About Us

With the dedication of interested professionals and community leaders, VIC was incorporated as a non-profit on September 1, 2006, granted 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service in June 2007, and started providing services for people with vision loss in Central Washington in October 2008. Two local optometrists, Dr. Dale Graf and Dr. Byron Thomas, perform low vision evaluations at VIC’s low vision clinic. The entire support staff of the clinic and the clinic store is comprised of volunteers.

Help Brings Hope

Adjusting to vision loss caused by eye diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and retinitis pigmentosa brings about life-changing challenges to individuals and their families. An increasing number of people worldwide and in our community are affected by vision loss. VIC was formed to meet the needs of these individuals and their families.

The Need

The most recent statistics of severe visual impairment in Washington State document 3,834 people with severe vision impairment who reside in Yakima County and 575 in Kittitas County (“Severely Visually Impaired Persons of Washington State: County Distribution by Age Ranges, 2000,” published by Washington State Department of Services for the Blind in 2000). In recent years, the number of people who have vision loss caused by diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration has risen nationwide, indicating increasing needs for vision rehabilitation services in the future.

In November/December 2007, VIC sent a survey to all 40 eye care physicians in Yakima and Kittitas Counties. 29 eye care physicians returned the survey. The survey results indicated that these doctors all together saw over 3,000 patients with eye diseases, which are likely to cause permanent vision loss, in the year 2007 alone.

Board Members

	Christopher J. Babin, OD, is a practicing Optometric Physician.  Seeing a need in his community and having an interest in working to meet the needs of patients with low vision prompted Dr. Babin to collaborate with other dedicated professionals to establish this program. He received a BA in Zoology from the University of Maine.  He went on to the New England College of Optometry where he earned a Doctor of Optometry degree and completed a 1-year fellowship in Primary Eye Care.  He works at Cascade Eye Center.
	Steffi Coleman has been working as an Orientation & Mobility and Low Vision Specialist for the Vocational Rehabilitation Department of the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind in Yakima since 2001. She earned a bachelor degree in Special Education from the University of Hamburg, Germany and a Master of Arts degree in Orientation and Mobility Training from San Francisco State University. Steffi joined the VIC board as she enjoys assisting people who are blind or visually impaired to stay independent and active.
	Dale Graf, OD, is a native of the Yakima Valley.  He was born and raised in Selah and returned home after receiving his Doctorate of Optometry from Pacific University College of Optometry. During his tenure at Pacific, he was able to participate in a low vision internship mentored by William Ludlam, O.D., a legendary low vision specialist and educator. This experience cultivated his interest in low vision. In 1979 Dr. Graf opened Selah Vision Clinic, where he has practiced for his entire professional career. He has felt a strong passion in volunteering to help people with low vision in the Yakima area. He has been married to his wife, Nancy, for 34 years, and has three children, Amy, Dale Jr., and Brett. Dr. Graf feels it is a privilege to serve this community supported non-profit organization.
	Mary S. Jepsen, MS, OTR/L is an employee of Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, providing low vision rehabilitation services through 16th Avenue Station and through Memorial Home Care Services. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a BS in Magazine Journalism and a BA in English.  She holds a MS degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Kansas and a masters level certification in low vision rehabilitation from the University of Alabama/Birmingham.  Mary became interested in the Vision for Independence Center because of its focus on assisting the older person with vision difficulties that have begun to prevent that person from completing activities they find important or desirable to do.
	Maureen Mould, MS is the Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Konnections, a local non-profit organization which she began over five years ago.  She holds a Masters Degree in Therapeutic Recreation and advanced studies in Early Childhood Special Education.  Maureen became interested in VIC because she is legally blind and she understands the value and importance of those with visual challenges maintaining their independence and quality of life through the use of the proper visual aids.  She is excited to “see” VIC grow and expand services and enhance the lives of those in a similar visual situation as herself.
	Christa Owen graduated from Central Washington University in 1998 with a B.S. in Accounting.  She is a Certified Public Accountant.  She got involved with VIC in August 2008 after her eye doctor, Dr. Dale Graf, talked to her about it and asked her to become the treasurer of the VIC board.
	William Smedley is married, has two children and seven grandchildren. He lost his eyesight at the age of 27.  Bill joined the VIC Board because he feels that there is more to life than darkness, and that VIC can and does help with that.
	Byron Thomas, O.D. F.A.A.O. has practiced as an Optometric Physician for 45 years. He is a graduate of Pacific University College of Optometry. His practice career started in the USAF as a primary care eye physician. He founded Family Eye Clinic and completed 41 years of private practice. He is now partially retired. Dr. Thomas is a Past President of the Optometric Physicians of Washington and was awarded the OD of the year award. He has been and continues to be active in many volunteer organizations.He enjoys working with seniors and those who have limited or low vision. He is an active member of the VIC Board as-well-as seeingpatients. Dr. Thomas is married to Billie, has 2 children and 4 grandchildren. He is excited to see VIC support all those who need care for vision loss or low vision.

Volunteers

VIC board members alone would not be able to operate the low vision clinic and its store. Therefore, the board is very thankful to all the wonderful, hard working and committed volunteers who lend us their talents and time. These volunteers perform such important tasks as doing the intake interviews with patients and scheduling appointments, checking our message phone line, greeting patients at the low vision clinic, staffing the store, ordering items for patients and the store, medical billing, marketing and fundraising.

We are still in need of more volunteers. So if you are interested in helping us, please contact us.

This website was developed due to a generous grant from the Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight and Hearing