THE BRAILLE EXAMINER Pre-Convention 2011 Editor: Debbie Stein President: Patti Gregory-Chang CONTACT INFORMATION President: Patti Gregory-Chang, (773) 307-6440, pattichang@att.net Editor: Deborah Kent Stein, (773) 631-1093, dkent5817@.att.net Format Editor & Electronic Distribution: Connie Davis, (773) 338-6922, condav8950@att.net Limited Print Edition Duplication: Carolyn Nelson, Springfield Newsline® Edition: David Meyer, (78) 209-1767, datemeyer@sbcglobal.net Braille Edition: Bill Reif, (217) 801-2996, billreif@ameritech.net Proofreaders:, David Meyer, Bill Reif, Steve Hastalis & Connie Davis Website: Byron Lee, webmaster, www.nfbofillinois.org; PRESIDENT’S REPORT by Patti Gregory-Chang The past few months have been very busy here in Illinois, and we have a lot of exciting events coming up soon. I will tell you about some of the things we have done recently as well as our plans for the future. In March and April, barely a month apart, the NFB of Illinois sponsored two seminars. We held a membership-building seminar on March 12 and a parents seminar on April 9. Twenty-seven of our upcoming and current leaders attended the membership seminar. Guests Ron Gardner and Jason Ewell facilitated throughout the day, and many of our own leaders actively participated. We learned about ourselves and our individual management and personality styles. Ron taught us to get people involved by giving them ways to contribute. Jason led a discussion on how to make chapter meetings more interesting. Our Renewal Committee and several chapters of the affiliate are following up on suggestions that came out of the seminar. The Illinois Association of Blind Students (IABS) is circulating a flier. The Blackhawk Chapter will host a membership event on August 6 in conjunction with our upcoming state board meeting. The Chicago and At Large Chapters are calling potential members from our lists of people who have requested white canes from the national office. Over sixty people attended our parents seminar, "SPRING into Action: Home, School and Beyond." Three events were held simultaneously--the main event for parents, the Teen Scene, and Kids Camp. Our keynote speaker was Amy Lund, a teacher of the visually impaired from Springfield. Marybeth Lauderdale, the new director of the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI), also gave a presentation. Throughout the day parents had the chance to network with one another and with active Federationists. The evaluations we received indicate that parents and kids enjoyed a positive experience. As the state of Illinois faces a budget crisis, we have been increasingly concerned with possible changes at ISVI. At several points in time it appeared that ISVI might be consolidated with the Illinois School for the Deaf (ISAID) or closed entirely. Our ISVI Committee, chaired by Denise Avant, spent considerable time convincing legislators and others that both of these ideas are unacceptable. The committee has also tracked the paths of various pieces of legislation pertaining to the school. Nine delegates from Illinois attended the Washington Seminar in January. We are now beginning to make follow-up visits to our representatives in the U.S. Congress. We need to have someone to visit a representative in every Illinois district. Ideally, two people should go together. If you wish to make a Congressional visit, please contact Annette Grove at (618) 235-3330. Freedom Link, our transitions club for blind teens, continues to be one of our strongest programs. This year's group of students is particularly close and responsive to this mentoring opportunity. During the first week in July, forty-three Illinoisans attended the national convention of the National Federation of the Blind in Orlando, Florida. Several of our new members attended convention for the first time. We are honored and proud to have a national scholarship winner from our state. Ma'ayan Malter graduated from high school in June and will enter the University of Chicago in the fall. She plans to major in economics. This year we held our annual face-to-face board meeting in Rock Island on August 6. A major focus of our board meeting was planning for our state convention, which will take place in Rock Island on the weekend of October 7-9. Several exciting speakers have already been scheduled. An employment panel will feature a blind mechanic and a blind chef. We may even hear from a blind choir director and his choir. Activities for parents, students, and teens are in the planning stages. Naturally one of our convention highlights is the Saturday banquet, with a speech from our national representative, Pam Allen of the Louisiana Center, and the presentation of awards to our five NFBI scholarship winners. Registration forms for the NFBI convention are now available and are included with this newsletter. You can register now and also call the hotel to reserve a room. The number for the hotel is (309) 794-1212. For more information on state convention 2011 contact me at (773) 307-6440. The Chicago Chapter has arranged for a charter bus from downtown Chicago to Rock Island. For more information about the bus, contact Dave Meyer at (708) 209-1767. As always, fundraising is an ongoing concern. Joe Monti has graciously agreed to resume handling our Manna Gift Certificate program. This is a temporary measure, however, so if you are interested in working on this project, please let me know. We continue to sell travel mugs and folding backpacks. If you wish to buy or sell any items, contact Mary Lou Grunewald, "the Bag Lady," at (312) 207-1663. Our Public Relations Committee does the important work of letting people know about the many events we sponsor. PR needs more members to make calls and send out information. If you would like to join PR or any of our other committees, please let me know. I can be reached at (773) 307-6440 or pattichang@att.net. EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK based on a letter written By Steve Hastalis, authored by Debbie Stein On July 26, Federationists in sixteen states took to the streets in a series of protests against the reauthorization of payment of subminimum wages to workers with disabilities under the Workforce Investment Act. Carrying signs and banners, Illinois Federationists marched in front of the Springfield office of Senator Mark Kirk. Sen. Kirk serves on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). Reauthorization of the act is currently being considered by the HELP Committee. The demonstrators from NFBI were joined by a group from Springfield Area Disability Activists (SADA). Shortly after the demonstration began, the marchers received word that one of Sen. Kirk's staffers wished to talk with them. The protesters went to Sen. Kirk's office in groups of three and explained their concerns about the subminimum wage clause. The staffer asked many questions and took copious notes. He promised to pass the information on to Senator Kirk. Prior to the July 26 demonstration, Steve Hastalis visited Sen. Kirk in Washington, D.C. In the following letter he describes his experience: "I went to the Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill with a group of Virginia Federationists on Wednesday, July 20. We visited the offices of the Illinois and Virginia senators. We especially highlighted the subminimum wage issue, and Senator Mark Kirk's staff told us that they had received other calls that morning. Senator Richard Durbin's staff also suggested we attend the Illinois senatorial coffee, a regular event that has gone on for the past twenty-five years. Regardless of party, the senators have had a cordial relationship and have invited constituents to express their concerns. "Next day, Thursday, July 21, I attended the senatorial breakfast. It took place in Senate Russell 325, a room where many historic events have occurred--including a hearing on the sinking of the Titanic, the Army McCarthy hearings, and the Watergate hearings chaired by Senator Sam Irvin in the summer of 1973. "Senator Durbin introduced a young man from Hinsdale who won an essay contest for writing a piece about Native Americans. He then asked if anyone else wanted to introduce himself or herself. I introduced myself on behalf of the NFB. I then mentioned Section 511 of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and strongly urged its repeal. Sen. Durbin acknowledged that I had visited and advocated many times before. "After other discussion, the senators invited constituents forward to have their pictures taken. When I went forward, they put their arms around my shoulders and staff members snapped photos. I took the opportunity to introduce myself to Senator Mark Kirk for the first time. I asked if he served on the HELP Committee. He told me that he does, and I asked him for the sense within the committee about Section 511. He replied that Chairman Tom Harkin had not scheduled the bill for mark-up yet. I strongly urged him, 'Please do everything you can with your colleagues on the committee to make it go away.'" A GOOD DOSE OF HUMILITY AND REALITY by Connie J. Davis In December 2010 I had a very bad fall. I fractured the orbital bone under my eye, an injury that could have caused total blindness. The fracture extended throughout the left side of my face and broke my nose. It also did extensive damage to my maxillary sinus. In March I had to undergo surgery to repair the damage. A day after the injury I picked up a long white cane, and I haven't stopped using it since. That, in and of itself, is not so amazing. It is not remarkable that, as a person who is blind with some vision, I was vain and stubborn and prideful about not using a cane. The remarkable thing is that I wasn't hurt seriously until 2009. It is amazing that I haven't killed myself. In 2009 I was running to catch a train and tripped on a curb. I flew through the air and fell. I dislocated a shoulder, broke a bone, and did extensive nerve damage to my left arm. To this day, that injury has not completely healed. Even after that fall, I refused to use a cane, telling myself it was a freak accident. But was it? In December of 2010 I left work and tripped and fell on a bump in the sidewalk. By the sounds I heard when I hit the ground, I knew that I had again done serious damage. I returned to work because we had a nurse on duty. She called 911. When the paramedics came, they strapped me to a backboard and immobilized my head. At the ER they did a CT scan and discovered the fracture. I injured my knee as well, and it hasn't been the same since. Do you have to hear more to convince you that I needed to be using a cane long before now? Like many other people with partial vision, I wanted to believe that I did not need a cane. I had observed how custodial the sighted public can be toward those who use a white cane or guide dog. I didn't want to endure that kind of treatment. I felt embarrassed and ashamed, and didn't want people to know about my blindness. Of course they knew about it as soon as I tried to read print. They knew when I descended a flight of stairs and looked down at the steps, or when I tried to read a read-out of announcements on the bus. I now know what so many of my blind peers have discovered. Using a white cane has its challenges. However, it has more benefits than drawbacks. It has taken a great burden off my shoulders. I share this story in the hope that someone else will start to use a white cane and will not get injured as I have. WINNING THROUGH ADVERSITY: My Experience as a Paralympics Judo Player by Howard Wilson It was Saturday, June 4, 2011, and I sat on the bleachers at Oak Lawn Pavilion, waiting for my first judo tournament to begin. Many thoughts ran through my mind. What was I doing here? I was a forty-seven-year-old visually impaired man who had received his first belt promotion one week earlier. What was I trying to prove? Who was I trying to impress? My Sensei (instructor) walked toward me and informed me that it was time to warm up for my first match. I thought about the circumstances that had brought me to this point. On a snowy December evening, I walked into the gymnasium at Davis Square Park on the south side of Chicago. I had responded to an email regarding an open house for judo for the visually impaired. I thought that I would see a presentation, learn more about the program, and eat some finger food. To my surprise, I was assisted with my coat and led straight to the practice mats. In that moment my judo career commenced. I started taking three to five judo classes a week from Sensei Brett Wolf at various locations around the city. My first class was on January 5, 2011, at Norwood Park on Chicago's northwest side. These programs are run through a partnership between the Chicago Park District, World Sport Chicago, and the Menomonee Judo Club. Currently judo instruction is available at four parks, and many more are interested in adding the program. With the encouragement of my sensei and his staff, I quickly learned basic judo moves. Techniques are taught in an adapted method. Instructors explain the movements thoroughly so that I can visualize each one. Sensei Wolf also emphasizes conditioning and strength training during practice. After six months of work I was forty-six pounds lighter. It was time for my first tournament. The tournament was a large regional event with more than 280 competitors from five states. On the day of the tournament I weighed in and was entered into two divisions: senior novice under 220 pounds and masters age 40 to 49. We decided that I should compete in two divisions to maximize my tournament experience. Because I got off to a late start in the sport, it's important for me to learn quickly. The more matches I get, the more comfortable I'm going to be on the mat. A tournament organizer asked me if I wanted to compete or simply participate in some exhibition matches due to my disability. My answer was quick and definite. I told him that I came to compete, and, moreover, to win. Wow! Why did I say that? Now I would have to back up my statement! Unfortunately the divisions I wanted to enter were on two adjoining mats congruently. Be careful what you ask for! It turned out that I competed in seven matches in ninety minutes. I was rushed from one mat to another and back again. My head was spinning and my body ached, but I soldiered on. When the metaphoric mist cleared, I took first place in the senior novice division and second place in the masters division. At the end of the tournament a trophy was given to the most outstanding and inspirational competitor. It's a special award that is voted on by other competitors and tournament officials. I was honored to receive the award for this year. Wow! What a day! In fact, what a six months! What started as a chance response to an email ended in athletic excellence. It's my philosophy that life without challenges is empty and unfulfilling. This tournament was a great accomplishment, but it's only another step on my road. I have high expectations for myself, and I will keep working and dedicating my time and energy until I reach my goals. Although judo is an individual sport, it took a total team effort for me to succeed. I am lucky to have great instructors, training partners, staff, and organizations behind me. It's great to be part of a team with tons of positive people. I look forward to watching these relationships grow during the coming years. CHICAGO CHAPTER NEWS by David Meyer Over the past several months, the Chicago Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois continues to move forward with internal matters and outreach. During our April meeting, we elected officers and board members for the coming year. The results of the election were as follows: president, David Meyer; first vice-president, Denise Avant; second vice-president, Kelly Doty; secretary, Debbie Stein; and treasurer, Steve Hastalis. Board members are Mary Grunwald, Debbie Pittman, Patti Gregory-Chang, and Jemal Powell. During our April meeting we also held our annual Meal Appeal Auction, which brought a little over $200 to the chapter treasury. Many thanks go to all those who donated and bid on auction items. In May we began a drive to recruit new members, known as our Colleagues for Coin Contest. The drive will run through the 2011 calendar year. The winner will be the person who brings in the greatest number of new people to chapter meetings. The contest winner will receive a Louis Braille commemorative coin at the January 2012 meeting. In June, we closed a very successful 50/50 raffle with a drawing for 50% of the proceeds. The lucky winner was Steve Hastalis. More than fifty members attended this meeting. This is the largest attendance I can ever remember for a meeting not involving chapter elections. Thank you to the Membership and Fundraising Committees for such an enjoyable three months. We have engaged in a number of outreach efforts during the past several months. In April we took part in technology fairs sponsored by the Disabled Students Office of the University of Illinois/Chicago and the Guild for the Blind. In May we presented the NFB at a meeting held at the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation Education. In addition, several Chicago Chapter members took part in a roundtable discussion with Kareem Dale, who serves as Special White House Assistant on Disability Policy to President Barack Obama. This event was organized by NFBI President Patti Gregory-Chang. In June we took part in the Visually Impaired Awareness Day sponsored by the DuPage Center for Independent Living. We participated in the Chicago Disability Pride Parade on Saturday, July 23. On Saturday, July 16, Chicago Chapter members and friends enjoyed an afternoon of sun and socializing at our annual Chicago Chapter picnic. Picnickers gathered from noon to 4 P.M. at the Landmark Café in the Lincoln Park Zoo. Our chapter meetings are generally scheduled for the second Saturday of each month at the Exchequer Pub and Restaurant, 226 South Wabash, Chicago, Illinois. We begin at 1 P.M. If you have any questions, please contact me at (708) 209-1767. I look forward to seeing all of you in the months ahead. SUMMER EVENTS IN THE BLACKHAWK CHAPTER by Bob Gardner The Blackhawk Chapter takes a break in the summer, holding no regular meetings in July or August. Nonetheless, we have been active these past few months, and we have plans for more events in the near future. In May the chapter held a special luncheon meeting at Bennigans Restaurant in Rock Island. The meeting was attended by twenty-eight people. As a demonstration of our ability to take public transportation, some members took the bus from Moline to reach the restaurant. Our June meeting was a cookout and potluck at the home of the Gardners on the Mississippi River in Hampton. Besides enjoying good food and fellowship, some of those attending practiced their mobility skills by walking along the river and around town. A special feature of the day was an introduction to string ball, a version of baseball that can be played by the blind. In lieu of a regular chapter meeting in July, other recreational events were scheduled to keep chapter members active and interested. On July 14, chapter members rode The Loop, a special bus that goes around the Quad Cities in the evening. The bus travels on the Illinois and Iowa sides of the river and stops in areas that feature restaurants, lounges, gambling boats, and more. In late July the chapter had a swim party topped off with pizza, thanks to the hospitality of Russ and Lois Montgomery. The Blackhawk Chapter hosted a membership reception on August 6 at the Rock Island Holiday Inn, the site of our 2011 NFBI Convention. The chapter plans to make the general public aware of this opportunity to get to know about the NFB and the Blackhawk Chapter. The Blackhawk Chapter holds its regular meetings on the second Saturday of each month at 1:30 P.M. Our meeting place is the South Moline Township Center, located at 637-17th Avenue, East Moline. We are the blind speaking for the blind, and we are changing what it means to be blind in the Quad Cities and northwestern Illinois. FOUR RIVERS CHAPTER NEWS by Annette Grove On Tuesday, November 1, the Four Rivers Chapter will sponsor a Senior Source event for older people living with vision loss. The event will be held at the main offices of the St. Clair County Office on Aging. Members have been busy developing relationships with significant people in the community in preparation for this major event. Thus far, sponsors include Lions Clubs, social sororities, Mind's Eye, and DRS Bureau of Blind Services. We plan to approach several corporate sponsors as well. We also welcome assistance and support from all NFBI members who are interested in serving the senior blind, especially those of you who are savvy in terms of appropriate technology and other aids for people who are experiencing vision loss. For more information or to volunteer for the event, please contact Alma Hinkle at (618) 234-5598 or ahinkle33@gmail.com. Our chapter requests prayers and warm thoughts for three of our members who have been experiencing significant health issues. Paulette Buetner, Bernard Stelzer, and Tony Torregrossa will appreciate your support. The chapter looks forward to their recovery and return to active duty. CONVENTION HOTEL PREVIEW by Denise Avant On the weekend of October 7-9, 2011, the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois will hold its convention at the Rock Island Holiday Inn. The address of the hotel is 2617 17th Street, Rock Island, Illinois. The hotel is familiar to many of us, as this is our fourth convention here. We last met at this hotel in 2007. Whether you are a first-time attendee or a veteran who would like to refresh your memory, here is a brief description of the hotel layout. The hotel stands on the northwest corner of 17th Street and Third Avenue, with 17th Street running north and south and 3rd Avenue running east and west along the front of the building. As you enter the front door of the hotel, the elevators will be directly across from you. Stairs in the middle of the hotel lobby lead to the second floor. On Friday afternoon, there will be tables for information and Newsline in the lobby. >From the front door, if you turn slightly left, you will find the check-in desk along the left wall. Once you have checked in, turn right and walk to the end of the desk. You will be in front of the elevators. To the right of the elevators is a long carpeted hallway. Before you enter this hallway, you will find on the right a coffee room, followed by an ATM, and then a women's bathroom. As you proceed through a set of doors, a men's bathroom will be on the right. To get to Bennigan’s Restaurant, walk down the carpeted hallway, pass through a door, make a right, and continue straight down an uncarpeted hall. Make a left, and you will be at Bennigan's. Across from Bennigan's are men's and women's bathrooms. All convention meetings will take place on the second floor of the hotel. Once you get off the elevator on the second floor, you will be directly across from the stairs. The staircase is in a square in the middle of the floor. As you get off the elevator, make a left. If you make a 180-degree turn, you will be at Sicily Sacks, our Hospitality Room. If you get off the elevator, turn left, and continue straight down the hallway, you will find another set of bathrooms. To reach the Fitness Center, continue down this hallway, make another left, and keep walking. There are treadmills, bikes, and a Stair Master in the Fitness Center. If you keep going straight rather than making a left into the Fitness Center, you will come to an indoor pool. You can walk around the pool, which is rectangular. As you walk you will come to sliding glass doors that lead onto the balcony. To reach our meeting rooms, get off the elevators, walk 8-10 feet to the left, and then turn right. As you go down this hallway, you will find the Barcelona and Nice Rooms on the left, followed by men’s and women’s bathrooms. Genoa is at the end of the hallway. On the right at the end of the hallway is Florence. There is also another door leading out to the balcony. Florence is the room where our General Sessions will be held, as well as the meeting of the Resolutions Committee, IABS Idol, the Student Lunch, and a Friday-afternoon seminar. Barcelona will be used for a seminar on Friday afternoon and for Kids Camp on Saturday. The Significant Others meeting will take place in Nice. If you turn right when you get off the elevators on the second floor, the registration area will be off to the right. Venice will be the first room after you turn right off the elevators. This is the room where the Parents and Student Breakfasts are being held. Tuscany, the room where the Parent Lunch and Teen Scene will take place, is straight across from the elevators. A dog relief area has been designated just outside the hotel. To get to this area, go out the main door and make an immediate left. Walk to 17th Street and make a right. Cross the driveway, which is the entrance to the hotel. There you will find some mulch, which runs from the driveway entrance to the corner of 17th Street and Third Avenue. Have a great convention, everyone! NFBI CALENDAR--CALENDAR SEPTEMBER--OCTOBER September 10-11:00 AM--1:00 PM, Four Rivers Chapter Meeting, Belleville Public Library 10--1:00 PM-4:00 PM, Chicago Chapter Meeting, 226, S. Wabash, Chicago, Illinois 10--1:30 PM-3:30 PM, Blackhawk Chapter Meeting, East Moline Township Center, 637-17th Avenue, East Moline 17--4:00 PM-8:00 PM, Oktoberfest, home of Debbie & Dick Stein, 5817 N. Nina, Chicago, Illinois October 1-10:00 AM--1:00 PM, Heartland Chapter Meeting, Bourbonnais Public Library, 250 W. John Casey Rd, Bourbonnais, Illinois 6--7:00 AM-10:00 PM, NFBI State Convention, Rock Island Holiday Inn, Rock Island, Illinois 7--9:00 AM-10:00 PM, State Convention 8--7:00 AM-11:00 PM, State Convention 8--11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Four Rivers Chapter Meeting, Belleville Public Library 9--7:00 AM-1:00 PM, State Convention 15-1:00--3:00 PM, Chicago Chapter Meeting, Exchequer Pub, 226 S. Wabash, Chicago, Illinois 15-1:30 PM-3:30 PM, Blackhawk Chapter Meeting, East Moline Township Center, 637-17th Avenue, East Moline 24-7L00--8:00 PM, NFBI Membership Committee Meeting via teleconference, 218.936.1200, code 6362 (MEMB) November 1-8:30--11:30 AM, Managing Vision Loss Senior Fair, St. Clair county Office on Aging Psop Center 201 N. Church str. Bellville 5-10:00 AM--1:00 PM, Heartland Chapter Meeting, Bourbonnais Public Library, 250 W. John Casey Rd, Bourbonnais, Illinois 5-5:00--9:00 PM, Chicago Chapter Games Night, Exchequer Pub, 226 S. Wabash, Chicago 11 & 12-All Day, Blackhawk chapter Younkers Community days 12--11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Four Rivers Chapter, Belleville Public Library 12-1:00--3:00 PM, Chicago Chapter Meeting, Exchequer Pub, 226 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL December 3-11:30 AM--1:30 PM, Heartland Christmas Party, TBA 6-7:00--8:00 PM, Chicago Chapter Fundraising Meeting, via teleconference, 218.936.1200 code 34442246 (CHICAGO) 10--Blackhawk Christmas Party, details TBA 10-12:00-4:00 PM, Chicago Chapter Meeting and Annual Christmas Auction, Exchequer Pub, 226 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL 10-2:00--4:00 PM, Belleville Christmas Party, Open House at the home Annette Grove, 4 Shady Lane, Belleville, RSVP by December 9, 618-235-3330