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History

The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio has a distinguished history of service to people throughout Northwest Ohio who are blind or visually impaired. Founded in 1923 as The Toledo Society for the Blind by members of the Lions Club, the Community Chest, the Toledo Rotary Club, and the Chamber of Commerce, the organization has not strayed from its original commitment: that all individuals who are blind or visually impaired should have the opportunity to live life with dignity and self-respect.

The Sight Center’s services have evolved to reflect society’s changing views about people with disabilities and technological advances. Today, The Sight Center serves an 18-county region in Northwest Ohio as well as parts of Southeast Michigan and Central Ohio, providing a unique blend of low vision programs and services that can help people of all ages work, learn, play, and live independently with permanent vision loss.

History Timeline

1923

• • • Joseph F. Clunk, a prominent blindness advocate, who was also blind, interested members of the downtown Toledo Lions Club in forming an organization for services to Blind people.
    • Dr. Harry S. Will, a Professor of Sociology at Toledo University, was hired to conduct a study of 186 blind individuals from the community to determine the need for a Society for the Blind in the region.
    • The Toledo Society For The Blind was formed on 11-01-23.
    • For a short time, a room was rented at the Social Services building on 572 Ontario Street, before moving to two rooms rented at 136 Huron.
    • Happy Times and Progressive Clubs organized.
    • Became an affiliate of the Community Chest (United Way).

1925

• • • Moved to the Valentine Building. Dance classes were held during their time in this location.

1927

• • • Toledo Society for the Blind incorporated on October 4th, paperwork officially filed the next day.

 

 

 

• • • Received $10,000 from the Edward Drummond Libbey estate.
    • An additional $3,500 was donated by board president Edward E. Evans, who took a second mortgage on his house (he was later paid back).
    • Moved to 718 Michigan Street, a 10-bedroom house.
    • Began sheltered workshop activities designed to provide gainful employment to blind members of the community.
    • A formal workshop was added in 1930.

 

 

 

 

 

1934

• • • Named distributor of Talking Books for Northwest Ohio. One of first 100 machines placed in the United States.

 

 

 

1942-1943

• • • Workshop produced hundreds of thousands of waterproof liners to transport Jeep parts as part of the war effort.

 

 

 

1956

• • • New building at 1819 Canton made possible by private donations from individuals, Lions and Zonta Clubs. Dedicated to Edward E. Evans on Sunday, June 17^th.

 

 

1957

• • • Longtime board president Edward E. Evans retires and John Goerlich becomes the president for the next 20 years.

 

 

 

1959

• Products manufactured from the workshop began to be sold under the Skilcraft trademark- a nationally recognized copyright for items manufactured by blind workers.
  

• • Christmas Card Sale began and ran for 33 years.

 

 

1966

• • • “Operation Lazy Eye” launched to screen children’s eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

1967

• • • Rehabilitation services began.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1968

• • • Eye Clinic established at St. Vincent Community Medical Clinic. The clinic was started as a result of a $5,000 contribution from the Toledo Lions Club.

1969

• • • Activities of Daily Living Apartment established.

1970

• • • Low Vision Eye Clinic Opened at St. Vincent Hospital. Room rent and equipment are funded in part by the Lions Club. Six ophthalmologists volunteered their time every Thursday and Friday.

1978

• • • Receive initial accreditation by National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC). Accreditation has been maintained ever since.

1979

• • • Agency renamed, “The Sight Center”; legal title remains Toledo Society for the Blind.

• • • First of two major renovations to the building, costing $247,300

1982

• • • Weekly radio program began at Scott High School.

1984

• • • Introduced the John Goerlich Distinguished Service Award.

1985

• • • Agency leases sheltered workshop to Zepf Community Mental Health Service – MERIT Industries.

1987

• • • First Capital Funds Campaign raised money for the front lobby elevator.

• • • Building renovated to become fully accessible for the community.

1989

• • • SCAN, The Sight Center Audio Network, inaugurated – ran 17 years.

1990

• • • Introduced Iris Award for Volunteers.

1991

• • • Established an endowment for children‘s eyeglasses with Jamie Farr Golf Classic support.

1992

• • • Opened the Vision Rehabilitation Service Clinic in October.

1996

• • • The Sight Center received its first funding through Ohio’s Independent Living grant program.

2000

• • • The Sight Center formed a relationship with Prevent Blindness Ohio (PBO).
    • Agency received its first funding through the Area Office on Aging of Northwest Ohio.

2003

• • • Agency renamed “The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio.”

2004

• • • The Sight Center launched the Building a Vision for the Future Capital Campaign to raise $1.65 million for the property purchase and construction of a new building.

2007

• • • Moved into new building in South Toledo at 1002 Garden Lake Parkway, Toledo, OH 43614

2015

• • • Opened The Shop, a low vision products store, at The Sight Center.

2017

• • • Longtime relationship with United Way of Greater Toledo ends due to dramatic changes in United Way funding priorities.

2019

• • • Celebrated 40 consecutive years of national accreditation after successful AER certification process (formerly NAC).

2020

• • • Expanded the Early Childhood Program to include home visits and specialized intervention services.

 

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