[Iabs-talk] FW: Horizons Happenings for June and July

Fri Jul 8 02:46:27 UTC 2016

From: Horizons Happenings [mailto:mail=horizons-blind.org at mail139.suw12.mcsv.net] On Behalf Of Horizons Happenings
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2016 9:10 AM
To: datemeyer at sbcglobal.net
Subject: Horizons Happenings for June and July

Horizons for the Blind - Dedicated to improving the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired. 

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Horizons Happenings

In this newsletter: 
Greetings from Horizons
Horizons Begins Production of DIALOGUE
Do You Ask for Accessible Menus?
Junior College Installs Wind Chimes
I Can Fly!
Horizons for the Blind Annual Picnic
In The News and Food For Thought 
Available from the GADGET GALLERY
Horizons’ Calendar
About Horizons for the Blind
Connect with Horizons 

Greetings from Horizons – 

Thanks for reading a combined June and July Horizons Happenings. We have just completed our annual Weekenders picnic. Everyone had fun and there were a lot of great activities.

Also Horizons is very pleased to be producing Dialogue, a publication of Blindskills Inc.

In this month’s newsletter, we have an article about accessibility and a call to individual advocacy, an article about an innovation for improving mobility on a college campus and a piece about two of Horizons own on an adventure that many sighted individuals would not attempt.

I hope you enjoy, and as always, please send any feedback or suggestions to  <mailto:mail at horizons-blind.org> mail at horizons-blind.org.

Camille Caffarelli
Executive Director
Horizons for the Blind

Horizons Begins Production of DIALOGUE

Beginning this month, Horizons will be the new producer of DIALOGUE, a quarterly magazine published by Blindskills. We are proud to announce this new relationship, because DIALOGUE is a flagship publication for the blind and visually impaired community. The fact that Blindskills chose Horizons as its new producer speaks to the quality reputation Horizons has within our community.

DIALOGUE is primarily written by and for visually impaired people. It has been published for over 50 years. Every issue includes tips on adapting to life with low vision, techniques for easier daily living, career interviews, recreation and sports, technology reviews, and descriptions of new products and services designed for people with visual impairments

The quarterly issues of DIALOGUE are available in braille, large print, cassette, digital cartridge, and email formats.

A sample issue of DIALOGUE may be obtained free of charge. For a copy, to obtain pricing information, or to place a subscription order, simply contact Blindskills Inc. at 503-581-4224 or via Email at  <mailto:info at blindskills.com> email to request one

Do You Ask for Accessible Menus?
By George McKenzie, Horizons employee

We all know that accessibility is important to the visually impaired community. Sometimes I wonder though, if we’re not our own worst enemies?

Horizons is in the process of launching an Accessible Menu initiative. For many years we have provided braille and large print menus to a variety of restaurants. Unfortunately, the number of restaurants providing accessible menus is far too small.

As a part of this initiative, we have been doing a little market research. The most common comment from restaurants, regardless of whether they have accessible menus, is that, “no one ever asks for them.”

How is it that with more than 20 million visually impaired people in the United States, the request for accessible menus is so rare?  The fact is that many of us go to restaurants with friends and family who do not share our disability. It is natural in such situations for the group dynamic to be one where the menu is read out loud, in full or in part, by a sighted member of the dining party.

This “work around” is one that most of us have come to accept. But, it’s also not the same as reading a menu. A sighted person does not read a menu from front to back and then decide what to order without ever looking at it again. Deciding what to order is a process of reading, re-reading and comparing and re-reading again. This can only be done with your own accessible menu.  

Giant Circle of Causality
We want to be independent and we want to have accessible printed material, including restaurant menus. But, the menus don’t exist at most restaurants, so we never bother to ask for them. We rely on members of our party, or the restaurant serving staff, to supply us with the alternative and accept this as the norm. As a result, the restaurants don’t even think that we might want the independence of accessible menus. Hence, they feel no need for them, don’t supply them and we live with the consequences. We make do without making a statement.

A Challenge
If you truly want to be independent and live in an accessible world, you have to ask for the things that will allow you to achieve that goal. Until you ask, no one will even know that your need exists. Even when you know the answer is “No, we don’t offer that,” ask the question. It is the only way to get the ball rolling. PS. Ask the next time, too. That way they will know you are serious.

Perspective
I am among the biggest offenders in the “failure to ask” category. I always rely on my wife to read the menu. Over the past two months I have regularly begun asking for a large print menu. Only once has the restaurant had one. Kudos to Cheesecake Factory (and Horizons doesn’t even do their menu). But, I have also gotten many interesting responses. If you have any interesting situations that come up or responses you get when you ask for an accessible menu, I would like to put some of the most interesting in a future Horizons Happenings. Send them to me at  <mailto:George.mckenzie at horizons-blind.org> George.mckenzie at horizons-blind.org.

Junior College Installs Wind Chimes to Help Students with Vision Disabilities Navigate Campus

The wind chimes now hanging around Alvin Community College in Alvin, Texas, a suburb of Houston, are there for more than just decoration and ringing pleasant sounds on campus. The college installed the chimes to assist students with vision disabilities at the college.

Wind chimes were installed at certain locations on campus to help students find where they need to be.

“The chimes can be used for finding a building or for directing the student past an open space to a border where they can use their canes to navigate,” said Eileen Cross, ADA advisor for the college.

ACC advisors thought about implementing the chimes after Texas A&M University had success with its program.

“It seemed like a simple idea that was low cost and extremely beneficial for our students,” Stephanie Stockstill, Director of Advising Services at ACC, said. 

Students with vision disabilities say the chimes have been helpful in their daily walks on campus.

“It really helps you find direction especially around Admissions or the book store,” said Tameron Zaid. “It gives me the sense of a landmark and it serves as a clue at times when I’m having difficulty finding my way.”

Zaid said he also appreciated that the ACC staff considered using innovative methods to help him as a student. Several chimes have been installed around the ACC campus in areas where students with vision disabilities do not have physical landmarks to find their way, Cross said.

“Whether the chimes are used for the location of a building or a sidewalk they seem to be helping our students,” Zaid said.

More chimes will be installed in the future as the college anticipates enrolling more students with vision disabilities, Stockstill said.

The chimes have also had another effect on ACC students and staff members.

“Faculty and other students have made comments about the chimes because they find them relaxing and say that the campus has a friendly homey feel now,” Cross said.

I Can Fly!
By Aaron Mason, Horizons employee

Are you looking for some fun this summer? Do you have an adventurous spirit? Do you consider it foolish to jump out of an airplane? The iFLY indoor skydiving experience might just be an experience for you!

Two of us from Horizons, Byron Lee and I, recently embarked on our own indoor skydiving adventure. Byron, who is visually impaired, was a first time flyer. I am blind, but had previous indoor skydiving experience. IFLY Indoor Skydiving, located in Rosemont, Illinois, is the nearest flight center to our homes.

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Horizons’ employee Byron Lee tries out indoor skydiving.

Byron and I arrived at the IFLY building and went through the check-in process. The staff was more than willing to read forms and help us fill out paperwork. We were introduced to our flight instructor and led up the elevator to the flight deck. On the flight deck there is a viewing area where we were invited to watch people inside the flight chamber, spinning, flipping, twirling and flying around a six story cement room. After a half hour wait, our flight instructor took us into a small classroom and proceeded to teach us the arm, leg and body positions that we needed to maintain during our flights. He used touch to guide our positions. Learning tactile directions is essential, since once we got in the wind tunnel we wouldn’t be able to see hand gestures, and no one can hear anything with the wind whipping past them.

This classroom instruction took about 15 minutes. After that we were taken to receive our gear, which consisted of a helmet, flight suit, ear plugs, and goggles. Again, the staff was helpful, ensuring that everything fit properly.
Once we were geared up, our instructor escorted us to the jump room. All of the “flyers” sit on a long bench, which is designed to simulate the cargo area and jump bench of an airplane. The final instruction we were given was, “Remember, relax and have fun!”

Byron was the first to enter the flight chamber. From the time he got up from the bench until he returned two and a half minutes later, the instructor did not leave his side. Safety first at iFLY. Byron came back so full of adrenalin that he couldn’t sit still.

Then it was my turn! I had done this before, but every time I get as excited as the first. The instructor led me to the chamber door gave me a pat on the back letting me know it was safe to jump in. It’s a funny thing but two and a half minutes really doesn’t sound that long. Well, let me tell you, when you can’t see where you’re going and have little control over the direction you’re going to, a half minute lasts forever.

>From the time I jumped into the flight chamber I could feel the wind lifting and pulling me in whatever direction it wanted me to go. My instructor was always right there to make sure I wasn’t crashing into the walls; grabbing me by the waist to spin me; grabbing me by one leg and one arm and swinging me out far to increase my height; and in general letting me feel what it’s like to be superman. After my super heroic flight we waited for the rest of the class then left the jump room with everyone screaming, hooting and hollering about the experience.

The adventure ended when we took off our gear and received our personalized flight certificate. We were told that Pictures and videos of our flight were available on a thumb drive or on their web site at iFLY.com to share with everyone at home. The entire experience lasted about an hour. They say that each flight is the equivalent of 1.5 skydives.

Asked to comment on his first flight, Byron said, “Indoor Skydiving was one of the most fantastic experiences of my life. Flying takes away the weight of the world and replaces it with pure exhilaration! This activity is a great way to release stress and free yourself from the heavy stuff in your life. It is an experience I will never forget.”

So, if you are like Byron and myself and wish to push the boundaries of what they think a blind person can do, then give indoor skydiving a try. I promise you will never regret it or forget it. What are you waiting for?

Horizons for the Blind Annual Picnic

Horizons annual picnic took place on June 18. It was a day filled with many different activities for Horizons, and friends of Horizons.

Before the picnic, there was a seminar from Vanda Pharmaceuticals about the non-24 sleep disorder.

The Weekenders group also held its annual meeting and election of officers. Following is a quick report from Frank Cosatino about it.

“We had a wonderful day at the picnic, and the meeting went well. I want to thank everybody that came, and I hope those of you that stayed home will try to make it next year. Here is your new board for weekenders:

Frank Cosatino - President
Alberta O’Shaughnessy  - 1st Vice President
Tom Jones - 2nd Vice President
Terri Kral - Secretary
Keith Myers - Treasurer

Board members that have 1 year left on their term are:

Joe Wielebnowski
Jim Kral
Kelly Waterman (newly elected)

I want to thank Charlotte Dillon, and Debbie Watson for their service on the board. We will miss them.

A very special thanks to everybody that helped with the picnic and meeting. Without the folks that volunteered to help, it wouldn’t be possible.”
Sincerely,
Frank Cosatino
Weekenders President

In The News and Food For Thought 
(Pun Intended)

A Louisiana man is suing McDonald’s over its drive-thru policy that prohibits customers without wheels from using the service.

Scott Magee, who is blind, says the fast food chain’s refusal to accommodate those who cannot drive is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

To read the full text of this article, please refer to  <http://horizons-blind.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e3619eb549139f292fd49f4&id=e03542dc92&e=431c809bff> http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2016/06/01/blind-man-claims-mcdonalds-drive-thru-is-discriminatory-files-lawsuit/

This lawsuit has sparked some heated discussions in various social networks, and raises a host of interesting issues.

What is the nature of discrimination?

Where do business practices, safety concerns, and accessibility intersect?

Is the inability to drive, in and of itself, a disability?

Do we risk access for some in the event that McDonald’s finds it easiest to close late night drive ups?

What is a truly reasonable accommodation?

Available from the GADGET GALLERY
Here’s something to make a summer favorite quick and easy. 

HOT DOG STEAMER: N62904; $12.70
      One of our new products which I think would be lots of fun to use is the Hot Dog Steamer by Nordic Ware. You can steams dogs and brats in a flash. The clear cover puts a lid on spatters and holds heat and moisture inside for juicy, delicious results. Just add a teaspoon of water for the hot dogs or beer for the brats and what a fun meal.

Horizons’ Calendar
June 30 to July 5 – 
National Federation of the Blind National Convention

Rosen Shingle Creek Resort
9939 Universal Boulevard
Orlando, Florida 32819-9357

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

July 1 to 9 –  
American Council of the Blind Conference and Convention

Hyatt Regency
1300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN
The American Council of the Blind strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and quality of life, for all blind and visually-impaired people.

August 18 to 25 –
World Blind Union (WBU) and International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) General Assembly 2016

Orlando, Florida. Contact: World Blind Union Head Office, 1929 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4G3E8, Canada; phone: 416-486-9698; e-mail:  <mailto:registrations at wbu-icevi2016.org> registrations at wbu-icevi2016.org;  <http://horizons-blind.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e3619eb549139f292fd49f4&id=96dd01befa&e=431c809bff> http://www.avrt.org/2016-annual-conference.html.

About Horizons for the Blind
Horizons mission is to improve the quality of life and to empower people who are blind or visually impaired, by increasing accessibility to consumer information, education, recreation and employment.

Horizons was started as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization in 1977 by Founder and

Executive Director Camille Caffarelli, who has been blind since birth. >From two volunteers working out of Caffarelli’s basement in Chicago, Horizons has grown to a staff of 50+ employees, over half of whom are blind, visually impaired or have other disabilities.

Horizons believes that it is a fundamental right to be able to read billing and financial statements, as well as other documents, in an accessible format. People who are blind or visually impaired should have the same right to get this information, without assistance, as sighted consumers. This not only speaks to the issue of accessibility but also of privacy and independence.

Connect with Horizons 
For more information about Horizons and its programs:
Website:  <http://horizons-blind.us12.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=35e3619eb549139f292fd49f4&id=0c0cf6e92b&e=431c809bff> www.horizons-blind.org
Directions for me website:  <http://horizons-blind.us12.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=35e3619eb549139f292fd49f4&id=9ef5a5144d&e=431c809bff> www.directionsforme.org
Follow us on Twitter at
twitter.com/horizons4blind
Friend us on Facebook at
facebook.com/horizonsfortheblind
Donate: To make a secure, online donation to Horizons, follow this link –  <http://horizons-blind.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e3619eb549139f292fd49f4&id=03671967b5&e=431c809bff> Donate.

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