Residents with vision impairment able to find their way with help of organizations

View explores centers and nonprofits dedicated to servicing residents with vision impairment.

BLINDCONNECT

When Las Vegas resident Jean Peyton started losing her eyesight due to a degenerative disease 20 years ago, she said she realized there weren’t adequate services offered for the blind in Nevada.

So she partnered with other residents and helped create Blindconnect in 1998 to offer information, referrals and peer support.

The organization meets at the College of Southern Nevada’s Charleston campus, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., Building L, Suite 200.

It plans to open Angela’s House, a blindness skills training center, in November.

“It is named for one of our former board members who took her life after she was unable to find services and mental health help,” Peyton said. “Her family came to us and said, ‘We can’t have this happen again,’ so we have been working on opening this house since 2007.”

Located in the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada’s mobility training center, Angela’s House is set to be a fully functioning home with appliances, furniture and more.

“The best way to train is in an environment that you are living in,” Peyton said. “You don’t live in a classroom or school building. This will provide them real-life, real-time training.”

The organization also plans its annual blind dinner date May 7 at Wellington Place, 6985 W. Sahara Ave. Guests are set to enjoy a three-course meal while dining blindfolded.

“Attendees will get to see what we don’t see,” Peyton said. “It’s really an eye-opener for everyone.”

For more information or to donate, visit blindconnect.org or call 702-631-9009.

THE NEVADA BLIND CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION

The Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation, 9330 W. Martin Ave., offers services, programs and social events for children who are legally blind.

“Our founders couldn’t find any services in the valley for their child who was blind, so they actually thought about moving out of state,” said executive director Emily Smith. “Then they visited a foundation in Phoenix that is known for its youth development, and they decided to model that here in Nevada.”

The foundation has four main programs, including cooking classes, recreational activities and braille tutoring.

“We also have book time buddies, where the children practice reading to therapy dogs,” Smith said. “When you read aloud, it’s like a panic attack for little kids, especially if they don’t read well. So reading to the dogs helps relax them and lower their blood pressure because the dogs don’t pass judgment.”

The foundation is working with the city of Las Vegas to open a learning center downtown, Smith said.

“We’re all about bringing programs that any other child has easy access to and adapting it for our children with vision loss,” she said. “We try to develop a specific plan for each child to help them succeed.”

The organization plans its sixth annual Ladybug Ball gala at 6 p.m. May 2 at Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd.

For more information or to donate, visit nvblindchildren.org or call 702-735-6223.

THE BLIND CENTER

The Blind Center, 1001 N. Bruce St., recently celebrated its 60th anniversary of providing programs and services to the community.

“We provide daily transportation, meals, classes and events for our members,” said Robin Kelley, director of development. “We help them become mobile and independent, so they can get back to their life.”

In addition to a fitness center and bowling alley, the center runs an electronic recycling business that repurposes or recycles residential and commercial computers, phones, appliances and more.

“We try to provide employment for our members when we can,” said Todd Imholte, chief marketing officer. “The blind center’s revenue is driven by these recycling efforts. They offset about 60 percent of the nonprofit side.”

The center was the dream of F. Marion Keele, who suddenly became blind at 38. He and his wife learned to teach Braille and handicrafts to their blind friends out of their home. After Keele’s death, one of his students continued his work and formed the nonprofit in 1955.

“People who are blind or severely vision-impaired often have no resources,” Kelley said. “It often comes suddenly, and they’re literally left in the dark. We give them a reason to get up each morning and be with people who understand their situation.”

The center plans a glow ball charity golf tournament at 6 p.m. May 1 at the Bear’s Best Las Vegas golf course, 11111 W. Flamingo Road.

For more information or to donate, visit blindcenter.org or call 702-642-6000.

To reach Henderson View reporter Caitlyn Belcher, email cbelcher@viewnews.com or call 702-383-0403. Find her on twitter: @caitlynbelcher.