June 7, 2013

WBRC Students Participate in Monthly Goal Ball Clinic


Image: Goalball Logo representing a blindfolded player preparing to roll the ball

Recreation therapists Rachel Smith and Lindsay Conner of the WBRC have partnered with Jonathan Newman, Adult Sports Coordinator for Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP) to host a goal ball clinic about once a month for veterans who were interested to learn about and participate in the game.  For each session, Jonathan is joined by Brandon, another coach and current player, who competed in the Sydney Paralympics in 2000.  

The idea for Goalball, developed by Hans Lorenzen of Austria and Sepp Reindle of Germany, came about in 1946 as a team sport for blind athletes. It originally began as a sport for visually impaired WWII veterans, and developed into a competitive game overtime – appearing at the 1976 Summer Paralympics in Toronto, holding its first world championship in Austria in 1978 and becoming an official Paralympic sport in the summer of 1980.

The game consists of two 12-minute halves with players on each team who are aiming to throw a ball past the players on the other team. The ball has bells inside to enable players to more easily make out the location of the ball; where it’s coming from and where it’s going to. Blindfolds are worn by partially-sighted players to compete without advantage with players who are totally blind.

Rachel and Lindsay have continued to organize this clinic since February, which has proven to be a successful and very enjoyable event for the veterans at the WBRC and other departments on the Menlo Park campus. Each clinic has had a successful turnout with many of the WBRC veterans and staff members showing up for the fun!  


Article Written By: Elizabeth Alcorn, WBRC Manual Skills Instructor 

June 1, 2013

June VIST Group Meeting Announced for Palo Alto


Image: VIST Logo


Veterans, Family Members, and Caregivers:

The Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) is pleased to announce the date for the June support group meeting for low vision, blind, and visually impaired veterans.  The group will be held at the Palo Alto VAPAHCS Hospital, Bldg. 7 Trailer C from 10:00-11:00am.

The next Palo Alto VIST group meeting will be held on: 

Thursday June 20th  

The group is both informational and supportive in nature and all are welcome to attend. Each month will be a different presentation to support the community of veterans with sight-loss. Family members and Caregivers are also encouraged to come.

Question Contacts are:  

Patrick Finan, MSW
Coordinator, Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST)
VA Palo Alto HCS
(650) 852-3467

Elizabeth Jessen,
Poly Trauma VIST Coordinator/Health Science Specialist
VA Palo Alto HCS
(650) 493-5000 ext. 63431

The remaining 2013 VIST Support Group Meeting dates are as follows (3rd Thursday of every month):

June 20
July 18
August 15
September 19
October 17
November 21
December 19