Visionary Volunteers: Service for Sight
What is Service for Sight?
Delta Gamma's official Philanthropy created to support individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
Who are the Boulder Guide Dogs?
A volunteer group in Boulder Colorado that raised, socializes, and trains puppies for "Guide Dogs for the Blind" with dogs typically being 8 weeks to 15-20 months old.
What is the Anchor Center?
It is one of five schools that aid blind and visually impaired children, founded by Delta Gamma.
What are the two main philanthropic fundraising events we host each year?
Fall: Spike for sight
Spring: pizza and puppies
What are some ways to keep your eyes protected and heathy?
1. Have yearly eye checks
2. heathy diet
3. Don't smoke
4. avoid spending ling periods of time looking at a screen
5. Use suunglasses
6. Use contact correctly: avoid infection by washing your hands and disinfecting the lenses and replacing them when needed.
she was blind since childhood
Where is the largest chapter of guide dog school in the country?
THE BOULDER GUIDE DOGS!!
How many Delta Gamma Schools for Children with Visual Impairments are there across the country? Bonus: where are they?
1) 5
2)
Blind Children’s Center, Los Angeles
Foundation for Blind Children, Phoenix
Anchor Center for Blind Children, Denver
Children’s Center for the Visually impaired, Kansas City
Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments, St. Louis
What two organizations does our chapter donate to?
1. Service for Sight
2. Boulder Guide Dogs
- our chapter is the Boulder Guide Dogs biggest donators for the organization
What percentage of vision problems can be avoided or curable through prevention and treatment?
80% !!!!! Make sure you're always being safe and taking precautions
Why was Service for Sight originally established?
in 1936, Delta Gamma Ruth Billow, who was blind, asked the Delta Gamma Convention body to adopt "aiding the blind" as Delta Gamma's Official philanthropy!
What dog breed is traditionally trained to become a guide dog?
Labs! Labradors are typically considered to be the ideal candidate for a guide dog because of their high intelligence, theyre food driven, and responsive.
How many children annually does the anchor center help?
Because of primary donations funded by Delta Gamma and through their fundraising event, we are able to continue to make a HUGE impact right here in our community.
How does Phi support service for sight and the foundation?
1. delta gamma schools for children with visual impairments
2. Do good service hours
3. Fundraising and directed giving for Service for sight non profits
How much of the eyeball is exposed to the outside world? 1/3, 1/5 or 1/6?
1/6!! Your eye may seem small but its actually roughly the size of a golfball!
In 2024-2025, roughly how much money in service for sight grants has delta gamma given?
$925,000
How do guide dogs help the visually impaired and blind? (name a few ways)
They help them navigate safely by steering their handlers around obstacles, steer their handlers away from harm by disobeying instruction, navigate to specific locations, requested items, or doors stairs crosswalks, chairs or elevator. Above physical navigation they provide emotional support and increased independence for their handlers.
What is leading visual impairment in children?
Refractive errors affect nearly 20% of childcare, causing blurry vision
- Myopia: difficult seeing distant objects clearly
- hyperopiaL: difficult seeing close objects clearly
- astigmatism: blurred vision at all distances due to irregular shaped cornea lenses.
How much money yearly do we as a chapter raise?
roughly around $50,000!
What is often the first sign of glaucoma?
1. Red itchy eyes
2. loss of peripheral vision
3. sharper vision
2. Loss of peripheral vision
- get your yearly eye exam!!
How many service hours were logged by collegians and alumnae?
200,000 service hours!
What is the average life work for a guide dog?
8 weeks - 12-16 months- trained as a candidate for guide dog school
3-4 months of formal training period
after training dog is match with handler for training period of roughly 3 weeks
works for 6-8 years
typically retires around 8- 10 years old.
Name 1 feature (or more for bonus) the anchor center facilities offer for children to help them navigate.
1. sensory garden: an outdoor sensory garden, a cane walk lane for navigating practice, and a braille trail.
2. Acoustic rooms: rooms designed to be directional without echo, helping children with sound location
3. tactile environment: buildings use different textured floors to help teach children how to safely navigate
4. Lighting: the structure uses light wells to bring in natural light, helping children with some vision navigate using light and shadow.
How many merit based scholarships does our chapter offer?
1) Amanda MacDonald Memorial Scholarship
2) Carlen Penfold Memorial Scholarship
3) Patricia Fosdick Thinger Honorary Scholarship
What is the term for when you have two different color eyes?
Heterochromia