PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Rotary Club of Peoria-North will give the Center for the Blind and the Visually Impaired a grant to buy more electronic aids to help clients.
The $12,700 grant will be presented during an event at 11 a.m. Monday at the center, located at 2905 W. Garden St.
The Center will purchase more GPS-enabled We Walk canes and Alexa devices. Patrons are trained to use these and other tools, including smartphone apps designed specifically for people with visual impairments.
Paula Balistreri, the Center’s operations manager, said “Technology is a growth area for us. It is a priority where we get the most bang for our buck. We see immediate results when we can train our clients to use these devices.”
The Center first pitched the idea to Rotarians last fall and that grabbed the attention of members, said their president.
“As Rotarians, we focus on service above self locally and internationally, in ways that improve lives and create a better world,” said Alan Willadsen. “Sometimes we provide hands on service, sometimes we provide funds to help organizations serve others. Our club’s foundation likes to use resources for local service.”
