[il-talk] Braille Examiner Summer 2012
Connie Davis
connie.davis at rcn.com
Sun Aug 26 22:19:54 UTC 2012
I am also doing an inline text version.
Connie
THE BRAILLE EXAMINER
Summer Issue 2012
Editor: Connie J. Davis
Co-Editors: Debbie Stein & Meg Dowell
President: Patti Chang
CONTACT INFORMATION
President: Patti Chang, (773) 307-6440, pattichang at att.net
Editor: Connie Davis, (773) 338-6922, connie.davis at rcn.com
Co- Editor: Deborah Kent Stein, (773) 203-1394,dkent5817 at att.net
Co-Editor: Meg Dowell, medowell at live.olivet.net
Formatting & Electronic Distribution: Connie Davis, (773) 338-6922,
connie.davis at rcn.com
Newsline® Edition: David Meyer, (708) 209-1767, datemeyer@ sbcglobal.net
Limited Print Edition: Bill & Roberta Reif, billreif at ameritech.net
Braille Edition: Leslie Hamric, lhamric390 at comcast.net
Proofreaders: Meg Dowell, Steve Hastalis & Bill Reif
Website: Byron Lee, webmaster, www.nfbofillinois.org,
webmaster at nfbofillinois.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Articles and calendar postings should be submitted to Connie Davis at
connie.davis at rcn.com. The Newsletter Committee will meet prior to the
publication of each issue of the newsletter. Meetings will be announced on
our e-mail listservs, posted to the NFBI calendar and on our website. Our
meetings are open and new members are welcome. This newsletter is available
in electronic format on our listservs, via e-mail, and on our website. It is
also available on Newsline®. It is published in Braille and limited print
edition for our donors, as well.
Snail mail and e-mail address changes should be sent to Connie Davis. Format
changes should also be sent to Connie Davis. connie.davis at rcn.com. Question
or comments may be addressed with Connie, Debbie or Patti.
STATE CONVENTION ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Door Prizes—Denise Avant
Just a reminder that our State convention will be October 5-7. So it is time
to start gathering door prizes. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, we have been
able to give out some great door prizes.
So let's keep them coming.
See your chapter president for the necessary letters. If possible, please
Braille your prize so we know what it is. If you cannot do it, then we will
take care of it.
If you bring your door prize to the state convention, you should leave it
with me. Things get too busy to leave them at the information table.
If you cannot attend this year's convention, please send your door prize to
State President, Patti Chang, 6919 W. Berwyn, Chicago, IL, 60656. If you
have any questions about door prizes, please contact me,
dravant at ameritech.net.
Resolutions—George Villa
The Resolutions Committee is requesting that anyone submitting resolutions
for consideration do so no later than Monday, September 24th, 2012. Please
email your resolution to me at georgejvilla@ comcast.net. If you know of a
suitable resolution another affiliate has, we may ask them for permission to
use their resolution. You do not need to be a member of the committee to
submit a resolution.
Because some of our NFBI members do not use email, we are also asking that
other members and Chapter Presidents circulate this request using other
means.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at
georgejvilla at comcast.net or by calling 630-416-3875.
IABS Idol—Rose Sloan
Hey Everyone!!
Don't forget to sign up for IABS Idol! The cost is only $5 per
person to sing a song at state convention on Friday night!! Please send
your name, song title, and artist of the song to RoseSloan920 at gmail.com.
Also indicate if you would like the song to be true karaoke style (no
lead-singer; just the instruments and backup singers) or the song with the
lead-singer (what you might hear on the radio, for example).
Anyone who wants to play their musical instrument is welcome to do so as
well! Please just indicate what you will be performing in your email!
Thanks and I can't wait to hear all your wonderful songs!
2012 SUMMER PRESIDNET'S REPORT
By: Patti Gregory Chang
This has been a busy season for us. We sponsored successful parent and
teacher seminars. We enjoyed national convention with 55 Illinois members
in attendance. We are in the midst of protesting Goodwill Industries,
planning for Oktoberfest, and gearing up for a truly remarkable state
convention.
In April, we held both a Parent and Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Seminar. They were both well-attended. In fact, the negative comments on
our evaluation forms were limited to two. First, we emphasize Braille.
Honestly, I don’t see that one changing. And, second, we did not have a big
enough room for the TVI seminar which was absolutely true. We planned for
fifteen or so teachers and our sign in sheet showed twenty-four in
attendance.
The most positive responses came in respect to our hands-on activities.
Cary Supalo brought and demonstrated his company’s Lab-Quest, which allows
for independent non-visual assessment of scientific results. Ann Cunningham
was on-hand to demonstrate her tactile drawing boards which can be used for
mapping, art, and so much more.
Our new vendor contingent helped us to enter the top ten states in
attendance records at the beginning of our National convention in Dallas
this year. In fact, John Gordon was elected to our National Association of
Blind Vendors Board of Directors. This convention was truly fun and
jam-packed. If you missed it, the audio is available on our national web
page.
By the publication of this newsletter, we will have already participated in
an informational picket of Goodwill Industries at 1521 Lee Street, in Des
Plaines, Illinois. The purpose of our picket is to educate the public as to
the unfair practice of paying disabled workers less than minimum wage. Some
Goodwill entities still pay less than the minimum to their workers. The
Federation has introduced HR #3086 in the house, which would phase out
section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which currently makes it
legal to do so.
On September 15th, 2012 from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M, Federationists, our friends
and families will gather at the home of Francisco and Patti Chang to
celebrate Oktoberfest and to raise funds for our affiliate. Bring your
musical instruments. The exact address is 6919 W. Berwyn Ave. Chicago, IL.
The cost is $25 per person, which includes your first drink. After your
first beverage, beer, wine, and soda will be $2. Please join us for this
fun event. RSVP to pattichang at att.net. Feel free to call (773) 307-6440
with questions or concerns.
All of us are busy working on an amazing 2012 State Convention. The
Bulletin and Registration form are included in this issue. I would add that
our Resolutions Committee, vendors, students, and parents are already
holding meetings to plan various events. Please check our calendar and
join in on whichever aspect interests you. Dale Sczweck tells me we need
people to assist with Teen Scene and we will need Kid Camp volunteers.
Please contact Dale at (215) 390-7918 about Teen Scene and Francisco Chang
at (773) 391-1248 about Kid Camp. We need your ideas and assistance.
Finally, I am putting out a plea for a volunteer to Chair our Braille
Literacy Committee. Please let me know if you are interested. Call (773)
307-6440.
Thanks for all you do. We cannot do this alone. It takes all of us.
KEEPING YOUR NEWSLINE® SUBSCRIPTION
By David Meyer
Late in 2011, the Illinois Talking Book and Braille Service mailed a survey
to all Newsline® subscribers. The survey inquired how often the subscriber
used Newsline® and whether he/she wished to continue receiving the service.
As the Newsline® coordinator for this affiliate and as a former NFBI
representative to the Illinois Library Advisory Committee, I wish to thank
all of you who took the time to complete the questionnaire. However, not all
subscribers received the survey. For example, I did not receive it in the
mail. I requested a copy and it was sent to me via email.
Recently, I have become aware of a few developments. The Illinois Talking
Book and Braille Service sent a number of follow-up letters to those who did
not complete the survey, asking if they wished to continue as Newsline®
subscribers. Those who did not respond to the follow-up letter are likely to
receive a phone call, a final opportunity to answer the same question.
If you receive a call regarding NewsLine®, I urge you to keep the service.
Newsline® has many life-enhancing benefits.
What does Newsline® have to offer you?
1. Newspapers, newspapers, newspapers! Currently, Newsline® provides more
than three hundred newspapers from the United States and around the world.
2. Magazines. Newsline® offers approximately forty magazines, including
Time, AARP, ESPN, Rolling Stone, and The Readers Digest.
3. Listings for TV programs carried by your satellite provider or cable
network.
4. Job listings from Career Builder, with the opportunity to set up a
personal profile. Illinois also offers a list of job openings at agencies
serving the blind.
5. The Blindness Information Channel, with news from several organizations
and agencies serving the blind of Illinois, as well as information about
accessible voting.
Accessing Newsline®
Newsline® subscribers can access the service in a wide variety of ways. In
addition to accessing content by means of a touch-tone phone, subscribers
can download content to a wide variety of digital Talking Book readers.
Individual articles may be sent to a subscriber's email address using the
phone or computer.
Perhaps the best thing about Newsline® is that all content is provided
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, free of charge. If you wish to
learn more, don't miss the Friday-afternoon session on Newsline® during the
upcoming NFBI convention.
Give NewsLine a try. You may discover it's a service you can't live without!
REPORTS FROM THE ILLINOIS BLIND VENDORS
Note: These articles are reprinted courtesy of the Illinois Association of
Blind Vendors Newsleter.
By David Crawford, Ed Birmingham, Charlie Stolzenbach, Giovanni Francese,
Jesse Rogers, and Steve Heltsley
Seventeen blind vendors from Illinois were first-time attendees at the 2012
NFB national convention. We are all very excited to welcome them into our
Federation family. Several of them wrote about their experiences in Dallas.
Dave Crawford: Well over two thousand people converged on Dallas, Texas, for
the National Federation of the Blind’s 2012 annual convention. Illinois was
represented by fifty-five attendees, seventeen of them blind vendors. During
the NFB board meeting I enjoyed learning about the thirty college
scholarships presented to blind students around the country. All of the
recipients were there, and each one had thirty seconds to thank the NFB
board and share their future plans. It was impressive to see the fields that
these intelligent, young blind persons are going into, including political
science, medicine, accounting, music, teaching, and many more.
It was great to see so many Illinois Blind Vendors attending the National
Association of Blind Merchants (NABM) board meeting. Ed Birmingham and John
Gordon gave presentations to the group and represented us well. Most
important for Illinois, John Gordon was elected to the NABM board.
One of the most entertaining hours I spent at convention was the fifteenth
annual mock trial. Though the topic was serious, the trial was presented for
conventioneers in a highly humorous way. The case was Duped vs Lost Vision
Industries. I.B. Duped was an employee of Lost Vision Industries whose job
was to put tags onto undergarments. He thought he accepted the job for an
hourly wage of $14.44. When he received his first paycheck, he was surprised
to discover that his wage was in fact $1.44, and it was not a case of a
misplace decimal. The jury was the room packed full of NFB conventioneers.
The attorney for the defense, Mr. D. Fense, opened with a motion to throw
out the jury, claiming it to be prejudiced, being predominately made up of
“optically deluded” people. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr. Dwight Cane,
disagreed with that characterization, stating that the jury was simply hard
of seeing. The judge threw out the motion. The plaintiff called several
witnesses, including Mr. Duped, Ima Forthepeople and Dr. Lovethemoney. These
witnesses testified that Mr. Duped did the same job as sighted workers, and
yet was being paid less than minimum wage.
The defense called several witnesses for Lost Vision Industries. The owner,
Makinem Howl III, testified that the company had obtained a waiver from the
Department of Labor and therefore complied with the Fair Labor Standards
Act. He also stated that blind workers were not as productive as sighted
workers. The defense also called an expert witness, Dr. Augustus Ceaser
Shortstrip, who is purported to be an expert in all things. He testified
that the company was providing a type of therapy rather than real work. Its
purpose was to give these individuals some sense of value and the feeling
that they were doing something worthwhile. The defense argued that the
company was quite charitable in giving the blind a few hours a day to be
distracted from their infirmity. Dr. Shortstrip believed it would be a
cruelty to pay equal wages to blind workers, because it would give them the
false belief that they might be capable of self-support. He testified that
it would cause them fear and anxiety if they believed they had to rely on
their own earnings to support themselves. He stated that it would not even
be possible for a blind person to perform any task competitively, other than
sleeping. In the end the jury got so unruly that the judge declared a
mistrial.
This is a very serious and important issue to the Federation. There is no
way that anyone can justify paying people with a disability anything less
than minimum wage. All the arguments used during the mock trial are real
arguments used by companies, not just in the past but in recent months. We
must get HR 3086 passed!
I enjoyed my time in Dallas, thank you.
Ed Birmingham: Without a doubt, the convention in Dallas was the most
impressive gathering of the blind that I have ever witnessed. Over 2200
blind and visually impaired individuals from the United States and several
countries gathered in one place to celebrate their independence and fight
for equality. The NFB agenda was filled with blindness issues. There were
seminars on just about every subject concerning the blind. The General
Sessions, which were attended by most of the 2200 in attendance, were
extremely energizing. The opening session started out with prayer and song,
welcoming all. It included a very stirring tribute to the veterans who now
belong to the NFB.
As far as the Merchants Division, the Illinois contingent helped them stuff
snack bags for their annual fundraiser. I would like personally to thank CSI
and all of the Illinois blind vendors who contributed products for this
event.
Early Monday morning we attended the Illinois Caucus, chaired by NFBI
President Patti Gregory-Chang. In the afternoon, we attended the NABM Board
meeting, chaired by President Nicki Gacos. At this meeting, we heard from
several outstanding speakers, including Terry Smith of BEI. I can tell you
that over the past year NABM and the BEI have accomplished many great things
that will benefit blind vendors for years to come.
President Gacos was kind enough to allow John Gordon and me time to address
the group. We made sure to reiterate how happy the Illinois Blind Vendors
are to be a part of the NFB and the Merchants Division. We also told them
how much we look forward to hosting them in October. This meeting concluded
with elections. John Gordon was elected to a one-year term that was vacated
by a vendor who could no longer serve.
I very much look forward to working with our new partners at the NFB. This
is a highly professional organization, and the members have a tremendous
amount of passion for what they do. I would strongly encourage all of the
Illinois Vendors to get involved and make a difference. Between the NFB, the
Merchants and the BEI, Randolph-Sheppard is alive and well. However, it
still takes money and involvement to make everything work. Please consider
giving of your time and treasure to help keep the movement rolling forward!
Charlie Stolzenbach: Welcome to the seventy-second convention of the
National Federation of the Blind! The convention was held in Dallas, Texas,
at the Hilton Anatole Hotel during the week of June 30 through July 6, 2012.
This hotel sits on over thirty acres of land. It has 1,610 guest rooms and
over 300,000 square feet of meeting space. This hotel has outdoor and indoor
swimming pools. The Hilton was built in 1979 and the tower was added in
1982.
At the convention all fifty states were represented, as well as forty-two
foreign countries. The NFB offered all kinds of exhibits and seminars. I
learned about applications for the iPhone, such as the NFB Newsline app that
lets you download newspapers, magazines, and TV listings throughout the
country. I also signed up for the Talking Book program and Bookshare. One
thing I really found interesting was information on Seeing Eye dogs. I spent
over an hour with some people from the school, learning how the dogs and
blind individuals are trained. This school in New Jersey offers training for
approximately thirty days for a person who is interested in receiving a
Seeing Eye dog. I found it interesting that guide dog schools are not funded
by the federal government. All funding is privately donated.
I also found out that the blind community has a long way to go for equal
rights in this country. For example, a labor law states that it is okay for
a blind person to be paid less than minimum wage. There are blind people
today making as little as seven cents per hour. Also there are college
students having a hard time getting their books in a proper format such as
Braille or audio. I learned that the US State Department has a contract with
Barnes & Noble to purchase 35,000 Nook Readers, which are inaccessible to
blind users, to the tune of $16 million paid for by the taxpayers of this
country.
By Giovanni Francese: Are the Illinois vendors ready for the NFB? I was in
Dallas for the NFB convention. The NFB is a very enthusiastic bunch of blind
people who do what it takes to get things done. I like their independence,
and their commitment to blindness issues is second to none. As far as the
blind merchants go, well, they follow in the same footsteps as the
leadership of the NFB. I think that the vendors of Illinois will be grateful
for the change of national organizations.
The meetings at the convention had great substance, although some of them
could get a bit repetitive; the message was understood, at least by me. You
may want to consider going to a national convention, as there are many
different sessions to attend. There were sessions on technology, guide dogs,
and independent markets, as well as group sessions, where you can go and
talk about a topic with people who are interested in the same thing.
I hope the vendors of Illinois will become active. It’s not only important
for us to get behind the committee of blind vendors, but to work with the
blind merchants. They are shaping the future landscape of the
Randolph-Sheppard program, and the only way to make a difference is to stand
up and be heard by our fellow vendors.
Jesse Rogers: I attended my first NFB convention and all I can say is WOW!!
I never heard so many tapping canes in my life!
There is only one word to describe the Hilton Anatole--Huge! I found two
large elephant statues in the lobby area, but I never did find the donkey
statues. There were plenty of sighted folks (volunteers from UPS) stationed
everywhere to provide assistance, if needed. There was so much to do in so
little time, such as the exhibit hall with countless vendors of equipment. I
was impressed with the number of activities for the youth. We attended the
Blind Auto Enthusiasts Seminar and the mock trial. Sharon attended the
Public Relations Seminar while I attended the NABM meeting, where John
Gordon was elected to the board. Congrats to John!
On Tuesday morning the General Sessions started with a salute to veterans, a
roll call of states, and a presentation on internet access for the blind. In
the afternoon we heard NFB President Dr. Marc Maurer's annual report and
talks on descriptive video and Windows accessibility. A highlight of the
afternoon was a presentation by the Honorable Ray LaHood, US Secretary of
Transportation, who spoke on safe and accessible travel. Sharon and I were
able to meet and have our picture taken with Mr. LaHood.
All in all, convention was a great experience. I will attend future
conventions and recommend that others do the same.
by Steve Heltsley: I had an informative time at the NFB convention in Dallas
Texas. It was my first time attending a conference of this magnitude. I went
to the Rookie Roundup, where all the first-time convention-goers got a
preview of what to expect throughout the week. I was enlightened and
motivated by the speakers at the conference as they informed us of many
things that involve blind people, not only in this country, but around the
world. I learned to use Blio, which is software to access books online and
now for use on the iPhone. I enjoyed the update given by a Microsoft
employee on Windows 8 and how it will operate. Sendero was there to inform
us of the new iPhone application they will release later this year. It will
be competitive with Navigon and TomTom.
There was a lot of information at the Independence Market and exhibit hall.
I attended the Texas BBQ and enjoyed the entertainment provided. I met many
new friends there, and was able to visit with other friends I have not seen
in a while. There was more to see and learn than I had time for. I look
forward to going to the convention next year in Orlando, Florida.
REFLECTIONS ON CONVENTION
By Rose Sloan
The 2012 NFB National Convention was my first national convention, and I was
fortunate to be there as a national scholarship winner.
As the scholarship winners rehearsed for the awards presentation at the
convention banquet, Patti Chang said, "Scholarship applicants ask, `Do we
really have to go to convention`" Her response, and mine, is yes, you really
do! The experience can be life-changing, as it was for me.
I highly recommend that you come to convention well rested and ready for an
incredibly busy week. This was my first mistake. On the first day, I was
extremely tired. I had a chance to have dinner with two scholarship
committee members and two other scholarship winners. You never know who is
going to become an inspiration or a friend. Although I didn't realize it at
the time, one of the scholarship winners I had dinner with that night became
one of my good friends during the week. I am confident we will keep in
touch.
Another piece of advice I heard was to talk to as many people as you can.
Start conversations in the elevator. Sit by different people in your state
delegation during general sessions. Go to division meetings that interest
you. At the very least you will have one thing in common with every single
person at the convention. It is truly a good time to stretch your character,
to be bolder than normal.
I am sure people told me I would meet amazing mentors at convention, but I
had no idea just how amazing these mentors could be. Among the speakers was
Kareem Dale, President Obama's advisor on disability policy. As it turns
out, he is an old friend of Patti's. She introduced me to him, and after the
banquet, I had the chance to meet him in an informal setting. This
connection is huge for me; my dream job is to be a policy advisor or
advocate one day. Being an advisor to the president of the United States
would be the epitome of achieving my career goals.
Members of the NFB from all over the United States are professionals, or
have access to someone in any field imaginable. I was incredibly lucky to
meet some leaders in my field while I was at the convention, but it wasn't
complete luck. If someone tells you to remind them to do something, be
proactive and do it. Don't be afraid to be persistent, and don't let
someone's rank intimidate you. Patti asked me to remind her to introduce me
to Kareem Dale, for example. And whenever Dr. Fred Schroeder's name came up,
I mentioned I wanted to meet him. My persistence paid off; on the last day
of convention, Patti told me, "Dr. Schroeder is looking for you."
It's difficult to describe in words, but I felt a boost of confidence. I
have to believe the NFB National Convention receives full credit for this.
The amazing speeches by the leaders of the NFB are nonstop, and the messages
stick. Dreams can be achieved. My takeaway is that being blind is a mere
inconvenience or annoyance, but it is not a barrier. If blindness becomes a
barrier to achieving dreams, the NFB will be there to destroy the barrier,
whether it is by taking matters into the courtroom or developing new
technology.
I heard the phrase "Federation Family" many times during the convention. I
truly felt that every person I met was interested in getting to know me.
Professionals such as lawyers and professors take time to meet with fellow
Federationists who are interested in their fields.
Go to National Convention. Go not because you have to, or you feel you
should, but because it's a worthwhile experience. As long as you don't sit
in your hotel room for a week, you will at the very least make a few new
acquaintances. Most likely, you will gain much more.
INTRODUCING MEG DOWELL
Meg Dowell is the newest member of our newsletter committee. She was one of
the scholarship winners at our NFBI State Convention in 2011. She is
currently an English major at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais,
Illinois. Here is an autobiographical note about her. She has done a major
portion of editing for this issue and we thank her!!!
There are a lot of things people don't know about me. No one knows about my
Barnes & Noble online shopping addiction (until now); very few people are
aware that I am a hyperperfectionist. I would not be able to do all that I
do without these qualities, of course: the perfectionism makes me work to
the point of exhaustion, and the books keep me sane, 46% of the time. I am a
junior in college, but I still sometimes feel like a thirteen-year-old,
gushing over boys and Taylor Swift and lip gloss. But I was always one of
those girls who wanted to grow up fast. Even now, I sometimes sit at home
during the summers and beg God for my own apartment. Part of growing up,
I've realized, is learning who you are, or at least, who you're meant to be.
Unfortunately, I'm still wandering down that winding path. One thing I do
know is that words are my passion. I not only read them, edit the stuffing
out of them, and analyze them until they cry, but I also write them. I have
never known a person as thoroughly as I know the characters I create; I have
never viewed a landscape as clearly as the ones I form when describing a
story's setting. When the end of the day approaches, and I have a six-page
literary analysis to write, two newspaper deadlines to meet, and a grammar
competency exam to study for, I dream of running off to New York after
graduation and begging unimpressed publishers to buy my books. Perhaps, if
life drives me crazy enough, I will.
TECH TIP: USING MORE I-PHONE APPS
by Denise Avant
All of the apps can be purchased from the App store.
1. Look Tell Money Reader: This app uses the iPhone's camera to identify
money. Once the app is downloaded and installed to the phone, all you have
to do is double tap on the app, and hold the phone a few inches above the
bill you wish to identify. It will not matter if the bill is crinkled or
folded. The app is very accurate. When the app first came out, it was
$2.99. But it is $9.95 in the app store.
2. Read2Go: This app is for downloading daisy books from Bookshare.org. You
need a Bookshare subscription and the app itself cost $19.95. If you do not
have a Bookshare membership, you will have to go online at
www.Bookshare.org, and fill out an application. You will have to supply
proof of blindness, (if you have qualified with NLS or some other blindness
related reading service Bookshare can use that verification). You will have
to pay an application fee of $25.00. Once you have been approved, the
Bookshare membership is $50.00 for unlimited access to Bookshare's library.
Students receive Bookshare memberships free of charge. The Bookshare library
has scanned books, but in recent years, Bookshare has added with the
publisher's permission, publisher quality books. Once the app is installed,
you have the ability to search and download books from the Bookshare library
onto your phone. You can either use the built-in speech, Heather U.S. or
Ryan U.s. or you can disable the speech and use the voiceover speech, which
is likely Samantha for most of you. Whatever voice you use, you will be able
to set the speech rate according to your own comfort level. Finally,
depending on how well the book is marked up, you will be able to move by
section, chapter, page and phrase.
3. Audible: These books are recorded audio books. The app itself is free.
However, you have to pay for the books, either individually or by purchasing
one of Audible's subscription plans. Unlike with Read2Go, you have to go to
the Audible.com website to select your book. Once you have selected and
purchased your book, you can download it to your phone using the Audible
app. You can change the readers speech rate, and you can move by section and
by time intervals in the book. There is also a sleep timer.
I have just presented an overview of these apps. But for more detail, you
can find podcasts that discuss most of the apps talked about by Marco,
Byron, Syed and I.
POPULAR websites ARE www.appelvis.com and www.accessible-devices.com. You
can also search for blind access journal blog and podcast and all with my
iPhone for other podcasts and information about the iPhone.
Most apps work with the iPad and iPod touch as well as the iPhone.
RECIPES
Here are two summer recipes to tickle your taste buds:
Yogurt Fruit Smoothie
1 cup vanilla yogurt
½ cup orange, pineapple, grapefruit or cranberry juice
½ cup of fruit (You can use more. Fresh or frozen fruit works best.)
6-8 ice cubes
Chicken Salad
Chicken breast
Raisins
Walnut pieces
Chopped celery
Onion
Mayonnaise, enough to hold chicken salad together
CALENDAR
August
28—Guide Dog Committee Meeting, 8-9:00 PM, 218-936-1200, via teleconference
code 6324
September
1--Kankakee Heartland Chapter Meeting, 10 AM--12 PM, Bourbonnais Public
Library, 250 W. John Casey Road, Bourbonnais, Illinois
2--At Large Chapter Meeting, 7 -9 PM, via teleconference, 218-936-1200, code
6324
5--Parents Committee Meeting, 7:30-8:30, via teleconference, code 727368
8—Four Rivers Chapter Meeting, 11 AM to 1 PM, Belleville Public Library,
3414 W. Main Street Belleville, Illinois
Chicago Chapter Membership Tea, 11:30 AM
Chicago Chapter Meeting, 1-4:00 PM, Exchequer Pub, 226 S. Wabash,
Chicago, Illinois
Blackhawk Chapter Meeting
9--IABS Meeting--7-10 PM, via teleconference, 218-936-1200, code 4227
11--Membership Committee Meeting, 7--11:30 PM, via teleconference, code 6362
13--Teen Scene Committee Meeting, 7-9 PM, via teleconference, code 7526
15--Oktoberfest, home of Patti and Francisco Chang, 5 PM to 9 PM, cost $25,
October
5—State Convention, Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N. Cumberland Chicago, IL,
6—State Convention, Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N. Cumberland Chicago, IL,
7—State Convention, Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N. Cumberland Chicago, IL,
13--There will be no Chicago Chapter Meeting this month
Four Rivers Chapter Meeting, 11 AM-1 PM, Belleville Public Library,
3414 W. Main Street Belleville, Illinois
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF ILLINOIS
2012 CONVENTION BULLETIN
Expecting the Impossible
On October 5th, 6th, and 7th, 2012, enthusiastic Federationists will
assemble in Chicago to renew our dedication in the pursuit of security,
equality, and opportunity for all blind people.
The site for our convention will be the Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N.
Cumberland Chicago, IL, (773) 693-5800. Room rates are $79 per night plus
applicable taxes. Please indicate you are with the NFBI to get this special
rate. Room reservations must be made by September 15th. After that date,
reservations will be accepted only on a space available basis.
This year’s convention will kick off with a Friday afternoon seminar as well
as an afternoon resolutions committee meeting. Exhibitors of technology and
products will be present to answer individual questions from 2:00 to 5:00
p.m. on Friday afternoon. In addition, we plan to have a Friday evening
session for exhibitors to talk about and demonstrate their products and
services to the convention. Come learn.
The Resolutions Committee will be chaired by George Villa. ALL resolutions
must be submitted by September 26, 2011. He may be contacted at
georgejvilla at comcast.net or (630) 416-3875.
IABS IDOL will occur Friday evening. Those wanting to perform during the
IABS Idol should contact IABS by e-mailing Rose Sloan at
RoseSloan920 at gmail.com. Please put IABS IDOL in your subject line.
Our general session will convene on Saturday, October 6th at 9 a.m. We will
begin with a National Report regarding NFB happenings. We welcome key
speakers such as Adrienne Asch, a preeminent bioethicist and Cary supalo, a
chemistry professor. After our parent and student lunches, we will
reconvene. Our featured panelists, Raven Pulliam, John Gordon and Nicky
Gakos, will address Business Enterprise Program issues. In addition,
there will be breakout sessions for parents of blind children, a teen scene
and significant others meeting.
The evening will culminate with our annual banquet, featuring an energizing
address from our National Representative who will be a national leader in
the organized blind movement. We will also see the much-anticipated
scholarship awards.
Sunday morning’s session will begin with Braille is Beautiful and we will
hear from other blind people sharing their experiences. Resolutions will be
voted on during the Sunday morning session. Adjournment is scheduled for
12:00 PM on October 7th.
Advance registration for the convention made before September 24th is $5.
Registration after that date or at convention will be $15. The registration
form and fees for breakfasts, luncheon, and banquet should be sent before
September 24th to Glenn Moore, Treasurer NFBI, P.O. Box 1065, Elgin, IL
60121. Checks or money orders should be made payable to NFB of Illinois.
Please do not send cash.
We will host a breakfast for parents of blind children at 7 a.m. on
Saturday. The student breakfast will be held on Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m.,
at which time the student division will conduct its business meeting. The
cost for each breakfast will be $10.
We will have two luncheons for all those interested in student and/or parent
issues
on Saturday. The cost for either luncheon will be $15. The banquet on
Saturday night will start at 7 p.m. and tickets will cost $30.
Those with special dietary needs for any of the meals should contact Denise
Avant, (773) 325-1117 or dravant at ameritech.net. The deadline for such
requests is September 24th.
Kids’ Kamp (childcare) will be available on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m. Kids’ Kamp is free to all children under 12 who are registered for the
convention. A separate release form must be filled out at time of
registration.
For those needing financial assistance to attend the convention, all
applications must be submitted to President Patti Chang no later than
September 5th at 6919 W. Berwyn Ave. Chicago, IL 60656 or
pattichang at att.net. The form to fill out for financial assistance from the
James Chappell Memorial Fund is available on our web site at
www.nfbofillinois.org or one will be mailed to you upon request.
Federation conventions change the lives of blind and sighted people alike!
Don’t miss out on this opportunity for change! Join us for our best
convention yet!
2012 NFBI STATE CONVENTION
Registration Form
Name(s) _______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
City __________________________ State ___________ Zip ____________
Phone_______________________
Cell Phone________________________
E-mail address__________________________________________________
Registration $5.00 or $15.00 x ______ =
______
**$5.00 before September 24th, $15.00 after
Breakfasts
Parents (Saturday) $10.00 x _____ =
_______
IABS (Sunday) $10.00 x _____ = _______
Luncheon
Parent’s (Saturday) $15.00 x _____ =
______
Student’s (Saturday) $15.00 x _____ =
______
Banquet (Saturday evening) $30.00 x _____ = _____
At-Large Membership $2.00 x ______ =
______
TOTAL ______
All activities take place at the Holiday Inn. O’Hare. Hotel phone is (773)
693-5800. Questions regarding registration should be directed to Glenn Moore
at gmoore3rd at gmail.com or (847) 899-9801. Please make checks payable to
NFBI. Return the registration form with payment before September 24, 2012
to: Glenn Moore Treasurer NFBI, P.O. Box 1065 Elgin, Il 60121.
Photo from Goodwill Protest in Des Plaines on August 25, 2012
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