Vision donation has real impacts

VISION Australia’s Ballarat office has received a $30,000 donation from a charitable trust.

The money will be used to prepare seeing eye dogs and support their use within the community.

“It will allow us to provide equipment, provide training, expand the program, be able to provide more puppies into the environment up here in Ballarat, and hopefully be able to provide more seeing eye dogs,” said Kate Turner, puppy development trainer with Vision Australia.

“[Currently] there is a wait list of up to two years.”

Ms Turner said that along with seeing eye dogs, Vision Australia provided a range of crucial services for vision impaired and blind people that helped them achieve equality in access within the community.

They include employment consultants, kids’ services, occupational therapy and orientation and mobility programs Ash Finn has been working with Vision Australia for much of her life and said the origination has made a real difference.

“Vision have been pretty much like my second family,” she said.

“I’ve learnt a lot from Vision and it’s given me different perspectives on interacting in the community and general independence.

“I come down here to do pottery and that’s bolstered one of my hobbies and given me a social environment. It’s good to interact with people who are in a similar situation to me, i.e. have eye problems, and can relate some of the things I have to go through.”

Her seeing eye dog, Quinney, is second animal she’s received from Vision Australia and he’s a big part of her independence and quality of life.

“He gives me a lot more freedom,” she said. “I don’t have to rely on a cane or a sighted guide quite as much, especially in difficult environments he makes it easier to negotiate, he’s good company and he’s a good icebreaker as well.”

The donation came from Dorothy Downey Charitable Trust and is on top of $45,000 in previous contributions.

Administrated by BJT Legal, senor council at the firm Andrew Byrne said the late Ms Downey left instructions to allocate money to a number of unspecified organisations.

“She left on trusts to enable us to decide appropriate charities within the Ballarat area,” he said.

“[Like] Ballarat Health Services and other charities that certainly help people.

“She said simply said she like to make sure that both animal welfare and vision impaired people… are properly provided for.”