Program offers fun, friendship and life lessons

by Frank Vance, Director of Rehabilitation Services

ACBVI offers a variety of classes through our social recreation program. These are classes in arts and crafts, intellectual games, music, communication, health and wellness, and general education.

This wide range reflects our clients' interests and allows them to socialize with other people who know what it is like to live with vision loss. Our classes also help people to acquire skills and knowledge they can use to get more involved in their communities.

The social recreation program (currently on hiatus due to the COVID-19 restrictions) operates three days a week - Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays - with classes in the morning and afternoon.

The social recreation program is staffed by caring volunteers. Our clients' lives are enriched by those who are willing to share their time and talents. And our volunteers love the friendships they make here, too.

Sharon Wertz leads our woodturning program. Clients learn to make things like pens, pepper mills, and kaleidoscopes — often to use as gifts for loved ones. 

But Sharon says the real value is the confidence people gain when they realize that they can still pursue hobbies they enjoy.

“People realize that just because they lost their sight, they didn’t lose their ability to learn new and worthwhile things,” she says.

For more information on how you can help through volunteering, visit acbvi.org/volunteer to share your information and passion!