Dear Friends, Thank you so much for the gift of the new long white cane. I have MMD (Myopic Macular Degeneration), which is a pretty rare form of macular degeneration. In fact, it is so rare that the doctors are unable to predict its trajectory. It shares similarities with the more common Age-Related Macular Degeneration … Read more
Meet Dora, a bright-eyed 5-year-old with an infectious giggle and a love for storytelling. She was born with an extremely rare, almost unpronounceable eye condition that left her with no eyesight. Despite this challenge, her spirit remains unbreakable. Recently, her kindergarten teacher introduced her class to writing. While her classmates picked up pencils, she felt … Read more
We are thrilled to announce that Aftersight’s 2023 Annual Report is now ready for download! This comprehensive report highlights our achievements, challenges, and the impact we’ve made in serving individuals with vision loss or blindness throughout the year. Summary of the 2023 Annual Report: Historical Evolution: From our origins as the “Radio Reading Service of … Read more
Robert Weinberg describes himself as “one of the elders of the Denver blind community.” He is also a celebrated photographer whose work has been featured in Intermountain Jewish News and exhibited in galleries. When he became legally blind in 1995 due to cone-rod dystrophy, his photo career was disrupted. Bob became a listener, and he has … Read more
Kim Singleton is one of Aftersight’s newest listeners, but she’s been involved in the blind and low-vision community for a long time. In the 1970s, when Kim was 21, she experienced two simultaneous retinal detachments. She’s had retinal surgeries, scleral buckles, and one of the earliest vitrectomies performed in the western US. In 2024, Kim … Read more
October VOM Nicola’s journey is from leaving her corporate job in Californi a to discovering her passion in voice acting. Today her voice is behind the Thursday reading of the Daily Camera and Longmont Times-Call. November VOM Ginger started as an in-person reader. Eventually she moved to West Virginia where Ginger continues as a remote reader. … Read more
A native Coloradan, Jennifer Neptune, served in Costa Rica, Colombia and Brazil for over 20+ years as a missionary serving marginalized populations, presenting them with resources and opportunities to not only survive but thrive in life. She returned to the States in 2021 and found jobs that would reach populations that needed care, connection and … Read more
By Penn Street Colorado has a number of Adaptive Ski Programs for people who are blind and or have low vision just like me. Most of the programs are fueled by volunteers. The first time I clicked into a pair of skis in college during an Adaptive Ski Clinic in Winter Park I was hooked. … Read more
By Matt Kissane Denver natives Amy Lee, her brother, Robert, and his wife, Jamie, moderate the Facebook support group You Don’t Look Blind (YDLB), which hosts two monthly meetings, one online and one in person in Denver. The group name is characteristic of the Lees’ playful approach to low-vision training. The Lees, and several members … Read more
The White Cane is a tool and a symbol recognized around the world to identify people who are blind/low vision. Thanks to Lion George Bonham from the Peoria, IL Lions Club for identifying the need and leading Lions Clubs International into the solution. Lion George wanted the cane to be white and reflective so it … Read more
A native Coloradan, Scott has been active all his life. He was a gym coach for 35 years, teaching gymnastics, karate, dance, and cheerleading at the two gyms he owned. But that was just the summer; he spent his winters “going out on the road” to do acrobatics. He was a high diver and a … Read more
The Audio Information Network of Colorado (AINC) takes great pride in its commitment to empowering individuals who are blind or Low Vision. As part of this mission, AINC has partnered with the Colorado Lions Clubs to provide FREE white canes to those in need. We express our deepest gratitude to the Colorado Lions Clubs for … Read more
Bringing Print to Life Hike Saturday Aug. 12th, 7 AM | Royal Arch Trail (Chautauqua), Boulder, CO 2023 marks AINC’s third annual Bringing Print to Life Fundraising Hike with the Audio Trekkers! This supportive event pairs sighted guides with hikers who have some form of blindness or Low Vision. Each team works together to summit … Read more
Carol Custer is one of AINC’s newest listeners, and she’s a fan of some AINC Originals like Aftersight and Blind Level Tech. Carol has a soul full of adventure and doesn’t let vision loss keep her from being active. In fact, when AINC’s Listener Services Coordinator, Matt Kissane, called her, she was using the flashlight on her phone to organize … Read more
By Matt Kissane Jere Rood says, “I was born high, and I remain high.” Born in Leadville, Jere migrated to Aspen in 1973 after his divorce, and he hasn’t left. After his 20-year career as a teacher and counselor in Chicago and San Francisco, he quickly learned how to sustain an Aspen lifestyle by making … Read more
Elizabeth Michelin sold real estate in California’s Bay Area and wine region for 30 years. After being diagnosed with macular degeneration in 2014, she moved to Castle Rock, Colorado to be with family. “That did not work out,” she says, and she moved into her current apartment by herself. She quickly discovered the local resources … Read more
On August 28th, AINC held our second-annual fundraising hike in Estes Park. It was a perfect late-summer day in the Colorado hills, and almost all of our staff was at the event. We were blessed to be joined by almost 30 hikers with a visual impairment and even more volunteers who came along to be … Read more
We are committed to meet the needs of our listeners. The landscape of news media has changed dramatically in recent years, and so has the way that people get their news. At AINC, we are working to change with it. As part of this goal, we have formed the Programming Advisory Committee (PAC) to assist … Read more
Did you know that volunteers provide around 8,000 hours of service to AINC every year?! That equals about $239,600 in value! That’s CRAZY! We really, honestly, and truly could not do what we do without the support of our wonderful volunteers. We thank each and every one so much. Each month one volunteer is selected … Read more
Foresight Ski Event Volunteer Appreciation 2021 Highlights Foresight Ski Event Penn Street and Evan Starnes – a couple of vital AINC staff members – hit the slopes with Foresight Ski Guides early in 2022! They even used the opportunity conduct a few interviews, which were released as a special edition of Aftersight. Evan has a knack … Read more
AINC NEWS IN 2022: AINC’S New Board President AINC Staff and Board Gathering 30th Anniversary Volunteer Highlight Marshall Fire AINC’S NEW BOARD PRESIDENT Scott Chaplick recently took over as AINC’s acting board president. Scott, the owner of Beyond Sight, Inc., is full of ideas and energy for the future of AINC – we welcome him … Read more
“I don’t want to sound like a cliché or anything, but I’m proud of what I accomplished.” -Evan Starnes Evan, who is almost totally blind, was talking about hiking at Arapahoe Basin, where he summited a climb of 12,456 feet. He and nine other visually impaired climbers were assisted by specially trained sighted guides (including AINC … Read more
AINC’S FIRST HIKE • CO GIVES DAY • LISTENER SPOTLIGHT • VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHT • NEW PODCAST • EVENT CALENDAR AINC’s First Hike AINC’s first ever fundraising hike took place on August 28th at Keystone in Arapahoe Basin. At the event, a team of ten blind or visually impaired hikers aged 20-70 were supported by … Read more
Melissa Simpson climbs the summit with her ropes team in the Rocky Mountains. Pulling is Skyler Williams from Touch the Top and Emily Breeden from TRANE. Penn Street of AINC is pushing. Next to Melissa is her trainer, Karen Fenske, on Tuesday, Sept 29th, 2020. Photo Credit: Moses Street. What’s within you is stronger than … Read more
AINC listener Bob Weinberg was a professional photojournalist and accomplished portrait photographer with his own business when his eyesight began to rapidly deteriorate in 1996. He was diagnosed with retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy, blurring his central vision. By 2003, after more than 30 years of shooting and producing photos, he was legally blind with a … Read more
Feelings of social isolation and disconnection are a risk of aging. Isolation can lead to serious physical and mental health problems that can decrease one’s quality of life. If you or a loved one suffers from social isolation… Amazon’s Alexa can find a solution. The Amazon Echo, AKA, Alexa, is a voice-activated smart speaker. She … Read more
I became familiar with Gerry Leary when I would occasionally see him on the bus with his guide dog, Devyon, lying obediently at his feet. I always greeted him and reminded him that I work at a place very familiar to him. I would get off at the stop near my home and he would … Read more
“Alexa, can flamingos fly?” “Falmingos fly very well,” answers a polite female voice, in the deadpan delivery of computer synthesis. “Many flamingos migrate or regularly fly between the best food sources and nesting grounds. When flying in a flock, the top speed of a flamingo can be as high as 35 miles per hour.” “Thank … Read more
Shortly after becoming legally blind due to macular degeneration about eight years ago, Birdie Knapp attended a presentation at a low-vision group where a fellow attendee mentioned a radio that exclusively broadcast news and information for the blind. Birdie sought out the presenter, AINC’s Kim Ann Wardlow, registered as a listener, and soon began listening … Read more
Behind the Mic You can hear the deep, friendly voice of Carl Babb reading the grocery store ads every Wednesday. The listeners who phone the office to commend Carl are occasionally answered with a call-out (“The Lovely Ladies of Loveland”) He is one of our most popular readers with the staff as well, and not just … Read more