Southeastern Wisconsin Lions BOLD, Inc.

Start: January 1974
Updated: February 24, 2008
 

The History of BOLD began in Aspen, Colorado, USA
 

It all started when Frenchman Jean Eymere, a ski instructor in Aspen,
Colorado lost his sight through diabetes. A few years after losing his
sight, in 1969, he wanted to ski again. His friends and colleagues at
the ski school assisted him and guided him safely down the
mountain. This experiment was so encouraging, that the Aspen Ski
School invited a group of blind persons from the Colorado School for
the Deaf and Blind in Colorado Springs to share their new learned skills.

The Aspen Lions Club sponsored this event and provided bright
yellow Jackets with a Lions emblem and a big imprint: “Blind Skier”.
Aspen BOLD was born. The news media picked up on the story;
famous Olympic skiers like Kikki Cutter, Jean Claude Killy (a friend of
the blind Jean Eymere), Stein Eriksen, Judy Nagel, Spider Sabich
and several others were on the Advisory Board; including Sam
Skobel from Chicago and our own Lion Dick Kapp from
Port Washington, Wisconsin.

Through Jean Eymere’s popularity and efforts BOLD organizations in
many cities across the country sprang up. Most disappeared again
over the years.

 Western Pennsylvania BOLD is still active and receives some
support from Lions Clubs.

Aspen BOLD in 2002 merged with Challenge Aspen and is no
longer a function of the Lions Club. Event participants have to pay
their own way.

Lions Clubs International District 27A2
In Wisconsin, USA

In 1973/ 1974 during his term as District Governor of District 27A2
Lion Dick Kapp formed Milwaukee BOLD

It was DG Lion Dick’s intention to get Lions and Lionesses directly
and personally involved with leisure activities for the Visually Impaired
and totally blind Persons (VIPs). VIPs from the Greater Milwaukee
Area, from Hartford, Waukesha and Fond du Lac joined the group.

District 27A1 also got involved quite actively with participants from
Racine and Kenosha and therefore BOLD was renamed:
Southeastern Wisconsin Lions BOLD, Inc.

In 1977 Southeastern Wisconsin Lions BOLD, Inc. was incorporated
as a non-profit corporation in the State of Wisconsin.

BOLD was first led by President Lion & VIP Ervin Bostwick from 1974
to 1977.The next President was Lion & VIP Richard Wolter from 1977
to 1983, followed by President Scott Norris from 1983 to 1985 and
President Carol Roth, from1985 to 1986.

In 1986, the current President, Lion Ken Sosalla was elected and the
organization has diversified and has made great progress ever since

Today approximately 180 VIPs, of which approximately 10 are Lions
and Lionesses and approximately 110 volunteer Guides, of which
about 15 are Lions and Lionesses, participate in programs throughout
the year.

What started out in January 1974, nervously, with 5 blind people
wanting to go downhill skiing has grown into an average of 26
different summer and winter activities. Almost every other
weekend something is planned.

VIPs, Guides and Lion Cabinet Members as well as Club Presidents
are being notified of these events via a Quarterly BOLD Newsletter.
VIPs and Guides sign up with an event coordinator who assures that
enough guides are available.

Organization

BOLD is open to all legally blind people. Event participation is free

The organization is managed by a Board of Directors of ten, of which
six have to be Lions or Lioness Club members.

Quarterly Board Meetings scrutinize and set the budget and approve
the activity calendar. Because of the size of the BOLD group,
donations are solicited from all 112 Lions Clubs and 35 Lionesses
Clubs of both Districts 27A1 and 27A2. Over 95% of the funding
comes from these clubs, the rest of the donations from Milwaukee
area sport shops, ski clubs and occasionally a private donation.

Why do VIPs need our help?
 

Often VIPs are treated by their own kin as being incapable of doing
anything useful. These VIPs withdraw into a lifestyle where they sit
at home just waiting for the day to go by. Most of these VIPs also do not
have the financial means to engage in anything but the absolutely
necessary daily needs.

Purpose of BOLD

BOLD’s purpose is to allow the blind and visually impaired to
experience outdoor sports and leisure activities while developing their
social and athletic skills.

A valuable by-product is the interaction between new and often
distraught VIPs and our veterans who have varying degrees of visual
impairment.

Life lessons can be learned from someone like Lion Richard Wolter of
Hartford, totally blind since age seventeen. He owns his own home-
building Construction Company and is very successful.

Lion Sandy Tisdale, totally blind, has an 8 to 5 job with Ameritech.
She rides the bus to and from work every day.

Scott Hegle, totally blind, is a Regional Sales manger for a software
company and travels several States!

Kevin Meyers, totally blind, is a systems analyst for Northwestern
Mutual Life Insurance Company. A voice synthesizer helps him
navigate the computer. Kevin lost his sight when he was 24 years old.
See his detailed story in ’News for the Blind’.

New VIPs find out that not all is despair and that there is some fun left
in life. Through the BOLD activities they increase their confidence
levels and become more productive members of our society.
Especially young VIPs benefit greatly by participating in
BOLD events.

Today Southeastern Wisconsin Lions BOLD Inc. is by far the
largest and most active BOLD organization in the USA.
Something that all Lions and Lionesses of Districts 27A1 and 27A2
can be real proud of!

The Lions motto is: “We Serve”. With donations from most clubs,
both Districts show that they are willing to serve the VIPs close to home.

The many “Thank You” from VIPs and the good participation in the
events tell a good story about the usefulness and popularity of BOLD.
Lions and Lionesses are especially invited to help and are welcomed
to participate in BOLD activities.

For more information please contact:

BOLD President Lion Ken Sosalla
Tel.:262-548-9114 or e-mail: ksosalla@wi.rr.com

BOLD Secretary and Distr.27A2 BOLD Chairman
Lion Hans Tietgen
Tel.:262-251-4402 or e-mail:HansTietgen@teeks.net

For details about the very beginning of BOLD see:

But most of all please book- mark our web site:
www.wisconsinbold.com

Visit the site often.
We add event news and pictures frequently.