Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis Celebrates New 17,000 Square Foot Building Expansion

ST. LOUIS, MO, October 10, 2011 (Press-News.org) Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis, a non-profit corporation that helps legally blind people maintain dignity and independence by offering Employment, Education and Support Services, on October 7 celebrated the Grand Opening of a new, 17,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse addition at its facility at 10440 Trenton Avenue in the city of Overland in St. Louis County.

The new building addition featuring an ISO Class 8 (100,000) Clean Room, product assembly area, Activities for Daily Living training rooms and offices, will support the Lighthouse service mission and non-profit business growth, help put more visually-impaired employees to work and enhance Lighthouse customer service.

Lighthouse President John Thompson, with U.S. Representative William Lacy Clay, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley and Overland Mayor Michael Schneider, celebrated the occasion along with more than 100 Lighthouse employees attending the festivities, including nearly 70 visually impaired employees.

Mr. Thompson said, "With the grand opening of this exceptional facility, I am proud to announce that we are moving portions of our medical packaging operations into this new area, and we are particularly excited about the new space for teaching Activities for Daily Living (ADL) skills. The ADL center can be used by teachers and other professionals in greater St. Louis, such as the St. Louis Society for the Blind & Visually Impaired and Rehab Services for the Blind, for training their clients of all ages, in addition to its use for our own purposes.

"Also, our new 1,000 square foot ISO Class 8 (100,000) clean room in the new addition will house our Multivac R145, Tray Sealer, and Auto Pouching equipment for packaging individual pouch products and small medical kits. Our new 1,300 square foot Catheter Assembly room will house our small liquid fill line, catheter assembly line, and small medical kit assemblies," Mr. Thompson said. The facility also will be used for warehousing.

"I want to extend special thanks to all of our vendors, supporters, patrons and customers for their enduring support of our efforts to improve the lives of people with visual impairments," said Mr. Thompson, adding, "This new, state-of-the-art facility is a testament to the Lighthouse service mission and to the excellent skills of all Lighthouse employees."

The Lighthouse recently added several new visually impaired employees to its manufacturing supervisory staff, and is preparing for new business expansion in 2012. In addition, this year the Lighthouse added new service programs and expanded current programs reaching almost 400 unique participants, both young and old. The Lighthouse Comprehensive Low Vision Program has served about 70 children to date this year, and its Low Vision Aid Program has donated dozens of special, closed-circuit television sets to help older adults maintain their independence.

Congressman William Lacy Clay, the U.S. Representative for Missouri's 1st congressional district, said at the grand opening, "Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis is an inspiration to the entire St. Louis community and should be applauded for the continuing success of its client service programs and non-profit business operations."

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley said, "I am proud to join Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis in celebrating the expansion of its essential services for the metro St. Louis community, the state of Missouri and Southwestern Illinois. Its business operations for customers nationwide, and its skilled employees, help sustain economic development in St. Louis County."

Overland Mayor Michael Schneider said, "The Lighthouse is an important source of employment and vital community services whose commitment to its service mission is outstanding."

Also known as LHB Industries, the Lighthouse was founded in 1933 and today maintains offices and manufacturing facilities that currently employ more than 60 legally blind persons at two locations in Saint Louis County, including another in the city of Berkeley a few miles from the Trenton Avenue facility. The Lighthouse and its employees manufacture, assemble, warehouse and sell high-quality products for government and business customers nationwide including first aid kits, medical kits, catheters, aerosol and liquid paints, aerosol and liquid cleaning products and many others. The Lighthouse also is expanding its popular line of eco-friendly products.

All sales revenues directly support Lighthouse programs including Professional Career Development; Special Technology and Adaptive Resources for Students (STARS); Summer Jobs for Students; Continuing Education; Arts & Entertainment Accessibility; Low Vision Aid; and many others available for legally blind and visually impaired individuals in Missouri and Southwestern Illinois.

Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis is a non-profit 501c3 corporation. For information, contact Brittney Smithers, Marketing & Sales Specialist, at toll-free 800.542.3697, or 314.423.4333, or visit the website http://www.lhbindustries.com. Media contact: Jeff Dunlap at 314.993.6925.

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