Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

04/10/2026

Today our client Miriam completed her training. We had a lunch, which Miriam and her instructor Tom Class prepared. Then we had a presentation for Miriam.

Graduation from our program.

04/09/2026

Please watch this post with Nate Kile, executive director and Alex Ausel.

04/09/2026

Today our client Miriam completed a project in the manual skills shop, under the guidance of instructor Kevin Whitley. The purpose of teaching manual skills to the blind is to foster independence, self-sufficiency, and safety in daily life, enabling them to navigate, interact with, and understand their environment without reliance on sight. These skills compensate for the lack of visual information by transforming the sense of touch into a primary tool for gathering information, exploring the world, and performing tasks. Miriam was able to complete her trinket box in time for her graduation from the program tomorrow.

04/08/2026

Welcome to our newest member leader, Nate Kile who is the new Executive Director at Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired! Nate will be the featured speaker at the upcoming OIB-TAC April webinar and will share about the challenges of providing service across the large state of Alaska. Here is the webinar information and link:
OIB-TAC April Webinar: Serving Older Adults Who Are Blind in Alaska: Realities, Relationships, and Regional Solutions
Join OIB-TAC on April 17 at 2:00 p.m. CT for our next webinar! What does service provision for older adults who are blind in Alaska look like—and what can the rest of us learn from it? Join a panel of Alaskan service providers as they explore the realities of working across vast distances, navigating transportation barriers, and building trust in tight-knit communities. Panelists will discuss strategies for reducing stigma, strengthening partnerships between state and tribal VR programs, and engaging community resources to ensure older adults receive meaningful, culturally responsive support. This webinar is available for one ACVREP credit. Click the link below to register,

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: OIB-TAC Monthly Webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

04/06/2026

Spring break-up is here, and the usual mix of mud, soft ground, and longer days are starting to take over. It’s not the cleanest time of year, but there’s a noticeable change as the light comes back and people start getting out a bit more.
This week I found myself spending time thinking about the mural at the center. It’s one of those pieces that keeps giving something different depending on when you stop and take it in. There’s a short video of me outside sharing my thoughts, it ties into our work, recorded by Bryce Gitzen, and it’s worth checking out.
I also want to say thank you to the Alaska Community Foundation for a $1,000 general operating grant through the Ruud-Mjos Tributaries Alaska Family Fund. We appreciate the support.
Our newsletter went out last Friday, so if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, it’s a good read and an opportunity to hear directly from our staff.
We’re also working on a community cookbook for this fall, pulling together recipes from clients along with families and friends of the center. It’s shaping up to be a solid collection, and we’re looking forward to sharing more as it comes together.
Hope everyone is finding their footing as things start to thaw out a bit.
Nate Kile
Executive Director

04/06/2026

A message from Executive Director Nate Kile.

Executive Director Nate Kile talking about our mural on the front of our building in Anchorage Alaska.

04/03/2026

Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

Email from Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Happy Easter Eyes on the Center A Video Message from Executive Director Nate Kile   A Message from Casey Duer Program Director Each year,

04/03/2026

Milos studies English at the University of Alaska Anchorage while pursuing singing and songwriting – and does it all without sight.

04/02/2026

Kevin 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...

03/31/2026

Today is the last day to sign up for your 2026 PFD. When doing so please consider PICK.CLICK.GIVE. to the Center.

03/31/2026

A strong week of partnership across Alaska with our Lions Clubs.

• Thank you to the North Pole Lions for your quarterly support, this directly sustains our work in the Interior

• Thank you to the Spenard Lions for your continued support and for hosting our upcoming board retreat at your clubhouse

• Thank you to the Mountain View Lions, and District Governor Lion Robert, for meeting with us today to explore what’s next

We’re moving forward on several priorities:

• Exterior improvements to strengthen safety and usability of the building

• A fence to create a more private outdoor space for clients, with a longer-term vision of a sensory garden

• Pursuing funding for a passenger van to support seniors and youth accessing programs

Starting this summer, we’ll also host a local Lions Club each month for lunch at the center, an open door to connect more closely with the work.

We may sit quietly in the backroads of Spenard, but inside, lives are shifting.

If you’ve ever thought about getting involved—this is a good time.

Time, partnership, or financial support all move the mission forward.



“Presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them.”

Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Nate Kile

Executive Director

Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired