Rick joined the Lighthouse of Collier in February 2015. Helping people who are blind or visually impaired is Rick’s passion. He knows firsthand what it is like to live with vision loss as he was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at age eight. He knows how difficult it can be to get along in a sighted…
Read More
Last week the Freedom Waters Foundation sponsored a cruise on a 93-foot yacht with twenty-five Lighthouse clients and family members. Due to COVID-19, this was the first group outing in well over a year. People were ready to get out and socialize! Old friends had time to catch up and new friendships were made. The…
Read More
We are excited to announce that Lighthouse of Collier has established a scholarship fund to support our local community and future leaders! The scholarship grants will be awarded to Lighthouse of Collier clients who are in high school, college or graduate school. The fund will help recipients complete an undergraduate or graduate education in the…
Read More
The program utilizes GoodFeel software to convert print music scores into Braille. To best illustrate how the program works and its benefits, please read the story below: Music has powerful effects on human beings, including lifting moods, reducing anxiety, improving memory and connecting with others. Children who are blind or visually impaired currently face barriers…
Read More
Scott Flagel, Lighthouse of Collier CEO was elected Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Florida Agencies Serving the Blind (Florida ASB). This is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)3 consortium of 17 not-for-profit agencies serving the blind. It is considered a national leader in setting standards and best practices for providing services to the blind. Learn…
Read More
Two staff became certified! Congratulations to Jennifer Nieves and Phyllis Dratnol whom both are now Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT). Stephany Estremadoiro promoted to Intake Specialist Stephany Estremadoiro has been promoted to Intake Specialist (also known as Case Manager). She is responsible for the initial contact with the potential client, and for conducting a detailed…
Read More
Lighthouse of Collier’s annual summer camps are approaching! The Children’s Summer Camp will be hosted virtually June 14 through July 2, MWF 9am – 2pm. The camp will consist of daily career presentations from guest speakers, as well as cooking, and arts and crafts, activities with an “Around the World” theme. The goal of the…
Read More
Lighthouse of Collier is pleased to announce the addition of 2 new members to the Board of Directors. Eloy Ricardo Fire Chief, North Collier Directs North Collier Fire’s all-hazards response efforts. A fundamental element to Ricardo’s management style is the Service First philosophy that guides him in all aspects of his personal and professional life…
Read More
Lighthouse of Collier will be entering the next phase of re-opening the office. On April 5, 2021, we will begin to host small groups in the office, as well as one-on-one appointments. Please contact the office in order to reserve your spot for the group classes as there will be a five-person maximum. For those…
Read More
At Dining in the Dark on March 24, 2021, Joe Meade received the Art & Sue Bookbinder award. This award recognizes individuals or companies that go above and beyond in multiple ways to support our mission, our work and our clients. There is not a more committed person to helping others and giving back to…
Read More
William is a 96 year old WWII vet who loves to tell stories of his past. He talks about his father from Finland who fought in the Finish Civil War, and who was born in 1888!! As an army vet himself, William served time in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. After the war, William developed a love of healthy living and fast cars. In fact, after moving to Naples, William’s primary job was to repair and maintain a fleet of high end, one-of-a-kind and rare cars owned by a few uber-rich Naples residents.
As mentioned, William is also into health. After suffering from two heart attacks 10 years ago, he gave up all medications and switched to vitamins and distilled water. In fact, William swears that distilled water is the key to longevity.
I love working with clients like William. With the provision of a few low vision aids he was able to instantly perform his reading and writing tasks. The Lighthouse provided him with a LP Calendar, bold pens/paper and loaner desktop CCTV. With these easy-to-use tools, William is able to document doctor’s appointments, read his mail and access food labels.
Additionally, the Lighthouse helped William sign up with the Collier Paratransit services. Even though he will continue to ride his scooter to Walmart, William will be able to expand his options by shopping at Costco and the nearby Publix.
Last but not least, the Lighthouse of Collier provided assistance and training with the Talking Book Library Program. Pre-vision loss, William was an avid reader. He has a library of books in the back of his house. Now with this new talking book machine, William can reminisce about past historical events and keep apprised of the new. He loves the energy the narrators and actors bring into his home, and he continues to learn new things daily.
