[Community-service] NCCC’s Maple 6 serves the blind and visually impaired with the Muskegon Lions - Et+cetera - Vinton Today, A News Cooperative :: Vinton Iowa

Thu Jul 21 17:34:43 UTC 2016

Hi,
 Great thoughts.

 Because the article does not mention specific disabilities besides blindness,  I wouldn’t assume that these campers live with another disability in addition to blindness.   Even if  if this is the case, to potentially assume that the existence of a certain disability automatically calls for a particular type of treatment is as fair as if someone assumed the same for a blind person  who didn’t have another disability to think about. 

 Erica, you have a  great   thought in your suggestion in being in touch with the Lions Group.
 Often we come  full with ideas, but have not given ourselves the benefit of having educating ourselves to the ideas and goals of a group.   I know this is something that I have been guilty of.  
 Maybe it would be a good idea to reach out to the lions group and to see just what they are  doing. After doing this, maybe  you could find out if they think it might be worth acting upon your suggestion.
 would you please let us know what you find out?
   Thanks!
   Darian         
> On Jul 21, 2016, at 9:27 AM, Ericka via Community-Service <community-service at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Many of my gut reactions were the same Bridget. I have many questions about the campers and how the camp was run. The Wisconsin Lions Camp is very different from with this supposedly is. However we have to also realize that something not mentioned but probably true, is that these campers are blind but also have other impairments. In Wisconsin we have a group run by the Lions call Blind outdoor leisure developmentsomething not mentioned but probably true, is that these campers are blind but also have other impairments. In Wisconsin we have a group run by the Lions call Blind outdoor leisure development or bold. Many of the people that attend are either elderly or cognitively challenged. They have not been given the opportunity to learn skills or are not seen as capable because of their cognition impairment. I have enjojed some of the bold activities and actually was able to lead others because I have some remaining sight. We finally have a decent president of the group who is trying to change things so that we are more respected. Guides are learning that not everyone needs cited assistance and to offer but it's OK if we refuse. It's quite a learning process for everyone but I am very happy things are slowly changing. The younger generations are just not joining which sends a strong message that things have to change for the recreational club to survive. We made the website completely accessible with speech software and many of the old guard are not happy but most of the board is a very capable group of people who just happened to be blind. We are now making the decisions of what the activities are and how they are run more frequently. The president just so happens to be sighted! Our Lions Camp has always taken people with disabilities as staff. I've had hearing-impaired counselors and the director has been visually impaired in the past. Now they take multiply disabled kids rather than traditionally only Youth with vision and hearing impairments. They've had to change things somewhat but I have fun memories of staff knowing that we were capable and expecting us to be independent. Now with insurance as crazy as it is kids don't get to do a lot of off camp things that we were able to do like canoeing overnights, but it's not because the kids can't handle it. 
> 
> You mentioned education. We have a big NFB Lions group I think. This would be something they could do to educate. The lions are all to help the blind, perhaps it's time we taught them how? Perhaps someone here is also part of the NFB Lyons and could pass the suggestion.
> 
> Ericka Short
> "What is right is not always popular; what is popular is not always right."
> 
>  from my iPhone 6s
> 
> On Jul 20, 2016, at 10:50 PM, Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via Community-Service <community-service at nfbnet.org <mailto:community-service at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
> 
>> This article doesn’t say much. My immediate reaction is skepticism and doubt of the Lions’ intent, but honestly, that’s me reading subtext where it doesn’t ever clearly state exactly how this program is ran.
>>  
>> I will say that I get tired of programs supposedly intended to “help” blind people “experience” certain activities, the unspoken message being without such programs we would not be able to participate in such things. The fact of the matter is that if we want to participate in something, we just do it, join it, participate. We figure out accommodations, if necessary, as we go along. I recently trained for and did a triathlon. I had a fantastic partner, but a lot of people thought it was much more difficult to do it blind, but I was doing all the same physical movement as the sighted athletes. The only difference was I was tethered to my partner during swim and run, and we used a tandem bike. Otherwise, nothing else was different. But I just did it. I didn’t need outside interference or a special program just for the blind to participate.
>>  
>> However, I do consider that not all blind people have had nonvisual training or proper training, and therefore don’t always have the correct tools or methods available to them to participate in certain activities. Or some don’t have the confidence to engage in certain things. It’s really an individual thing. We can’t assume every blind person can do the same things at the same level as another blind person. Like sighted people, we are varied in our strengths and weaknesses.
>>  
>> But going back to the article, I wish more programs facilitated learning how to do things independently instead of always doing things for the blind person. But that’s something requiring education on the part of groups like the Federation and its members who believe this philosophy. Maybe instead of guiding participants around, they could have been taught how to navigate nonvisually. Maybe blind athletes could have demonstrated how to play sports nonvisually. Maybe the campers could have packed their own lunches, learning how to do simple kitchen skills nonvisually. When everything is done for them, I wonder what exactly they are taking away from the experience. It would not seem a program like this would foster much of an independent spirit in campers, allowing them to go home and apply what they learned at home. Or teach them how to participate in activities like sports or other recreation without sighted assistance. Yes, sometimes sight is convenient or even necessary, but not all the time. I wonder if the Lions worked with a group capable of instructing in nonvisual skills if blind campers would come out of the experience with more than just memories.
>>  
>> Bridgit
>>  
>> From: Community-Service [mailto:community-service-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:community-service-bounces at nfbnet.org>] On Behalf Of Darian Smith via Community-Service
>> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 4:42 PM
>> To: Community Service Discussion List <community-service at nfbnet.org <mailto:community-service at nfbnet.org>>
>> Cc: Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com <mailto:dsmithnfb at gmail.com>>
>> Subject: [Community-service] NCCC’s Maple 6 serves the blind and visually impaired with the Muskegon Lions - Et+cetera - Vinton Today, A News Cooperative :: Vinton Iowa
>>  
>> Saw this article and wanted to get your thoughts
>>  
>> http://www.vintoniowa.org/ <http://www.vintoniowa.org/>
>> Et cetera :: NCCC’s Maple 6 serves the blind and visually impaired with the Muskegon Lions
>> 
>> Photos (1) View All
>> <~WRD000.jpg> <x-msg://42/images/pics/m6_vt_r3_657a44.jpg>
>> The team poses with the director of Pioneer Trails, Karl Dewitt. 
>> 
>> 
>> By: Luke Bowes and Megan Crissy
>> Maple 6 is currently serving in Muskegon, MI with United Way of the Lakeshore. However, the team had the opportunity to take part in an Independent Service Project (ISP) with the Muskegon Lions Club on Sunday, August 23. Muskegon Lions Club hosted their biannual adult retreat for the blind and visually impaired at Pioneer Trails on Big Blue Lake in Holton, MI.
>> Maple 6, along with a member of Oak 5, helped the Lions Club on their final day of the retreat. The team began the day by serving the participants’ breakfast while engaging in conversation with them. Afterwards, the team guided the participants to various areas of the camp and led activities including basketball, boat rides, hiking, and dancing. The team finished off the day by serving the participants’ lunch and helping them pack their belongings. Maple 6 also presented a program to the attendees on AmeriCorps NCCC.
>>  
>> This ISP meant a great deal to Maple 6 because they previously served on a project that involved the blind and visually impaired at their home base, the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School (IBSSS). The team assisted in the IBSSS’s Spring Conference by supervising blind or visually impaired children while the parents attended various workshops to gain valuable educational and parenting resources.
>>  
>> Team member and ISP leader Luke Bowes reflects on this opportunity, “I was thrilled to be a part of the Lions Club Adult Retreat for the Blind and Visually Impaired and immediately jumped on the opportunity to serve with such amazing and spirited people. I absolutely loved playing basketball with some of the campers. It was one of the most heartwarming and memorable experiences I have ever had.”
>> The Muskegon Lions Club will also be graciously serving a pancake breakfast at United Way of the Lakeshore’s annual Day of Caring on Friday, September 11, 2015. Maple 6 has spent the second of half of their project assisting in recruitment, site development, and hospitality for Day of Caring 2015.
>>  
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