[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 149 (Wednesday, December 6, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN HONOR OF COLUMBIA LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARTIN FROST

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 6, 2000

  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to honor Columbia Lighthouse for 
the Blind and its sister organizations across the country. Founded 100 
years ago, the Columbia Lighthouse is a not-for-profit organization 
dedicated to providing education, training, and rehabilitation services 
to individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
  Seventy percent of blind adults are unemployed. The Lighthouse 
organizations are fighting to change that statistic. Since 1931, the 
Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind has been serving my home district 
employing blind individuals. Operating for the first several years in 
borrowed buildings, the organization employed the blind in weaving, 
sewing, and broom manufacturing. The Dallas Lighthouse has come a long 
way, now employing over 100 individuals in manufacturing various 
products, and offering rehabilitation programs for those with vision 
disabilities.
  Today, the Lighthouses are evolving to meet today's changing business 
environment, emerging in the world of technology and e-commerce. The 
Columbia Lighthouse recently launched ReelBooks.com, a Web site that 
retails more than 16,000 audio books, while providing the visually 
impaired with valuable training in an industry sorely lacking trained 
employees.
  The work of the Lighthouses is changing the face of blind America. 
Those with vision disabilities have the right to be active, assimilated 
and contributing members of society. I am proud of the services 
provided by the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind and its sister 
organizations throughout America. The opportunities these organizations 
can provide for people with vision disabilities are immeasurable. I 
salute the Lighthouses and the people they serve today.

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