TRI-STATE INDEPENDENT BLIND SOCIETY

TRI-STATE INDEPENDENT BLIND SOCIETY. A non-profit organization serving the area's blind and partially blind, the Society was founded in December 1972 and incorporated on February 27, 1973, by twelve people in the community including Don GAGNE. The Society promoted safety, welfare and education as well as encouragement of members to achieve independence and personal success. (1) Local optometrists were recruited to volunteer at the clinic. (2)

Meetings were first held at the Washington Opportunity Center and then the Iowa Inn. The Society moved to the former CARADCO administration building at 1098 Jackson on October 1, 1977 and, in 1988, to 3333 Asbury Road, the former site of the Save-U-More grocery store. (3)

Within the community, the Society worked with service clubs to provide special equipment and aids, cooperated in the education of school-age children, provided back-up transportation in emergencies, and acted as a resource for the City of Dubuque in its efforts to remove barriers to the blind, elderly, and handicapped. (4)

In January 2017 the announcement was made that the Dubuque Zoning Advisory Commission recommended rezoning a 3.1 acre lot on Cedar Cross Road from light industrial to general commercial use. Society officials said the organization was planning to construct a new facility on the property. The current location at 3333 Asbury was too large and expensive. It was suggested that the site was of interest to Colorado-based grocery chain Natural Grocers. Natural Grocers moved into the building following massive renovation in the fall of 2018. (5)

In 2022 on the fiftieth anniversary of the society, the work of the group was carried out at its facility opened in 2018 at 1068 Cedar Cross Road. The current location offered a low-vision store which sold Braille playing cards and dice, big-button phones, sunglasses, and talking clocks or scales. A bookstore sold donated books, puzzles and games. Programs offered at the facility included lessons in Braille and personal skills like cooking. Staff members visited clients' homes for evaluations or assisting with tasks including raising dots on the buttons of appliances so that people with low vision could feel them. Tri-State Blind members were also able to participate in weekly group outings to parks or other forms of entertainment. The PANDEMIC was a major obstacle with bingo night attendance falling from 200 visitors to below 100. With the passing of time, attendance by 2022 was between 140 to 180 players every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. (6)

The 1987 Dubuque City Directory listed 1098 Jackson.

The 1993 Dubuque City Directory listed 3333 Asbury.

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Source:

1. Montgomery, Jeff. "New Site for Blind Society?" Telegraph Herald, January 13, 2017, p. 3A

2. Kelsey Elizabeth, "Blind Society Marks 50 Years," Telegraph Herald, August 5, 2022, p. 1A

3. Montgomery

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Kelsey, p. 3A