VABVI would like to take this time to remind our friends and partners that White Cane Awareness Day is approaching. Since Governor Madeleine Kunin first formally recognized the holiday in 1990, VABVI has marked White Cane Awareness Day on October 15th, in order to raise public awareness of pedestrians' rights, motorists' responsibilities, and the challenges that our blind and visually impaired neighbors face as they navigate Vermont's streets and sidewalks. For more information on this year's activities, please contact VABVI's Rutland Office at (802) 775-6452.
VABVI is pleased to announce that this year's Burlington LIONS Club’s William Hauke Charity Golf Tournament, held Sunday, August 1st at the Williston Golf Club, was a resounding success. Proceeds from the tournament will be used to help fund the Gift of Sight Program and VABVI's programs and services. All gifts were matched dollar-for-dollar by The Gibney Family Foundation and cash prizes were awarded for earning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place! For more information please contact Herb Noyes at (802) 864-6867 or Bill Lanzetta at (802) 860-0389.
VABVI is pleased to announce the details of the upcoming 2010 IRLE summer camps, running from July 21st to the 23rd for our younger students and August 23rd to the 25th for teens. Our younger students are traveling to Ascutney, where they will primarily focus on developing their daily living skills. Additionally, they will tour the Montshire Museum, go horseback riding, and visit the Aquatic Swimming Center. Our teenaged students are traveling to Boston, where they can practice skills that will allow them to navigate a large city. Our students will also visit the Perkins School for the Blind, one of the oldest and most respected schools of its kind, in addition to walking the Freedom Trail and touring the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. We are very excited about this year’s IRLE sessions and are confident they will be valuable opportunities for our students to learn the skills that will allow them to thrive socially, excel academically, and succeed in tomorrow’s workplace – all while enjoying their summer! VABVI will post pictures and more information after the camps conclude.
On August 28th, 2010, VABVI will held a day-long educational workshop for families, para-educators and teachers of visually impaired students. This workshop was designed to help family members and educators better understand the challenges that visually impaired youth face and to provide insight regarding how to help these children overcome those obstacles. Learning and reading strategies were also discussed for students who read large print and Braille.
We are pleased to announce that this year’s VABVI Annual Dinner and Silent Auction on June 3rd, 2010 at the Burlington Country Club, was a huge success. We enjoyed record attendance and table sponsorship, and we were delighted that we could be joined by one of our youngest students, Timeka Giroux, and her family. We would like to thank the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds for donating a ten-day pass, dinner for two nights, and two tickets to see Bill Cosby at the Champlain Valley Expo, and to the Governor’s office for donating lunch with Governor Douglas, and to all other businesses and individuals who donated to the Silent Auction. Special thanks goes to our table sponsors, silver level: Blue Cross / Blue Shield, Robert and Polly McEwing, TD Bank, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group, William and Carole Hauke.
Bronze Level: Ai Squared, Concept 2, Fleischer Jacobs Group, GW Plastics, MacLean, Meehan & Rice, MBF Bioscience, Northfield Savings Bank, Revision Eyewear, and Symquest Group.
