Author: ncss

Every year in the middle of July, the Lycoming County Fair Grounds in Hughesville comes to life with its annual fair. Friends and family reconnect over food, concerts and carnival rides. This summertime tradition is John Denmark’s favorite time of year. He takes a week of vacation to enjoy every minute of the festivities as well as his birthday, which falls during the week of the fair. Each birthday marks another year John has pushed himself to try new experiences and overcome challenges as well as enjoy the life he has worked very hard to create. It is a life John loves.

John was born with Nystagmus, which is sometimes called dancing eyes. It is a condition in which one or both eyes move uncontrollably quickly. Because of this condition, John is legally blind, wears glasses and uses Assistive Technology, like magnifiers, to see. At age 10, John was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism spectrum disorder. His elementary, middle and high school years were challenging for John, as large print textbooks were not obtainable, nor did he have access to the Assistive Technology which is currently available.

Two days before his 18^th birthday, John’s beloved mother passed away. Before she died, John promised his mother he would make her proud. John has kept his word. He has triumphed over challenges, embraced new experiences, worked diligently and developed a social and professional network that feeds his soul and career.

“I have kept the promise I made to my mother,” John says. “I think she would be very proud of me and what I have accomplished.”

In 2009, John began his career at North Central Sight Services, Inc. (NCSS) as a general assembler. John loves challenges and expanded his career experiences to work in customer service, vending services for local businesses and organizations, as well as support at the receptionist desk. John currently works in the industry program where he helps customize flash drives and provide labeling services.

“I have loved all my positions at NCSS,” John adds. “I enjoy trying new things and pushing myself forward.”

Several years ago, at NCSS’s Golf for Sight fundraising golf outing, John helped demonstrate a new form of technology called eSight, which is commonly called electronic eyewear. The device is worn over the user’s glasses and uses a cutting-edge camera to compensate for gaps in the user’s field of vision. This was the first time John had ever used eSight.

“The minute I put on the device, it was like I had 20/20 vision,” John says. “I burst into tears because I had never seen the world so clearly.”

John’s coworkers have acknowledged his inspirational spirit and professional drive on several occasions. John has been nominated twice by his peers for the Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award, which honors individuals who are blind and demonstrate career advancement at a National Industries for the Blind-associated nonprofit agency or in the private sector. The award is named after the late Samuelson, who was a strong advocate for upward mobility and placement programs benefitting people who are blind or visually impaired.

John has also been nominated for the UniqueSource Award, which recognizes the outstanding achievements of blind individuals throughout Pennsylvania.

“I am humbled my peers would nominate me for these honors,” John says. “I am so proud of the accomplishments of all of my coworkers.”

For more than 65 years, NCSS has assisted individuals who are blind or visually impaired to live independently and maximize their quality of life. The organization helps prevent vision loss through education programs and screenings for children and adults. NCSS offers adjustment services for people losing their vision, support services, employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired, and a prevention of blindness program.

For more information on vision screenings and related services, contact NCSS at (570) 323-9401.

Many of us remember visiting the school nurse for an annual vision screening as children. As we grow into adulthood, this important appointment is often overlooked. Far too often, adults wait until they experience vision problems before they schedule a screening. By missing annual vision screenings, vision problems cannot be detected early and treated.

With the use a special camera, vision screenings are intended to assess vision issues and help identify problems that can lead to poor vision. Vision screenings are not as comprehensive as eye exams. Eye exams are more comprehensive and include tests for conditions such as color blindness, glaucoma and depth perception.

As the population in the United States ages, the number people who are blind or visually impaired is estimated to double by 2030 and triple by 2050. Vision screenings are a critical part of one’s overall health and can significantly improve the quality of life for millions of Americans.

For children, vision screenings are essential to help ensure their development. Young children cannot identify and communicate challenges with their vision. If left untreated, vision disorders can interfere with a child’s academic and social progression. In some cases, untreated vision disorders can lead to permanent vision loss.

For individuals and families living in Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan, and Tioga counties, North Central Sight Services, Inc., provides quick, easy and effective preventive vision screenings to detect vision loss and potential eye diseases. The organization uses the Spot™ Vision Screener, a handheld device that scans both eyes at the same time from a comfortable three feet away. It can detect potential vision issues across all age groups, starting at six-months old. Individuals who do not pass the screenings are referred to local eye care professionals.

For income-eligible children, North Central Site Services, Inc., provides opportunities for eye exams through its Functional Vision Clinic, which is held monthly at the organization’s facility in Williamsport. A pediatric optometrist specializing in visual-related learning problems conducts the exams. Common signs of a functional vision issue include poor eye-hand coordination, alternate uses of the right and left hands, and difficulty when studying visual information.

For more than 65 years, North Central Sight Services, Inc. has assisted individuals who are blind or visually impaired to live independently and maximize their quality of life. The organization helps prevent vision loss through education programs and screenings for children and adults. North Central Sight Services, Inc., offers adjustment services for people losing their vision, support services, employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired, and a prevention of blindness program.

For more information on vision screenings and related services, contact North Central Sight Services at (570) 323-9401.

For people who have low vision, everyday tasks become more complicated and living independently can become difficult. Assistive Technology, however, can change that.

North Central Sight Services is offering financial assistance to Centre County residents to provide Assistive Technology devices. The funding is made possible through a grant presented to North Central Sight Services by an anonymous donor.

“Assistive Technology helps people with low vision to live independently,” said North Central Sight Services President and CEO Brian Patchett. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to get these life-changing devices in the hands of Centre County residents who can benefit from them.”

Assistive Technology ranges from low-tech items like bump dots and magnifiers to high-tech devices such as CCTVs, digital magnifiers and wearable devices, many of which include text-to-speech features.

North Central Sight Services employs an Assistive Technology Specialist to educate blind and visually impaired clients on the latest technology, including Apple products, to enhance independence. At the organization’s Assistive Technology Lab in Williamsport, the specialist helps evaluate individual client needs and helps find devices that best suits those needs. The specialist is there to support clients every step of the way, including obtaining the appropriate devices and providing technical assistance to clients, family members and employers.

In addition to the availability of individual financial assistance, North Central Sight Services recently donated Assistive Technology devices to Bellefonte Library, the main branch of the Centre County Library System, to assist library patrons who have low vision. The donation to the library includes two desktop video magnifiers, five handheld devices, two high-contrast/large-print keyboards and one large monitor, as well as a Zoom text magnifying software license. While the desktop devices are available for patrons to use on-site at the Bellefonte Library, the handheld devices are available to patrons to borrow for a seven-day loan.

If you’d like to learn more about Assistive Technology or the financial assistance available to Centre County residents, please contact us at (570) 323-9401.

Steven Floyd, II of Williamsport takes great pride and satisfaction in helping others. In his role as an Assistive Technology Specialist with North Central Sight Services, Steven works directly with clients to educate them on the many forms of assistive technology available to improve their quality of life and increase their independence. For 65 years, North Central Sight Services has provided programs and services for people who are blind or visually impaired in Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan and Tioga counties.

Assistive Technology ranges from low-tech items like bump dots and magnifiers to high-tech devices such as CCTV’s, digital magnifiers and wearable devices, many of which include OCR (Optical Character Recognition) which is a text-to-speech feature. Learning how to best utilize a device can take time and patience, but the perfect form of technology is essential to meeting a client’s educational, employment, and day-to-day needs.

Steven has first-hand experience with his clients’ sight-related challenges. He was born with Septo-optic Dysplasia and Nystagmus, disorders that left him visually impaired. With the help of several surgeries, contact lenses and Assistive Technology, Steven conquers any challenge that comes before him.

During Steven’s time with North Central Sight Services, he has worked in several departments including distribution, shipping, and document imaging.

With Steven’s working knowledge of the organization, a degree in computer science, and his love of helping people, he is the perfect fit for his current role as AT Specialist which he began more than a year ago.

“I enjoy being around people and helping them succeed,” Steven says. “I want to find the perfect device to meet their needs. I want to help all my clients become more independent.”

Like many people, Steven can get nervous when speaking in front of a large crowd. Over the past year, Steven set a goal to become a better public speaker. With practice at work and in his role as Vice President of the Williamsport Sight Services Lion’s Club, Steven has found many opportunities to hone his public speaking skills. He speaks at club meetings, he conducted an AT training session at a work retreat, and he shared his story at a district-wide Lions Club event.

In his free time Steven is a part-time DJ, he enjoys composing music using digital software and is passionate about photography.

“I love what I do,” Steven adds. “My career is very rewarding.”

North Central Sight Services is a not-for-profit agency based in Williamsport. The organization provides blindness prevention education, vision screenings, services and employment to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Additionally, North Central Sight Services provides business services such as shredding, vending, bottleless water coolers, fulfillment, and packaging services.

For more information, call (570) 323-9401.

North Central Sight Services has donated $10,000 worth of technology devices to Bellefonte Library, the main branch of the Centre County Library System, to assist library patrons who have low vision. The devices include desktop and handheld video magnifiers that enable people with low vision to read printed materials.

The first-of-its-kind donation by North Central Sight Services is made possible through a grant presented to the non-profit organization by an anonymous donor. The video magnifiers are now available for any library patron to use at Bellefonte Library.

“We’re thrilled to make these assistive technology devices available to the public at the Bellefonte Library,” said North Central Sight Services President and CEO Brian Patchett. “We hope this donation helps bring awareness to the life-changing benefits of such devices. Assistive technology like these devices helps people who are visually impaired live independently and fully enjoy life.”

Nicholas Struble, branch manager at Bellefonte Library, said, “As a public library, we aim to make our collections and resources accessible to everyone in our community. Prior to this generous donation, our offerings for individuals who have low vision were limited to audiobooks and large-print books. Now a world of additional books and other library materials are accessible to them.”

The North Central Sight Services donation includes two desktop video magnifiers, five handheld devices, two high contrast/large print keyboards and one large monitor, as well as a Zoom text magnifying software license. While the desktop devices are available for patrons to use on-site at the Bellefonte Library, the handheld devices are available to patrons to borrow for a seven-day loan.

North Central Sight Services also has funding available to provide free or low-cost assistive technology devices directly to individuals in Centre County who have low vision. Individuals should contact North Central Sight Services at (570) 323-9401 to learn if they are eligible.

The Assistive Technology Lab at North Central Sight Services’ facility in Williamsport, and the organization’s Mobile Assistive Technology Lab, educates people who are blind or visually impaired on the latest technology to enhance independence. Services include evaluating a client’s needs and abilities, providing training on the best assistive technology for them, and providing technical assistance to clients, family members and employers to effectively put assistive technology to work.

I don’t believe there isn’t a person in this world who hasn’t been impacted by the pandemic in some way. Since it began, lots of changes have been happening. Schools have shut down. Businesses have been forced to reduce the number of employees who work for them. Social gatherings have pretty much disappeared. Life as we know it has been altered in more ways than we could ever have imagined.

Through all of this, people have been told to remain hopeful. A vaccine is on the way, and we will all get back to the life we once knew. For those who have had the virus or even know someone who has contracted it, this prediction can seem far away. People want to return to living, learning, and working the way they used to. Looking around me, I can see adapting to these changes has proven difficult for most.

Fortunately for me, I have not experienced any major problems. I’ve continued to work steadily throughout the pandemic and keep up with my educational pursuits. Because I take online classes, using a computer for taking and submitting exams has been convenient for me even before COVID was discovered. If anything, the ordeal has made me more focused on accomplishing the goals I’ve set for myself a long time ago. I go to work every day, do what I need to, come home and take care of my responsibilities there, and then study. It is a rigorous routine. There are days when I don’t feel like working so hard, but I know I won’t get anywhere if I slack off. So, I keep pushing myself.

I hear so many complaints about how people cannot do anything because they feel as though their freedom has been taken away. Yes, it does get frustrating at times. However, this does not mean you have to put a hold on doing what you enjoy. You can still find ways to channel your interests and contribute to causes you feel passionate about. Do the things that make you happy and comfortable. For me, it’s all about the creative aspect. When I am working on a project that I know is going well, I feel as though I can do anything. That is why I try to write every day. I can express myself freely and do not have to worry about someone judging me. A sense of power flows through me as my pen glides across the page or my fingers race over the keys.

Will we get through this crisis? Yes, with faith. The news broadcasts can be depressing. When you are seeking inspiration, look to your friends and family. They will lift your spirits and put a smile on your face. That’s what they are there for, and you will grow to care about them even more.

 -Barbara Irvin, employee at North Central Sight Services, Inc. for 17 years. 

We are back! Our Golf for Sight tournament will take place on May 28th, 2021 at Wynding Brook Golf Club in Milton. Our golf tournament is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we were saddened to have to cancel last year’s event and are looking forward to getting back! 

Please take a moment and consider sponsoring and/or playing in this event! Aside from a few Covid-related restrictions, mostly social distancing, we expect the tournament to run as it has in the past! 

Sponsorships and team spots are available, but don’t delay – they fill up fast! FORM- Golf For Sight 2021

Contact Amy Alexander for more information and to reserve your spot 570-323-9401 ext. 140 or amya@ncsight.org