Organization for visually impaired faces shortages

by Katherina Dueck

Kitchener area workers (l-r) Carl Witzke; Pastor Wally Hambrock; Maryanne Bohl and Brenda Witzke.

Blind and visually impaired Christians around the world receive access to the Bible and Christian books thanks to Lutheran Braille Workers-Canada, a volunteer organization that produces Braille books and provides those books on request, free of charge.

Currently, LBW-C finds itself short of both financial and human resources and has undergone many changes to remain viable. These changes include closing work centres and restructuring. In addition, the organization has put aside plans to return to having ten work centres operating across the country (as they did in 2003) until the financial picture improves and the organization recruits enough volunteers to effectively run those centres.

To reach those goals, the LBW-C Board of Directors recently formed a donations subcommittee to explore and present new ways of raising the funds required to keep the work centres operating. Along with the “every day” purchases of items such as office supplies, zinc plates, spiral binding for books and postage, LBW-C currently faces the daunting expense of replacing the 25-30 year-old machinery used to produce the Braille books.

In addition to creating awareness of the organization’s financial situation and future requirements, LBW-C Board President Judy Obelnycki hopes the subcommittee will have an additional effect.

 “The diminishing volunteer force is evident in most organizations,” she says. And LBW-C is no exception. Obelnycki hopes the subcommittee can raise interest in the organization itself along with an influx of new volunteers and donations.

For more information on Lutheran Braille Workers-Canada, and its mission of “Helping People Touch the Promises of Jesus” go to http://www.lbw-c.org/text/home.htm or on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lutheran-Braille-Workers-Canada/119279328125285

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