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Spotlight News President: Debbie Conrad                                              Editor: Bob Sweeney Executive Director: Doug Fowler                                         Reader:  Hank Elgersman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ President’s Message: By the time everyone reads this, you should have received the special mailing sent out to you by The Board of Directors.   As I stated in the cover letter, we, the entire Board of Directors of the VIP Center, have discovered that we need to make changes. The changes need to be in our Mission Statement and Articles of Incorporation. Once the changes have been implemented, we will be compliant with statutes of Florida law, Internal Revenue Service non-profit rules, and be organized in such a way that we are able to obtain funding from a variety of sources.  No one likes changes but these are absolutely necessary and need to be made if the VIP Center is to continue to help the visually impaired in our community.   So please, I strongly encourage you to read through the proposed changes, cast your vote, and mail it back to us in the self-addressed envelope so that we receive it by July 14, 2008.  Anyone who receives the newsletter on tape, kindly rewind your tape, and return it to the VIP Center. There is a shortage of tapes, and in order to keep this service going, we need your cooperation  Thank You, Deborah Conrad President VIP Board of Directors From the Executive Director’s Desk: Grits ‘n’ Gas.  Recently, the North Fort Myers Kiwanis Club asked me to speak at their breakfast meeting. Customary to almost every breakfast menu south of the Ohio River is grits. At this meeting, I shared that my first taste of grits was during my first visit to Florida at the age of nine. My Mother’s joy on family vacation was to ‘eat out’ breakfast on the first morning of the trip. Literally, over the river by ferry boat and through the Kentucky woods we stopped at a family run restaurant complete with a cashier who resembled Grandma! Grits came with the meal without asking.  Immediately, I asked for syrup because it looked like ‘Cream of Wheat’ that needed help. The waitress, a Kentucky version of Lucy, looked at me like I had just got off a UFO! It was in that little family run restaurant I learned that grits are a solid food that will give you strength for the day ahead of you. Today, everyone who reads this newsletter is impacted by the rising price of gasoline. Even if you don’t purchase gasoline, you are paying more for everything. Everybody seems to be talking about being forced to make changes that they never really thought they would have to face. Here at the VIP Center, we are faced with declining funding due to people having to spend their money on survival. Whether the money comes from grants, contracts, or donations, the price of gas is a sign of the struggle Americans are facing daily.  Back to grits. In order to move through the challenging time, we need grits in every respect if our mission is to be successful. This requires changes in how we do business, how we create services, how we work as an agency providing a great service.     Evan, a graduate of the VIP Center, recently was awarded by the Fort Myers Mayor’s Alliance recognition for success. Evan had the desire to become a police officer. He completed training on the use of computers at the VIP Center. Today, he leads special investigations in apprehending hundreds of criminals - mostly by computer!  Our teenagers just completed a month of summer camp. This was a working camp where they spent time in businesses throughout the area learning skills necessary to make the transition from home to college or work.   Their drive and desire was great.   They ended the summer camp by providing a musical drama skit!  A group of people in Collier County continue to develop their mission to create a center in their county. We are providing the support needed to guide them in their vision. It is amazing what happens when people come together with a purpose!  These are some of many reasons why we need your help to have the grits to continue our mission of helping the blind and visually impaired become successful members of society! I ask that you consider giving of your time, talents, and resources to our mission. If you are inspired to join in our mission, please contact me at the VIP Center of Southwest Florida. Douglas Fowler, Executive Director News Letter Team Dave Reed Debbie Reed Sue Wild Ginny Belcher Bob Sweeney Sunshine Lady Please do not forget to let our Sunshine Lady (Debbie Reed) know if you hear of any member’s illness or bereavement so she can send an appropriate card in a timely manner. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ President                    Debbie Conrad 1^st Vice President         Bill Crysler 2^nd Vice President        Bob Sweeney Secretary                   Freddie Conner Treasurer                    Bobbie Davis Director #1                 Gerry Lamoureux Director#2                   Freda VanPelt Director #3                  Margie Hinklein Director#4                   Felix Gonzalez Director #5                  Walter Crase ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JULY HAPPENINGS: CENTER IS CLOSED 4TH OF JULY Arts & Crafts:  Mondays & Tuesdays:  12:30 to 2:30p.m. Client Advocacy Program:  Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Lunches will be $4.00 starting July 12^th! Saturday, July 12^th Luncheon:  12:00p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Hamburgers with all the fixings, beans, coleslaw, and cake. Lee County Emergency Management, will hold a Seminar. The public is invited, so please call in to reserve your seat! Saturday, July 26^th Luncheon:  12:00p.m. to 2:00p.m. Business Meeting!  Pizza, salad, sherbet, and a cookie ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CLIENT ADVOCACY PROGRAM We will provide a service to clients who need help with reading and writing tasks Service will be provided: Wednesday From 9:30a.m.-11:30a.m. Each client will receive 40 min. service  Appointment in advance will be requested!  Appointments will be set up in Reception Area ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ News Letter Team Dave Reed, Debbie Reed, Sue Wild, Ginny Belcher Bob Sweeney, Reader: Hank Elgersma Correction on Passport fares! The raise to $2.50 per ride will not go into effect until October 1^st 2008! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RIDER ALERT! Proposed Elimination of Bus Route 150 Service A public hearing has been set for May 13, 2008 at 5:00p.m. to solicit public comment on the proposed elimination of Bus Route 150 – Bonita Springs, effective May 31, 2008. Interested persons may appear in person or through a representative and be heard at the public hearing to be held at:  the Board of County Commissioners Chambers, located in downtown Fort Myers, at 2120 Main Street. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Braille Department has openings for new clients! by Virginia Reed  Improve your self esteem, and learn to live more independently by learning Braille. The Braille Department offers classes in Braille 1 and 2, plus a condensed version for those who only want to mark their clothing and medicines. Contact Diana Crofton for information about these classes.  For Sale 1994 Dodge Ram 350 Van V8 318 engine One owner, with only 63,000 miles! A new floor was installed in 2005 and a New A/C Compressor in 2007. It has good tires, and everything works fine. Call 239-997-7797 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2008/2009 Board of Directors President: Debbie Conrad                             Director #1: Gerald Lamoureux  1^st Vice President: Bill Crysler                       Director #2: Freda Van Pelt  2^nd Vice President: Bob Sweeney                  Director #3: Margie Hinklein  Treasurer: Bobbie Davis                               Director #4: Felix Gonzalez  Secretary: Freddie Conner                           Director #5: Walter Crase  Executive Director: Douglas Fowler  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mini Bio by Debbie Reed  I am sure you all have seen him around the center, fixing something and making people laugh!  That's our Bob Masson, Maintenance Supervisor. Bob grew up in Southern Michigan where he graduated from Romulus High School in 1963. Bob was the seventh son of ten children, and soon learned what responsibilities were all about. He helped raise the youngest siblings upon the death of his Father at a young age.  Bob still has fond memories of his Mother’s fresh baked breads, pies and cookies made from home grown ingredients. They had the best garden in town!   During the fall of 1963 Bob joined the US Marine Corp. The Seventh Marine Regiment was the first fleet to touch ground in Viet Nam, where he worked as a heavy equipment operator. He served 13 months on duty under enemy fire. In November of 1966 Bob's company was honorably chosen to go on a Mediterranean cruise with the US Navy. The cruise lasted 7 months, and Bob loves to share his memories & experiences of touring various countries from Spain to Turkey.   Upon Bob’s return to Michigan, he married his wife of 32 years. He raised 2 adopted sons and 2 sons of his own. Bob worked at Montgomery Ward in their service department for 35 years.  His wife became ill, and they moved to Florida, where she passed away in 2002.  His 4 sons and 5 grandchildren still reside in Michigan. Bob said he is blessed with a loving close knit family whom he speaks with daily.  In 2005 Bob remarried, and today Bob & Donna make their home in North Fort Myers. They enjoy spending time together, riding their Honda Goldwing, fishing, walks on the beach, and yes working at the VIP Center. They are actively involved with their Church and enjoy helping others.  Bob says,” yes life is good.”  Keep up the good work Bob! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Attention all Members that receive their NEWSLETTER By audio tape! All tapes need to be rewound, and returned in the same box that you receive them in! Thank you for your cooperation! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ News from the Art World Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida, Inc. Art Interpretation of Eva Cloyd- Visually Impaired Artist Although Eva once said she comes to the center to paint as an outing, the passion for painting and creating beauty has taken over. In addition to painting at the center she works at home as well. Her fertile mind is constantly coming up with ideas for future works. Her paintings have been shown locally. Covered Bridge Scammed and Almost Scammed Again!  Have You ICE’d Your Phone? Have you ICE’d your cell phone? No, I’m not asking if you have cooled your phone down during these hot days of summer, but if you have added your “In Case of Emergency”, ICE, information to your cell phone. Sheriff Scott is urging everyone to take a moment and save a life. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office along with Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard, Resident’s Inn and Spring Hill Suites and the entire first responder community are encouraging everyone to ICE Your Phone.  June’s National Safety Month and Sheriff Scott felt it was the perfect time to kick-off the ICE Your Phone campaign as an easy and quick way to save a life. It is simple: 1.     Select an emergency contact 2.     Add them to your address book as ICE1-Mom, ICE1-Dad, ICE1-Wife, etc. 3.     Provide your emergency contact with your MAD (Medications, Allergies, and Doctors) information You might even want to add a second ICE contact in case your first contact cannot be reached; this second contact can be named as your ICE2-Mom, ICE2-Dad, etc.  To make this even simpler we have developed a MAD form for you to complete and give to your emergency contact this is attached to the alert. Please feel free to copy as many of these as you need and encourage your family and friends to ICE their phones. As an added safety measure you can place a copy in our wallet and in your glove box. Unfortunately the person involved in a serious car crash or other emergency is not always able to communicate the lifesaving information needed by the first responders; by adding ICE to your phone the life you save could be your own.  Too many times we have rolled up on a scene and have spent countless minutes searching for emergency contact information and one of the first places we look is in cell phones.  You can even place an ICE Sticker on the back of you cell phone alerting all first responders that you have prepared emergency contact information ahead of time and it can be found by looking for ICE in your cell phone. To learn more about the ICE Your Phone program or get an ICE Sticker for your cell phone you can contact our Community Relations division at 477-1477 or email them at CommunityRelations@sheriffleefl.org. Announcement It is vital that you cast your vote, and return the ballot to the VIP Center by July 14th! Proposed Service Reductions Lee Tran is proposing a number of service reductions to stay within budget limitation.  A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 10^th at 5:00p.m.  Board of County Commissioners Chambers, 2120 Main Street, Downtown Fort Myers. Public comments may also be provided directly to Lee County’s Transit Division by mailing to Lee Tran at 6035 Landing View Road, Fort Myers, FL.  33907; by calling Lee Tran at 533-8726 (LEE TRAN); or by e-mail to rideleetran@leegov.com. Annual Membership Drive The annual membership drive is in full swing.  You will be receiving a letter and a member renewal application in the mail around the 1^st of June. If you wish to pay your renewal while at the Center, they will accept them at the front desk.  The cost for renewal is $6.00. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ www.visuallyimpairedpersonstravel.com Visit our Website You will get competitive prices and every time you or your friends book travel, order flowers, take a cruise, etc., a generous portion of the commissions you generate will be given directly to VIP! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VIP Greeting Cards Help support your VIP, fill all your greeting card needs at the VIP Center!  Don’t forget to stock up on all your greeting card needs at the VIP Center.  We still have some new cards available at 10 for $1.00, and our VIP recycled cards are only 5 for $1.00!  Support your VIP now! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just Between You and Me Doris 332-7816 Not after 10PM please Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida, Inc 35 West Mariana Ave., North Fort Myers, FL 33903 Phone: 239-997-7797 Fax:  239-997-8462 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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