A Benevolent Beating

Dan Sullivan shares his heartwarming story about how the “kid with bad eyes” received mentoring from an unlikely source and helped him fit in on a small town’s beloved basketball team.

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Bronze dog sculpture on display in Centennial Hall at UW-Eau Claire

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Family of Nine

In honor of National Service Dog Month, Katherine Schneider shares a touching poem paying tribute to each guide dog that has touched her life. Katherine also writes about the value of guide dogs for liberation and freedom for someone who is visually impaired.

This image from the late 1980s shows Chad Nelson, age 16, sitting on a three-wheeled, all-terrain vehicle on a warm, sunny day. Chad, wearing a blue T-shirt and jeans, with a red baseball cap, is smiling and has both hands on the handlebars. In the background is two flower beds and a large field with a tree line off in the distance.

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Losing Vision, What an Effect!

From driving an ATV as a young person on his parent’s farm to establishing a career and developing valuable relationships as an adult, Chad Nelson hasn’t allowed vision loss from glaucoma to keep him from taking advantage of life’s opportunities. Through multiple surgeries, strong faith and the support of friends, Chad has faced obstacles and has forged ahead.

Image shows a support group of seven people, sitting in a circle, close to each other. The members are of varying ages and ethnicities. Most of the members are smiling as the group looks engaged in conversation.

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Finding the Right Support for Me

Mike Morris writes candidly about his experience with support groups after being diagnosed with macular degeneration in his early 40s. Mike discusses his journey to find the group that was right for him in this piece for The Outlook From Here.

Image shows a tightly-cropped photo of a woman’s hands holding a remote control used for a voting machine. The remote control has blue, yellow, green and red buttons across its surface. In her right hand, the woman is running two fingers across the green button, while the left hand is holding the top of the remote. Only her hands, the remote and part of her waist can been seen.

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Some Uncontroversial Thoughts on Voting

Katherine Schneider was overcome with emotion upon voting alone for the first time in 2006. In her latest piece, Schneider writes about the importance of voting accessibility for people who are blind and visually impaired and reminds everyone that their vote during this election season matters.

Image shows a group of six campers huddled together, with their arms around each other’s shoulders. In this photo from the 1980s, the campers are smiling and enjoying a warm, sunny day at the Lions Camp in Rosholt, Wisconsin. The group, wearing T-shirts, shorts and swim wear, is huddled underneath a tall tree. In the background is a large building with a handicap accessible entrance. A wooded area lies just to the right of the building.

Where is Sneaky?

For Ericka Short, summers spent at the Wisconsin Lions Camp were filled with memories she will never forget. From meeting new friends to pulling pranks, Short always looked forward to those sunny days at summer camp.

Image shows a basketball lying on a court during a bright, sunny day. The basketball is orange and slightly worn. It is resting at the right corner of the free-throw line, which is painted white. Part of the court is bright orange, but a strip of blue is featured to the right and directly in front of the ball. The ball casts a shadow onto the court.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

Janell Groskreutz can recall vividly the day she realized her vision had changed. A time spent shooting hoops with her dad as a nine-year-old changed her life, but it never prevented Groskreutz from pursuing her goals, and she continues to shoot for her dreams.

Image shows, to the left, the hand of a restaurant cashier grabbing a credit card from another hand of a blind patron, directly to the right. In the background, a bottle of orange juice rests on a brown counter top. Also in the background of the credit card exchange, to the right, is a rack filled with magazines, and a stack of menus resting between a black cup and a raised portion of the counter. The image of the credit card being exchanged between two hands evokes the types of customer service interactions between sighted and unsighted people that Chad writes about in this post.

It is Ok. I am Blind – Talk to Me.

Chad Nelson writes about the misconceptions that customer service workers have of blind and visually impaired people and gives tips for having positive interactions.

Mike Morris, left, poses for a selfie with his wife, Renee. Mike is wearing a white T-shirt and sunglasses, while Renee is wearing a gray shirt and sunglasses. Both are smiling. In the background is a hillside with trees, brush and a small body of water. It’s a bright, sunny day.

I, Mike Morris, Am Losing My Vision

Mike Morris writes candidly about his emotional journey regarding his changing vision in the fourth part of a series detailing his vision loss.

Getting an Earful

Writer Dan Sullivan was able to take in the pristine beauty of a Northwoods morning recently by taking in the sounds around him. In his latest piece, he paints a beautiful outdoors portrait.

Image shows Mike Morris, left, posing with his wife, Renee, right, on a sunny day with several buildings in the background. Mike is wearing a dark suit and tie, along with a white dress shirt. Renee is wearing a purple top. Both Mike and Renee are smiling and ready to celebrate a special occasion.

Still Feeling Lucky About Losing My Vision

In the third piece of his continuing story, Mike Morris takes us through the days at work when he knew his vision had dramatically changed. But, through help from the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired and the support of family, Mike considers himself a lucky man.

Image shows a photo of Kathie Schneider to the left, posing for a photo with her guide dog. Kathie, smiling, is wearing a dark blue pullover with blue jeans. She is standing on a pedestrian bridge with a river, trees and a row of brown buildings in the background. In the photo to the right, Annika Konrad, wearing a light pink shirt is smiling, sitting and holding a purple and black cup in her right hand. Trees align the background in what appears to be a bright summer day.

What the Gift of Disability Has Taught Me – Part Two

Disability is often perceived as a negative, but in this two-part series, four blind and visually impaired people share their thoughts on the many positives of disability. Our second segment features writers Kathie Schneider and Annika Konrad. Disability has affected their lives in different ways, but for both, it has molded them into the people they are today.