Dear Friends of the Berkeley Community,
Welcome to the December 2011 newsletter from Blind Services at Center for Independent Living, Berkeley. My contact information can be found at the end of the newsletter. Please pass this newsletter on to people you think will benefit from the program and services we offer.
Here are some of the highlights for this newsletter.
December holiday party is happening!
Kitchen Treasures Plus HOLIDAY PARTY!!!
are you a blind or visually impaired individual who likes to cook and want to find others share the same hobby? Or are you simply just one of those who enjoys tasting gourmet food? The blind Services from Center for Independent Living would like to rap up 2011 by inviting you to a holiday party which we will also be unraveling some kitchen secrets that might improve the quality of your life.
Some of the topics we will be discussing include but not limited to:
* Helpful tools or gadgets in the kitchen
* Tricks and tips on food preparations
* Simple yet delicious recipes
Please come join us for a fun and informative afternoon where we will discover some kitchen treasures together as well as building friendship and support in this holiday season. You are welcome to bring a dish or recipe to share. Please RSVP if possible. You can also email your recipes or any tips or tricks you would like to share with the group in advance so we can have it ready on the day of the event.
Date: Wednesday December 21st, 2011
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Place: Bernard Osher Room,
Center for Independent Living (CIL)3075 Adeline St, Ste 100 (Right across from the Ashby BART) Berkeley, Ca
94703
Blind services at Center for Independent Living only opens on Tuesdays.
Due to the budget cut, the blind services at CIL is affected by the number of hours we offer. Therefore, we are only available on Tuesdays to answer your blind/low vision related questions/needs. If you call or email on any other days, I probably won’t be able to respond until the following week. However, if Tuesday is not a convenient day for you, please let us know and we can be flexible.
FREE LESSONS for screen reader/magnification programs on MAC, PC, or I-devices offering by CIL
As I have mentioned in the last issue, CIL is offering free lessons on assistive technology. Since technology has been a important part of our day to day life style, we as CIL would like to offer you the opportunity to help you increase your independence through the use of technology. Therefore, the Blind Services is glad to collaborate with our Assistive Technology department here at CIL to offer you three (3) free lessons to get you started on free screen reader or magnification programs on MAC or PC platforms as well as I-devices such as iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Note: if you want lessons on Apple products such as I-devices or MAC, you will need to provide your own equipment. The priority will be given to Berkeley residence first but anyone can contact me if you are interested in the free lessons or just want to learn more about the programs themselves.
CIL provides your traveling needs
To make your traveling experience more pleasant, CIL carries white canes, cane tips, paratransit tickets and the $24 disabled BART cards. If you find yourself stranded because you broke your cane, you can just hop up on BART and come to pick up a cane from our Berkeley location. We have limited quantity of canes in stock so please check before you come. We only except cash and it will be helpful if you have exact change.
Hope you have found this informative newsletter helpful. Feel free to let me know what you would like to see in the Blind Services department here at CIL. I have attached the December calendar of events below and feel free to jump to the end if you would like to find my contact info.
Amy Liu
Benefits and Blind Services Counselor
Center for Independent Living (CIL)
3075 Adeline St, Ste 100
Berkeley, Ca 94703
Voice: (510) 841-4776 Ext. 3113
TTY: (510) 848-3101
Fax: (510) 841-6168
email: aliu@cilberkeley.org