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Goodwill names Martin ‘Graduate of the Year’

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SPECIAL TO THE NEIGHBOR Goodwill Industries honored Sandra Martin as its 2008 Graduate of the Year.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Inc. honored Sandra Martin as its 2008 Graduate of the Year. Goodwill’s employment placement service helped Martin, who is totally blind, find a job as an outreach coordinator at Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida.

When Martin lost her eyesight two decades ago, she was a young homemaker with a newborn daughter to care for.

“I taught myself how to do things on my own, things like walking with the cane,” she said. “But I was really dependent on other people.”

Martin recalls the moment when she realized she needed to take charge of her own life.

“Someone told my 16-year-old daughter that she’d be taking care of me for the rest of her life,” she explained. “That’s such a big responsibility for a child, to think that they’d have to take care of their parent.”

Determined to become more independent, Martin traveled to Daytona for eight months of rigorous coursework with the Division of Blind Services. She studied everything from typing to assertiveness.

“I had no computer experience or typing skills,” she said. “I grew up a lot there. I finally found myself at the age of 39.”

But even after intensive training, Martin spent five years actively searching for a job, with no success. She turned to Goodwill, where she met employment consultant Enas Bendeck, who helped her with her resume, accompanied her on job interviews, and advised Martin in her job search.

“I needed a dedicated, reliable, and knowledgeable source to help me achieve my goal,” Martin said. “Enas really wanted to find the correct job for me.”

Goodwill helped Martin find a position with V.I.P., ending the frustrating job search. In just one year, Martin has become one of Southwest Florida’s most outspoken advocates for the blind. With her guide dog, Anna, at her side, she has coordinated events and programs to promote awareness, acted as a counselor for people with visual impairments and is vice president of the Naples Nites Lions Club.

Martin’s goal is to continue helping others in her situation by starting a lighthouse outreach center in Collier County.

“I know for a fact that having the right person standing up for you makes a big difference,” she said. “That’s what Goodwill did for me.”

Goodwill honored Martin at the organization’s Annual Awards Luncheon, Wednesday, May 6, at the Three Oaks Banquet and Conference Center in Estero. Two-time World Disabled Waterskiing Champion Ann O’Brine-Satterfield was the keynote speaker at the luncheon.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Inc. helps people with disabilities and other disadvantages to overcome their barriers to independence, through job placement programs, youth mentoring and education, vehicle assistance, and affordable housing. Goodwill supports these programs through the resale of donated goods at its 23 Retail & Donation Centers in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades and Hendry counties.