Workshop about being blind offered to those with sight, Feb. 10

 “The Business of Being Blind,” a workshop for family, friends, co-workers and employers of people who are blind, will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 10, at Maui Economic Opportunity in Wailuku.

Ricky Melchor, who is blind and a former Ho‘opono Services for the Blind teacher/counselor and Maui Center for Independent Living administrator, will be the trainer.  MEO’s Maui Independent Living Center is organizing the event at 99 Mahalani St.

Topics to be covered include the psychological effects of blindness, defining blindness and its causes, resources and assistive devices and tips for helping the blind.

Melchor has a Masters of Arts in Professional Counseling with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy from the American School of Professional Psychology, a Bachelor of Science in Family Resources from the University of Hawaii-Manoa and Associate of Science in Human Services from Maui Community College.

He is a member of the American Counseling Association, American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists and the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaiʻi. Melchor retired as a state benefit employment support services specialist.

There is no cost to attendees. A bento lunch and snacks will be provided.

The deadline to sign up for the workshop is Feb. 1. For more information or to sign-up, contact Assistant Director of Community Services Jennifer McGurn at 808-243-4360 or email [email protected].