Man works to show abilities of the disabled

Linwood Gallagher shares the household chores with his brother. Gallagher does the cleaning and his brother, Robert Stokes, does the cooking.

Each morning Gallagher wakes and reads the Nevada Appeal and does his limbering exercises. He then goes about his daily household chores and, some days, follows these up by going to school.

The 65-year-old Carson City man has been blind since losing most of his sight when he was 31/2 from whooping cough.

"It hasn't slowed me down at all," he said. "I usually start on my computer and one of the things I head for is the Nevada Appeal. I usually read the front page; it is really more accessible. The site is one of the best in the country as far as accessibility.

"I have a screen reader program with a built-in speaker that verbalizes what's on the screen. Once you learn to navigate, you can get around quite well."

Gallagher is able to use the Internet to follow the bills before the 2003 Legislature, access the card file at the state library and uses Google to find anything on any subject. He also answers hundreds of e-mails a day, some of which are voice messages where he and the letter writer can chat.

"I am concerned that in spite of the fact that we have three computers with these capabilities, none of this is being taught to other blind people or people with disabilities," Gallagher said.

In about a minute, Gallagher found four bills before the Senate related to the disabled -- SB137, SB164, SB239 and SCR10.

"My main interest isn't the opportunity to brag. I think it's a shame we have everything in place for others and it isn't being done," he said. "I've been to the Lions Club promoting the reason the blind aren't doing it is they are not being taught. I've offered to volunteer one day a week to teach."

Ever the activist, Gallagher is working with the Maverick Lions Club to help better educate the public about people with disabilities.

He has found, and the Lions Club has purchased, a set of dolls with props representing all areas of disability. The dolls are on display at the Children's Museum of Western Nevada.

In addition to his daily routine, Gallagher is working to further advance services for the disabled and even more importantly to point out their abilities.

"I had quite a bit of vision until 19 or 20 when I started having to carry a cane and using a seeing-eye dog," he said. "A year ago I found out about these dolls. The Lions Club adopted the disabilities awarness project and bought this set. The purpose is to make people aware there is life after the onset of a disability."

Gallagher has developed a routine for cleaning house. Each day has its own set of chores. "That way if I do miss a spot this week I will catch it next week. It's been a long time since my brother had to say 'Hey this isn't right you have to do this pan again.'

"It's hard to say sometimes how we do a lot of things. You do work out a system. It's a matter working out what works for you."

Gallager also plays the accordion and entertains at nursing homes. He and his brother eat out a lot and he loves to walk and swim.

"I have a hard time if the pool is full with bumbling into people," he said. "I also love to water ski."

Gallagher came to the area to learn to snow ski and decided this is where he'd like to retire. Over the years he has owned several businesses and worked on an assembly line

On Wednesdays, he attends an elements of speech class at Western Nevada Community College.

"The main thing I am hoping to get from that is to eliminate verbal ticks, like saying uh," he said.

He is developing a speakers bureau of disabled people who can talk at schools, organizations and to others who are interested. The dolls can be used as props for the speech.

Anyone who would like to have someone speak can call Gallagher at 887-1518.