Some very important services are being made available through an inconspicuous office along Market Street in Kittanning. In the Brody Building, beyond the Helpmates Home Health Care and ARC offices, near the end of the hall is the Armstrong County satellite office of the Butler County Association for the Blind. Through that office, visually impaired clients are assisted by lifeskills coordinator Megan Grenek. "I fill out the applications with the customers and make sure they're qualified to get our services," she said, "financially and visually." Services offered through the agency include simple, everyday tasks, such as reading mail. "Transportation is a big thing," Megan said. "We take them to doctor's appointments, and once or twice a month we take them grocery shopping, and we stay with them the whole time, help them pick out the things they need, read labels for them or help them fill out forms." The agency opened the satellite office in Kittanning in November of 2004. Within three months, their list of clientele has grown to 24. The agency offers help to sight impaired clients of all ages. Currently, the clients served by the Armstrong County office are age 50 and up, clients such as Eda Mae Croyle of Cowansville and Olive Mae Wilson of Worthington. Eda Mae found out about the services through the Worthington Senior Citizens Center. "I talked to them over there," she said, "and then they helped me get to the hospital when I had my cataracts removed." "I have macular degeneration," she continued. "I was getting blurred vision, and I went to several doctors and they wouldn't consider taking the cataracts out." But through the Association for the Blind, she found a doctor who agreed that it would benefit her to have them removed. "As far as the macular degeneration," she said, "it didn't improve that, but it did make my vision clearer." Eda Mae now can see colors better, she said, "but as far as reading and that, no. That's gone." She had problems with her sight for years, but, she said, "Years ago, if you complained, nobody paid attention to you." Cataracts are just beginning to form in Olive's eyes, but she began having problems with her sight in 1987. "I first found out about the agency from my sister," she said. "She goes to the one in Butler." Olive also is coping with macular degeneration. In fact, macular degeneration is one of the most common of the vision problems seen at the agency. When Olive first was diagnosed, only one eye was affected. "There are two kinds of macular degeneration, dry and wet," she explained. "My doctor said I was lucky because mine was the dry type." In 1990, she suffered a hemorrhage in the other eye, she said, "and that's what's known as the wet type." The signs of vision loss sometimes come on gradually. "Years ago, when we'd be out playing baseball or something," Eda Mae said, "when the ball would come to me, I'd lose it. As it came at me, I couldn't see the ball anymore. I couldn't catch the ball." Eda Mae is pleased with the services provided by the agency. "I have nothing but praise for them," she said. "If I need anything, they'll come and help me. If I have a doctor's appointment, they come and take me." Olive hasn't yet looked to the agency for transportation. She relies on the transportation services offered through the county's Area Agency on Aging. But, she said, "Megan's been to my place and put little things on my oven." The things are little raised dots. "They're raised so you can feel it," Megan said. "A lot of people use a certain temperature a lot, like 350 degrees, so we'll mark that." They also use the little raised dots to mark the on or off buttons of microwave ovens. "If they get a new washer or dryer, and they're not familiar with it," she explained, "we'll mark that, where they turn it on and off." If clients need a little more help than the agency is equipped to offer, Megan refers them to another state or federal agency. "We help them to get the talking watches and clocks, the magnifiers, and the solar glasses," Megan said. "We sell the items to them at cost." "Another thing we do is help people get glasses," she added. The help is based on the agency's financial quota. "Like if the person can't afford to pay for a new pair of glasses, or for the doctor's visit, we can help them with that." She also plans to hold lifeskills classes in the Kittanning office. "We tried for last month, but the weather got really bad, so now we're shooting for spring." The lifeskills classes can include just about anything, Megan said, "such as fire safety in your home." The Kittanning office is open from 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Megan said, "but I go by appointments, also, and I can be here a full day if I need to." The agency tries to reach those in need through area health fairs. They are looking forward to having a direct phone line installed in the Kittanning office, as well as more office space. The agency depends on the Lions and other organizations to provide financial help, but any amount from any source is always welcome. "We're hoping to be able to buy a car for our transportation purposes," Megan said. "Right now, I use my car for transportation and I just turn in the mileage." Eda Mae feels everyone in the county can provide one of the most important things needed by the visually impaired, and it costs nothing. It's patience. "I carry a cane, and when I'm crossing the wide streets in Kittanning, sometimes the cars don't want to wait," she said. "Some of the streets are so wide and from the time the light changes, it doesn't give you enough time to get across." Anyone wishing to help fund the agency's projects can send donations to: Butler C. Association, 322 N. McKean Street, PO Box 468, Butler, PA 16003-0468

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