Profile

Profile

Future Reflections September- December 1983, Vol. 2 No. 5
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PROFILE
The Parents of Blind Children Division of the National
Federation of the Blind organized and elected
officers this summer during the annual NFB Convention
in Kansas City, Missouri. The officers that were
elected are all parents of blind children, and all are
committed to the Division's goals of promoting equality
and opportunity for all blind children. Here is a
little information about each officer and how they feel
about being a part of the NFB, and a leader in the new
NFB Parents of Blind Children Division. These officers
are competent, dedicated parents who will be in
the forefront in making the Division an organization
that will soon be a respected and significant force in
the affairs and concerns of blind children and their
parents.
SUSAN FORD, PRESIDENT
Bubbly, enthusiastic and experienced, Susan was the
natural choice to lead the organization as its first
president. Susan is the former chairperson of the NFB
Parental Concerns Committee and has long been
active in the NFB at all levels -- local, state and
national. She and husband, John, have two children,
Brenda, age 7 and Brent, age 8.
Brent, blind from birth, (he is a retrolental fibroplasia
-- RLF -- baby) came to the Fords as a foster child
when he was 26 months old. He is now a permanent
member of the household. Brent attends a public
school in St. Louis, Missouri where John and Susan
make their home. Though Susan has a Masters degree
in the Education of Visually Impaired Children, it is
her own common sense and personal experience (she is
blind also) that has been most helpful in raising Brent.
In addition to being a full-time mother, Susan works
part-time in a private rehabilitation center in St. Louis
and tutors blind children in her home. She is proud of
Brent and likes to tell how, when he was six-years-old,
he placed fourth in the state in the National Multiple
Sclerosis Read-a-thon competition.
Of the Division, Susan says, "I expect the Division to
become a forum where parents can share common
experiences, failures and successes in parenting as
their blind children grow up."
FRANK SMITH, FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT
Quiet and unassuming, Frank Smith has great depths
of understanding and insights into the problems of
blindness and the rewards and heartaches of raising a
blind child. Frank and wife, Glenda, have six children
between the ages of 17 and 9. Their blind son, Rixon, is
now 15 and a source of pride, joy, and worry... just like
any other teenager. Rixon was an RLF baby and,
because he was about four months premature, was
slow in development during the early months. He has
since caught up and attends a public school in Boise
where he and his family live. Frank says he (Rixon) is
working to receive his Eagle Scout Award and hopes to
complete his final project soon.
Frank is employed at the Idaho Commission for the
Blind as Chief of Field Services, is active in the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and serves as the
Education Chairman in the local chapter of the NFB.
Frank believes that, "This federation division is a
resource where parents can go for a second opinion
and thus prevent the monopoly of institutions and
their ideas."
BEVERLY HELMBOLDT, SECRETARY
Beverly can probably be best described as a person
who "gets things done". She is very active both in the
NFB and in community affairs in her home state of
Michigan. She and husband, Loren, teach catechism
and conduct marriage-encounter groups for their
church. Beverly is also on the consumer advisory
committee for the low vision clinic in her area, and
within the NFB, Bev serves as local chapter president
and first vice-president of the NFB of Michigan.
Beverly and Loren have been married 29 years and
have six children that range in age from 27 to 19. Three
of the children have aniridia (absence of the iris); a
condition Beverly also has. From her own children,
Beverly has learned a lot about raising a blind child
and is eager to share her experiences and knowledge
with others. Beverly states that, "The most important
thing the NFB has taught me is that I do not have to be
ashamed of being blind. My blind children have also
learned to feel OK about their blindness. I have tried to
help my children feel good about themselves, and I
hope that through the Parents Division we can help all
blind children feel good about themselves."
LENA VASSEUR,
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
Lena and husband, Warren, are relatively new members
of the National Federation of the Blind. They
both joined in March, 1983, when they attended the
NFB sponsored Parents Seminar in Louisiana. They
have three girls ages 16, 15 and 9. Their yougest
daughter, Benita, has retinitus pigmentosa (RP -- sometimes called "tunnel vision"). They are concerned
about Benita's future and want her to have the best
education and opportunity possible. Lena, a resident of Basile, Louisiana, is a soft-spoken, but determined
woman. She also has RP and recently experienced a
sudden decrease in vision. Lena explains why she
joined the NFB and is taking an active role in the
Parents of Blind Children Division, "I know how
people can really treat blind persons like second-class
citizens. I don't want this to happen to my child, or to
myself."
BARBARA CHEADLE, TREASURER
Barbara and husband, John, live in Boise, Idaho with
their three children, two boys and one girl ages 6,5 and
17 months. Son Chaz (age 5) is blind and was adopted
from Korea when he was two-years-old. Barbara says,
"Chaz really keeps us on our toes. He is very active and
very creative. All of our children are really great and
we feel we have truly been blessed."
Barbara is editor of FUTURE REFLECTIONS and
feels very strongly about the need for blind adults and
parents of blind children to work together. Barbara
and her family have lived in both Nebraska and
Missouri before making their home in Idaho. She was
involved with parents of blind children and parent
groups in both states, and is currently president of the
newly formed Parents of Blind Idahoans.
Barbara tells us that, "The biggest help we have had
has been from our blind friends. They give sound
advice and encouragement. They are good for Chaz,
too. He knows there are other people like him so I think
it makes him feel comfortable and confident about
himself as a blind person."
"Our new parents organization," says Barbara, "is the
perfect setting for parents to share with each other,
and to interact with and learn from the real experts on
blindness ... the organized blind."
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