Out of Sight

President and CEO for World Services for the Blind, Sharon Giovinazzo, keeps her doors open during the height of the pandemic. The organization has worldwide partnerships and is on the move. WSB offers several sought after certifications for adults who are visually impaired and blind. Check them out @ wsblind.org. Want to get involved with the WSB Foundation? You can assist no matter where you live. Contact them @ wsblindfoundation.org.   From their website: A storm washed up thousands of starfish, A child walks up and tosses in a starfish. Then another. And another.  A man says, “What are you doing? You cannot save them all. It's impossible to make a difference.”  Returning back to the water, the girl said, “It made a difference to that one.”   Let's make a difference with the talent and gifts we have been given.   WSB Foundation  2811 Fair Park Boulevard  Little Rock, AR 72204   |   (501) 664-7100   Ext. 244 |  W

  We laugh, shed a tear and win. Gordon Hempton, world renowned  acoustical ecologist, records sounds in nature no other person has captured. He’s lost his hearing and I’m blind. How do we connect? This Emmy Award Winner shares his experiences and disappointments.  

Season 2 – all interviews to keep your mind engaged. I track down some of the most interesting people during these uncertain times. Ever heard those sounds in nature while watching a documentary? Episode 1 is an interview with an Acoustical Ecologist, Gordon Hempton, known as the Soundtracker. Can’t wait to see you on the cast!

What’s inside? Snow skiing, a quest for sensor faucets, yes faucets and how I manage my anxiety and fear. I’ve spent the last couple of months teaching myself how to produce and edit the show. Consider this my debut! I hope it brings a smile to you and yours during this time of uncertainty. 

Philadelphia is riddled with history. There is one family there that is adding to the long list of historical happenings. This episode is a conversation with Kristin Smedley, TED Talker, author, President of Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation and recent Award winner. She’s Mom to two young men who defy the term “blind” and a beautiful daughter who is blessed with vision beyond her years. Sit in with us as I get one on one time with all four family members.  Kristin Smedley is a rising star in the blindness community and making inroads with geneticists, politicians and CEO’s. I don’t stop with Kristin, I had the good fortune to meet with her two sons, Michael and Mitch, who both are blind and defying all boundaries (because they don’t see any). But wait! There’s more! There’s a fourth Smedley, Karissa, the youngest who holds her own and is sighted. Find out more at www.CRB1.org and www.ThrivingBlind.com. You can get her book, Thriving Blind: Stories of Real People Succeeding Without Sight on Amazon.com. Enjoy this beautiful family.

The hiatus is over. Knee replacement is over and recovery continues. The meds and I did not get along and it gave me time to reflect. Change is continuous.

Why does my vision show up one day and then be gone the next? And then travel to Europe with me. Access the Viking River cruise and discover what hidden gem Bavaria holds for the blind.

Meet The Blind Guide, Ed Henkler as we talk about independence, travel, and thriving. It is our belief that blindness does not stop us from excelling. There’s also a segment which includes a hurricane, a saxophone and a debut. His website, www.theblindguide.com, has resources, remarkable blogs about what’s happening in the blind community, technology and a terrific story.

Ever think about eye contact? Well, if you're like me, it's impossible. Connecting and communicating are key. I converse with Chad Littlefield, a 3 time TED talker, co-founder and the CEO of We and Me about team building in nature with blind groups, creating conversations that matter, real connections, specifity and riding scooters. Yeah, I said scooters!

My guest, Chelsea White, has been with The Seeing Eye for 19 years as their outreach specialist. She is a remarkable woman that travels for work and fun! We exchange views on what it is like to be blind or visually impaired and constantly mobile.      #visualimpairment#blind#travel#mobility#dogguide

Get out of your comfort zone and get a new perspective. Let's go to Costa Rica, learn to surf, hike in mangroves to find monkeys and discover cool blind stuff online! 

Maybe you are blind or losing your eyesight or maybe you know someone who is blind or visually impaired…this podcast is for you.