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Mr. Bloise Zeigler served as Mayor of Oak Grove, Alabama, for twenty years from 1980-2000. He began his first term as mayor at the age of 67 and concluded his twenty years of service at the age of 87. During his years in office he established a new town hall, a new senior center, and a walking track through securing Community Block Grant funds for his town. He continues to remain very active in his community and in his state. Mr. Zeigler is an OASIS consumer and a member of the OASIS Statewide Advisory Council. He has served as vice Chairperson then as Chairperson of the East Alabama Regional Planning Commission. The city of Oak Grove has a special day named in Mr. Zeigler's honor. The third Thursday of every May has been proclaimed as "Bloise Zeigler Day."
Mr. Zeigler is a fun-loving person. In his home are many photos of his family. One particular photo is of Mr. Zeigler riding on his sea do with a friend on the back—taken the summer he was 92!
Mr. Zeigler has many accomplishments and honors to his credit but the accomplishment of which he is most proud is his four children. Two of his sons are attorneys. One daughter is a retired Superintendent of Education and the other daughter holds a degree in education having trained as a teacher. His grandchildren are a continuing source of pride.
Little did Mr. Zeigler expect that loss of vision would ever interfere with his active lifestyle. He was on his way home from the airport after returning from a mission trip to Cuba when he realized that he was having great difficulty seeing and finding his way even though he was traveling a familiar road. Soon after, he became acquainted with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services OASIS Program and Donna Rowe, a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.
Following a thorough functional assessment of Mr. Zeigler's visual limitations, Mrs. Rowe began instructing Mr. Zeigler on adaptive techniques, low vision devices, and other resources that could help him to continue the active and independent life he continues to live at the age of 95. He is on the go daily, whether volunteering in the community, at his church, or working in the prison ministry he created. Use of a closed circuit television system and hand held magnifiers for reading has made dealing with the mail, writing, and studying his Bible possible for Mr. Zeigler. Writing templates such as check guides and signature guides along with instruction in the use of contrast and lighting provided by Mrs. Rowe through the OASIS Program have made essential writing easier. Adaptive marks on his stove and other appliances have helped Mr. Zeigler continue to prepare his meals in order to live independently.
As Mr. Zeigler often says, "When a person loses vision what they want to hear is that someone can restore their vision but when that is not possible finding a program of services like those services offered by the OASIS Program is the next best thing."
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When a person loses vision what they want to hear is that someone can restore their vision but when that is not possible finding a program of services like those services offered by the OASIS Program is the next best thing.
