Podcast

Several Rhode Island agencies are sponsoring a free, family-friendly National White Cane Awareness Day celebration on Sunday, October 15, 2023, from 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., at the Crowne Plaza Atrium, 801 Greenwich Avenue in Warwick, RI. Please note the new location and time.

To access the event, use the Main Hotel Entrance. Volunteers will be available in the lobby to direct you to the event. A map can also be found below.

This family-friendly event will feature almost a dozen local agencies providing information about services for people with visual impairments. A face painter, balloon artist, free t-shirt giveaway, music, chocolate-covered pretzels designed to look like white canes, and light snacks will also be available.

A brief speaking program will begin at 2:00 p.m. It will feature presentations to a group of Rhode Island legislators who helped to secure funding for the Rhode Island Vision Education and Services program (RIVESP).

White canes were introduced in the 1930s to assist visually impaired pedestrians in traveling independently. They also helped motorists identify and yield to people using the white cane, and their use has been protected by law in the United States since that time. White Cane Safety Day, October 15, was established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to raise awareness of people who carry a white cane.

Sponsors of Rhode Island’s White Cane Day celebration include IN-SIGHT, Rhode Island State Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Ocean State Center for Independent Living, National Federation of the Blind Rhode Island Chapter, Rhode Island Lions, Veterans Administration, Rhode Island Vision Education and Services Program, and Rhode Island Parents of Blind and Visually Impaired Children.

More than eighty IN-SIGHT clients and their sighted guests enjoyed a picture-perfect day on the lake in Webster, MA.

The summer outing included a narrated tour of the area aboard the historic Indian Princess paddlewheel boat and a delicious luncheon at the nearby Samuel Slater’s Restaurant.

IN-SIGHT hosts these seasonal outings to promote peer learning and support outside the traditional support groups and educational workshops.

To register for the fall outing on the Cape Cod Lunch Train, click here.

To register for other fall programs, fill out the form below. A description of the workshops is below the form.

Going Blind Film Screening
Thursday, September 21
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
East Providence Senior Center

Going Blind is a feature-length documentary about vision loss in the United States. It interweaves Joseph Lovett’s struggle to keep his glaucoma at bay with the stories of six people he meets dealing with different sight loss levels.

While initially living with a visual impairment can be overwhelming, this film demonstrates how much is available regarding vision enhancement techniques, low vision services, and technology to engage people with sight loss.

The film is an excellent resource for those with vision loss and family and friends struggling to understand the process and the best ways to adapt emotionally and practically. After the free screening of the film, there will be an opportunity for questions and answers. Information about resources will also be available.

Intro Assistive Technology
Thursday, October 5
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
In Person at IN-SIGHT

A hands-on demonstration of a range of assistive technology tools including video magnifiers, smart speakers, smartphone apps, and phones.

Reading Strategies
Thursday, October 12
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
In Person at IN-SIGHT

A hands-on demonstration of devices and strategies for reading a variety of materials including mail, books, magazines, labels, signs, and menus using video magnification, magnifiers, telescopic devices, e-books, and apps.

Genetic Testing & Clinical Trials for Retinal Disease
Thursday, October 12
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Virtually via Zoom

In partnership with the Foundation Fighting Blindness, we are providing a live webinar spotlighting the current research being done in the area of retinal degenerative diseases like retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardts disease, Usher syndrome, and some forms of macular degeneration.

Ben Shaberman, the Foundation’s Vice President of Science Communications will discuss some of the research currently being funded and some ongoing clinical trials.

Information will also be provided on the My Retina Tracker program which provides free genetic testing. A genetic diagnosis provides many benefits including clarification of a clinical diagnosis, determination of the disease inheritance pattern in a family, and identification of clinical trials and therapies that may be appropriate for you.

White Cane Day Celebration
Sunday, October 15
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Garden City Center, Cranston

Make plans to join us for Rhode Island’s family-friendly celebration of people living with visual impairments.

There will be food, music, games, more than a dozen agencies providing information about available services, a t-shirt giveaway, face painting, balloon animals, and much more!

iOS 17 Update Overview
Monday, October 16
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Virtually via Zoom

Apple is expected to release the latest version of its operating system early this fall. Sometimes, these updates for iPhones and iPads can include new enhancements that may be confusing for some users, including those with visual impairments. Join Vision Rehabilitation Teacher Mary Abby Jusayan for this live webinar which will provide an overview of the changes and how to navigate them.

Pumpkin Carving
Tuesday, October 31
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
In-Person Workshop at IN-SIGHT

Just in time for Halloween, join us for this hands-on workshop where you design and carve your own jack-o-lantern using a variety of tools. Participants will learn safe ways to cut using sharp objects when they have a visual impairment.

A pumpkin will be provided to each of the participants and the finished project can be taken home.

Ceramics Workshops
Mondays, November 6, 13, and 20
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
In-Person Workshop at Mudstone Studios

Join us at Mudstone Studios for our open studio holiday ceramics workshop.

This a great opportunity to use your creativity to design and hand-build ceramic art projects to decorate your home or give as gifts this holiday season.

Staff from Mudstone Studios and IN-SIGHT are available to offer guidance and support.

Mudstone Studios is located at 30 Cutler Street in Warren, RI, and is accessible via the RIde program.

Transportation Options
Thursday, November 9
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
In Person at IN-SIGHT

An overview of the various choices for transportation including RIDE, FLEX, fixed route bus service, MTM, ride share services, municipal transportation, and volunteer programs. Participants will receive a personal list of options researched by IN-SIGHT staff.

Holiday Crafts
Tuesday, December 5
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
In-Person Workshop at IN-SIGHT

Our popular open-format holiday craft workshop is back! We will supply lots of materials, you bring holiday creativity to make decorations and gifts to take home.

Cape Cod Lunch Train
Wednesday, September 27
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

This event is currently sold out. If you would like to be added to the waiting list if a participant cancels, please call Lucille at (401) 941-3322, ext. 121, or email us at info@in-sight.org.

Join us for a fall excursion to beautiful Cape Cod to enjoy lunch on the Cape Cod Central Railway.

You will surely enjoy participating in this delightful journey that pairs an expertly prepared luncheon meal and exceptional service with views of the coastal landscape, salt marshes, and woodlands. Light narration is provided on board regarding the points of interest we will pass along the route.

Roundtrip motorcoach transportation will be provided from IN-SIGHT to Hyannis, MA, where we will board the train for a three-course lunch. We will return to IN-SIGHT by around 4:30 PM.

A limited number of tickets are available for this trip, so please book early.

Tickets, which include transportation and lunch are $65 each. A limited number of guest tickets are available at the same price.

Jenn Remmes has been appointed Director of Development at IN-SIGHT, a Rhode Island nonprofit that inspires confidence and builds skills that help people who are visually impaired and blind to thrive and succeed. The organization annually serves more than 1,000 Rhode Islanders through a wide array of programs, including low vision evaluations, daily living and assistive technology skills training, small group skills-building workshops, community-based support groups, peer learning, and a summer camp for visually impaired and blind youth.

Jenn joins IN-SIGHT in the newly created Director of Development position to strengthen the agency’s relationships with donors and community partners while also increasing awareness of its services. The organization, which was founded as the Rhode Island Association for the Blind, will celebrate its 100^th anniversary in 2025.

“I look forward to working with our amazing donors and partners to make a positive difference in the lives of people who are visually impaired and blind,” Jenn recently stated.

In 2008 Jenn joined the United Way of Rhode Island as a temporary Ambassador. She worked her way through various positions in the Resource Development department, most recently in the Director of Resource Operations role. Jenn was instrumental in helping to build 401Gives, the Rhode Island statewide day of giving, which has brought in over $10M in the last four years to over 500 nonprofits in Rhode Island.

IN-SIGHT’s Executive Director Christopher Butler said, “We are excited to have Jenn join the team. As we look towards our 100^th anniversary, we are excited to develop deeper relationships with existing and new donors and to partner with them to expand our services, help more people, and educate the community about vision loss.”

In her new role, Jenn will manage the agency’s annual giving programs, develop special events, and educate donors about the benefits of charitable planned giving. She will also help communicate IN-SIGHT’s work and celebrate the achievements of its clients through social media, community events, and partnerships with local agencies and businesses.

Before working for United Way of Rhode Island, Jenn and her brother owned a weekly newspaper in Norton, MA, called the Hometown News. Jenn is a graduate of Bryant University with a concentration in marketing.

Jenn lives in Cumberland, RI. She enjoys visiting her daughter in New Mexico and hanging out with friends and family in her spare time. She likes many things, including game nights (especially trivia), yard sales, bad puns, New England Patriots, traveling, theatre, and appreciating life.

For more information about IN-SIGHT, visit our website at www.in-sight.org or via social media @insightri.

IN-SIGHT’s annual ten day summer camp for kids and teens with visual impairments has wrapped up for another year. A total of fourteen campers had the opportunity to kayak, rock climb, rail explore, hop aboard the Providence to Newport ferry, traverse the Boston commuter rail, get up close with dinosaurs at the Zoo, and so much more during the On the Move mobilty camp.

We appreciate the generous support of the Rhode Island Foundation, the PPL Foundation, Rhode Island Energy, the Bernhardt Foundation, the Shriners of Rhode Island Charitable Trust, and the dozens of individual donors who made this year’s camp possible.

IN-SIGHT’s monthly book club recently marked its fifteenth anniversary. The group meets monthly and has read and discussed more than 200 books since its founding in June 2008.

The idea came from a tour that members of the IN-SIGHT staff took of another agency that offered a very well-attended group that listened to books through the Talking Books program and then met to discuss them. Our vision rehabilitation therapist, Carla Ferreira, contacted a few clients, including the late Freda Goldman, to start a similar group in Rhode Island.

Initially, the group met twice per month, but after a couple of years moved to monthly gatherings to allow everyone enough time to read the assigned title. During the COVID pandemic shutdowns, when in-person meetings were not possible, the group continued to meet via Zoom, providing a much-needed source of socialization. While the group has returned to in-person meetings, some members with transportation issues or who reside out of state during the winter continue to participate virtually.

Each group participant selects a book provided to all members via the free Talking Books program. The ninety-minute meeting is focused on discussing the plot, characters, themes, and other topics related to the book.

In a recent survey of past and present Book Club members, 91% indicated that their primary reason for joining the group was to enjoy reading and discussing books. Many also said the group allows them to meet and socialize with others with vision impairments. Everyone agreed that they enjoy the program and that it has met most of their expectations.

The IN-SIGHT Book Club meets on the third Friday of each month from 10 AM – 11:30 AM at IN-SIGHT and via Zoom. For more information or to join, please use the Contact Form below to let us know.

Registration for summer programs is now closed. For more information, contact Lucille at (401) 941-3322.

Ceramics Workshops
Mondays, August 14, 21, and 28
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
In-Person Workshop at Mudstone Studios

Join us at Mudstone Studios for our summer ceramics workshops. The summer series will be a guided project using the pottery wheel to make drums and bells. These instruments will be made using clay molded by each participant, maximizing creativity.

Staff from Mudstone Studios and IN-SIGHT are available to offer guidance and support. Mudstone Studios is located at 30 Cutler Street in Warren, RI, and is accessible via the RIde program.

Tissue Flower Bouquets
Friday, August 11
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
In-Person Workshop at IN-SIGHT

Join IN-SIGHT Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Carla Ferreira for this creative workshop, where you will learn how to make tissue flower bouquets using various colored tissue paper and green pipe cleaner stems.

This outing is now sold out. For more information, contact Lucille at (401) 941-3322.

For this year’s summer outing on Thursday, August 24, we are heading to Webster, MA, home of the lake with the longest name of any place in the United States, Lake Char­gogg­a­gogg­man­chaugg­a­gogg­chau­bun­a­gung­a­maugg, for a peaceful ride on a historic paddlewheel riverboat and a relaxing lunch overlooking the water.

Motorcoach transportation will be available from the Westerly Senior Center and IN-SIGHT. Participants may also meet us at the Indian Ranch in Webster, MA.

The cost of this outing is $35 per person, which includes the boat ride and lunch. Agency donors are funding the cost of the motorcoach transportation. Each Visually Impaired Person (VIP) may bring one guest.

Cancellations must be made by Friday, August 11, to receive a refund.

Itinerary

On May 26, 2023, we packed up two carloads worth of tools and headed down to the Westerly Senior Center for a daylong workshop on building independence.

Thirteen clients and several family members learned about almost three dozen simple and inexpensive tools that can make a big difference for people with visual impairments. These items included things like 2020 pens, bump dots, signature guides, oven rack push pulls, and bold-lined paper.

After a delicious lunch, the participants learned about various assistive technology devices, including video magnifiers, smartphone apps, Talking Books machines, digital recorders, and computers.

As there is little public transportation in the Westerly area, it is often very difficult for clients from there to get to IN-SIGHT for individual training or small group workshops. This event was an effort to bring this important information and skills to them.