News - Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired

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Group shot of the VisionServe Alliance Board of Directors

National Blindness and Low Vision Networks Work Together Toward Common Mission

Members of the VisionServe Alliance Board of Directors at their board meeting last fall. Across the country, there are a number of organizations dedicated to empowering people who are blind or low vision. While each of these organizations specializes in different areas of the vision loss field and all have their own unique identity, they… Continue Reading National Blindness and Low Vision Networks Work Together Toward Common Mission

Two people holding a check in the waiting area of the Council offices

Local Grants Support the Council’s Efforts to Change Lives

Executive Director Denise Jess receiving a check from David Anderman of the Madison South Rotary Foundation. The Council relies on a variety of funding sources to help us meet the needs of Wisconsinites who are blind or low vision. We receive gifts from individuals almost every day. Store customers round up their purchases to the… Continue Reading Local Grants Support the Council’s Efforts to Change Lives

A group of people congregated in the Council office looking at art hanging on walls.

Showcase Your Talent at Gallery Night This Fall

Are you an artist who is blind or low vision? We are currently accepting submissions for Gallery Night 2025, which will take place on Friday, November 7. We welcome artwork in a wide range of formats. Past exhibits have included paintings, photographs, digital drawings, fiber arts, wood carvings, ceramics and more. You can check out… Continue Reading Showcase Your Talent at Gallery Night This Fall

Showcase Your Talent at Gallery Night This Fall

The east enterance to the wisconsin state capitol

Action Alert: Tell Legislators that the State Budget Must Include Adequate Funding for Transportation Programs

The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will soon write the portion of their State Budget bill related to transportation. Please contact your legislators as soon as possible and ask them to encourage JFC to include in the budget a set of much-needed funding increases the Council is championing along with other organizations working on behalf of… Continue Reading Action Alert: Tell Legislators that the State Budget Must Include Adequate Funding for Transportation Programs

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In a two-by-two grid, photos of Kaylee Mueller, Jasmine Bertschy, Mia Zutter, and Alyson Dahl

Introducing our 2025 Council Scholarship Recipients

We’re pleased to announce this year’s Council Scholarship recipients! Each year, we award $2,000 scholarships to students from around Wisconsin who are blind or low vision and will be enrolled in post-secondary education in the fall. Past recipients have used the scholarship funds in a variety of ways to help fuel their college experience. In… Continue Reading Introducing our 2025 Council Scholarship Recipients

Karen Heesen holding her Crystal Apple award.

Former Board Member Karen Heesen Wins Crystal Apple Teaching Award

Karen Heesen Karen Heesen has been teaching students who are blind or low vision at the Wisconsin School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WSBVI) in Janesville how to read braille for 25 years. In that role, Karen has helped generations of students with vision loss connect with written language. Her efforts have not gone… Continue Reading Former Board Member Karen Heesen Wins Crystal Apple Teaching Award

Eight birders standing on a path listening to bird sounds.

Birding by Ear Shows the Importance of Inclusion in Outdoor Activities

In May, the Council joined the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance and the Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona for another fantastic Birding by Ear event. We had a full house at the Nature Center on a fantastic spring morning where we heard over 50 different species of birds passing through Dane County. Birding by Ear… Continue Reading Birding by Ear Shows the Importance of Inclusion in Outdoor Activities