We’re pleased to announce this year’s Council Scholarship recipients! Executive Director Denise Jess says the decisions were especially difficult this year due to the excellent pool of applicants. Each year, $2,000.00 scholarships are awarded to students around the state who are blind or visually impaired and are enrolled in post-secondary education in the fall. Past… Continue Reading Introducing Our 2023 Council Scholarship Recipients
The Council was pleased to add braille instruction to our Vision Services menu last year. Like all our vision services, braille instruction at the Council is tailored to the goals of each individual client. “We see clients who use braille in a variety of ways,” says Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Rachel Pavone, who teaches braille… Continue Reading A Gift is Making It Easier to Produce Braille Instruction Materials
The Council’s Advocacy Days, which kicked off in April with a series of online discussions, provides an annual crash course on how to make a difference by communicating with local and state officials. This year, one of the key messages of Advocacy Days was that a conversation that combines data with stories of lived experience… Continue Reading Building Data into Your Advocacy on Health Care Issues
Kathy Brockman and 2019 Excellence Award winner Nona Graves. It is with very heavy hearts that Council board and staff share the passing of long-time board member, Kathy Brockman, on July 26, 2020. Kathy first joined the Council board in 1985. She most recently served as treasurer and chairperson on the Finance Committee. She also… Continue Reading Remembering Kathy Brockman
Rose Fortney’s alcohol ink works will be on display virtually this year, along with art from 12 other artists who are blind or visually impaired. The Council’s Gallery Night event will be held online Friday, October 2, from 6-7:30 p.m. The event will stream live on the Council’s YouTube channel. Grab some snacks and settle… Continue Reading Gallery Night Goes Virtual
Voting absentee is a safe option during the COVID-19 pandemic, but requires a witness. Someone who is blind or visually impaired may also need an assistant to ensure their ballot is marked correctly. According to a study by Rutgers University, voting among people with disabilities increased by 8.5 percent in 2018. This meant that nearly… Continue Reading Make Your Voting Plan
The Council is committed to educating the general public as part of its mission. For the past four years, NeuGen (WEA Trust and Health Tradition Health Plan) has generously supported Council education and outreach efforts by sponsoring a variety of programs that fit their organization’s guidelines. NeuGen provides health coverage for teachers and other public state employees in… Continue Reading Donor Feature: The Council Thanks NeuGen for Supporting Education and Outreach Efforts
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) “ensures people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees for which they have worked so long and so hard: independence… and the opportunity to blend fully and equally into the rich mosaic of the American mainstream” (said George H.W. Bush, who signed the ADA into law in July 1990).… Continue Reading How and When to Disclose Vision Impairment in Job-Seeking
Brandon Klas 2020 Council scholarship recipient, Brandon Klas, will attend UW-Whitewater as a sophomore this fall. Brandon wants to own his own business someday and he is majoring in entrepreneurship. He had a conversation with Katherine, Council Writer, about building relationships, future hopes and lessons he has learned during the COVID-19 quarantine. Katherine Corbett: While… Continue Reading Student Spotlight 2020: Brandon Klas
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A smart TV can offer great accessibility features for people with vision loss. But setting up and learning to use those features can be a challenge. Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Rachel Pavone says there are a number of strategies for painlessly mastering accessible smart TV features designed for users who are blind or visually impaired.… Continue Reading Getting a Smart Start With Your Smart TV
April is National Volunteer Appreciation month. It’s an opportunity to recognize and celebrate volunteerism and its positive community impacts. Americans have always stepped up when it comes to volunteering. According to Americorps, nearly a quarter of Americans age 16 and over donated time formally through an organization between September 2020 and 2021. “Volunteers share their… Continue Reading Volunteering Can Be Gateway to Ongoing Connection
Lions Club International has been a leading advocate for and supporter of people with vision loss since 1925. That’s when Helen Keller challenged Lions Clubs around the world to be “knights for the blind.” Each spring, the Council nurtures our relationships with Wisconsin Lions Clubs by updating them on our current work and goals and… Continue Reading The Council and the Lions: A Lasting Relationship Rooted in Shared Goals
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Madison, WI 53703
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Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired
