Blind Center Marks Milestone, Operating On Slim Resources as Funding Dwindles

AVALON – The Blind Center for the Jersey Cape celebrated 15 years of helping the area’s visually impaired Oct. 27 in a meeting space provided by Avalon’s United Methodist Church on Dune Drive.
The small sign on the door said “Blind Center” and the large room it opened onto was the site for regular meetings each month of a small organization that sees its mission “lighting a candle” in the darkness that can envelop the visually impaired.
The church has provided the space for the blind center for most of its 15 years of existence. A fire destroyed its first facility that was close to the county Technical High School.
The center first opened its doors Oct. 16, 2000. Founder, Millicent “Millie” A. Saraduke, is still active in the organization and continues to be an inspiration to all.
Saraduke, known affectionately by many as Millie, had glaucoma rob her of her sight as an adult. She knows well the difficulties the blind face in adapting to their disability. 
Refusing to allow her loss of sight to defeat her, Saraduke worked hard to establish a local service organization to enrich the lives of the visually-impaired in the county. It took years and the help of many individuals and community groups, but the center opened in 2000 and is going strong 15 years later.
Phillip Harrison, who was “persuaded” by Saraduke to get involved seven years ago, presided over the affair that saw a keynote talk given by Elizabeth DeShields, director of the Independent Living Section of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind. 
Also in attendance were Donna Groome, director, Cape May County Department of Aging and Disability Services, and Daniel J. Mulraney, director, Fare Free Transportation of Cape May County.  Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1st) also spoke to the group of about 35 individuals gathered for the event.
Volunteers served a lunch to all.
The blind center has meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays for any of the county’s blind and visually impaired residents. It operates as a “no fee to participate” organization.
Regular instruction and recreation activities include light exercise, music, drama, crafts, and games. The actual activity at any given meeting is supportive of the other goal of general camaraderie and group involvement.
With free transportation available and energetic volunteers always involved, the center hopes to grow its participation levels reaching more residents who could benefit from the programs. With budgets tight, improving community awareness of the center existence is a challenge.
On matter of budgets, Harrison pointed out that the center just lost a state grant which was awarded for three years and has expired.
Just about everyone associated with the center is a volunteer, including the program instructors. Funds are needed to keep the organization moving ahead. For now, Harrison said, the center is getting by with the results of its solicitations and its annual pancake breakfast held in Avalon.
Mulraney pointed out that services for seniors across the county have been impacted by the decline in Atlantic City casino revenue. Laws allowing gambling in Atlantic City carried provisions for a percentage of the revenue to go to senior services in Southern Jersey counties.
The free transportation system relies on those monies as one of the largest of the seven sources of funding in its budget. Yet Mulraney said the revenue has been cut in half in recent years from what it had been at Atlantic City’s peak.
“It’s a small percentage, not an absolute number, so as revenues decline in Atlantic City, the contribution for senior services declines,” he said.
It is just one story of many that illustrates the struggle organizations like the blind center must endure in order to cobble together the funding for valuable community services. 
They have done it for 15 years and there is no reason to believe they will not continue to find a way. The mission is too important to give up.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.