Since our launch of our Annual Giving Campaign in December, we have raised $67,500 towards our goal of $200,000. Thank you to those of you who gave generously in support of our Mission. For those of you who have not yet given, please consider making a donation to get us closer to our goal which we must reach by the end of September 2012.

   Dear Friends:

 

My world changed dramatically five years ago when a massive hemorrhage in my left eye made me legally blind. At 68 years old, I was presented with challenges I had never experienced before. It wasn’t until then that I truly understood the gift we have in Lancaster – the Susquehanna Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired (SABVI). 

 

My name is Diana Lowell, and like most people in Lancaster I had heard of SABVI, parent agency to the Alley Center for the Blind in Lebanon and the Somerset County Blind Center in Somerset. I occasionally dealt with the association since my initial diagnosis of age related macular degeneration more

than ten years earlier.

 

When I was declared legally blind, my appreciation for SABVI went much deeper. From the staff member who gently tucked my hand in his arm while taking me to observe something, saying, “you’ll need to learn to let people help you,” to the staff member who told me never to buy a piece of equipment without first trying it, SABVI has helped me maintain my independence every step of the way.

As long as I can remember, being part of a group or an organization has meant that I also wanted to be involved in their work. Fortunately, I’ve been able to fulfill this need at SABVI. I served as a Trustee for the Susquehanna Foundation for the Blind (the fundraising arm of SABVI), and currently serve on the SABVI Board of Directors and as a member of the Rehabilitation and Education Committee. Dearest to my heart is the volunteer work I do in Abe’s Cubhouse, SABVI’s preschool program.

 

And now, the honor to serve as the first client to chair the annual giving campaign is giving me the opportunity to again advocate for this amazing organization. What does SABVI mean to me? It is a place where I can find support when needed, can make myself useful, and know the services I seek will be delivered with warmth and encouragement - all at no cost to me as a client. And, these services are only possible because of generous community members who understand and embrace the opportunity to invest locally.

 

This holiday season I ask that you consider making a gift in support of this outstanding agency. With the need for services rapidly growing due to the aging baby boomer population, your support is more important now than ever. Last year, the rehabilitation department provided 11,000 hours of service to the community at an average cost of $75 per hour. Please consider contributing to support one – or more – hours of service.

 

Thank you for your consideration, and I wish you all the best in the coming new year!

 

 

Sincerely,

Diana Lowell

2012 Annual Giving Chair