A New Partnership,A Bright Future There is very exciting news to share here at ABVI-Goodwill! We are very pleased to announce that ABVI-Goodwill has recently acquired a new program that will have significant positive implications for the agency’s future growth and success. Earlier this summer, ABVI-Goodwill acquired the 2-1-1/LIFE LINE program from DePaul Mental Health Services. LIFE LINE is a program that has existed in our community for more than 25 years. The program provides a vital connection between individual callers and trained counselors in times of personal crisis. LIFE LINE offers 24-hour a day, 7-day a week response to individuals of all ages needing access to personal support and assistance in a crisis. 2-1-1 is a free, confidential, multilingual service created to provide an easy way to get connected with health and human services in the community. 2-1-1 is a national program initiated locally through the United Way of Greater Rochester and the 2-1-1 Finger Lakes Collaborative, of which ABVI-Goodwill is a participating member. 2-1-1 also provides 24-hour, 7-day a week access to trained counselors ready to provide information and referrals to human service agencies and programs throughout the area. 2-1-1 directly connects the caller to a local call center, operated through the LIFE LINE program, to respond to questions about mental health issues, crisis counseling, emergency food, shelter, clothing, or other human service needs. Given the tremendous success and continued growth of the ABVI-Goodwill Call Center, the acquisition of 2-1-1/LIFE LINE provided a unique opportunity to continue to offer these vital community programs and also enhance the mission of ABVI-Goodwill. “The combined goal of 2-1-1/LIFE LINE is to assist callers in finding the help and answers they need as quickly as possible,” said A. Gidget Hopf, Ed.D., president and CEO of ABVI-Goodwill. “This important collaborative effort will continue to make these services available to those in need, and will also provide a number of new employment opportunities for people who are blind and visually impaired.” The acquisition of 2-1-1/LIFE LINE added close to 40 new employees to ABVI-Goodwill. We welcome each of them to the ABVI-Goodwill team, and we are proud to have a program with such a reputation for excellence as 2-1-1/LIFE LINE. A World of Opportunities... ABVI-Goodwill’s Annual Report Highlights Past Year ABVI-Goodwill’s 2004-2005 Annual Report, A World of Opportunities, was completed earlier this summer. The report summarizes the last fiscal year, which began April 1, 2004 and ended March 31, 2005, and the many accomplishments the organization realized during that period. The annual report highlights the significant opportunities that continue to open up for people who are blind or visually impaired, and the role ABVI-Goodwill plays in helping to create many of those opportunities where none may have existed before. The 20-page report reviews our program outcomes and financial information, and recounts our accomplishments in the areas of children’s programs, community outreach efforts, career and training programs, business services, and many other areas. If you did not receive a copy of the most recent annual report and wish to read about the ways in which ABVI-Goodwill helps open up a world of opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired, please contact the agency’s marketing department at (585) 232-1111. PREFERRED FORMAT Do you prefer to receive reading material from ABVI-Goodwill in large print, email, tape, or Braille? If you are not receiving information from us in your preferred format, please call Cindy Semrau at (585) 697-5713. FROM THE President ... Organizations develop cultures just like societies do. In some ways, culture is like the organization’s personality. The culture of an organization is manifested by what you see but also by what you don’t see. For example, when you walk into a company’s facilities, you often get an immediate feel for the culture based on the things you notice, like the design of the lobby (is it plush or understated?), the way you are welcomed by the receptionist (does he/she take time to greet you in a friendly manner?), and the way people are dressed (suits and ties, business casual or something else?). The things that you don’t see are things like values and norms. Values might include a high regard for confidentiality, respect for people’s differences, or valuing humor and creativity. Norms are the behaviors that are accepted over time, which may include how people communicate with one another and whether first names or titles are used? Organizations often espouse certain values but practice something different. Here at ABVI-Goodwill, we strive to deliver on our promise by living our values every day. These values are articulated through our guiding principles. Threaded throughout these guiding principles is the fundamental premise that everything we do must foster the dignity and independence of the people we are serving. I have listed our guiding principles at the end of this article to restate what we at ABVI-Goodwill value. Regardless of the reason for your engagement with us, when you come in contact with any ABVI-Goodwill employee, these principles should be evident. However, we know that we are not perfect and sometimes we have a service disappointment or failure. We encourage you to tell us when this happens so we can correct it and learn from the experience. I am proud of the culture we have created at ABVI-Goodwill. It is a culture steeped in the belief that mission trumps everything. We exist to serve people who are blind or visually impaired and to help them achieve independence in all aspects of their lives. With this mission, and a culture built to support it, we have created an organization with a rich history of providing innovative and state of the art programs and services to people who are blind or visually impaired throughout the community. I am confident it is a culture that will strengthen us in the years ahead. FROM THE Medical Director ... By 2020, the incidence of blindness is expected to be twice what it was in 2000. For older adults, age-related eye diseases account for a large percentage of visual impairment and blindness. Age-related eye diseases include macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts, and the disability caused by the progression of these diseases is tremendous. Elderly individuals affected by vision loss are subject to a loss of independence, reduction in their activities of daily living, increased risk of accidents, medication errors, falls and depression. As a result, and combined with an increasingly aging population, we expect to see an increased demand for services provided at ABVI-Goodwill. Age-related eye diseases are a major public health challenge. It is essential to encourage earlier recognition and earlier treatment intervention. For example, for patients with diabetes, it is estimated that 40% also have some degree of diabetic retinopathy. Aggressive treatment of the underlying diabetes may help delay and control progression of diabetic eye disease. Continued research on the cause and treatment of macular degeneration is needed, and earlier recognition of glaucoma, particularly in high-risk populations such as African Americans, is also necessary. And while there is a disparity in access to care for cataracts in different areas of the country, efforts should be made to make treatment available for those who are in need. At ABVI-Goodwill, we must be prepared to care for the increasing needs of our older consumers with vision loss. We have wonderfully inclusive programs for the elderly. We need to make sure that the community is aware of what we have and what we offer. Our doors are open. Please help us to reach out to those in need. ABVI-Goodwill Acquires Historic Building The historic Old Stone Warehouse, located at One Mt. Hope Avenue, has been purchased by ABVI-Goodwill. Down the street from ABVI-Goodwill’s headquarters, this 185-year-old building provides additional space for the agency to continue to support its mission to provide services to people who are blind or visually impaired. Recently, a very generous donation by Mr. Ben Kendig allowed ABVI-Goodwill to purchase the 20,000 square foot building to provide much needed space for current and future program development. “Ben’s generosity means a great deal to this organization,” said A. Gidget Hopf, Ed.D., president and chief executive officer. “Our investment in the Old Stone Warehouse lays a solid foundation for future expansion of programs and services, career and training initiatives, and other business opportunities and community partnerships. It’s a very exciting project for us.” The Old Stone Warehouse is the county’s oldest commercial building and was originally erected in the 1820’s. More than a century later, in the 1980s, the building had become vacant and run-down and the City of Rochester planned to raze it. That’s when Ben Kendig entered the picture, purchased the building from the city, and saved it from the wrecking ball. He revitalized the structure and created a three-story office building, which currently houses Mr. Kendig’s business, Kendig Enterprises Inc. Gidget Hopf, president and CEO (left), and James Briggs, chairman of the Board of Directors (right), say thank you to Ben Kendig (center) for his generous donation at the real estate closing of the Old Stone Warehouse. New Faces at ABVI-Goodwill Rosemarie Becker has joined ABVI-Goodwill as the director of human resources. She has extensive experience in human resources management with a Fortune 100 company and the nation’s largest specialty retailer. Prior to joining ABVI-Goodwill, Rosemarie worked for 17 years with Wegmans Food Markets, first in the general counsel’s office and then in progressively more senior level human resources positions. She has also worked with Global Crossing as a senior employee relations manager, and most recently with The Home Depot as a human resource manager for the Rochester area. “I had the privilege of working for several corporations where my scope of human resources knowledge and expertise were greatly enhanced,” Rosemarie said. “I reached a point in my career where I wanted to share that knowledge with a progressive and mission-driven non-profit organization, and I am thrilled to have found that in ABVI-Goodwill.” Megan Hogan has also joined the ABVI-Goodwill team as the new marketing communications specialist. Megan’s primary responsibilities will include coordination of The Beacon, managing the agency’s web site, coordinating our involvement with WXXI and Reachout Radio, and other marketing communications projects. Megan graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a major in advertising communications, from Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. She is bright, energetic, and will bring a great deal of talent and enthusiasm to the marketing team at ABVI-Goodwill. ABVI-Goodwill is also pleased to announce the addition of Marcie McCartney as the agency’s new volunteer coordinator. Marcie comes to ABVI-Goodwill with considerable experience with volunteer programs, most recently at Cornell Cooperative Extension and previously with West Virginia University Extension. Her experience in volunteer management and customer service, combined with her positive attitude and upbeat nature, will be tremendous assets to the organization as we continue to enhance our volunteer program and improve our efforts to show, on a regular basis, how important and valued volunteers are to this organization. We also extend our best wishes to Jen Enright, former volunteer coordinator and former contributing editor of The Beacon. Jen recently wed Dr. Nick Morton and the two of them have relocated to England to begin their new life together. We wish Jen and Nick a lifetime of happiness and prosperity! New Leadership Energizes Goodwill Stores Michelle Cavalli has spent more than 25 years in retail. She “gets it.” And ABVI-Goodwill is pleased to have her on board as the new Director of Retail Operations. Michelle joined ABVI-Goodwill in January of this year and was promoted to the position of director in August. Michelle’s career includes a number of senior level retail management and merchandise positions at Marshalls department stores here in Rochester and initially in Boston, Massachusetts, Gatepost stores in Boston, and as a retail consultant with Retail Concepts, also in Boston. Her experience in retail management, marketing and sales growth, employee development and training, and organizational leadership will be tremendous assets for our local Goodwill operations. “There is such a tremendous opportunity here for continued growth and expansion,” Michelle observed. “We’re right at the beginning of a very exciting time as we refocus, re-energize, and set our sites on the future.” If you’ve been to one of our stores lately, you may have already experienced a small sample of that “future.” And a glimpse of that “future” can also be found in this edition of The Beacon in the articles about the employment opportunities offered at our Goodwill stores for people who are blind or visually impaired, the changes being made to some of our policies to be more customer-friendly, and the fun plans being undertaken to make Goodwill the only place for shoppers to find the perfect Halloween costume at a very affordable price. And if you haven’t been to one of our stores lately, come on in! You don’t know what you’re missing! Goodwill Enhances Employment Opportunities When Job Training and Job Opportunities Meet Ron Meyers is an avid Buffalo Bills fan, a dedicated Goodwill employee, and a wonderful example of a hard-working man who didn’t allow vision loss to change his independent lifestyle. He is also a person who exemplifies what can happen when career training and career opportunities come together at ABVI-Goodwill. Ron first came to ABVI-Goodwill in 1976 when he started losing his eyesight. More recently, through the Skinner Career & Training Center, Ron participated in a program designed to teach people who are blind or visually impaired the skills necessary to find a job, retain an existing job, or continue to advance in a career. Previously an employee at Kodak, it had been 28 years since Ron had to interview for a job. His anxiety about the job search and job interview process was quickly calmed after receiving services through the Career & Training Center. “In the classes, I learned more about how to present myself because it had been a long time since I had been to an interview,” Ron said. “It helped to take the edge off and learn how to answer questions. I was told to just be myself and be honest.” His description for the career and training services he received was summed up in one word — “Fabulous!” It was then that the career training offered through ABVI-Goodwill was matched with a career opportunity also available through the agency, and Ron was placed in a job at the Clinton Avenue Goodwill store. Ron now operates the cash register, directs customers to specific departments, hangs clothes, and puts price tags on items. “I don’t care where I work [at Goodwill] because I really enjoy my job here and I’m happy doing everything,” Ron added. Ron’s job, and those of many other Goodwill employees who are blind or visually impaired, is aided by a wide range of adaptive technology put into place at our Goodwill stores to make employment opportunities more accessible. Modern scanning devices and a talking software program allow Ron to use the cash register with ease. A bill reader ensures correct payment as it scans and speaks the dollar amount when it is passed through the machine. “Everything I run under the scanner will say the department the item came from, the color of the tag, and the amount,” Ron said. “When I finish the sale, it will give me the total amount before tax and then after tax.” Ron’s desire to maintain his independence was his motivation to return to the workforce. The career and training services provided him with the skills and knowledge he needed to find that job, and Goodwill offered him the opportunity to further develop those abilities and gain an even stronger sense of independence. Another example of the good things that can happen when career training and career opportunities meet at ABVI-Goodwill! For more information about the many services provided through the Skinner Career & Training Center, or the many employment opportunities available at our local Goodwill retail stores, please call us at (585) 232-1111. Goodwill: Halloween Headquarters without Scary Prices Before you get spooked by high prices for costumes this Halloween, stop in to your local Goodwill. This October, the familiar inventory at Goodwill transforms into a wealth of costume possibilities with just a little imagination. Suddenly as Halloween approaches, a black leather jacket becomes the most important piece to a “Fonzie” from Happy Days costume, and a hat and scarf set is necessary for an Olympic skier. A Hawaiian shirt and matching shorts can become the makings of a tropical tourist outfit while an antique wedding dress partnered with a pair of sneakers makes for the perfect runaway bride costume. This Halloween, a typical clothing item or accessory can become the perfect ingredient for a memorable costume through the help of Goodwill. The possibilities are endless when you use your imagination to put together your costume this year. And with the low prices at Goodwill you can let your imagination go wild with accessories. Pirates can fill up an entire treasure chest of gold jewelry, while a librarian can gather a small collection of books at an extremely reasonable price. And the great prices get even better when you bring in the coupon below to Goodwill this October. With original items for sale, there is no need to worry about a duplicate costume at the party. So this Halloween, be original and enjoy the savings when you buy your costume at Goodwill. ABVI-Goodwill’s 2005 Annual Celebration— A Roaring Good Time! Over 230 guests joined us on July 13th at our 2005 Annual Celebration— African Safari at the Country Club of Rochester. Guests dined on authentic cuisine including antelope tenderloin and wild boar, sampled African imports and wines and scouted out fabulous auction items. By all accounts this event was a wild success! Best of all, thanks to our many sponsors, guests and auction donators, African Safari at the Country Club of Rochester netted $58,000—money that will be used to fund programs and services for people who are blind or visually impaired in the Greater Rochester area. A special thanks to Jembatat African Art Gallery for providing genuine African artifacts and the Seneca Park Zoo Society’s ZooMobile. Stay tuned to future issues of The Beacon for next year’s celebration details! Voice Your Choice - Choosing Your Electricity Supplier As an RG&E electricity customer, beginning in October, you will again be asked to choose your electricity supplier and select a fixed or variable electricity supply pricing option, through RG&E’s Voice Your Choice program. Just like last year, you can choose to purchase your electricity supply from RG&E or another energy supplier (called an energy services company or ESCO). If you do not choose an electricity supply pricing option, your account will automatically be enrolled in the Variable Price Option of your current electricity supplier. Enrollment information will be available at rge.com beginning October 1. For more information about RG&E’s Voice Your Choice program or a complete list of qualified energy suppliers, visit rge.com. Whether you purchase your electricity from RG&E or an ESCO, RG&E will continue to deliver your electricity safely and reliably. Your electricity price is made up of delivery and supply charges. The delivery charge is what you pay RG&E to transport your electricity to your home or business. The supply charge is what you pay for the electricity purchased for you by RG&E or an ESCO. Local HIV Vaccine Research Studies at U of R Seek Community Participation Results of recent studies suggest that indeed it may be possible to create a vaccine that may one-day help prevent the spread of AIDS worldwide. However, additional studies requiring even more volunteers are necessary. The HIV Vaccine Trials Unit at the University of Rochester Medical Center has been conducting preventive HIV vaccine research studies since 1988 and is one of the original vaccine research sites that now form the international HIV Vaccine Trials Network. HIV vaccine trials are sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. HIV vaccines are synthetic and it is impossible to get HIV infection from the vaccine. Several thousand people have already participated in preventive HIV vaccine trials worldwide. While more than 850 Rochesterians have already participated in these trials, more HIV-negative volunteers between the ages of 18 and 50 who are in good health are needed from all races and all ethnic or culturally diverse backgrounds. Qualified volunteers must be able to complete monthly visits to the clinic at the University of Rochester Medical Center for the duration of the study. Participants are paid and the studies require approxi-mately 12-18 months to complete. In order to know if the vaccines will work for everyone, it’s important that all cultures, personal beliefs and life choices are represented. Even if you do not engage in behaviors that may place you at greater risk for being exposed to the virus, you may be eligible to participate in these local studies. For more information, visit the unit’s web site at www.vaccineunit.org. If you, or someone you know, may be interested in participating in HIV vaccine research trials, you can contact the HIV Vaccine Trials Unit at any time at (585) 756-2329. REACHOUT RADIOS Reachout Radio receivers are on loan to qualified individuals as long as they are needed. If you, or someone you know has a Reachout Radio that is no longer being used, please call (585) 258-0333 to arrange for its return. Reachout Radio Unites a Family By Ruth Phinney WXXI Reachout Radio depends upon volunteers for all of the reading you hear on the radio reading service. Although volunteers come from all walks of life, the one thing they share is a commitment to making the printed word available to people who can no longer read. Sometimes the volunteers express that they wish they could meet the listeners, or they wish they could meet more of the volunteers. After all, since each volunteer reads a particular program on a particular day of the week, they rarely see others who share their love of reading. But there are exceptions to that, like the following touching story about two Reachout Radio volunteers who, by coincidence, were brought together after many years. Nancy had been reading for the service since it began in 1984. Peggy joined the Reachout Radio team in 1997. Their schedules never crossed – they were like ships passing in the night. Then one day Nancy recognized Peggy’s name on a volunteer listing and said, “That’s my cousin!” While their mothers had been cousins and close friends, Peggy and Nancy never “hung-out” together. A few months after spotting Peggy’s name on a list, the two cousins met at a volunteer recognition dinner. They got reacquainted and over the next several months, fate brought them together a few more times. They reconnected with cousins in California through a family website, and now the two have been doing family history work, including a recent tour of family graves at Holy Sepulcher, Mount Hope and Newark Cemeteries. Over the past few years, Nancy and Peggy have gotten to know each other much better, and have even found out that they have more in common than just the joy of sharing their love of reading through Reachout Radio. We’re delighted to have been a part of this happy family reunion. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering your time and talent to Reachout Radio, please contact Ruth Phinney at WXXI at (585) 258-0333 or rphinney@wxxi.org. You’ll never know who you will meet! SCREEN READING PROGRAMS AND THE INTERNET By Kim Kline Accessing the Internet represents some special challenges for people who are blind or visually impaired. For example, many web browsing programs were not designed with the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired in mind, and in many cases, the actual design of a web site can further complicate matters. Most adaptive technology programs that are designed to provide speech output for people who are blind are designed to work with Internet Explorer. However, other web browsers may not have the same level of compatibility with screen reading programs. Generally, all screen reading programs use the same approach to read the screen — they create a “virtual cursor” to read and navigate the web site. This virtual cursor allows the user to use the arrow keys to read the web page as if he or she were reading a document on a word processor. The only time this scheme gets complicated is when a form must be filled in on the web site. When a form must be completed, the screen reading program must be told to turn off the virtual cursor and use the actual cursor instead. This is typically done by pressing the ENTER key before filling in information. Some of the better screen reading programs now employ the use of single-letter commands to navigate specific kinds of controls on a web page. The JAWS program even goes as far as allowing the user to label links that do not have meaningful tags, so that the next time JAWS encounters that link, it can say something meaningful about it. JAWS also has recently incorporated place markers — a sort of bookmark within a web page that can help a user to find his or her way back to important material. Much of the new development in screen reading programs such as JAWS, HAL, and Window-Eyes continues to be in the area of web accessibility. For example, in its latest release, GW Micro distinguished itself by supporting Mozilla with its Window-Eyes screen reader, allowing users another web browser alternative to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. The actual design of a web site can also have a significant impact for the user who is blind. For example, links that are graphically represented on the screen without a descriptive text tag might make perfect sense to the person who is sighted but leave the person who is blind with meaningless gibberish. Similarly, the user who is blind may also be unaware of a picture on a web site without some type of descriptive text tag. For those who develop web sites, Bobby Worldwide guidelines have been created which detail how to create a web site for maximum accessibility. Access to the Internet is less of a problem for visually impaired users. Most magnification programs will work satisfactorily with any of the web browsers that are commonly used, making web access concerns primarily a blindness issue. Although accessibility issues still persist within some web sites that have not kept accessibility guidelines in mind, Internet users who are blind now have some much better tools available for gaining access and using the web than just a short time ago. Hopefully, this trend will continue. Project Eye Care: Reassurance When There’s No Insurance By Kimberly Lawrence I’ve been coordinating Project Eye Care for 10 years and it still surprises me how many individuals we encounter each month who have no health insurance. For those of us who are employed, it is a benefit that most of us receive through our employers, but with a cost-sharing of the premium. Unfortunately, for many people, that cost is still a price they cannot afford and choose, instead, to go without insurance. For many, it is a choice between medical coverage and food on the table. Such is the case for Debbie. Debbie is a woman who came to Project Eye Care for a free eye exam this summer. Debbie is a single mother raising four children on her own. She works full time at a local retailer during the day and waitresses at a restaurant part time evenings. Debbie’s family does not live nearby so she pays a neighbor to watch her children while she works. She tries to limit her evening hours during the school year so she can be at home with the children to help them with their homework. Although her employer offers medical insurance, Debbie chooses not to pay for it. Her monthly expenses are already burdensome due to day care expenses, groceries, car insurance, rent and utilities, clothes for her growing children, and asthma medication for her youngest daughter. She does not qualify for Medicaid or Family Health Plus because her modest income is too high to meet the eligibility criteria for these programs. So she struggles each month to make ends meet. “My kids come first. I have to put meals on the table and I don’t want to go on Welfare,” Debbie explains. “I want my children to see they have to work hard to get places in the world, and I don’t want them dependent on handouts. If they can learn to work hard, maybe they’ll do better in school than I did and go on to college. ‘You have to do better than Mommy,’ I tell them. ‘You have to work hard.’ ” When Debbie came to Project Eye Care this summer for her eye exam, she had not seen an eye doctor in five years. She had glasses but lost them four years earlier and had been going without. “I was so excited about Project Eye Care a couple of years ago when I heard they would give me an eye exam for free and help me with glasses!” When I asked Debbie why she waited so long to get her exam after first hearing about us, she said, “I was thinking I would just pay for an exam myself somewhere, but I just couldn’t make it work. But after not being able to read anymore, I was afraid I would lose my job, so I came here.” After her exam, Debbie was given a voucher for a free pair of glasses that Empire Vision donated. After she received her glasses she called to thank me. “I can read so much better! And I’m sure I won’t lose my job now! I should have come to Project Eye Care a lot sooner. It would have saved me a lot of worrying! I see the world so much differently now!” Debbie is just one of many individuals Project Eye Care has helped. If you or someone you know has no health insurance and is struggling financially, please consider Project Eye Care. A free eye exam and a voucher for complimentary eyeglasses are within your reach. For more information about Project Eye Care and the community locations the program will be visiting over the next several months, please call (585) 232-1111. Sizzlin’ Summer Fun at ABVI-Goodwill A child’s summer is usually filled with outdoor activities, playing in the park, reading books, or surfing the Internet and instant messaging friends and family. But for a child who is blind or visually impaired, these same activities may not come as easily — until now. ABVI-Goodwill recently hosted its fourth annual Summer Sizzle program in response to the needs of these children. This weeklong day camp for children between the ages of 8 and 14 years old who are blind or visually impaired was held from August 15 - August 19, and a total of 12 children participated this summer – the highest number we’ve ever had in the program! Summer Sizzle used games, arts and crafts, and skill-building activities to teach children who are blind or visually impaired computer skills, Internet use, career planning, communication skills, and other useful activities such as cooking. The camp also combined fun learning activities with field trips to various community destinations to apply the skills they acquired during the program. “Young people who are blind or visually impaired often miss important opportunities to learn everyday living skills that will help them with their cognitive, social and emotional development,” said Sarah Favro, children’s specialist at ABVI-Goodwill. “Summer Sizzle is our way of providing a challenging opportunity for young people to learn and apply these life skills while having fun at the same time.” Children can now look forward to a similar program, Winter Chill, which will be held during one of the school recesses this coming winter. For more information, contact Sarah Favro at ABVI-Goodwill at (585) 232-1111. The following items have been received since our last issue of The Beacon:  Funds for Reachout Radio receivers John E. O’Neill Anonymous donor  LCD TV for Manufacturing Anonymous donor The kindness and generosity of our friends and donors help us offer the best and most up-to-date services possible. Thank you for your support! If you or someone you know can donate the dollars to fund the necessities or items below, please contact Tracy Schleyer, CFRE, Director of Development, for more information at (585) 697-5780. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS There is always something that needs fixing here and every dollar we spend on major repair items takes away from our ability to fund programs, services and jobs. Funds for WAMS Senior Group. WAMS is a monthly gathering of those over 60 years of age who are blind or visually impaired. A fund of $1,200 will provide lunches, speakers, health and wellness seminars, and musical performances throughout the year. Every dollar makes a difference. New or Used Piano. The piano we currently use for special events, including the monthly WAMS Senior Group, has been with us for many years and is showing signs of wear and tear. A new or used piano that is well-tuned and in good condition would be a welcome addition to the social events and programs we offer on a regular basis at ABVI-Goodwill. Lobby Display Cabinets. Have you noticed the display cabinet in the main lobby at ABVI-Goodwill? If you haven’t, then that is the exact reason why we need new ones. We are looking to purchase two (2) new oak curio cabinets to display some of our low vision aides as well as other products and information about ABVI-Goodwill. Estimated total cost: $1,000. BEQUESTS ABVI-Goodwill would like to thank those who named us in their will. We are honored to carry on our work in their names. Estate gifts have been received from the following between May 13, 2005 and August 19, 2005: Martha Hecktor It is always our pleasure to welcome those who choose to provide for ABVI-Goodwill through bequests, trusts and other life income gifts to become members of ABVI-Goodwill’s Foresight Circle. If you have planned or are planning to include ABVI-Goodwill in your estate plans, and would like more information, please contact Tracy Schleyer, CFRE, Director of Development, at (585) 697-5780. IN MEMORY OF By giving to ABVI-Goodwill in memory of a family member or friend, many generous people have found a way to express their caring spirit while helping to ensure the success of ABVI-Goodwill. Thank you to the following friends who made contributions from February 11, 2005 to May 13, 2005: Muriel D. Ackroyd Anne Wolff Alfred Church Sandra S. Carl Marilyn S. Spencer Joann Stirpe Leona Connelly Marie Bunce Patrice M. Cantwell David L. Connelly Doris M. Connelly Joyce H. Connelly Anonymous John M. Frederick Katherine L. Hoefen Patricia Kelpin Judith King Anonymous Madeline McWilliams Janice Pardo Patricia Silveria Louise R. Covert Dorothy B. VanDyke Vincent DiLella Ruth E. Andrews Rachael Jarrett Carolyn Riley Frederick T. Luchsinger Anonymous Margaret Messenger Rita Barry Angeline Fecco Anne E. Galloway Barbara A. Messenger Rand Reithel Stella J. Michaels Barbara J. Mueller June L. Michelson Hank Bromley Giant Eagle June Harris Caroline M. Howe Lloyd M. Peasley Kathleen Miller Paul Magliocco Michael J. Montagno Michael Montagno Kenneth P. Schirmuhly E. Ann Varley-Pursel Anonymous Helen Zamboni Dominic R. Quattrocchi Anonymous Benjamin Gonyea Eldon Randall Cora E. Durkin Joyce A. Ebertz Florence Phillips Jeanette Randall Elsie Sheridan Anonymous Michael Bradley John Collins Sheila Dunnington Frances L. Fugate Sandra Hutchinson Lynne S. Leonard Carol A. Martin Vincent S. Parks Marshall E. Tyler Robert P. Weis Carol A. Yunghurth Doris R. Stumpf Louise Owellen Maureen Warren Jean Ferris Robert Ferris Emily Wood Emma M. Filiault Susan Paprocki Madonna Tamari Margaret L. Wackerman Women Gynecology & Childbirth Assoc. Rose Wunder Betty Bugni Phyllis L. Davis Henry DiSanto Doris I. Rockwell Catherine Wilson IN HONOR OF: Celebrate a birthday, an anniversary or other momentous occasion by making a donation in honor of a special person. The following people have been honored by family or friends from February 11, 2005 to May 13, 2005. Sylvia S. Cohen Jack Spitulnik Eli Eckman Howard and Diana Warren Aaron and Leslie Daily Wendy S. Micca Jeannette Tumminelli Ruth E. Tetlow Linda M. Enochson Virginia H. Graham Anonymous Michele O’Leary Morell Grace Placide Melanie Popick Deborah A. Pratt Joanne D. Sarver Crystal M. Sawyer Mary Ann Schroth Stella Sciolino Karen S. Steele Robert F. Tetlow Ruth E. Tetlow Theresa S. Tetlow William P Tetlow Robert H. Thompson JoAnne G. Thornton Irene M. Warner WE’RE UPDATING OUR MAILING LIST We apologize if you have received this newsletter in error, if your name is incorrect, or if you do not wish to receive The Beacon. A quick phone call to Cindy Semrau at (585) 697-5713 would be most appreciated. We will give your concern our immediate attention. Linda Warner Janet C. Witt Sharon J. Wolfe A memorial or honorary gift is a wonderful way to celebrate special occasions, honor a loved one, or pay tribute to the memory of deceased family members or friends. Your name and the names of those who you are honoring will be listed in The Beacon. ABVI-Goodwill will also send a note acknowledging your gift according to your wishes. For more information about making a memorial or honorary gift donation for a family member or loved one, please call (585) 697-5713. Our Volunteers Make a Difference Every day, ABVI-Goodwill volunteers make a real difference in the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. Each year, hundreds of volunteers give their most treasured assets - their time, talents and energy - to ABVI-Goodwill and our consumers by volunteering as drivers, readers and shoppers, working in our Goodwill stores or Multimedia Center, providing professional expertise as volunteer doctors, serving on our Board of Directors, Consumer Advisory Committee, or other committees, or lending a hand during special events. Without this resource, our organization would not be able to provide the many programs and services we offer. As a small expression of our appreciation, ABVI-Goodwill volunteers will be honored for their invaluable contributions to the organization at our annual Volunteer Recognition & Awards Luncheon. This year’s special celebration will be held as follows: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Brio Mediterranean Bistro 3400 Monroe Avenue For more information or to reserve your place at our recognition celebration, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Marcie McCartney, at (585) 697-5718. Volunteers Needed! Have some extra time on your hands you don’t know what to do with? Do you love to drive and enjoy some company when you do? Do you love to read and have an interest in sharing that talent with others? Are you one of those people who can’t get enough of shopping, and maybe wouldn’t mind doing that for others? Are you interested in the world of retail sales and want to help out? ABVI-Goodwill has a variety of volunteer positions available throughout the organization and we’re looking for someone like you! Drivers ... readers ... shoppers ... retail volunteers ... whatever your interest, ABVI-Goodwill has the perfect opportunity. Flexible schedules and long and short-term opportunities are available. If you’d like to learn more, call Marcie McCartney, volunteer coordinator for an application and more information at (585) 697-5718. Share your own good will today! Computer Screen Magnifiers Now Available at an Affordable Price The PC Magni-Viewer™ is an optical quality acrylic lens designed by Bausch & Lomb to reduce computer vision syndrome (CVS) by enlarging the words and images on computer screens. It magnifies 1.75X. The lens is attached to a flexible arm with a revolving base that sits under the computer monitor. Easily installed and available at a great price ... only $50.00 while supplies last. For more information or to purchase a magnifier please contact Wendy Micca at (585) 232-1111.