QUILCENE — The gravel road to Carl Jarvis’ house runs through a beautiful, three-mile stretch of woods colored by autumn maple and birch splashes of yellow and red.
Yet during the 10 years of living in the house, neither Carl nor the people who occasionally travel the road for Jarvis’ help have seen those fall colors.
Jarvis, 69, is blind, and spent the past 40 years of his life helping blind people in Washington.
That’s why Gov. Gary Locke this week recognized Jarvis’ service with a second appointment to a three-year term on the state Rehabilitation Council for the Blind.
Just like in any other community in the nation, visually impaired people in Jefferson County face typical challenges.
Those challenges start with the inability to care for themselves at home, and limited job opportunities and training, Jarvis said.
The council serves as a conduit of information between the blind community and the state Department of Services for the Blind.
The panel also educates blind people about new services, policies and opportunities created by the state.
At the same time, council members help gather data about blind people’s needs.
“I see an opportunity in channeling this information to the blind,” Jarvis said Wednesday.
“I have a lot of my life tied to working with the blind, and being a blind person myself I have a lot of interest in the lives of blind people.”