Image of Dragonfly
APRIL/MAY, 2021
KEEPING FIT
Even though Covid prohibited such Vibes activities as tandem bicycling and walking with Delta Gamma, members became creative in discovering new ways in which we could all stay fit in spite of limits to in person gatherings.

AUDIO YOGA
An easy way to keep up your fitness and flexibility is with a Described Yoga Class lead by blind skier and yoga practitioner Marie Pacini. This is a gentle, but focused, routine for all levels. It is a very clearly described thirty-minute session of strength building and stretching. This class is available for free on Youtube. To access the Youtube website, click here. If you want to attend additional classes, there is a button that allows you to subscribe.

WORKOUT WITH KRISTAL
Another workout opportunity for Vibes members has been a one-hour workout led by professional trainer, Kristal. We just finished a set of three sessions held once a month. We will have another three session, once a month, segment in the fall. No special equipment is needed beyond what is found in every home such as a pillow, towel, a chair, and of course a bottle of water. A unique feature of this workout is that it is on Zoom allowing Kristal to see what everyone is doing and can provide feedback on their moves. After the session, Kristal emails the list of exercises so that participants can continue to practice them twice a week. Watch the newsletter for the fall workouts to be announced.

FIT FOR BATTLE
Fit for Battle is an online fitness app in which participants walk, run, or jog while battling goblins and other strange creatures. While holding the iPhone, participants move (eg. run in place), and the faster they go, the more power they have to destroy the enemy. Members gather via Zoom on Sunday afternoons for the workout. Contact Illya for information on how to participate.
APRIL CALENDAR
2-General Meeting, 7:00 pm
4,11,18,24 Fit For Battle, 3:00 pm
11-Chat on the porch; 7:00 pm
15-Leadership Meeting; 7:00 pm
16-The Core; 7:00 pm
18-Book Club-7:00 pm
25-Chat on the Porch; 7:00 pm


  MAY CALENDAR
2,9,16,23,30-Fit for Battle, 3:00 pm
9-Chat on the porch; 7:00 pm
16-Book Club, 7:00 pm
20-Leadership Meeting; 7:00 pm
21-The Core; 7:00 pm
23-Chat on the Porch-7:00 pm

WHAT IS NEW THIS MONTH ON OUR BLOG PAGE?
SECRETS OF A HOTEL STAY AS A BLIND PERSON
What is it like to be alone in a hotel room where everything is unfamiliar to you if you are blind? John has some suggestions of questions you should ask before the hotel representative leaves the room. Read the blog at CLUB-VIBES.ORG

COMMENTS
We would like to hear from you. Add your comments at http://club-vibes.org/blog/ or at the blog on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/clubvibesgroup/

SUBSCRIBE
To guarantee that you do not miss any of our blogs, you can subscribe to them on our website, http://club-vibes.org/blog/
NEWS
IT WAS AN AMAZING SUCCESS!
by Sarah
During the weekends of March 13 and 14 and March 20 and 21, Club VIBES held a virtual silent auction to help raise funds to cover medical expenses for one of our members, Jacoby Yarbro, who recently received a kidney transplant. In the months leading up to the auction, items were donated from members and friends of Club VIBES as well as local businesses. A total of 67 packages were created and placed up for bidding. The auction was advertised via social media and on the local news. An email account was set up to accept bids. The auction ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 13, 14, 20, and 21. The auction was a huge success with 64 out of 67 packages sold. We would like to thank everyone who helped make this auction a success, including donors, volunteers, and bidders. We especially wanted to thank Delta Gamma Sorority for their help in monitoring bids on the days of the auction. We could not have done this without everyone’s support. 



CHECKING IN ON JACOBY
by Jacoby
I am back home and trying not to cause too much trouble. Smile! Since my surgery, life has given me more time to focus on things that I was not able to do in the past 4+ years that I was on dialysis. My surgical incision has healed up nicely and the pains I had post-surgery have pretty much dissipated. Currently, I am visiting my transplant clinic every other week and in May I will go to a schedule of once a month. While I am not out of the woods yet, I definitely can say, there is a lot more light at the end of this tunnel. Thank you to everyone who has lifted me in thoughts & prayers, and has checked in on me and offered assistance while I recover. This journey was a lot more bearable because I had so many shoulders to lean on. Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart!

WATCH JACOBY ON WBIR
Live-at-Five-at-Four on WBIR aired a story about Jacoby and the road he followed to get to his new kidney. Click here to watch the segment.

WAY TO GO, PAIGE
by Paige
To get into the National Honor Society I had to meet certain requirements. I had to have a 3.8 GPA. I also had to get 2 recommendations from my teachers. I will be officially inducted in the fall and I will have to do service projects.

Club Vibes is proud of Paige's accomplishment!
GUIDED BIKE RIDE
(The photo to the right shows Marian, Uli, Arlene and Ruben on the greenway)
One of the packages in the auction was a guided bike ride on the Third Creek Greenway with lunch at Calhoun's. This was purchased by Vibes member, Marian, and the beautiful weather on April 6 was a perfect day for this adventure. Marian and her husband Uli rode their tandem and were "guided" along the greenway by Vibes board member, Arlene and her husband Ruben. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed a leisurely outdoor lunch before starting the return trip to the beginning of the greenway.
MEMBERS
BLIND SKATEBOARDING ANYONE?
There are some very adventurous (or crazy) blind and visually impaired persons doing sports that are seemingly impossible for those with visual disabilities and which even most sighted persons are afraid to try. With some modifications, more is possible than you think. The Eyes-Free Sports Podcast is a collection of stories about blind athletes that do various sports including track and field, judo, skiing, and yes, skateboarding and rock climbing. Click here to go to the Eyes Free Sports Podcast website where you can listen to thirty-three different stories about blind athletes.

THE CORE
by Owen
Core’s objective is to highlight various career paths to our members. We plan to have people who are successful discuss their journey in their chosen fields. We will introduce some non-traditional career paths being pursued by blind individuals and areas that don’t require a four year degree.  We also plan to invite speakers who are entrepreneurs, not just with the state vendor program, but people who have started their own businesses without government assistance. Sessions on resume building, tips on preparing for an interview, follow-up letters, professional networking, and self-advocacy are some topics we're also working on. These career development sessions will be presented virtually through zoom the third Friday of each month. Sessions are available to all Club Vibes members and members can also invite peers from their networking groups. 
FUNDRAISING
WATCH FOR WHAT IS COMING NEXT
Club Vibes usually has a major fundraiser every year with the proceeds earmarked for a particular Vibes activity. In the past, before Covid, we took a trip every two years with the purpose of exposing Vibes members to what they need to learn in to travel independently and to realize that it is possible for a blind or visually impaired person to travel whether for work or pleasure. Another focus of these trips was to enjoy recreation together and experience new places, foods, and forms of transportation. This year our major fundraiser was the Kidney 4 Jacoby auction, described at the top of this newsletter. We thank all who helped make this a success.

Keep on the lookout for what is coming next.
TECH AND MEDIA
AUDIO DESCRIPTIONS WITH STREAMING MOVIES
It is often difficult for persons who are blind or low vision to follow the plot of movies unless there is someone who can describe the action that is taking place. The popular streaming service, Netflix, has gone a long way in making its content more accessible to those with vision impairments. Much of the Netflix content has audio descriptions that allow the viewer to understand the visual content of the movie. Netflix is available by subscription and can be viewed on most devices including smartphones, computers and TV sets. For information on how to use this service, there is an excellent article in the AFB publication, Accessworld. Click here to read the article. To go to the Netflix website, click here. You can also call Netflix at 844-505-2993.

 THANK YOU TO OUR PROGRAM PARTNERS FOR 2020-2021    
PLATINUM 
DELTA GAMMA FRATERNITY 
THE NALLS SHERBAKOFF GROUP LLC.
SILVER
WEST KNOX LIONS CLUB  
SMOKY MOUNTAIN WHEELMEN

BRONZE    
Ruth E. Bailey, D.D.S.
COSMETIC DENTISTRY OF KNOXVILLE