Center Gives Place for Blind, Visually Impaired to Mingle

AVALON — Put yourself in Justin’s place: Life’s been good. You have many fine things, including a Cadillac. You learn you have glaucoma. From that time forward, the world grows ever darker. Finally, you find yourself blind.
Sunrises, gardens filled with flowers, faces of loved ones, remain alive only in your memory. Each day and every hour is black as an unlit coal mine.
For those more fortunate, who have some sight and can see light, but are legally blind, life is changed from what it was.
For those with both conditions, there is a place to spend time Tuesdays and Thursdays with others who share similar levels of blindness: Blind Center for the Jersey Cape, which meets at Avalon United Methodist Church from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
While most of those who go there are senior citizens, they welcome those of any age who are blind or visually impaired.
It’s a time to eat lunch, and use equipment that can translate typed or printed documents into audible words. If the person is partially sighted, there is another device that will enlarge print or written documents so as to be readable.
There is also a JAWS software-equipped computer that will read words from Internet sites aloud.
Most important, especially for those who are blind or visually impaired who live alone, Tuesday and Thursday are days to spend time together, share problems and, perhaps, offer encouragement to others.
At the June 12 session, after lunch discussion Kerry Sellars of Family Service Association’s Older Adult Services department, facilitated a group discussion on relationships.
According to Phil Harrison, vice president of the group, the newly-instituted website helps inform the world of the organization, its goals and other data.
Millicent “Millie” Saraduke, founder and president of the Blind Center of the Jersey Cape, was seated between Justin Bensen, and Betty Hansen, who, like Saraduke, is one of the group’s original members.
Saraduke, who learned Braille after she became blind in mid-life, believes that blindness should not mean life stops. She wants others who may, like herself, be totally blind, or in lesser degrees of visual impairment to become a part of the center, go on its field trips and take in cultural activities.
Those activities are funded, in part, through a state Arts in Motion grant. That $2,000 grant, authorized by freeholders June 26, administered through the county Board of Social Service, is meant to “provide recreational programs for the blind and visually impaired individuals” It was dated Jan. 1 to June 30.
According to Saraduke, that grant makes possible field trips to theaters, such as Ocean City Theatre Company, for exercise classes, or music and crafts.
“We are grateful to have that grant,” said Saraduke.
As with any government grant, one question that always accompanies is “How many participate?” For that reason, Harrison and Saraduke encourage other blind or visually impaired to join the activities at the center.
“Numbers are important,” she added. “We could use a few more members.”
When it was first opened, the center operated from a trailer refurbished by students at the Cape May County Technical School.
A fire destroyed that trailer with all equipment, specially designed for the visually handicapped. From that time, the center relocated into the Avalon church, where it meets to this day.
Bensen resides in Ocean City five months and the remainder of the year In Pennsylvania.
“I am on the Board of Trustees for the Blind Center in Absecon and one in Naples, Fla. In 1982, I learned I had glaucoma, and it was downhill from there. I even had a Cadillac,” he said. Bensen is a JAWS instructor, training others in the use of that machine.
Reggie Lancaster of Somers Point was using that JAWS machine when a reporter visited the center.
He explained the working of the machine, and brought up the Herald’s website, and the machine dutifully read every word in a story aloud.
Earphones are available if private listening is desired.
Lancaster also demonstrated an Ovation scanner that took a printed document, scanned it and read it aloud.
Others who joined the center that day included Sheila Voltz, Shirley Cardella.
Volunteers assisting were Audrey Emery and Kathi Coleman. Another volunteer who helps, but was absent that day, is Mary Lewis.
After the group discussion, two Fare Free Transportation drivers arrived to transport the attendees back home.
They all bid each other farewell and told each other they would “see them again.”
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com