The Lions Club of Ingersoll donates $18,000 to the Ingersoll Public Library for the Low Vision Access Centre.


INGERSOLL LIONS GIVE LIBRARY CAUSE TO CELEBRATE HELEN KELLER DAY

May 28, 2004 - The Lions Club of Ingersoll ensured a bright Helen Keller Day, June 1st, for the Ingersoll Library by presenting an $18,000 cheque to establish a Low Vision Access Centre. Members of the Oxford County Library Board accepted the cheque Thursday, May 27th from Lion President, Sandy Callebert, and Lion Sight Chair, Jack Ridley, in the Lions Den in Ingersoll.

   The Centre will feature a closed circuit television text viewer that will allow a user to magnify onto a screen any book or magazine to whatever size they need in order to read it. Library Vice-Chair, Bill Semeniuk, commented that his elderly mother uses such a device and “would be lost without it because she used to read voraciously and would sorely miss being able to read”.

   The library will also purchase a special computer workstation with all sorts of additions and software to assist people with low vision (large screen, large print keyboard, scanner). Among other benefits, library visitors will be able to scan a book and have the computer read it to them - using headphones, of course. Also, the library will purchase a quantity of books on Compact Disk.

   Lions Sandy and Jack had approached Ingersoll Librarian, Rosemary Lewis, earlier in the year to explore how the Lions Club could help the library serve vision impaired people in the community. Rosemary worked closely with the Lions and with representatives of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) to determine what equipment would best serve the Ingersoll community. A focus group was held for people with low vision, including a demonstration by Mary Ann Marchand, a CNIB rehabilitation trainer, of computers and other assistive technology.

   The cheque presentation was timely as June 1st is “Helen Keller Day” as declared by Lions Clubs International. Keller challenged the Lions at their 1925 international convention to become "knights of the blind in this crusade against darkness." Lions fondly recall her saying, "I am your opportunity. I am knocking at your door."

   Vision impaired residents of Ingersoll and area will have cause to thank their Lions for acknowledging Helen Keller Day in such a generous and appropriate manner. Sandra Morden, CNIB representative, commented that “the need for this centre will, sadly, only increase in the future as our population continues to age”.

   The Ingersoll Library is a branch of Oxford County Library.