Tamara Browning: Mary Bryant Home raising funds for updates

The MARY BRYANT HOME FOR
THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED^[1] has
kicked off a three-year campaign to raise $250,000 for updates
at the home, 2960 Stanton St.

Among plans are to install a more energy-efficient heating and
cooling system. New library materials and dining room furniture
also are planned.

The fundraising campaign officially kicked off with an Elvis
Himselvis show sponsored by the home Jan. 7 at the Hoogland
Center for the Arts. The show raised about $7,000.

A total of $38,500 has been raised for the campaign so far,
through the show, a chili supper and a Christmas appeal.

The first of about three phases is under way to replace the
home’s pneumatically controlled heating and air conditioning
system with an electronic system.

The home’s current system is original to the building, which
was constructed in 1983.

“The boilers are 2 million BTU boilers that they’re telling us
are between 60 and 65 percent efficient. The new ones that
we’re looking at are 92 to 93 percent efficient,” said JERRY
CURRY, executive director. “The fuel savings alone there will
be cost-effective.”

With the pneumatic system, because each apartment at the home
has separate thermostats for heating and cooling, there is a
potential for mistakes to be made in climate adjustment. The
heating and cooling could battle each other.

“So, you have the air conditioner blowing air into their room
trying to cool it down to 65 at the same time you’ve got the
boiler trying to pump in 85-degree air to heat it up,” Curry
said.

New chairs and tables also are needed for the dining room, and
new library materials are needed.

“Some, not all, the Braille books that we have are 30- to
40-year-old Braille books, and the bumps are starting to
flatten out. We’ve been getting donations for new, large-print
books and Braille books,” Curry said.

The Mary Bryant Home has 38 residents. The home, which has a
yearly budget of about $1.1 million, receives funds from
residents’ rent payments and donations.

“We’ve operated 65 years without state or federal funding,”
Curry said.

Donations can be mailed to Mary Bryant Home, 2960 Stanton St.,
Springfield, IL 62703-4385 (make a note for the boiler fund or
capital campaign fund). Credit card donations may be made by
calling 529-1611.

The SPRINGFIELD LOW VISION AWARENESS DAY will be held from 9
a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 at the home. Demonstration of
products will be available. It’s open to the public.

The home’s Low Vision Store is open to the public from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. It offers items like
large-print calendars, talking watches, talking kitchen items
and canes.

Charity Honor Roll

FLIRTING FOR DISASTER, a benefit for the ILLINOIS CAPITAL
AREA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS,^[2] will
be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at Erin’s Pavilion
at Southwind Park, 4965 S. Second St.

The event will be a cocktail party atmosphere with
entertainment by the country band STILL
KICK’N^[3].

A raffle and silent auction will be held.

Tickets are $30 per person or $35 at the door. For tickets,
visit il-redcross.org or visit the chapter office at 1045 Outer
Park Drive.

Tamara Browning is a columnist and feature writer for The
State Journal-Register. She can be reached at 788-1534 or at
tamara.browning@sj-r.com.
 

References

1. ^{^} MARY BRYANT HOME FOR THE BLIND
   AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
   (www.marybryanthome.org)
2. ^{^} ILLINOIS CAPITAL AREA CHAPTER OF
   THE AMERICAN RED CROSS,
   (www.il-redcross.org)
3. ^{^} STILL KICK’N
   (www.stillkickn.com)