Bexar County Commissioner praises the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind during its recent 75th anniversary celebration. Courtesy photo

Since 1933, the Lighthouse has been teaching independent living skills for blind and visually impaired people who come to the Lighthouse at 3205 Roosevelt Ave.

The Lighthouse employs 450 people, 148 of whom are vision-impaired.

Most of the Lighthouse’s sighted workers have administrative jobs. At least three-fourths of the workers in manufacturing are vision-impaired.

In 1933, the Lighthouse began with five part-time workers at a North Presa Street sewing plant. Back then they produced pillows. Now they manufacture mechanical pencils, rollerball pens, military helmet-retention assemblies, absorbent products, and more for the military.

The Lighthouse also recently received aerospace certification (AS9100), which has enabled them to produce products like aerospace insulation blankets.

Lipton said that some of the items made at the Lighthouse are used in the Boeing KC-135, an aerial refueling tanker aircraft.

Bexar County Commis-sioner Tommy Akdisson has said the Lighthouse has added more manufacturing jobs this year than any other manufacturer in San Antonio. It has also contributed $50 million to the local economy.