[Iabs-talk] Fwd: ICBV Office Update September 1, 2015
Denise Avant
davant1958 at gmail.com
Thu Sep 3 01:45:33 UTC 2015
Denise R. Avant
President, National Federation Of The Blind Of Illinois
Live the life you want
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors <icbv at sbcglobal.net>
> Subject: ICBV Office Update September 1, 2015
> Date: September 1, 2015 at 3:25:04 PM CDT
> To: Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors <icbv at sbcglobal.net>
> Reply-To: Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors <icbv at sbcglobal.net>
>
> ICBV Office Update
> September 1, 2015 <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>
> *1) Calendar of Events
> *2) Cullen and Associates – Session Updates
> *3) Second Sense - RP Day at Second Sense
> *4) Second Sense – Sertember Apple Classes
> *5) This Week on Eyes on Success - NVDA
> *6) NFBEI - Blitz
> *7) Call to Action – Fact Sheet on the TIME Act
> *8) Hadley School for the Blind
> *9) Monster Up in Price
>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**1 Calendar of Events
> September 19, 2015 4:00 p.m. NFB of Illinois will be gathering at the Changs' house again for Oktoberfest in September. Please mark your calendars. We will start at 4:00. This is a fund raiser. Cost is $25 and includes your first beverage. Please contact Patti Chang with questions or to RSVP at 773-307-6440 or pattischang at gmail.com <mailto:pattischang at gmail.com>. Proceeds go to the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois.
>
> October 30 – 31, 2015 National Federation of the Blind of Illinois State Conference
> From Denise Avant: Hello all,
> Planning is underway for the 2015 NFBI State convention. The dates for convention are October 30-November 1, 2015. The convention will be held at the Chicago Naperville Marriott in Naperville Illinois. You can start making your hotel reservations if you have not already done so. Rates are $93 a night.
>
> The application to pre register for State convention will be on the website soon. Note, registering at the hotel is different from pre registering for State convention. In any case, you must register for convention in order to receive the convention rate. The deadline to pre register will be October 16, 2015. I am working on the flier and agenda.
>
> If anyone wishes to apply for convention assistance, you can find the Chappell Dennis form on our website at www.nfbofillinois.org <http://www.nfbofillinois.org/> or you can e-mail me. The cutoff date for convention assistance will be September 1. You must have the application into me by that date. You can send them to me by e-mail at davant1958 at gmail.com <mailto:davant1958 at gmail.com> . If there are questions, you can e-mail me or call me at 773-991-8050.
>
> Our state convention registration is now available online. To register online for our 2015 convention which is the weekend of October 30th, visit www.nfbofillinois.org <http://www.nfbofillinois.org/> . Just click on the convention link. Our bulletin is pasted in for those who want additional information. For those who cannot register online, an application in Word format is also available.
>
> November 20 -21, 2015 - ICBV Fall Conference in Springfield, IL at the President Abraham Lincoln Springfield-a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel.
>
> From: Mr. Raven Pulliam, Program Administrator, BEPB
> Mr. John Gordon, ICBV Chairman
> Re: Fall Training Conference
> Once again it is that time of year and our Fall Training Conference will be held at the President Abraham Lincoln, Double Tree Hilton, 701 East Adams Springfield, IL 62701 beginning at 6:00 pm Friday November 20th and will end with an Awards Luncheon on Saturday November 21st at approximately 1:00 pm. Travel, lodging and normal per diem can be vouchered back to the state. Your lodging reimbursement will be based on single occupancy any additional costs incurred by additional guests will be your expense.
>
> Due to the financial restraints and lack of having a budget in place you will need to make lodging reservations on your own. Please contact the President Abraham Lincoln, Double Tree Hilton direct at 217-544-8800 as soon as possible. The deadline to ensure the group rate is Thursday, October 29, 2015. Please state that you are with Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors to obtain group rates. Also, do not use the internet as you must call to make your reservation in order to receive said group rate.
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> This conference is mandatory. However, if there is medical or personal issue that you need to attend to you should contact Matt Cunningham, Director of Personnel and Training. Matt Cunningham is to be excused from this event. Training is mandatory in order to maintain your ongoing certification and in the case of a medical or personal reason that might not allow your attendance. Make up training will be made available at a later date.
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> The Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors will have a full Committee meeting as well as Sub-Committee meetings on Friday, November 20th. Someone from our Central office will be contacting you to find out whether or not you will be attending the Awards luncheon on Saturday. One ticket will be provided for all Vendors, recent graduates, and staff. However, if you are bringing additional guests you will need to send a check to the Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors office in the amount of $50.00 per person no later than November 5, 2015. Please make checks payable to ICBV, write Fall Banquet in the memo and send it to 53 W. Jackson Blvd. suite 502, Chicago, IL 60604.
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> If anyone indicates that they will be attending the awards banquet and cannot make it for some reason you will need to call Dawn Moushon at 217-558-2321 at least 72 hours prior to our Fall Training Conference or you will be responsible for full payment of to ICBV.
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> Please be on the lookout for an additional memo as we get closer to the date, with the completed agendas and banquet information.
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> We look forward to seeing you there.
> Thank You
>
> December 9, 2015 Save the Date – Illinois School for the Visually Impaired & Mary Bryant senior home annual IABM sponsored Christmas Party. Donations can be sent to IABM @ 53 W. Jackson Blvd. suite 502, Chicago, IL 60604 it’s never too early to start pulling the funds together to enable IABM to get all of the students and seniors Christmas gifts. Also scarves are already being handmade, remember donated (mostly) solid color hats and gloves are always appreciated too.
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> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**2 Cullen and Associates - Session Update – September 1, 2015
> The Illinois General Assembly continues to meet in overtime session, with the House reconvening today at 11 a.m. The Senate will convene next Wednesday, September 9th.
>
> The House is expected to consider the total override motion of SB 1229 (Harmon/Smiddy), the AFSCME bill that would prevent a strike or lockout of state workers. The bill instead requires mediation within 30 days of the expiration of the current contract and binding arbitration after an impasse is reached. Senator Sam McCann, who represents many state employees in the Springfield area, was the only republican member of the Senate to vote for the override of the Governor’s veto. It is expected that all 71 House Democrats will be present for today’s vote. The most recent state employee contract expired June 30th. The Senate also overrode the vetoes of two budget implementation bills when it last met, SB 51 (Cullerton/Currie) and SB 274 (Cullerton/Currie), which could also be considered in the House this week.
>
> Representative Lang filed a motion to override the Governor’s amendatory veto of HB 1 (Lang/Kotowski), the omnibus opioid deterrent bill approved last spring. The Governors’ amendatory veto struck language from the bill related to Medicaid coverage and utilization controls of medications used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence. HB 1 was approved by both Chambers with bipartisan support last spring.
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> Last week, the House held a Committee of the Whole related to FY16 budget matters and again considered amendments regarding a property tax freeze and collective bargaining for local governments. HA#1 (Bradley) to HB 684 (Madigan), which would freeze property tax extensions in the FY16 levy year, was adopted by a majority vote, while HA#2 failed. The bill remains on the Order of Third Reading in the House. The House also adopted amendments to HB 4149 (Currie) that would appropriate nearly $146 million from the Road Fund to municipalities to purchase salt and other items and $120 million from GRF for child care services. HB 4149 also remains on the Order of Third Reading in the House.
>
> Eighteen recent amendatory vetoes and 19 total vetoes are still awaiting General Assembly action. The 15-day time frame during which a vetoed bill must be considered by its House of origin begins when that Chamber first reconvenes in session. SB 1833 (Biss/Williams – Data security bill – amendatory veto), HB 218 (Cassidy/Noland – cannabis decriminalization for small amounts – amendatory veto), HB 439 (Hoffman/Munoz – contract carrier insurance coverage – amendatory veto), HB 494 (Cassidy/Van Pelt – school code criminal back ground checks – amendatory veto), HB 3398 (Beiser/McCann – nursing home/RN waiver – amendatory veto), and HB 3299 (Lang/Haine – medical cannabis pilot program extension – amendatory veto) are all in a position to be considered in the coming weeks, or the Governor’s action stands.
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> Due to continuing appropriations and court orders, the State continues to spend unappropriated FY16 funds without a final FY16 budget. FY16 funds were approved by the General Assembly and the Governor for elementary and secondary education, allowing schools to open on time during the month of August. According to recent calculations made by Senate Democrat staff, the State is obligated to pay 89% of expected expenses of $38.7 billion at our current spending level. General funds revenues in FY2016 are projected by COGFA at between $32 billion and $33 billion, depending on the level of federal funding. As of August 31st, the Comptroller’s Office had more than $3 billion in unpaid bills on hand, with another $2 billion being held at state agencies. With only $195.6 million in cash on hand to pay bills, the necessary cash flow is not available to fulfill the court-ordered obligations on a daily basis.
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> Representative Jack Franks continues voice support for his proposal to eliminate several business tax incentives to help alleviate cash-flow problems. It is expected that legislation will be filed in the coming days.
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> When the Senate convenes next week, both Chambers will have entered their fourth month of overtime session. At this time, it does not appear that progress has been made on the remaining unappropriated portions of the budget.
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> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**3 Shared by Second Sense –
> RP Day at Second Sense
> Spend the morning with us on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm to explore ways to live better with retinitis pigmentosa! We are excited to bring you three informative presentations including Facing Life's Demands When You Also Have RP, Making Transitions: More Results with Less Effort, and the Latest Experimental Treatments for RP presented by Dr. Tracy Matchinski, OD, FAAO from the Illinois College of Optometry. Also on hand are exhibitors demonstrating low vision products and other technologies that can make living and working with RP manageable. Connect with others who are living, working and coping with RP, take home valuable resources and gain the confidence to live better with RP! To register, call our front desk at 312-236-8569 or email Polly Abbott.
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> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**4 Shared by Second Sense –
> September Apple Classes
> For our intermediate level Apple users, we are offering two classes during September to help you become more efficient at using your iDevice. On Saturday, Sept. 19 from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm, we are offering My Notetaker to teach you to use your device to take notes, create calendar items, use the calculator and lots more. On Thursday, Sept. 24 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm, our Managing Apps class helps you corral and organize all those must-have apps by learning how to delete, move and switch apps. You must be able to use standard VoiceOver gestures and be comfortable navigating both in and out of applications. To register for these workshops, call our front desk at 312-236-8569 or email David Flament.
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> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**5 Shared by blindtlk –
> This week on Eyes on Success
> 1535 - NVDA is a free and open source screen reader for Windows. Over the years it has matured to be a viable alternative to commercial screen readers for personal, educational and professional use. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jamie Teh, one of the founders and co-lead developers of NVDA about some of the new features of NVDA and what to expect in the future.
>
> The audio and show notes for this episode can be found at:
> www.EyesOnSuccess.net <http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/>
>
> Remember that you can subscribe to the Eyes On Success podcast using itunes if you don’t want to miss an episode!
>
> Also, many listeners ask if we’ve done a show on this or that topic. We’ve tried to make it easy to find episodes in our archive of nearly 250 shows. Rather than scrolling through all of the titles to find what you are looking for, try using the handy search feature on our web site to find shows of interest.
>
> Just put a keyword, topic, or show number into the search field and you will get a list of shows matching the search criterion along with a summary of each episode and links to the audio and show notes for that episode.
>
> Some special keywords of interest that you can use are:
> pioneer ? this will return a list of episodes in which we interviewed pioneers or leaders in the blindness field like Ted Henter, Jim Fruchterman, Deane Blazie, etc.
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> employment ? this will return a list of shows in which we interviewed visually impaired professionals in a variety of fields.
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> science ? this will return a list of shows about science and STEM education for the blind, interviews with visually impaired scientists, tools for working in science, etc.
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> art ? this will return a list of shows about arts, crafts, and hobbies and how one can enjoy these activities as a visually impaired person.
> sports ? this will return a list of shows about visually impaired people participating in sports such as beep baseball, cricket, canoeing, running, martial arts, etc.
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> eos_show ? this will return a list of shows in which you can learn more about the hosts and producers of Eyes On success, how episodes are made, and much more.
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> We encourage listeners to experiment and try other search terms to find shows in our archives that might be of interest.
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> Enjoy!
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> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**6 From Terry Smith, NFBEI
> BLIND ENTREPRENEURS INITIATIVE
> THE BLITZ - Summer, 2015
> Whoever said brevity is a virtue never tried to write an issue of The Blitz. This summer has been packed with activity and I apologize in advance for the length of this issue. But given the choice of keeping you informed or being brief, I will choose the former. Here we go.
>
> NFB Sets World Record – Let’s start by talking about what was an amazing convention in Orlando in July. Over 2800 people attended the convention celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the National Federation of the Blind. It was a celebration indeed as President Mark Riccobono presided over his first national convention. July 8, 2015, was historic as 2480 NFB members set a Guinness World Record with the largest umbrella mosaic ever. From up above, 2480 umbrellas spelled out “Live the life you want”. A drone flying above provided some spectacular photos. It was an amazing sight and symbolic of what the NFB wants and expects for each blind person in this country. Blind entrepreneurs were at the convention in big numbers. In fact, over 120 attended the Merchants Division meeting on July 7th. No, Guinness did not certify that a world record but it was clearly the largest turnout of blind entrepreneurs at any consumer organization national convention ever. President Nicky Gacos presented a powerful agenda and the large turnout only confirms the belief that the Randolph-Sheppard community has in the NFBEI and the direction of NABM.
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> DoD Completes Work on Regulations: What’s Next? -–As you no doubt know, Congress included language in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act directing the Department of Defense to promulgate rules to implement the infamous 2007 Joint Policy Statement. NABM and the NFBEI take the position that RSA is the federal agency that by law should be promulgating the rules and the NFB passed a resolution to this effect at its July convention. Nonetheless, neither DoD nor RSA appear to be inclined to say no to Congress. The Joint Policy Statement was never implemented by RSA primarily because parts of it were in conflict with the Randolph-Sheppard Act. DoD has completed its work and the DFAR Council has completed is review of the proposed rules. They will next be sent to OMB. It is our expectation that OBM will now send the proposed rules to other affected federal agencies which we can expect to at least include RSA, the AbilityOne Commission, and the Small Business Administration. We have been hard at work educating RSA about the issues and are confident that RSA will take a critical look at any proposed rules before giving its blessing. It is our hope that RSA, as the federal agency charged with the responsibility of interpreting the Randolph-Sheppard Act, will influence changes that are beneficial to blind entrepreneurs. The final outcome remains to be seen. The good news is that we feel relatively certain that some of the troublesome language in the original Joint Policy Statement will not be included in the rules being proposed by DoD. The battleground will center on what constitutes a cafeteria and when the R-S priority applies. The proposed rules will be published in the Federal Register and we will all have an opportunity to comment. NABM and the NFBEI will most certainly be submitting comments. We will be sure to circulate that notice when it comes out. But the reality is our best chance of influencing the rules is before they are published. It has come to our attention that DoD is contemplating publishing interim rules to be used until the rules can be finalized. We are fighting to prevent that from happening unless they have first been signed off on by RSA. Stay tuned. There will definitely be more on this coming soon.
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> Meanwhile We Might as Well Arbitrate – While we wait for DoD to promulgate the new rules, if in fact they are successful in doing so, several states are involved with arbitration cases over the issue of whether or not the priority applies to dining facility attendance services. These arbitrations underscore the reason DoD wants to promulgate rules. It hopes new rules will make these arbitration cases moot. DoD has historically said the priority does not apply to dining facility attendant services and we can bet any rules they promulgate will reflect that position. We say it does and our position has been supported by prior arbitration panels and the courts. In the meantime, Georgia just completed an arbitration over this issue at Fort Stewart. The Florida SLA has a similar case that has been filed over the Tyndall Air Force Base. These cases are unique in that Randolph-Sheppard had neither of these contracts. They were simply bidding on the DFA contract. However, there are cases in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas where the SLA held the full food contract and the Army is attempting to break out the dining attendant portion of the contract. All three states have arbitration cases pending. Interestingly, Congress directed DoD to promulgate rules to resolve the dispute between Randolph-Sheppard and JWOD. Of the 5 cases noted here, only one involves a JWOD entity.
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> JWOD Program Mired in Fraud – That’s not the NFBEI talking. That’s CNN and apparently some federal investigators. You can read the story or view the story on Anderson Cooper’s show by visiting CNN’s website at http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/27/us/disabled-work-program-investigation/index.html . The purpose of bringing the matter up here is not to pile on. We have expressed concerns over the years about the JWOD Program and we were not necessarily surprised by the report. We believe that JWOD can benefit from some fundamental changes and greater oversight. With that, we are hopeful that changes can be made that benefit persons who are blind especially blind entrepreneurs. Our immediate interest is how this impacts DoD’s rulemaking process. We mentioned earlier that DoD is promulgating new rules related to troop dining. Presumably, those rules will generate additional business for JWOD. Will OMB want to take a closer look in light of the ongoing investigations? Will Congress rethink its desire to implement the Joint Policy Statement? That remains to be seen but we will be monitoring this closely.
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> Emerging Leaders Training Scheduled – Earlier this year, NABM President Nicky Gacos announced the creation of its Emerging Leaders Program. Candidates who were interested in being future leaders were asked to submit applications. There were more applications submitted than there are slots available and the caliber of the candidates was outstanding. The thirteen candidates selected will attend a two-day training program in New Orleans December 7-9, 2015. Then there will be a special training session held in conjunction with BLAST for those who complete the program. The NABM is excited about this program and is serious about developing tomorrow’s Randolph-Sheppard leaders. NABM is contemplating this being an annual training. If you are interested in participating in the 2016 training program, let us hear from you now.
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> Windy City BLAST Will Blow You Away – It is going to be an exciting time at BLAST next year. The premiere R-S training event in the country will be held at the Chicago Airport Loews Hotel May 17-20, 2016. It is a beautiful hotel and is near so many places people will want to visit. Mark your calendars now to attend. We can’t make any announcements yet but we have a verbal agreement to bring an exciting opening speaker and have some exciting things planned for Tuesday, which we usually call Pre-Conference Day. We will be able to share more details by the time the next issue of The Blitz comes out.
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> NFBEI/NCSAB D.C. Events Huge Success: In early June, the NFBEI and NCSAB teamed up to co-sponsor two major events in our nation’s capitol on back-to-back days. On June 2nd, there was a workshop on healthy vending. This is a very important topic with blind entrepreneurs today as evidenced by the fact over 100 blind entrepreneurs and SLA staff attended. The training was a very positive experience and was well received by all in attendance. It was without a doubt the most positive and constructive dialogue ever about the subject with blind entrepreneurs. On June 3rd, the first NFBEI/NCSAB D.C. Fly-In was held. We had over 50 blind entrepreneurs visit The Hill and meet with their Congressional representatives. Their mission was to tell their story, educate members about this fantastic program, and seek assistance to help resolve issues with both DoD and the VA. It was indeed a very successful day and we are still getting feedback on those meetings. We are already being asked if we are going to make this an annual event. The answer is maybe but we aren’t ready to say that for sure.
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> NAMA Hits the Hill - Six weeks after the NFBEI/NCSAB D.C. Fly-In, the National Automatic Merchandising Association held its first ever Day on the Hill. It too was very successful as over 200 vending industry members attended and visited the members of Congress. Blind entrepreneurs were well represented as approximately 20 attended. NAMA leadership was very pleased with the involvement of our community. It is just another step toward a stronger relationship between the Randolph-Sheppard community and the larger vending industry. The partnership is natural since the issues that affect the vending industry as a whole affect blind vending operators as well.
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> President Gacos Assumes Position on NAMA Board - As was noted in the last issue, NABM President Nicky Gacos was elected to the NAMA Board of Directors in April. He officially assumed office on July 1st and hit the ground running. He completed the orientation training for new board members and has several other activities in which he will be involved. His election and involvement with NAMA will only help build the relationship between the two organizations. Gacos has made it clear that he plans to use his position to the benefit of all blind entrepreneurs.
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> FDA Guidelines Clarified - At the healthy vending workshop referenced earlier, a representative of the FDA made a very informative presentation. She clarified a couple of very important points. As reported in earlier issues of The Blitz, vending companies must start disclosing caloric content of all products effective December 1, 2016. It was clarified that the requirement only applies to companies that operate 20 or more vending machines. The FDA made two very important points. First, the requirement applies to machines operated by the blind entrepreneur and not the SLA. The SLA may own thousands of machines but if an individual blind entrepreneur operates fewer than 20, the requirement does not apply to him/her. The second important point was that if a blind entrepreneur has vending machines on full-service and simply receives a commission; those machines do not count toward the 20. Therefore, a blind entrepreneur could service 19 snack machines and have 15 drink machines on full-service and would not be required to disclose caloric content. The disturbing thing is the FDA did confirm that nothing in the law prohibits people from taking civil action against a vending operator who fails to disclose caloric content. In other words, if a customer uses a machine and the caloric disclosure requirement is not met, that customer can sue the vendor. This may sound ridiculous but it is a real threat to the livelihoods of blind entrepreneurs.
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> GSA Seeks Comments on Healthy Vending Guidelines - The U.S. General Services Administration has issued a Request For Information to gather responses from the vending and food service industry, private and public sector worksite leadership, public and environmental health organizations, and other interested parties on the successes and barriers encountered when implementing the current Guidelines. Interested individuals and organizations can view and provide comments in response to the RFI by visiting here. The public comment period is now open and will close on September 30, 2015.
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> NAMA, NCSAB, and NABM all will be submitting comments. We’d encourage all SLA’s to do the same. Randolph-Sheppard entrepreneurs on federal properties should also consider submitting comments.
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> When Is a Guideline Not a Guideline? – It has come to our attention that a template for a national GSA permit has been sent to some SLA’s. We know it was sent out of the regional office in Atlanta to the states in the Southeast. This new template includes the healthy vending guidelines that mandate a certain percentage of snacks and drinks meet the guidelines. GSA does not have the legal authority to mandate these requirements. After all, they are simply guidelines. So, their strategy is to stick the language in permits. In the cover memo that accompanied the template, SLA’s were told GSA would not approve any permits that do not include this language. Some GSA regional folks are reportedly saying RSA has signed off on the language being added to the permits. This is not true. On the one hand, the requirements are not too burdensome in that only 25% of snacks and 30% of drinks must meet the guidelines but the guidelines themselves are very restrictive. We would like to see SLA’s resist signing such agreements and turning “guidelines” into “mandates.”
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> NABM Negotiates National Pricing with First Data / Clover – Clover is taking the country by storm. In case you haven’t heard of it, Clover is a fully accessible payment processing system that allows totally blind entrepreneurs to independently run the cash register and accept credit / debit card payments. It is a fraction of the cost of a talking cash register and does so much more. NABM has negotiated national pricing with First Data, which owns Clover, for both equipment and credit card processing fees. What makes this deal so great is that both the SLA’s and blind entrepreneurs benefit. The SLA is able to buy the Clover equipment taking advantage of the national pricing. Blind entrepreneurs benefit by paying lower credit / debit card processing fees. NABM/NFBEI makes no money if you buy equipment or use First Data’s processing services. Our only interest is helping blind entrepreneurs find accessible solutions and keep more of their money in their pockets. A Michigan blind entrepreneur and Clover were recently featured on Fox Business News’ Salute to American Success. To view the video or read the on-line story, click the link below or copy and paste it in your Internet browser.
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> http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/2015/07/27/blind-entrepreneurs-advice-deal-with-whatever-life-gives/ <http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/2015/07/27/blind-entrepreneurs-advice-deal-with-whatever-life-gives/>
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> Alexandra Duke is the First Data national business consultant who is working with Randolph-Sheppard. If you want more information, feel free to contact her at Alexandra.Duke at firstdata.com or 989-400-6317. It will be worth your time because she will most likely be able to cut what you are now paying in processing fees.
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> Rebates Still Flowing– Last month, the RSA Buying Group mailed out over $268,000 in rebates to blind entrepreneurs. The program is alive and well and at the current rate will easily surpass $1 Million annually in rebates to its approximately 1400 members. The program is a tremendous success and long overdue. Both consumer groups tried their hands at buying programs and failed but the RSA Buying Group has succeeded. But now there may be more good news. Up until now, many of our blind entrepreneurs were unable to take advantage of the rebate program because they didn’t buy through traditional vending channels. However, the RSA Buying Group is now adding a convenience store component to the program. This will offer additional opportunities for blind entrepreneurs to get rebates. John Murn will be sharing more about this exciting development. The program will only grow in the future with even greater income potential for blind entrepreneurs. And the Buying Group has launched a system that allows entrepreneurs to review their accounts on-line to ensure they are getting credit for all of their eligible purchases. Members have been asking for this and now it is here. Any blind entrepreneur who has problems or concerns with their rebates should contact John Murn. (In Illinois contact me – Kathy Ungaro)
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> Teaser: Crime Does Pay – We can’t make a formal announcement yet but we are working on a plan that would make it easier for sates to go after inmate commissaries. We are working with two companies to put together a package that would allow an SLA to offer a jail or prison a total solution to their inmate commissary / telephone service needs. Details will be available very soon but we have been looking for a way to help states follow Tennessee’s lead and we think we’ve found it. There is more money in inmate commissaries than many of the military dining contracts. If your Little Randolph-Sheppard Act priority applies to counties or prisons, there is tremendous opportunity. The package we are putting together will even offer opportunities when there is no priority. Have we peaked your curiosity? Well, there’ more to come.
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> Oregon / VA Settle Federal Court Case – If you are a regular reader of The Blitz, you have been following the ongoing battle between the Oregon SLA and the VA over vending at the VA’s White City facility. The SLA won an arbitration case but the VA refused to comply with the ruling. So, the SLA filed a complaint in federal court. Once a federal agency is sued in federal court, Department of Justice attorneys take over instead of the federal agency’s attorneys. In this case, that was a good thing. DOJ attorneys quickly sought settlement talks and an agreement was eventually reached that awarded the SLA exactly what it had initially asked for when it filed for a permit. The NFBEI wanted to see this case go to federal court and get a ruling from a federal judge which could be used as precedence in other cases involving the VA. However, one cannot fault the SLA for settling since it got exactly what it had asked. Either way, this just further demonstrates that states can get into these VA facilities if they will only persevere. There are 153 VA in-patient medical centers in the country. Only 3 have Randolph-Sheppard facilities. That means there are 150 arbitration petitions waiting to be filed.
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> DoD Contract Consolidation Still Under Consideration – As reported in previous issues of The Blitz, the Army is considering consolidating 11 troop-dining contracts into one national contract similar to the model employed by the Marines. During the D.C. Fly-In, a concerted effort was made to educate the Congressional and Senate offices representing districts where those 11 bases are located about this troublesome initiative. Several were very interested and sent inquiries to the Army on behalf of their blind vendor constituents. The Army’s responses indicate that the proposal is still under review and explain that cost savings and efficiencies are driving the idea. Although the Army indicated it is in the early stages of its exploration, there is clearly a very high interest in proceeding.
>
> ServeSafe Coming & More Hadley News –
> Online Entry Level Training - The NABM partnership with the Hadley School for the Blind continues to soar to new heights. Hadley has completed all 10 modules for the on-line entry-level training program. To date, 12 students have enrolled in the program. Some states are using the Hadley training as a supplement to their classroom training while in others the Hadley training is the academic portion of the training. The feedback from the students has been extremely favorable. We are being told the quality and depth of the content exceeds what many states currently offer. We expect more states to start using the Hadley training as Hadley continues to receive more and more positive feedback.
>
> ServeSafe Training Almost Here - There is more exciting news. Hadley is in the process of developing 2 new training modules on ServeSafe. These new modules will be incorporated into the on-line entry-level training program at no additional cost. They will also be offered as stand-alone modules that can be taken by current blind entrepreneurs. Having a fully accessible ServeSafe course will be of real benefit to the Randolph-Sheppard community. Since the National Restaurant Association requires that certification exams be proctored, Hadley will not be able to offer these exams on-line. They will have to be taken in the local area.
>
> Individual Modules Available for Upward Mobility Training – Since the day the Hadley on-line training program was announced, the number one question has been can current blind entrepreneurs take individual modules? The answer to that question is now yes. The cost for taking an individual module is $500. In some instances, SLA’s are asking their vendors who are experiencing performance issues to take one or more modules. In others, blind entrepreneurs are taking the courses as upward mobility training. In either case, the SLA’s are paying the cost. This is another exciting development and just one more way Hadley and NABM are trying to meet the needs of blind entrepreneurs and state agencies.
>
> More on Hadley: Active Participation Wins the Prize – In conjunction with Hadley, NABM / NFBEI are offering a program it calls Randolph-Sheppard on the Web. Every 3 to 4 months, a webinar is presented on an issue of importance to blind entrepreneurs. To date, the following webinars have been presented:
>
> SSDI: What the Blind Entrepreneur Needs to Know
> Active Participation: What It Is and What It Is Not
> The Customer Service Advantage
> Micro Markets and Their Role in Randolph-Sheppard
> NAMA’s Fit Pick: Making It Work for Blind Entrepreneurs
>
> Generally speaking, 50-60 people typically participate in the live webinars. However, Hadley archives these and they are available for blind entrepreneurs to listen to at their convenience. To date, over 1100 people have taken advantage of the archives. Which one is most popular? It’s not even close. The one on active participation has been listened to 450 times. The concept is over 40 years old but it still generates more interest than most any topic. The webinar is basically a version of a training Terry Smith has done for Elected Committees and SLA’s.
>
> RSA and AbilityOne Pledge Cooperation – On July 1st, RSA and the AbilityOne Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding pledging to work cooperatively on issues of mutual interest. The MOU was the result of ongoing dialogue with AbilityOne which was first initiated by the NFBEI. Two years ago, the NFBEI and NCSAB reached out to AbilityOne and began discussions to see if there was common ground on the major issues that divide the two programs. RSA Commissioner Janet LaBreck learned of these discussions and asked to be involved. The MOU is the result. Although largely symbolic in nature and not addressing the major conflicts between the respective programs, the MOU does represent a major step forward in the relationship between Randolph-Sheppard and AbilityOne. We still have a fundamental difference on troop dining and when the R-S priority applies. But the MOU provides the framework for future discussions which can hopefully bridge that gap. Some of the things the MOU promises to do are:
>
> •Ø Develop and disseminate non-regulatory guidance;
> •Ø Exchange information about best practices;
> •Ø Invite each other to national training conferences; and,
> •Ø Provide technical assistance to entities who need it.
>
> Treadway Named to NAMA Committee – Sharon Treadway, a Tennessee blind entrepreneur and NABM Secretary, was recently named by NAMA to its Nutrition Leadership Committee. It is this committee that deals with Fit Pick and healthy vending issues. Sharon has extensive experience in vending and this year opened her first micromarket. Blind entrepreneurs should be excited that their voices will be heard as NAMA takes on this challenge. Sharon will be the point person for distributing information to the R-S community as there are news and developments in the healthy vending arena.
>
> Missouri Legislates Income Cap – In what has to be one of the strangest twists in memory, the Missouri State Legislature incorporated language into the budget bill that essentially places a cap on the earnings of one blind person. The bill says that any Randolph-Sheppard vending facility which meets certain criteria must have 3 blind vendors. Only one facility, the one at Fort Leonard Wood which is operated by Gene Fleeman, meets the criteria. Effective July 1st, the SLA was to place 2 additional blind vendors at that site. It has not done so yet. In our opinion, this is clearly retaliation against the blind entrepreneur who was vocally critical of the way his teaming partner was selected; a process that didn’t even allow the blind entrepreneur to participate. The NFBEI has had talks with the SLA and the matter has been referred to the Rehabilitation Services Administration for guidance. The law may or may not be legal but that is not the issue. Fairness is the issue. If they want multiple vendors on a single property, they must promulgate rules and regulations and do so with the active participation of the Committee of Blind Vendors. Such rules must be approved by RSA prior to their implementation. It is our hope that the rules grandfather in the current vendor and only assign multiple vendors once he leaves. It is also unfair to any vendors who might be assigned to the base considering Fort Leonard Wood is one of the contracts being considered for consolidation into a national contract. It is conceivable that a blind vendor could give up his/her current facility, move his/her family, and then be displaced in 6 months if the Army goes through with the consolidation effort. The NFBEI hopes common sense will prevail.
>
> Arbitration Panel Awards Damages to Idaho Vendor - In a recent arbitration decision, the arbitration panel unanimously found that the Idaho Commission for the Blind “utterly failed” to give Lynn Kneip, a licensed blind vendor, the opportunity to improve his performance before terminating his license. The panel concluded that this “scenario is fundamentally unfair, and – more importantly – it amounts to a breach of the Commission’s own regulations.” The panel ruled “the Commission failed to comply with the training requirements of its own regulations and with the training requirements of the Randolph-Sheppard Act,” citing 34 C.F.R.§ 395.11. The vendor was reinstated to the facility he operated at the time of termination and notably awarded compensation for the 3 years he was out of the facility. Mr. Kneip was represented by Susan Gashel, who was paid in part by the NFB of Idaho.
>
> Auditors Hit Tar Heel State Hard - Most state agencies and business enterprises programs have undergone the scrutiny of state auditors. It is never pleasant. North Carolina is the most recent to be hit hard by state auditors. Auditors had two major findings. First, the agency was cited for not having goals with measurable performance standards. The second finding related to lack of management oversight of the program. Clay Pope, the BEP Director has retired, but the agency appears committed to addressing the issues identified in the audit report.
>
> Arizona Gets Some Bad Pub – After riding a wave of amazingly positive press coverage, the Arizona BEP recently got some not so good publicity. The board of supervisors in a small conservative county balked at signing a new permit with the BEP. The supervisors expressed negative opinions about the program that they no longer view as being in the public interest. The issue was complicated by the fact the previous blind vendor had passed away and a third party vending company was servicing the machines. Supervisors essentially called the program a fraud and said it was a front for other people to make money. They wrote the Governor and their legislators to express their opinions and to ask that the program be reviewed. To its credit, the SLA defended the program and hailed it as a very successful program. Ultimately, the county signed the new permit. The publicity was unfortunate and unfounded. Arizona is not one of those programs that abuses the third party practice. Arizona believes in blind entrepreneurs working and being in control of their businesses. Nonetheless, it has changed the way it handles locations such as the one referenced here. It has essentially turned over most of its unassigned locations to blind entrepreneurs who are either subcontracting or operating the machines themselves.
>
> Mobile App Helps Identify Vending Machine Products for the Blind – There is a mobile app for almost everything today. There’s now one that will identify products in a vending machine for blind customers. The app is VelaSense and was recently unveiled by Verizon Wireless for use with Android phones. Here is a link to an article that recently appeared in The Automated Merchandiser:
>
> http://www.vendingmarketwatch.com/news/12098753/new-mobile-app-identifies-vending-machine-product-for-visually-impaired <http://www.vendingmarketwatch.com/news/12098753/new-mobile-app-identifies-vending-machine-product-for-visually-impaired>
>
> NABM Submits WIOA Comments - In response to the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s notice of proposed rulemaking and request for public comments in regards to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act, NABM submitted comments. Two main points were made. First, we asked that RSA use a broader definition of transition services to protect funding for other programs including Randolph-Sheppard. WIOA requires states to use 15% of their funds to provide services to transition age youth. As proposed, a very narrow definition of transition services is being contemplated and this could force states to take funds away from other programs such as R-S and shift them to transition services. A more liberal definition would afford some funding protection for these other programs. NABM also complimented RSA for the changes in the rules that will make it easier for state VR agencies to serve current R-S vendors.
>
> California Rest Area Vendors Score Major Victory – Congratulations to the California rest area vendors who won a two-year battle in the California General Assembly to exempt themselves from paying utilities. State law grants a priority to blind vendors on state property and forbids the state entity to charge the blind entrepreneur utilities. However, state officials interpreted another law to allow such charges at interstate rest areas. The blind entrepreneurs had a bill introduced last year that would treat rest area vendors the same as vendors on other properties. It almost passed. They tried again this year and were successful in getting the bill passed and signed by the Governor. Congratulations to all who helped pass that bill. It again shows the collective political power blind entrepreneurs have when lobbying for legislation that advances their program. Too many times we hear blind entrepreneurs in states accept less than what they could achieve because they fear what they could lose. The California rest area vendors risked a lot but had so much to gain. As a result, facilities that would have probably been closed will continue to offer an opportunity for a blind person. A CBS TVE News affiliate ran a story. To watch the story, click on the link below or copy and paste it in your web browser:
>
> http://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/eyewitness-news-investigates-caltrans-charging-blind-vendors-utility-costs <http://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/eyewitness-news-investigates-caltrans-charging-blind-vendors-utility-costs>
>
> California Vending Tax Unfair? – California does not tax food. Well, that’s not exactly true. California does not tax food UNLESS it is bought in a vending machine. You can walk into a convenience store, buy a pack of peanut butter and crackers, and it is tax-free. Buy that same pack of peanut and butter and crackers from a vending machine and you will pay sales tax. Does that sound fair? Some in the California State Legislature think it is not and a bill was introduced this past session to exempt food vending sales from sales tax. Opponents killed the bill and it faces an uncertain future next year. California’s blind entrepreneurs were not heavily engaged with this issue but could be next year as will the California Automatic Merchandising Association. Below is a link to an article that appeared in the Capitol Weekly, which covers the California State Legislature:
>
> http://capitolweekly.net/vending-machines-enter-tax-debate/ <http://capitolweekly.net/vending-machines-enter-tax-debate/>
>
> Hourly or Salary? That is the Question – Are any of the employees in vending facilities in your state classified as salaried versus hourly workers? If so, the rules of the game are changing. Under current federal regulations, a salaried employee must earn a minimum of $455 per week which equates to $23,660 per year. However, the U.S. Department of Labor recently published proposed regulations that would raise that amount to $970 per week or $50,440 annually. The minimum will be adjusted periodically based on average earnings of all workers in the U.S. This is a significant increase that could impact many small businesses. Workers even though salaried who earn less than the minimum will be entitled to overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours per week. The DOL is now accepting public comments on the proposed changes. NAMA is preparing comments on behalf of the vending industry at large. If you would be directly impacted by the change, you should let your voice be heard as well. The proposed rule change could affect some state employees as well as many nonprofit agency employees.
>
> Dressing Up the $10 Bill – In June, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced that in 2020, the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, a woman’s portrait will appear on the $10 bill either with or in place of Alexander Hamilton. According to the announcement, the leading candidates are Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks. The Treasury was asking for public input on the decision. According to a recent McClatchy-Marist poll, Americans favor Eleanor Roosevelt. Whoever gets the distinction will not be the first woman to appear on a U.S. bill. In the 1890’s, Martha Washington’s portrait appeared on the $1silver certificate. The Secretary of the Treasury is expected to make a final decision by the end of the year.
>
> Welcome Wagon Calling - Welcome aboard Anna Kim! Anna was recently named as the new BEP Director in Maryland replacing Bart Peeples who retired. Anna has 20 years experience with the Maryland BEP as a Business Counselor and has been involved with the planning and coordination of the vendor training conferences and upward mobility training.
>
> Saying Goodbye – We have to say goodbye to another long-time state BEP Director. David Lamb, BEP Director in New Hampshire, retired in August. David was well-known and was a regular attendee at our BLAST conferences. He is moving to Florida. He is the second BEP Director this year to retire and move to the Sunshine State. Bart Peeples of Maryland led the way this past spring. No more bureaucracy. No more cold weather. Life must be good for those two.
>
> The NFBEI on the Road – The NFBEI continues to be on the road visiting states and participating in annual training conferences. Terry Smith racked up some frequent flyer miles traveling to Nevada in June, Arizona in July, and Massachusetts, Indiana, and Florida in August. Nicky Gacos was in Iowa for a multi-state conference, Indiana, and Oklahoma. September and October are shaping up to be busy months for both Terry Smith and Nicky Gacos. They will be visiting at least a half dozen states.
>
> You Can Still Help – Do you like what the NFBEI is doing to advocate for the program on a national level and to assist individual state programs? Do you enjoy reading The Blitz and being kept informed about what is going on in the Randolph-Sheppard community? If so, we can use your financial support. Over half of our support comes from the NFBEI subscriptions but we count on donations to make up the rest. If you would like to contribute to the cause, we would welcome your donation. You can donate by sending a check to:
>
> National Association of Blind Merchants
> 7450 Chapman Highway, Suite 319
> Knoxville, TN 37920
>
> Make the check payable to NABM and write “NFBEI” in the memo portion of the check. Your support is greatly appreciated.
>
> Share Your News with Everyone- Help us keep everyone informed about what is happening around the country. Let us hear from you. Tell us what is going on in your state. What is happening in one state affects what is going on in another, and the NFBEI is the vehicle to keep everyone updated on what is going on out there.
>
> GET THE BLITZ-READ THE BLITZ-SHARE THE BLITZ
>
> PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THE BLITZ WITH OTHERS AND DISTRIBUTE ON YOUR LISTSERVS. WE WANT ALL BLIND ENTREPRENEURS, BEP ADMINISTRATORS, and OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO KNOW WHAT THE NFBEI IS DOING
>
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>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**7 From Denise Avant, NFB President
> Hello all,
> Below this is an updated fact sheet on the TIME Act. Please use this fact sheet when talking to or following up with your representatives and our senators about the TIME act. We have one week left to call, write, and if necessary visit our representatives before the congressional recess is over. Please e-mail me and Rose Sloan about the result of your contact with your representatives office. Debbie Stein and I have already visited Senator Kirk’s Chicago office. I will continue to attempt a visit with Senator Durbin’s office. I ask those of you in Springfield, and the other downstate areas to please contact both senators at their offices.
>
> The new fact sheet contains Senator Ayotte’s contact information. Additionally, you will notice that all 14(C) entities will have the ability to transition to the competitive integrated employment model.
>
> Thank you all in advance.
>
> Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (HR 188) (S 2001)
>
> Current labor laws unjustly prohibit workers with disabilities from reaching their full vocational and socioeconomic potential.
>
> Passed in 1938, Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows the Secretary of Labor to issue Special Wage Certificates to certain entities, permitting them to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages. The original intent of Section 14(c) was to incentivize for-profit businesses to hire people with disabilities in integrated settings, but today 95 percent of 14(c)-certificate-holding entities are non-profit “sheltered workshops.” These entities compensate workers with disabilities as little as pennies per hour, forcing many workers with disabilities to rely on government assistance such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid.
> Entities that obtain Section 14(c) certificates hold workers with disabilities to low expectations. Workers in sheltered, subminimum-wage environments often perform mundane tasks that do not utilize existing skills, interests, and talents, but innovative strategies, such as customized and supported employment, when paired with appropriate rehabilitative services, training, tools, and expectations, allow employees with disabilities to be as productive as their nondisabled coworkers. Many former 14(c)-certificate-holding entities have successfully transitioned their business model. No entities in Vermont or New Hampshire use 14(c) certificates.
> Section 14(c) is not necessary for the successful operation of a disability training program. Seminars such as the Vermont Conversion Institute highlight successful entities that have already phased out reliance on Section 14(c) certificates. This transition not only benefits employees with disabilities but the budget of the organizations that employ them. Research shows that sheltered, subminimum wage environments cost more to operate than alternatives, and consumers who never entered sheltered, subminimum-wage environments earn more money than peers who were subjected to the low expectations of these environments.
> The only organizations that support the continuation of Section 14(c) are the certificate-holding entities themselves. In August 2012, the National Council on Disability unanimously recommended that the Department of Labor immediately stop issuing new special wage certificates and that the “Section 14(c) program be phased out.” In addition, over eighty disability organizations support the repeal of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
>
> The Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act:
> Discontinues the issuance of new Special Wage Certificates. The Secretary of Labor will no longer issue Special Wage Certificates to new applicants.
>
> Phases out the use of Special Wage Certificates over a three-year period. After enactment of this Act, all 14(c)-certificate-holding entities will have three years to transition to the proven model of competitive, integrated employment for all of their employees with disabilities.
>
> Repeals Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Three years after the law is enacted, the practice of paying workers with disabilities subminimum wages will be officially abolished. This will result in the development of integrated and meaningful employment opportunities that encourage people with disabilities to reach their full vocational and socioeconomic potential.
>
> REMOVE BARRIERS TO REAL TRAINING AND MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT.
> Cosponsor the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act.
>
> For more information, contact:
> Rose Sloan, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind Phone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2441, Email: rsloan at nfb.org <mailto:rsloan at nfb.org>
>
> To cosponsor HR 188 in the House of Representatives, contact:
> Scot Malvaney, Policy Director, Congressman Gregg Harper (R-MS)
> Phone: (202) 225-5031, Email: Scot.Malvaney at mail.house.gov <mailto:Scot.Malvaney at mail.house.gov>
>
> To cosponsor S 2001 in the Senate, contact:
> Dan Auger, Legislative Assistant, Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
> Phone: (202) 224-3324, Email: Daniel_Auger at Ayotte.senate.gov <mailto:Daniel_Auger at Ayotte.senate.gov>
>
> For more information visit: www.nfb.org/fair-wages <http://www.nfb.org/fair-wages>
>
> [1]United States Department of Labor. “Wage and Hour Division (WHD) Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) List.” Last modified November 1, 2013. http://www.dol.gov/whd/specialemployment/CRPlist.htm <http://www.dol.gov/whd/specialemployment/CRPlist.htm>.
> [1] United States Department of Labor. “Customized Employment Works Everywhere.” Last modified October 2009. https://www.hdi.uky.edu/setp/materials/vignette_v3_blue_508_FINAL.pdf <https://www.hdi.uky.edu/setp/materials/vignette_v3_blue_508_FINAL.pdf>.
> [1] Melwood. “Cari DeSantis: Fair Pay for Workers with Disabilities.” Last modified November 28, 2014. http://www.melwood.org/articles/articles/view/127 <http://www.melwood.org/articles/articles/view/127>.
> [1] Cimera, Robert E.; Wehman, Paul; West, Michael; & Burgess, Sloane. “Do Sheltered Workshops Enhance Employment Outcomes for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder?” Autism. 16 (2012): 87.
> [1] National Council on Disability. “National Council on Disability Report of Subminimum Wages and Supported Employment.” Last modified August 23, 2012. https://www.ncd.gov/publications/2012/August232012 <https://www.ncd.gov/publications/2012/August232012>.
> [1] National Federation of the Blind. “The following groups support the repeal of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.” Last modified February 12, 2015. https://nfb.org/groups-supporting-repeal-section-14c-fair-labor-standards-act <https://nfb.org/groups-supporting-repeal-section-14c-fair-labor-standards-act>.
>
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>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**8 From Hadley School for the Blind
> New iFocus Videos: 3 New Videos About Siri <https://us-mg4.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.partner=sbc&.rand=8f8dfn47nrcdo#2>
>
> Calling all New Yorkers! Have You Used the iFocus Videos? <https://us-mg4.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.partner=sbc&.rand=8f8dfn47nrcdo#3>
>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>Just in time for Grandparents Day on September 13...
> Seminars at Hadley Presents: Putting the "Grand" Back in Grandparenting
> Date: Thursday, September 10, 2015
> Time: 2:00 PM CDT, 19:00 GMT
> Grandparenting has been described as being one of the most joyous experiences of growing older. However, grandparents facing the challenges of age-related vision loss often feel their joy diminished by fear and worry:
> How will I be able to care for and play with my grandchild?
> What should I tell my grandchildren about my vision?
> How can I bond with and remain connected to my grandchild?
> While concerns are valid and real, they need not rob grandparents of treasured moments with grandchildren.
> Just in time for National Grandparents Day, join Seminars at Hadley as three Hadley instructors share suggestions and resources for putting the “grand” back in grandparenting after vision loss.
> Instructors Grandma Sharon Howerton, blind and grandmother of 5; Debbie Worman, Family Education instructor; and Jennifer Ottowitz, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist all have had extensive experience working with grandparents in a variety of settings.
> Ed Haines, a member of Hadley’s Seminars team, will moderate this 60-minute seminar. A question and answer session will be included as part of the seminar.
> This seminar is an audio presentation. Space in this seminar is limited. Please only register if you are available to attend so that others are not closed out. <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=16457095&msgid=794847&act=3JPY&c=225701&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fhadley.edu%2FSeminarDetails.asp%3Fsid%3D289>Register Now for Grandparenting on September 10. <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=16457095&msgid=794847&act=3JPY&c=225701&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fhadley.edu%2FSeminarDetails.asp%3Fsid%3D289>
>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>New iFocus Videos: 3 New Videos About Siri
> Check out Hadley's three new iFocus videos on using Siri:
> Texting with Siri <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=16457095&msgid=794847&act=3JPY&c=225701&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fhadley.edu%2FPlayVideo.asp%3Fvid%3D51>
> Reminders with Siri <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=16457095&msgid=794847&act=3JPY&c=225701&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fhadley.edu%2FPlayVideo.asp%3Fvid%3D50>
> Walking Directions with Siri <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=16457095&msgid=794847&act=3JPY&c=225701&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fhadley.edu%2FPlayVideo.asp%3Fvid%3D49>
>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>Calling all New Yorkers! Have You Used the iFocus Videos? <https://us-mg4.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.partner=sbc&.rand=8f8dfn47nrcdo#3>
> Are you a Hadley student from the New York area who has used the iFocus videos or seminars? We want to hear from you! E-mail Sheryl Bass at sheryl at hadley.edu <mailto:sheryl at hadley.edu> with your thoughts and reviews on iFocus.
>
> Learn more and subscribe to Seminars at Hadley Podcasts. <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=16457095&msgid=794847&act=3JPY&c=225701&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fhadley.edu%2FPodcasts.asp>
>
> Return to Top <https://us-mg4.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.partner=sbc&.rand=8f8dfn47nrcdo#top>
>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**9 Product information:
> I have been instructed by Chicago Vendors Supply that their Monster Prices are going up $2.00 per case. I have also been notified by a Vendor that Coke sent notice that Monster is going up 5%. You should assume it is going up across the board, check your pricing choose accordingly.
>
> Return to Top <https://us-mg4.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.partner=sbc&.rand=8f8dfn47nrcdo#top>
>
> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>**10 Cutting this short, sorry just found out my Mom went to ICU it could be really bad… I will catch up on missed buying group, broker and distributor info next week.
>
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> <applewebdata://A6FDE7B6-264A-4253-A691-02E68F2A71CA>
>
>
> Thank you,
> Kathy Ungaro
> (630)234-4444
>
> Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors
> 53 W. Jackson Blvd. Suite 502
> Chicago, IL 60604
> (312)663-3007
>
> This message (including attachments) is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it without further distribution and reply to the sender that you have received the message in error.
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