Sights for Hope to Honor Black Belt Entrepreneur with its Titan of Hope Award
Sights for Hope has named Paul Miller – Founder and CEO of Active Learning Centers and Lehigh Valley Martial Arts – the 2024 recipient of its Titan of Hope Award.
Miller will be honored during Sights for Hope’s Titan of Hope Award 2024 Luncheon – presented by Active Learning Centers, and Lehigh Valley Martial Arts – on Thursday, October 24, at The Aster at the Hyatt Hotel in Allentown, PA. Sponsorship opportunities are available. All proceeds will benefit Sights for Hope and its mission. Sponsorships and ticket purchases can be made by calling Sights for Hope’s advancement office at 610.433.6018, Ext. 232.
The Titan of Hope Award honors people with visual impairments who have distinguished themselves professionally in a manner that exemplifies the indomitable power of hope. Miller, who identifies as completely blind due to progressive retinal disease and has dealt with visual impairments for most of his adult life, has practiced martial arts for more than 45 years, is a fifth-degree black belt in karate, and has trained more than 1,000 black belts. Miller founded Lehigh Valley Martial Arts in 1997 and founded Active Learning Centers, a childcare center that uses martial arts to teach life lessons, in 2002. The businesses operate in five locations and have more than 150 employees.
Miller, who was raised in the projects of Reading, PA, worked as a chef in Amsterdam and several American locations and founded and owned two businesses before opening Lehigh Valley Martial Arts. He was elected Vice President of Sights for Hope’s Board of Directors in November 2022. He also was a member of the organization’s board from 2004-2007, when it was known as the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI).
Paul is a shining example of what the Titan of Hope Award represents,” said Kate Raymond, President of Sights for Hope’s Board of Directors. “Paul’s determination, drive, and good nature make him an excellent entrepreneur who has built multiple successful businesses, which he runs with his son, Zach. He hasn’t let his visual impairment stop him from pursuing his passions and living life to the fullest. He is an inspiration to all of us.”
Under a previous name, the Titan of Hope Award’s prior honorees were Francis Salerno, M.D., who became Lehigh Valley Health Network’s first Chief of Geriatrics after losing all his sight at the age of 29, and Amy Bower, Ph.D., an internationally distinguished oceanographer. The award was last presented in 2013.
Sights for Hope transforms the lives of people with visual impairments and blindness by removing the barriers to their independence. Sights for Hope’s services teach adaptive skills to accomplish daily life activities; provide supports that counter the effects of visual impairments and blindness; increase access to medical care, healthy food, and other essentials; and advance solutions that enhance sight capabilities. More than 40% of Sights for Hope’s clients live below or near the federal poverty line. Founded in 1928, Sights for Hope carries forward in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley and Monroe County a tradition of service inspired by Helen Keller and is a member of the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind.
Image: Paul Miller in a white martial arts uniform set against a blue background