Formerly San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind and Vision Impaired

Dining in the Dark: Unleash Your Senses is just two weeks away!

Join us on Friday, Feb. 13, at 6 p.m. at The Ralston, the San Antonio Zoo’s newest event space.

This wild and immersive experience invites guests to explore flavor, texture and sound in total darkness.

Guests will savor a three-course dinner paired with curated bourbon and wine tastings as part of an unforgettable sensory journey. More than a unique dining experience, the evening offers meaningful perspective on how individuals who are blind or have low vision experience the world.

Sponsorship opportunities and individual tickets are available. Your participation helps advance Vibrant Works’ mission to empower people with vision loss to live, work and thrive.

Be part of a night where fine dining meets purpose.

Vibrant Works is offering Falls Prevention Workshops for adults age 60 and older with vision loss who want to stay independent, active and confident.

These no-cost workshops focus on improving balance, flexibility and strength while teaching practical strategies to reduce fall risks, especially for those who have experienced a fall or limit activities due to fear of falling.

Healthy Steps for Older Adults (HSOA) is a two-session program that helps participants reduce fall risks while addressing topics such as home safety, medication management, nutrition, stress, vision changes and staying socially connected.

Incentive: Receive a $20 gift card upon completion of both sessions, while supplies last.

Upcoming HSOA Dates:

• Feb. 2 & 4 | 1:30 p.m. – Robinette Community Center, 1423 S. Ellison Dr., Bldg. #2
• Feb. 10 & 12 | 9 a.m. – Center for Independence, 2300 Roosevelt Ave.
• March 2 & 4 | 1 p.m. – Center for Independence, 2300 Roosevelt Ave.

Matter of Balance is an eight-session, evidence-based program that helps participants reduce fear of falling and build confidence through goal setting, home safety strategies and strength and balance exercises.

Incentive: Receive a $50 gift card upon completion of all sessions, while supplies last.

To register: Call 210-531-1547.

*Gift cards and prizes are not funded by the grant supporting this program.

*A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls Volunteer Lay Leader Model & 2005 This program is based on Fear of Falling: A Matter of Balance. Copyright D 1995 Trustees of Boston University. All rights reserved. Used and adapted by permission of Boston University. A Matter of Balance Lay Leader Model Recognized for Innovation and Quality in Healthcare and Aging, 2005, American Society on Aging. A Matter of Balance Lay Leader Model was developed by a grant from the Administration on Aging ($90AM2780). 

This program is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $600,000 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

What inspired you to join the Vibrant Works board?

Around 2012, I toured the facility with then-CEO Mike Gilliam. I still remember watching a woman who was blind take a piece of fabric, fit it over what looked like a template, secure it to the base of a sewing machine, and tap the pedal to trigger a pre-programmed stitch. Afterward, she ran her fingers along the edge to check the stitching for quality before repositioning the fabric for the next step—all without being able to see.

In that moment, I felt a wave of emotion. It wasn’t just the skill—it was the intention behind the process. Someone had taken a complex manufacturing task, broken it into clear steps, and designed it so a person with a visual impairment could do the work with excellence. It wasn’t only about making a product; it was about creating purpose and a meaningful life for some of the most vulnerable among us. That’s what stayed with me—and what ultimately inspired me to serve on the board.

Following that visit, I was asked to serve on the audit committee, and I officially joined the Board in 2023.

What do you love the most about Vibrant Works?

What I love most about Vibrant Works is that it’s mission-driven in the truest sense. It doesn’t just produce a product—it creates purpose.

I’ve seen firsthand how thoughtfully the work is designed so that people with significant barriers, including visual impairments, can perform manufacturing tasks with excellence. That kind of intentionality communicates dignity: it says every person is capable of meaningful contribution when we build the right environment around them.

Vibrant Works gives people more than a job—it gives them confidence, belonging, and a path to a life of meaning. That’s what I love most.