Another very exciting day for A.V.R.E. occurred on Friday, July 27, 2007, when the doors of our first Center within the Center of Excellence in Vision Rehabilitation and Employment opened for the first time.  Our first patients entered those doors, into the Norman Richterman Low Vision Center, to receive low vision eye exams and have vision aids and devices prescribed.

Dr. Michael Lange, an optometrist and certified low vision specialist, will be available in the Center two days per month.  Dr. Lange has many years of highly regarded service in the low vision field and has an optometry practice in Greene, New York.  We are also fortunate to have on our staff Diane McMillan, one of the few certified Low Vision Therapists in New York State.  Diane is also a certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.  Diane, or one of our other trained professional staff, will be on hand to dispense the devices, following Dr. Lange's recommendations, and will provide training on their use.

Having our own on-site low vision clinic will be a major advantage for both our consumers and our professional Program Services staff.  In the past, a consumer was required to go to the office of the low vision specialist to have an exam and receive the prescribed device.  If consultation with the consumer's Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (an A.V.R.E. staff member) was needed, that usually occurred at another time, sometimes resulting in a delay in finding just the right tool or vision aid for the consumer.  Having the exam done right here at A.V.R.E. will enable the low vision doctor, the low vision therapist and the vision rehabilitation therapist (both A.V.R.E. staff members) to meet with the consumer at the time of the appointment.  This will enable a discussion of the patient's case, and a trial of the prescribed vision aid device.  If it is necessary to try a different device to attain the needed results, it can usually be done right then.  If the device is in stock in our on-site store, the consumer can leave the clinic with the new device in hand.  Our goal is to have this happen 99% of the time.

Our Low Vision Center is named in memory of Norman Richterman, the son of Harold (Ric) and Anita Richterman.  Norman lived in Binghamton for a number of years.  Ric was an icon in the vision rehabilitation field, who knew that a low vision center is one of the cornerstones of truly comprehensive vision rehabilitation services.

The sounds of construction can still be heard within the building, as the renovations continue around us.  Our Industries Manufacturing Division is up and running in its proper place, but the administrative and Program Services staff inhabit temporary offices on the second floor while renovations are completed on the first floor.  When completed, our Center of Excellence will all be on the first floor, housing staff and many new programs and services.  We are gearing up for a summer opening for the new Low Vision Center and the Access Tech Center.

In the meantime, we are eager to show off our new home.  We have already hosted numerous tours for both long-term and new friends.  The manufacturing facility is state-of-the-art, especially for visually impaired and blind staff and consumers.  Color contrasting, low-glare lighting, and tactile variations in flooring, as well as a system of handrails throughout special walking/travel areas, facilitate an extremely safe work and mobility environment for everyone.  In addition to providing a superior work environment, the new facility and design enables A.V.R.E. to significantly grow production, revenue, and employment.  Our move is good for everyone associated with A.V.R.E., including the surrounding community.

Community education remains a high priority for A.V.R.E.  We welcome any and all opportunities to advocate for our mission and demonstrate for others how A.V.R.E. services and employment improve the quality of life for thousands of visually impaired residents throughout our region.  If you or anyone you now is interested in touring our facility and learning more about our Center of Excellence and Invest in the Vision Campaign, please contact Jenn Cubic at 607-724-2428
 

The Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc. (A.V.R.E.) purchased property at 174 Court St., Binghamton, NY as the home for its new Center of Excellence in Vision Rehabilitation and Employment.  The closing took place on August 24, 2006.  The 4 acre, 95,000 square foot facility previously housed Doron Precision Systems, Inc., which has relocated to Kirkwood.

The new site will allow A.V.R.E. to modernize and expand its manufacturing and business operations thereby creating additional job and training opportunities for people who are blind or have a severe vision disability.  The new facility will also provide extensive space for developing comprehensive vision rehabilitation services.  A.V.R.E. could not offer center-based services in its current location due to physical limitations.

Through its $3.1 million capital campaign, Invest In The Vision, A.V.R.E. intends to bring the same quality and range of services and employment currently available in Utica and Rochester.

The Center of Excellence will serve residents of Otsego, Delaware, Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Tompkins, Tioga, Chemung, and Schuyler counties in New York and Susquehanna, Bradford and Tioga counties in Pennsylvania.

A 4-6 month renovation schedule is anticipated before the facility can be permanently occupied.

For more information, contact Jenn Cubic, Director of Development and Communications, at 607-724-2428.

A.V.R.E. Launches Capital Campaign:  "Invest In The Vision"

On June 15, 2006, A.V.R.E. launched a $3.1 million Capital Campaign, at a soiree' held at Terra Cotta in Binghamton.  Members of the community were invited to join Association board members, management and staff to learn more about the programs of A.V.R.E., and the plans for the future.

With several major grants that have been awarded, and pledges that have been made, A.V.R.E. is over one-third of the way to its goal.

For information on how to help A.V.R.E. with this campaign, you may click here.  You may also contact Jennifer Cubic, A.V.R.E. Director of Development, at 607-724-2428.   

On May 24, 2006, A.V.R.E. announced that an agreement had been made to purchase the building and property at 174 Court Street in Binghamton, from Doron Precision Systems.  This announcement ended a seven-year search for a new site.  After 58 years at its current site, at 55 Washington Street, the Association will return to Court Street, several blocks from where it once resided.

This property, which was once the home of the Sears Department Store, is ideally situated for several purposes.  It will provide easy access to public transportation for both our employees and our consumers, and will allow easier maneuvering for loading and unloading trucks.

Most importantly, this new home will give us much room for expansion, and will allow us to create a "Center of Excellence in Vision Rehabilitation and Employment."  In this new Center, we will be able to:

*  Double the number of blind and visually impaired people we employ and train,
*  Double the number of people who receive vision rehabilitation services at any one time,
*Offer the same range and quality of services that are available to visually impaired individuals
in other upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania counties.

June 2006
A.V.R.E. Employees Honored

2006 Employee of the Year

Nancy McGovern was chosen as the 2006 Melvin L. Rosendale Employee of the Year.  She was honored at our annual Employee Appreciation Banquet in March, where she was praised for her dedication to both the quality and quantity of her work, as well as for her calming demeanor and her support of her colleagues.  In May, Nancy was invited to attend a special banquet in Albany, that honored all of the Employee of the Year winners within the State.  There, she received an award from State Senator Thomas Morahan and Civil Service Commissioner Daniel Wall.

2006 Citizen of the Year

James Keeler is our 2006 recipient of the Amy J. Lateer Citizenship Award, and he was also honored at our March banquet.  Jim was cited for "his recognition that people who are blind along the Gulf Coast suffered, along with thousands of others, as a result of Hurricane Katrina..."  Jim was successful in raising over $800 from the employees of A.V.R.E., that was sent to National Industries for the Blind to assist blind people who are affected by the storm.

2006 Achiever of the Year

Laura Gale was selected by State Senator Tom Libous as an Achiever of the Year.  The Senator saw a newspaper story about Laura, who is visually impaired as a result of diabetic retinopathy, and was impressed and moved by her story.  Laura was given her award, along with about a dozen other people with various disabilities, in Albany, New York.

November, 2005
Awards Received at NIB Conference

October 31, 2005, was a very good day for A.V.R.E.!  At the annual National Industries for the Blind Conference in Baltimore, two employees and the agency itself received awards.

Penelope Simon, A.V.R.E.'s Melvin L. Rosendale Employee of the Year for 2005, was chosen as the winner of NIB's Peter J. Salmon National Employee of the Year for 2005.  She was honored at the annual conference banquet, when she was given her award.  Penelope is our employee at the Veterans Administration Hospital switchboard in the Hudson Valley.

Ken Fernald, A.V.R.E. Vice President of Operations, was given his "Certificate in Management."  Ken recently completed an 18-month Business Management Training Program at the University of Virginia, along with 27 other blind and visually impaired individuals from across the country.  These 28 people were carefully chosen to participate in a newly developed Business Leaders Program for people who are blind.

A.V.R.E. was awarded the "2005 Employment Achievement Award", an honor that is bestowed upon the NIB-affiliated agency that creates the most employment opportunities for people who are blind during the fiscal year.

From left to right:  Mel Rhinebeck, A.V.R.E. Board Chair; Beverly Majka, A.V.R.E. Foundation
Board Chair; Ken Fernald, A.V.R.E. Vice President of Operations; Penelope Simon, A.V.R.E. Switchboard Operator; Robert Hanye, A.V.R.E. President/CEO.

July, 2005
Software Grant Awarded to A.V.R.E.!

Cathy Calhoun, Regional Manager for Central New York for Senator Hillary Clinton, called us recently to tell us about a special program through the Senator's office, Microsoft, and the Appalachian Regional Commission that makes special computer software available to nonprofits, at no cost.

We have received several software programs valued at nearly $3,000 through this program that will improve internal resources and processes, and will help us to train and educate the people we serve. 

We are grateful to the Senator's office and to Cathy Calhoun for thinking of us and for making it happen.

April, 2005
A.V.R.E. Employee Wins National Award!

We are delighted to announce that Ms. Penelope Simon, who is A.V.R.E.'s Melvin L. Rosendale Employee of the Year for 2005, was recently chosen as the winner of the Peter J. Salmon National Employee of the Year!

This prestigious award is given each year by National Industries for the Blind (NIB) to a visually impaired individual who has shown  a determination to become the best he or she can be in the workplace.

Penelope has proven herself to be most worthy of both of these awards, and we offer her our most sincere congratulations.  For more information about Penelope, please see our Winter 2005 issue of InSight.

Penelope Simon receives her award from J. A. (Yogi) Mangual, Brigadier General Retired,
Chief Operating Officer of National Industries for the Blind, at our annual Employee Appreciation banquet.

March, 2005
A.V.R.E. Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!

On March 11, 2005, local dignitaries, out-of-town guests, reporters, and employees gathered for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.  The occasion heralded the opening of a brand new paper product line in our manufacturing department.

The Federal government recently awarded A.V.R.E. a contract to supply the General Services Administration with multipart paper forms.  The contract is expected to generate at least a half-million dollars in sales each year, and enable the Association to create a number of jobs for people who are blind.  A brand new machine was purchased that collates multiple layers of pin-fed, carbonless computer paper, to create multipart, perforated forms.

Local guests at the ribbon cutting ceremony included Binghamton Mayor Richard Bucci, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, and Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Alex DePersis.  Our out-of-town guests were J. A. (Yogi) Mangual, Brig. Gen. Retired, Chief Operating Officer of National Industries for the Blind in Alexandria, Virginia, Richard Healey, President/CEO of New York State Industries for the Blind, and Richard Thayer, Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of New York State Industries for the Blind.

Left to right:  A.V.R.E. President/CEO Robert Hanye, Alex DePersis, A.V.R.E. employee Todd Gray (who will operate the new machine), Mayor Bucci, A.V.R.E. Board Chair Mel Rhinebeck, A.V.R.E. Employee Nancy McGovern (who will assist with the new machine),
and A.V.R.E. Vice President of Operations Ken Fernald.

April, 2004
A.V.R.E. Presents Awards!

Our annual Employee Appreciation Banquet was held on March 13, 2004, and it was a very special celebration for us!  It was part of our year-long celebration of 75 Years of Quality Employment Opportunities for People With a Vision Impairment.  (You can visit our History page to learn about our proud past.)

During the banquet, two very special employees and one of our Employment Program partners were recognized for their service and presented with awards.

The 2004 Melvin L. Rosendale Employee of the Year Award was given to Mr. Jude Lynch.  Jude has worked at A.V.R.E. since 1999, most often in our manila file folder department where he packages and palletizes cartons of folders.  He was cited for his reliability and dependability, and for his focus on quality and productivity.  He is a quiet man who is never without his smile.  Jude has been a fine employee and we are pleased to present him with this award.

Jude Lynch stacks cartons of file folders onto a pallet.    

Mr. David Harding was presented with the Amy J. Lateer Citizen of the Year Award.  David has worked at A.V.R.E. since 1977, in our Building and Grounds Custodial department.  He was cited for his caring thoughtfulness and concern for his fellow employees, as well as his friends and family.  Although he does not drive, David routinely accompanies friends who are blind to shop or go to dinner.  He remembers the birthdays of his co-workers and never forgets to send or give a nice card.  This award was renamed this year in honor of Amy, who was our receptionist from 2000 until her passing in December of 2003.

The New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) was presented with the 2004 Outstanding Community Service Award, in recognition of their many years of service.  CBVH works in partnership with A.V.R.E. in providing rehabilitation services and employment training to individuals residing in New York State who are legally blind.

The banquet and the presentation of these awards were a great way to begin our celebration and we were pleased that Channel 12 (WBNG-TV) Action News was on hand and gave us some coverage on the late evening news! 

September, 2003
A.V.R.E. Switchboard Employees at VA Hospitals Receive Award!

Left to right:  Claudia Michon, Penelope Simon, Keith Murray and Deborah Holmes.

A.V.R.E. is proud to announce that our VA Hospital switchboard operators have been recognized as Shining Stars by the Mid-Hudson Veterans Administration Medical Center.

A.V.R.E. employees Claudia Michon, Keith Murray, Deborah Holmes, and Penelope Simon work at the VA campuses in Montrose and Castle Point, NY.  They were recently cited for outstanding customer service to veterans, family members, employees, visitors, and other customers of the Medical Center.  These employees, who are totally blind, legally blind, and sighted, process all incoming calls and also monitor the hospital alarm systems, with responsibility for dispatching the appropriate response teams.

"The operators deal with a variety of emotions and attitudes as the first person that answers the individual's call.  They show courtesy and respect to each individual, treating them with excellent customer service," according to Nancy Winter, the Public Affairs Officer for the Medical Center.

The Shining Star Program is an internal recognition program of the Mid-Hudson VA.  This is the first time it has been awarded to employees who work there under contract.  A.V.R.E. operates the switchboard under a contract with the Medical Center under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program through National Industries for the Blind.  The contract has been in place for approximately three years.  The New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped was instrumental in making technology adaptations and recruiting.

Congratulations to Claudia, Keith, Deborah and Penelope!