Hadley Celebrates Years - The Hadley School for the Blind

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Hadley Opens Satellite Office in Texas Billy Brookshire, Hadley’s newest staff member, is a part-time instructor and Seminars@Hadley moderator who will also tap his network of contacts to publicize Hadley’s resources in Texas. He works out of Hadley’s new satellite office at the Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center in Austin. Brookshire retired in December 2008 after 30 years at the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), where he provided a variety of training programs to DARS employees and clients covering topics such as orientation to blindness rehabilitation, procedures for casework professionals and psycho-social aspects of blindness. He even taught Left: Billy Brookshire and Senior Vice President Dawn Turco an orientation course similar to Hadley’s “Blindness Basics.” “I am excited to join Hadley’s team of instructors,” Brookshire says. “Hadley pays close attention to trends in the blindness field and offers that insight to students and professionals who need this expertise to work with clients.” In college, Brookshire became close to his visually impaired roommate and witnessed firsthand the many challenges people who are blind face in navigating a sighted world. He worked as a classroom teacher and a surgical technician before finding his true calling as a trainer in the blindness field. At DARS, he developed a passion for education and training to help clients stand out, become employed and achieve success in school, at work and in life. Brookshire serves on the boards of All Blind Children of Texas and the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field. He lives in Austin with his wife Debbie and German Shepherd Rex, a retired guide dog. 4 My Hadley memories start with the remarkable Richard Kinney. He was Hadley’s president when I joined the Woman’s Board in 1977. Visiting with him through the teletouch was an amazing experience for me, as was getting to know Jerrie Lawhorn, who was frequently at the school at that time. Peggy Butow played the piano at every event, as well as during the lunch hour now and then, and dear Donna Johnson’s ready smile belied all of her health problems, including her lack of sight. Later, Motivated by community support, Clarence Boyd Jones, son-in-law of Dr. E.V.L. Brown, and Nancy Jones initiate the Hadley School Building Fund 1956 First Hadley Woman’s Board Braille Holiday Card 1957 New building at 700 Elm Street dedicated ” 1958 School recognized by Accrediting Commision of National Home Study Council Linda Perry came to Hadley and is still teaching braille from her California home. What a special group, all dealing with challenges in an admirable way. —Hadley Trustee Betsey Puth 1971 New building addition dedicated 1973 Garden Guild of Winnetka creates Hadley garden on premises 1982 Dr. Robert J. Winn begins term as Hadley’s longest serving president: 1982 – 2001 1984 Parent-Child Program launched
Spring From Darkness Into Light Ihad the joy of listening to an incredible musician and dear friend sing: “I sit down in my favorite chair and float downstream. Let my hand drop in the water and catch a dream.” My dream became reality as Anne Hills’ rich voice filled the concert hall at the Music Institute of Chicago during two past benefit performances for our school. I designed a 2-CD musical component for Hadley’s Social Skills Series, addressing social issues through music. Award-winning acoustic folk musicians Anne Hills and David Roth—both with Chicago roots—were strong supporters. These benefit concerts were prompted by their involvement in my music project. The Nichols Concert Hall, one of the best acoustic venues in the Chicago area, is typically out of financial reach for a benefit concert. Rick Kogan of WGN Radio connected me with Fiona Queen, the Institute’s director of performance activities, who helped make this benefit concert possible. Local merchants, blindness agencies and individuals throughout the country donated raffle prizes and artwork for silent auctions. The first year’s expenses were covered by anonymous donations. Many costs for the second performance were covered by Hadley students who were happy for a chance to give back to the school. This year’s performance will be entirely covered by student donations. We’ve raised David Roth, Linn Sorge and Anne Hills Join Us! By Hadley Instructor Linn Sorge close to $12,000 thus far while increasing awareness of our school. “I was thrilled when Linn asked me to be part of these benefit concerts,” says Hills. “Blindness is a personal issue for me. My mother lost her sight to macular degeneration more than 10 years ago at a time when she was assisting my grandmother, who had lost her sight. Both women taught me about resilience and patience and widened my awareness of agerelated blindness.” “To be able to offer my songs in support of people who take inspiration or hope from them is a great honor, so my ‘yes’ was easy and emphatic,” says Roth. “The natural extension of the collaboration with Linn’s project was a live event. These concerts with longtime friend Anne Hills, in my hometown and for a good cause, is a dream come true.” The concert’s musical messages focus on one’s inner spirit—turning from a feeling of darkness into light while experiencing the growth and learning that comes with vision loss. Several songs address teaching, caring for others and disabilities. We hope to have 300+ in our audience sharing music as they support Hadley’s 90th anniversary. Help make this dream a reality! April 24, 7:30 p.m. at the Music Institute of Chicago Evanston campus. Sound clips, photos, event details and tickets are available at www.hadley.edu/concert. 1988 Hadley-China opens 1996 Parent-Child Program expands to include family members of adults who are blind (later changed to Family Education Program) 1997 Professional Education Program launched (later changed to Hadley School for Professional Studies) 2002 First High School Graduation Ceremony held at Winnetka Woman’s Club 2002 First online course, “Internet Basics,” offered 2006 First live, online Seminars@ Hadley, “Braille Every Day, Every Way,” offered 2010 Hadley establishes Executive Leadership Institute 5
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Page 3 and 4: Donor Spotlight Charlie Beinlich’
Page 5: Friends Honor Founder, Renew Goal t

Hadley Celebrates Years - The Hadley School for the Blind

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