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Sally Reed ready to broadcast |
Bangor
resident Sally Reed began volunteering as a reader for
the Maine Audio Information and Reading Service (AIRS)
broadcasts in September 2005. After one year of
volunteering and learning about the Iris Network, she
modified her will to create a bequest to support the
organization’s work.
Sally states that volunteering for Maine AIRS is “very
rewarding.” She describes Maine AIRS as “a service that
is as meaningful as it gets. Reading is the essence of
who I am. As a Maine AIRS volunteer, I can help keep the
light of reading
shining for other people, as well.”
By volunteering and also leaving a bequest to support
the Iris Network, Sally has created two powerful
legacies to support people who are visually impaired and
blind in Maine. She comments, “If I had a lot of
grandchildren, I would be leaving my estate to them. For
me, making bequests to the charities I support is the
most meaningful legacy.”
The Iris Network thanks Sally for her generosity. With a
bequest to the Iris Network, you, too, can help ensure
that the Iris Network will continue to grow in its
capacity to develop and deliver training, education, and
support for people who face serious vision loss.
To talk about your planned gift to support the Iris
Network, please contact the Development Office at
1-800-715-0097.
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Iris Network 2006
Volunteers of the Year
Congratulations
to Jeanne Shuman and Jill Fox,
volunteer readers for Maine
AIRS. Jeanne faithfully reads
the Saturday morning edition of
the
Bangor Daily News
and has invested 982 hours
of volunteer time. Jill makes
it possible to continue the live
broadcasts on Sunday mornings
and is responsible for early
Sunday sign-ons.
Their commitment and dedication
is greatly appreciated.
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Karen McKenna: Achieving Excellence on Behalf of the
Iris Network’s Clients
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Karen McKenna holds the regional award she won
for Excellence in
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Rehabilitation Services for Adults who are visually
impaired or blind
Karen
McKenna is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist®
and Certified Low Vision Therapist® who has worked at
the Iris Network for 22 years. Last fall, she was
honored with an award for Excellence in Rehabilitation
Services for Adults from the Northeast Chapter of the
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the
Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) at its annual
conference in Montreal.
The guiding principle of all Vision Rehabilitation
professionals at the Iris Network is to support clients
in achieving their desired level of independence and
integration into the community. Karen explains that the
dynamic collaboration of interests, passions, and skills
between her and her clients is what she loves most about
her work.
“Cooking, gardening, knitting, photography, reading,
sewing, raising kids, caring for pets, hiking,
woodworking, swimming, local history, genealogy—you name
it, and I’ve had a client who wanted to continue doing
it. I have learned so much with many individuals as we
have figured out how they can adapt to their desired
activities after vision loss,” she says.
Nine other professionals from Maine have won the AER
Award for Excellence in the last 20 years. In addition,
Iris Network employees have been awarded the Team Award
for Outstanding Professional Collaboration and The
Thomas Caufield Award for Excellence in assisting with
adjustment to visual impairment.
“People who are living with vision impairment or
blindness in Maine have access to award-winning
services,” Karen says. Congratulations, Karen!
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Remembering the Iris Network
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in your will
As a privately-funded nonprofit agency, bequests to The Iris Network are an
important part of the public support we receive.
Gifts through bequests have included
cash, a percent of the residuary estate, real estate,
shares of stock and life insurance.
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