May 19, 2021
Meet Glenn Smith. Glenn is a Utility Worker in the Social Enterprise Department at Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired and 2021 marks his eighth year on the team. Previously, you could find Glenn helping to assemble high-quality file folders within the Social Enterprise Department or compiling kits for our manufacturing clients. Now Glenn is a jack of all trades and helped to assemble braille books for the Braille Printing House and even works in shipping and receiving when needed.
Glenn’s visual impairment was misdiagnosed when he was young, and unfortunately, it was never treated. He has a type of Glaucoma that is hereditary, which means that someone in each generation of his family will have it. As Glenn explained, his sister’s children may not have it but his brother’s children could have it due to his family’s history of Glaucoma.
When Glenn was in his 40’s, he was told by his doctors that he would need to stop working because of his worsening vision. At the time of his diagnosis, his employer wanted to try and help him but felt that it was not safe for him to continue working. It didn’t take long for Glenn to become bored, and he desperately wanted to try to get back to work. Through the Ohio Department of Disabilities, Glenn connected with a job coach, and before long landed a job at Clovernook Center.
Glenn has recently lost total vision in his left eye due to an infection unrelated to his Glaucoma, and will eventually need a prosthetic eye. In the past 18 years, he has had 14 surgeries and still suffers from pain. Despite his visual impairments, Glenn enjoys cooking and playing poker. He grew up in the College Hill and Western Hills areas and is a big sports fan, especially the Green Bay Packers.
Glenn has a sister who lives in the San Francisco and has been able to make trips out there in the past to visit and do some sightseeing. He spent five days in Yosemite and then traveled down to Long Beach with his mother who was attending the National Convention for Square Dancing. Glenn’s mother is 85 years old and still square dances.
Clovernook Center is fortunate to have Glenn on the team and thanks to him for his commitment to our organization.
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