Focus
Summer, 2004
Page 1:
World’s Best Suppliers
General Cites RLCB Partnership
{Photo of General Mason and RLCB President Janet Griffey watching employee
sewing} Photo caption: President Janet Griffey and General Raymond Mason observe
sewing of military garments.
Army Brigadier General Raymond Van Mason cited RLCB as being among the “world’s
best suppliers” during his keynote address at the National Industries for the
Blind Conference held in early June. General Mason is Commander of the Defense
Supply Center Philadelphia. (DSCP). Just weeks before the conference he had
visited RLCB for a first hand look at production of
the many items supplied for military use. At the time of his visit General Mason
was a Colonel.
The General presented RLCB President Janet Griffey with a Commander’s Coin —
award for excellence – at the Raleigh Host Lions Club meeting following his visit to RLCB. Other Lions members received the award
as well. General Mason joined the Wahiawa, Hawaii Lions Club in 2001. The Defense Supply Center (DSCP) in Philadelphia buys
over 11 billion dollars worth of food,
clothing, medical supplies and general and industrial supplies for America’s war
fighters worldwide. Many of the items are
produced by RLCB. RLCB signed its first contract with the military in 1970 - for
feather bed pillows. Today, the Clinic has
a contract with the military for $5.4 million, almost 70 percent of its total
production. Among the items sewn or assembled
here are trouser liners, flyers’ kit bags, equipment suspenders and arm slings
for M16 rifles. When the Defense Department
called upon its suppliers to increase their production due to the Iraqi Freedom
operation, RLCB almost doubled its
production!
{Photo of General Mason} Photo caption: Readers may learn more about General
Mason’s distinguished career by logging on to
the web at
http://www.dscp.dla.mil/general.htm .
Page 2: President's Message:
{Photo in upper left corner of RLCB President Janet Griffey}
The accomplishments of the employees of the Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind,
Inc. are, indeed, extremely important to our
future growth and success. But I am also well aware that it is the support
functions within the organization that help to
make it all happen. I believe each one of us realizes that the total team would
not be complete without our dedicated staff,
volunteers and Board of Directors.
There are so many changes occurring every day at RLCB; whether it’s expanding
our staff or our roles within the organization. In the past several months we have added new computers and software, voice mail,
programs and services such as “Eyes on
Health,” and the Seymour Johnson Post Office. These programs are helping us
reach into the community and bringing awareness
about the services we provide.
In June Barry Wilson, Industrial Engineer, spoke at a conference of Federal
Prison Industries managers and suppliers about
our automated cutting technology operation. We have also teamed up with North
Carolina State University School of Textiles
to provide part-time employment to senior level students.
The Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind achievements is directly attributable to
each
of you, and I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for your
superb
performance, support and loyalty to the organization.
As we enter, the new fiscal year, I am optimistic, but also cautious. It will be
an exciting
year full of new challenges and many changes. I know I can count on you to
continue
giving your best to make the Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind the best!
Page 3:
Summer Weddings (Article superimposed on a picture of wedding bells)
Quinn Woolard & Amy Cantania were married in Raleigh June 5. Quinn has worked
for RLCB since September 2000.
Everett Keeter & Patricia Foster exchanged wedding vows July 3. Everett has
worked with RLCB for one year.
Congratulations!
List of the RLCB Board of Directors in side box:
Board Members
Raleigh Lions Clinic
for the Blind
Robert S. Hall, Chair
L. Merritt Jones, Jr., Vice Chair
Mark Marley, Secretary
Dianne M. Ellis, Asst. Secretary
Robert C. Brown, Treasurer
C. Dean Howard
Dorothy E. Ellis
Edgar H. Bridger
William L. Churn
Paul L. Hinds
Jerry B. Day
Thomas E. Edwards
Hugh L. Liner
Dr. Jane D. Young
W. Casper Holroyd
William G. Parham
Sidney L. Scruggs, III
Elizabeth R. Dupree
L. Bynum Driggers
John A. Dinger
Pages 4 and 5:
July Luncheon Brings Successful Year to a Close
(There are five photos on this page showing
random shots of the activities at the luncheon. Two of the photos have captions:)
Photo caption 1: Debbie Grice celebrates her $500 bonus for having no tardiness
during the past year.
Photo caption 2: Board Chair Bobby Hall presents Graham Tannery with a
certificate for his dedication and service. Graham retired at the end of the 2004 fiscal year.
Page 5:
There was plenty to eat and plenty to smile about as employees, staff and board
members celebrated their hard work and the coming 4th of July Holiday.
(There are four photos on this page showing random shots of the activities at
the luncheon. One of the photos has a caption:)
Photo caption 1: Former RLCB Board Chairman Lynn Level takes in all the smiles.
We suspect he took in some chicken too.
RLCB Welcomes New Employees
Raleigh Location
Wanda Anderson
Hannah Bradley
Kianna Baker
Shelia Caudle
Malcolm Crumpler
Monique Fleming
David Hart
Adriana Herrera
Soya Houatchantha
Yvonne Spence
Niko Tenney
Tina Turnage
Charles Williams
Betty Wilson
Garner, NC
Amoreena Gillett
Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
Joyce Manning
Page 6:
Thinking Outside the Box
Some months ago the RLCB manufacturing department came face to face with a
problem that was causing them to lose sleep. The medical pillows being produced for the VA would not fit into the boxes
specified by the contract – that is, not without going over the weight and size parameters set by UPS or Fed Ex. The VA had
specified packing 12 pillows into a box.
The pillow contract was priced for a 30 lb. box but with the bulging of the boxes, RLCB was being charged at a 70 lb. rate by UPS. Switching to Fed Ex provided only a little relief; they were charging at a 50 lb. rate and the contract was still costing the clinic money. The pressure it
took to pack these boxes caused frustration on the part of the operators and the boxes often burst in transit.
Staff and employees tried several ideas of their own with equipment on hand but
to no avail. There was, however, a prevailing attitude that they would not be defeated by a bunch of feather weights—“We will
not quit, we’ll make it fit” became their motto. Finally, Tarheel Tooling Company was called in to build a pillow stuffing
machine from the ideas of staff and employees.
It took several months to build but, with the new machine, the pillow department
can get 12 pillows into a box sized for its actual weight of 25 lbs. In terms of dollars, the new machine has saved 50% of
the shipping cost for this contract.
Now everyone is resting more comfortably.
(There is a photo on this page showing a cartoon monkey with a thought balloon
above his head, and a picture of the pillow stuffing machine inside the thought balloon).
Page 7:
Turning “Eyes On Health”
RLCB staff proudly announces the start of another new program, Eyes On Health,
made possible in part by a private grant for $13,000. The program is another example of RLCB efforts to promote a positive
work environment by offering additional supports.
Eyes On Health will seek to educate its visually-impaired/blind employees and
consumers about diabetes, hypertension and other chronic health problems. Individuals will participate in hands-on exercise
classes, nutritional workshops and will receive information designed to promote healthy living.
Among blind employees at RLCB, the incidences of diabetes, hypertension and
other chronic health issues runs high. Inadequate nutritional planning and limited physical activity are two of many
factors that contribute to poor health, an increased need for medical attention and, inevitably, time off from work.
Community prevention efforts, health/wellness programs and exercise facilities are often not accessible by individuals with
blindness.
Through an exercise program, each participant’s knowledge of, and need for,
consistent physical activity will be measured. Eyes On Health will offer information and hands-on sessions about nutritional
planning and meal preparation.
Eyes On Health will begin August 2004 and run through July 2005. There will be
four, nine-week sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one and one half hours.
Annette Johnson will instruct the class. Annette has worked as a nutritionist
since 1998 and holds a BS in Human Sciences with a concentration in Foods and Nutrition from North Carolina Central
University. She has also taught karate classes.
(There are two pieces of clip art on this page showing an individual
exercising).
Page 8:
New Post Office Opens at Seymour
Want to Mail a Letter?
Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind staff is pleased to announce the opening of a
contract postal unit serving the nearly 15,000 active, reserve, retired and civilian populations at Seymour Johnson Air
Force Base, Goldsboro, NC.
Through the existing base supply and individual equipment store contacts, RLCB
staff negotiated a contract with the United States Postal Service to sell stamps, money orders and envelopes.
The post office will also provide a wide array of other functions. Seymour Johnson AFB is home to the 4th Fighter Wing and the 916th Air Refueling
Wing. The 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base was the first operational F-15E Strike Eagle wing in the
Air Force. This F-15 “E” model is equipped with an array of new avionics and electronics systems, and is considered to be
the most advanced tactical fighter aircraft in the world.
One full time or two part time individuals who are blind will be employed at
this post office. Congratulations to Vinny Diorio, manager, for getting the post office up and running at the beginning of
July 2004.
In Memoriam
John F. Pochala, an employee of the Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind since May
of 2001 died on July 24. Services were held at White Plains United Methodist Church August 8, in Raleigh. He will be
remembered by his co-workers as a man who not only loved to laugh but loved to work as well. He is survived by his wife and two
daughters.
Focus is a quarterly publication of the
Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind.
315 Hubert Street
Raleigh, NC 27603-2392
Janet S. Griffey, President/CEO
Editor. . . . . . . . . . . .Cindy Crouse-Martin
Photographers. . . .Casper Holroyd and W. David Martin, Jr.
Phone: 919-833-8611 Fax: 919-833-5664
Access Focus on our website:
http://www.rlcb.net/newsletter.htm
Available as a pdf file or in a text only format.
Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind is an equal opportunity -- affirmative action
employer.
