The Auburn Holiday Inn was the site of Options’ Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 25. More than 50 guests were treated to a light lunch, a short business meeting and the presentation of Options’ annual awards for community service.

Following opening remarks by yours truly, guests enjoyed specialty salads or wraps along with a “chef's choice” dessert that was, according to numerous comments, “simply superb!” As the dessert was being served, staff members, ombudsmen and members of our board of directors were introduced. Three “retiring” board members — Joyce Whitman, James Kibbe and Patricia Levin — were thanked for their commitment and service, and were presented with gifts as a token of our gratitude.

The business portion of the meeting was next on the agenda, and was handled adroitly by the chairperson of Options’ board of directors, Susan Gray. The only new business on the agenda consisted of approval of numerous changes in Options’ bylaws, which was accomplished by a unanimous vote.

As plates were removed and coffee served, guests settled in for the most enjoyable part of the afternoon. Each year, Options recognizes individuals and organizations that go above and beyond in their efforts to assist Options and/or serve our community. These organizations and people are the consummate volunteers, advocates and service organizations that spend their time, and often their money, in support of those in need.

Selected to receive the two Giannettino-Pethybridge-Bower Advocate of the Year awards were Corinne Ryan and Tim Donovan. Corinne Ryan’s selection was the result of her work with our elderly population, especially those who suffer from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, and includes establishment of the Alzheimer’s Community Service Program, the annual Walk to Remember and Project Lifesaver. Tim Donovan’s advocacy is evident throughout Auburn, and includes efforts with Hospice of the Finger Lakes, SAVAR, the American Red Cross, Auburn Public Theater, the Community Services Board, Chapel House, the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Board, the Auburn Misdemeanor Drug Court and the Homeless Task Force, and as an ombudsman with Options, among others. Both Corrine and Tim spend countless hours working in behalf of others.

The two Rev. John Humphrey Volunteer of the Year awards were presented to Joyce Whitman and Bob Bruno. In addition to her many years as a caregiver in the community, Joyce Whitman served multiple terms on the Options board of directors, most recently for many years as the board’s secretary. Bob Bruno’s volunteer services extend throughout the community, including many hours assisting Options with training venues. In addition, Bob volunteers countless hours at St. Francis of Assisi, organizing and running the church festival and church dinners, refinishing the floors and pews, building custom ramps and providing other assistance wherever needed. Our community is a better place to live because of the efforts of each of these wonderful volunteers.

Our final two awards, for Organization of the Year, were presented to the Westminster Presbyterian Church and the Thurston Law Office. Members of the congregation of Westminster provide hundreds of hours of voluntary service to Options during the course of the year, mostly through their time with our Personal Care Bank, where they dispense a wide variety of products to the community members served by Options. For years, Options for Independence has benefited from the sage advice and superb legal work provided by David Thurston of the Thurston Law Office. Whether presenting in court or providing guidance with delicate legal matters, David Thurston has been extremely generous in helping Options succeed in its mission.

From our family at Options for Independence, we say “Thank You!” to each of our award recipients. We couldn’t do what we do without you!

My husband and I enjoy going to the movies, but would always have to sit in the back row, so that he could explain scenes to me that had no dialogue. While looking for a movie online, Rick noticed a feature at the Clay Regal theater that promoted devices for moviegoers with sensory impairments. We decided to check it out, and settled on a movie at that theater, “Trouble With the Curve,” a new Clint Eastwood movie. Ironically, in this movie, Clint Eastwood portrays an aging baseball scout who is himself going blind.

When we arrived at the theater, we went over to an area where the manager showed us each device. One was a pair of glasses, which, when programmed for the correct movie, would allow the user to see captions of the movie's dialogue. This device is for people who are hearing-impaired or deaf, and allows them to follow along with the movie scenes without straining to hear each line. The device I was given is a set of headphones synchronized to the movie we were seeing. A small box attached to a cord hangs around your neck, and the headphones are attached to the box. The only controls on the box are for volume, and are depicted in braille for both raising and lowering the volume of the headphones. Both devices are manufactured by Sony, and Regal is the only theater chain they have contracted with at this time. The devices have been in use for about two months, and Regal hopes to have them in all of their theaters by next year.

We entered the theater, and this time did not choose the back row to sit in. The previews ran, and then, as the movie came up, the device activated, and a man’s voice described the opening scene of the movie to me through the headphones. As dialogue was exchanged onscreen, the headphone device was silent. For every scene, you hear what the expressions on the faces of each character are, and what the scene around them is like. It allowed me the ability to be included in every part of the movie, and my husband the ability to fully enjoy the movie without having to describe anything to me. We both felt the experience was much more enjoyable with this adaptive device.

Perhaps the only drawback of the device was that it was a dual headphone system, and I found myself having to pull away one earpiece in order to be able to hear the dialogue onscreen, as both were not played through the headphone unit. I talked with the manager at the end of the movie, and he gave us a comment card to fill out and return to the people that promote this service, so that we could make suggestions about what was good, and what needed improvement.

For each new technology that comes out, it is more gratifying to me to be able to do yet another thing with more independence. “Trouble with the Curve” was a perfect movie to test this device out with, as Clint Eastwood’s character is struggling with ways to stay independent while enduring a vision impairment. My thanks to Sony and Regal for helping people with disabilities have the ability to enjoy the movie-going experience inclusively.