Page 66 - May-June-July Life In Naples Magazine

heart to heart
The Heart Knows:
SEEING IS BELIEVING - DOING IS BELIEVING
by Karen Coney Coplin
C an you read this? That’s what the Lighthouse of Collier,
Inc. website, asks when you pay a visit online. If you can
see, it’s probably hard to imagine getting through life’s
activities without vision. But even if one can see, it is also easy to
feel empathy in wanting children and adults with visual loss to feel
safe, confident and grow into a productive life, in a “sighted world.”
The Lighthouse of Collier, Inc., Center for Blindness and Vision
Loss, assists the estimated 14,000 local children and adults who are
sight-impaired in Naples and surrounds in a variety of ways. This
non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization exists to help clients and their
families and caregivers assist with socialization and communication
skills as well as mobility and navigation issues - something that
seems, with sight, as easy as getting from point “A” to “B.”
Of course, it’s not so simple, especially if you can’t see. What
about taking medications? How about getting around Naples? The
Lighthouse offers instruction in a variety of skills for adults as well exceeded: positive interaction with other children, activities that
as “transition classes” aimed at teenagers and young adults between
the ages of 14-22.
Some of these classes include instruction on living at home safely
and independently - ranging from an array of diverse topics: tactile
medication labeling, cooking instruction, money identification,
instruction in Braille, personal grooming, and assistive technology
tutorials, to name a few.
“The only thing worse than being blind is
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having sight but no vision.”
- Helen Keller
With Mother’s Day and then Father’s Day just ahead,summertime
and summer camp are just around the corner. The Lighthouse of
Collier is offering a camp for vision-impaired children, which it has
done since 2009.
One parent, Marcia Muller, shared her four year old son’s
experiences at camp last summer:
“At first we were hesitant to have Andrew attend Lighthouse’s
summer camp since he was so young and had never been away
from his family. We were surprised when on the 2nd day of camp
Andrew was waiting at the front door of our house with his
backpack on asking if it was time to go yet? It was only 6:45 in
the morning...With compliments to the staff and volunteers, our
hopes and expectations for summer camp were definitely met - and
were specifically geared to Andrew’s abilities and gave him a feel for
being away from mom and dad. His favorite activities at camp were
the outings including paddle boarding. He loved riding the bus with
the others and heading out on adventures, it really gave him a sense
of independence. Most of all he loves all the new friends that he has
made while attending the programs at Lighthouse. It’s comforting
for us to know Lighthouse of Collier will be there as we prepare
Andrew to enter the school system. The staff, with their resources
and expertise, will be able to guide us and his school with any special
equipment and guidance Andrew might need, and also help him
realize there are may children with impairments just like him.”
Life in Naples | May • June • July 2015