ABLE - Audio Braille Literacy Enhancement

07/23/2026

I am excited to share with you the news that our Awards Luncheon sponsor support has doubled in just one week!

We have also added one sponsor level, that of Page Turner at $250. Page Turner sponsors will receive:
• Two guest tickets
• Name recognition in program booklet

Please inundate us with Page Turners, demonstrating your generosity to ABLE.

Because of donors such as yourself, ABLE is making a difference in the lives of blind and print disabled individuals every single day.

Whether it be summer reading in braille for a rising 6th grader, complex mathematics in braille with tactile graphics for a just-graduated high school senior, books by Wisconsin authors read by volunteers in our ABLE Sound Center, or the state fair schedule in an accessible format, your donation makes a difference.

Let’s see if we can double our sponsorships by August 15th.

With much appreciation,
Cheryl Orgas

https://www.ablenow.org/news-events/annual-luncheon/sponsorship-opportunities/

See the list of sponsors you will be joining and the sponsor levels below:

Audio & Braille Advocate Sponsors $3,000
Beyond Vision
Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Book Builder Sponsors $2,000
Ann Johnston, ABLE Board Director
Diana & Richard Pine

Literacy Leader Sponsors $1,000
Anonymous
William Meeker & Cheryl Orgas
Wisconsin Talking Book & Braille Library

Education Enhancer Sponsors $500
Goyke & Associates
Neil Jaehnert, ABLE audio volunteer

07/22/2026

The Wisconsin State Fair has partnered with ABLE to give the public daily schedules and information in an audio format.

Please find the audio versions of the daily schedules and general information here:

https://www.ablenow.org/news-events/2025-wisconsin-state-fair/

See you at the fair!
Cheryl Orgas

07/20/2026

Please see info below about an opportunity offered by Vision Forward for teens and young adults who are blind or visually impaired.

Cheryl Orgas

Pathways to Independence Camp
August 20 and August 21 (9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
For teens and young adults ages 14–21 who are blind or visually impaired.
Led by Occupational Therapists, Certified Low Vision Therapists, Teachers of the Visually Impaired, and Orientation & Mobility Specialists, this interactive two-day camp is designed to build confidence and practical independent living skills.

Participants will learn and practice skills including:
• Organization and labeling techniques
• Assistive technology for everyday tasks
• Home organization and cleaning strategies
• Meal planning and grocery list preparation
• Money identification and management
• Grocery shopping in the community
• Meal preparation and cooking
• Dining skills and kitchen safety

The cost is $300 per participant (financial support available if needed), and registration is due by August 6, 2026.
Additional details and registration are available here:

A 2-day camp for teenagers and young adults aged 14-21 who are blind or visually impaired. Led by Occupational Therapists,...

07/16/2026

The Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library has undergone a large-scale renovation in 2025 and are opening their doors to give patrons and community partners a behind the scenes tour of the new space, the ABLE offices, a peek at the craft in the mail program, a chance to meet the WTBBL team, and more!

When: Monday, July 20, 2026, 11:00A.M. to 2:00P.M.
Where: WTBBL office - 813 W. Wells Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53233

If you would like to come visit with WTBBL, please RSVP via phone call at 1-800-242-8822/414-286-3045, or email at [email protected].

Please come join WTBBL in celebrating their remodel. Bonus: pop by the ABLE office and state-of-the-art Sound Center for tours of our space as well!

Warmly,
Cheryl Orgas

07/15/2026

ABLE is excited to announce this year’s annual volunteer recognition and fundraising luncheon on Thursday, November 5, 2026 at the Italian Conference Center.

Join us in honoring our volunteers, meeting our MPS students, and celebrating ABLE’s successes in making the printed word accessible to all through audio, braille and tactile formats. Please join our sponsor list.

See the list of sponsors you will be joining and the sponsor levels below.

Audio & Braille Advocate Sponsors $3,000
Beyond Vision

Book Builder Sponsors $2,000
Diana & Richard Pine

Literacy Leader Sponsors $1,000
Anonymous
William Meeker & Cheryl Orgas

Education Enhancer Sponsors $500
Goyke & Associates

With gratitude,
Cheryl Orgas

We’re grateful for your sponsorship of ABLE’s Annual Awards Luncheon where we honor our dedicated and hard-working volunteers who are essential to our services....

07/08/2026

ABLE is proud to be working with Wehr Nature Center to make the center accessible for blind people. With Michael Diaz as one of their volunteers, they were well on their way to accessibility. ABLE produced a braille and tactile trail map, transcribed into braille their trail map descriptions, and provided audio versions of descriptions in English and Spanish to be found on Wehr’s website. Vision Forward’s staff member Veronica Davis read the material in English and Spanish in ABLE’s state-of-the-art Sound Center. Organizations work together in this Milwaukee community.

Check out this great Shepherd Express article below:

https://shepherdexpress.com/news/hero-of-the-month/michael-diaz-birding-for-vision-impaired-folks/?mc_cid=aaaf16af7a&mc_eid=1afbc48dc9

By the way, Michael is no stranger to ABLE - we produce braille and tactiles for Michael for his math classes throughout high school.

Michael also participated in Braille Games when he was a youngster. Also check out coverage of this year’s Braille Games in the second link below.

https://www.cbs58.com/news/braille-games-helps-local-visually-impaired-students-gain-confidence?mc_cid=aaaf16af7a&mc_eid=1afbc48dc9

Cheryl Orgas

Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired
Beyond Vision
Milwaukee Public Museum
Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library

As a low-vision person himself, Diaz is passionate about sharing his love for birding with others and has played a significant role in helping Wehr become a place for folks of all ability levels to enjoy birding themselves.

07/01/2026

I am pleased to share with you ABLE’s 2025 Annual Report. 2025 was a fantastic year of great successes. Our team of staff and volunteers are touching the lives of blind and print disabled individuals every single day.

https://www.ablenow.org/about-us/annual-reports/

To donate to ABLE, helping the team create material in an accessible format through braille, tactile and audio options, go to ABLE’s donation page.

https://www.ablenow.org/donate/

Please help ABLE continue this work.

Cheryl Orgas, Executive Director

2025 2025 ABLE Annual Report and Donor List   2024 2024 ABLE Annual Report and Donor List   2023 2023 ABLE Annual Report and...

06/22/2026

Another successful Braille Games occurred on May 6, 2026 - this time hosted by Beyond Vision.

This was a collaboration between ABLE, the Milwaukee Public Museum, Vision Forward, Beyond Vision, and the Wisconsin Talking Book and Braille Library.

Each activity empowered students to be independent and confident. Games were designed to use braille while teaching patience, endurance, and problem-solving. This unique experience is invaluable for students throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Blind mentors worked with K4 through high school children from schools throughout southeastern Wisconsin, some from as far away as Janesville.

Find the story below on CBS 58.

Cheryl Orgas

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A unique event in West Allis is helping visually impaired students gain confidence in their everyday lives. Braille Games is a day of fun, skills-based tests that teaches students

06/11/2026

Summerfest is collaborating with ABLE to offer the 2026 schedule and pertinent information in an audio format.

Please share this information with as many individuals as you can reach, so our community has full access to this information for Summerfest.

Audio recordings of Summerfest information and daily schedules can be found at this link:

https://www.ablenow.org/news-events/2026-summerfest/

Cheryl Orgas

Summerfest 2026 Opening   Festival Admission   Ticketing Information   Admission Promotions   Experiences   Festival Services   A Taste of Juneteenth   American...

05/18/2026

The ABLE Team was so honored to have a small part in helping artist Leslie Iwai with her creative expression of braille. My husband Bill and I, along with friends, were so excited to visit this art exhibit on Saturday, which celebrates braille.

Cheryl Orgas

FEEL QUILL by Leslie Iwai

Abel Contemporary Gallery No. 5
524 East Main Street
Stoughton, WI 53589
608-845-6600
abelcontemporary.com

In this tactile art installation, feather quills emerge from a concrete surface, each one representing a Braille dot. Experience this unique opportunity to see how words are felt. Transcribed texts include Emily Dickinson's poem, "Hope is the thing with feathers.”

leslieiwai.com

It is not too late to see this exhibit for it is on display through June 14th.