Support Groups Around Arkansas

Have you recently lost your vision and looking for others in a similar position or people who can relate to what you're going through? Check out some of these local support groups all around the state!

El Dorado

Group Name	S.I.G.H.T. Group
Location	Our Savior Lutheran Church, 900 West Faulkner, El Dorado, AR 71730
When	Third Sundays - 2:30 p.m. (except holidays)
Contact	Pat Qualls | 870-862-2225

Fayetteville

Group Name	Cross Disabilities Support Group
Location	Sources for Community Independent Living Services , Scullcreek Apartments, 2619 North Quality Lane, Fayetteville, AR 72703
When	Tuesdays - 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Contact	Brooke Bell | 479-442-5600 | Toll Free: 888-284-7521 | TDD: 479-251-1378
Group Name	Focus on Ability Blind or Low Vision Support Group
Location	Sources for Community Independent Living Services, 1918 North Birch Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72703
When	Mondays - 11 a.m. - noon
Contact	Sandra Bullins | 479-442-5600 | Toll Free: 888-284-7521 | TDD: 479-251-1378
Group Name	Job Club
Location	Sources for Community Independent Living Services, 1918 North Birch Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72703
When	Thursdays - 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Contact	Howard Funkhouser | 479-442-5600 | Toll Free: 888-284-7521 | TDD: 479-251-1378
Group Name	Self Advocacy Support Group
Location	Sources for Community Independent Living Services, 1918 North Birch Ave. , Fayetteville, AR 72703
When	Wednesdays - 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Contact	Brooke Bell | 479-442-5600 | Toll Free: 888-284-7521 | TDD: 479-251-1378

Little Rock

Group Name	Division of Services for the Blind Job Club
Location	DSB Tech Lab, 700 Main Street, Little Rock, AR 72203
When	Mondays - 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Contact	501-682-5463 | Toll Free: 800-960-9270
Group Name	First Lutheran Church Support Group for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Location	First Lutheran Church, 314 East 8th Street, Little Rock, AR 72202
When	Third Tuesdays - 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Contact	Dale Hoff | 501-224-7393
Group Name	Mainstream Peer Group
Location	Mainstream Independent Living Resources Center, 300 South Rodney Parham, Suite #5, Little Rock, AR 72205
When	2nd Wednesdays - 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Contact	Saundra Harris Brent | 501-280-0012 - Ext. 124

Mountain Home

Group Name	Visually Impaired Persons (VIP)
Location	The North Church of Christ, College and North Streets, Mountain Home, AR 72653
When	Last Wednesdays - noon to 2:00 p.m. (except November and December)
Contact	Donna Smith | 870-425-4330

Ozark

Group Name	Ozark Low Vision Support Group
Location	Ozark First Baptist Church, 304 West Market Street, Ozark, AR 72949
When	Last Tuesdays - 3:00 p.m.
Contact	Brenda Mann | 479-667-2204

Paragould

Group Name	Greene Co. Low Vision Support Group
Location	Senior Citizen Center, 123 North 12th Street, Paragould, AR 72450
When	Third Tuesdays - 12:30 p.m.
Contact	Margaret Johnson | 870-236-8498

Searcy

Group Name	Vision Impaired Support Information Opportunities and Networking (V.I.S.I.O.N.)
Location	Harding Place Retirement Community, 801 Benton Street, Searcy, AR 72143
When	1st Mondays 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Contact	Mollie Hernandez | 501-230-9474 | 501-305-3100

Springdale

Group Name	Ozarks Chapter Arkansas Council of the Blind
Location	Denny's Restaurant, Highway 412 West, Springdale, AR 72764
When	Third Sundays - 3:30 p.m.
Contact	John Sullivan | 479-925-8472

Texarkana

Group Name	Collins Senior Center
Location	Collins Senior Center, 3000 Texas Blvd., Texarkana, TX 75501
When	Fourth Tuesdays - 12:15 p.m.
Contact	903-794-4852

White Hall     

Group Name	Pine Bluff Area Support Group
Location	White Hall Library, 300 Anderson Street, White Hall, AR 71602
When	TBA (They meet 4 times a year.)
Contact	Helen Williams | 501-993-8363 | 870-247-5064

Mental Health Tip of the Week

Seven Things Happy People Do and Seven Things They Don’t

Feeling better about your life IS within your control.

By: Suzanne Degges-White Ph.D.

Decades of studies of happiness and emotional well-being have proven that experiencing greater happiness is within the control of almost every individual. There’s no magic cure for misery, but multiple cognitive, emotional, and physical behaviors can multiply your chances of feeling better about your life.

Things Happy People Choose Not to Do

They don’t dwell on setbacks or unpleasantness. Ruminating on negative thoughts crowds out space for positive thinking while also creating grooves in the brain that allow negative thought processes to become the go-to track.

They don’t stress out when things don’t go their way. Take a breath, consider your options, and then move forward. Stress and anxiety don't allow your brain to assess situations and generate elegant solutions.

They don’t waste time or energy on resentment or envy of other people’s successes. If the Facebook feeds of friends or family just leave you frustrated with your own life, stop surfing them. Post what you want, if you still want to, and log off.

They don’t jump to conclusions if things don’t turn out the way they want. This applies in relationships, on the job, or in life. Jumping to conclusions takes our thoughts to our less helpful and less healthy assessments and beliefs. Look deeper, reflect more, and seek out more effective solutions

They don’t catastrophize the complications or glitches they run into in life. No one’s life runs like a well-oiled machine 100 percent of the time. When you turn the proverbial molehill into a mountain, all you do is make your job harder and create more work for yourself and more negative thinking to combat.

They don’t waste time trying to force a “perfect life.” When we learn to let go of the things that we can’t control, it frees up more energy to better shape the things that we can.

They don’t spend as much time worrying about their own problems as they spend engaged in healthy interactions with others. An outward focus is key to getting out of your own way and experiencing the happiness to be found in everyday living.

Things Happy People Absolutely Choose to Do

They focus on what is going right in life. Positive thinking generates gratitude and an appreciative state of mind. These two things both increase happiness.

They give the brain time to reset, every day. Meditation gives our brains a chance to let go of negative thoughts and “erase” the damage that negative thinking can do.

They practice awareness of the world around you. They stay grounded in the present rather than ruminating about the past because you can’t plot a course for the future if you can’t let go of your past.

They debunk negative thoughts. When the brain is mired in negative thought patterns, you need to challenge those thoughts by testing them against reality. You can only control so much: Things like the weather and other people are beyond your reach. So let go of negative thoughts and faulty thinking that get in the way of your well-being.

They create a strong social support network. The value of this can’t be overestimated: Every study of happiness point to the presence of a healthy support network as a key predictor.

They focus on belonging. Once you develop your network or find your tribe, be willing to work out differences, practice forgiveness, and stay engaged in relationships.

They take part in give and take with others to cement relationships and enhance well-being. A burden shared is a burden halved. Ask for support when needed and be willing to offer support in return.

They say that happiness is a choice, but sometimes it’s the result of multiple little choices that work together to buoy us and keep us afloat when challenges appear.

Ultimate BLT Recipe

With summer in full swing, a BLT is a must with the wonderfully ripe tomatoes! If you're looking for a new BLT recipe read on to find out how to make the perfect savory summer sandwich!

original article from Bon Appetit

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup (packed) dark brown sugar (optional)
• 4 teaspoons chipotle chile powder (optional)
• 4 teaspoons smoked paprika (optional)
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided (optional)
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup (optional)
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 pounds thick-cut bacon
• 2 heads of red romaine lettuce, separated into individual leaves
• 4 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
• 16 ½-inch slices white bread, toasted, such as pan de mie
• Mayonnaise, Sriracha Mayonnaise, and/or Lemon-Herb Mayonnaise (for serving)
• Flaky sea salt, freshly ground pepper

• RECIPE PREPARATION

  • Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°.
  • If making brown-sugar rub, whisk brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, and 1 tsp. kosher salt in a small bowl.
  • If making maple-mustard glaze, whisk maple syrup, mustard, cayenne, and remaining ½ tsp. kosher salt in another small bowl.
  • For plain bacon, divide between 2 wire racks set inside large foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake, rotating baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until brown and crisp, 35–50 minutes (depending on the thickness of the bacon). Transfer to paper towels to drain.
  • For flavored bacon, generously sprinkle desired amount (you’ll have enough rub and glaze for 1 lb. bacon each) with rub or brush with glaze about 5 minutes before it is done cooking. Rub should be melted and bubbling and glaze should look thick and caramelized.
  • Arrange bacon on a large platter and serve with lettuce, tomatoes, toast, mayonnaise, Sriracha Mayonnaise, Lemon-Herb Mayonnaise, sea salt, and pepper alongside for building sandwiches.

Museum in Texas offers Touch Tours for those who are Blind

A museum in Austin, Texas now offers touch tours to those who are Blind and Visually impaired. Hopefully, Arkansas will follow suit soon! 

original article from Austin 360

The sense of touch and the physical qualities of sculpture seem supremely well-matched, depending on the vulnerability of the materials to human contact.

The Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, which is free over the summer thanks to donations from the McBee Family Foundation and others, has always encouraged contact with certain sturdy works of outdoor art.

(Climbing remains out of bounds. And don’t touch the indoor art.)

Now the Umlauf offers, in partnership with the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, “Touch Tours” for the blind and visually impaired.

Hiking after Losing Your Sight - An Unlikely Pair

An unlikely pair have formed a partnership that has transformed the way they experience the outdoors. Keep on reading to find out about this inspirational story when dealing with sight loss and a love of the outdoors! 

The original article from Good News Network

This Colorado pair brings new meaning to the word “determination”. When one couldn’t walk and the other couldn’t see, they teamed up to share their love of the great outdoors.

Melanie Knecht was born with spina bifida, so she uses a wheelchair to get around. Trevor Hahn only recently became blind after he contracted glaucoma five years ago. Both living in Fort Collins, Colorado, the two met at an adaptive boxing class—and they soon ran into each other again at an adaptive rock-climbing class.

They immediately bonded over Knecht’s lifelong hobby of camping and Hahn’s passion for outdoor sports. When she told him about her recent trip to Easter Island, where she got the opportunity to be carried on another person’s back, it was a “eureka” moment. 

Even though his sight was gone, he’d been able to scale a Himalayan peak, using poles and spoken directions from his companions. They started small, but next month—with her vision and his strength—they will trek to the top of a 14,000-foot mountain. 

“It just seemed like common sense,” Knecht told Good Morning America. “He’s the legs, I’m the eyes — boom! Together, we’re the dream team.” 
At the start of each hike, a friend lifts Knecht into a carrier on Hahn’s back. From that point on, she gives him verbal directions to navigate the trail. Since February, they have been sharing their hiking adventures on Instagram. 

“It made me so happy to help someone experience what I’ve been able to experience my whole life,” Hahn told GMA. “The best part is being able to make her smile—that gives me purpose.”

In addition to this sense of purpose, the two share an understanding of how difficult it can be asking able-bodied or sighted people for assistance in everyday life. They get immeasurable satisfaction from being able to do this on their own.

While the two accept that others appreciate what they’ve been able to do, they’re not looking for accolades—they just want others to encourage inclusive and adaptive solutions for their friends with disabilities. 

“Don’t not include them because you think they won’t be able to do something.”

Blind High Schooler Shatters Records

A high schooler in Washington State has been smashing track records with the help of a fellow student who has been his guide. He was paired up with a fellow track athlete and since then, has been breaking numerous records and is even going to the Junior Olympics! Read on below for this inspiring story: 

Article originally from: Q 13 Fox

SNOHOMISH, Wash-- Snohomish High School Sophomore Humoody Smith spent this past spring shattering the competition and perceptions by overcoming some pretty remarkable challenges.

He’s blind, but that hasn’t stopped him sprinting around a track, thanks in part to another student.

Smith was hit in the face by gunfire in Iraq when he was two years old.

His parents in Iraq sent Humoody to live with a family Snohomish County to get facial reconstruction surgery, one of 29 surgeries he would need.

“The family that I’m with now said that they’d keep me," Smith said with a smile. "Ha, they didn’t know what they’d get into.”

Despite being blind, Smith got into everything. Ice skating, wrestling, playing football and basketball -- always finding ways to overcome. But to compete in track, he needed someone to keep him on track.

His track coach took a stab at an unlikely candidate, pole vaulter Zeb Kumley.

“I was a little confused as to why he chose me,” Kumley said.

It just clicked. The two were off and running with Kumley guiding Smith using an elastic band attaching both sprinters at the hand.

Hard work and determination put them on track to do something special.

“I won state in the 100 ambulatory division. I won state in 200 ambulatory division. I won state in the 400 ambulatory division,” Smith said.  “It was the perfect way to cap a really solid season. It's a testament of Zeb really.”

As a guide, Kumley’s name will never appear in the record books.

“Who cares about winning titles," Kumley said. " I just want to run with the guy.”

It shows all of us, you don’t need to see what’s in front of you to realize when you’ve already won.

Smith said, “It’s a very dependent relationship, and I think it’s made us better as individuals.”

Smith qualified for the Junior Olympics this summer. Kumley is going off to college in the fall at Montana State University.

His school year wraps up early and he’s hoping to return and run with Smith again next year.

“Never assume where you can find friends," Kumley said. "Because I definitely did not expect to find a friend in Humoody and I ended up getting a brother out of it.”