From the President

 

From the President,

On Behalf of the Oklahoma Council of the Blind (OCB), I would like to welcome you to our website. We are a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of blind and visually impaired Oklahomans. OCB is an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. We have been proudly serving blind and visually impaired Oklahomans for over 100 years.

On this website, you will find information about opportunities and friends to share the journey. OCB is an organization of people from all walks of life, young and old, blind from birth or newly visually impaired, with one goal. We want to improve the quality of life for the blind and low vision community. OCB makes every effort to advocate, educate, innovate, and motivate members.

We hope you find items of interest on our site. No matter your vision status, location, or age, we are here for you. Whether you are working, retired, or looking for a job, OCB has an activity to benefit you. The council needs you to join us. Each of us has a talent to add to the organization.

We currently have four chapters across Oklahoma. We hope to increase our membership to build more chapters in our state including in some of our more rural areas. Please join OCB to improve the quality of life for all of us with visual impairments.

We form personal relationships with our state and national legislators to advocate and protect the equality of the blind population through expanded public transportation accessibility. OCB promotes and advocates for the support and success of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We train and intervene to increase employment and housing along with working on rehabilitation services for the blind. OCB also encourages the use of modern technology for continued access to information on the internet, in the workplace, on smartphones, accessible medical devices, and more.

We periodically offer training on Coping with Vision Loss, train bus drivers on the specific needs of the blind and visually impaired, conduct leadership and advocacy training, along with White Cane Safety Awareness Day activities in October.

Many of our members serve on private and public boards to provide input on blindness issues. We attend the theater, concerts, museums, ball games along with many other exciting opportunities.

Our newsletter, “The Blind Spot” publishes three issues a year and our OK-L list keeps us informed with the latest activities nationwide.

We hold state board meetings four times a year and everyone is welcome to attend. Our annual state convention is held each September and all attendees are welcome. The OCB Conference and Convention offers the latest legislative news, assistive technology, agency updates, interaction with professionals in the blindness field, and meeting old friends and making new ones.

Please explore our website to learn more about what we do in Oklahoma Council of the Blind. We have so much to offer, and each chapter brings its own unique quality to the state affiliate. That uniqueness provides exciting opportunities for you and your family.

If you would like more information, you may reach me by email at klove447@att.net or call our toll-free number at (877) 578-6212.

Sincerely,

Kay Love, President