Take Charge with Confidence and Self-Reliance

Month: March 2017

  • Lasagna from Scratch: Chaz’s Mini Meal

    by

    Dan Burke

    Chaz admits he was only a little above the average college student with respect to his cooking skills. Now he’s made lasagna from scratch and fed fifteen people witt it.

    READ MORE

  • The end of the snow for 2017?

    by

    Dan Burke

    Five people wearing snow shoes on a wintery forested path with snow covered branches.

    Was last Thursday night/Friday’s snow the last of the 2017 ski season? Well, it definitely was for CCB, as Friday was our last trip to Eldora (21 miles west of Boulder)for the year. It hasn’t proven to be the last of the snow, however, which is great news for the diehards who just have to take one more run before the season closes.

    The idea is to have each ITP student go three times and, if there are empty seats for any reason, students can go more than that. For most of Friday’s group, it was their only chance for the year because they’ve only just arrived in the past week or two!… Read the rest “The end of the snow for 2017?”

    READ MORE

  • An Adventure Under the Pool

    by

    Dan Burke

    David sits on a ledge inside the pool as a group of CCB students gather in the deep end

    David sits on a ledge inside the pool as a group of CCB students gather in the deep end
    Some students see how far they can climb toward the shallow end

     

    No, you won’t be singing any Disney song when you go under the pool.

    It’s dirty and dark and forgotten … Except by Travel Instructor David Nietfeld, who today took the Philosophy class on an historical tour of the Center, which was formerly a YMCA. Since part of the student body was off at a boxing gym and another in our gym doing Martial Arts, David had a smaller contingent to take on his tour. He explained where there were once windows overlooking the raquetball courts, whose office once were locker room showers and whose had toilets at one time.… Read the rest “An Adventure Under the Pool”

    READ MORE

  • Why, Wood Ducks Don’t Quack!

    by

    Dan Burke

    Top row: Blanca, Chaz and CC looking at skulls, Center row: Eagle skull, Allie and Tyler playing bird sounds on the computer, Raven skull, Bottom row: Cardinal skull, Northern Flicker skull, Turkey skull and Blue Jay skull

    Birding by Ear Skulls Montage
    What were we thinking? Well, we encountered wood ducks this week in our Birding by Ear class when we strolled over to the pond at Sterne Park. Sure, there were the standard mallards with their easily recognizable quacking, but that other sound – that rising note – was that really a duck?

    yes, it’s a wood duck, and there were several on the pod that day – a whole new bird sound for the group

    Before going out, the class examined a number of casts of bird skulls, the discussion focusing on the different kinds of beaks that various birds have, and thus, the different things they feed on- predators with sharp, curved beaks, nut and seed feeders with powerful beaks to crack things open, and small pointed beaks for catching small insects for lunch.… Read the rest “Why, Wood Ducks Don’t Quack!”

    READ MORE

  • Courtney and Suzie Are March’s Students of the Month

    by

    Dan Burke

    Two young women in sleepshades, at left Suzi in the front lobby and at right Courtney in the garden

    Courtney and Suzie are our March Students of the Month for March, selected by Center staff.

    Courtney was forced to take a leave to attend to family business in New Jersy, but was determined to return and earn her Bell of Freedom. She returned after several months and is on her way again, an indication of her determination. She serves as an excellent mentor to newly arrived students and, because her vocational goal is to work with seniors, she also volunteers with our Senior Program every week.

    Suzie first came to us in 2013, not long after her adoption from China.… Read the rest “Courtney and Suzie Are March’s Students of the Month”

    READ MORE

  • Last week was a big one for drops

    by

    Dan Burke

    Ryan signing in after returning from his Independent Drop

    Ryan signs in on the Brailler with a sense of accomplishment after completing his Independent Drop
    Trevor traveling with his cane and sleepshades

    Last week was busy with drops and support drops.

    The “Drop”, or independent drop is one of the two final requirements of our cane travel instruction. Ryan and Trevor both completed theirs last week, having been dropped somewhere in the Denver Metro area and permitted one question on their trip back to the Center.

    The “support drop” is more or less a dress rehearsal for the independent drop. Everything is the same except that the student’s travel instructor goes along. The instructor, by the way, doesn’t know where they are either and also wears sleepshades. Both Julie and Suzie completed support drops last week.… Read the rest “Last week was a big one for drops”

    READ MORE

  • CCB Says “Farewell and Thanks!” to Walmart’s Neighborhood Market

    by

    Dan Burke

    a smiling woman with a cart full of groceries outside the store

    Over the past six months or so, news that Walmart was closing a number of its Neighborhood Markets in the Denver Metro area resulted in a sigh of relief for us at the Colorado Center for the Blind. Each time, the store near our student apartments at S. Lowell Blvd and W. Bowles Ave. wasn’t on the list. In January, another store closure was announced, this time on Sheridan. Whew! Close call!

    Our luck ran out though. Earlier this month we learned that the store where our students do most of their shopping would also fall under the axe, closing April 7.… Read the rest “CCB Says “Farewell and Thanks!” to Walmart’s Neighborhood Market”

    READ MORE

  • Shout out to @RiceCCL Volunteers!

    by

    Dan Burke

    Students in sleepshades examine the mode of a brain on the table between them

    Here’s a shout out to this year’s crew from Rice University in Houston who came to work as volunteers on March 16 and 17. They spend an “Alternative Spring Break” volunteering, first at Winter Park with the NSCD adaptive ski program, and then in Littleton.

    No, no skiing. At the Center they helped move and assemble furniture for our summer apartments (it’ll be here before we know it), as well as cleaning and organizing in the pool (storage) room.

    That’s right, we saved the really fun stuff for Rice!

    But they also got a little mini-course under sleepshades that included tech, Braille and travel.… Read the rest “Shout out to @RiceCCL Volunteers!”

    READ MORE

  • Making Connections – It Was Really Big

    by

    Dan Burke

    Diane McGeorge gives the Welcom address at the Career and College Seminar

    Diane McGeorge welcomes a packed room of attendees from the podium
    Wow! Nearly 150 were on hand Friday, March 10 for our first Making Connections that Work for You Seminar. It really worked! Thanks to all that attended!

    Colorado's Chief economist Alexandra Hall gives a stirring and entertaining Keynote address at the Career and College Seminar
    Erin Wilkerson, and Emily Friedhoff of Inverness Hotel in the exhibit hall
    tables in the exhibit area are thronged with job seekers and students

    We especially want to thank our keynote speaker, Alexandra Hall, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Director of the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics and Chief Economist. She was inspiring, as she said she was instructed to be, but also funny and smart and gave us just enough stats to make us think. Best of all, she’s living proof that finding your career path doesn’t necessarily mean going in a straight line.… Read the rest “Making Connections – It Was Really Big”

    READ MORE

  • A Bustling Day in the Gym

    by

    Dan Burke

    A group of Martial Arts Students to the left and a row of Archery Students to the right

    A group of Martial Arts Students to the left and a row of Archery Students to the right
    Okay, Tuesdays can get a little wild anyway, what with Seniors coming and filling up our large conference room all morning. You gotta believe us – we love having them!

    But meanwhile, down in the gym …

    We had both Martial arts and Archery happening all at once. The wildest imaginations might hve the martial arts students blocking and catching flying arrows, but that’s not at all the scenario. That’s just imagination …
    Click any of the images below to see a larger version:

    Zach H. takes aim with his Bow in Archery Class
    Sirena wards off an attacker in Martial Arts Class
    Lyne takes aim with her bow in Archery Class
    Suzi takes aim with her bow in Archery Class
    David D. wards off anattacker in Martial Arts Class
    Jesse takes aim with his bow in Archery Class
    Charles takes aim with his bow in Archery Class
    Graham in a fighting stance in Martial Arts Class
    Chaz throwing elbow jabs at the pad in Martial Arts Class

    READ MORE

Monthly Archive

Categories

Tags