who we are
The Sight-Loss Support Group of Central PA is a non-profit, self-help organization comprised of people personally coping with sight loss and those with a desire to assist those with sight loss. We offer peer counseling, including vision rehabilitation referral services, community outreach educational events as well as direct accessibility support in the form of guides and audio describers for local cultural events. We hope to grow the outreach and service programs we currently offer to serve a wider audience and to develop new programs to address unmet needs of the visually impaired.
Our History
The SLSG was founded in 1982 by Rana Arnold and Dr. Fred Carlin, a State College optometrist. Rana served as the Executive Director of the SLSG until her "retirement" in 2013. In the early 1990s, the SLSG introduced the Art Through Touch and Festival Eyes programs which provide sighted guides for vision-impaired attendees of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and Peoples' Choice arts fest. In the late 1990s, Rana co-founded View Via Headphones, another prominent SLSG program and the area's first audio description service for live theatre, musical and dance performances. In the 2000s, under the auspices of the SLSG, Rana developed the Parents of Children with Sight-Loss support program (later known as Eye on Youth). Also established in the 2000s, the Centre County 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy Raisers Club is a collaboration between the SLSG, the Centre County 4-H and The Seeing Eye, Inc. (the oldest guide dog school in the world serving the visually impaired).
In Memory of Rana McMurray Arnold
1944-2020
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our vivacious, beloved co-founder and friend, Rana McMurray Arnold, on May 28, 2020.
In 1982, Rana co-founded the Sight-Loss Support Group of Central PA ("SLSG"), and served as its executive director until her retirement in 2013. Rana was the force behind the establishments of the SLSG's “Art Through Touch” and “Festival Eyes” programs to enable those with low vision to experience art, “View Via Headphones” (now “View Via Voice”), another prominent SLSG program and the area's first audio description service for live theatre, musical and dance performances, and a parents of children with sight-loss support program later known as “Eye on Youth”. An enthusiastic advocate for guide dogs, Rana helped establish the Centre County 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy Raisers Club, a collaboration between the SLSG, the Centre County 4-H and The Seeing Eye, Inc. (the oldest guide dog school in the world serving the visually impaired).
Although Rana retired as executive director in 2013, her generosity, enthusiasm, and desire to improve the quality of life for all those with and without vision loss, kept her involved with the organization and its programs. She lit up our 2nd Thursday Lunch Bunch Christmas party in December excited to introduce us to her latest guide dog, Audrey. With her love of color, and a vibrancy in her fashion that could only be matched by her effervescent personality, Rana was the face of sight-loss known in our community through her decades of community outreach.
Rana Arnold truly turned darkness into light for us all. Her spirit will forever remain in our hearts and in our organization.
Link to The OUTLOOK Newsletter, Summer 2020, “Remembering Rana McMurray Arnold” edition.
Rana’s Art
“When she retired as executive director from the SLSG, she finally had time to explore her original passion - creating art for herself. And she painted nonstop - wild, wonderfully colorful abstracts on both white and black backgrounds” - Nanette Anslinger.
Helen Manfull shared with us a beautiful example of Rana’s artwork, a loving gift from Rana to her. Helen says she can “see” Rana herself in the center of this piece, whirling and dancing!