Save the Date!
October 8, 2026
at the Anchorage Museum
“Mask”querade!
Seeing With Our Hearts 2026
Last October’s Seeing with Our Hearts at the Museum was our best one yet. The room was full of laughter, warmth, and good food. The silent auction had something for everyone. The money that we raised from the paddle raise is still fueling the engine for the services that our clients have been receiving this year. I am very thankful for all who supported us and am excited to announce that our first table for the October 2026 Seeing with Our Hearts has already been purchased. A big shout out to Credit Union 1 for sponsoring our mission and for believing that empowering blind and low-vision Alaskans to be successful in life and work matters.
We have several cool things for this fall event. Over the coming months we will be announcing more sponsors and activities that will be making this year another one for the books. Tables will go quickly, and sponsorships are limited.
To receive a sponsorship packet, please email our Development and Outreach Director, Caren Ailleo, at
 Eyes on the Center  A Video Message from Executive DirectorNate Kile A Message from Casey DuerProgram DirectorEach year, our family celebrates a slightly unconventional—but joy-filled—tradition: Plants vs. Zombies Day. Inspired by the classic game our kids love, we’ve turned it into a hands-on way to welcome spring and spend time together.The day is filled with laughter and creativity—water balloons get thrown at “zombies” in friendly backyard battles, we plant seeds and garden together, and we decorate to celebrate the new season. It’s a mix of play, growth, and just enough silliness to make it memorable.It may not be a traditional holiday, but it’s one that brings us together, marks the start of spring, and reminds us how meaningful it can be to create our own traditions. Save the Date!October 8, 2026at the Anchorage Museum “Mask”querade! Seeing With Our Hearts 2026   Meet Daria Ezhova, AT Instructor and Youth CoordinatorIf you’ve visited the Alaska Center for the Blind recently, chances are you’ve already felt Daria Ezhova’s warm, energetic presence. As one of our newest team members, Daria brings enthusiasm, creativity, and a welcoming spirit that helps create a calm, patient, and engaging atmosphere in the Assistive Technology space and Youth Program events. With her dark brown hair, big brown eyes, and unique sense of style, she adds a touch of creativity to each day.Daria was born and raised in West Siberia, Russia, in the city of Novosibirsk. After earning her degree in Linguistics, she began her career as a foreign language teacher, working with students of all ages—from toddlers to adults. Her dedication and leadership quickly stood out, and she soon took on a larger role organizing programs, events, and camps for elementary education while continuing to teach.Life took an exciting turn when Daria reconnected with her longtime friend Adam, whom she had met years earlier in Indiana where she stayed for a high school year as an exchange student. Their friendship grew into something more, and together they began the journey of moving Daria and her daughter to the United States. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and complicated paperwork, their perseverance paid off. Around the same time, Adam pursued his dream of joining the U.S. Army and was stationed in Alaska. Soon, Daria, her daughter, and their cat Pushok (which fittingly means “Fluff” in Russian) joined him at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.Alaska quickly captured Daria’s heart with its stunning mountains and forests. While she was used to city life back in Siberia, living in a place where moose and bears roam freely was a new adventure—especially the unforgettable moment when a bear wandered right up to her front door!After arriving in the U.S., Daria became a client of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, where she received guidance and support from her counselor, Katie Lester. She is deeply grateful for that support, which led her to enroll in a 12-week program at the Alaska Center for the Blind. There, she connected with an incredible team who helped her further embrace her visual impairment while building skills in assistive technology, orientation and mobility, and daily living. She especially enjoyed her cane travel lessons around town, hands-on cooking experiences, learning screen reader technology, and even… woodworking! These experiences not only strengthened her independence but also helped her feel at home in a new country and community.Even after completing the program, Daria stayed connected with the Center, continuing to grow and contribute. Today, we are proud to have her on staff, where she works under the guidance of Nate and Casey—both of whom she is sincerely grateful to for their support and mentorship.Daria’s journey is one of resilience, growth, and passion for helping others. We are thrilled to have her as part of our team and look forward to all the great things she will continue to bring to our community! A Message from Jacque OlsenMat-Su Outreach CoordinatorWe had a visit from Victoria Ackerman at our Living Well with Vision Loss support group in Palmer. Victoria was able to work with our seniors in the use of cane travel.   A Message from Pete McCallOlder Blind Grant CoordinatorGulf Coast Easter MemoriesGrowing up in Southern Louisiana’s Catholic community, Easter carried the same weight as Christmas. Easter morning meant two things: a brand- new set of dress clothes for Mass and a basket filled with candy. Some of the wealthier kids even received expensive gifts, making the morning feel like Christmas all over again.The new Easter clothes usually consisted of shoes, pants and a dress shirt that always seemed itchy and uncomfortable. The basket was filled with Elmer’s candy and one large chocolate bunny. Elmer’s is a mom-and-pop chocolatier from the small town of Ponchatoula, Louisiana. Although they are not known nationally, their chocolate was what every kid was hoping to find in their Easter basket.Once the morning excitement was over, we piled into the trucks and headed to church for the hour-long Easter Mass. By that time of year, the Louisiana heat and humidity had already begun to settle in, and the mosquitoes were out in full force and hungry. While we were at church, a few adults stayed behind to hide the eggs we had decorated the night before. They also hid plastic eggs filled with money. I had two wealthy uncles that were famous for slipping five, ten or even twenty-dollar bills into those plastic eggs. Those eggs were the real prizes and the ones my cousins and I fought over. The most money I ever collected from the egg hunt was forty-five dollars. Serious money for a kid in the 70’s and 80’s.After church and the Easter egg hunt, everyone gathered in the dining room for the big midday meal. Traditional dishes like baked ham and turkey filled the table, alongside regional favorites like crawfish etouffee, jambalaya and boudin. The food was plentiful, loud conversation filled the room, and no one left the table hungry.When the meal was over, you could find me outside with my cousins playing a game of football. No family gatherings with my cousins could be complete without playing football and having the inevitable fights that would break out. Our family is known for its fleet of workboats servicing the oil industry along the Gulf Coast, and on a few special occasions, we took one of the boats out into the Gulf of Mexico to fish for red snapper as the Easter celebration wound down.Easter along the Gulf Coast meant faith, family, food, football, fishing and plenty of heat and mosquitoes. They are great memories. Message from Victoria Ackerman, Orientation and Mobility, COMS, TVI, Low Vision SpecialistThis Easter, whether you’re hunting for eggs or setting out on a brand-new route, it all comes down to trust—trust in your white cane, your skills, and yes, sometimes a helpful human guide along the way. The Easter Bunny may get by on hopping, but we know the real magic is in strong orientation, effective cane techniques, and the confidence to explore what’s ahead (hidden eggs included).Spring brings fresh starts—new routes to travel, new skills to build, and new confidence to carry you forward. And while the Easter Bunny might take a shortcut or two, we’re here to make sure you reach your destination safely and independently.After all, if the Easter Bunny can navigate house to house in the dark, imagine what you can do with solid orientation and mobility skills. Finding eggs is just a bonus—finding your way with confidence is what we’re truly celebrating this season.   A Message from Activities of Daily Living with Tom ClassEaster for me is a time to focus on my faith. It is one of the two main Christian holidays, and I usually enjoy it by spending time with family and friends, enjoying good company and reflecting on the many blessings in my life. Thinking back, I can’t remember a single Easter in which a large family gathering was not happening. After the morning church service, There was always great food, lots of laughs, and of Corse candy.I’m pretty sure that this is the only day where Chocolate was considered an actual food group. And like most other Alaskan families, all the children bundled up for a snowy wet egg hunt. It never failed, there would always be at least one plastic egg found every summer after the snow melted.In closing, Easter is definitely one day I always looked forward too. Even if it’s holiday mascot is the most objectively creepy of them all. Also, I want to end with a joke.Why do bunny rabbets make good brewers? They have hops, and know how to use them. An Article about Kevin Whitley, Manual Skills Instructor as it appeared in The Senior VoiceKevin Whitley came to Alaska from Baytown, Texas, in 1972 at the age of 9. His father was drawn to Alaska to work on the transcontinental pipeline. So, the family packed their bags and moved more than 3,000 miles away to start a new life in Alaska.The move was anything but easy. Kevin had to adjust from the hot, humid plains of East Texas to the cold, mountainous landscape of Alaska. But little by little, he adapted. He swapped his football for a hockey stick, embracing the northern lifestyle, as his Texas accent began to fade. Kevin was adapting.After graduating from West Anchorage High School, Kevin joined the Job Corps and trained as a mason. He built a normal life raising a family and pouring concrete for many of Anchorage’s buildings as a mason. He didn’t know it then, but those hands-on skills would become important later in life.In 2009, tragedy struck. Kevin became the victim of a violent crime that left him completely blind. The fiercely independent man had to confront a new reality, one in which he suddenly needed help.At first, Kevin resisted reaching out to the Alaska Center for the Blind. Still deep in the anger stage of grief, he didn’t want assistance from anyone. Yet he knew he had to evolve and reluctantly reached out to the center.Slowly, a new world opened. As Kevin gained skills and confidence, he began reclaiming his independence. Woodshop instructor Lowell Zercher encouraged Kevin to reconnect with something he feared he had lost forever: the ability to work with his hands. Kevin was slowly regaining his independence. Bonnie Lucas taught him to navigate computers and smartphones without sight. Kevin was evolving.When Lowell retired in 2016, Kevin stepped into his role. Fulfilling a promise he made to Lowell that one day, he would have his job. Today, he proudly passes on the skills that helped him rebuild his life. Today, Kevin is an avid skier and traveler. Over the past year alone, he has skied in Colorado, Wisconsin and even Norway. He also travels to Fairbanks bimonthly to give presentations and provide phone training, continuing to pass on the skills he gained from the center.When I travel with Kevin around Anchorage, I never need GPS. He can guide us around Anchorage from memory, recalling the countless places he poured concrete as a mason.This Alaskan has adapted. He has evolved. And today, Kevin Whitley is thriving. A Look at Our Spring Youth Program       Meet Alex Ausel12 year old, Alex Ausel. Alex and her mother Joey Ausel, came and did a tour with Nate Kyle just before this past Christmas. They spoke with him about the Passion Project she was starting to work on for her 6th grade project at Anchor Lutheran School.Alex is fully sighted and has never met a blind person until she met Nate (who was helpful and kind at answering her questions). Alex developed an interest in the subject of blindness ever since reading about Helen Keller in 4th grade at age 9.Alex learned Grade 1 Braille on her own last year as her chosen invention to study (picture attached with her hot glue Braille and the Braille she asked for her birthday in November, and her parents were blessed to find at a thrift store.Her goal this year was to learn Grade 2 Braille and then design, using AUTOCAD and a 3D printer, ADA compliant signs for her school.She has decided to make 11 different signs (Classroom, Library, Men’s Bathroom, Women’s Bathroom, Staff Only, Gym, Exit, Sanctuary, Kitchen, Elevator, Office) and print a total of 54 of them for her school by the mid-April project deadline and presentation.She is nearly complete.When touring the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired building, she noticed that the Center neede some signs. She is designing and printing them for us.  Thank You TOTE Maritime for Your Generous Donation to the Center. Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired3903 Taft DriveAnchorage, AK 99517907-248-7770www.alaskabvi.org |
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