Vision Impaired Persons Support

618 14th Street, Modesto, CA 95354

(209) 522-8477 (VIPS), FAX: (209) 846-9071

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For General Questions and Presentation Requests: Jon Brooks, VisionImpaired@comcast.net

For Assistive Technology: Mauricio Molina, MauricioMolina@comcast.net

For ILS and Braille: Roxann Keys, modesto.vips@gmail.com

Friends of The VIPS
Names	Title
John De La Mora	Past Board Member
Jeanine Tucker	Past Board Member
Thom Ingebretson	Past Board Member
Gerry Moore	Past Board Memberr
Todd Cummins	Past Board Member

Jim Syvertsen

The Board President and Founder of the Vision Impaired Persons Support (VIPS). Jim has lived through the experiences of his father developing macula degeneration and his son being diagnosed with retinitis pigmatosa. Jim brings us over 40 year business and financial experience. He is currently Executive Vice President of California Mortgage Associates, and owns a steel product manufacturing company in Ohio. Jim serves on the board of Children's Crisis Center, and is past president of Modesto 500 Lions Club and current Stanislaus Region Chair with experience in raising hundreds of thousands dollars for charities. Jim has lived in the Central Valley for over twenty five years.

Pat Syvertsen

The Board Vice President and Co-Founder of the Vision Impaired Persons Support (VIPS). Pat has real life experience of blindness with her son and father-in-law. Married since 1967, Pat brings balance and a unique perspective to all Jim's efforts in business and charity work. Her people skills and experience in business and charity work add extraordinary value to VIPS.

Pat Gillum

The Board Chief Financial Officer. Pat is a self employed CPA and has over thirty years experience on non-profit boards. Pat brings experience and knowledge of laws, codes and proper reporting that is vital to our financial health. In addition, Pat went through the trauma of her mother's blindness after helping create VIPS and is a lifelong resident of Modesto.

Ruth McKinsey

The Board Secretary. My name is Ruth McKinsey. I started a decorative painting business in 1990 and have thoroughly enjoyed the business for the last 20 years. I also love to teach my skills to others. I have taught the painting techniques I have learned-and practiced in my business-through the Community College system and the Central California Art Association. At age 60, I have begun to reduced my work load and spend more time with my husband, children and grandchildren. I have worked with the blind and partially sighted community in Modesto for over 25 years due to the fact that my daughter was born with congenital glaucoma. When she went off to college, I became involved with our local Blind Club. When V.I.P.S. was established, I was eager to support their efforts to create a place where visually impaired citizens could get training and encouragement to be independent and productive. I have thoroughly enjoyed my involvement with V.I.P.S. as a Board Member for the past 7 years, serving as Secretary for the past 4 years. As V.I.P.S. grows, I am dedicated to continuing my support for the center to assure excellence in service. Along with serving on this Board, I also serve as a committee Co-Chair for the Education Committee for the Central California Art Association.

Brian Elliott, OD

The Board Director. Dr. Elliott has seventeen years in practice, and is a lifetime resident of Modesto as well. Brian brings a vital perspective to our board. His education and experience in diagnosing a multitude of eye diseases and educating clients on prevention/stabilizing of blindness is invaluable to VIPS. He educates us, gives support and knows the language. Brian is a great ambassador of VIPS with other colleagues in the field. He has worked at giving back to the community through several organizations that raise money for charity.

Mike Zeiter

A Board member. Mike is a financial representative of Foresters, which has a Fraternal network of Branches that raise money for charities. Their focus is on Children's charities. Mike has consistently been one of the top two producers for this international company for several years. His contacts and resources make him a real asset to VIPS. Mike gives his time and effort in building awareness of VIPS.

Diane Davis

A Board member. Diane is Customer Relations Director for Sutter Gould Medical Foundation. Her mother is blind and comes to our VIPS facility for training and support. Diane has been Sutter Gould's March of Dimes Chairperson for the last five years raising well over $100,000. She has committed to use her talent, experience and resources to raise money for our events.

Barbara Damewood

A Board member. My name is Barbara Damewood. I live with my husband, Bill, who is also a V.I.P.S. Volunteer. We happily enjoy gardening and outdoor ventures. Our son recently graduated and, now, works as a Registered Nurse.

In June of 2009 I retired from Teaching after twenty-three years. I taught First Grade for eight years, and the remaining years in Middle School, especially in the Sixth Grade. It was a joyful experience!

I have a love for writing and earned my Master's Degree in Education in the area of Language Arts. My writing interests were further inspired when I became a Teacher Consultant after attending a Summer Institute with the Great Valley Writing Project, a national organization. Now, I keep my connection to writing and education through tutoring and volunteering, on occasion, to teach a lesson to students in classrooms at my former school.

I have been a volunteer with the Modesto Police Department since 2002, and enjoy being involved with my community. I recently became a Board Member with V.I.P.S., and look forward to working in its efforts to foster independence through training for the visually-impaired.

Both my grandmother and father became visually-impaired, in later life, through the complications of Diabetes. What a great opportunity I, now, have in being a member of V.I.P.S. The dedicated members on the Board are inspirational and hard-working. I eagerly look forward to serving with them and seeing what great things we can accomplish!

Friends of VIPS

A group of people with strong ties to VIPS, but do not have board member responsibilities. They are vital to our organization as a resource of information and experience. They also serve on committees during the year and assist in our fund raising events.