by Susan Glass

"If you want to implement change in the world, then you have to change yourself." (Pam Metz: Immediate Past President of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter
of CCB.)

Service learning programs in public schools have an interesting watchword: students serve in order to learn, and learn in order to serve. That philosophy
of reciprocation characterizes the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of CCB from its inception to its present incarnation. Its 27 members are a viable community
presence, rising at 4:30 in the morning one Friday last December to participate in the Spark of Love Toy Drive sponsored by their local channel 7 ACB network,
then visiting a nursing home 9 days later to sing Christmas carols with residents there. This coming June, they plan to participate in a drive for nonperishable
foods to benefit people who are hungry. "We all need to live up to the pay it forward edict," said Pam Metz. And that philosophy, according to her husband
and current chapter President Ken Metz, makes it easier for the chapter to educate the surrounding community about needs of blind and visually impaired
people, such as the need for Audible Traffic Signals for instance.

"ORIGINALLY, the Greater Los Angeles chapter was not a membership organization," says long time member Bob Acosta. "It was called the Educational Organization
of the Blind, and it got its start during NFB days. We, its members, got together and wrote a paper for the Los Angeles Unified School District on the
adaptations needed by blind and visually impaired students, things like mobility instruction to help them get to their bus stops, and tape recorders so
they could record their classes. Later when we left the NFB, we became the Greater Los Angeles chapter."

Now in 2016, the chapter continues its education, advocacy and service activities. Its members meet on the third Saturday of every month at Corky's Restaurant,
an up-scale coffee shop in Sherman Oaks. "Our meetings and programs are interesting," says Steve Bauer, a chapter member for the past 17 years. We've
had visits from audio describers at the Mark Taper Forum and the Center Theatre Group. A representative from Marquez Products for Independent Living comes
every couple of years to show off new things and hopefully sell some. Around election time we have speakers from the League of Women Voters." Steve is
also grateful for the monthly legislative reports given by fellow chapter member Andy Baracco.

Every fall the Greater Los Angeles Chapter holds its World Series Food Fest fund-raiser at the BFW Hall in San Fernando Valley. The food is simple: hamburgers,
hot dogs and salads donated by chapter members. A local Girl Scout troop volunteers to help serve people, and later in the year, chapter members repay
the scouts by purchasing those scrumptious cookies. Bob Acosta believes that fund-raisers should always be for a specific purpose, and his fellow chapter
members apparently agree. Money raised from this year's World Series Food Fest will be used to send a chapter member to Sacramento when it's time for
CCB members to lobby their legislators.

And what are the strengths of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter?

"It has a solid core of dedicated members who regularly attend its meetings and activities," says Steve Bauer.

"There's great love in the chapter," offers Bob Acosta. "There's no bickering."

"Our diversity is our strength," says Pam Metz. We have a wide range of member age groups, and ethnic groups too. It's interesting to see how they interact.
Two of our chapter members are Black, and one lady and her mom who are members are both Japanese. We have three guide dog users, many cane users, and several
visually impaired people who don't use mobility aides at all. It's interesting to see what we have in common, and how we work together."

Multicultural representation in CCB and ACB are causes close to Pam Metz's heart. For some time now, she has served on the ACB Multicultural Committee.
"The diversity of our blindness community needs to reflect the diversity of every group in the United States," she says.

Future challenges for the Greater Los Angeles Chapter are in step with those faced by all of CCB: recruiting and nurturing members, funding meaningful
projects, reflecting the diversity of our surrounding communities, and cultivating good public relations with people and organizations beyond the blindness
community.

Says Bob Acosta, current chair of his chapter's membership committee, "It can be a challenge convincing young people to come to a chapter meeting rather
than watching the chapter's activities on social media outlets and then conversing with it virtually."

Ken Metz hopes that CCB will consider more regional conventions to foster more member involvement, and cut down on costs incurred by large state conventions.
Regional conventions would allow members more time to ask questions and learn about the organization. He also advocates for a strong mentorship program
at the local and state level.

What seems clear is that members of the Greater Los Angeles chapter believe that a nonprofit, charitable organization exists to serve the surrounding community
as well as its own members. At its best, it builds wider relationships for a greater good and a more connected world. Or as Pam Metz puts it, "Your need
is my need, and your achievement is my achievement."