[Ohio-talk] FW: Thank you

[J.W. Smith]

Colleagues, please read the message that follows and know that I forward it
on to you to show you some of the correspondence that I get from time to
time but also to demonstrate to you how we can work together as a team.

 

Please keep her in your prayers and perhaps we will see her at some of our
future meetings.

 

Jw

 

 

Dr. J. Webster Smith

President, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

PO Box 458 Athens, OH 45701

740-592-6326

 

“Changing what it means to be blind”

For more information go to nfbohio.org

 

From: Prater, Shelly [mailto:Shelly.Prater at summitrps.com] 
Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 2:35 PM
To: 'jwsmithnfb at frontier.com'
Subject: Thank you

 

Hello Dr. Smith.

 

Thank you so much for the kind voicemail that you left today.  I called and
spoke with Everett a few minutes ago.  What a great guy!!  I hope to go to
their next meeting.  We talked about me helping with events, providing rides
to the monthly meeting and possibly assisting with shopping, etc.

 

I have been seeking and praying for a volunteer opportunity, but I wasn’t
quite sure which direction I was being lead.

 

I shared with Everett that I have friend, Justin, that is totally blind (he
lost his site at age 17).  Before I moved to Akron, I provided Justin with a
ride to work on a daily basis.  I was recently in Atlanta visiting my sister
and her family and we went to an exhibit called “Dialog in the Dark”.  In
case you are not familiar with the exhibit, it is set up to allow
full-sighted people to experience everyday life (a trip to the grocery
store, crossing a street, going to a café, going to a park, boarding and
riding a boat) without seeing a thing.  The tour took about an hour and we
were in complete darkness the entire time.  It is lead by a visually
impaired guide or a completely blind guide.  Our group had 8 people and we
were each given a cane to help us navigate.  I got about 10 minutes into the
tour and started thinking about Justin and the challenges that people face
every day.  I started thinking of the “little things” I complain about on a
daily basis and the things that I take for granted.  I had an overwhelming
sense of gratefulness (like a gratefulness that I have never experienced),
yet such a compassion at the same time.  Tears just started streaming down
my face and I couldn’t stop crying.  At first the guide thought that I was
afraid of the dark!!  Once I explained to her what I was feeling, we stood
there in complete darkness while she was hugging me and comforting me and
trying to explain to me how blessed she was!!  It was such a surreal
experience.

 

I realized, at that time, that I was being called to help with the visually
impaired in some way.

 

1 Peter 4:10 - Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve
others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

 

 

Shelly Prater

Manager, Sales and Business Integration

 

Summit Retirement Plan Services Inc.

13680 Cleveland Ave. NW

Uniontown, OH  44685

 

Phone: 330-983-0530 

Fax: 330-644-2705

Email: Shelly.Prater at summitrps.com

Website:  <http://www.summitrps.com/> www.summitrps.com

 

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