By Jack Etkin, Anchor Center for Blind Children Volunteer


Chanel Brown had driven past Anchor Center for Blind Children many times. She had seen the sign outside the building, which gives Brown and other passersby a broad-brush statement about who Anchor Center serves.

But the motor room, the light room, sensory gym, the tree house, the garden, the literacy and art rooms and the experienced Anchor Center teachers and staff, these were unknowns. Brown never had any reason go to inside. She now does so regularly, because her 3-year-old son Auzarion began attending preschool at Anchor Center in August.

Last March, Auzarion was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. His ophthalmologist referred Brown to Anchor Center, where Auzarion is one of 20 children in the preschool this fall. That group includes Cady, who like Auzarion is new to Anchor, and six children who have moved up from Anchor's infants and toddlers program :  Asher, Caden, Claire, Julianna, Lilly and Madison.

Auzarion, who is eager and exuberant, attends Anchor Center on Tuesday, Thursday and some Fridays. This is his first preschool experience, and it has been a good one.

“He looks forward to going,” Brown said. “He thinks he's supposed to go every day. He really likes it, and I really like the staff there. They're very nice and friendly, and they work with him very well, considering him being a 'wild' guy. He's all over the place, but they take their time with him and kind of help him to start following directions better because he hasn't been in a school setting before.”

Brown said she is “really, really” grateful Anchor Center is there for Auzarion. He has already gone on his first field trip, a visit to Stapleton's South Fire Station 26. There he was allowed to handle a high pressure water hose, try on firefighter gear and feel like a real fireman.

That day, Auzarion had tales to tell his mother about shiny trucks and long hoses, rubber boots and caring firemen. That was a special day, but whenever Auzarion attends Anchor Center, Brown knows she will hear his happy account of just what he did.

“He talks about when they went to motor room and he rode the bike and what he did in class,” Brown said, “and what he ate for lunch, of course, the favorite time of the day.”