Door prizes to watch for at The Insight Expo

Yes, we have a variety of door prizes for both low vision and blind Texans, which several of our sponsors have donated.  Here is the list of door prizes every attendee will be registered for and will have a chance to win.

 

 

• Serotek:
• 1 license of System Access Mobile screen reader ($399 value) and a one-Year subscription to System Access Mobile Network (SAMNET) ($129 value)
• Kewing Enterprises:
•  1 HumanWare SmartView Nano handheld magnifier ($196 value)
• Dionysus Theatre – 2 Pairs of Tickets to future described performance
• Independent Living Aids:
• 1 water proof timer by CDN Water proof, shatter proof counts up and down long and loud audio and visual alarm, 

1 Smart loupe by gem Oro-10X extra large precision 34mm optical glass loupe with 8 super bright dual long life illumination, 

1 Moshi voice controlled travel alarm clock

1 Talking indoor-outdoor thermometer, by voice craft, you can wake up to voice recording of indoor/outdoor temperature every fifteen minutes for an hourafter the alarm goes off.

CHRISTAL VISION :

1 TALKING WATCH

*One door prize per person

*Must be registered as an attendee on day of the event, but need not be present to win.

Program of events for Insight Expo 2011

Welcome to the Houston Area Insight Expo 2011

 
A Day of Information and Networking
For the Visually Impaired
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON – Main Campus
College of Optometry
4901 Calhoun
Houston, Texas
Saturday, March 5, 2011 

SPONSORED BY THE HOUSTON AREA VISUALLY IMPAIRED NETWORK
 

PRINTING AND BRAILLING OF THIS PROGRAM COURTESY OF
 DEPARTMENT OF ASSISTIVE AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES – DIVISION FOR BLIND SERVICES
HOUSTON, TEXAS
 

 Houston Area Insight Expo 2011
 Adult Program

Time Event
8:30 – 9:15 Registration
9:30 – 10:30 Opening Session – Center for Sight Enhancement
10:45 – 11:45 Panel 1  – Adjustment to Blindness
10:45 – 11:45 Workshop 1 – Site Focused on the Supporter
10:45 – 11:45 Workshop 2 – iPad/iPhone Accessibility Demo
10:45 – 11:45 Workshop 3 – Advocacy Issues
12:00 Lunch
1:30 – 2:00 Keynote Speaker – Dr. Franklin Porter, MS, OD, Lighthouse of Houston
2:15 – 3:15 Workshop 1 – Site Focused on the Supporter
2:15 – 3:15 Workshop 2 – iPad/iPhone Accessibility Demo
2:15 – 3:15 Workshop 3 – Advocacy Issues
2:15 – 3:15 Panel 2 – High School, College and Career-Bound Students
2:15 – 3:15 Panel 3 – Visually Impaired Adults
3:30 Talent Showcase
4:30 Adjourn
 

 Assistive Technology Vendors – Room 2306
 Vendors and Resource Agencies – Main Lobby
 

Houston Area Insight Expo 2011
Featured Speakers, Panelists
Adult Program

Opening Session – Center for Sight Enhancement
 Nicole Hooper, OD
 Ana Perez, OD
 Swati Modi, OD

Panel 1 – Adjustment to Blindness
 Nicole Hooper, OD Moderator
 Angela Braden NuVision Unlimited
Dr. Ed Bradley Houston Council of the Blind
 Bhavani Iyer, OD Cizik Eye Center
 Benigno Aceves DARS – Division for Blind Services
 Lind Stevens, OTR/L Cizik Eye Center

Workshop 1 – Site Focused on the Supporter
 Rick Swanson Moderator
 Kenda Greer Visually Impaired People of Southeast Texas
 Charlotte McKinney Visually Impaired People of Southeast Texas
 Lee Ann Atwood Northshore ISD

Workshop 2 – iPad/iPhone Accessibility Demonstration
 Michael McCulloch Houston Low Vision Club – Central

Workshop 3 – Advocacy Issues
 Michael Garrett (a.m.) Houston Council of the Blind
 Dr. Ed Bradley (p.m.) Houston Council of the Blind

 

Houston Area Insight Expo 2011
Featured Speakers, Panelists
Adult Program
Panel 3 – High School, College and Career-Bound Students
 Joy Ohara, OD Moderator
 Elaine Akin DARS – Division for Blind Services
 Lee Ann Atwood Northshore ISD
 Angela Price DARS – Division for Blind Services
 Ron Graham Visually Impaired People of Southeast Texas
 Cynthia Fobbs Graduate Student,
  University of Houston

Panel 4 – Visually Impaired Adults
 Swati Modi, OD Moderator
 Karen Bays Petty Michael E. DeBakey
  VA Medical Center
 Diana Arnold Memorial Hermann Home Health
 Julio (JC) Leal DARS – Division for Blind Services
 Gayle Metoyer Visually Impaired Advocates
 Larry Spitzberg, OD, PhD    Houston Low Vision Center
  
 Houston Insight Expo 2011
 Youth Program

Time Event
8:30 – 9:15 Registration
9:30 – 10:30 Opening Session – Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Special Programs
10:45 – 11:30 Panel 1  – Parents of Blind and Visually Impaired Children
11:30 – 12:30 Workshop 1 – Region 4 Education Service Center
12:30 – 1:15 Lunch
1:30 – 2:00 Keynote Speaker – Dr. Franklin Porter, MS, OD,  Lighthouse of Houston
2:15 – 3:15 Workshop 2 – Financial Preparation for Parents of Children with Special Needs
3:30 Talent Showcase
4:30 Adjourn

 
 Assistive Technology Vendors – Room 2306
 Vendors and Resource Agencies – Main Lobby
 

Houston Area Insight Expo 2011
Featured Speakers, Panelists
Youth Program
Opening Session – Texas School for Blind and Visually Impaired Children (TSBVI)
 Cindy Bachofer TSBVI
 John Rose TSBVI
 Kathi Zuniga TSBVI

Panel 1 – Parents of Blind and Visually Impaired Children
 Ana Perez, OD Moderator
 Cecilia Robinson Region 4 – Education Service Center
 Christine Griffin Clear Creek School District
 Rebecca Poscovsky Bay Area Rehabilitation Early Childhood Intervention Program
 Chimee Ahaiwe DARS – Division for Blind Services
 Kellee Costello New Caney ISD
 
Workshop 1 – Region 4 – Education Service Center
 Cecilia Robinson Region 4 – Education Service Center

Workshop 2 – Financial Preparation for Parents of Children with Special Needs
 Tony Ackerman New England Financial 
Houston Area Insight Expo 2011
HAVIN Planning Committee
Elaine Akin DARS – Division for Blind Services
Monica Blancas South Texas NOAH Chapter
Lee Boncher Houston Low Vision Club – Bayland Park
Minnie Christal Visually Impaired Advocates Foundation
Karen Eitel Visually Impaired People of South East Texas
Emily Gibbs Texas Parents of Blind Children
Ron Graham Visually Impaired People of Southeast Texas
Michael McCulloch Houston Low Vision Club – Central
Stanley Woo, OD Center for Sight Enhancement
 University of Houston
 College of Optometry
 
Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN)
About Us

Houston Low Vision Club (HLVC) – Bayland Park
Meets:  2nd Friday of each month
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location:  Bayland Community Center
6400 Bissonnet Street
Houston, Texas  77074
Additional Outreaches:
HLVC at the Terrace at Memorial City
HLVC at the Clarewood House
Lee Boncher, Facilitator
Houston Low Vision Club at Bayland Park
E-mail:  houstonlowvisionclub@yahoo.com
Phone:  281-558-8771

Houston Low Vision Club (HLVC) – Central
Meets:  4th Saturday of each month
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location:  Metropolitan Multi-Service Facility
1475 West Gray Street
Houston, TX  77019
Facilitator: Michael McCulloch
E-mail:  mdmcculloch@comcast.net
Phone:  832-453-7139
Website:  www.houstonlowvisionclub.org

 
Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN)
About Us

National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH) – South Texas Chapter
Check local website (below) often for meetings, events and locations
South Texas Chapter Contact:
Monica Blancas, President of S. TX Chapter
E-mail:  stxnoahmom@yahoo.com
Phone:  832-524-1581
Website (local):  http://stx.albinism.org/
National Contact:
info@albinism.org
Phone:  800-473-2310
Website (National): http://www.albinism.org/

The Visually Impaired Advocates (V.I.A.)
Meets:  Bimonthly on 1st Saturday of the month
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location:  Marcie L. Keys Activity Center
8302 Colonial Lane
Houston, Texas  77051
Facilitator:  Minnie Christal, President
E-mail:  viafoundation@yahoo.com
 

Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN)
About Us

Visually Impaired People of South East Texas (VIPSET)
Meets:  3rd Monday of each month
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Location:  Second Baptist Church, North Campus
22770 Hwy 59 North
Kingwood, TX  77339
Facilitator: Ron Graham, President
Email:  rgraham@cebridge.net
Phone:  713-825-9108
Blog:  http://vipset.blogspot.com

College Support Group
Meets:  2nd Friday of each month
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
West Gray Adaptive Recreation Center
1475 West Gray Street, Room 2
Houston, TX  77019
Facilitator: Elaine Akin, DARS-DBS College Counselor
Phone:  713-802-3105
Email:  elaine.akin@dars.state.tx.us
 
Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN)
About Us

RE-FOCUS
Please check website for information
Website:  WWW.RE-FOCUS.ORG

Texas Parents of Blind Children
Please check website for information
Website:  WWW.TOPBC.ORG

Houston Area Insight Expo 2011

I’d like to introduce you to the recently-formed Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN,) a group connecting the various support groups and resources for visually impaired people across the vast area of the Bayou City.  While HAVIN might be new, our leadership comes from individuals involved with these different groups and we have been busy planning our first big event where we want to bring together Houston’s visually impaired community.

The Houston Area Insight Expo will be a day-long event with workshops, feature speakers, panel discussions, information, and resources for the visually impaired.  The Insight Expo will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2011, from 9 am until 4 pm.  The location will be at the College of Optometry on the University of Houston main campus. 

We will have vendors, groups  and organizations serving the visually impaired community and inviting them to share their information and wares with us. 

Please join with us and participate in what we hope will grow to be a premiere community event in Houston. 

For more information, contact:

Ron Graham

HAVIN Publicity Committee Chair

Email: rgraham@cebridge.net

Ph: 713.825.9108

Introducing the Houston Area Visually Impaired Network (HAVIN)

Hello,

We want to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Houston Area Visually Impaired Network, or to make easier to remember us, HAVIN.  Welcome to our blog site and make sure to bookmark it for the latest news and updates.

HAVIN is comprised of Houston area volunteer support groups and our goal is to bring together the visually impaired community from the vast area of the Bayou City.

VISION:  To educate, provide peer support, and unify the visually impaired community in the Greater Houston Area. 

PLAN:

1.            Executive committee comprised of representatives from area support groups, and professionals in the Houston area meets for conference calls as designated by the committee. 

2.            City-wide events to educate, to raise awareness for individuals and professionals, and provide an opportunity for networking in the Greater Houston Area. 

3.            Create a newsletter to inform the community and professionals of ongoing events. 

4.            Unify agencies, organizations, and support groups in the Greater Houston Area to meet future needs of the visually impaired in the Greater Houston Area such as transportation, vision rehabilitation center, and assistive technology, etc.