BERT ALWAYS 'LOOKS' ON BRIGHT SIDE

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 60, 30 July 1974, Page 1

BERT ALWAYS 'LOOKS' ON BRIGHT SIDE

Photo, story Jim Snedden

Mr Bert Lawrence, of Kiwi Street, is nearly totally blind. Over the years he has been losing his sight. Now he is left with just 10 per cent vision in his left eye. Bert Lawrence suffers from glaucoma, a disease which closes the optic drain. With this drain blocked, blood from the eye cannot get away and pushes against the optic nerve. The field of view closes in, and forms a type of tunnel vision. Bert says it is similar to looking through a long pipe. But his case has gone so far as to limit his sight from one eye — and with that he can only distinguish patches of light. As with most of today's blind, Bert Lawrence does not wallow in self pity. He is dependent on very few — his wife, and the Royal New Zealand — Foundation for the ~ Blind, which he has = been with for 10 years. E Of the foundation, E Bert will be "forever E grateful." = Most of the items = designed especially to = make life easier for the E blind come from the E foundation. E His Braille watch, for E instance. To buy the ~ type Bert wears would = cost at least $55. E Through the foundaE tion it cost him just over E $13. E Much of the gear is E not his personal pro- = perty. It belongs to the = foundation and is reE turned when he ceases E to need it. E One of Bert's greatest E joys are the 'taiking ~ books.' = These, he said, "really = make life worthwhile." E "They are marvellous. E In fact, I 'read' more E now than I did when I = was able to see." = All costs, including = transporting the books E are met by the foundaE tion. = And for those like =: Bert, who live solely on = a pension, this is all E important. E While some of the E people who use the EE foundation's equipment — cannot give anything in = return, Bert can, and E does. E He has turned a E hobby into a minor EE "money spiiiner" for the = foundation. ~ From an idea develE oped about 12 years E ago, he now makes 1 1 1 1 ■ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

wooden holders for = knives, E These are sent to E Auckland where they E are sold for around E $1.50 each. The cash EE goes to the foundation. = "They are so good to E us, and I am glad to be E able to return something E to them," said Bert. E Much of the work in E making the holders is E centred around mach- = ines. ~ But this is no prob- E Iem for Bert. E "I'm not afraid of E them. I have been E operating machines for E 60-odd years." = To watch him, one E would swear he has the E unimpaired use of both E eyes. E Bert Lawrence is a = proud man. Proud of = his workmanship, and E proud of the way he has E adapted to a world of E near darkness. E And adapt yourself, E he says, is something = that one must do. "It doesn't come E naturally — you have to E work at it." E From his home, at the = far end of Kiwi Street, E Bert walks regularly to E town. E And that means E crossing several busy E street s. E With the aid of his = white stick, his acute E sense of hearing and the E public Bert finds very E few problems. E The stick, he says is a ~ must for any blind = person. ~ If not only for him- z: self, he uses one also for E the henefit of other people. =• Bert's main method E in crossing streets is to E wait until he can hear E no cars then "take the E plunge," or to move E across with other =■ people. •= On one occasion, E when wanting to cross E Rifie Range Road into E Heu Heu Street, Bert E was well and truly = 'stumped.' = It was Christmas and E cars were going every- E where, he said. E "I was standing on E the side of the road, and = didn't know what to — do." = But a large van tow- E ing a 20 foot trailer E came to his rescue. = The van was turning ~ from Heu Heu Street E into Rifie Range Road E and had stopped in the E middle, blocking the E road, allowing Bert to E cross in safety. Incidents such as this E almost make being E blind fun, says Bert. E llllllllllllllllllllimillllllllllllli