IAP and Programs for Visually Impaired Woodturners

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mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
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Location
Medina, Ohio
This is a Pre-Announcement, Announcement :cool:. Just to get folks thinking.

I responded to a thread asking for assistance with a potential program in Portland, Oregon for a Center for Visually Impaired Woodturners: http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/penturning-blindin-portland-oregon-155517/.

As a result of conversations with the founder of these programs - Andi Sullivan , I saw an opportunity for IAP members to assist. I visited the program in Phoenix, Arizona, managed superbly by our very own Sharon Wertz (sbwertz).

After my visit and apt training from Sharon, I continued to chat with Andi and Malcolm Zander who is assisting from the side of AAW. We are now in the middle stages of identifying how IAP members can assist in these programs (Tampa, Phoenix, Atlanta, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and recently Portland).

This is not anything that IAP is spearheading - we will simply be assisting for an up-and-running set of programs established by Andi with local agency representatives.

I will continue to chat with Andi to establish how the IAP membership can assist, then will convey that to the membership. I will wait until the Summer Extravaganza activities are done to present more defined roles.

This is just an FYI for a soon-to-be future area where IAP can be a positive member of our own communities.

AAW has supported establishing these programs admirably, but most of the projects these programs use are Key rings, Single barrel pens with paired bushings, letter openers, etc - Projects IAP members are intimately familiar with and can easily assist with blank preparation; this familiarity is our strength.

Please ask any questions, offer thoughts, and I will refine the parameters of how IAP can assist going forward and report back more formally in a few weeks! (This may be an "Activities Manager" posting in the future - Mike and Jeff will advise).

Happy Turning!
 
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sbwertz

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May 11, 2010
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Phoenix, AZ
Great idea Mark, I will be very surprised if suitable IAP members are not willing to help/participate, I certainly would if I was in the USA.

Best of luck...!:biggrin:

Cheers
George

Believe me, George, you HAVE participated. Big Time. We have several hundred of your beautiful Australian blanks at the blind center.

By the way, Mark, we would be more than willing to share some of the beautiful Australian blanks George sent with the other groups. I can box them up, along with the index sheet (they are all numbered and indexed so you know what kind of wood they are) and send them to you, or give them to you when you come this way this winter.
 
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mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
12,720
Location
Medina, Ohio
Great idea Mark, I will be very surprised if suitable IAP members are not willing to help/participate, I certainly would if I was in the USA.

Best of luck...!:biggrin:

Cheers
George

Believe me, George, you HAVE participated. Big Time. We have several hundred of your beautiful Australian blanks at the blind center.

By the way, Mark, we would be more than willing to share some of the beautiful Australian blanks George sent with the other groups. I can box them up, along with the index sheet (they are all numbered and indexed so you know what kind of wood they are) and send them to you, or give them to you when you come this way this winter.

Thanks Sharon, but to be honest I have quite an assortment of blanks, as well as more that has already donated. Keep them for your in-house purposes.

And I just got some dates where I may be in Tucson with my College friend.

I'll keep you informed.
 

flyitfast

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Sep 3, 2009
Messages
1,690
Location
San Antonio, TX 78247
Mark and Sharon,
Don't know if you are aware of this group?
Alan Zenreich has started a group called Lucid Woodturners About Us - Lucid Woodturners

The organization is primarily focused on Remote Demonstrations in Woodturning, but they have an interest in helping those turners that are impaired, including working with Lighthouse for the Blind.

Alan is doing a demonstration at SWAT this year on Remote Demonstrations. Should be interesting.

Anyway, thought I'd share this in case you both weren't aware.
Keep doing your good work.
Gordon
 
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