Pete McCall Honored by the Alaska State Legislature
June 24, 2026
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson visited the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired with her team to present Pete McCall, our Older Blind Outreach Coordinator, with a citation from the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature.
The full citation reads:
Honoring Pete McCall for His Service at the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The members of the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature honor Pete McCall, recognizing his compassion, authenticity, and steadfast determination in service to the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Pete was raised in Cameron Parish, a small coastal community in southwest Louisiana known for its close-knit culture. His early life in a rural parish shaped his quiet strength, humility, and deep respect for community.
Pete’s professional background is in education throughout Louisiana, where he developed a steady, student-centered approach rooted in patience and presence. A professional opportunity brought him to rural Alaska, and a relationship that grew into marriage led him to make Alaska home.
In 2023, Pete became the Older Blind Outreach Coordinator at the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Although he entered the blind services field with limited prior experience, he quickly distinguished himself through his compassion, reliability, and gift to build authentic relationships. His calm presence and consistent follow-through earned the trust of staff, clients, and families alike.
Under Pete’s leadership, outreach to older Alaskans who are blind or visually impaired in Anchorage increased fivefold. He established and expanded support groups, initiated home visits, and helped to establish a book club that fosters new connections and belonging among participants.
In 2024, following the award of an Older Blind Grant to expand services to the Interior Region, Pete took on the challenge of developing programming in Fairbanks for residents age 55 and older. Traveling every six weeks, he built new partnerships with community agencies and senior centers, established support groups and home visit services, and created a growing network of clients who are now actively engaged in daily independence and community life.
Pete’s work reflects professional dedication and a deep commitment to dignity, independence, and human connection. His quiet fortitude and wholehearted service continue to strengthen the lives of older Alaskans across the state.
The members of the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature extend their admiration to Pete McCall and his continuous leadership in advancing opportunities and connection for Alaskans statewide.
Thank you to Senator Gray-Jackson and her team for coming to the Center, and to Pete for the work he does every day.
Nate Kile
Executive Director
Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Alex Ausel’s Braille Passion Project
Spring 2026
We are delighted to highlight twelve-year-old Alex Ausel. Alex and her mother, Joey Ausel, toured the Center with Executive Director Nate Kile just before this past Christmas. They came to talk about the Passion Project Alex was beginning for her sixth-grade year at Anchor Lutheran School.
Alex is fully sighted and had never met a blind person until she met Nate, who was glad to answer her questions. Her interest in blindness began in fourth grade, at age nine, after she read about Helen Keller.
Last year, Alex taught herself Grade 1 Braille as her chosen invention to study. She asked for Braille materials for her birthday in November, which her parents were blessed to find at a thrift store. This year her goal was to learn Grade 2 Braille and then design ADA-compliant signs for her school using AutoCAD and a 3D printer.
She set out to make eleven different signs (Classroom, Library, Men’s Bathroom, Women’s Bathroom, Staff Only, Gym, Exit, Sanctuary, Kitchen, Elevator, and Office) and to print 54 of them for her school by her mid-April deadline and presentation. She is nearly finished.
While touring the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Alex noticed that the Center could use some signs of its own. She is now designing and printing those for us as well.
Thank you, Alex, for your interest in and service to the blind community. You certainly deserve an A+ for your Passion Project.