YOUR AD HERE »

Lions Club speakers at Glenwood library tonight

Angelyn Frankenberg
afrankenberg@postindependent.com

The Glenwood Springs Lions Club, which helps people with vision problems, will present an evening with inspiring speakers at the Glenwood Springs library at 7 tonight.

Matthew Goodwin, who has lived in the Roaring Fork Valley for more than 30 years, had cornea problems from an early age. His condition was painful, and his vision progressively worsened to the point that he could not read and had to avoid bright light.

Thanks to Dr. Walter Hoffman of Grand Junction and the Basalt Lions Club, Goodwin received cornea transplants in both eyes. Now, the man who lost a dishwashing job because he could not see the dishes owns his own business.



Penn Street lost her vision to Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, caused by an adverse reaction to life-saving medications she received after being bitten by a rattlesnake. She was 9 years old, and doctors expected her to be totally disabled — blind, deaf and brain damaged — if she survived.

Street was a fighter and proved the doctors wrong then and at every stage of her life since. Helen Keller became her childhood hero, and she dreamed of teaching and helping others break through their barriers to live full lives. A quote from her hero describes her mission: “Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much.”



Street has worked as the Outreach Manager for Ensight Skills Center, a Colorado State Lions Project. She is currently event coordinator with No Barriers USA, a nonprofit that provides opportunities for youth, wounded warriors and others to break through their barriers.

Tonight’s presentation will also include a demonstration of the Kurzweil 1000 camera system donated to the library by the Glenwood Springs Lions Club. The system aids those with vision problems by translating text to speech or magnifying and projecting it onto a screen or wall.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.