Skip to main content Home Customize This Site Search Login
The Blind & Visually Impaired Center of Monterey County

BLINDFOLD

May / June 2007

Contents

  1. BVIC News
  2. BVIC Events
  3. Vision Loss
  4. BVIC Annoucements

1. BVIC News

Chariots for Charity

1985 Ford Crown Victoria, 4-door, automatic, fuel-injected V8 - excellent condition, $2,650 or best offer.
1994 Lexus LS400, 4-door, automatic, fuel-injected V8 - also excellent condition, asking $7,500 or best offer.

Call Russ Hatch at (831) 659-5360 for info regarding donations or purchases of vehicles.

2. BVIC Events

BBQ & Horseshoe Tourney

Please join us for our annual BBQ & Horseshoe Tourney, a BVIC FUNdraiser

Where and When?

Toro Park, Buckeye area - Saturday, July 14th ($6.00 park vehicle fee)
12:30: BBQ - by Goodtime Catering’s Joe Solis - $20.00 a plate. The delicious menu consists of Tri-tip BBQ and Island Teriyaki Chicken, Joe’s Beef Chili Beans, Salad & Bread. There will be plenty of sunshine so bring your sunhat, blanket, and lounge chair & get ready for an enjoyable day. We’re even having a mini silent auction & a jump house for the kids, if we can find a sponsor.

The Horseshoe Tourney sign-in is 8:30 sharp. Prizes are awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes. The $50.00 entry fee per player includes the BBQ and a t-shirt. If you don’t want to play horseshoes you can sponsor a player or root for your favorite pitcher.

RAFFLE - Win a custom Birdhouse - Designed by local craftsman, Danny Oxford.
Danny designs intricate birdhouses. He’s crafting a beautiful barn complete with a windmill & wishing well especially for the BVIC. Raffle tickets are $5.00 each.
Call the BVIC for info at 649-3505.

Second Vision Care & Assistive Technology Day

Diabetes Related Vision Loss
August 25, 2007 – 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Guest speaker, Dr. Eric Del Piero.

3. Vision Loss

Orientation & Mobility

Comments On The Current Bus Routes To BVIC

In 2007, MST responded to requests by BVIC representatives to have more frequent bus service directly to our center. A bus now runs hourly from downtown Monterey to Pacific Grove and back, with a stop in front of the Center 7 days a week. This is wonderful for people who had physical difficulty with the previous stop at the bottom of 1st St. and because people can now get to appointments and events at the Center.

A drawback to the new bus schedule is the connection time at the Monterey Transit Plaza between routes coming from other parts of the Peninsula where people have to transfer to come to BVIC. The wait at the transit plaza can be more than 45 minutes for their connection. The new schedule still has more pluses than minuses. However, brainstorming sessions with people who use the bus to the BVIC or would like to use it seems in order. MST has come far in increasing the service provided directly to our Center. Let’s meet among ourselves to determine what our needs are, and present some alternative proposals to MST for the next time bus routes and schedules are changed.

Our O&M instructor, Rena, will be holding two meetings for our members who use the buses to get their input on what is difficult, what might be changed, and what would be most helpful to those who really want to use the bus to come to the BVIC. We would then draw up a letter to MST from our active bus users, informing MST what is really useful for us. Many in the neighborhood have also been using this bus, and the greater numbers of riders a route has, the more likely that bus route will stay. Please keep this in mind if you can already use the bus to get to BVIC. The more you use the bus instead of a ride from a friend or a taxi, the more ground we have to stand on as customers in making our requests and proposals.

The first meeting will be held Wednesday, May 9th from 1:00 to 2:00 in the BVIC’s Multi-purpose building. Bring a bag lunch or snack to munch on while we discuss! Please do come for any part of the meeting that you can attend so that we can get your input. If you can’t attend, but have input, leave a message for Rena at 392-7780. She will incorporate your comments and questions into the meeting format. The 2nd meeting will be held Friday, May 18th from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in the multi- purpose building. We may continue having a monthly meeting to discuss bus route changes and needs, as well as other mobility issues that may arise, if those who attend find this would be useful. Call Rena at 649-3505 to reserve a spot at the meetings. Thank You!

Our ADA Ramp

Great news! Five years after our ADA ramp was installed our $31,250 balance is nearly paid. We only have $4,349.00 before the ramp is paid outright. Donations are still appreciated.

Rehab

Do You Know About The Hadley SchoolFor The Blind?

It is a distance learning program - best of all - classes and materials are free of charge.

Why take classes?

For info call Robin at (831) 649-3505.

Marjorie R. McNeely Low Vision Clinic Corner

COMPUTERS WITH OPERATING SYSTEMS OF PENTIUM 4 OR BETTER NEEDED!
Many of our clients haven’t had the opportunity to use computers, but have discovered a computer could be the tool to help them write and communicate. The BVIC offers computer keyboarding classes and word processing lessons to our visually impaired members. To receive the most from these lessons, a participant needs a computer for practicing and for carrying out the tasks at home. If you are considering a computer upgrade or have an unused one, please donate it to the BVIC for these new computer users. Contact John Smith, volunteer at (831) 345-4354.

Carol, at 90 years old, is taking Robin’s keyboarding lessons and word processing lessons with Moonset. The retired professor wrote the following inspiring message.

Dear Moonset:
I can’t tell you how happy I am to qualify for a loan of a computer. For 4 years, I’ve not been able to drive or read, and my hand writing, which I can’t read as I write, is getting very difficult for people to read!

Writing is very important to me both for pleasure and communication. I send out from 10 to 20 letters a week. They’re long, too! The enlarger (video magnifier), which you lent me, is indispensable for daily functioning. Of course, you will have these tools back when I can no longer function. From time to time, budget permitting, I’ll certainly have you on my priority gift list (along with church and 17 family members who receive the “granny gram”—a 3 times per year family news and history (and picture), 25 or 30 page report (with family cooperation.)

Robin is an excellent teacher - as is Rena! Both are real people in their work, which is professional. –As are you! I feel fortunate to have found you so close. Few communities have this life–enhancing service.
Thank you. Carol

BVIC and Me

About ten years ago it was my good fortune to become aware of the Blind & Visually Impaired Center. I had recently moved to the Monterey Peninsula area and being visually impaired and unable to drive, I felt my independence taken away from me. I called the BVIC and recounted my problem and was introduced to Rena Weaver. This was the beginning of my long relationship with them. I first went thru Mobility Training and became adept at traveling with a white cane. What a joy to have that independence. After a couple years I was asked to be on the Board at the BVIC and was pleased to join. I have served now about eight years.

I have learned to type as taught by Robin and have learned to use the computer by Moonset. My experience in working with everyone at the center has been marvelous. The young women working at the center are some of the most giving I have had the pleasure to work with.
Joanne Scherner
BVIC client and Board of Directors Member.

More Promising Medical & Assistive Technology

At our first Vision Care and AT Day Dr. Lu explained the latest treatment breakthroughs and encouraged BVIC members that there is hope. Since then more promising news has been announced in the medical field as well as in the assistive technology market place.

Remember there is always hope, and the importance of maintaining care by your ophthalmologist is essential for optimum eye health. The following excerpts were selected from The MD Support Website (www.mdsupport.org).

  1. POT-4 for Age-Related Macular (AMD)
    Potentia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced on March 20, 2007 that it is entering the clinical phase of development of POT-4 for treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). According to the researchers, POT-4, a synthetic peptide, shuts down the complement activation system that can lead to local inflammation, tissue damage (as in dry AMD) and the resulting blood vessel growth (angiogenesis in wet AMD). Discovered by Professor John Lambris, University of Pennsylvania, POT-4 will be the first complement inhibitor tested in patients with AMD. Normally, activation of the complement system is an important part of the body's defensive immune response. If trials are successful, POT-4 could be an effective treatment for AMD until further research leads to a genetic cure.
  2. Prodrug TG100801 for Treating Wet AMD.
    On April 5, 2006, TargeGen, Inc. (San Diego) announced that topical (eye drop) administration of the prodrug, TG100801, may be effective for the treatment of retinal disease and may also be used in combination with approved products. TG100801 converts to the active drug TG100572 as it penetrates the eye. TG100572 was shown to stop neovascularization and to decrease inflammation, both of which are characteristics of wet macular degeneration.
  3. On February 27, 2007, the company announced completion of the Phase I trial. Preliminary results suggested that TG100801 is well tolerated in humans at the low and high doses tested when applied topically twice daily for 14 days. Final study results are expected by the end of April 2007. TargeGen currently plans to initiate Phase II clinical trials in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treatment for AMD until further research leads to a genetic cure.
  4. Prodrug TG100801 for Treating Wet AMD.
    On April 5, 2006, TargeGen, Inc. (San Diego) announced that topical (eye drop) administration of the prodrug, TG100801, may be effective for the treatment of retinal disease and may also be used in combination with approved products. TG100801 converts to the active drug TG100572 as it penetrates the eye. TG100572 was shown to stop neovascularization and to decrease inflammation, both of which are characteristics of wet macular degeneration.
  5. On February 27, 2007, the company announced completion of the Phase I trial. Preliminary results suggested that TG100801 is well tolerated in humans at the low and high doses tested when applied topically twice daily for 14 days. Final study results are expected by the end of April 2007. TargeGen currently plans to initiate Phase II clinical trials in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients in mid-2007.
  6. Prodrug ATG3
    On August 22, 2006, Athenagen, Inc. announced that it had begun human testing of its topical (eye drop) drug ATG3 for wet AMD. On January 31, 2007, the company announced successful completion of Phase I, and that the eye drop therapy showed excellent ocular tolerability. Athenagen's Phase II clinical trial expected to begin in the first quarter of 2007. The 330-patient study will be conducted at multiple centers worldwide. Interim (six month) efficacy data can be expected by mid-2008.
  7. Prodrug OT-551
    On February 26, 2007, Othera Pharmaceuticals presented new preclinical data demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of OT-551, an antiangiogenic drug in eye drop form. Results from the Phase I trials demonstrated that when the compound is added to either Lucentis or Avastin treatment there is a synergistic effect versus either treatment alone. According to Dr. Len Parver, Othera's Medical Director, "OT-551 could potentially improve the outcome of patients already on Lucentis by treating the underlying macular degeneration and decreasing the need for frequent Lucentis injections." Phase II trials are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2007. The results of Phase I were presented at the Angiogenesis 2007 Conference in Key Biscayne, FL, by Dr. Shaker Mousa, Professor of Pharmacology and Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research Institute at Albany College of Pharmacy.

New Low Vision Aids and Assistive Technology are appearing on the market faster than ever. Our AT lab has the following for clients to try and are available for loan. Please call for appointment for a demo.

4. BVIC Announcements

Let's Have Some Fun Committee!

Dr. Feel Good, Steve Kane reminds people to contact him at 375-6677. Don’t be shy, don’t hold back. Please let him know about anything you’re interested in attending. Be it a play, concert, or sporting event.

Blindfold by Email or On-Line

To get the Blindfold by email instead of “snail mail” email vision@blindandlowvision.org and put Blindfold in the subject line. You can also visit our web site at www.blindandlowvision.org and click Newsletters.

Newsletters

Go Back to Homepage