A recent donation will be helping break down barriers for those living with vision loss in Chatham-Kent.
The CNIB Foundation, formally known as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, is the recipient of a $13,266 donation. The money comes from combined efforts by the Chatham-Kent Community Foundation, South Kent Wind Community Fund and the Joseph and Colleen O'Neil Community Betterment Fund.
According to Ryan Van Praet, Program Lead of Partnerships Recreation and Sports for the CNIB Foundation Ontario West, the non- profit organization will use the funds to help bring recreational activities to those in the municipality who are blind or partially sighted.
"Physical activities foster active, healthy lifestyles but people who are blind or partially sighted often miss out on the social, emotional and physical benefits of sports and recreation," said Van Praet. "This donation has allowed CNIB to purchase two new tandem bikes to grow our sports and recreation program offerings in Chatham-Kent."
The tandem cycling program will give participants an opportunity to cycle with sighted volunteers and explore local conservation areas and parks throughout the area.
In addition to the tandem bikes, the CNIB will be using the funding for five DAISY Readers, an audio substitute for print material.
Anne Marie Grant, Manager of Philpahrpy with the CNIB Foundation Ontario West, said the DAISY readers are another way the organization is helping people with vision loss remain healthy and engaged in society.
"To combat social isolation, we are providing DAISY Readers to seniors in our community so that they may access online collections included in the Centre for Equitable Library Access, which includes nationwide newspapers, hundreds of magazine titles and more than half a million books in accessible formats," said Grant.
