By: Stephanie Reynolds
Hello my amazing Limestonians! As I write this for you, I am also writing a (very small, very brief) speech I need to give in an hour at the presentation of Meta smart glasses for our own Alabama Veterans Museum & Archives!
You might remember last month I talked about getting trapped at the Space and Rocket Center (which was perfectly fine with me, to be honest). I was there for Alabama Mountain Lakes’ presentation of wheelchairs and Meta glasses for guests of the Rocket Center.
What I did not know was that we were also getting Meta glasses here in Athens!
If you don’t know what Meta smart glasses are, they are Ray-Bans that will (at the museum) “enable the blind and visually impaired the ability to experience the stories of sacrifice and bravery of our nation’s military men and women and their families with audible descriptions of the displays in our amazing museum.
“This is another step in the direction of making Limestone County accessible for everyone with challenges. We are proud to partner with Accessible North Alabama to ensure that all visitors feel welcome and are able to enjoy the beauty and wonder of North Alabama.” (That’s part of my speech, which ended up getting truncated because I somehow had the wrong time on my calendar and had to race to the event before I could get it all typed out, so I had to wing it.).
This is very dear to my heart. I understand a bit about blindness. As my neighbors and even young adults in my church recover from hip replacements and ACL surgeries and the like, I see how quickly someone can need to use crutches or a walker. As I think about my friends and their families, I know that wheelchair use is uncommon but not rare.
I love Athens and Limestone County. I want everyone to be able to enjoy it. I want people who are either temporarily or permanently challenged to consider Limestone County their home away from home, so that when someone says, “I have some vacation time, where do you want to go?” they immediately say, “Limestone County! I feel safe and welcome there.” I want parents to say, “Let’s go to Athens. I know some of their hotels are certified to help kids (and adults) with autism feel comfortable.”
And you know what else I know? That though we might get AI glasses and certifications and weighted blankets (and maybe even a couple of those super cool, all-terrain wheelchairs at some point), you are the true heart of Limestone County. Travelers come to my office and they feel loved and welcome because of you. YOU, my amazing friends and neighbors, are easing minds and soothing hearts and bringing smiles to faces. You make my job easy!
And of course it isn’t just for guests that these Meta glasses and such are here. These items are for anyone! So, if you have a friend or loved one who struggles to see, please take them to the Veterans Museum and ask to try the glasses. Then talk to me. Did the glasses work well? Did they help open the door to history just a little bit wider? Are there any suggestions? How can we help make Athens-Limestone County more accessible?
Let me close this article by saying what’s on my heart…you are a treasure. You are a blessing. You are what make this area a community. You have a heart for others that shines brightly and makes it easy for me to welcome guests with full enthusiasm. The more tools we get in to help with accessibility, the better, but nothing can top you. Meta glasses might help us fill in for eyes, but you are the heart.
By: Stephanie Reynolds, Athens-Limestone Tourism Association
