LVIB Children’s Program Teaching Assistant Linda Laffey demonstrates how play is used to teach children who are visually impaired.
Kenny Ratzlaff, LVIB’s Orientation and Mobility Specialist, explains how a white cane is used.
As LVIB’s Sandra Daluz guides a tour through the mural hallway, a guest stops to read a braille plate.
This just in…We got a NPR LVIB Grand Opening media hit–here’s a link to “Lighthouse for Blind celebrates grand opening.” Thanks for your support, Suncoast News! We know our readers will enjoy your story!
Last Thursday afternoon, 250+ politicians, service providers, business owners, Lighthouse clients, and the general public flocked to the New Port Richey Lighthouse for our much anticipated Grand Opening event. Guests came from all corners of Pasco County and beyond, as Lighthouse (LVIB) services are heartwarming and also unique in the counties we serve.
At the event, LVIB staff provided dozens of tours and service demonstrations. Tours stopped in our store, which sells assistive devices for the blind and items made by the blind; at the Low Vision & Binocular Vision Clinic of Florida; in front of an artistic rendering of the future Davison Sensory Garden & Accessible Playground; and in the babies, children, and teens hallway where people delighted in touching the Children’s Mural, which is an underwater scene designed by Daniel Daluz, and the Cityscape Mural of the Tampa skyline designed by Richard Hilton.
The murals are colorful, high contrast, and tactile, so they can be appreciated by those who are visually impaired as well as those who are sighted.
Service demonstrations included the use of voice-to-text commands on a computer, slicing using the bridge technique, and taking a walk with a human guide. The guests listened with interest and fascination as they entered classroom after classroom, each designed specifically for the needs of our babies, children, teens, adults and seniors.
After all the touring and touching, the guests attended the recognition presentation, emceed by Sarah Blazonis of Bay News 9, and the ribbon cutting ceremony, provided by Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce. During the presentation, LVIB CEO Jonathan Fister thanked our Legacy Builders and major donors who helped design, build, and equip the New Port Richey LVIB. This new facility is an important tool for services and awareness. Fister invited those who missed the grand opening to come in to learn about services that can help people cope with the physical and emotional impact of vision loss.
The New Port Richey LVIB is a state-of-the-art training facility for individuals who are blind. The organization leverages personnel, technology, and accessibility as needed to ensure people of all ages achieve maximum independence. The New Port Richey LVIB is the headquarters for operations in Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus counties. The mission of LVIB is to educate, empower, and employ people who are visually impaired and blind. The organization has provided vision rehabilitation training and counseling for over 35 years.
The response to the new building on Thursday was a combination of excitement, gratitude, and joy. Some individuals wiped a tear of happiness while others clapped and congratulated LVIB. The most important response, however, was the appreciation expressed by clients and their families. The new facility is a place where clients can feel comfortable, included, and inspired to develop the skills they need to become confident, productive, and independent. It is also a place where they can return to when they need support along the way.
The above photos are courtesy of Photos by J. David, with exception to the mural hallway which is courtesy of Christopher Williams.
View more event photos on Google Photos.
