LIONS FOR THE BLIND PROJECT Lions for the Blind at Miami ...

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LIONS FOR THE BLIND PROJECT
In 1931, the Lions Club of Miami and the Miami Rotary Club
provided the basis of the first board of Miami Lighthouse
for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc. In 1935, the Lions
Club of Miami purchased the bungalow house that has
grown into our present modern facility.
The Lions Home for the Blind was incorporated on July 24,
1974, founded by Lion Oscar Vidal and other Lions from
Cuba and South Florida. For 29 years The Lions Home for
the Blind provided daily care for low-income blind persons
living in Miami-Dade County.
In 2006, the Home was closed, Lions
for the Blind moved its activities to
Miami Lighthouse, and a special department
for Social Group Activities was set up,
headed by the same teacher who had been
at the Home, Lion Nelba Gonzalez (please
read her bio on page 2.)
Lions Alan Campbell
and CEO Virginia Jacko
The move made it possible to expand from
serving 25 primarily Hispanic blind adults
to over 150 adults.
Lions for the Blind at Miami Lighthouse
Lions District Governor Juan Tejara,
Betty Barrera and Nelba Gonzalez
Lions for the Blind Project at Miami Lighthouse serves people from all over the world living in
South Florida: 70% Hispanic, 15% African American and Haitian and 15% other. This would not
have been possible at the old facility.
The Lions for the Blind Project provides:
• All materials for art classes and also sponsors
field trips and social events for our blind
clients.
• 6 hours of daily activities for blind and visually
impaired persons including ceramic, music and
exercise classes as well as arts and crafts,
painting, macramé and jewelry making.
Ceramic class
• Coffee breaks and luncheons
• Materials for classes during the summer months for children. This past year
a ceramic pillar handmade by blind and visually impaired children was
Lion Dilma Rodrigues created in honor of all Lions entitled “The Art of Love.”

Low-income blind people do not have access to as many social events as the sighted population,
so Lions hold bingo parties, picnics, field trips, health fairs, the Calle Ocho Carnival,
Thanksgiving Dinner for 200 people and other community events including the Coral Gables
Spanish Heritage Festival.
“Thumbs Up!” to another successful White Cane
Day sponsored by Lions District 35N
Each year Lions Project for the Blind co-sponsors the Lions
White Cane Day celebration which includes a fund raising
walkathon on Calle Ocho, a section of which is closed off
by the City of Miami Police and Fire departments for blind
walkers and their supporters to raise awareness for the
White Cane Safety Laws.
The newest annual event is a Sunday afternoon Dinner
Dance for over 150 people. Lions Project for the Blind is
the only entity in the county organizing social events
especially for the blind.
We invite you to visit!
Lions for the Blind Project is located on the second floor of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind
and Visually Impaired. For more information, contact Lion Nelba Gonzalez, Ph: 305-856-2288;
Cell: 786-294-8912; Email: ngonzalez@miamilighthouse.org
Lions Dr. Carlos Justiniano,
Nelba Gonzalez, Virginia Jacko
and Martin Murphy
Lion Nelba Gonzalez
Left to right: Lion Dilma Rodrigues, Client Geraldo Fojo,
Deborah Jager, Lion Martin Murphy, Lion Nelba Gonzalez,
James Engstrom, Lion Maria A. Pusey
Left to right: Lions Betty Barrera and
Diana Castillo, Miami Lighthouse O and M
Instructor John Clapp, Lion Arecely Pozo
Lion Nelba studied in Cuba and got her degree in accounting in 1985. In
1990, she applied for and got a position at The National Rehabilitation
Center for The Blind and Visually Impaired in Cuba, where she was
trained by Norwegian specialists in teaching blind and visually
impaired people.
This training qualified her to teach activities such as Orientation
and Mobility, Personal Management, Braille system in Spanish and other
skills that were needed to provide training in rehabilitation for the blind
and visually impaired.
In 1991, she received additional training in art therapy specializing in
teaching arts and crafts to blind and visually impaired people.
Lion Nelba Gonzalez,
Coordinator of Arts and Crafts
When she left Cuba in 2004 she was hired by The Lions Home for the Blind and has continued
to work with the blind and visually impaired at Miami Lighthouse.