Fort Worth, Texas (August 2020) – Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth happily announces that Daniel Pinkerton has joined the sales team as the Product Development Specialist. Daniel will be responsible for product and contract development with federal, state and commercial opportunities. He will work in conjunction with our partners, Workquest and National Industries for the Blind.

Daniel received both his Bachelor of Political Science and Master of Public Administration from Tarleton State University. “I am excited to be part of the Lighthouse team; I have searched for a nonprofit organization that I can dedicate my education and desire to serve others to. I feel that I have found just that place here and cannot wait to see where we can take this organization.” – Daniel Pinkerton

“Daniel’s background and varied experiences connect well with his education and potential to bring more skilled and knowledge-based products to the Lighthouse, helping grow the organization’s ability to provide jobs and services to the increasing Tarrant county community served by the Lighthouse.” – Sean McNeill, Head of Business Development & Sales

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Since 1935, Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth has made a life-changing difference in the lives of individuals who are significantly visually impaired by providing skills enhancement, training and employment that empowers them to achieve their highest level of personal, economic self-sufficiency. In addition to Client Services, the Lighthouse’s Industrial Division employs individuals who are legally blind to manufacture and package products such as fast pack shipping containers, spiral wound shipping tubes, drug testing devices, targets, optical lenses, and copy paper. Products are available for sale to commercial businesses as well as to local, state and federal government agencies. For more information about Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth or to take a tour of the 80,000 square foot facility located at 912 W. Broadway, contact the Community Development department at 817-332-3341.

The pandemic has taken its toll on our nation, but is especially affecting Orientation & Mobility instructors. The Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth would like to invite any Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialists to collaborate with us, in a positive brainstorming session. We encourage you to bring your ideas on how we can adapt and continue to provide needed training while practicing social distancing & keeping a safe proximity during this time.

Jill Brown is both a Certified Teacher of Children with Visual Impairments and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist. She has been in the V.I. world for 43 years, with 24 of those years as a COMS. Brown is the co-founder of “Camp-Can-Do”, a camp for elementary age children with visual impairments, is active in planning the North Texas White Cane Safety Day event and has served on the AER and TAER boards.

Olga Uriegas is currently serving as Program Director of The Alexander Vision Center of Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Olga served in the education area of visual impairments for over 36 years, including 22 years as the State Lead for Visual Impairment Services at the Education Service Center Region XI in Fort Worth, Texas. Previous to the position at Education Service Center Region XI; Olga was a teacher of students with visual impairments, and an orientation and mobility specialist over a span of 14 years.

Jill Brown & Olga Uriegas are co-authors for the recently published curriculum and evaluation for young children, Texas 2 STEPS (Successfully Teaching Early Purposeful Skills).

This is open to the first 100 guests, please plan on joining us for the full two hours.
Join via Zoom by copy & pasting this link into your browser,
https://bit.ly/OMdiscussion
Email Leslie Ware with any questions, lware@lighthousefw.org

Fort Worth, Texas (July 2020) – Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth happily welcomes Lance Myska as the new Inventory and Purchasing Analyst. Lance brings with him several years of accounting and business relationship experience, having spent several years in the audit department at Whitley Penn in Fort Worth working with both non-profit organizations and manufacturing and distribution companies, before transitioning into a relationship building and recruiting role with SNI Companies. “The mission of the Lighthouse is so wonderfully unique, and Lance’s involvement will be a valuable contribution to all that we achieve in Tarrant County and beyond. With an inquiring mind, a strong work ethic, and a heart for the community, Lance embodies what the Lighthouse strives to represent, and we are excited to have him join the team.” – Krina Traywick, Head of Accounting & Finance

Lance has both a Bachelor and Master of Accounting degree from Texas Christian University. He will be responsible for all inventory and purchasing matters related to the Lighthouse and its industrial operations, and assist with the development and implementation of financial and process improvement strategies across the organization.

“Few Organizations have been a Fort Worth staple for 85 years. Even fewer have been able to make the impact that the Lighthouse has in the individual lives of local citizens who are blind. I am proud to join the Lighthouse team and continue this mission.” – Lance Myska

Fort Worth, Texas (February 2020) – Exciting changes are coming this summer to Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth, putting them on the map for people who are blind or sight impaired across North Texas. Lighthouse was recently awarded a contract by the State of Texas to be a provider for Assistive Technology Evaluations. This will be the 4th Assistive Technology Evaluation Center (A.T.E.C.) in the state and the first in North Texas. The center is designed to specifically give Texans who are blind or visually impaired the ability to learn what types and brands of technology will best benefit and aid in helping them return to college, obtain, retain or advance their employment. “Instead of folks having to make arrangements for an overnight trip to South Texas, they will now be able to visit our center – saving both time and money. We are thrilled to have this addition and will continue to provide exceptional training to our community” – Platt L. Allen, III.

Lighthouse is expecting the center to open early summer 2020 and will be performing numerous Assistive Technology Evaluations, by trained A.T. professionals. These evaluations will be useful for individuals who are blind or sight impaired in knowing what types of adaptive equipment will be most helpful to them. Lighthouse plans to provide evaluations on several categories including: video magnifiers, screen magnification software, braille notetakers, refreshable braille displays and other state-of-the-art equipment.

“Technology opens up a whole new world for sight impaired individuals and everyone at Lighthouse is ready to be a part of empowering people to reach for and obtain their goals.” – Leslie Ware, Head of Client Services. For more information on the Assistive Technology Evaluation Center at Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth, contact Client Services at (817) 332-3341.

The contract was awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission, Vocational Rehabilitation Program in November 2019.

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Since 1935, Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth has made a life-changing difference in the lives of individuals who are significantly visually impaired by providing skills enhancement, training and employment that empowers them to achieve their highest level of personal, economic self-sufficiency. In addition to Client Services, Lighthouse’s Industrial Division employs individuals who are legally blind to manufacture and package products such as fast pack shipping containers, spiral wound shipping tubes, drug testing devices, targets, optical lenses, and copy paper. Products are available for sale to commercial businesses as well as to local, state and federal government agencies. For more information about Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth or to take a tour of the 80,000 square foot facility located at 912 W. Broadway Ave, contact the Community Development department at 817-332-3341.

Follow Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth online at:
• www.lighthousefw.org
• www.facebook.com/lighthousefw
• www.instagram.com/fortworthlighthouse
• www.twitter.com/fwlighthouse

The mission of the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth is to encourage and empower blind and significantly visually impaired children, youth, adults and seniors to achieve their highest level of independence through competitive employment, specialized training and client services.

Fort Worth, Texas (January 2020) – Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth is thrilled to announce that Krina Traywick, Head of Accounting and Finance, has been selected to join the Leadership Fort Worth LeadingEdge Class of 2020.

Traywick is a licensed CPA with over ten years of accounting experience and is responsible for all financial matters related to the Lighthouse and its endowment fund. She earned both her Bachelor and Master of Science in Accounting from the University of North Texas.

Platt Allen, III President/CEO of the Lighthouse said “As a graduate of Leadership Fort Worth, I am excited to have Krina in the LeadingEdge class of 2020. I am certain that she will benefit from the experience and become an even better steward of our fine city.”

LeadingEdge offers Fort Worth’s emerging leaders an opportunity to strengthen leadership practices, create connections with community leaders and move beyond volunteerism into board service and Community Trusteeship. To learn more about Leadership Fort Worth’s LeadingEdge Program, visit https://leadershipfortworth.org/programs/leadingedge/.

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Since 1935, Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth has made a life-changing difference in the lives of individuals who are significantly visually impaired by providing skills enhancement, training and employment that empowers them to achieve their highest level of personal, economic self-sufficiency. In addition to Client Services, the Lighthouse’s Industrial Division employs individuals who are legally blind to manufacture and package products such as fast pack shipping containers, spiral wound shipping tubes, drug testing devices, targets, optical lenses, and copy paper.  Products are available for sale to commercial businesses as well as to local, state and federal government agencies.  For more information about Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth or to take a tour of the 80,000 square foot facility located at 912 W. Broadway, contact the Community Development department at 817-332-3341.

Follow Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth online at:

• www.lighthousefw.org
• www.facebook.com/lighthousefw
• www.instagram.com/fortworthlighthouse
• www.twitter.com/fwlighthouse

The mission of the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth is to encourage and empower blind and significantly visually impaired children, youth, adults and seniors to achieve their highest level of independence through competitive employment, specialized training and client services.

Fort Worth, Texas (January 2020) – Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth is pleased to welcome Michael Light to the Lighthouse Team, Light will be in charge of business development for the Lighthouse Optical Laboratory Services. His experience spans over 26 years in all areas of the Optical Industry and has been certified by both the American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners. Light, along with his wife and two children, relocated to Texas from San Diego, California in 2011.

“I am truly excited to join the team here at Lighthouse and can’t wait for the chance to contribute to the amazing work the Lighthouse for the Blind is doing.” – Michael Light

An eyewear fundraiser by the Lighthouse

The Lighthouse Optical Lab is one of seven business lines in our Industrial Operation that utilizes our blind and visually impaired labor force. In the lab, the “blind make glasses for the sighted!” Mission Optical is a new outreach program in collaboration with community agencies whose clients with limited or no healthcare coverage receive a donated pair of eyeglasses made by Lighthouse employees.

Since 1935, the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth has empowered significantly visually impaired children, youth, adults and seniors to achieve their highest level of independence through competitive employment, specialized training and client services. 

Please consider giving the gift of vision by making a tax-deductible contribution to the Lighthouse supporting clients within our community this holiday season.

For every $40 gift YOU make, we will donate one pair of single-vision glasses to clients screened by each agency.

Donate today!

Fort Worth, Texas (October 2019) – Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth is pleased to announce that Alex Bornman has joined the Client Services team as the Orientation and Mobility Specialist. Alex is Certified by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals and will be working with individuals who are blind or significantly visually impaired to assist them in learning the skills necessary to travel safely and independently using a white cane and other navigation aids. “We are very happy to have her join the team!” – Leslie Ware, Head of Client Services

Alex attended University of Pittsburgh where she received her M.Ed. in Orientation and Mobility. Prior to coming to Lighthouse, Alex worked at Louis Stokes Cleveland Veteran Affairs Medical Center as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist in Cleveland, OH. Before her time in Cleveland, Alex worked at Center for the Visually Impaired in Daytona Beach, FL. Alex’s skills expand beyond Orientation and Mobility with over 4 years in Personal Training including working with individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities. She also earned a B.A. in Graphic Design at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania.

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Since 1935, Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth has made a life-changing difference in the lives of individuals who are significantly visually impaired by providing skills enhancement, training and employment that empowers them to achieve their highest level of personal, economic self-sufficiency.  In addition to Client Services, the Lighthouse’s Industrial Division employs individuals who are legally blind to manufacture and package products such as fast pack shipping containers, spiral wound shipping tubes, drug testing devices, targets, optical lenses, and copy paper.  Products are available for sale to commercial businesses as well as to local, state and federal government agencies.  For more information about Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth or to take a tour of the 80,000 square foot facility located at 912 W. Broadway, contact the Community Development department at 817-332-3341.

Fort Worth, Texas (October 2019) – Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth welcomes Krina Traywick as the new Head of Accounting and Finance. Krina brings with her over ten years of accounting experience, having most recently spent over four years in the audit department at Whitley Penn in Fort Worth working with both non-profit organizations and manufacturing and distribution companies.

“The Lighthouse has benefited from the efforts of some very talented people on our leadership team. Krina brings a fresh energy and competency to our table. I am confident that she will contribute mightily to our growth and ongoing efforts to provide competitive job opportunities and second to none client services to individuals who are blind.” – Platt Allen, III President/CEO

Krina is a licensed CPA and has both a Bachelor and Master of Science in Accounting from the University of North Texas. She is responsible for all financial matters related to the Lighthouse and its endowment fund, and will partner with the senior leadership team and the board of directors to develop and implement financial and process improvement strategies across the organization.

“I am so excited to join the Lighthouse team. It is such a wonderful organization with a rich history of success, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to leverage my experience to help make its future even more successful.” – Krina

Please join us for the 10th annual celebration of North Texas White Cane Safety Day.

‘The Art of Navigation’ on October 15, 2019 at the Kimball Art Museum located at 3333 Camp Bowie Boulevard Fort Worth 76107

Schedule
9:00am to 10:00am Registration and t-shirt pickup
9:30am to 11:30am Activities (see below)
11:45am to 12:15pm Group Picture
12:15pm to 12:30pm Mayor’s Award Presentations
12:30pm to 1:30pm Lunch
1:30pm  Dismissal

Activities

Piano North Gallery

Art of the Ancient Americas and African Art

Activity Title: Tools of the Trade

Basic Activity: This gallery has us surrounded by sculptures large and small. Learn about different methods of sculpture making (stone grinding, wood carving, terracotta) through sound, touch, and smell.

Kahn North Gallery

The Asian Collection

Activity title: Heroes and Warriors

Basic Activity: We have several heroic paintings and sculptures in this gallery! Listen to myths, tell stories, and explore these brave artworks through touch, sound, and smell.

Kahn South Gallery

Antiquities and European Art

Activity title: The Great Outdoors

Basic Activity: This gallery is full of landscapes of all kinds, so let’s travel! Smell the flowers, listen to the stormy sea and create your own tactile landscape.

Explore City Bus: Ride #2 city bus to downtown and back and explore Central Station

Also explore the Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth’s Independent Living RV, visit vendors and much more!

Register at: https://www.whitecanesafetyday.info/

Lighthouse CCTV Loaner Program

With the help for our community, we are able to purchase Closed Circuit TVs (CCTV) and loan them out at no charge to help individuals with low vision regain their visual independence.

The majority of clients who need a CCTV are adults over the age of 60 living on a fixed income and simply cannot afford to buy one. By using a CCTV, they are able to read their mail privately, read the newspaper, recipes, books and any other form of print or written material. Some of the ladies even use their CCTVs to manicure their fingernails!

The units we purchase are high quality, durable and come with a warranty. They include an Optical Character Reader (OCR) using text-to-speech software. Combining a clear voice with magnification or high contrast makes reading so much easier! CCTV magnifiers provide low vision aid for a full range of visual needs, specializing in assisting individuals with macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, and other low vision causing eye diseases and conditions.

CCTVs typically cost between $3,500 and $4000 per unit, depending upon the features and if the audible speech component (OCR) is included.

Please rally around this cause and help us purchase five new CCTVs with OCR totaling $20,000. As long as we can continue helping people do what they’ve always done prior to their loss of vision, then we’re giving them the priceless gift of INDEPENDENCE!

As Texans, we know everything we do is bigger and better! What’s more fun than setting a Lighthouse record in generosity?! Help us reach our North Texas Giving Day goal of $20,000 on Sept. 19th, making 2019 our biggest and best year!

Donate online at http://bit.ly/LFBFW

Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth welcomes Sean McNeill as the new Head of Sales and Business Development. Sean is responsible for working directly with Federal, State and local agencies as well as commercial customers along with a team of specialized internal Business Development and Inside Sales. 

Prior to coming to the Lighthouse of Fort Worth, Sean worked in Amazon, Almo Distribution, AMX by Harman International manufacturing in various vice president-level positions focusing on business turn-arounds in sales and business development.  He’s also worked in product marketing, product management and engineering roles at Uniden, Fujitsu Network Communications and MCI Telecommunications Corporation.

Sean served as a captain in the U.S. Army in multiple combat operations.  He holds an M.B.A. in management and finance from the University of Texas at Dallas and a B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey.