[Ohio-talk] New families

[Carol Akers]

I am posting this on Ohio talk as an effort to reach out to people in the Miami Valley chapter area and Elyria area.  I have had no success getting individual responses from folks this week, so I am trying everyway possible to get in contact with these areas.  
Two mom's called me this week who had no idea that the parents division existed or that there were blind people in Ohio who gathered together for regular meetings and events.  The first family has a 16 yr old son, Dalton in Camden, OH, near Dayton,  who has progressively lost vision from several hereditary eye conditions.  No cane, no Braille and is repeating the 9th grade, now as a homeschooler, due to lack of cooperation and resources in the local district. His mom did not ASK for anything except to learn what she can do to help her son become more independent and learn how to follow his dreams, as a blind person.  He used to love reading, despite his extremely thick glasses, but now, even with CCTV and magnification, he just cannot do it.  He faces fatigue, headaches and cannot process what it takes so long to read.  His mom has been reading to him for this reason.  His eye Dr at Dayton Children's told them this week that he needed a child
 advocate, which is what led her to call Baltimore and ask for help and led to Ohio POBC and NFB.
After speaking with her for almost 2 hours, sending a long email with links, some specific to do tasks and mailing her information, she let me know she had registered for convention!  There are 5 of them coming and  they are so excited to find us.  Thank you Richard for calling me about this family so late in the evening!    
The second family has a son, Dorian, who is 5 yrs old and in 3rd year of pre-school.  He is doing pre-Braille skills and learning pre- cane skills.  She found the parents  through Facebook and again, had no idea we all existed as a group  She cannot come to convention as it is her son's birthday celebration, but again, wants to be involved on a local level to learn more about helping her son and participating with other blind persons.  
I hope we will all take any opportunity we are given, to welcome new families into our local chapters for meetings and activities, as these are what will motivate those folks to stick around and their children to stick around as adults.   They can meet successful, active, blind adults who can serve as mentors, role models, mobility instructors and perhaps Braille instructors, as well.   Anyone in the Miami Valley or Elyria areas who would like more information, if you were not one of the recipients of my original email regarding these families, please let me know.  I think any support or friendship we can offer these families, will only be an additional benefit to the resources we can all provide.
Thank you, my speech is done.
Carol Akers