The V.I.S.A. (Visually Impaired Support & Assistance) meeting had a “Show and Tell” theme. The attendance was large and the interest and conversations were lively. Eileen Liss and Linda Hallman filled two tables with tools and products that they use to make their daily tasks easier. The tools shown are designed for people with sight impairments or people who are blind. Included were bold lined writing paper, the 20/20 bold ink pen that won’t bleed through paper when writing, check and writing guides, a large print address book, various sizes and strength hand-held magnifiers, clear and colored raised markers for appliance settings and keyboards, a musical beverage sensor that sounds when the container is almost full to prevent spills, large print Bingo cards, Large and bold print playing cards, and so much more. The Eye-Pal Solo is a new tool that can be used for reading books, articles, newsletters, bibles, user guides and more. Just place the paper on the platform and the camera automatically takes a picture and starts reading aloud to you.
Eileen and Linda also displayed various hand-held, portable electronic products that they use to enable them to read the print on items such as prescriptions bottles, directions, and food preparation on cans or boxed foods, menus, and recipe cards. The Looky, QuickLook Zoom, Smartview Versa, and Pocket all have unique functions and various settings of magnification, colored backgrounds, auto focus, a freeze frame option, and may have the ability to view the image on your TV!
The Intel Reader with a capture station is an innovative portable tool for reading your own mail, newspaper articles, newsletters, Lifestyles Magazine, books, etc. Files can be saved for reading at a later time. This reader reads aloud or through headphones at the same time that it displays the text in a small or very large print size.
While displaying the Intel Reader, Linda Hallman took the opportunity to announce her new venture with the Chicago Lighthouse for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired. She is a Consumer Product Specialist and Independent Sales Representative for the Chicago Lighthouse. Linda’s husband, Ralph Hallman, is her driver and will assist her in product demonstrations.
HumanWare, a company which empowers people world-wide, has provided products to the Chicago Lighthouse for Linda to bring to our Sun City Community and Northwest suburbs so people can see the products and try them out. It is her way of bringing a part of the new Chicago Lighthouse store “Tools for Living,” out to you.
For more details on these products or services that the Chicago Lighthouse can offers, call Linda Hallman at 847-515-8011.
The next V.I.S.A meeting is February 21st at 10 am located at the Prairie Lodge in the Drendal Ballroom. “The Science of Happiness.” Hear Shira Greenfield, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor at Centegra Health System.
A free service.
