[Nfbv-historic-fredericksburg] Our Gifts

[Hollis Frisch]

There will be no gift exchange among us this year.  Instead, please bring a
gift to our holiday dinner next week for a veteran who is blind and lives in
the nursing home part of the Veterans Hospital in Richmond.  There is no
minimum or maximum spending limit.  Instead, in the strongest possible
terms, I am urging every single person who can to contribute in the most
meaningful way possible for him or her to do so.

The visual impairment coordinator at the Veterans Hospital in Richmond has
four people who could really benefit from our attention.  They live in the
nursing home part of the facility.  There are three men and a lady.  In
addition to blindness, some of them have diabetes.  Two of them, including
the lady, are blind as a result of traumatic brain injuries.

The coordinator says the individuals who are diabetic really need some nice
white tube socks.  She says these socks don't have heels and do not come in
individual sizes.

A similar gift, she suggests, is slipper socks.  These would be helpful
because they have something on the bottom to prevent slipping and falling.
Again, these slipper socks are not individually sized.

All four of these veterans who are blind have opportunities to leave the
building.  The coordinator says they need warm hats and scarves.
Circulation is a concern for some members of this group of four.
Consequently, they often feel uncomfortably cold.  Some warm soft lap robes
or lap blankets would make comforting gifts.

Some of these suggestions are more expensive than others.  An individual
could contribute meaningfully by purchasing even one pair of tube sox.  I do
not know if these come in packages.  If so, perhaps an entire family, or
several individuals, could get together and purchase a package.  A lap robe
or blanket would also be an appropriate gift from an entire family.  

Our names do not need to go on the gifts.  However, I suggest it might be
helpful to write on the package what it contains, and whether it is for a
man or the lady.  Sandy Ferris, Roy Murphy and I will make certain the gifts
arrive at the hospital December 22.

The visual impairment coordinator shared something else of interest.  There
is a veteran in the who is blind and lives in Fredericksburg.  He is still
adjusting to his blindness, but he is starting to participate in activities
with a female veteran who is a friend of his.  The coordinator think he
would benefit from having contact with us.  We don't know if he is ready yet
for the idea of a attending a chapter meeting.  However, he might be ready
for some friendly informal visits from members of our chapter.  I would
appreciate it if anyone who is interested would please let me know so we can
pursue this shortly after the new year.