[Cinci-nfb] {Spam?} RE: Rachel, Deborah and I are Cincinnati NFB Chapter Author Stars!

Christopher Sabine, ONH Consulting info at onhconsulting.com
Tue May 17 21:35:07 UTC 2016


Annie. Congratulations!! You made the Buckeye Bulletin.

 

Chris

 

From: Cinci-nfb [mailto:cinci-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Annie
McEachirn via Cinci-nfb
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2016 3:13 PM
To: 'NFB of Ohio Cincinnati Chapter List'
Cc: Annie McEachirn
Subject: [Cinci-nfb] Rachel, Deborah and I are Cincinnati NFB Chapter Author
Stars!

 

Spring 2016
Buckeye Bulletin
A publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

Barbara Pierce, Editor
198 Kendal Drive
Oberlin, OH 44074
barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
 <mailto:
barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com>
(440) 774-8077
http://www.nfbohio.org
 
<http://nfbohio.us12.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=20afbf9079ebdc3ced81b27b
7id=c89af87e9be=ba338c7696>

Richard Payne, President
1019 Wilmington Ave., Apt. 43,
Kettering, OH 45420
rchpay7 at gmail.com
 <mailto:
rchpay7 at gmail.com>
(937) 829-3368

        The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise
expectations,
because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our
dreams. Live the life you want. Blindness is not what holds you back.
        The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is a 501 (c) 3 consumer
organization comprised of blind and sighted people committed to changing
what
it means to be blind. Though blindness is still all too often a tragedy to
those who face it, we know from our personal experience that with training
and
opportunity it can be reduced to the level of a physical nuisance. We work
to see that blind people receive the services and training to which they are
entitled and that parents of blind children receive the advice and support
they need to help their youngsters grow up to be happy, productive adults.
We
believe that first-class citizenship means that people have both rights and
responsibilities, and we are determined to see that blind people become
first-class
citizens of these United States, enjoying their rights and fulfilling their
responsibilities. The most serious problems we face have less to do with our
lack of vision than with discrimination based on the public’s ignorance and
misinformation about blindness. Join us in educating Ohioans about the
abilities
and aspirations of Ohio’s blind citizens. We are changing what it means to
be blind.
        The NFB of Ohio has eight local chapters, one for at-large members,
and special divisions for diabetics, merchants, seniors, parents of blind
children,
guide dog users, and those interested in Braille. This newsletter appears
three times a year and is circulated by email, posted on NFB-NEWSLINE®, our
digitized
newspaper-reading service by phone, and can be read or downloaded from our
website, 
www.nfbohio.org
 
<http://nfbohio.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=20afbf9079ebdc3ced81b27b7
id=389e39750ae=ba338c7696>.
For information about the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio or to
make address changes or be added to the mailing list, call 
(440) 774-8077
 or email 
barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
 <mailto:
barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com>.
For information about NFB-NEWSLINE, our free digitized newspaper-reading
service, call 
(866) 504-7300.
Local NEWSLINE numbers are: 
330-247-1241
 (Akron), 
330-409-1900
 (Canton), 
513-297-1521
 (Cincinnati), 
216-453-2090
 (Cleveland), and 
614-448-1673
 (Columbus).
        The NFB now has a vehicle donation program. For complete information
go to 
www.nfb.org/vehicledonations
 
<http://nfbohio.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=20afbf9079ebdc3ced81b27b7
id=08ab7f4e7ce=ba338c7696
>or call our toll-free vehicle donation number 
(855) 659-9314.
Table of Contents

>From the President's Desk
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151777>
Convention 2015 Wrap-Up
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151778>
Awards Committee Report
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151779>
2015 NFB of Ohio Scholarship Winners
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151780>
2015 Resolutions
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151781>
2016 Committee Appointments
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151782>
Editor’s Musings
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151783>
BELLs Ring Again in Ohio
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151784>
Quantum Rehabilitation
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151785>
The 2016 Washington Seminar: Making a Statement in the Snow
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151786>
A Tour, an Education, a Strategy for Life
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151787>
Airports Can Mean Humiliation for Some Travelers
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151788>
The Diabetes Action Network Is Getting the Word Out
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151789>
On your Mark, Get Set, Go!  Join Us on June 26 for Fun, Exercise, and
Fundraising
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151790>
Recipes from the Capital Chapter
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151791>
Buckeye Briefs
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151792>
Activities Calendar 31
<applewebdata://FB2F32DC-D9A2-4B96-BCF9-4091A2284F76#_Toc450151793>

**** <>
>From the President's Desk
by Eric Duffy
            Editor’s note: If you read the masthead of this issue, you noted
that Richard Payne is now listed as the president of the NFB of Ohio. In
March
Eric Duffy was invited to apply for a technology job at the New Jersey
Commission for the Blind. Dan Frye is the director of the commission, and he
knew
Eric and appreciated his skills as a technology teacher and his political
sophistication as an administrator. Eric has been out of work for a long
time,
and he could not afford to turn down this job offer. He will report for work
on May 2, so on April 16 Richard Payne conducted his first Board of
Directors
meeting as president of this affiliate. By that time, however, Eric had
written his farewell column as president. That is the story of how you are
now
reading Eric’s column with Richard was listed as president. Here is Eric’s
final president’s column:
            As I write this column, I am the president of the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio. In just a few short days, however, Richard
Payne
will be the new president, and soon after that I will no longer live in
Ohio. I have accepted a job as a technological support specialist with the
New
Jersey Commission for the Blind. This is an opportunity that I believe will
enable me to accomplish some of my life-long career goals.
            So how do I say good-bye? I have contemplated this for a while
now. The answer is that I don't. Even when geography separates family
members,
they don't say good-bye. That just seems more final than it should be among
family.
            We talk about the Federation family all of the time, and that is
exactly how many of us see the organization. We are brothers and sisters in
a movement. No matter what differences and beliefs we have that might divide
us, the one thing that unites us is the National Federation of the Blind.
            I have received an incredible amount of love and support from
the members of this organization over the years. From the time I met Bob and
Pat Eschbach, they welcomed me into the Federation family and to their
family. I do not exaggerate at all when I say I was welcomed into the
Eschbach family.
I will always remember the trips we took together, the long hours we spent
on the work of the Federation, the card games, and so much more. I first met
the Eschbachs in 1984. I had no idea of what was still to come.
            In early 1985 Bob called to ask if I would like to go to the
March on Washington as it was called at that time. We now know this as the
Washington
Seminar of course. I said that I would like to go. Of course I was a young,
brash, overly confident political science major.  I thought I was going to
teach those people so much. Wow! was I ever shocked when reality hit.
            I got to what we now call the Great Gathering In, the kickoff to
the Washington Seminar. I heard Dr. Jernigan speak, and everyone who
experienced
that knows just how captivating that was. In and of itself that was
impressive. Then came Jim Gashel, the director of governmental affairs at
the time.
I was just blown away. There were two extremely impressive blind leaders on
the stage, and it was clear that there were more in the room. I had not yet
figured out that there was one sitting very close to me. But that's the next
chapter of this story.
            Barbara Pierce deserves not only a chapter but a book. If i had
the time to write a book, I certainly would. Some of you might find it
interesting
and perhaps even instructive. But really it is our story, a story that is
unique to us and can never be repeated.
            From our first meeting I learned that Barbara is a teacher. She
has taught me so much about the Federation, blindness, life, and loving. She
has taught so much about all of these things not as much through words as by
her actions. She has always given me much; thus I have learned to give to
others. She has been forgiving and thus taught me to forgive. We have spent
hours talking about human nature over the years.
            In the early 90's we engaged in an experiment that as far as I
can tell had never been done before in the Federation. Barbara proposed to
Dr.
Jernigan and Dr. Maurer that I become an employee of the National Federation
of the Blind of Ohio. They were both a little uncertain, but said that, if
it could work anywhere, it could work in Ohio, and it could work because of
the relationship that Barbara and I had.  Not only did it work, but in many
ways it exceeded our expectations for over sixteen years.
            As I talk to Federationists around the country, I get some sense
of just how many lives Barbara has touched. But no one has been blessed in
the way that I have. We are soon going to embark on a new chapter in our
relationship, but love endures forever. The love and affection that Barbara
and
I have for each other has been no secret to anyone who has the power of
observation. Some have thought that, while she was my supervisor and while I
have
served as president of the affiliate, she perhaps let me slide on some
things that others might not have gotten away with. But that is not Barbara,
and
that is not love. Both dictate that she push me to be all that I can be.
That is what she has done, and that is what I am sure she will continue to
do
even when I am in New Jersey.
            What can I say about the McClain family? Crystal had a
phenomenal run as president of the Parents of Blind Children Division of the
National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio. The division experienced growth and success
under her leadership that has not been seen before or since her presidency.
Of course Mark was a tremendous part of that success. They both continue to
be great friends to me.
            There are those who questioned how long I would continue to be
involved in the Federation after Barbara was no longer president in Ohio.
But
those people didn't know me and didn't know the Federation. I had the
pleasure of serving as vice president under JW Smith. Although his
presidency was
only slightly longer than mine will turn out to be, we worked well together.
We can be proud of what we accomplished, and we have built a lasting
friendship
            It has given me a great deal of personal satisfaction to watch
the personal growth that Shelbi Hindel has experienced over the years. In
recent
times she has experienced more growth and commitment in the National
Federation of the Blind. She has pushed herself to do some things that have
taken
her out of her comfort zone, and when we do that, that is when we all learn
and grow the most. Although the geographical separation will be difficult
for
the two of us, both of our comfort zones will be expanded, and that will
insure continued growth for each of us.
            I don't have the time or space to mention individually all of
those who have touched my life in a deep and profound way. You know who you
are.
You know that you could not have touched my personal life in the deepest way
possible without being a part of the National Federation of the Blind. Of
course the reverse of that is true as well.
            Where do we go from here? There is much to be done in the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio. As you will see in my article
entitled
“Quantum Rehabilitation" elsewhere in this newsletter, there is much work to
be done concerning Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). We
must
see that our efforts to improve services for the blind in Ohio continue.
            We have a parental rights bill to work on and legislation
concerning guide dogs. We have got to continue to develop relationships with
members
of the Ohio General Assembly even if we don't get specific legislation
introduced in this session.
            There is much to do including our BELL program, the national
convention, and shortly after that the state convention. I have often
written
about how exciting it is to be a part of the National Federation of the
Blind and the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio. I have enjoyed all
that
I have done for these many years. I thank you for giving me your love,
support, and trust for the better part of my life.
            Now you have a new president in Richard Payne. He will not do
things in the same way that I did, and you should not expect him to. He is a
different person, and he will have his own leadership style. Give him a
chance to lead. Give him your love. Give him your support for as long as he
needs
it and deserves it. How long is that? He will need it as long as he is
president. I always asked people to apply the Jernigan principle of support
to my
presidency. Dr. Jernigan once told Dr. tenBroek that as long as he agreed
with 51 percent of what he was doing as president, he would have 100 percent
of his support. If there came a time when he could not agree with at least
51 percent of what tenBroek was doing, then he would have none of Jernigan's
support. That is what I always expected of you, the members of the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio. I believe that is what Richard should
expect
as well.
            As I have said, love is everlasting. I will always love the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and those of you who are a part of
my
Federation family.
**** <>
Convention 2015 Wrap-Up
by Shelbi Hindel
Editor’s note: Shelbi Hindel is the secretary of the NFB of Ohio. Here is
her report of last fall’s state convention:
The sixty-ninth state convention of the National Federation of the Blind of
Ohio convened on Thursday evening, November 19, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. with a
Board
of Directors meeting. The convention was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton
Hotel in Independence, Ohio.
Friday morning was filled with a variety of workshops that people could
choose among. There were workshops for users of IOS devices and those
interested
in Unified English Braille, diabetes management, and the art of structured
discovery. While these workshops were going on, there was an exhibit area.
All
activities were well attended by our members. I first chose to attend the
Art of Structured Discovery because it was led by our national
representative
Pam Allen and her husband Roland. It was a fantastic learning experience. In
fact, I enjoyed it so much that I attended it again the second session. Each
workshop was repeated with the object of allowing people to rotate between
them. The most significant things I learned at the workshop were that it is
ok to explore our way and that our NFB training centers have the goal of
supporting and teaching, not using fear tactics.
Friday afternoon a workshop on advocacy was held. Guests from Disability
Rights Ohio Barbara Korner and William Pucket joined us. President Eric
Duffy
and TVI Marianne Denning did role playing. Although they did a very
realistic job, it was sad to think that our rehabilitation system has gotten
to the
point portrayed in this role-play.
The evening was taken up by committee and division meetings, as well as the
At-Large Chapter meeting. Hospitality was available sponsored jointly by the
Cleveland and Cuyahoga chapters, and there were lavish amounts of food. Then
at 9:30 the Not the Royal Shakespeare Company presented its version of
Pyramus
and Thisbe, a play within a play from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For the
first time the director of the company, Bob Pierce, participated in the
performance.
The performers read their parts in Braille as is tradition.
Saturday morning we were all up and at the work of the Federation. This day
started with the NAPUB breakfast meeting and the Diabetes Action Network
breakfast
meeting. Both of these started at 7:00 a.m. I attended the NAPUB breakfast
meeting, and along with some good food we held  an election. New officers
were
elected. DAN also elected new officers. You will read about the newly
elected officers elsewhere in this newsletter.
Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. our President Eric Duffy called the first
general session of the convention to order. Once we were called to order,
the first
piece of business was a door prize, which our long-time chairman of door
prizes, Paul Dressell, gave out via telephone. We were all sad that Paul was
not
able to join us for the 2015 convention, but we were glad to hear his voice.
This was an especially sad time for me as the person who filled in for Paul.
I am glad and honored to have done it and very thankful for all the
assistance I received, especially from Judy Cook. Judy has helped Paul with
door prizes
for many years.
As is always the case, after our housekeeping issues were taken care of, our
national representative, Pam Allen, addressed the convention. This was her
first address to us.
There were three more presenters during the morning session. Two of these
are regular visitors to our convention, but one of them was new to us, as
was
his topic.  The familiar presenters were Will Reed from the Talking Book
Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled in Cleveland and Mindy Duncan,
Director
of the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired. After Will gave his
report, we played a name-that-book game with him which everyone seemed to
enjoy.
We were given more time to ask questions of Mindy once she had completed her
report. The new presenter at this convention was Dewey McClin. His topic was
also new to us. It was non-24 sleep disorder. The question that Mr. McClin
answered was, what is it? He said that you should not let non-24 sleep
disorder
prevent you from living the life you want. That phrase should sound familiar
to us Federationists.
Lunch recess was another opportunity for some of our divisions to be at
their work. Other people used this time to relax. Regardless of what you did
during
the recess, the time passed quickly, and we were once more in general
session. Yes, you know it, the afternoon agenda was completely filled.
            The afternoon session started at 2:00 p.m. During the afternoon
three NFB-sponsored programs were presented.  The first was the KNFB Reader,
Go Totally Mobile. Aleeha Dudley is our coordinator for this, so she made
the presentation. Ben Gillespie and his son Andrew spoke to us about the
BELL
program and STEM2U. Andrew participated in both of these. Deborah Kendrick
told us why she is a Federationist. This topic is always interesting, and
each
year we get to hear from a different person, so this presentation is always
unique.
During the afternoon we also heard from Joel Zureick from the Cleveland
Sight Center. He works to help clients find rewarding employment. Ann
Williams,
PhD, RN, CDE, Professor of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, spoke
to us about living a long and healthy life even with diabetes. We also
discussed
transportation options now and in the future.  This business is changing.
            The annual banquet was held Saturday evening. Prior to the start
of the banquet, we enjoyed a social hour with a cash bar. The banquet agenda
was traditional. Our national representative Pam Allen gave the banquet
address. Affiliate awards were presented. The National Federation of the
Blind
of Cincinnati received the Chapter Gavel award, and the Ohio Association of
Guide Dog Users received the Gavel Award for the divisions category. The
scholarship
awards were presented to Macy McClain and Emily Pennington. The banquet
concluded with Money for the Movement.
            After the banquet there were a band and cash bar. People could
dance or simply listen to the music. This year we did not have the
traditional
Trivia game that Sherry Ruth hosts.
            On the final day of our convention people were once more up
early and at Federation work. This day started with a leadership breakfast.
The
breakfast attendees were invited by the president. When the breakfast
concluded, it was time for the general session to start.
            General session began with a brief time to remember those who
are no longer with us. After this NFB of Ohio Vice President Richard Payne
spoke
on building the membership of the Federation. Christopher Sabine gave us
information on optic nerve hypoplasia.
            This year we had two resolutions to vote on. One of these was
brought to the Convention by the Resolutions Committee, and the other came
through
the Board of Directors. One concerned Opportunities for Ohioans with
Disabilities, and the other concerned the vending training program in Ohio.
The texts
of both resolutions appear elsewhere in this newsletter. Both resolutions
passed. These are serious resolutions, and NFB-OH will act upon them. We do
not
simply present and pass resolutions to say we have them.
            We heard the financial report from Treasurer Sherry Ruth and
then the report from the Nominating Committee.
            The convention concluded with elections. Debbie Baker announced
that she was not a candidate for a board position this year. The election
was
lively. There were enough candidates that we were not able to conduct voice
voting, so we had to have counters. Thank you, Tom Ruth and Crystal McClain,
for serving as counters. Congratulations to those elected to serve on the
Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio: Sheri
Albers,
Cheryl Fields, Rachel Kuntz, Deanna Lewis, Barbara Pierce, and William
Turner.
            This was a terrific convention. If you were not able to be with
us, you missed a good convention, and I hope you will be able to join us
November
10-13 for the 2016 convention. It will be held in the same hotel as the 2015
convention.
**** <>
Awards Committee Report
by Shelbi Hindel
            Editor’s note: Shelbi Hindel chairs the Awards Committee. Here
is her report of the 2016 awards:
            For two years now I have chaired the Awards Committee. This has
enabled me to examine first hand the growth of our chapters and divisions
and
therefore to understand the strength and growth of our affiliate. After all,
the affiliate is comprised of chapters around the state and our statewide
divisions. The state affiliate can be only as strong as these parts that
make it up.
            Each year chapters and divisions are invited to submit reports
for the awards contest. All chapters and divisions must submit a report of
activities
to the president prior to the annual convention, so why not do it in time to
be a part of the contest? Most chapters and divisions do exactly that, and
we have a lively competition each year.
            This year the National Federation of the Blind of Cincinnati won
the chapter   Gavel Award for its effectiveness in education about blindness
in English and Turkish and in advocacy; and for the 25 percent membership
growth in the chapter. If that's not enough, they had a very successful
White
Cane Walk. Staff and volunteers from the Cincinnati Association for the
Blind and Visually Impaired and the Clovernook Center for the Blind and
Visually
Impaired, as well as several chapter members, participated. They were also
joined by one of our students from the BELL program and his father.  A
proclamation
was read and presented by a member of City Council. The walk was dedicated
to Paul Dressell.
            The committee also recognized the work of the Ohio Association
of Guide Dog Users for its  work with police officers and firemen on proper
service dog etiquette;  efforts to modernize Ohio legislation concerning
service animals; and development of an  effective  listserv and frequent
conference
calls.
            We enjoy good competition among chapters and divisions, but we
also have individual service awards for worthy recipients. Please consider
nominees
for these awards when the gavel information comes out later in the summer. I
can't wait to present the 2016 awards at the convention to be held in
Independence
November 10-13. I hope you will plan to be there in case you or your chapter
or division wins an award.
**** <>
2015 NFB of Ohio Scholarship Winners
by Deborah Kendrick
            Editor’s note: Deborah Kendrick chairs the NFB of Ohio
Scholarship Committee. Below she reports on the scholarships won at the fall
convention
in 2015:
            We presented two scholarships at this year’s convention. The
Jennica Ferguson Scholarship of $1,500 went to Emily Pennington. She is a
senior
accounting major at Xavier University.  A two-time National Federation of
the Blind scholarship winner,  making her a tenBroek Fellow. Emily has
received
many other scholarships throughout her academic career.
She is treasurer of the Cincinnati chapter. Emily’s skills, however, are not
limited to accounting and treasuries.  She is a talented musician (quite a
show stopper at the Blind Inspiration fundraiser in Cincinnati with her
vocals last May) and is involved in many musical, social justice, and
academic
organizations.
            Macy McClain was awarded the Robert M. Eschbach Memorial
Scholarship. Macy, who describes herself as having grown up in the
Federation, is
studying to become a worship leader at Cedarville University. She is a
gifted musician--playing flute and piano and singing. Macy is a member of
the Board
of Directors of the NFB of Ohio.  She is a graduate of the Louisiana Center
for the Blind.
            Congratulations to both of these fine winners.
**** <>
2015 Resolutions
We passed two resolutions at this year’s convention. The text of the first
one appears below. The second one appears in full in Eric Duffy’s article,
“Quantum
Rehabilitation.” Eric took this resolution to the Ohio Vendors
Representative Committee. They have had a representative from the Hadley
School present
to them, but they have not yet taken a stand on the issue. Here is the
resolution:
NFB-O Resolution 2015-01
Regarding National Association of Blind Merchants /Hadley School for the
Blind Training
WHEREAS, state licensing agencies (SLA’s) under the Randolph-Sheppard Act
are required to provide training to ensure that prospective blind
entrepreneurs
are qualified to manage and operate vending facilities; and,
            WHEREAS, many state vocational rehabilitation agencies have
inferior training programs or do not have the resources to provide effective
training
to prospective blind entrepreneurs; and,
            WHEREAS, recruiting qualified candidates for the
Randolph-Sheppard Program has become a challenge for many state licensing
agencies; and,
            WHEREAS, a major deterrent to attracting quality candidates is
the time required away from home to complete training; and,
            WHEREAS, the National Association of Blind Merchants and the
Hadley School for the Blind have launched an online training program that
represents
the first ever national training curriculum for Randolph-Sheppard; and,
            WHEREAS, the training is delivered using Hadley’s
internationally recognized online training model; and,
            WHEREAS, Hadley has a faculty instructor dedicated to teaching
the online courses; and,
            WHEREAS, most higher education institutions in this country now
allow students to complete undergraduate and post-graduate degrees online, 
a platform that has proven successful  for educating college students; and,
            WHEREAS, this training is available to state vocational
rehabilitation agencies at a  reasonable cost per student; and,
            WHEREAS, the Hadley training allows prospective
Randolph-Sheppard vendors to complete critical modules that replace most of
the classroom training,
requiring only that the SLA’s provide state-specific training and hands-on
experience; and,
            WHEREAS, adopting this training  will give our state’s blind
citizens more options to be placed in other state Business Enterprise
Programs:
Now, therefore,
            BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
in Convention assembled this twenty-first day of November, 2015, in the city
of Independence, Ohio, that this organization urge the Committee of Blind
Vendors and the Business Enterprise Program management to give serious
consideration
to adopting the Hadley training as the core coursework or as an alternative
to the core coursework required of all prospective Randolph-Sheppard
entrepreneurs;
and,
            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge the Business Enterprise
Program to develop a short-term training for educating trainees on state
requirements
and also to develop a hands-on, on-the-job experience that reinforces the
concepts learned from the Hadley coursework.
**** <>
2016 Committee Appointments
            Committees are appointed by the president. The first name given
for each committee is of the person who has been appointed as chairperson of
that committee. It will be noted if special circumstances exist within a
committee.
            Deaf-Blind Coordinators--Lisa Hall and Delcenia Brown
            Awards Committee--Shelbi Hindel, Paul Dressell, Cheryl Fields,
Jerry Percell, Emily Pennington, Barbara Pierce, and Sheila Wilson
            Constitution Committee--Shelbi Hindel, Deborah Kendrick, and
Colleen Roth
            Convention Arrangements--Sheri Albers
            Education Committee--Debbie Baker, Kyle Conley, Marianne
Denning, and Suzanne Turner
            Financing the Movement Committee--Sherry Ruth (treasurer), Sheri
Albers (PAC), Deanna Lewis (SUN), and Barbara Pierce (Jernigan Fund)
            Fundraising Committee--Carol Akers, Aleeha Dudley, Shelbi Hindel
(NFB Scrip Ohio), Deanna Lewis, Annette Lutz, and Emily Pennington
            Legislative Committee--Barbara Pierce, Sheri Albers, Aleeha
Dudley, Deborah Kendrick, Annette Lutz, Walter Mitchell, Jordy Stringer, and
Suzanne
Turner
            Membership Committee--Rachel Kuntz, Stephanie Claytor, Cheryl
Fields, Cheryl Fischer, Macy McClain, Lilly Pennington, Arley Ray, Gloria
Robinson,
and William H. Turner
            Promotion and Publicity--Rachel Kuntz, Denver Jones, Barbara
Pierce, Jordy Stringer (social media), and Suzanne Turner
            Resolutions Committee--Debbie Baker, Paul Dressell, Deborah
Kendrick, and Colleen Roth
            Scholarship Committee--Deborah Kendrick, Cheryl Fields, Rachel
Kuntz, Barbara Pierce, and Bob Pierce
**** <>
Editor’s Musings
by Barbara Pierce
            In an organization like ours there are never enough hands to do
the work. I try to keep my NFB responsibilities separated in my mind, but I
recognize that it would sometimes be difficult for people to tell what hat I
was wearing. This column is going to be a good example of that confusion of
roles. I am both the editor of the newsletter and the legislative director
for Ohio. I have decided to use this space in the newsletter to review the
legislative
efforts that we are embracing this year on both the national and state
levels.
            Just over two months ago six Ohioans braved a huge snow storm to
travel to Washington DC for the Washington Seminar (see Rachel Kuntz’s
article
elsewhere in this issue). Capitol Hill was nearly empty, but those staffers
who were there had no choice but to take note of the National Federation of
the Blind because our canes and dogs dominated the scene. We had four issues
to discuss with members of Congress. Actually, we had three issues for the
House and four for the Senate. For a full discussion of these issues, you
can find all four fact sheets on our national website, 
nfb.org
 <http://nfb.org/>.
            The first issue was the Transitioning to Integrated and
Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act. We have been discussing this bill for
several sessions.
It would gradually eliminate the Section 14(c) certificates of exemption
from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Holders of these certificates can
pay
disabled line workers less than the minimum wage if 75 percent of the
production workforce is disabled. In the beginning there was a floor for
these wages.
They could not be less than half of the minimum wage, but through the years
this floor has been eliminated so that today some of the 300,000 disabled
workers
affected by these certificates can earn as little as pennies an hour.
Representative Gregg Harper (R-MS) introduced this bill, and to date in this
Congress
only Ohio Representatives Marsha Fudge and Marcy Kaptur  have co-sponsored
it. A number of Ohio representatives were co-sponsors in the last session,
but
they have apparently been approached by some of the 127 sheltered shops in
Ohio with 14(c) certificates, and they  have persuaded these past sponsors
that
their ability to continue in business would be compromised by losing their
certificates. They get federal contracts, they can accept tax-exempt
contributions,
and their able-bodied administrators earn huge salaries. But they have
convinced Ohio’s representatives that the only way they can make the
sheltered shop
system function is by paying workers inadequate wages. We contend that, if
they would try to find work that workers were suited to do, impose
efficiencies
like keeping equipment functioning, and supplying their workers with
materials so that they do not face downtime while they wait to return to
work, they
could operate their shops efficiently enough to pay a living wage.
            The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education
(AIMHE) Act is pronounced AIM HI ACT. We do not yet have an original sponsor
for
this bill, but we are apparently close. The intent of this bill is to
provide guidance to institutions of higher education so that they will be
able to
provide accessibility in digital books, PDFs, webpages, and other electronic
course and program content. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act have settled the right of disabled
students to have accessible materials. But producers are not clear how to
produce
accessible materials, and institutions do not know what to demand. AIM HE
would establish a purpose-based commission made up of stakeholders to
develop
guidelines for truly accessible materials and programs. If an institution
chose only electronic content that followed these guidelines, it would have
a
safe harbor from litigation by students needing access. Schools would not be
required to adopt these guidelines. If administrators believe that they have
experts who can solve the access problems in another way, they would be free
to devise their own solutions, but they would be open to lawsuits if access
was not achieved. The American Council on Education (ACE) is apparently
unwilling to negotiate in good faith to work out the details of this bill,
so we
are working alone to try to solve this far-reaching problem for American
college students.
            The Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans,
(HR 2264 and S. 2596) is a bill that we have been working on for some time.
The
good news is that it has bi-partisan support, and we have had lots of
co-sponsors from Ohio in the past. We need to get these members back this
year. At
the same time we have to encourage the Armed Services Committees in both
houses of Congress to include the bill in the National Defense
Appropriations
Act (NDAA). The effect of this bill would be to allow veterans who are 100
percent disabled from service-connected injuries to qualify for competing
for
space as it is available on military flights. Vets disabled after September
1993 qualify for this privilege, but those wounded before that date do not.
This is grossly unfair, and this injustice must be corrected. The Hon. Gus
Bilirakis (R-FL) is the original sponsor in the House, and Senator Dean
Heller
(R-NV) introduced an identical bill in the Senate in February of this year.
You should call your Representative and our Senators to ask them to
co-sponsor
this bill and urge that it be added to the NDAA.
            Our issue for the Senate only is the Marrakesh Treaty to
Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually
Impaired,
or Otherwise Print Disabled (the Marrakesh Treaty). Blind Americans have
more access to print materials than blind people in any other nation, but
still
95 percent of print publications are unavailable to us. The Marrakesh
Treaty, adopted on June 27, 2013, and signed by the US on October 2, 2013,
removes
the legal barriers to producing, importing, and exporting accessible
publications across national borders. The treaty provides copyright
exceptions like
the US Chafee Amendment to our copyright law. The treaty would allow
American students access to Braille and recorded books in other languages
and give
them access to English books produced in other countries. The United States
was an enthusiastic supporter of the Marrakesh Treaty. It will provide
permissions
to publish and circulate books almost identical to the permission provided
by the Chafee Amendment. This means that a sleek and narrow ratification
packet
has been prepared by the Department of State. This has now gone to the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN).We
need
for this committee to approve the treaty and send it to the Senate floor,
where sixty Senators must vote to ratify it. We need to urge both Senator
Portman
and Senator Brown to vote to ratify this treaty.
            At the state level we have three legislative issues of concern.
The first is changes to Ohio Revised Code 955.43, Dogs with Blind, Deaf, or
Mobility-Impaired Persons. The name of the law should be changed to “Persons
with Disabilities and Service Animals.”” All references to “assistance
animals”
should be altered to “service animals. All references to “blind, deaf,
hearing impaired, or mobility impaired” should be changed to “persons with a
disability.”
            The following language should be added to the law:

“Service animal” means an animal that is trained to perform tasks for an
individual with a disability. The tasks may include, but are not limited to,
guiding
a person who is blind, alerting a person who is deaf, pulling a person in a
wheelchair, assisting with mobility or balance, alerting and protecting a
person
who is having a seizure, retrieving objects, or performing other special
tasks. A service animal is not a pet. In addition, assistance animals and
emotional
support animals are not defined as service animals. A business can ask two
questions to ascertain that the animal is a service animal: Is the animal a
service animal? What tasks has the animal been trained to do?  Documentation
is not a precondition to providing service to an individual accompanied by
a service animal.
An individual with a disability is liable for damage caused by a service
animal if it is the regular policy and practice of the public accommodation
to
charge nondisabled persons for damages caused by their pets. The care or
supervision of a service animal is the responsibility of the individual
owner.
A public accommodation may exclude or remove any animal from the premises,
including a service animal, if the animal’s behavior poses a direct threat
to
the health and safety of others. Allergies and fear of animals are not valid
reasons for denying access or refusing service to an individual with a
service
animal. If a service animal is excluded or removed for being a direct threat
to others, the public accommodation must provide the individual with a
disability
the option of continuing access to the public accommodation without having
the service animal on the premises.
A person who knowingly and willfully misrepresents himself or herself
through conduct or verbal or written notice as using a service animal and
being qualified
to use a service animal or as a trainer of a service animal commits a
second-degree misdemeanor. Instead of or in addition to a fine, a person who
misrepresents
themselves as using a service animal could also be required to volunteer a
number of hours at an organization working with persons with disabilities.
All penalties should be changed from a fourth-degree misdemeanor to a
second-degree misdemeanor.

            We also hope to introduce a bill to protect parental rights for
blind people. The bill stipulates that blindness is not sufficient in itself
to prevent blind parents from keeping their children and protects the rights
of blind people in custody battles and in seeking to be foster or adoptive
parents or becoming guardians of children. If disputing parties insist that
blindness prevents a blind person from caring for children, the burden of
proof
is on the disputing party to prove this contention. This is a model bill
that the NFB is trying to introduce in states across the country.
            The final legislative effort in Ohio is the one Eric referred to
in “Quantum Rehabilitation.” We are seeking a review of OOD and its services
to Ohio’s disabled citizens and urging the legislature to establish a
separate agency to serve blind Ohioans.
            This is an ambitious legislative program. We need the support of
every member of the Federation in working on it. I urge everyone with a
computer
to sign up to receive ohiotalk. This is the primary way that we communicate
legislative needs. Stay informed, and help us carry out our legislative
program.
**** <>
BELLs Ring Again in Ohio
by Mary Anne Denning
            Editor’s note: Mary Anne Denning is one of our talented teachers
in the Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy. The
following
is her announcement of this summer’s BELL Academy:
            NFB of Ohio will hold its fourth annual BELL Academy during the
week of July 18, 2016.  We will again be at OSSB.  We are very excited this
year because we will have a full residential camp experience for our
students. They will stay in the cottages at OSSB and learn life skills and
leisure
activities in the evenings. We will need additional volunteers this year,
so, if you are interested in volunteering during the week of camp, please
watch
for additional information. This is a satisfying time for all volunteers and
participants, filled with fun and discovery.
**** <>
Quantum Rehabilitation
by Eric Duffy
            The human body has five senses, a sense being one of the
physiological capacities of an organism that provide data for perception.
Blindness
is the condition that results when the capacity to collect and transmit
images of visible light to the brain for interpretation fails to function.
To state
the obvious, without this failure there would be no blind people facing the
problems caused by blindness.
            But what are those problems? As blind people, many of us have
come to understand and define those problems in a different way than has
most
of society. Much of the sighted world continues to believe that the blind
live in a world of darkness. They transfer their ancient fear of the dark to
us and sometimes tell us how brave we are just for walking down the street.
Some believe that blind people cannot parent. Thus we are having to work for
the adoption of parental rights legislation in every state.
            Even in today's modern world and global economy 70 to 80 percent
of all blind people are either under-employed or unemployed. This is not so
because we can't work or because we don't want to work. Many of the
employment problems we face have to do with the perceptions and attitudes
about blindness
of potential employers. But if that were the worst of it, we could use the
laws on the books and break down many of those barriers. After all, since
the
passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the environment and
places of public accommodation are far more accessible to people with
physical
disabilities today than in 1990.
            If the attitudes of the employers were the worst of it, we could
be patient and continue chipping away at the high unemployment rate. We
could
open new fields of employment for the blind one job at a time.
            It is not the attitudes of employers that hold us back and keep
us down the most. Sadly the rehabilitation system that is supposed to serve
us often stamps out our dreams almost before we have the chance to dream. In
Ohio the agency responsible for providing rehabilitation services is
Opportunities
for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). Many state agencies around the country
work with the blind in partnership. That hasn't always been the case.
History
tells us that most if not all rehabilitation agencies and personnel resisted
the organized blind movement. They wanted no part of the struggle of blind
consumers for quality rehabilitation services and social acceptance because
they were certain that they knew what was best for us.
            A close look at another field is in order because I believe it
closely parallels our history as a people's movement, including our struggle
to obtain quality rehabilitation services that lead not only to meaningful
employment but also to full participation in the community.
            Historically perhaps physics is as little understood by the
public as blindness is today. Even those who think they have a clear grasp
of physics
may not appreciate how the field has reached the sophistication of theory
that exists today.
            As the nineteenth century came to a close and and the new
century dawned, strange things began to happen in the scientific community.
The capacity
to make increasingly minute observations of physical phenomena became
possible, and those observations ceased to be in accord with
long-established theories
of physical reality. The most brilliant minds in the field were confronted
with the necessity to abandon Newtonian physics, a familiar and comfortable
belief system regarding the very nature of matter in favor of a radically
counter intuitive new way of describing reality.
            Today the terms "particle physics" and "quantum mechanics" are
relatively familiar in popular culture. Less familiar is the controversy
that
led to their becoming so. Even the great Albert Einstein was for a time an
outspoken opponent of the young Werner Heisenberg's uncertainty principle,
the
bedrock of quantum physics, only grudgingly giving it his blessing.
            Not only were whole new thought processes demanded, but a whole
new set of tools had to be developed before the new realities of the
physical
world could begin to be unlocked. Until physicists understood the new
concepts, the mathematics to develop them could not be conceived or created.
            It takes only a small stretch of the imagination to grasp the
analogy between the emergence of quantum physics of the twentieth century
and
the emergence of a new paradigm  in blindness and rehabilitation during
roughly the same period.  When old belief systems cease to be in accord with
observed
reality, the movement to abandon the outdated in favor of the true and
accurate view of the world is inevitable. The success of such movements,
however,
is not inevitable.
            The unraveling of Newtonian physics came about because of its
fundamental error in describing the nature of matter and the laws that
govern
it. The destruction of the old paradigm of blindness and rehabilitation is
coming about because of an equally fundamental error in the model describing
blindness and rehabilitation. Likewise new patterns of thought are demanded,
and new tools and attitudes must be conceived and created.
            In order to make the leap to quantum physics, the intellectual
world had at precisely the right moment the imagination, creativity,
passion,
and giant intellect of a handful of brilliant scientists and mathematicians:
Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Paul Dirac, Werner Heisenberg, and
Erwin Schrödinger among them.
            When the time came for the quantum leap in the blindness field,
we had leaders of our own such as Jacobus tenBroek, Kenneth Jernigan, and
Marc
Maurer. Now we have Mark Riccobono, who is leading with the same philosophy
and message in a slightly different package.
            It is more than a matter of philosophy, however, when it comes
to quality rehabilitation services.  Dr. Jernigan began to revolutionize
rehabilitation
services while he was the director of the Iowa Commission for the Blind. New
ways of thinking about blindness began to take hold. New techniques of
travel
and new attitudes about equal treatment of blind people evolved. New
training practices were implemented, and there was a time when it was said
that it
was better to be blind in Iowa than anywhere else in the world.
            It was the National Federation of the Blind that helped to
expand opportunities for blind people to teach and hold other positions in
the field
of education. We opened the Civil Service and the Foreign Service to blind
applicants. We began to create opportunities in the science and engineering
fields long before it was fashionable to talk about STEM.
            Today we have STEM, however. STEM, of course, stands for
science, technology, engineering, and math. Through our work at the Jernigan
Institute,
we conduct science camps for blind children and teach them that they really
can participate in science.
            Many blind youth now have greater expectations for themselves
than my peers and I could ever have dreamed of. They also have higher
expectations
of society. They expect Braille to be readily available and demand it when
it is not. They expect the academic environment at all levels to be
accessible
and demand that changes be made when necessary. They now have the support of
the National Federation of the Blind.
            They also want to find their way into new careers. These
expectations are not unreasonable. Historically blind people have had to
make their
own way, but thanks to the NFB that hasn't been so for many years now. The
National Federation of the Blind has been on the scene to lend a helping
hand
and will continue to be there. The progressive rehabilitation agencies in
the country are beginning to realize the new possibilities and the new
reality
as well.
            What about the Ohio agency, Opportunities for Ohioans with
Disabilities (OOD), and the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired
(BSVI)?
I could answer this question in just a few sentences, but I think that the
question deserves more consideration than that.
            Here is the Resolution passed at the 2015 convention of the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio concerning OOD. It lays out a
troubling
pattern of actions and attitudes reflective of the outmoded rehabilitation
that I have been describing. Here it is:
            Resolution 2015-02
Regarding a Request that the State Legislature Convene an Ad Hoc Committee
to Study Services for the Blind
            WHEREAS, a robust economy and healthy tax base require the
inclusion of all Ohio citizens who are willing and able to work in order to
participate
actively in civic life and to pay their fair share; and
            WHEREAS, the opportunity to take part in the social and economic
fabric of our state is no less sought after by blind people than by any
other
group of citizens; and
            WHEREAS, our Ohio culture requires equality of opportunity for
all; and
            WHEREAS, such a requirement demands a variety of programs and
services to bring appropriate regulation and the fostering of
entrepreneurship,
education, training and rehabilitation, and job placement to a diverse group
of Ohio citizens; and
            WHEREAS, blind people must have effective training in
specialized skills in order to be successfully employed and integrated into
the economic
fabric of the state and nation; and
            WHEREAS, state vocational rehabilitation programs are mandated
by federal and state law and designated and monitored by the United States
Department
of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration to provide such
services; and
            WHEREAS, effective vocational rehabilitation requires that
administrators, supervisors, and counselors providing these necessary
services to
the blind have an absolute belief in the capacity of the blind and possess a
thorough understanding of the nonvisual and low-vision strategies and
adaptive
technologies necessary for successful rehabilitation of their clients; and
            WHEREAS, Ohio's Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired has
far too few counselors serving blind clients and is not a distinct and
separately
functioning entity from the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation providing
services to blind Ohioans and does not have supervisors specifically charged
with providing services to the blind; and
            WHEREAS, the extensive services often necessary for blind
clients are rarely understood by those serving as Bureau of Services for the
Visually
Impaired supervisors and administrators, despite federal and state
requirements for individualized services, which leads to pernicious delays
and unjust,
incompetent, and illegal denial of legitimate services and/or the exercise
of federally mandated informed choice; and
            WHEREAS, the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities agency
recently created new policies regarding time limits in which services must
be provided without giving consideration to blind clients or the policy's
impact on those blind clients when developing these arbitrary and capricious
restrictions; and
            WHEREAS, the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities agency,
which houses the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired, has time and
time and time again submitted a budget which does not allow the state to
take full advantage of significant federal 110 dollars, which can be drawn
down
in direct support of adjustment, training, and job placement for blind
people; and
            WHEREAS, the blind of Ohio can no longer stand by while
inadequate services are delivered through the current administrative
structure; and
            WHEREAS, irrefutable evidence exists from the many states that
have separate, identifiable services for the blind that better outcomes and
reduced costs result from a separate state agency model:
Now, therefore,
            BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
in Convention assembled this twenty-second day of November, 2015, in the
City
of Independence, Ohio, that this organization call upon the President of the
Ohio Senate and the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives to convene
a special ad hoc committee of the General Assembly to consider how best to
address the woefully inadequate service delivery system of Opportunities for
Ohioans with Disabilities; and
            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this committee be asked to create a
separate, dedicated unit within state government to provide the targeted
expertise
necessary to enhance quality of life and improve employment outcomes for
Ohio's blind citizens.
            This is a strong resolution that is rather critical of the
agency. It is not undeserved criticism, however. We do not mean disrespect
toward
OOD Director Kevin Miller, BSVI Director Mindy Duncan, or any other OOD
officials. However, we are simply no longer willing to accept second class
treatment
from the agency and its staff. Are we really being treated as second class
citizens? Well let's look at what has happened to our own member, Aleeha
Dudley.
            Aleeha's counselor has told her that blind people can't work as
veterinarians . She didn't say that Aleeha doesn't have the academic
qualifications;
she simply said blind people can't be veterinarians. I believe that Aleeha
Dudley can be a veterinarian if given the proper training and opportunity.
Whether
or not I am correct, one thing is certain: Aleeha should not be deprived of
the opportunity to try to become a veterinarian solely because she is blind.
            Let's suppose you have not made the quantum leap and come to
believe what many in the rehabilitation field are beginning to believe—that
blind
people have the right to demonstrate their competence in the classroom and
laboratory—then what about the way the agency has treated Shelbi Hindel?
Here
is Shelbi's story as she told it to the Ohio Vendors' Representative
Committee:
            Date: February 15, 2016
From: Shelbi Hindel
Subject: Appeal of Decision to Remove from Business Enterprise Program
Training and Request for Reinstatement
            Below is a chronology of my experience from the time I decided
to make my vocational goal Business Enterprise Operator and began the
process
to get into the training program and my interactions with VR counselor
Sharon Valade and Cynthia Lee, Training Coordinator for the Business
Enterprise
Program, to the present.
            June 2014–After many months of job development and job searches,
I reached the conclusion that the best fit for me vocationally was to move
into the Business Enterprise Program. Once I had decided this was the best
fit for me, I discussed this decision with my VRC, and we moved forward to
request
a meeting with Cynthia Lee to work on how to proceed with the process.
In August 2014, I met with Cynthia to take a math test and discuss the
training; it is important to note here that this meeting was the first and
only
time I met in-person with Cynthia until August 17, 2015, when I was ordered
to a meeting with her and Sharon to tell me I was being removed from
training. 
Over the twelve months from this initial meeting I moved extremely slowly
and with many delays along the way, but never once in that year did Cynthia
ask
to meet with me in person, and never did she set a meeting up to discuss my
progress or any concerns she had.
            September and October 2014 were filled with getting a background
check and a drug test, and I was asked to do a pretraining evaluation with
Doug Bruso,  which I completed; I received an outstanding evaluation from
him (he gave me a copy of it).  I was not given a copy of the evaluation or
told
how I did by Cynthia.
            I was just asked by Cynthia to do another pretraining evaluation
with Yvette Johnson Shackleforth at DFAS.  I agreed and spent two weeks in 
December 2014 with  her in her location. I was not given a copy of her
evaluation and was not  told how I did there.  Only at the August 17, 2015,
meeting,
when I asked how I had done at Yvette’s, was I told that I received an
excellent evaluation.
            In January 2015 I was contacted by Cynthia and told I was
approved for training and that I needed to take Module 1, the safety and
sanitation
class, put on by the Health Dept. I was not given any information on how to
sign up for this class and did not receive a copy of the textbook in Braille
or audio tape or CD.  After researching on my own, I found a class and
attempted to sign up but could not get the computerized form to work.  I
contacted
Cynthia to ask for help in completing the form and asked for the book in a
format that I could use.  She attempted to complete the form for me, but I
was
unable to use it and eventually went to the Health Department. They helped
me get signed up for the May class—all other classes were full.
            I firmly believe that Cynthia told me I was not to move forward
into any other modules until I had completed Module 1, the Servsafe class. 
I attended the class from May 3 to May 15. Eventually I did get a copy of
the book on CD from Cynthia. I was now able to read the material during the
class.
I did not have the handouts in an accessible format until after the class
was over. I sent these to Cynthia and did eventually receive a Braille copy.
I took the final exam on May 15 and received a score of 93. I know this from
the Health Department.
            August 17, 2015--Cynthia acknowledged that I had received the
highest score of any trainee on this test since she has been in the job. She
did not meet with me in person to congratulate me or discuss the process of
moving on to Module 2.  In late May I attempted many times to download and
read the modules using my very old desktop computer.  It was determined that
my old operating system would not function with the Moodle platform.  Sharon
found a loaner laptop and hired Functional Training to help me load and
begin the modules.  After I completed Module 2 and 3, the laptop began to
malfunction
and would repeatedly turn off in the middle of a session or else would not
start up. Sharon had Functional Training attempt to fix it. This was not
successful. 
 She had me use a computer at their location to move on to Module 4 and 5.
            I was contacted by Cynthia on July 8, 2015, to see how I was
doing with Module 3, and she seemed to be pushing me to take the quiz a
second
time. I requested help on some of the concepts in Module 3 since I had
missed two out of ten questions the first time I took it.  She replied that
I should
Google math and/or go to the State Library for help.  I had read the
material several times and felt that I did understand it but wanted to sit
down and
talk over the material one on one with someone.  After going back and forth
by email, she put a list of the remaining modules I needed to complete and
put goal dates to try to complete them.  At this time my laptop still was
not working properly, but I had made good progress on Module 4 and 5
although
I had not submitted them to her for grading yet.  Cynthia was about to leave
on a two-week vacation from 7/15 to 7/28, so I said I would do my best to
move forward while she was on vacation.  I held on to my work and planned to
submit in early August when she returned.  I did not take these suggested
dates to be a strict timeline for completion of each Module, and I did not
agree to such a thing. I was never told that not meeting these goals would
be
used as grounds to remove me from training.
            I moved forward on my own while she was on vacation and finished
Modules 4 and 5 and began working on Modules 6 and 7.  I submitted my work
to her when I knew she was back from vacation on August 5 and August 10. I
continued working and was finishing up modules 6 and 7 by August 14 when I
was
contacted by Cynthia and ordered to come to a meeting with her and Sharon on
Monday, August 17. I asked what the purpose for this meeting was, and she
refused to tell me.  I submitted these modules on August 15 before the
meeting. Module 7 had a significant number of links to articles that were to
be
read and questions answered based on the reading. The links did not work.
            Never once in those thirty-five days did Cynthia contact me to
ask how I was doing or why I had missed submitting paperwork by the dates in
her July 8 email.  Since she was gone a good part of July, I believed these
were just general guidelines for me, and I moved on my own to progress
through
the modules and waited to submit my work once she was back from vacation.
There were no communications between Cynthia or my counselor and me that
could
have prepared me for the bombshell that was dropped on me when they said
that I would not be allowed to complete the training program. I had been
frustrated
at the pace of the training, but I attributed this to a combination of
Cynthia being new and moving a little slower as she learned the program and
because
of my technology issues along with the delay in getting the Servsafe class
completed before I could move on to the later modules.
            I filed an appeal under the rights afforded by the
Rehabilitation Act. I requested mediation, and the agency agreed. According
to the mediation
agreement, I was required to complete the modules and score a minimum of 80
percent on the final exam. I have now successfully done both.
When I was reinstated to training, I was told that I must complete the
modules at Functional Training Services, where I was closely monitored. My
cell
phone was taken, and someone literally stood outside the restroom when I was
inside. I was also told that I could not talk to BEP operators and that I
would have to travel outside of Columbus for the final OJT. What have I done
to deserve such treatment?
            One of the modules I had to complete was the creation of an
employee handbook. The handbook I created was sent back with some comments
and
suggestions. I completely revised the handbook and spent many hours doing
so. At this time I have still not been given a grade or any feedback on the
revision.
            I was then told that I must take the final exam prior to the OJT
experience, which I do not understand since my training was not complete
yet.
Still I was being tested prior to completion of all my training. Even with
this unfair requirement, I successfully passed the final with a 90% when all
scores are totaled and divided by 7 test sections, well above the required
80%.
            Here are my scores after a retake:
Mental Math     100% Pass
Menu Planning   87.5% Pass
Vending 94.4% Pass
BE Rules and Regulations        93.3% Pass
Customer Service and Marketing section  was 72.7% and is now 100%
Employee Relations section      was 41.9% and is now 90.3%
 Daily and Monthly Reports section      was 53.5% and is now 66.3%

            I have worked very hard for more than eighteen months to become
licensed in the BE Program, and I have done everything I was asked to do and
met all requirements. I believe that I will be a good operator, and BSVI has
spent many resources on my training. It is in all parties’ interest to move
forward and for me to be licensed in the program.
            What about those who want to participate in training at a
high-quality residential training center? Can they get help from OOD? Over
the last
many years, our experience tells us that the answer is no! Macy McClain had
to find her own way to get training from the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
She did it and as a result is now far better prepared for college and
eventually the work world.
            Joy Mistovich had to find a way to get training from Blind
Industries and Services of Maryland. She has finished her training, and it
is clear
that the training paid off. She could not have gotten the same training in
Ohio.
            Aleeha Dudley is now completing her training at the Louisiana
Center for the Blind. She is much more confident and is better prepared for
the
world as a result of the training that she has received. Did OOD help her
get to Louisiana? I don't have to tell you. Of course the answer is no!
Unequivocally
no.
            But wait, you say, open-minded reader. Perhaps we got it all
wrong, maybe it was only least cost that the agency was concerned about.
Maybe
if the consumers had filed appeals when the counselors told them the agency
wouldn't help them go out of state for training, the appeals would have been
resolved in favor of the consumer.
            Pam Allen is the Director of the Louisiana Center for the Blind.
She is also the First Vice President of the National Federation of the
Blind.
She was the National Representative at the 2015 convention of the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio. Pam asked BSVI Director Mindy Duncan if the
agency sends people to out of state training centers, and Mindy clearly said
no. There were agency policies in place that do not permit that. Pam said
that federal law is clear about the consumer's right of choice. Mindy held
her ground and said that Ohio policy prevails
            For those in the General Assembly who read this column, I am
sure you are astonished to learn that you have at least one agency official
who
believes that state policy preempts federal law. In my son's basic
government class in high school he learned this is not the case.
            The next reasonable question might be why the agency would need
to send people out of the state for training. Because we do not have a
residential
training center in Ohio that offers the quality training blind consumers can
receive at centers like the ones in Louisiana, Colorado, Minnesota,
Maryland,
and other locations around the country. Not long ago Mindy Duncan said, tell
the facilities here what you want. My response was, you should let them know
what OOD expects. You pay the bills after all. But that takes us back to the
original problem: OOD's expectations simply aren't what they should be.
            The Ohio General Assembly should study rehabilitation services
for the blind in Ohio and give the agency the momentum it needs to take the
quantum leap in to modern times for rehabilitation for the blind. Governor
Kasich needs to know from the blind of Ohio just how well his agency serving
the blind and disabled is doing. I believe he would be extremely
disappointed to learn the facts. It is the job of the National Federation of
the Blind
of Ohio to see that the Governor understands that serious change needs to be
made in the way blind people are served in Ohio.
****
If you or a friend would like to remember the National Federation of the
Blind of Ohio in your will, you can do so by employing the following
language:
“I give, devise, and bequeath unto the Ohio Council of the Blind dba
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, P.O. Box 82055, Columbus, Ohio
43202, an
Ohio nonprofit corporation, the sum of $
(or “                  percent of my net estate” or “The following
stocks and bonds:                                        ) to be used for
its worthy purposes on behalf of blind persons.”
**** <>
The 2016 Washington Seminar: Making a Statement in the Snow
by Rachel Kuntz
Editor's note: Rachel Kuntz is a state board member and a member of the
Cincinnati chapter. A native of Dayton, she now lives in West Chester and is
a
1999 graduate of Wright State University in financial services. She has a
college-age son. She attended her first Washington Seminar this past
January.
This is what she says about the experience:
Over the course of the two months leading up to my journey to DC, I conjured
up all sorts of scenarios that resulted in disaster befalling me while on
my first Washington Seminar adventure. Most of my mental scenes involved
doing something to embarrass myself in front of people that I look up to or
saying
something nonsensical that would result in my leaving the seminar in
disgrace, never to be invited back. I even pictured walking around in snow.
At no
point, however, did I envision that Washington DC would be blanketed by two
feet of snow two days before our scheduled arrival.
The record-breaking blizzard forced the entire region to shut down for two
days and many Congressional offices to close for the week. The people of DC
were just emerging from their forced hibernation when I showed up ready to
take on a few of our esteemed congressmen. The crazy weather kept three
members
of our Ohio dream team from reaching DC. Our revised force not to be
reckoned with was comprised of Barbara Pierce, Eric Duffy, JW Smith, Susan
Ott, Jordy
Stringer, and me. Two team leaders were among the forced no-shows, which,
with the closed offices and missing staffers, resulted in a complete
reorganization
of our plans for our visit.
This humble band of Ohio warriors was undeterred by chest-high snow piles,
locating the only entrance open to the public in a building the size of a
city
block, or negotiating a fair deal from cab drivers taking advantage of the
weather conditions by significantly hiking up fares. We navigated all of
this
while keeping a smile on our faces as we presented valuable information to
anyone brave enough to show up to work on the Hill.
This wintery turn of events offered a real benefit for me. It gave me the
opportunity to participate in meetings led by Barbara, JW, and Jordy. Each
of
them has their own communication style, which I plan to mold into something
that will work for me in the future.
Barbara’s grasp of the facts made her quick with responses to tricky
questions. One moment in particular has stuck with me. While discussing the
TIME Act,
she was superb in her answer to a tough question about the fear that
eliminating Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act might take away
the sheltered
workshop employee’s SSI benefits. I remember her answer was something to the
effect that we should not plan on ways in which we can keep disabled workers
on Social Security by paying them less than minimum wage. We should look for
ways to help them live independent and productive lives earning a fair
paycheck.
JW allowed his experience as a college professor to direct his dialog with
the young congressional staff. He did what I like to call “assuming the
sale.”
This is an effective technique when your confidence and knowledge of the
subject matter will make anyone want to say yes. His confident approach was
evident
throughout his talk but was most impressive when he spoke about the Access
to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans, also known as the Space
Available
Act. At this point in the meeting he leaned in and said, “We are sincerely
thankful that the Congressman supported this effort as a co-sponsor last
year,
and we are grateful to know that we can count on co-sponsorship again this
year.” Keep in mind that the congressman had not yet signed on to the act.
Jordy and I shared the special task of delivering materials to several
congressional offices whose staff had been unable to meet with us due to the
weather.
That same day we held two face-to-face meetings on the Hill. Together we ran
from one enormous building to another, logging more than 15,000 steps.
Although
this adventure was tiring, I would not have missed it for the world.
Those who have met Jordy know that he has a deep and commanding voice. He
skillfully used this voice and his confidence as a storyteller to convey the
importance of each of our issues. In our discussion about the Accessible
Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act, he shared vivid
stories
detailing the challenges he and other blind students face struggling to
succeed while being blocked at every turn by inaccessible instructional
materials.
This drove home the stark reality for blind students as they work hard to
follow their career dreams.
Between the blizzard and the blisters on my very overworked feet, I will
never forget the experience I had on Capitol Hill. I will carry with me the
stories
of my grand adventure for a lifetime. Hopefully I behaved well enough to be
invited back.
**** <>
A Tour, an Education, a Strategy for Life
by Annie McEachirn Carson
            Editor’s note: Annie McEachirn Carson is a member of the
Cincinnati chapter. She worked at the Cincinnati Association for the Blind
and Visually
Impaired for twenty years. She has two children and three grandchildren.
Here is what she says about a recent chapter activity:
The LaTerza Coffee Roasterie tour occurred on February 20, 2016, with ten
NFB chapter members in attendance. From the planting of the seed to entering
the coffee cup, the fascinating inner workings of this micro-roasterie were
presented to the group.
>From the moment of our entering this quaint coffee facility, located in
Lockland, Ohio, it was apparent that David, the owner, had given a lot of
thought
and preparation to how to ensure that people with visual impairments could
have an unforgettable experience.  Together with Aaron, an additional tour
guide,
who was also a passionate coffee fan, Dave led us into a small, cozy room,
where we sat to hear the intriguing history of coffee sourcing, roasting,
and
delivery, which David called the “business pillars of his operation.” As we
listened, we learned that their sourcing involved identifying and working
with
small farmers in second- and third-world countries. The two-fold purpose for
this approach is to purchase a high-quality coffee while those countries in
turn use the income to build up their communities, including their schools,
and provide healthcare for their workers and families.
Absorbing every word, we were informed of the three primary regions (Africa,
Central South America, and Indonesia) from which the samples of the various
coffees we tasted were purchased.  The African coffee had a fruity wine
taste, Central South American coffee had a chocolate, nutty flavor, and the
Indonesian
coffee had an earthy, bold taste. We all selected our favorite coffee to go
with the cake and pumpkin crisp (brought by NFB members) which we enjoyed at
the end of the tour. Our tasting experience also included infused coffee
tea, brewed from dried coffee cherries, called cascara. This was imported
from
Costa Rica.
Next we went to the roasting area, where we learned that the two major
methods of processing coffee are air and gas drum roasting. At LaTerza, the
gas
drum is used because it allows small batches at a time as opposed to air
roasting, in which the coffee is roasted in large batches.  We were given
the
opportunity to touch the drum, listen to the movement of the coffee spinning
as it roasted, smell the aroma, and hear it make a sound like popcorn and
finally pour into the cooling tray as the fan pulled the hot air from it.
When we asked how long it takes to roast a batch, David said, “Between ten
and
twenty minutes depending upon the temperature set; generally, though, it
varies—roasting is a marriage between science and art.”
After nearly everyone had left, I asked David what made his coffee roasterie
so special. What he shared helped me understand why each of us had come away
with a new appreciation for coffee and grateful for having had this
experience. David said, “While our company’s passion is about roasting great
coffee,
I would have to say that my personal passion is doing business in a way that
makes the world a better place.”  My ears perked up, and I leaned closer to
hear more as he continued.  “From my interaction with my sources, roasters,
employees, customers, competitors, and my family, it is my practice to
strive
to treat others the way I want to be treated.  We work with the farmers to
help them produce a high-quality product; I give my employees the necessary
tools to do their jobs along with creating a warm and positive work
environment; I give my customers a high-quality coffee at a fair price; I
encourage
competitors since coffee is the second largest world commodity; and I work
with other business owners to encourage them to have a healthy, balanced
family
life.  It is very important that these entities are given my best before I
reward myself.”
I left thinking, “to put others first”--what a profound principle to have as
a family man and business owner! To learn additional information about
scheduling
group tours or registering for coffee brewing classes, visit LaTerza
Coffee's website at http://
http://www.laterzacoffee.com
 <http://http//www.laterzacoffee.com <http://http/www.laterzacoffee.com> >.
**** <>
Airports Can Mean Humiliation for Some Travelers
by Deborah Kendrick
>From the Columbus Dispatch
            Editor’s note: On October 5d, 2015, Deborah Kendrick’s
commentary appeared in the Columbus Dispatch. I struck a chord with many
blind readers.
I subsequently wrote a letter to the editor confirming Deborah’s experience.
To my surprise, I then received a hand-written note about my letter from
Senator
Sherrod Brown. Here are the commentary and the two letters:
A recent midnight flight from San Francisco to Cincinnati held the elements
all blind travelers dread most: the moment when one disability is mistaken
for another, and deep-rooted misconceptions engender humiliation. When the
last plane landed, I’d been traveling for thirteen hours. It was 11:00 a.m.,
and I was exhausted.
Here is the scenario. My ride home is in the cell phone lot. I ask the gate
agent if someone can walk with me. This is a simple enough request and one
I have made hundreds of times in dozens of airports. I am a blind person
carrying a long white cane. My request is for someone to walk with me who
knows
the way.
The gate agent is smart, courteous, eager to assist. She makes the call.

And another.
 And another. When five minutes has gone by, I am impatient. At
ten, I am agitated. At twenty, with a red-eye flight behind me and the
knowledge that my ride home is just a few minutes’ walk away, I am close to
meltdown.
I hear the agent say into the phone, “No, she doesn’t need a wheelchair.
Just needs someone to walk with her.” At 25 minutes, the somewhat
embarrassed
gate agent comes over where I am leaning on the wall, trying not to cry,
wishing I weren’t so tired and could just start walking, exploring, figuring
it
out.
“The problem,” she informs me, “is that they won’t come unless you will sit
in the wheelchair." She is apologetic, sees the folly of this supposed
“rule.”
But I am ready to disassemble with fatigue and humiliation, and thus I
acquiesce.
The young woman who comes with the wheelchair tells me that if I don’t sit
in it, she will be fired. Either she will leave me here, or I will ride. I
sit
down. For the half-mile distance from gate to exit, I pray no one sees me
who knows me.
Don’t get me wrong. There is no shame in using a wheelchair. For my friends
who use them with purpose, the wheelchair is a tool of freedom and flight
and
euphoria. No, for me, the shame was rooted in the fear that others would
think me a shirker, a faker, a jerk able to walk who commandeered some
deserving
passenger’s wheelchair. The subtext here, the message conveyed, is this:
Because I happen to be blind, I am not worthy of the same respect as any
other
paying passenger. If I need assistance, I will shut up, sit down, be
addressed like a child (or piece of furniture), and be grateful.
This, regrettably, is not an isolated incident. I have scores of stories
from others–blind lawyers, athletes, and CEO’s--recounting similar
nightmares.
Kaiti Shelton, a University of Dayton music therapy major, returned from a
college abroad trip in June. The emotional high sparked by success in
another
country, the joy of having been treated as an equal by the residents there
and her fellow college students, plummeted quickly in an American airport.
She,
too, was given the ultimatum “no wheelchair, no assistance.”
Eric Duffy of Columbus, president of the National Federation of the Blind of
Ohio, says the wheelchair argument has happened more times than he can
count.
“I can be coming back from a powerfully positive experience, meeting with
members of Congress on Capitol Hill or participating in negotiations with
other
leaders, and then the [emotional] balance shifts at the airport. The
disrespect leaves me feeling insulted and angry.”
The only consistency in flying, if you happen to be blind, is inconsistency.
Sometimes the curb-to-curb process is rich with encounters of mutual
respect,
jumpstarting your business trip or vacation with a general love of
humankind. Another time the misconceptions held by airport workers result in
degradation.
You are grabbed, pulled, talked about in the third person, and given
inappropriate “assistance.”
One TSA worker might allow you to move through the line without any
particular notice, while another wants to hold your hands and talk to you in
the sing-song
tones reserved for preschoolers. One flight attendant might order you into
the bulkhead row while another just as quickly orders you out of it. One day
you might ask for someone to walk to the gate with you, and the employee who
arrives is so engaging that you have exchanged life stories by the time you
arrive. And another day the request results in a stripping of dignity.
Disability awareness varies widely from one airline/airport to another. Not
surprisingly,
that difference seems to be in direct correlation to the source of training
for employees.
If you want to know how best to treat people with disabilities, ask them.
And then listen to what they say.
Deborah Kendrick is a Cincinnati writer and advocate for people with
disabilities.
October 9, 2015
The Monday Dispatch op-ed "Airports can mean humiliation for some travelers"
by Deborah Kendrick brought back painful memories to me as a blind traveler.
Airline personnel always seem to pick the times when we are exhausted and
frazzled to begin making up airline regulations such as "I will lose my job
if
you don't agree to ride in this wheelchair." We don't expect that people who
are willing or assigned to help us will know what we need. But Kendrick's
advice is spot-on: Ask what we need and then listen to the answer and
believe it.
People whose only disability is blindness do not need wheelchairs or
elevators. Neither do deaf people. Blind people use white canes to
investigate the
ground in front of us. It is not helpful to have someone grab hold of the
cane and try to drag us around by it.
Thank you, Kendrick, for pointing out this failure in personnel training.
Common sense would do the job, but common sense goes out the window when a
white
cane heaves into view.
Barbara Pierce, Oberlin
            Then several weeks later Barbara received a hand-written note
from Sherrod Brown which read:
Barbara—Very good letter to the Dispatch. I miss your visits to Washington.
Thank you for your activism over the years.
Sherrod
**** <>
The Diabetes Action Network Is Getting the Word Out
by Denver Jones
            Denver Jones is the president of the Diabetes Action Network of
Ohio. Here is his report on what the division is up to:
On Saturday, March 26, 2016, the Diabetes Action Network partnered with
Greene County Public Health and the Miami Valley chapter of the NFB to host
its
first public health and wellness event of the year at the Xenia Public
Library. It was well received and attended by area residents.  The event was
filled
with vendors and opportunities for learning.  Visitors received health
screening information, blood pressure and vital sign checks, diabetes
education,
handouts on good food choices, public health  resources, and foot care, foot
examinations done by an area podiatrist,  massages by a blind massage
therapist,
technology demonstrations,  dog guide information and  interaction,
orientation and mobility demonstrations, information on independent living
services
for the older blind, and information on Greene County parks and recreation
resources to encourage families to get out and explore.
Of course there were lots of great healthy snacks available and fun door
prizes. The NFB was well represented by members who interacted with the
crowd
and shared positive information.  This event resulted in an invitation from
the library coordinator to do future public events.
One of the goals for this event was to reach out to blind persons and
families in the more rural areas who may not know of the NFB and its
divisions. 
There are many counties across Ohio which are not close to the major cities
and therefore do not have the same resources for health, wellness, and
blindness. 
Working hand in hand with local chapters is important when we are discussing
the growth of our organization.  By reaching out together, we can make a
difference
in the lives of those who may not be aware of all we have to offer.
Statistics show that type 2 diabetes is on the rise partly due to sedentary
lifestyles
of the population and that diabetes is a leading cause of blindness.
Research suggests that one out of three adults has pre-diabetes, and of this
group
nine out of ten people are not even aware that they are pre-diabetic. A
report from the International Diabetes Foundation indicates that as of 2013
there
were more than 387 million people living with diabetes.  Diabetes is the
leading cause of newly diagnosed blindness in people twenty to seventy-four
in
the United States. Our work is cut out for us.  The people are out there; it
is our job to go find them and spread the word.  There is hope, there is
training, 
 and there are opportunities to live the life they want.
**** <>
On your Mark, Get Set, Go!
Join Us on June 26 for Fun, Exercise, and Fundraising
by Carol Akers
What do warm weather and sunshine have in common for those of us in the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio?  I would say they bring a lot of
positives
to our lives, and two of them are the national convention and the Charity
Day 5k, both happening in June.
The Charity Day 5K is part of our Marching for Independence effort to raise
funds to get people to national convention and is a wonderful opportunity
for
the NFB of Ohio to be part of an inaugural 5k race.  This is the very first
Charity Day 5K Race, held in Columbus, Ohio.    What is so special about
this
event, you may wonder?  We, the NFB of Ohio, have partnered with other
charities to make our presence known, to make our members visible, and to
show our
independence to the citizens of Ohio, all while generating funds for the
affiliate.
This event was created because many organizations were putting a lot of work
into holding their own individual race events for fundraising and doing so
in direct competition with numerous events statewide.   Did you realize that
on any given weekend in Ohio there are at a minimum six races taking place? 
 Participants and supporters have difficult decisions to make.
The Charity Day 5K gives organizations the opportunity to come together and
share the costs, the details, and responsibilities of the race.  This
translates
into more profit for each organization.   Even better than that, think of
all the exposure each charity will receive by sharing the audience and
participants.
Gather your friends, families, co-workers, and chapter members together to
register for and attend this event.  Online registration is available at:
www.charityday5k.com/charity-partners/national-federation-of-the-blind-of-oh
io/
 
<http://nfbohio.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=20afbf9079ebdc3ced81b27b7
id=a85cbf2be9e=ba338c7696>
This link is home to a page of information and a video to share with people.
In the registration area, you may choose to participate in the race or to
sponsor someone who is already participating or just to receive a t-shirt
without
participating in the race.   The cost is $30 until April 30, and after that
it goes up to $35 until May 31.  From June 1 the fee will be $40, and we
will
receive half of whatever the fee is. You may also send a check directly to
Sherry Ruth at 6922 Murray Ridge Rd., Elyria, Ohio 44035, and don’t forget
to
put a notation in the memo line to indicate that the money is for the
Charity Day 5K Race.
What time does the race begin, you ask. The opening remarks are at 7:45 am,
the National Anthem is at 7:55 am, and the race begins at 8:00 am. Where
will
it take place?  Downtown Columbus, behind COSI at Genoa Park, which will
showcase the newly completed renovation of the Lower Scioto Greenway Trail.
Why
not get your canes tapping or your guide dogs walking to show Ohio who the
NFB is? I will be pushing Dustin in a wheelchair for this, so come join me.
Let’s go build the Federation by joining together and making a difference
**** <>
Recipes from the Capital Chapter
Editor’s note: Shelbi thought we might all enjoy a recipe column in this
newsletter, so she sent along a couple of them for us to try out. If you
like
this idea, send the recipes along. The editor will be happy to put them
together. Here are the offerings from the Capital Chapter:
Chicken Salad with Fruit and Nuts
by Carol Akers
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 large apple, cored and diced small (Gala apples are suggested.)
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 small onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup honey mustard
Method: Mix all ingredients together. This salad is very good served on a
specialty bread or croissant.
Banana Split Pudding
by Shelbi Hindel
Ingredients:
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
1-1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup whipped topping, thawed
Vanilla wafers
2 or 3 bananas, sliced
Ice cream topping, caramel or chocolate (Choose your favorite flavor.)
Chopped peanuts
            Method: In a medium mixing bowl beat with an electric mixer
pudding, milk and vanilla. Beat until thickened, about two minutes. Fold in
whipped
topping. Arrange a layer of sliced bananas on top of the wafers. Spoon half
the pudding mixture over bananas. Repeat banana and pudding layers. Top this
with a layer of vanilla wafers. Drizzle with your choice of ice cream
toppings, and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Chill in refrigerator until
set.
Fun Buns
by Eric Duffy
            “I found this recipe by using Siri and my iPhone and sent it to
Shelbi so that she could make them. They were served at OSSB while we were
students.”
Ingredients:
 1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped dill pickle or dill pickle relish
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Method: Brown ground beef and onions and pour off any grease. Add pickles,
catsup, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about five minutes.
Remove
from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Add cheese. Fill nine to twelve
hamburger buns with meat and wrap them in foil paper. If desired, top each
with
a slice of provolone cheese. Heat for approximately twenty minutes in a
400-degree oven. You can heat the number of fun buns that will be used
immediately.
Refrigerate leftovers for later use. You can also freeze them, but allow a
little more time to heat.
**** <>
Buckeye Briefs
The NFB of Ohio scholarship form is now available on our website. You can
fill it in online and have your references sent directly to Keboah Kendrick.
Her email address is listed on the form. If you have questions about the
process, contact Deborah Kendrick or Barbara Pierce.
We have recently learned that, when Pat Eschbach returned home following the
national convention last summer, she was met at the airport by her daughter
Mary and Mary’s husband Russ Meeker, who drove her from Columbus to her
home. They drove back to Columbus on Sunday, July 13. That evening Russ died
suddenly
after a heart attack. Pat rushed to Columbus to be with Mary, and she
learned on Monday that her nephew Dave had died also after a heart attack on
Monday.
Russ was seventy and is survived by his wife, three children, and his
mother, Margaret  Meeker. If you wish to write to Mary, her address is Mary
Cunnyngham,
628 Binns Blvd., Columbus, OH 43204.  Pat’s email address is 
grandmaesch at gmail.com
 <mailto:
grandmaesch at gmail.com>
. We extend our deepest sympathy to both Mary and Pat.
The NFB of Cleveland election for the next two years was held on October 16,
2015. Elected were president, William Turner; vice president, Cheryl Fields;
secretary, Shawana Griffin; treasurer, Natassha Ricks; and Board members,
Teresa McKinney and Rosa Jones.
The Capital Chapter held elections at its November meeting. The results were
as follows: president, Shelbi Hindel; vice president, J.W. Smith; secretary,
Annette Lutz; treasurer, Stephanie Claytor; and Board member, Carol Akers.
Our meeting time is the first Saturday of each month at 10:00 AM. We meet at
Maynard Avenue United Methodist Church, 2350 Indianola Avenue, Columbus,
Ohio 43202.
The following were elected at the At-Large Chapter meeting November 20,
2015: president, Colleen Roth; vice president, Shirley Beckner; and
secretary/treasurer,
Yvonne Soldan.
The Miami Valley chapter of the NFB of Ohio held elections on Saturday,
December 12, 2015. The following were elected: president, Richard Payne;
vice president;
Gloria Robinson; treasurer, Tim Janning; secretary, Robert Spangler; and
Board member at large, Carolyn Peters.
The NFB of Lorain County conducted its biennial election in January. Elected
were president, Sherry Ruth; vice president, Dick Walker; secretary, Barbara
Pierce; and treasurer, Pat Standen.
On February 20 the Cuyahoga chapter elected the following leaders: Shawn
Martin, president; Jeanne Gallagher, vice president; Ryan Sima, secretary;
and
Jerry Purcell, treasurer.
On Thursday, January 28, 2016, the Capital Chapter held our annual pizza
party at OSSB to celebrate Louis Braille’s birthday. We had cookies instead
of
cake, played games, and talked to the students about the Federation.
Everyone who attended had a good time. Saturday afternoon, March 5, the
Capital Chapter
sponsored another pizza party. This time it was to provide scholarship
information for the Ohio and national programs to potential applicants. We
answered
questions, shared experiences, and gave advice to those attending.
Here is information from BSVI:
BSVI has updated and posted its annual compilation of Vision Loss and
Hearing Loss Resources. The document primarily contains Internet links and
other
information on general resources, advocacy groups, media and communications
access, hearing aid assistance, learning resources, etc. The resources are
divided as useful for deafness, blindness, and deaf/blindness. This is a
downloadable Word document accessible to screen reader users.
http://w.ood.ohio.gov/Portals/0/VR/Vision%20Loss%20and%20Hearing%20Loss%20Re
sources.do,x
 
<http://nfbohio.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=20afbf9079ebdc3ced81b27b7
id=c27036b856e=ba338c7696
>If you are deaf/blind and want to learn Braille or if you have interest in
volunteering/staffing  for such a project this June 12-24 in Columbus, we in
BSVI would like to talk with you. Please email 
Elizabeth.sammons at ood.ohio.gov
 <mailto:
Elizabeth.sammons at ood.ohio.gov>
for details.
**** <>
Activities Calendar
May 15 Deadline for NFB of Ohio scholarship applications
May 17-20 Business Leadership and Superior Training (BLAST), Chicago
June 26 Charity 5K run, Columbus
June 30 to July 5 National convention, Orlando, Florida
July 18—22, BELL Program, Columbus
August 18 to 25 World Blind Union and ICEVI general assembly, Orlando,
Florida
September 17, NFB-O Board of Directors meeting, DoubleTree Hotel,
Independence
October Meet the Blind Month
October 2 NFB-O 5K run, Columbus
November 10 to 13 Annual convention, NFB of Ohio, Independence, Ohio

 
<http://nfbohio.us12.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=20afbf9079ebdc3ced81b27b
7id=c723ab29a5e=ba338c7696>
 
<http://nfbohio.us12.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=20afbf9079ebdc3ced81b27b
7id=670a20f0cbe=ba338c7696>
 
<http://nfbohio.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=20afbf9079ebdc3ced81b27b7
id=f2453c301fe=ba338c7696>




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