Christine Telford from the Helen Keller National Center spoke about the origins of haptics, a form of non-verbal communication that uses touch to convey information. This method is primarily used by individuals who are deafblind. Christine demonstrated how structured tactile signals, or touch cues, are applied to different parts of the body to communicate emotions, responses, directions, or environmental information. She also shared two helpful resources: the Haptics: Pocket Edition app for iPhone and the book Haptics Communication: Helen Keller National Center American Edition, available on Amazon.

Lunch was homemade chili with cornbread muffins made by chef Chris.

Each year we hold a pancake breakfast in recognition of White Cane Safety Day. This is a national observance celebrated on October 15 of each year since 1964. The date is set aside to celebrate the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired and the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence, the white cane.

Our third annual pancake breakfast fundraiser was a great success. This year’s event was held at the Gales Ferry Firehouse. Breakfast included pancakes with maple syrup, eggs, and sausages in generous proportions. Positive reviews for the “best pancakes ever”.

The success of the breakfast was due to the combined efforts of multiple volunteers including seven Coast Guard cadets and chef Chris Lusk and family in the kitchen to name just a few.

There were many raffle prizes and fabulous door prizes courtesy of local businesses and donors. One lucky winner scored a $250 gift card to Bob’s Furniture! Other prizes included a stay at Foxwoods Casino, Alexa Dots, and gift cards for everything from restaurants to hair salons. Mitlitsky Egg Farm in Lebanon donated the eggs and Nanette Budick donated the juice, coffee, and milk.

We are looking forward to an even better White Cane Pancake Breakfast next year.

Wendy’s dedication and resourcefulness never cease to amaze! Upon learning about local inventor David Holmes from Waterford, who is developing technology to replicate vision with a camera, Wendy immediately tracked him down. What followed was serendipitous! She invited David to speak at our Macular Degeneration Support Group, where he shared his ideas and sought input from our members on the challenges they face when navigating, especially outdoors.

David discussed his innovative work, including an app designed to help the visually impaired navigate more effectively, as well as technology that uses motion detectors, cameras, and sonar—similar to echolocation—to identify obstacles. Our members raised important questions, such as how to navigate in snowy conditions, which provided David with valuable feedback for his work. Everyone is eager to hear more from him during his next visit.

David’s ultimate goal is to develop a system that can autonomously assess distances to objects in complex and ever-changing environments. This involves adjusting for varying light conditions, ground clutter (including snow), and atmospheric interference such as fog, by scaling a photograph from limited reference points to offer a broader perspective.

Members of the Center enjoyed a relaxing hike at Knox Preserve, guided by the Avalonia Land Conservancy. Located in Stonington, Knox Preserve offers a scenic mix of grassy meadows and woodland trails, with paths of packed earth that wind along the picturesque Quiambog Cove. Along the way, hikers found several spots to access the shoreline and took advantage of three benches, perfect for soaking in the beautiful views.

Last Thursday night, 35 members and guests gathered for a fun dinner at Captain Scott’s. We managed to dodge the rain, but the wind definitely made its presence known! It was so breezy, we had to hang onto our French fries and clam strips. Despite the gusts, the food was fantastic—and luckily, the seagulls kept their distance. We were even treated to a gorgeous sunset over the boats on the water.

The South East CT Community Center of the Blind is excited to introduce its Professional Membership Campaign. Businesses are invited to participate by joining for an annual membership fee of $250.

As a Professional Member, you will receive:

• A plaque recognizing your support of the Center of the Blind
• Access to the Center’s resources, classes, and programs
• Inclusion in Insight Scoop, the Center’s monthly newsletter
• Recognition in printed and online materials

Your support helps us build a better future for the blind and vision impaired.

For more information, please call 860-447-2048 or email [email protected].

Our First Professional Member

The Center proudly welcomes Dr. James Sanborn and InFocus Eyecare in Groton as our first Professional Member.

Members enjoyed a creatively inspiring morning at the Hartford Artisans Weaving Center, where a unique artisan program teaches weaving to people who are blind, visually impaired, or 55 and older. The level of craftsmanship was remarkable!

With the help of over 40 volunteers, the looms are set up to create beautiful items like rugs, shawls, towels, napkins, baby blankets, baskets, and handbags. The center also offers weaving and basket-weaving classes to the public. Training in the art of hand-weaving takes about six weeks, and our members were excited to try their hand at the looms.

On the way back, we stopped for lunch at Family Pizza in Colchester.

Visit the Hartford Artisans Weaving Center website for more info.

On September 9, UCP of Eastern CT hosted a Voting Rights Clinic at the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT on Eugene O’Neill Drive. Representatives from Disability Rights Connecticut answered questions about voting rights, absentee ballots, and voter registration. The Center of the Blind showcased devices designed to make voting more accessible for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The Executive Director, Wendy Lusk, spoke to the audience about the Center and our services.

Disability Rights CT highlighted several ways that voting locations ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities, including:

• Moving to the front of the line if you have difficulty standing.
• Bringing a friend to assist you with voting.
• Curbside voting if you’re in a wheelchair or unable to leave your car.
• Early voting from October 21 to November 3, with each town having a designated location, often the town hall.
• Absentee voting or voting by mail, which can be requested by contacting your town for more information.

You can register to vote up to 18 days before the election, or even on Election Day. For registration details, you’ll need to contact your town hall.

All polling places in Connecticut are required to have ballot marker devices, which are essentially laptops with magnification or earphone options. If the device is not readily accessible, poll workers must set it up and guide you on how to use it.

It’s important to note that you must ask for assistance at the polling place, as they won’t offer it automatically. If any location refuses to provide the above accommodations, contact Disability Rights CT at 800-842-7303.

If you missed the clinic and want more information on voting rights for individuals with disabilities, please visit the Disability Rights of CT website.

“The Miracle Worker” is a timeless classic. Experience it brought to life on stage at the Niantic Bay Playhouse. This powerful drama depicts Helen Keller, a young girl who is blind and deaf, and the woman who helps her communicate with the world around her. The story is a moving and inspiring testament to the power of love, determination, and perseverance, and it will stay with you long after the final curtain.

The play runs from October 18 to November 3, 2024. For more information and tickets, visit the Niantic Bay Playhouse website or call 860-850-5072.

The Niantic Bay Playhouse, the new home of East Lyme Regional Theater, is located in the former Niantic Cinema. Center of the Blind member Mike Coughlin highly recommends the playhouse.

Blind Chef Debra Erickson, Executive Chef and founder of the Blind Kitchen hosted an engaging and informative Zoom session on working safely and efficiently in the kitchen with knives, hot pans, ovens, and food preparation. She shared valuable tips, ideas, and products designed to make cooking easier for those with vision loss.

The 15 members in attendance asked challenging questions and shared some of their own food preparation tips. Debra offered practical suggestions and strategies, including how to maintain a clean and sanitized work area, read recipes, shop for ingredients, identify spices, and techniques for measuring and pouring liquids.

Her website features cooking tips, instructional videos, and recipes adapted for cooks who are blind or visually impaired. Additionally, she has a free monthly newsletter available for sign-up. All the adaptive tools discussed during the session are available tax-free through her website store. Click here to visit the Blind Kitchen website.