THE BEACON
Winter 2003
www.abvi-goodwill.org
(585) 232-1111
Helen Keller National Center and ABVI-Goodwill — A Winning Pair
Did you know that Rochester has the second highest number per capita of people who are deaf in the U.S.? Due to degenerative diseases, many of those people are both deaf and blind. This is a real issue for people living in our area. Thanks to Nikki Llewellyn—our Orientation and Mobility Therapist/Deaf-Blind Specialist—ABVI-Goodwill is affiliating with the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) to provide local services to people who are Deaf-Blind in the Greater Rochester Area.
HKNC is a federally funded organization providing vocational training in a residential setting to people who are Deaf-Blind. The training takes place in Sands Point, NY and can last anywhere from six weeks to a year or more based on the individual’s needs and goals. For some people, leaving home for such an extended period is difficult, which is why Nikki is pushing to implement services in Rochester.
HKNC chose to affiliate with the Rochester area because of the high number of people here who are deaf and because we have the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). With support from HKNC, ABVI-Goodwill is excited at the prospect of offering improved services to assist the Deaf-Blind community.
Starting in February, ABVI-Goodwill will conduct a needs assessment survey in the Greater Rochester Area to gain an accurate count of the number of people who are Deaf-Blind. Collaborating with HKNC and the Deaf-Blind Collaborative Committee (DBCC), the survey will identify the number of people who are Deaf-Blind in our community, determine the type of services needed, identify new services and determine training for ABVI-Goodwill staff and our affiliates.
“It is important for us to offer quality services to those in the community who need them. Working with HKNC will allow us to gain qualifications to better serve the needs of the Deaf-Blind population,” said Shelley Falitico, Director of Vision Rehabilitation. For more information, contact Nikki Llewellyn at (585) 697-5727 or TTY at (585) 232-1698.
Photo and Photo caption:
Cindy DeFalco, VP, Organizational Development; Michael Brennan, HKNC Regional Representative; Nikki Llewellyn, Deaf-Blind Services; Nancy Godfrey, HKNC Affiliate Coordinator; Patti Lago-Avery, Rochester Deaf-Blind Collaborative Chairperson; John Mascia, Director HKNC Field Services; and Shelley Falitico, Director of Vision Rehabilitation, met with A. Gidget Hopf, President/CEO on December 17, 2002 to discuss the collaborative project with HKNC.
Celebrating 90 years in 2003
If you enjoyed last year’s celebration, South of France on South Clinton, then this year’s 90th anniversary celebration event will surely put some jalapeño in your cheese! Join us for South of the Border on South Clinton Tuesday, June 24th, 2003 from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm at ABVI-Goodwill, 422 South Clinton Avenue, Rochester. ABVI-Goodwill friends, donors and community partners are welcome at the fiesta!
Last year, over 200 people came to bid on great auction items and to enjoy the food and fun atmosphere. This is a celebration that you don’t want to miss! Not only will you have a good time but this is also a terrific sponsorship opportunity for you or your company. Depending on your sponsorship level, you can be a Big Enchilada, a Great Chalupa, a Mighty Taco, a Grand Fajita or a Hot Tamale. To us, your donation is the sour cream on our nachos. We wouldn’t be complete without you.
Be sure you’re not taking a siesta on June 24th. Make a run for South of the Border!
Now Opened!
Six Great Locations to Show Your Goodwill
Goodwill’s newest attended drive-in donation center is now open at 7450 Pittsford-Palmyra Road (just past Route 250) in Egypt Plaza in Perinton. Pull up and we’ll help you unload your car and give you a tax-deductible receipt for your donations.
You can also drop your items off at our other stand-alone donation center at the corner of Elmgrove and Spencerport Roads in Gates or at any of our four retail store locations: Bay Road in Penfield/Webster, Jefferson Plaza in Henrietta, Stoneridge Plaza in Greece or Downtown on South Clinton.
Frigid weather affects donation flow! Don’t let the cold keep you from cleaning your closets. Visit one of our six locations today!
From The President ...
One of the best things I like about working at ABVI-Goodwill is having the opportunity to work closely with people who are blind or visually impaired. If you are like me, you probably did not know many, if any people who are blind when you were growing up. I never thought about it much. During my youth the only person who I knew of that was blind was Stevie Wonder.
During the last 16 years I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of people who are blind. More importantly I have gotten “to know” hundreds of people who are blind. These are individuals who work in all different capacities within our organization and within the field of blindness. Some of these people have become very close friends, some are confidantes and all are terrific colleagues who help me to be the leader I aspire to be.
I am not going to tell you that these folks are an inspiration. That would be condescending and in many ways untrue. They are just regular people doing what regular people do. Visitors to our facility are “amazed,” and sometimes intimidated. The uninitiated don’t always feel comfortable around people who are blind because they don’t know how to react. Once they know what to do, they’re comfortable. But in reality, each of these individuals enriches my life… not because they are blind, but because they function as if they are not!
With the proper tools and resources, people who are blind can do what most of us do. And so at ABVI-Goodwill, we have employees who operate complicated machinery, teach others how to use adaptive technology, serve as customer service representatives, provide vision rehabilitation teaching services, serve as our Consumer Affairs Manager, assemble products for the U.S. Government and perform many other important jobs. More recently, we have hired three individuals who are visually impaired to work as a Social Worker, a Children’s Specialist and a Communications Assistant, respectively. In the broader world of blindness, I have gotten to know presidents of corporations who are blind, college professors, lawyers, judges, and even mountain climbers.
When I think of these individuals, the first thing that comes to mind is their personalities. Early on in this job I forgot that I worked with people who are blind and just realized I worked with people—people who provide significant value to our organization and who make me laugh and enrich our workplace everyday. Wow, what an opportunity!
A. Gidget Hopf
From The Medical Director ...
Our children are our future. For children who are blind ensuring a future takes extra steps, time and attention. Think about this for a moment. A sighted child learns from all of his or her senses. A child who is blind experiences diminished visual input— input that is important to growth and development. Therefore, that child is probably missing out on much of what we learn everyday through our eyes. When one sense is diminished at least some of the socialization we take for granted is lost.
When I see a child in ABVI-Goodwill’s Low Vision Center I have to remind myself of the importance of stressing with the parents the need to be sensitive to the loss of socialization that comes through seeing. Parents and teachers must strive to expand the child’s visual and tactile experiences in their environment and doing so isn’t as difficult as you might think. Describing things and allowing a child to touch obvious objects in our everyday environment can do much to fuel learning and create “visual” memories.
Children with pets are a good example. For the sighted child every detail of the animal is an obvious learning experience. For a child who is blind there can be no concept of how the animal walks, its coloration, what its whiskers look like, etc. Parents and teachers need to point out and let the child feel the subtleties as a form of stimulation to help the child experience the outside world.
This is particularly important where visual impairment is progressive. In that case it’s essential that the child receives as much visual stimulation as early as possible to create a “visual memory bank.” A visual understanding of intangible concepts like up, down, below, above, colors, shapes, a right angle, etc. are like money in the bank for a child with a progressive visual impairment. A strong visual memory will dramatically help in the youngster’s growth and development.
Whatever the condition, getting help at the earliest possible age is so important. We can prescribe the low-vision aids, the assistive devices and adaptive technology necessary, but more important we can offer the perspective, sage advice and understanding of what it takes to create a visual memory that will serve the child for a lifetime. Therein, in my experience, lies the greatest service we can provide to our youngest patients.
Gwen K. Sterns, M.D.
AGENCY NEWS
Goodwill Works!™ Life Skills Training in Action
ABVI-Goodwill’s Employment and Training Department is proud to announce the graduation of three individuals from our Goodwill Works! Life Skills Training Program. This is a nationally recognized program for people with barriers to employment that provides training and support services to promote the development of basic skills for job readiness. Here are three of our success stories!
Charlie worked most of his life in manual labor, but after a back injury in 2000, he could no longer perform the physically demanding work he had been doing. Since Charlie is also visually impaired, he contacted Tom Sullivan at the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) for assistance in changing his career plans. Tom suggested he attend Job Club at ABVI-Goodwill where he learned about the Goodwill Works! Life Skills Training Program. “After being out of work for three years, Life Skills helped me gain the confidence to go out and seek employment again. It also helped me to feel more confident in discussing my disability with employers,” Charlie said.
Equally successful are Michael and Karen. Michael worked for 14 years as a hospital x-ray technician until he lost his job to downsizing. He attended Job Club, and Orientation and Mobility Training. His future plans include attending Adaptive Technology Training and seeking full-time employment. New to the working world, Karen needed some assistance in developing career goals and plans. Karen grew and matured during her training and feels she is now ready to find employment. Both Michael and Karen gained self-confidence and feel more prepared for interviewing and talking to employers.
To learn more about Job Club or Goodwill Works! Life Skills Training, call Sherry Ortiz at (585) 697-5758 or TTY at (585) 232-1698.
Outside advertisement
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High Falls Brewing Company proudly supports ABVI.
Honoring Our Employees
It may have been cold outside, but it was warm inside the Four Points Sheraton Downtown on Wednesday, December 11, 2002 as we gathered to honor all the hard work of ABVI-Goodwill’s employees with a fantastic luncheon celebration!
160 employees and volunteers enjoyed the holiday music, a performance by our very own Morning Star Choir, lunch, great door and raffle prizes, Seniority Recognition, Employee- of-the-Year announcements, and musical coffee—our own version of musical chairs. It was a crowd-pleasing event filled with fun and laughter.
A. Gidget Hopf, President/CEO, enjoyed this year’s celebration: “It is a special time when all ABVI-Goodwill employees come together to celebrate our accomplishments as individuals and as a team. This year's event was filled with laughter and good cheer thanks to the great job of the planning committee.”
Photo and Photo Caption: Employees gather at the holiday celebration.
Outside advertisement
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Children’s Playgroup In Full Swing
ABVI-Goodwill’s Children’s Playgroup has arrived! This new group is for children, age birth to five, and their parents. The group meets every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm in the Children’s Center at ABVI-Goodwill.
The Children’s Playgroup gives young children a chance to experiment with tactile and regular toys, interact with other children who are blind or visually impaired, learn to read large print or Braille children’s books, watch audio-described videos and use the latest computer technology like speech and magnification software. Most of all, children have fun while they’re learning new skills.
The newly renovated Children’s Center is not only a great resource, but it is very child friendly with colorful decorations, child-sized desks, and large cabinets for storing toys, games and books. It’s a good resource for parents too, allowing them to learn new skills with their kids and network with other parents of children who have visual impairments.
For more information, please contact Sarah Favro, Children’s Specialist, at (585) 697-5746. We look forward to seeing you at the next playgroup!
ECOLAB® Makes Jobs Float
Cleaning military ships is a big task, but ABVI-Goodwill and ECOLAB are up to the challenge! ECOLAB, an affiliate of National Industries for the Blind’s SKILCRAFT® program, sells pre-measured cleaning products to the United States government. ABVI-Goodwill receives orders from ECOLAB and distributes products to U.S. naval training bases and aircraft carriers to name a few. These customers translate into employment at ABVI-Goodwill for people who are blind or visually impaired.
ABVI-Goodwill’s Packaging and Shipping department has 20 to 25 employees who are responsible for distributing various products to our many customers. ECOLAB business employs anywhere from one to ten people who are blind or visually impaired, depending on the size of the order. Our employees count pre-measured packets of cleaning products, label, seal and ship them to many government agencies, including the U.S. Navy.
Since the situation in Iraq, new aircraft carriers such as The USS Nimitz, The Harry S. Truman, The Ronald Reagan, The George Washington and The Abraham Lincoln have joined our growing fleet of customers. The naval training base in Great Lakes, IL, which began buying from us in December of 2002, is our newest customer.
ECOLAB products are recyclable, environmentally friendly and made with the highest quality of ingredients. “You get what you pay for,” says Brian Stroud, Sales and Marketing Assistant. “If a company orders 180 pre-measured packets, then that is what they will get.” Shipping is precise because products are counted by hand, not by machine and orders are shipped by number of packets and not by weight. The product is compact and easy to store, which is a plus for small ships and aircraft carriers where space is very tight.
Photo and Photo Caption: The USS George Washington.
The 3 Os of Vision Rehab
Attention optometrists, ophthalmologists and opticians. Vision Rehab Digest, ABVI-Goodwill’s newest publication, is a quarterly newsletter targeted just for you. The goals of this newsletter are to: develop ongoing communication with area eye care professionals; keep the community informed about what ABVI-Goodwill has to offer; present, in digest form, summaries of published articles, studies and other news items relating to vision rehabilitation; and encourage referrals to ABVI-Goodwill.
The first issue of the digest contains articles on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and the benefits of Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training to assist people who are blind or visually impaired to detect and avoid hazards. A brief history of ABVI-Goodwill is included.
Each issue contains summarized versions of medical journal articles with citations for the “unabridged” original. This way, busy eye doctors, and even their patients, can read important eye care information in a condensed, easy-to-read format.
For more information or to receive Vision Rehab Digest, call Sindy Cantor at (585) 697-5713.
Recreational Programs Leap and Bound
Is your child between the ages of four and 21? Would your child be interested in meeting new people and staying fit? Then the Children’s Program at ABVI-Goodwill has just the thing for you! Since the Fall of 2002, children have participated in outrigger canoeing, indoor rock climbing, horseback riding and bowling.
Our program is continuing to grow—our most recent bowling event had 30 kids plus their parents! The goals of the recreational programs are to give children who are blind or visually impaired an opportunity to be involved in athletic activities; to get out and try new things; to meet new friends and to learn mobility and socialization skills. Call Sarah Favro, Children’s Specialist, at (585) 697-5746 for more information or to suggest ideas for events.
Outside advertisement
Grand Opening
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Attention all Surfers!
ABVI-Goodwill is now in cyberspace! After months of preparation, we are pleased to introduce ABVI-Goodwill’s updated Web site. Visit www.abvi-goodwill.org and read about all the wonderful things we have to offer, such as our programs and services, volunteer opportunities, Goodwill Fashions, employment and training opportunities, and so much more!
Now getting in touch with us is even easier. You can update mailing information; make on-line donations with PayPal®; download brochures, last year’s annual report and even read prior issues of The Beacon right from the comfort of your home or office.
Our user-friendly, accessible site is W3C and Bobby certified and offers many downloadable text and PDF resources. Add www.abvi-goodwill.org to your favorites list today!
CONSUMER NEWS & INFORMATION You Can Use ...
Talking ATMs in U.S. Airports
As of November 1, 2002, talking ATMs should be appearing in airports around the nation, according to the American Council of the Blind (ACB). Currently, only 15 states are listed on ACB’s website www.acb.org as having these ATMs but more will follow in the future.
California and Washington D.C. airports have the most talking ATMs, which is no surprise as these are major hubs for the United States. New York’s JFK airport is also on this list, as well as other states such as Florida, Georgia, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Michigan.
Be on the lookout for talking ATMs appearing in an airport near you!
Audio e-book Breaks New Ground
Released in early 2003, Time Warner AudioBooks, AFB (American Foundation for the Blind) Talking Books and Dolphin Computer Access have teamed up to produce the first commercially available audio e-book. James Patterson’s novel, The Jester, will be available to view in large print on the computer screen and coupled with audio from a professional narrator. The nice feature about this new technology is that readers can toggle between the two formats and also search the whole text for keywords or phrases.
Dolphin EaseReader technology plays the audio and visual version of the text in a separate player window, which allows viewing from desktop or laptop PCs. This new technology is particularly useful for travelers because they can listen to the audio and view the text simultaneously or separately regardless of where they are. Coming in March of 2003, Time Warner AudioBooks will offer this audio e-book on a CD that comes with the unabridged audio CD version.
Visit the AFB web site at www.afb.org for more information regarding the ground-breaking release of audio e-books.
Smart Tags Offer Insight
Only the size of a coin, Smart Tags can be of sizable benefit to people who are blind or visually impaired. The tags contain recordable data chips that allow the users to record verbal information about an object, which can then be read by a hand-held terminal. Vital information, such as medication names and dosages can be recorded and the tags can be attached to pill bottles.
The possibilities are endless because the tags can be re-recorded as often as you like. The Japan-based company, Matsushita anticipates releasing Smart Tags in March. One hand-held terminal and 50 tags will cost about $408. Each terminal can record 200 tags and a memory upgrade can record 500 tags.
Look for the release of Smart Tags coming soon!
You’re Not The Only One Facing Vision Loss
By Rene Latorre
For people diagnosed with macular degeneration or other degenerative eye conditions, the effect can be devastating. Many experience strong feelings of anger, helplessness, fear, and depression. They often feel alone—like they are the only one with vision loss. Many have never even met another individual who has a visual impairment of any kind. If you have a visual impairment, then it is important to remember that you are not alone and support is available. ABVI-Goodwill now offers a support group just right for you.
There are many ways of describing a support group. In general, all support groups consist of people with a common focus who meet regularly to share feelings and concerns and work toward healthy solutions to problems and issues.
Research shows that counseling support groups can be valuable in helping people deal with significant changes in their lives. By meeting with those who are addressing similar problems, such as vision loss, members can provide emotional support to one another, as well as share information, solve problems and provide new direction and hope. By sharing thoughts and feelings in a safe, comfortable environment, people facing major life changes can learn that they are not alone.
ABVI-Goodwill’s Adjustment to Vision Loss Counseling Groups are facilitated by a professional male/female team, both of whom are visually impaired. The groups have about 6-8 members and meet once a week for 1 1/2 hours over an 8-week period. Some of the topics discussed include: how vision loss effects relationships, self perception and self esteem; fears of losing more sight, mobility and independence; self advocacy; and community resources.
The goal of our counseling group is to help people realize that blindness and vision loss is not the end of the world. In fact, blindness, while requiring adaptations and lifestyle changes, actually limits very few activities. For more information or to register for a group, call Crandall LaPlante at (585) 697-5722 or Rene Latorre at (585) 697-5721.
Outside advertisement
Morgan Stanley
Congratulations to ABVI-Goodwill on 90 years of service.
Doyle, Moll, Spencer Group at Morgan Stanley
Rays of Light ...
I Am Loved
By Laura S. Townsend
Every so often a person enters your life that impacts it in a monumental way. George Katerle, friend and volunteer driver at ABVI-Goodwill was this individual. Sadly, George passed away on November 17, 2002. He is survived by his wife, Marion, and four children. He will be missed by all who knew him.
As a volunteer driver, George transported people to low vision and medical appointments and was the unofficial ambassador of the “I Am Loved” button pins in the Rochester area. I still remember the day he reached deep into his pocket, handed me one of those treasured pins and cracked a smile at me.
This act of kindness made my day, as I realized the commitment this volunteer had in serving others. George made friends with everyone he encountered and knew no enemies. To honor him, the volunteer program at ABVI-Goodwill will carry on his tradition by handing out the “I Am Loved” pins to every new and current volunteer.
Thank you, George, for your many contributions and years of service to ABVI-Goodwill. You are loved!
Outside advertisement
A Touch of France… Comes to Rochester. The team at Mercer Human Resource Consulting wishes you much success with this year’s “South of France on South Clinton” event. Mercer is delighted to help support this celebration and congratulates ABVI-Goodwill on another year of success.
The entire Rochester community has cause to celebrate ABVI-Goodwill’s ongoing efforts to provide programs, services and jobs to the blind and visually impaired in our area.
Merci, ABVI-Goodwill, for your nearly 90 years of service to greater Rochester.
For common-sense consulting with concrete results, call Mercer Human Resource Consulting. Mercer Knows.
Mercer Human Resource Consulting
720 Bausch & Lomb Place, Rochester, NY 14604 (585) 325-2870 www.mercerHR.com
ABVI Advertisement
Plan for the Future with A Gift Annuity Today!
A gift annuity is a gift of cash or stock that
provides you and/or a loved one with income
for a lifetime. Gift annuities also offer
numerous other benefits, including:
• Additional income for you and/or a loved one
• Payments that may be partially tax-free
• A federal (possibly state) income tax deduction
• Fixed income, regardless of the economy or interest rates
• Elimination of capital gains on transfer of appreciated securities
• The opportunity to create a legacy with your gift—one to ABVI-Goodwill and one to a loved one
For more information on gift annuities, please call Tracy Schleyer, Director of Development at
(585) 697-5780. Or send email to tschleyer@abvi-goodwill.com.
We’re Updating Our Mailing List
We apologize if you have received this newsletter in error, tf your name is incorrect, or if you do not wish to receive The Beacon. A quick phone call to Sindy Cantor at (585) 697-5713 would be most appreciated. We will give your concern our immediate attention.
TECHNICALLY Speaking ...
Should I Upgrade?
By Kim Kline
Whether or not to upgrade is a dilemma that most users of access technology ask themselves every time a new version of their favorite access software is released. The answer is complex. You must look at the new features and decide whether or not they would add anything of interest. But it doesn’t stop there. If you are running older technology, you must also consider the possibility that the new enlarger or speech program may not work as well as your current software.
This is especially true of screen-reading programs like Window-Eyes™ and JAWS®. These programs “read” screen activity and generate synthetic speech actions that the user would want to know about. Screen-reading programs fill a niche not addressed by operating systems like Windows® Narrator (available on Windows® 2000 and Windows® XP). What makes these programs unique is that they enable a person who is blind or visually impaired to access specific features of programs like Microsoft® Word or Microsoft® Excel. To do this, manufacturers customize their screen-reading software to work very closely with what they perceive to be currently popular programs.
The problem is that most companies that develop new access products put the majority of their testing and development into providing access to current applications. Optimizing a speech program for something like Office XP may overwrite a feature that was developed for Office 97. So, if you are using a version of Microsoft® Office that is five years old, you may discover that new versions of JAWS or Window-Eyes may not work as well as earlier versions. Companies like Freedom Scientific or GW Micro Inc. are understandably not eager to spend limited resources fixing problems with programs that are no longer on the market.
If you do decide to upgrade, it’s prudent to install the new software into a different folder from your old access program. That way you can drop back to the older version if you do not like what you find. Even this approach doesn’t always work. Sometimes, access programs actually modify the operating system, making it difficult to roll back to older versions.
Don’t be the first to upgrade either. Let someone who is more adventurous find the pitfalls. In short, if you are running a four-year-old operating system and a five-year-old office suite, it is unlikely that the newest version of your favorite access software is going to add anything significant to your computer. It might actually make it perform worse. You may find it better to save your money until you upgrade the rest of your computer system.
“One Day at a Time”
Reachout Radio Expands Program Offerings
By Ruth Phinney
On January 5, 2003 WXXI Reachout Radio expanded its program offerings to allow listeners more options to hear daily news and information. Ever since the service had to downsize to accommodate construction of the new facility, listeners have been asking when the evening broadcast of the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper would return. We knew what the listeners wanted; the trick was to figure out how to make it possible.
Thanks to new digital computer technology, Reachout Radio is able to record the morning broadcast of the Democrat and Chronicle and many of the regional newspapers for rebroadcast in the evening. At the same time, Reachout Radio expanded its offerings to include the daily reading of the Christian Science Monitor newspaper (Monday through Friday at 2:30 and 9:30 pm), to return Enabled to the air (Sundays at 12:30 pm), and to offer three airings of the grocery ads (Mondays at 8:00 pm, Tuesdays at 11:00 am and 8:00 pm).
The new computers also allow automated broadcast of two other programs of particular interest to our audience. Hands On Cooking (Saturdays at 11:30 am) provides recipes and cooking tips for people with visual impairments; and Prime Time Radio (Saturdays at 12:00 pm) provides information, interviews and legislative updates on issues relevant to people in the prime of their lives.
For more information about WXXI Reachout Radio or the new schedule of programs, please call (585) 258-0333. Reachout Radio is a free service made possible by WXXI in partnership with ABVI-Goodwill.
ABVI and Pizzeria UNO Advertisement
A Tasty Way to Raise Dough For the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI)-Goodwill Industries of Greater Rochester, Inc.
Every Monday in 2003, please present this certificate for a FREE DESSERT!
At time of payment, 20% of your check’s value (excluding tax and tip) will be donated to ABVI-Goodwill. Valid at all three Rochester area Chicago Pizzeria UNO locations.
GREECE
300 Center Place Dr.
(Behind Bob Evans)
Greece, NY
(585) 663-0720
HENRIETTA
1000 Hylan Drive
Market Place Mall
Henrietta, NY
(585) 272-8667
VICTOR
7724 Victor-Pittsford Rd.
(Across from Eastview Mall) Victor, NY
(585) 223-6100
© 2003, ABVI-Goodwill and Pizzeria UNO
Employees of the Year ...
ABVI-Goodwill proudly announces Bonnie Weed
as Employee-of-the-Year Department 11
PHOTO and PHOTO CAPTION: Bonnie Weed at work in our film Recycling Department.
Since beginning work at ABVI-Goodwill in 1977, Bonnie Weed has been a source of friendly inspiration to the people she works with. She not only is a hard worker but also has a friendly smile and a kind word to greet all those whom she meets.
Bonnie was born with no vision in her left eye. Due to a degenerative condition, she eventually lost the sight in her other eye as well. Fortunately for Bonnie, she had some good friends who also had visual impairments, who referred her to ABVI-Goodwill. The rest is history!
Bonnie was born and raised in Rochester. She likes working with her hands and being around other people. Bonnie described that losing her sight completely was the most difficult obstacle for her to overcome. However, she doesn’t let her visual impairment hinder her in the least.
Bonnie finds her work at ABVI-Goodwill satisfying. She explained, “The people are friendly and the food in the cafeteria is delicious. I am grateful that ABVI-Goodwill offers me employment and helps me to be more independent.”
In her spare time, Bonnie likes to watch movies, especially Westerns, listen to Oldies music and singing. She also enjoys taking trips, like the one she took to Cape Cod this past May.
Through her struggles, Bonnie has remained focused on what it is that she wants to do. She perseveres with a friendly word and a smile. Bonnie has shaped her life on the philosophy that you do the best that you can with everything given to you.
Kudos to Bonnie Weed, ABVI-Goodwill’s 2003 Employee-of-the-Year for Department 11!
Outside advertisement
agrilink
a processing and marketing cooperative
We are proud to be a sponsor of ABVI-Goodwill
ABVI-Goodwill proudly announces Michael Wiles as Employee-of-the-Year Department 16
PHOTO and PHOTO CAPTION: Michael Wiles operating machinery that cuts Skilcraft Self-stick Notes.
ABVI-Goodwill is proud to announce Michael Wiles as the 2003 Employee-of-the-Year and the nominee for the Peter J. Salmon 2003 Direct Labor Employee of the Year Award. Since the early 1980s, Michael has been employed as a material handler/mill-cutter at ABVI-Goodwill. Michael cuts and assembles Self-stick Notes in Department 16 to fulfill government contracts. Always with a smile, Michael truly embodies the spirit of ABVI-Goodwill.
Born in Jamaica with a degenerative eye disease, Michael and his mother searched for services to help his condition. When he couldn’t find the necessary services in his homeland, Michael and his mother moved to Canada and finally settled in the Rochester area where Michael was referred to ABVI-Goodwill.
Before being employed at ABVI-Goodwill, Michael worked in a canning factory and a fertilizer plant. However, Michael was glad to find ABVI-Goodwill because he knew that there his vision loss would not be viewed as a liability. Explains Michael, “When ABVI-Goodwill hired me, I was very delighted to come aboard.”
In his spare time Michael likes to listen to gospel, reggae and R&B music. He also enjoys watching T.V. and traveling. Michael is very family oriented—he and his mother return to Jamaica once a year. He also has family in Toronto and travels there often. This past Labor Day, Michael visited a niece near Washington, D.C. While he was there he toured the Capital, Arlington National Cemetery, museums and many other exciting places.
Michael brings a very positive attitude about the work he does at ABVI-Goodwill. He is always willing to lend an extra hand and is a natural-born leader. Michael realizes that a visual impairment can sometimes make a job difficult. His advice, “Remember that there will always be obstacles and pressures in life and work, but even when things aren’t easy, you can’t give up. You have to try and give it your best because if you don’t, you’ll fail before you even have the chance to get ahead.”
Hats off to Michael Wiles, ABVI-Goodwill’s 2003 Employee-of-the-Year!
CREATIVE WAYS To Give ...
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
• Woerner Industries, Inc. for their very generous and much appreciated donation of five hole punch and binding machines.
• Webster Lions Club for their $100 donation to buy children’s books.
• Eugene and Betty Miller for their $125 donation to buy children’s books.
• Lorraine Northrup for her donation of six children’s books on tape.
• Thomas Schnorr, President/Owner, Re/MAX First and Re/MAX 1st Commercial for his kind and useful donation of a copy machine for Retail.
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 items or the dollars to fund the necessities below, please contact Paul H. Bush, Director of Marketing and Communications,
for more information at (585) 232-1111.
Children’s Program Items
With the new Children’s Playgroup underway, we are still very much in need of books, toys and other items to stock our children’s activity room.
• Children’s books with tactile features—estimated cost $100.
• Children’s books on tape—estimated cost $100.
• Therapy ball—approximate cost $30.
• Tactile world globe—around $50.
Miscellaneous Capital Improvements
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.
Electric stove. The electric stove in the vision rehab teaching kitchen is at the end of its useful life. This stove is used to teach people who are blind or visually impaired how to use their home appliances safely. $1,100 is the price of the replacement—a lot for a stove, but this is not your standard-size electric range.
Replacement windows. Our Retail Processing Center warehouse located behind our main building handles tens of thousands of pounds of goods monthly—goods that translate into dollars that pay for services, but the place is badly in need of replacement windows at $300-400 a piece. Our Employment and Training Center, across from our main offices, also needs new windows.
Renovations to the Practice Room. The Practice Room provides an opportunity for people who are blind or visually impaired to practice with and experience state-of-the-art technology. This helps them maintain or increase their personal independence as part of vision rehabilitation. Estimated cost: $4,000.
Prism lenses. This device helps people who are visually impaired to expand their field of vision. The $600 trial kit will enable us to loan the lenses to consumers before they actually buy the prescription glasses.
Autofocus Telescope. This device enables a person who is visually impaired to see better by magnifying objects much like a set of binoculars. The cost of the entire kit is $1,995.
Volunteer doctors. Volunteer doctors are worth their weight in gold. If you or someone you know can spare even a half-day once a year we’d like to hear from you. We promise to use your time wisely. Call Kimberly Lawrence at (585) 697-5738.
Adaptive computer technology. In addition to providing much-needed revenue to fund programs and services, our four Goodwill stores also employ people who are blind or visually impaired. To continue doing so, we must upgrade the computer technology systems in our stores. We need nine new scanners (devices that scan the price of an item into the computer) costing $3,600 and four ticket printers costing $4,000.
NEW! Sound-proof Cabinet
Turning print into Braille means literacy for people who are blind or visually impaired. We are able to produce Braille materials for consumers who would like them. Unfortunately, Brailling is very loud. A sound-proof cabinet to house our Braille printer would cost about $700, and would save our ear drums.
NEW! Delivery Van
We desperately need a delivery van! We don’t need anything elaborate, just a stretch cargo van to transport goods to our Goodwill Fashions locations. If you can donate such a vehicle, call Paul H. Bush at (585) 232-1111.
Outside advertisement
Our happiness is greatest when we contribute most to the happiness of others. Shaker Saying
JP Morgan Chase is proud to help local organizations like ABVI-Goodwill make a difference in the lives of our communities.
We salute their dedication, hard work – and their results.
JP Morgan Chase
Preferred format
Do you prefer to receive reading material from ABVI-Goodwill in large print, e-mail, tape or Braille? If you are not receiving information from us in your format, please call Sindy Cantor at (585) 697-5713.
Bequests, Memorial And Honorary Gifts ...
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 November 23, 2002 and February 7, 2003.
· Eleanor Gillis
· Marie Heilman
· Lillian Nodecker
Memorial Gifts
By giving to ABVI-Goodwill in memory or in honor of a family member or friend, many charitable 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 November 23, 2002 to February 7, 2003.
• Lucille Aitken
James and Jean Andre
Linda Bartlett
Donald J. Neill
• Katherine Carnes
William Keymel
Sally Shiffer
Olga Troughton
• Reinhold Engel
John Caruso
Yolanda C. Engel
Morton Kimball
• Barbara Bohanan Fitzgerald
Charles S. Davis
Richard and Julie Dye
Paul Hallock
Eugene and Janet Hermenet
John B. Leach
John J. McCarthy
Irwin Metzger
Annabel and John Muenter
Pearl Rook
Ann and Ron Weilert
Donald I. Wickham
• Eleanor Gildea
Jane Diehl
Janet Dostal
Jay and Jamie Hill
Mark and Jill Misterka
Vivian Wallace
• Carol Hitchcock
Audrey Munn
• William R. Kash
Christine Warchal
• George Katerle
Herbert S. Cook
Marion Katerle
Susan Katerle and Mark SanGeorge
Frances Marks
The United Seal Company
• Howard Kittle
Carolyn Neufeglise
• Lucretia Lindh
Louis and Kathleen Reda
James and Diane Schuler
• Anita Principi
Felicia Noble
• Geraldine Frances Schmill
William Buehler
Linda J. Jackson
Anetta and Gary Oppelt
• Oma M. Stowell
Rick and Jean Stowell
• Grace Strazzeri
John and Christine Affronti
Theresa Bronte
Carol Ryan
• Anita Sweet
Virginia Dekin
• Pando Yolevich
Peter E. Bennett
HONORARY Gifts
• Henry S. Metz
Eric Rennert
• Gwen Sterns, M.D.
Marvin J. Hoffman, M.D.
Eric Rennert
• Howard Schenker, M.D.
Deborah Sikora
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 or friends. Your name and the names of those that you are honoring will be listed in The Beacon. ABVI-Goodwill will also send a note acknowledging your gift according to your wishes.
For information about making a memorial or honorary
gift, please contact Sindy Cantor at (585) 697-5713.
ABVI Advertisement
Clip & Save As A Reminder
CLEAN OUT YOUR CLOSETS!
Clean out your closets once a quarter. Then drop off your gently used clothing and household goods at one of our convenient drop-off locations. Clip this article and put it on your refrigerator as a reminder!
STORES WITH DONATION CENTERS:
Bay Centre
1217 Bay Rd.
Webster, NY 14580
(585) 787-1012
Jefferson Plaza
376 Jefferson Rd.
Rochester, NY 14623
(585) 427-7140
Stone Ridge Plaza
1516 West Ridge Rd.
Rochester, NY 14615
(585) 663-5220
Downtown
451 South Clinton Ave.
Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 262-3330
DONATION CENTERS ONLY:
Gates Donation Center
1563 Spencerport Rd
(Corner of Elmgrove Rd.)
Rochester, NY 14606
(585) 247-9320
Perinton Donation Center
7450 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd.
Fairport, NY 14450
(585) 421-0294
“Seeing Clearly” Broadcast Campaign
“Seeing Clearly” is ABVI-Goodwill’s theme for the radio and television campaign launched in February. Perhaps you’ve already heard our own Low Vision Specialist, Dr. Paul Caito, over WHAM AM 1180 radio or have seen him on WORK-TV Channel 13. This exciting new message to the community-at-large emphasizes how ABVI-Goodwill can help people who are blind or visually impaired “see” their potential.
New Henrietta Store!
ABVI-Goodwill’s brand new Henrietta store is scheduled to open mid-year. The store will be on the east end of Jefferson Plaza, enabling us to have a covered drive-thru area to protect visitors who are dropping off donated goods from the elements.
An end cap to the plaza, our new store will be bigger (8,412 sq. ft.), brighter, and easier to find than our current location within the plaza. As we get closer to the date of completion, we’ll let you know exactly when our new store will open.
Save the Date!
Celebrate 90 years of vision at our annual gala South of the Border on South Clinton. Tuesday, June 24, 2003. Eat, drink, dance, win and help us raise diñero for another successful year of vision rehabilitation services in Greater Rochester.
Take a break and save the date!
The BEACON Contributors:
Gwen Sterns, MD
Ruth Phinney
A. Gidget Hopf
Laura S. Townsend
Kim Kline
Jen Enright
Rene Latorre
Editors:
Paul H. Bush, Michelle M. Mould and Jen Enright
Design:
Archer Communications, Inc.
(585) 461-1570 • www.archercom.com
The BEACON is published four times a year. For addi-tional copies, in print, in Braille, by e-mail or on tape, contact Sindy Cantor at (585) 697-5713, or e-mail her at scantor@abvi-goodwill.com.