeting for everyone as vendors and agencies present the latest in helpful products and information to assist you in maintaining your independence. More information to follow. Save the date.

We Need Volunteers

The teacher for our club’s art class has had to resign because of medical problems. If you can teach this art class which meets on the 4th Saturday morning of each month at the Warm Springs Resource Center, please volunteer.

We also need volunteers for our program planning committee, telephone callers to remind members of monthly meetings, participants for our speakers bureau, and mentors to speak to persons referred to the club for advice by low vision specialists.

If you can help, call Cindy Garcia at (210) 287-9039. And if you’d like to coordinate all the volunteers, let her know that, too. Our regular volunteer coordinator will be leaving soon.

Oasis Person To Person

Oasis conducts a voice mail telephone service at 242-5788 for persons not in crisis, but who just want to talk to somebody or hear a friendly voice. Persons who leave their name, telephone number, and the times they can be reached, will be called back within a few days. The service is free, but callers must be 50 or older and live in Bexar County.

Owl Radio Update

Thanks to LVRC Board Member Dr. Jerry Lindner, Owl Radio broadcasts soon can be heard by patients at the downtown Baptist Hospital as well as at Methodist Hospital. He is also talking to all the other hospitals in the city in hopes of expanding the service further.

In-Touch, the nationally syndicated service from New York. Formerly used by Owl Radio to supplement local volunteer broadcasts, has gone out of business. For the moment at least, local broadcasts are being supplemented by the Houston Radio Reading Service to retain continuity.

Fundraising Campaign

We are about to start on our annual fundraising letter writing campaign. Within a short period of time, letters requesting contributions to the Low Vision Resource Center will be mailed together with remittance envelopes to many different groups. Persons receiving this newsletter will be included.

We hope you will respond generously, even if you have contributed previously to memorial funds or grant requests. If desired, you may donate through one of your major credit cards by using the Pay Pal donation feature here on our club’s website.

You also may wish to consider Planned Giving in one of its many forms.  If you wish more information about this feature, call our Executive Director, Bill Phelps, at our Owl Radio studios (210) 829-4223.  For further information about the Low Vision Resource Center, call Cindy Garcia, at (210) 287-9039.