The Foundation for the Junior Blind is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing programs and services for children, young people, and adults who are blind or visually impaired to build self-esteem and independence. One of the Foundation's six programs is entitled Visions: Adventures in Learning. The Visions program consists of year-round, life- building experiences for children and youth who are blind and visually impaired. The program includes group outings and day trips for 10 to 20 young people. Jay Allen, Vice President of Programs, explains, "These are truly life-changing experiences for participants. The youngsters develop long-lasting friendships, self-confidence, and a sense of achievement that will prepare them for future challenges."
Blast off! Score! Up, up, and away! Watch out! Mush! A hiking we will go! Whale off the north side! These are just a few of the many remarks heard on Visions trips this year. The 2001-2002 Visions season was an adventurous and exciting experience for youngsters. The season started off with a trip to Mountain View, near San Jose, Calif., adjacent to NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Federal Airfield. The youngsters participated as members of Team Neptune and re-created a space mission to the moon. As part of Team Neptune, each child had the opportunity to experience space simulators to re-create weightlessness, balance, mobility, coordination, and space transportation. John Martinez, Director of Recreational Services, described the visit to Space Camp: "This was a wonderful chance for our youngsters to develop a connection with space. Since the controls and books were provided in Braille, there was no limit to the learning that this Visions trip provided."
The next trip was a high-flying adventure: hot air ballooning 4,000 feet over San Diego. The trip was full of excitement: climbing into a wicker basket, assisting with the inflation of the balloons, and experiencing lift-off. The youngsters enjoyed the feeling of soaring high in the sky and floating among the clouds. The largest balloon held 14 youngsters, and the pilot described interesting landmarks and the history of San Diego during the balloon flight.
Not all the Visions trips were related to the sky. At the beginning of 2002, the youngsters traveled to the snowy slopes of Kirkwood, Calif. for the annual Laub family ski trip. The winter ski trip was a favorite because the youngsters learned how to snow ski and perfect their skills so that they could tackle the infamous black diamond runs. Each youngster was paired with an individual guide from Discovery Blind Sports, a company based in Kirkwood and dedicated to the art of teaching individuals who are blind or visually impaired how to ski. Skiing creates self- esteem, perseverance, and fitness regardless of a person's skiing ability.
One of the most exciting trips of the year was the journey to Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. Ten participants traveled by plane and van to arrive just south of the Canadian border to go dogsledding. The youngsters enjoyed learning about the sled dogs, while they navigated the sleds over the frozen West Bearskin Lake. The youngsters' days were spent with the dogs on the sleds, day hiking, or cross-country snow skiing. The trip was a tremendous success despite the frigid 2-17 degree Fahrenheit temperatures.
Upcoming trips for the remainder of the year will include: kayaking around the Santa Cruz Islands and backpacking in Ventura. For more information about the Foundation for the Junior Blind or any of the Foundation's six programs, please call (323) 295-4555, and please visit us online at www.fjb.org.