A few successful contracts led a Kinston nonprofit to a major investment — in the form of a water park.
Lions Industries for the Blind, Inc., a company employing blind and visually impaired workers, is a major part of the reason why the aptly-named Lions Water Adventure Park will hold its ribbon-cutting ceremony today.
The attraction will open full-time Saturday after today’s dedication ceremony.
LIB Executive Director Ray Amyette said some criteria for the company’s investing into Lion’s Water Adventure was to retain naming rights, which they did. Otherwise, LIB was in the right position to be a part of the project.
“(We) decided that it would fit within our realm of what our mission was,” he said.
Because of the LIB input, there are contrasting colors on the stairs of the park’s waterslide and will soon have lion paw prints in bright yellow leading to different areas to help, “someone who’s visually impaired be able to see.”
LIB is one of six agencies across the state that provides employment opportunities to the visually impaired.
It began in 1971 as a place to train and assist visually impaired with finding jobs, but that’s changed over the years.
“A majority of the people that come in here, most of them, look forward to spending a good while in here,” Amyette said of the new set-up. “They’re not really looking to have training and then get prepped to go out the real world. They like staying here because we’re they’re peers, for one thing.”
LIB has more than 50 employees whose primary disability is a visual impairment and nine management individuals. Before 1980, the company only employed people who were totally blind.
Some employees at the LIB are blind and deaf, and the totally blind employees man the sewing machines.
LIB manufactures a number of items, from service tapes that go across pockets of Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard to embroidered hats and shirts for companies in Lenoir and WayneCounties.
Workers operate sewing, embroidery and screen printing machines and tools to supply the various products.
Employee of the Year Oscar Lopez spends his work days in the cut-and-sew department of the 40,500 square-feet facility on Berkeley Avenue.
Amyette said Lopez lost his vision to a gunshot wound trying to protect his family during a home invasion.
Lopez will be one of the first people to go down the Lion Water Park super slide today. As the selected employee of the year, he will compete against a few others to see who can slide the fastest.
He often serves as an inspiration for LIB workers who are losing their vision.
“He has the best attitude of anyone you’ll ever meet,” Amyette said. “He gives a lot of encouragement here to people.”
It will be Lopez’ first time down a water slide, he said.
Many other people in Kinston will have their inaugural ride when the park opens Memorial Day weekend. The park features a lazy river, kiddie pools among other water fun.
Lions Water Adventure will be open through Labor Day weekend.
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.
BREAKOUT BOX:
Lions Industries for the Blind, Inc.
4126 Berkeley Ave.
P.O. Box 2001
Kinston, N.C. 28502
252-523-1091
Lionindustries.org
Lions Water Adventure nuggets:
n Opening Day: Saturday
n Address: 2602 W. Vernon Ave.
n Phone: 252-939-1330
n Website: Lionswateradventure.com
n Daily admission: $9.95 per person; free for Woodmen Community Center members