FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BRINGING LIGHT INTO A WORLD OF DARKNESS. ORIENTATION & MOBILITY SPECIALIST AND TEACHER OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, KEVIN HOLLINGER, WILL RECEIVE THE COMMUNITY LIGHT AWARD FROM ST. LOUIS SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
The award will be presented to Hollinger at the 2023 Visionary Gala on Saturday, April 15.
St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired is honored to present the Community Light Award to Kevin Hollinger, a blindness professional working in the Francis Howell School District as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Orientation and Mobility Specialist. He is a National Board-Certified Teacher as an Exceptional Needs Specialist for Visual Impairment and he is a Certified Assistive Technology Information Specialist. He also has his own company, Hollinger Consulting, LLC., through which he provides instructional and consultative services, workshops, evaluations, university preparation adjunct professor, and he has multiple experiences as an expert witness in the field of visual impairment and blindness.
Nominated by Mary Morgan-Corbitt, a former educator, she stated, “I have had the honor and privilege of working with Kevin Hollinger when I was a teacher with Francis Howell School District. His education, level of expertise and dedication to the area of low vision is unmatched. As someone who is also impacted by vision loss, Kevin has provided me with resources, guidance, and support. He is a remarkable educator, and his presence is vital to this community.”
Kevin is also the Director of the Summer Orientation & Mobility and Adapted Living Resource (SOAR) program through the Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis. Kevin previously served as the Chair of the Orientation & Mobility Division and Board Member for AERBVI and as the Chair of the Subject Matter Expert Committee and Board member for ACVREP. Kevin presents and teaches across the country and at international conferences while authoring and co-authoring numerous publications and was the lead author for a chapter in the Foundations of Orientation & Mobility textbook.
Society President and CEO, Laura Park-Leach said, “Kevin and I worked together at the national level earlier in our careers. I am thrilled to see his tremendous impact on a local level, too. He is most certainly deserving of this award for improving the lives of so many people in MO and across our nation.”
The Community Light Award is presented to an individual or group whose accomplishments have an immeasurable impact on the visually impaired and blind communities.
The Visionary Gala is the Society’s premier fundraising event and will once again be hosted by Jasmine Huda of Fox Channel 2 News and is chaired by Betsy Kauffman. The Leslie Dana Gold Medal Award will also be presented to Dr. Russell Van Gelder. The Gala will take place on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Tickets can be purchased at: http://bidpal.net/2023visionarygala or by calling 314-968-9000. For information, contact Megan Connelly, Director of Development at development@slsbvi.org or call 314-968-9000.
About St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Since 1911, Society has been enhancing independence, empowering individuals, and enriching the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. Caring, qualified staff provide low vision medical exams and therapy, daily living adaptations, assistive technology, travel training, social work, and support services to nearly 1,200 people every year.
For further information on St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired, please visit their website at https://www.slsbvi.org.
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2023 Community Light Award Winner