Independence For The Blind

Pensacola, Florida

Independence For The Blind

Guiding Those With Visual Impairments.

Independence for the Blind of West Florida is the only nonprofit entirely devoted to educating the blind and visually impaired in West Florida.

Our programs are designed to meet the emotional and practical needs of the Blind and Visually Impaired community. IB West continues to provide client-centered individualized instruction to the blind, incorporating the most up-to-date techniques and equipment.

Innisfree Hotels has been a corporate supporter and advocate for Independence for the Blind since 1994, when Julian MacQueen aided in the formation of a proper not-for-profit board and assumed the role as its first chairperson. For 20 years, he has continued to offer financial, legal support and guidance.

As a tribute to Kim MacQueen’s father, Clarence, and all who have lost the ability to see, Innisfree gave a substantial donation to Independence for the Blind to build its Pensacola-based training facility, now known as the Clarence W. Gemmill Training Center. A garden on the property was named for her mother, Jean, to recognize those who support the blind.

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Clarence W. Gemmill’s Advocacy For The Blind & Visually Impaired

After losing his sight at 34, he earned the position of field representative for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. He became a skilled and compassionate advocate and went on to serve Southern Manitoba as C.N.I.B. District Manager.

Clarence Gemmill’s job was to travel the whole province of Manitoba for the Canadian Institute of the Blind (CNIB) and train the blind. He was 90% blind and required a driver and the stories he would tell about the heroic members of the blind community were the inspiration.

Clarence was a man of size, in body and soul, with a large sense of humor to match. He would be pleased and gratified to have his name connected once again to service for the blind. If he was alive today to witness the work put forward by IB West’s facilities in Pensacola and the surrounding counties, he would likely have exclaimed (in his booming voice) his characteristic praise of celebration: “That’ll be glory for me!”

Our History

Prior to 1980, Independence for the Blind operated under two names: first, the Visually Impaired Program (VIP), and later, the Adult Blind Independent Living (ABIL) Program.

From 1980 to 1993, the program was administered by Pensacola Junior College and called SCIL, Skills Center for Independent Living. After PJC lost funding for SCIL, concerned community members who saw the need for education for the blind established a corporation and opened doors for service.

“I woke up completely blind due to a severe head trauma in July of 2011 which is when I became a client at Independence for the Blind. The staff and volunteers changed my life and showed me that I could achieve anything in life with hard work and determination. At IB West I was provided with free services including cooking, cleaning, white cane skills, job readiness training, technology training and much more in order to become totally independent. ”
– Stephanie Bollinger, Board Member