May 2016

Tactile art classes, taught by sculptor Ann Cunningham, have been a unique part of training at the Colorado Center for the Blind since the 1990s. Students might work in stone, clay, make tactile drawings with Ann’s Sensational Drawing Board, or go wherever their creative sense pulls them.

Just before his graduation from the Center and return to New York, Peter talked about his experience in Ann’s art class at the Center and what it meant to him.

This was just one of the groups of ITP students who made a trip to Progresh with our NSCD partners, but it definitely gives a flavor of the challenge and the fun.

We’re still buzzing with the excitement of last Saturday. It’s not just the work, but it’s spirit of the folks who came and the shared effort!

Saturday, April 30 dawned to several inches of wet snow on the Center’s grounds, and temperatures in the mid-30s. The rain mixed with snow continued all morning and afternoon, but it was Comcast Cares Day 2016 and dozens of Comcast employee-volunteers and their families showed up anyway to work on our landscaping and other tasks. They came because they said they would, and because this event is one of the largest corporate-sponsored volunteer programs in the US.

It’s obviously the people – the employees and their families – who truly make it a huge success.

“It’s beautiful,” Kimberly McCutcheon said as things packed up before noon. “It would have taken us years to get all of this done!”

A big heart and steadfast determination to finish his training at the Center despite significant health challenges are the things that fellow students and staff remarked on again and again Friday morning when Christopher was awarded his Bell of Freedom.

Julie Deden noted the disruption in the middle of his program as she presented his bell, and how he insisted on continuing. But the most important thing, said Julie, is that Christopher has “such a big heart”, and that he’s always ready to help others, volunteering to help out with youth programs and more.

“Every time someone graduated, I told myself I was one graduation closer,” he said of the time before health issues temporarily intervened.

Christopher’s Bell of Freedom ceremony took place immediately following morning announcements. Though he served his grad meal a couple of weeks ago, he finished his last graduation requirements this week, including his drop on Thursday!

“You have a heart of gold,” and “Keep your heart open” typified the sentiments of fellow students and staff during the “love session” following the bell ceremony.

Here’s a brief video from Comcast Cares Day 2016. It’s a 360-degree look at volunteers at work outside at the Colorado Center for the Blind on the morning of April 30.

(Editor’s Note: This press release was forwarded to us by the Community College of Aurora, and it is certainly worthy to be shared with all. Congratulations to Reem!)

DISABLED STUDENT RISES TO THE CHALLENGE TO GRADUATE

Reem Hamodi Graduates with 4.0 GPA

May 9, 2016 – Aurora, CO – When Reem Hamodi arrived in the United States five years ago from Iraq, she wasn’t sure what to expect.

She felt isolated because her English wasn’t perfect and communicating with others was a challenge, especially because Hamodi is also blind. Despite those challenges, Hamodi graduated from the Community College of Aurora on May 7 with an Associate of Arts degree in psychology and with a 4.0 grade point average with the intention of becoming a psychology professor.

Hamodi grew up in Iraq and lived in several countries such as Jordan, Syria, and Libya. “There were no services for blind people in my country,” she said, referring to Iraq.

Twenty-four blind and visually-impaired Front Range youth spent the weekend of April 22-24 in Estes Park. It had been planned as a snow-shoe trip, but instead the kids and 9 adults took a 6-and-a-half mile hike in Rocky Mountain Park.