I am Executive Director of a small not-for-profit called Blindskills Inc., which has served this community since 1983. Our founder and former director Carol M. McCarl taught blind students who were enrolled in their local public schools. After learning that all of her students attended schools in which they were the lone visually impaired student, she wanted to decrease their isolation, since they had no role models to help them imagine their own futures.

Through hard work and determination, Carol managed to launch a small organization dedicated to publishing vital information about career choices, assistive technology, safe independent travel, and life-enriching hobbies. Over time, Blindskills grew strong enough to expand its service to encompass a world of ideas for visually impaired people of all ages, but it has continued to focus much of its energy in behalf of blind K-12 students.

The recent closure of the Oregon School for the Blind has made our mission more critical than ever. More of Oregon’s blind children are attending school in their home districts, and they need the encouragement and support we can provide. At the same time, the closure of the school is making it harder for us to receive financial support from the community, because many people seem to believe that Blindskills closed along with OSB.

Our rented office on the school's campus was indeed lost, since our lease was terminated a year ahead of schedule when the school closed. Part of the confusion may also arise because I was a member of (and frequent spokesman for) the School's Board. However, Blindskills was not receiving any funding from the school or the state of Oregon, and neither the Department of Education nor the Oregon Legislature has any direct power to shut down our small organization.

Whatever caused the misunderstanding, we want everyone to know that we are still here. We feel that our toll-free information service, our quarterly magazine, DIALOGUE, and our community support group (which meets monthly at Capitol Manor) are vital resources to our blind and visually impaired neighbors and their families.

Before she entered the hospital for a long-awaited kidney transplant, I assured Carol McCarl that we would do everything in our power to keep the Blindskills message of hope alive in the community she has called home for over four decades. Honored with the Community Partner Hero Award in 2006 by the Willamette Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, Carol remains totally dedicated to serving her fellow blind and visually impaired residents of the Salem area. I am grateful for this opportunity to share the message of what Carol’s commitment and sacrifice have meant to the community she loves.

Our new offices are located in Suite 110 of the MICAH Building next to the First United Methodist Church at 680 State Street. For those who wish to contact us for further information, our mailing address remains: Blindskills Inc., PO Box 5181, Salem, Oregon 97304-0181.

B.T. Kimbrough
Executive Director
Blindskills, Inc.
(503) 581-4224
For the Statesman-Journal