Chartered in 1929
Club 3269
District 9700
DARKNESS TO LIGHT RIVERINA PROJECTS
As a separate project to the Eye Camps in India that commenced in 2005, Dr Alok Sharma
also wanted to help the vision impaired people in the Riverina. The local projects are
completely independent to the RAWCS approved overseas projects that have been
undertaken in India.
Since 2010, the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga has fully funded the following local projects.

Provision of 2 Stryker Surgistools to the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital Eye Theatre.

Presented to Wagga resident Mrs Thara Pech, a PEARL text to speech camera including
Open Book and software.

Presented to Vision Australia a computer to help visually impaired try out software before
they buy.

Held an Activity Day at Borambola Sport and Recreation Centre for families with children
who have Vision Impairment.

Held a Workshop for the visually impaired to assist with employment options.
 Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, December 2010.
Cost $5,400
The President of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga,
Michelle Maddison presented 2 Stryker Surgistools
valued at $5,400 to the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital
Eye Theatre as the initial project of “Darkness to Light
Riverina”.
Dr Alok Sharma said the operating stools will be
utilized by 3 specialist Eye Surgeons and a Registrar
at the Base Hospital while performing precision eye
surgery and will be very beneficial for both doctor and
patient.
 Text to speech camera and software to a legally blind lady in Wagga Wagga.
Cost $2,000
In April 2011, Dr Alok Sharma presented a Wagga resident Mrs Thara Pech a PEARL text to
speech camera including Open Book and software upgrade valued at $2,000.
Thara was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa
when she was 13 years old. Being legally blind
the hardware (camera) and software will
convert text to speech and will allow Thara to
complete her tertiary education in the area of
social work or serve as a hospital chaplain.
Thara became a Rotarian in 2013
 Looking Ahead Activity Day held at the Borambola Sport and Recreation Centre.
Cost $4,000
Saturday, 22nd October, 2011 saw 12 families from 12 different towns
in the Riverina Region converge on the Borambola Sport and
Recreation Centre. These families all had at least one child with a
Vision Impairment. The aim of the Activity Day, organised by members
of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga, in conjunction with staff members
from Vision Australia and the Itinerant Support Vision Teachers from
Wagga Wagga, was to set up an informal support network for these
families.
Many of these families feel isolated in their own communities as they
may be the only family with a Vision Impaired family member. Parents
meeting other parents in the same situation and siblings discovering that
they were not the only children in Australia with a Vision Impaired
brother or sister came as a revelation to most of them.
The students were divided into groups and each child had a Rotarian or
Teacher allocated for the day to be the carer / companion throughout the
day’s activities such as low ropes, archery (with bells and balloons on
the targets) and an alternative program for the Under 8’s.
The students and the adults bonded and supported each other in a most enjoyable way.
After a busy morning lunch was very welcome, then the parents and older students attended
a Discussion Forum to listen to presentations from young adults who had been through
school with a Vision Impairment and were now coping in the workforce. This Forum proved to
be very popular with the parents of younger children and they now feel confident “Looking
Ahead” into the future that their children will be able to cope with what life offers to them.
Meanwhile, the carers with the under eight year olds age group were enjoying themselves
with traditional toys, colouring in, ball games, mini golf, playdough and balloon games as well
as group activities using a giant parachute and the earth ball, both of which proved to be very
popular.
To conclude the day the Catering Corps from the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga prepared a
superb feast before all the travellers departed for home. President Barry Francis shared his
musical talent with the group which created a wonderful, relaxing atmosphere at the end of a
busy day.
 Presentation of a Training Computer to Vision Australia.
At a thank you Dinner held at the Rules Club on 17 November 2011 for all those that made
the Looking Ahead Activity Day so successful, the Rotary Club presented to Vision Australia
a training Computer valued at $2,000.
People who are blind or have low vision in the Riverina region are able to access services for
support in maintaining their independence and quality of life, through Vision Australia’s
Wagga office. Located in Trail St. Wagga, services cover many area of daily living such as
vision assessment, reading, cooking, using appliances such as the telephone and telling the
time.
Services offering advice and training in using computer-based adaptive technology previously
needed to be accessed on an out-reach basis from Melbourne, Sydney or Canberra.
Geographical distances and client demand resulted in long waiting periods.
The provision of a computer with a large screen monitor and loaded with adaptive software
programmes will enable clients to be shown the advantages of such technology and be able
to receive training in how to use them within Wagga. This computer will be available for
clients to book to continue practising with support of a trained volunteer mentor between visits
by the Adaptive Technology Trainer.
People who are blind or have low vision can now become familiar with the adaptive
technology and be able to make fully informed decisions about what they purchase. They will
be able to book a time with a mentor to help with their mastery of the software programmes.
This would apply to clients of all ages, including children needing help with using a computer
at school, students at TAFE or university, people using a computer in the workplace and
adults using a computer at home for recreation and communication.
 State Vision Camp at Narrabeen.
Cost $1,200
Seven (7) students from Kooringal Public School – Vision support Team attended a State
Vision Camp at Narrabeen from 2-6 September 2012.
 Support 3 boys on a Cricket tour of Sri Lanka.
Cost $2,000
Nilgiri's Restaurant hosted a fund raising dinner for 3 extremely talented boys needing
financial assistance to go on a cricket tour with to Sri Lanka organized by Ash Squire and Jeff
Warland who are the coaches at Activate Cricket Centre in Sydney. A team of 24 boys will
play 5 games during a 10 day stay in July 2012 and will assist in their Cricket Development
and overseas cricket experience.
 Workshop for Vision Impaired, February 2013.
Cost $2,000
The workshop was held at the Commercial Club on 19th February 2013 with the assistance of
Vision Australia and was well attended by the Vision Impaired young people, all interested to
hear what was available to them in the Job Seeking world. The Project received a District
Grant to allow this project to proceed and feedback from the participants was very positive.
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