Sierra Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired

11/05/2025

What an amazing evening at Peace Lutheran Church's concert this last Sunday! Thank you to Pastor Christian and his wife Sabina, the Arts@Peace council (who planned this entire event), to Walt Strony (for organizing the music set and also performing) and to Heather MacAdam, Thom Greathouse and the Grass Valley Male Voice Choir for their stellar performances. Finally, thank you to all who came to enjoy the music and evening with us. A true testament to the concept of "community"!

10/30/2025

We get asked often about cane tips. There are many different types. This video goes over a few. Thanks for sharing Blind on the Move!

10/30/2025

Peace Lutheran Grass Valley, CA has put a lot of work into this concert for the community. Please join us on Sunday, November 2 at 4pm! 828 West Main Street, Grass Valley

At 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, Peace Lutheran Church will host the Benefit Concert for Sierra Services for the Blind with performances by a variety of entertaining musicians. One of the many great things about Nevada County are all the amazing, talented musicians who call it home. Once again Walt Strony,...

10/30/2025

PERFORMER SPOTLIGHT: Heather MacAdam

Singer, songwriter, guitarist, Heather MacAdam, has performed as a soloist and a band leader in and around the Nevada City, CA. music scene for some time now. Her repertoire encompasses a wide range of styles from jazz and blues to pop and rock & roll. In her original compositions, she sings about crazy drivers on the highway like “Gotta Get There!” and beautiful love songs about the love of her life. No matter the venue, MacAdam’s personable engaging stage presence and musical talent has warmed the hearts of audiences for years.

You can experience the talent of Heather MacAdam at Peace Lutheran Grass Valley, CA at 828 W. Main Street on November 2, 2025 beginning at 4 p.m. The community has come together to offer a benefit concert for Sierra Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. There is no entry fee but donations are welcome. See you there!

10/29/2025

❤️🧡💛🤎

10/29/2025

🚨SCAM ALERT🚨INFORMATION BELOW from Nevada County Sheriff's Office

'𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲' 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐦 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 $𝟐𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎

Nevada City, CA – The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) would like to remind residents to stay on heightened alert when contacted via phone, email, or social media from any unfamiliar person or entity. Scammers are always looking for opportunities to prey on unsuspecting individuals.

Most recently, a Nevada County resident fell victim to a “celebrity” catfish scam, resulting in the loss of more than $25,000. The scam began when the victim commented on a Facebook post and someone posing as a celebrity asked the victim to private message him.

Through chatting on Facebook, the scammer convinced the victim to move their conversation into a popular private messaging app called Zangi. The victim spoke with the scammer for several hours per day building trust via the app (never over the phone) and was eventually persuaded to join the fake actor’s fan club for $200. Once the membership was established, the victim was convinced to become a “VIP Fan Club” member at $5,000 and the scamming escalated from there with the victim paying the scammer through several methods, including mobile wallet numbers, Bitcoin, and gift cards.

“We are sharing this unfortunate incident to build awareness in the hopes of preventing a similar incident from happening to someone else,” said Undersheriff Sam Brown. “Scammers often pose as others and use deception to build false trust. If you’re contacted by anyone you don’t personally know who asks you for money, chances are it’s a scam and you should not engage with them.”

The following are scam prevention reminders:

1. Verify identities. Never assume someone is who they claim to be—especially online.
2. Don’t send money or gift cards. No legitimate person or organization will ask for payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
3. Be cautious with personal information. Avoid sharing personal details, photos, or financial information with anyone you haven’t met in person and verified.
4. Watch for urgency or secrecy. Scammers often pressure their victims to act fast or keep things “private.”
5. Check verified accounts. Real celebrity accounts are usually marked with a verified badge. Even then, be cautious—fake accounts can look very convincing.
6. Search before you believe. Use a search engine to check for reports of similar scams or fake profiles using the same photos or names. In the case of the celebrity scam, research for the celebrity’s verified account. Often celebrities will release their own PSAs on their accounts, warning fans of this very scam.
7. Don’t click suspicious links. Links sent by unknown contacts can lead to phishing websites or malware.
8. Trust your instincts. If something feels off or too good to be true, it probably is.
9. Report suspicious accounts. Notify the social media platform or web host if you suspect an account is fictitious. Reporting scams can help others from becoming victims.
10. Report possible scams. If you believe you were the victim of a scam, please contact NCSO or your local law enforcement authority for assistance.
11. Talk about it. While it can be embarrassing for victims to share their experiences, open communication spreads awareness and helps reduce further harm.

10/29/2025

Information from the county on the government shut down and food insecurity with in our community. Here is what you should do...

Attention CalFresh households: If the federal shutdown continues past Oct. 23, November CalFresh benefits may be delayed. October benefits are not affected and residents can continue using them as usual. To avoid any additional delays, recipients should continue completing all required reports (such as Semi-Annual Reports and renewals) and respond to any verification requests. You can check your benefit status at cdss.ca.gov/calfresh, BenefitsCal.com, or call 1-877-328-9677. No other services, such as CalWorks or WIC, are impacted at this time.

🤝 Need Food or Want to Help?
If you’re worried about food access, call 2-1-1 211 Connecting Point to find free local food distributions and community resources. Food Bank of Nevada County and Interfaith Food Ministry are here to help make sure no one goes hungry.

More than 10% of our community relies on CalFresh. If you’re in a position to give, consider donating food, funds, or volunteering time to support local families. A small act of generosity can make a big difference right now.
https://foodbankofnc.org/
https://www.interfaithfoodministry.org/

10/28/2025

PERFORMER SPOTLIGHT: Toby Thomas Rose

Toby Thomas-Rose has performed at venues across North America and overseas. He holds his Bachelor’s Degree in piano performance from California State University, Northridge and will soon be going to Europe to continue his studies.

Thomas-Rose gives private lessons and was the Music/Choir Director for the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains. He has performed many times in Nevada County, and recently was Music Director for a production of The Last Five Years presented by The Lyric Rose Theatre Company at the Center of the Arts.

Nevada County has been Toby’s home base, where he graduated from Nevada Union High. His extended family surrounded him with music. His father is the well-known local musician, director, and actor, Stan Thomas-Rose, who presently teaches for the Yuba City Unified School District and is the Choral Director at Nevada City’s Trinity Episcopal Church.

You can experience the talent of Toby Thomas Rose at Peace Lutheran Grass Valley, CA at 828 W. Main Street on November 2, 2025 beginning at 4 p.m. The community has come together to offer a benefit concert for Sierra Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. There is no entry fee but donations are welcome. See you there!

10/26/2025

PERFORMER SPOTLIGHT: Thom Greathouse

Thomas Greathouse currently serves as the organist/choirmaster of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Grass Valley, CA. Established in 1855, it is the oldest continually operating Episcopal church in California. He is also a music specialist working for the Riverdale, CA school district.

After learning to play by ear, Thom began formal piano lessons at age 4 and organ a few years later. He started “subbing” for churches at age 9. He moved to Phoenix, AZ after high school and studied organ at Grand Canyon College (now University). He continued studies at Southeast Missouri State University and finally at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Being proficient playing numerous styles of music, as well as being a vocalist – he is at home playing for theater productions, hymn fests, accompanying choral festivals and professional choral and instrumental groups. He was the official pianist for the Miss Missouri (America) Pageant, and a staff organist at the Community of Christ Headquarters in Independence, MO.

You can experience the talent of Thom Greathouse at Peace Lutheran Grass Valley, CA at 828 W. Main Street on November 2, 2025 beginning at 4 p.m. The community has come together to offer a benefit concert for Sierra Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. There is no entry fee but donations are welcome. See you there!

10/24/2025

PERFORMER SPOTLIGHT: Grass Valley Male Voice Choir

The Grass Valley Male Voice Choir is the direct descendant of the Cornish miners’ choirs that flourished from the Gold Rush era well into the twentieth century.

Grass Valley was the center of hard rock gold mining, Cornish miners came to Grass Valley, where their skills were needed to extract gold from the earth. They stayed, putting down permanent roots in the Nevada County community.

Their love of singing led to an all male voice choir that sang in Grass Valley for over 90 years. The choir was heard at Christmastime in national radio broadcasts in the 1940’s and 1950’s one of which was recorded deep inside a mine.

In the 1990’s, Eleanor Kenitzer, an experienced choral conductor in the community, worked with a few of the remaining choir members to revive the Cornish singing tradition. The Grass Valley Male Voice Choir began performing during the holidays with men and women singers, a tradition which continues today.

When the Cornish Carol Choir visited Cornwall in 1997, they heard the wonderful sounds of the Cornish male voice choirs. Eleanor was encouraged to establish the Grass Valley Male Voice Choir soon thereafter. The Male Voice Choir has been an active and beloved part of the Nevada County musical scene since that time.

Staying close to our Cornish roots, the choir toured Cornwall in 2000, 2002, and performed at the Cornish Male Choir Festival in 2017.

The Choir has singers from all walks of life, and has embraced a broad repertoire that includes Broadway, Pop, and Folk music. In 2022, George Husaruk took direction of the choir and maintained the same rich, deep sound of male voices our audiences have always appreciated.

The choir has regular concerts and appears in front of numerous groups – at ceremonial occasions, holiday parties, and senior residences. You can find out more about them on their website at https://gvmalevoicechoir.org/.

You can experience the talent of Grass Valley Male Voice Choir at Peace Lutheran Grass Valley, CA at 828 W. Main Street on November 2, 2025 beginning at 4 p.m. The community has come together to offer a benefit concert for Sierra Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. There is no entry fee but donations are welcome. See you there!

10/22/2025

The current newsletter is on our site. Thank you to Society for the Blind's Access News program for assisting us with the audio format of the newsletter. It can all be accessed at https://www.sierraservices.org/newsletter 🧑‍🦯

10/22/2025

PERFORMER SPOTLIGHT: Walt Strony

Walt Strony is one of America's premier concert organists. Since his debut in 1974 at the age of 18, he has established himself as one of the few organists equally at home playing both theatre and classical organ.

Mr. Strony has performed from coast-to-coast in the United States as well as in Japan, Australia, England and Canada. He has performed for more conventions of the American Theatre Organ Society than anyone living, and has also performed numerous times for the American Guild of Organists.

Among his many triumphs are having performed two concerts at Radio City Music Hall, and twice on the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia, the world's largest fully-operable pipe organ. He has been a regular performer on many series including the Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park, San Diego and the Kotzschmar Organ in Portland, ME -- as well as having performed on nearly every important theatre organ in the world. He has performed with the symphony orchestras of Calgary, El Paso, Allentown and Symphony Silicon Valley. This season he will be performing on the great organ in Methuen, MA and for the East Texas Organ Festival, where he has performed three times previously.

He has recorded over 32 albums. His first CD - "Phoenix" - was given a 10/10 rating by CD Review. His latest album called "Tico-Tico", is a cross-over album recorded during a live performance for the East Texas Organ Festival.

His book, "The Secrets of Theatre Organ Registration" is highly sought after having become a standard reference book for organists, and he is currently preparing its second edition.
In addition to being one of America's most sought after organists, equally at home on the Mighty Wurlitzer or Aeolian-Skinner -- he is also known as an organ consultant. In 2008, the Allen Organ Company commissioned him to design a new four-manual instrument -- the Walt Strony Signature Series Organ, examples of which are found in America, France and England. Born in Chicago, he began music studies at the age of seven. His theatre organ teacher was Al Melgard, the much-loved organist at the Chicago Stadium, who began his career as a very popular silent film accompanist in Chicago. Needless to say, he taught Walt all he knew. As a result, Walt is one of the last generation of organists with a genuine connection to those that played silent films in the 1920s.

Appropriately, Walt strives to be as authentic as possible when creating a score -- so it's as close as possible to what was done originally. His classical studies were with Herbert L. White and Karel Paukert. Walt currently makes his home in California's historic Gold Rush country. He is organist at Peace Lutheran Church, Grass Valley and Artistic Advisor for Arts@Peace where he organizes concerts and silent movies.

You can experience Walt's talent for yourself at Peace Lutheran Grass Valley, CA at 828 W. Main Street on November 2, 2025 beginning at 4 p.m. The community has come together to offer a benefit concert for Sierra Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. There is no entry fee but donations are welcome. See you there!