Vision Corps

Protect your eyes from harmful UV rays which can damage your eyes by causing: cataracts, eye cancers, growths on the eye, and more.

Wear sunglasses (be sure they are 100% UV or UV400 protection) -- even when it's cloudy -- to protect your eyes. Wear hats, stay inside when the sun is strongest (midday to early afternoon) and avoid tanning beds.

Learn more about UV rays:
https://ow.ly/Ogki50SHcNT
(From the American Academy of Ophthalmology)

Our Vision Outfitters group spent the morning making a ceramic plate last week in Lancaster.

The campers had fun designing and glazing their plates.

Meet Dot, one of our volunteer drivers.

Here's what she says about driving for VisionCorps:

𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨, 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝.

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚.

Read more: https://services.visioncorps.net/post/meet-people-and-learn-about-vision-loss/

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿? 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗮𝘁 𝟳𝟭𝟳-𝟮𝟬𝟱-𝟰𝟭𝟭𝟲.

Members of the Dover , Pa . Lions Club recently toured our manufacturing facility in the York office. They learned about the different products produced in the office including reflector posts, urinal pads, and the assembly work on the NLS line for books for the blind.

Is your group interested in touring VisionCorps' offices in Lancaster, Lebanon, or York? Reach out to Linda at 717-205-4116.

A wonderful, inclusive option for everyone to experience nature in Pennsylvania!

The SENSORY TRAIL in Cook Forest State Park is the first trail of its kind in the PA State Park system. It is a ¼-mile paved loop for blind and physically disabled with braille/raised letter signage, a guide cable, sturdy benches, and a picnic area at the trail head.

Keep your eyes safe in the summer sun!

Be sure to choose sunglasses with UV400 protection!

Learn more:

www.facebook.com

We’re participating in the Target Circle program! You can vote for VisionCorps and help direct Target’s giving to benefit our nonprofit.

How does it work? You earn community support votes every time you shop at target using your Target Circle membership. You can then use those votes to support your favorite local charity when you visit target.com/circle or in your Target app by choosing "Circle."

You can vote for VisionCorps now through September 30th. At the end of the voting period, funds are donated to the charity based on percentages of votes received. It's an easy way to help your friends and neighbors with vision loss! Thank you for your support!

It's summertime -- YAY!

Parents, this is a good time to get your children's eyes checked to be sure they are ready for school in the fall.

If you need help paying for an eye exam or glasses, we offer a voucher program that provides for a free eye exam and glasses for income-qualified individuals. Please call 717-205-4141 for more information.






Photo credit: National Eye Institute

This year, the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) welcomed 14 new members to the Advocates for Leadership and Employment program -- including our own from Little Rock!

There are now 60 Advocates in the program, all working to for people who are blind in their communities and nationwide.

Here is the 2024 class of Advocates, who visited Washington, D.C., in May to urge Congress to adopt a 1% AbilityOne Program utilization goal for the Department of Defense to grow employment for people who are blind or have significant disabilities.

Read more: https://ow.ly/beJr50SuXfF


[Multiple images of group photos of NIB's Advocates for Leadership and Employment sitting around a table and then posing for their class picture.]

Reposted from NIB.

DYK ... how you hold your phone could affect your eyes. When you’re looking at your phone, it should be at least a foot away from your face to prevent eyestrain, according to eye doctors.

Read more about how you hold your phone can affect your eyes, your wrists, your head, and more.

You’re holding your phone wrong Since you’re unlikely to use your smartphone less, try these adjustments to minimize hand and eye issues.

NPR's Terry Gross of Fresh Air recently interviewed David Tatel, whose new book is titled: "Vision: A Memoir Of Blindness And Justice."

Tatel, a retired federal judge from the Appeals Court, is blind resulting from the progressive eye disease retinitis pigmentosa, a condition he kept from his colleagues early on, until he started using a white cane and later a dog guide.

Listen to Tatel's story and learn how he has lost faith in the court.

https://ow.ly/9cbn50SzV4x

Volunteer driver Dot Milliken took Benjamin Brenya to Chester County today to meet with clients to help them learn technology on a cell phone.

Are you interested in becoming a volunteer driver for VisionCorps? You can drive your car -- or a VisionCorps vehicle. Learn more by calling Linda at 717-205-4116.

There's a lot of talk about how some of these new drugs can be helpful with weight loss.

Please see the following information:

Ozempic may be linked to condition that causes blindness, but more research is needed People who were prescribed semaglutide were more likely to develop an optic nerve condition that can lead to sudden vision loss.

How do you ride a tandem bike when you are blind? In Lancaster, Benjamin Brenya rides with his friend, Aaron.

Listen to this story about people with impaired vision riding tandem bikes with friends in NYC's Central Park:

https://ow.ly/9Z1C50SvW4S

Our York office celebrated Independence Day with an indoor picnic.

Food and friends were on the menu! Party planners Tammie and Michelle were dressed to celebrate!

Happy 4th of July! It's the day to celebrate our country and our freedom safely with family and friends. Please celebrate safety -- protect your eyes.

Here's to Independence -- at VisionCorps, Independence is part of our culture.

We celebrated independence in several locations today! Here's our Lancaster location where our holiday lunch featured friends and food -- including 3 yummy cakes made by Anastassia!

Congrats to Philadelphia Fire Beep Baseball! The team won its recent tournament and is now 🔥🔥𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟰𝘅 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁! 🔥🔥👏👏

The team is prepping now for its next few games -- in the beep baseball World Series, to be held in Saint Charles, MO, on July 22 - 27!

Let's go Philly Fire!! 🔥🔥

It's the time of year to celebrate freedom and independence!

Be careful! Protect your eyes!

Enjoy safely!🎇 Fireworks can be dangerous, causing serious burns, eye injuries and even death. Follow these tips to celebrate safely + stay safe from injuries ↓

George Tobler visited our Little Rock facility recently and was helping out on the SKILCRAFT paper line.

His performance was judged "not bad!" -- for his first day!

Now through July 4, many families are around fireworks. If you choose to use consumer fireworks, be careful!

A recent study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) revealed no fireworks -- including sparklers -- are really safe.

In 2023 between mid-June and July, there were at least 800 injuries involving firecrackers and 700 injuries involving sparklers. About 31% of the injuries affected children.

Stay back, and wear protective googles around fireworks.

Read more: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/fireworks-aerial-sparkler-accident-eye-injury

We celebrate the legacy of Helen Keller during from June 23 to June 30.

Today, we celebrate the remarkable life and legacy of Helen Keller, born on June 27th. Helen Keller was a pioneering advocate for individuals with disabilities, overcoming her own challenges of being DeafBlind to become an author, lecturer, and activist. Her work has inspired countless people around the world to recognize the potential within everyone, regardless of their abilities.

Helen Keller's extraordinary achievements include graduating from Radcliffe College, being a co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and advocating for disability rights, women's suffrage, and labor rights. Her perseverance and dedication to advocacy have left an indelible mark on history.

As we commemorate DeafBlind Awareness Week from June 23rd to June 30th, we reflect on Helen Keller's enduring impact. The theme for 2024 is Diverse Journeys, Shared Aspirations, highlighting how the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) partners with DeafBlind individuals to help them navigate life's pathways toward greater independence, meaningful employment, and personal milestones.

Join us in celebrating Helen Keller’s legacy and the incredible achievements of the DeafBlind community. Visit HelenKeller.org/DBAW24 to download our social graphic, share it with the hashtag , and explore our free resources.

Together, we can foster greater understanding, inclusivity, and support for the DeafBlind community.

Image Description: A photo of Helen Keller with the quote, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart” overlaid in white text.

We’re at the community health fair at the Arthur J. Glatfelter York YMCA.

It’s great to meet someone who used our services! The woman in the second pic said the services her mother received from VisionCorps were really helpful.

? June 27 is ! 😎 Sunglasses can protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Make a habit of wearing sunglasses whenever you’re outside — and learn more habits that can help keep your eyes healthy: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/healthy-vision/8-things-you-can-do-right-now-protect-your-vision

Kudos to Jesse Miller, our President's Award Winner at our staff meeting today. 👏👏

Jesse was recognized for being the top individual fundraiser in Eye Drop 2024! He and his "team," named Rebel with a Cause in honor of his dog guide, Rebel, raised $12K+!

Over the five years that Jesse has participated in the Eye Drop rappel fundraiser (FUN FACT: He is our ONLY rappeller to take part in every Eye Drop event!), he has raised more than $30K+ to help VisionCorps provide services to those who are blind or vision impaired.

Wow -- what a record! 👀👀 That will be hard to top -- although we're encouraging Jesse to rappel in 2025 to break his own record!!





2024

Vision rehabilitation includes orientation and mobility instruction such as using a white cane. Myke learned how to walk around independently with his white cane after losing his sight in an accident.

Myke's story was part of the vision rehab stories released by VisionServe Alliance as part of its coordination of Vision Rehabilitation Week earlier this month.

Read Myke's story: https://services.visioncorps.net/post/things-are-looking-up/

June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month.

Our employees participated recently in Wear Purple Day to raise awareness for Alzheimer's disease and demonstrate our solidarity with people fighting Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases. Over 50 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias.

Find out more at https://www.alz.org/.

We’re here at the ARC Disability Health & Wellness Fair at Brickerville Fire Hall. Our “fun” glasses are a big hit today!

We had a surprise retirement party for Mary Thompson recently. Mary, who works in HR, is leaving her full-time post, but staying around to help out PT for a few months.

Mary enjoyed a reception with our Lancaster employees and some special gifts -- including some notes imprinted on helmet pads to remind her of the how much her work was valued and our products produced by our Enterprise Group.