Robyn Braley introduced Cathy McFee, Executive Director of Calgary's CNIB.

Cathy gave us a bit of the history of the CNIB, started by Colonel Baker who returned from WWI blinded. He realized returning vets needed support if they had suffered from the effects of mustard gas (and other causes) from the war.

Now the CNIB is a "nationwide community-based registered charity committed to public education, research and vision health for all Canadians" with 60 offices across Canada.

Cathy said 75% of all vision loss is preventable. Regular maintenance and screening with your eye doctor is critical for prevention.

The CNIB educates on genetics, prevention and lifestyle changes like quitting smoking and diet to prevent diabetes. Through education, the CNIB is creating a national voice to break down barriers of discrimination, because every 12 minutes someone becomes vision impaired, the most common cause being AMD (age-related macular degeneration). That number is set to double in the very near future as the baby boomers get to be a "certain age". New treatment for AMD is reducing the devastating effects of sight loss.

At present, one million Canadians have vision loss. CNIB provides support services to this community - 10% of whom are totally blind and 90% of whom have some vision. They also work closely with the Children's Hospital, providing support and rehab to children and their parents.

The CNIB is funded 25% by the government and the remaining 75% through private and corporate donors. About 16% of that comes from the United Way.

About 80% of what we normally learn comes through our eyes.

Tour of the CNIB at 15 Colonel Baker Place:

Our first stop was an intriguing space for kids. Ted Valentine tried out a bench that made different sounds, and Don Bateman tried his hand at the big yellow barrels with Xs and Os on them for a game of "noughts and crosses". There were library books with pictures, braille and regular script. A blind parent could read to the child and the child could follow along with the pictures and text.

There's a toy lending library, descriptive videos where the action is described, lots of bright colours, a place mat set up with knives and forks, bowls, plate and mugs - all sorts of daily living tactile settings, plus a fabulous outdoor playground.

We stepped outside into a "fragrant garden", established in 1996 so the trees and bushes are mature, the perennials well established and the annuals winding down. The pathways are smooth and well defined. All the plants can be touched, smelled and listened to as the breeze ruffles through the leaves and the sweet sounds of a waterfall indicates the end of the path. The public is welcome any time.

A suite is set up for support in learning daily living skills in the kitchen to work with a real stove, sink, microwave, cutlery drawer, a special timer - you name it, it's there. The next room has a bed to learn how to make a bed, iron clothes, use a sewing machine, a place to organize day to day things like the sock drawer. Really basic tasks we don't give a second thought to as we are sighted, but difficult and frustrating with limited, or no, vision.

There's a craft room where people produce neat projects for themselves, family or for sale at a crafts fair. A computer room houses about a dozen computers. Large screens are available, as are Braille overlays for the keyboards, scanners, printers, and voice-activated computers.

A store on the main floor boasts a wide variety of useful devices from magnifiers of every shape, size and description, for all kinds of applications. We spotted personal grooming devices, kitchen aids, sunglasses, games, large print calendars and address books, all for sale.

The range of counselling services are amazing. There's a fit for all ages, all difficulties, for people with vision loss and for the people they live with. There is support for the family, seniors, employment support and mentoring, intervention for the deaf and blind person to help with shopping, getting to the doctors, using the transit system. Independent living is a goal and the CNIB works to help manage the essentials with safe and effective methods.

The CNIB is an amazing resource in our community. If you know of someone who needs assistance, it's worth investigating, because a tour and a meeting with the very helpful people there would indeed "open your eyes"! My group's guide was Pam Swann, who worked with us last Christmas as we sold the beautiful balsam wreaths. She was full of useful information and so patient with our questions. It was a terrific experience.

Thanks to Robyn Braley, Marg Henschel and Don Bateman for putting it all together.

Don did a super job of thanking all the CNIB staffers and Cathy McFee for their efforts on our behalf.

reported by Lynne Thornton