One only has to meet Dianne Decker once to know that she is a person who knows how to make things happen. Born premature and underweight, Dianne developed Retinopathy Prematura (too much oxygen in the incubator) which caused her to be legally blind in her left eye, and the total loss of her right eye. Never seeing herself as “handicapped” Dianne worked as a school secretary for 37 years (until retiring in 2004) and is a 45 yr. active member of Calvary United Methodist Church in Salem.
In 1990, she founded the Roanoke Alliance for the Visually Enabled (RAVE) with the assistance of Lions. When she approached Lions to ask if they would consider providing transportation for persons interested in attending a support group for the blind, she was referred to Lion Dick Decker, who was District Sight Chairman that year. He took the proposal for a support group for the blind to the area Lions clubs. Upon his recommendation and under the leadership of Area 24 E District Governor, Don Rhineheart, Roanoke area Lions Club adopted RAVE as a project.
The first meeting of the support group was held Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1991 in the Lions Sight Foundation Building, corner of Elm Ave. and 5th Street, from 7 to 8:30 pm. The group continues to meet at the same time and location every 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Lion Dick, a 31-year-Lion with the Cave Spring Lions Club, committed himself to help the fledging support group succeed by volunteering to coordinate transportation to the meetings, a capacity he continues to fill as a Lion and as the spouse of Dianne. They were married in 1994. His club has continued outstanding support of RAVE in the form of financial support and drivers.
In addition to the Cave Spring Lions Club, other clubs consistently providing drivers for RAVE include: Edgewood; Roanoke and Salem Host Lions and Roanoke Valley Breakfast Lions. One of the first drivers to step forward to help the new support group was Lion John J. (J. J.) Johnson, who is a member of the Roanoke Valley Breakfast Lions. He is responsible for the name of the group “Roanoke—Alliance for the Visually Enabled – RAVE.” This name was adopted because of its positive and empowering connotation.
Under the leadership of Dianne Decker and with the assistance of Lions, RAVE has been able to aid countless men and women and their families to adjust to the life changes that vision loss has brought into their lives. The primary reason for the success of RAVE is the availability of transportation to meetings. As a result, for the past 22 years the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired has scheduled its annual Public Hearings for the Roanoke Area in conjunction with RAVE’s October meetings. Because of the support of Lions, the Roanoke meetings are the best attended in the Commonwealth.
