Insight
FALL / WINTER 2016/2017
Newsletter of the
Lackawanna Blind Association
"Serving the Blind & Visually Impaired "
Spotlight on Lackawanna Blind Association Clients:
Stories of New Hope and Courage
Frank Beam is one of our many
clients who rely on our transportation and escort service. Frank says
our transportation service enables
him to get out and experience life to
its fullest. You can see that pictured
at right, where Frank plays the piano
for the enjoyment of all the clients
after a support group meeting at the
agency, and on page 3, where Frank
is shown dancing! Clients also tell us
they truly value the fact that our
service is "reliable, something you
can really count on." Clients also
appreciate our current driver, Elaine
Baresse, who is "sweet and patient."
Our New Mini Bus is Here!
Throughout our history, the Lackawanna Blind
Association's transportation and escort service
has been one of the most important services we
provide to the blind and visually impaired. As
client surveys indicate, transportation is a primary
need because it makes everything else possible.
If transportation services are not available, or if
the available services do not provide the door to
door escort that enables our clients to feel safe and comfortable, many other services remain inaccessible.
The Agency van has been traveling throughout Lackawanna County daily for decades, transporting clients
to classes, special occasion outings, and shopping at local markets with special escort care from trained staff
members. For several years now, we have had a dream of making our transportation services even better,
with more spacious seating, more storage area for purchases, and a smoother ride. We're delighted to
announce that thanks to the Friends of the Blind, Helen Keller Day, Dr. William J. Jordan, M.D. Memorial
Swing for Sight Golf Tournament, Scranton Lions Dream Game and a grant from the Scranton Area
Foundation, our dream has become a reality! Our new mini bus has arrived and had its inaugural run on
October 19th. Our clients are thrilled and so are we!!!
The mission of Lackawanna Blind Association is to support and promote the interests of the
blind and visually impaired, and the prevention of avoidable blindness.
Contact us at 228 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503
www.lackawannablind.org
570-342-7613
866-662-5300
[email protected]
88th Annual Helen Keller Day
Sunday, April 2, 2017 St. Mary's Center, Scranton
Helen Keller Day features lots of people in the spotlight, but you may not know there are many Friends of the
Blind working behind the scenes all year round. The Friends of the Blind are a group of women and men who
commit annually to support the agency and our mission. Funds raised by the Friends of the Blind pay for annual special outings for the clients, and support all our programs. Friends of the Blind assist with Helen Keller
Day in so many ways—selling tickets and raffles, baking, basket donations, staffing booths and more. Thank
you, dear Friends! Helen Keller Day wouldn’t be possible without you!
Would you like to join the Friends of the Blind? Just contact us at the Agency and we'll help you get started!
WNEP’s Jon Meyer & Renie Workman Meyer are joining us for the first time as commentators for the event.
The fashion show features Christopher & Banks, Joseph A. Bank, Old Navy, Small Frye’s and Tunis Bridal
Shoppe. The Lackawanna Blind Association thanks Jon and Renie, fashion show participants, and all of our
volunteers and sponsors for their continuing support in making this a successful event. Special thanks to this
year’s Helen Keller Day Co-Chairs, Judy Galenas Pronko and Michele Albright.
The Lackawanna Blind Association and Friends of the Blind congratulate Tom and Noreen Clark on
their retirement from WNEP and thank both of them for their
many years of dedicated service to Helen Keller Day!
Please mark your calendar and attend this entertaining event!
Sunday, April 2, 2017
St. Mary's Center, 320 Mifflin Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503
Doors open 11:30a.m.; Lunch at Noon; Fashion Show 1:30p.m.
Tables of 8 or10 can be reserved for $240.00 and $300.00.
Individual tickets are $30.00; $15.00 for children under 10.
Please note: Reservations are required!
No tickets can be sold at the door!
Please call (570) 342-7613 for more information or
to make reservations.
Helen Keller committee members meet monthly to do the
extensive planning required for such a big event. Standing
from left to right: Janet May; Mary Claire Boylan; Julie
Smith; Cathy Van Nort; Louise Passarella; Leigh Magnotta;
Paula DePeters; Noreen Burke. Seated from left to right:
Sharon Byrne; Atty. Jerry Musheno; Mary Lou Wascavich,
Exec. Dir.; Co-Chair Judy Pronko. Absent from photo:
Co-chair Michele Albright.
PARTNERSHIP LEVELS FOR HELEN KELLER DAY
Please help us continue our programs and services to the blind and visually impaired in Lackawanna
County by supporting Helen Keller Day 2017:
$1,000.00
$500.00
$250.00
PARTNER LEVELS
Visionary Partner
$100.00
Luminary Partner
$50.00
Sight Saver Partner
$25.00
Seer Partner
Guiding Light Partner
Eye Safety Partner
Please use the enclosed envelope if you wish to send in a gift. Your name or business will be listed in
the Helen Keller Day program book, unless you choose to remain anonymous. Any donation is greatly
appreciated!
You give light to your neighbors.
LBA has done wonders for me! My family lives
out in the country. I was stranded when my
vision declined and I could no longer drive.
Everyone is gone all day, so before LBA, I felt
very alone. Now I have so many new friends!
Sadie Tomcykoski, Jermyn
LBA has opened the world for me!
Now I can get where I need to go and
my life is so much more exciting.
Frances Loss, Scranton
LBA is a blessing! They have provided me
with so much help. I have no children of
my own, but Pat (LBA caseworker) is
like family to me.
Madge Cherundolo, Old Forge
Thank you for considering a gift.
Lackawanna Blind Association does not share donor information with anyone, other than publishing a list thanking donors by name only.
Donors may also request that their gift remain entirely anonymous.
Volunteer Profile: Friends of the Blind
The Friends of the Blind, formerly known as the
Ladies' Auxiliary, has for nine decades faithfully
served the agency in many ways, including hosting
the very first Helen Keller Day. In 2010, the Ladies'
Auxiliary was renamed the Friends of the Blind.
There is no better way to thank God for your sight than
by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark.
— Helen Keller
We would like to extend a special and heartfelt thank you to one faithful member of the
Friends of the Blind, Cindy May (pictured at left). In 2007, Cindy volunteered to build a
website for the agency and for nearly a decade, she continued to maintain and update the
website for us. In 2016, Cindy regretfully decided that changes in technology made it
necessary for her to let go of managing the website. We hired a professional design firm
and launched a brand new site in November. Please be sure to check it out at
www.lackawannablind.org. While we are excited about the new website, we were sad
about the end of an era. We are grateful that Cindy will continue as a Friend of the Blind.
Cindy exemplifies the spirit of the Friends of the Blind. You may not meet the Friends of
the Blind or see their pictures in the newspaper, but without them, we simply could not do
everything we do. Because of Friends of the Blind like Cindy, the lives of our blind and
visually impaired clients are immeasurably enriched. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Please join the Lackawanna Blind Association by volunteering!!!
Thank you to these outstanding members of our
Fundraising Events community for their dedicated support of our agency and
the needs of the blind and visually impaired. We truly
appreciate your faithful generosity in organizing annual fundraising events on our behalf!
Scranton Lions - Dream Game
Above, Scranton Lions Club members present a check to Mary Lou
Wascavich, LBA Exec. Dir., for $16,000, the proceeds of the 82nd Annual
Dream Game held on July 20, 2016. Pictured left to right: Bill Gnall; Dan
Loftus; Ed Russo, Co-Chair; Mary Claire Boylan; Dave Rudis; Mary Lou
Wascavich; Nick Parise; Karl Pfeiffenberger; Phil Mahasky; Joe Manley;
and Walter Schultz.
Cocktails for a Cause
Dr. Rebecca Schoonover (above right) presents
her 2016 CFAC donation in memory of Thom
Mann, a friend and eye care professional, to
Mary Lou Wascavich, LBA Exec. Dir., in the
amount of $2,080. The 12th annual CFAC was
held November 12, 2016.
Pasta Fiesta
At right, friends gather for food and fun at the
annual Pasta Fiesta. Hosted by Mary Regina
Perry and Bob Harrington, the annual event
held at G’s Wood Grill, Bundy Street, Scranton,
on November 15, 2016, raised $3,400 for our
Agency. From left are LBA Caseworker Mary
Claire Boylan, Jessica Perry, Hosts Bob and Mary Regina, LBA Exec. Dir. Mary Lou Wascavich, and LBA Caseworker Pat Russo.
Client Activities
Life Skills
Above right, a wonderful Life Skills Program presented by
Glenn Howey from Voter Registration. Above left, a close up
of the Computer Voting Machine for the Blind and Visually
impaired.
By the Numbers
Are you curious about how donations and funding procured
by the Lackawanna Blind Association are used? Here is a
breakdown of where those dollars were spent during the
2015/2016 fiscal year:
Lackawanna County
1874 children at 70 sites were screened for vision problems
360 adults at 36 sites were screened for vision problems
797 children at 28 sites learned about eye care & safety
303 adults at 16 sites were educated about eye care & safety
2493 third graders at 96 sites participated in the Magic World
of Vision prevention of blindness educational series
146 individuals received low cost glasses through our Eye
Care Program
202 clients received 1018 hours of support services
Fall Outing
51 clients participated in 1472 hours of life skills classes
Above, clients and staff enjoy lunch at Alfredo's during
our annual fall outing.
61 clients received 1612 hours of transportation services
45 clients attended 15 outings and social events
23 clients took part in 450 sessions of exercise class
265 adaptive devices were distributed to clients/consumers
Shopland Club
Pictured at left, clients
Julie Smiegal and Frank
Beam take a spin on the
dance floor at Silver
Birches during the Shopland Memorial Club's
annual summer outing.
Susquehanna County
302 children at 16 sites were screened for vision problems
58 adults at 10 sites were screened for vision problems
112 children at 4 sites learned about eye care & safety
16 adults at 2 sites were educated about eye care & safety
31 clients received 118 hours of support services
7 clients received 12 hours of life skills education at home
6 clients participated in 5 hours of support groups
8 clients received 129 hours of transportation services
To Our Clients, Volunteers and Supporters:
2016 has been a very exciting year for the Lackawanna Blind
2017 LARGE PRINT LBA
Association! One of our "big dreams" in recent years has been to purCALENDARS
chase a new mini bus to enhance our client transportation service. We
are so grateful to all our supporters (see article on the cover) and we
are thrilled every time we see the bus pull up to the agency filled with
Everyone needs a calendar. Large print LBA happy clients!
Calendars are here and ready for distribution!
We launched a brand new website this year, another big accomYou can obtain a calendar simply by calling plishment! We are most excited that our new platform gives us the
our office at 570-342-7613. Any donation ability to easily update our website with the latest agency news,
photos and activities calendar. Please be sure to visit us often at
would be appreciated to offset printing costs.
www.lackawannablind.org.
In 2016 we provided support for over 245 blind and visually
Grab a calendar and start organizing your impaired clients, large-print calendars and referral services for lowdates today!
cost eyeglasses for hundreds more, and prevention of blindness
screenings and education for thousands. We are able to accomplish
all this with a small budget and staff thanks to our faithful volunteers
who continue to support us year in and year out. We are grateful for
To notify us of a change in address,
each one of you! On behalf of our Board and Staff, thank you. Most
or if you wish to be removed from our
of all, we are grateful for the privilege of serving our extraordinary
mailing list, please call our office and
clients, whose courage and determination inspire us every day. Best
wishes for a successful New Year.
press 5 to leave a message.
Mary Lou Wascavich, Executive Director
Return Service Requested
Lackawanna Blind
Association
228 Adams Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503-1602
NON-PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SCRANTON, PA
PERMIT NO. 68