Al0 Terrace Review - — - Wednesday, May 30, 1990 ~New CNIB rep checks. Out _ local concerns. and services - by Betty Barton Since 1918, the Canadian Nation- al Institute for the Blind (CNIB) has been working to ease the condition of blind people across Canada and to prevent blindness. The CNIB is a non-profit agency, primarily funded by the United Way. Only 7.2 percent of their annual budget comes from govern- ment subsidy. In order to serve the increased number of northern British Colum- bians with failing or poor vision, the CNIB recently sent Wendy Goebels, their area representative, through Terrace and other com- munities in the region “to provide regional access to all our clients." Goebels was accompanied by Sylvia Smith, a CNIB career coun- sellor. The two women visited Terrace as the first of at least three annual trips they hope will meet the needs HandiDART service begins in Terrace on July 3 The implementation of a Handi- DART system in Terrace is run- ning on schedule. According to B.C. Transit assistant planner Graeme Masterton, the Handi- DART buses are expected in Vancouver anytime now and they should arrive in Terrace in about three weeks. At that time, says Masterton, training will begin for dispatchers and drivers for the new special needs transit system. The HandiDART service will begin on July 3. Terrace Home Support Services supervisor Betty Stewart says the arrival of the new buses will be heralded with newspaper ads and pamphtets outlining the Handi- DART routes and schedules, and there may also be a display at Skeena Mal!. Public awareness is the key to access, she explains. In thinking back over the two years of hard work it took to get the HandiDART concept from dream to reality, Stewart says a number of people were involved but only a few were consistent throughout. She says credit for the new special needs transit system belongs to Gert Grundmann, Eileen Frank, Joyce Krause and Terrace city council. Without their help, - says Stewart, the HandiDART system might still be nothing more than a dream. Miscalculation _ A headline on page B9 of the May 16 Terrace Review indicated that overpayments amounted to .02- percent of unemployment insur: “ance. benefits paid in the Terrace * area during fiscal’ 1989. The “headline should have read two percent. of visually impaired area resid- ents. During their short stay in Terrace, they also made a presen- tation to one of the two Terrace Lions’ Clubs. Goebels explains, "The relationship between the Lions and CNIB has been a close one." CNIB also want to assure Kitimat residents that they haven’t been forgotten. They will be visited next time in the early fall. At present, CNIB has 37 clients registered in Terrace and 28 in Kitimat. The CNIB fosters the integration of blind and visually impaired persons into the mainstream of Canadian life. The CNIB has clients with a wide range of visual impairments that interfere with or restrict their normal activities. More than 75 percent of people eligible for CNIB services have some remaining vision. The defini- tion of legal blindness is vision of less than 20 over 200. In other words, at a distance of 20 feet, a legally blind person can see only the large ’E” on the eye chart. Wendy Goebels, as area coordinator, works as a counsellor to explain the clients’ eye condit- ions, help the clients adapt to their visual impairments through cre- ative problem-solving, raise funds and provide liason and public relations. Sylvia Smith, as a career counsellor with rehabilitation cert- ification, educates clients and employers about the numerous employment opportunities for the visually impaired, the aids, and the various government assistance programs available ‘to help both employer and client adapt to the work environment. Goebels and Smith, "bring the store to our clients" in the form of adaptive equipment. The hardware includes optical aids, ranging from simple magnifying devices to closed circuit television systems that enlarge small print, that enable some visually impaired persons to read, Travel skills are acquired through orientation and mobility training with professional staff. Mobility aids, such as the white cane, dog guide or sighted guide, assist blind and visually impaired persons to travel safely and indep- endently. One of Goebel’s many goals in her job as area representative for the CNIB is to bring a service team to this area to do a compre- hensive two-day workshop — with one day geared towards commun- ity healthcare professionals and another day specifically for clients of the CNIB. For further informa- tion on the CNIB and its services, call 321-2311 in Vancouver. t- H Help and independence for the blind are what Wendy Goebels, CNIB representative for northern B.C., and career counsellor Sylvia Smith offer through a variety of programs. The two were in Terrace recently to talk with local CNIB members and assess services in the community. ARIES Mar. 21-Apr. 19 TAURUS Apr. 20-May 20 GEMINI May 21-June 20 CANCER Jane 21-July 22 LEO July 23-Aug. 22 VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept, 22 LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct, 22 SCORPIO Oct. 23-Noy, 21 SAGITTARIUS Nov, 22-Dec, 2i CAPRICORN Dec, 22-Jan. 19 AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18 PISCES . Feb. 19-Mar, 20 Travel or visiting arrangements may cause some upheavel in the status quo, Jt? ashort term upset. Relax and enjoy the diversion. Financial interests can be profitable. Mate or partner comes up with some surprisingly good tips on increasing income. 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