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We help
blind and visually impaired individuals
stay in their homes
and out of institutions
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Building a
Lasting Legacy Keeps doors Open The main
thing that has sustained us over the last two or three years and will for
another year are those former clients or their families, and long time supporters
who have left a legacy in their estate.
These often larger donations have allowed us to sustain ourselves in a
down economy. Leaving a legacy is not
as hard as most people think it is. First,
everyone should have a Will. The more
you have the more you need one.
However, many people have a larger estate than they think they have,
especially if you are a home owner. If
you are not clear in a legal document how you want your estate handled, and
by whom, someone you never met appointed by the courts will decide for you. Several
years ago we were involved in the process that formed the Leave a Legacy
Foundation locally, but it became clear that was designed for very large
donors concerned with the tax implications.
For us it is a simple matter, and we are prepared like the larger
organizations to help if you need it.
For those who would like to leave a legacy, we do not have an attorney
on staff or on the board, but we have worked with local attorneys in the past
and can make recommendations to some extent as we do in other areas. Maintaining confidentiality is a large part
of that process and why legal advice is important. Legal advice given by the lawyer must be directed
to your benefit. They do not work for,
or represent the agency. Unlike
some, we will not show up at your bedside asking you to donate, or with
documents leaving your legacy. We have
never placed our clients under pressure in that way, and will not in the
future. But at the same time we have
an almost 20% client turnover each year and only one or two will remember us
over more popular charities with greater name recognition. It is this lack of pressure on the part of
Sierra Services that may account for the fact that on a number of occasions
each year we find the legacy left by clients we served for nearly a decade
had changed in the last two months or weeks of their lives. Thus, we
need to mention it. And we need to
remind people what a dramatic difference it can make to an organization with
a budget as small as ours. Your legacy
goes right to work for the client, and is not relegated to a static savings,
income account or building project, it is for the clients with the same need
for the program that come to replace those who we have lost. If you
have any questions we will be glad to answer them with confidentiality, and
we can give direction as you desire to document your wishes. It is the kindness of those who have left
the legacies that have made the difference for Sierra Services in the last
few years. And they have all been a
surprise. We hope they will continue
as the budget article outlines in this newsletter. _________________________
o0o _________________________ Often it is not the kindness
that appears in public which is most satisfying. When we take to the quiet times, when only
we ourselves know, the warmth of that knowing will have its effect on us.
A. Nonymous _________________________
o0o _________________________ Donation
Supports New Hearing Program Sierra
Services assessed our clients a few years ago and noted how many also have
hearing issues related to age just as their vision loss is related to
age. Simply, we were working with them
as one door to the outside world was closing, and not working with another
that was equally as isolating as vision loss.
We presented the idea to the Membership, and the By-laws were changed
to include hearing for those clients who were already here with vision loss. We tried to get a grant for the simple
funding of $714 to begin the program, and 49er Rotary stepped up. The
program is simple. Clients who come to
our program often have a hard time hearing what is being presented for their
vision loss. It is easy to lose track
in a counseling group or educational presentation if you can not hear
well. Also, most clients are low
income and can not afford more expensive hearing aids, and think there is
nothing they can do. As we do with
magnifiers we can now have a small selection of hearing devices which can be
purchased locally at low cost. We can
let them use them at our events to find they can be helped with hearing as
well. At that point we can recommend
them to hearing specialists for proper assessment. Once in a while it is something real
simple, and there are programs such as the Ear of the Lion similar to the
Lion's club vision program. Once they
know it will help to have hearing assistance, we can start the process to
make sure that door to the outside world will not close as quickly as the
vision related isolation. Like the
rest of the program, the quality of life is the issue, and with it the
ability to retain independence. _________________________
o0o _________________________ Preparations
for Emergency at a Personal Level "Most of the blind don't
drive," is a quote we use in many presentations. It is fun, it is
also serious and makes a point. We
have been talking to clients about emergencies. If there is a fire they can't just get in
the car and leave, and we have had clients trapped when evacuations were
ordered. Working with the County of
Nevada, we now feel there is a system in place that will identify those
individuals who will need to be evacuated, and done so in a manner with is
both voluntary and cognizant of confidentiality. Called the S.A.F.E. program, it identifies
those who can not leave for the evacuation center without assistance. But there is more to it. If the Sheriff arrives and says he is here
to take you to the evacuation center, he means now. This means you need to be ready. You need to have prepared to take necessary
medicines with you, important papers like your checkbook, birth certificate
and other identification such as medical cards, insurance papers, Wills and
other things that fire would destroy and are hard to replace. Keep a list of all medications and special
needs in your wallet or purse. Keep
things in one place for easy access. If you are called and have some
time you can call relatives and tell them you are leaving, gather a few
things like jewelry, the address book, a few pictures or other small
items. The Sheriff will not have a lot
of room in his vehicle and may be picking others up, so think what can fit in
your lap. Once you get to the evacuation
center the less you have the easier it is to keep track of it in a crowded
and confusing place. Don't take the
jewelry box, take the jewelry, don't necessarily take the whole photo album,
take the pages, and put it all in one bag or small night case. Wear the coat, don't carry it. And to repeat the one more thing,
have it all in one place so you can get to it all easily and quickly. Like they say in monster movies the guy at
the door is "Coming to take you away." He can't wait for you go gather things. There is something like a fire coming or
they would not have ordered evacuation, and they don't want to get trapped
with you. Also, if you are in the county
S.A.F.E. program, which is how they knew about you in the first place, and
something like your address or phone number has changed call the office and
we will take care of it for you. If
you move we don't want to have them go to a house looking for someone that is
not there. They will keep looking when
they need to find others. _________________________
o0o _________________________ When your work
speaks for itself, don't interrupt.
Henry J. Kaiser _________________________
o0o _________________________ Being Realistic About "The Cure" for Vision Loss In every issue of the Newsletter
we talk about the latest in medical research and how they are claiming that
Stem Cells, or a new enzyme, or a new use for medications and a dozen other
promising things will cure blindness in five years. Remember though, clinical testing takes
years, if not decades. Those things,
like stem cells being tested on humans with Ushers disease are curing the
problem today, but are in just the first round of testing, and on Ushers
disease only. While they are now
beginning to set up tests in the realm of Macular Degeneration that is still
a bit in front of us. Testing for Pigmentosa and other eye diseases is much the same. Starting, but down the road for broad based
testing. There is even a pea sized
telescope implant that is close to FDA approval. Now the hard part, acceptance once
the treatment is proven. Once we have
a period of testing, first on animals then humans, there is the period of
acceptance by agencies like the Federal Drug Administration. Virtually all human testing starts in
Europe. Once proven successful there
we can get FDA approval for testing here.
Add another near decade, four years is for emergencies. One more delay is in production and
distribution, education, training and acceptance by the medical
community. Once in a while resources
used for testing are pulled off the project for an emergency like we are now
using for the H1N1 virus and for the possibility of a pandemic this fall. Read carefully. If it says the cure will be available in
five years that is often on paper. The
point is that once more, this generation called the "Greatest
Generation" will provide for the next one. Their children are now the doctors
developing these wonderful visions of a future where sight and hearing is
restored. They will be the "Test
Subjects" their children will write about in legal journals. And, in most cases, they will have donated
the money to make it happen with either a direct donation, or a legacy they
leave as they have in many ways. Their
first car was a model T, they saved the world from tyranny in World War II,
they saw man land on the moon, the cure for
blindness is just next for their legacy.
It takes time. _________________________
o0o _________________________ Reported from and AARP Forum Where
is the best place for a senior to look for their lost glasses? On their head. How
can you avoid that terrible curse of elderly wrinkles? Take off your glasses. Why
should seniors use valet parking? Valets know where they put our car. What
is the most common remark made when a senior enters an antique store? "Gosh, I remember these." _________________________
o0o _________________________ Dealing With Short Term Memory As we age we find short term
memory frustrating. It can be serious
and need medical attention, this short piece is not about that. In most cases it is simply time playing one
more trick on us. You haven't lost it,
just misplaced it. There are a few things
to remember that will make you feel a little better. One is that in a group of seniors they
understand, they can't think of the name either, but they probably know what
you are talking about. Second, it will
come to you, sometime tomorrow when the person you are talking to is not
there and you have a mouth full of potatoes.
Third, you are not nuts, the trouble is not with input, it is the output.
Like a computer you have stored the memory, you just can't retrieve if
since you forgot what name you gave it when you committed the file. With age you have learned things
you need to take into account. Each
day is the dawn of a new error. How
many times have you pushed the door marked "Pull"? You will again. Remember all that stuff you forgot every
time you took a test in high school?
When was the last time you needed it?
You now have common sense. You
know how much easier it would be to find your glasses if you had your
glasses. You knew where they were all
along, right where you put them. So
what if we live in the past a little, we had fun then and didn't need to plug
it in or worry about batteries. If we
seem a little too Norman Rockwell, with a touch of Dr. Seuss, that is better
than today's childhood video images.
We may not remember the name of our hero's, but with little thought
you will notice we remember who they were and what they stood for. They didn't keep score based on how many
they killed. So, commit to rocking chair, and lets take a ride back.
Long term memories fare well as we find we have time for them. Our children were innocent then, reality
was for later. You could pet the
neighbor's dog, play in the streets, and were allowed to climb trees. You could laugh at yourself, and poke a
little fun at others without damaging their self esteem. And one more thing about the rocking chair,
we don't need our glasses. They are
probably safe where we put them the last time we knew where they were. As Will Rogers put it, "everything is
funny as long as it happens to somebody else." Maintaining a sense of humor is important. _________________________
o0o _________________________ Beauty in things exists in the mind which
contemplates them. David
Hume _________________________
o0o _________________________ Next Years
Budget Reflects the Economy The Board
of Directors has approved a 2009-2010 budget of $129,790. This represents a rise of only $3,015 over
this year. There are several important
factors of note however. The budget
shows the Endowment producing $46,000 of that amount, or 35%. That is consistent with the short history
of the endowment, but is subject to the economy. It also shows a critical draw on the legacy
account of another $28,805, which will become even more significant if the
economy does not improve. The process
proved how significant the legacies are. The board
decided that it was important at this time to retain staff at the present
level. It is staff that provides the
service. But as other costs such as
rent, utilities and insurance are fixed or rising,
there is little room to cut if the time does come. A year from now deep cuts will have to be
made if the reserve account is no longer available. If the economy improves, and public
donations return to normal levels the need to draw from the account will
surely diminish. As board President
Greg Fowler noted, it is a good feeling to know that we have the funds to
hold on for a year, which has not always been the case for Sierra Services. We are
the little guy providing direct human services to the county at less than
$1.45 per citizen per year, and only just under $300 per year per
client. Placed in comparison to a cup
of coffee per year, or even that the cost of a client means less than three
cups per month, we are still a very good deal. For the blind or visually impaired it is
often their only opportunity to remain independent. Abalone
Banquet to be Held September 12th This years Abalone Banquet will be
held at The Foundry in Nevada City on September 12th. Abalone is getting scarce, so this is the
time to come for the rare pleasure it provides. Again this year the meal will be provided
by many of the finest restaurants in our area. Repeating providers will begin with Tailgators and their wonderful hors d'oeuvres, Friar
Tucks with a side dish, SPD deli will again supply the Cordon Bleu for those
chickens who don't want abalone, and Las Katarinas
with deserts to die for. New this
year will be salad by local icon Paulette's Country Kitchen, and there will
be a second side dish from the new kid in town, Goomba's. Caroline's will again provide coffee, and
wine will be from Nevada City Winery. But that is the
who and what of an exceptional dining experience, this is a
banquet. It will again this year begin
at just after 5:00 with the music of Ivan Najera as
you taste of hors d'oeuvres and enjoy a cup of coffee or your complementary
glass of wine. Leave room however,
dinner is at 6:00. We continue to
serve until we either run out of you say stop. Desert seems to find space once you see it,
and somehow it is all gone in but a moment, maybe it has to do with Las Katarinas. Once
the meal is consumed we will have a raffle, also representing the best of
western Nevada County businesses, and a door prize from sponsor B&C Home
and Garden Center. You are then free
to waddle home on your own recognizance. Tickets are again $100. It is abalone and it is a fund raising
event. Additional wine tickets are $5,
and the raffle tickets are $1, 7 for $5, and an arms length for $10, (that is
usually 15). This is the 11th Abalone Banquet,
and the return rate is high as the event has gained a reputation for one of
the finest events of the year. Like we
say for the Golf Tournament, we are the little guy, and we just have to do it
better. Most folks say we do. _________________________
o0o _________________________ _________________________
o0o _________________________ Sierra Services for the Blind Newsletter July - September 2009 Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only at night.
Edger Allan Poe _________________________
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