Category: Services

Vision Screenings for Daycares and Kindergartens

The Westmoreland County Blind Association understands the importance of early childhood vision screenings and exams. We have been conducting these vision screenings for more than 20 years.

We are a non-profit organization that reaches out to all of our neighbors in Westmoreland County offering this free vision screening for children 3-6 years of age.

If you are a daycare or an organization that has children ages 3-6 years of age, we would love the opportunity to come to your place of business and do our free vision screenings.

If you would like to schedule a vision screening with us or would like more information please call 724-837-1250 and ask for Deann she will be happy to assist you.

Tips To Protect Your Vision

As Spring arrives in western Pennsylvania, we are called to the outdoors. We rediscover what has been hidden by snow and lay dormant during the winter months. The nice weather is our inspiration to collect branches or leaves that have accumulated in the corners of the yard; stain the deck in time for grilling season or break out the bicycle.

The Westmoreland County Blind Association wants you to enjoy the season, and most importantly be safe and prevent eye damage. Please consider these tips to protect your vision in the coming months:

  • Wear sunglasses outside when the sun shines. Look for lenses that block 100% of both UVA and UVB rays.
  • View fireworks from at least 500 feet away. Never let children play with fireworks.
  • Wear safety glasses when doing work that may produce chips, dust or flying particles. When working with chemicals, choose goggles that fit snugly against your face and secure with a strap.
  • Thoroughly wash your hands before touching the eye.
  • Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Foods rich in antioxidants, lutein, Vitamins C and E are good for eye health.
  • If you know something has scratched your eye, seek treatment from your doctor/emergency room for your eye injury.

Lions Club Donation

Thanks to the Trafford Lions Club and Penn-Trafford Leos Club for coordinating last night’s Dinner in the Dark event. The event was hosted in the WCBA’s Community Room here in Greensburg. Sighted participants were blindfolded and taught how to eat a prepared dinner and fold paper airplanes. Penn-Trafford presented a check donation of $1,210 WCBA’s Executive Director, Tim Miller.

There were approximately 60 people in attendance. The whole event was put together by the young members of the Trafford Lions Clubs which is commonly referred to as Link-N-Leos.  It was a unique and humbling event that gave participants a chance to experience everyday living activities through the eyes of someone with visual disabilities.

 

A-Team Pennsylvania

We hosted our first meeting of A-Team Pennsylvania yesterday at WCBA in Greensburg. More than 25 staff members from a dozen pre-vocational providers came together to form this new mission for disabled workers. Vincent M. Loose, President & CEO of UniqueSource, was our guest speaker. See the A-Team Photo Album for additional event coverage.

Here is a little more information on the initiative:

MY WORK. MY CHOICE.
A-TeamGoal: Promote people with diverse abilities experiencing the dignity of work in a full array of employment settings.

Mission: Ignite the passion and energy of persons with diverse abilities and their families…
-to advocate in a grassroots efforts.
-create awareness in the community.
-advise those who care for our citizens with special needs to ensure service choices are protected and sustained.

We are looking for serious volunteers who would like to join the A-Team to ignite the passion and energy of persons with diverse abilities along with their families to ensure that service choices are protected and sustained. Please contact the Westmoreland County Blind Association at 724-837-1250 to learn more.

Our A-Team/Pennsylvania campaign will continue in preparation for our “Embrace the Abilities Day” in Harrisburg on October 17th and 18th. Many of our intellectually and developmentally challenged individuals, family members, staff members, and providers from numerous pre-vocational organizations throughout the state will be traveling in support of this cause. Actual stories and videos will be shared with legislators and the Wolf Administration during this meeting. For more information, please visit A-Team Pennsylvania or this website.

Employee of the Year Award Nominee

Congratulations to our colleague, Clyde Bittner on being nominated for the 2016 Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year Award. Each year, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) honors an individual who is blind and employed in NIB’s network of associated nonprofit agencies. Clyde was nominated based upon his qualifications and accomplishments measured by criteria established by NIB’s Board of Directors. We here at WCBA, are PROUD to call Clyde our co-worker but more importantly our friend!

Proposed Work Innovations Opportunity Act (WIOA) Regulations

We have a few concerns about the proposed Work Innovations Opportunity Act (WIOA) regulations. The expanded qualifications issued to the definition of ‘competitive integrated employment’ may negatively impact the WCBA’s efforts and the individuals we work with who have intellectual disabilities.

Please consider voicing your concerns! You can download the sample letter then find the contact info for your local representative using this link, Find Your Representative.

WIOALetter

Services for Sight-Impaired and Intellectually-Challenged Individuals

The Westmoreland County Blind Association provides services and programs for individuals with visual, intellectual and physical disabilities and delivers business services such as embroidery and document destruction. This video offers an overview of our programs and services for sight impaired and intellectually challenged individuals.