[Nfb-editors] Ohio Newsletter- "Buckeye Bulletin"

[Robert Leslie Newman]

Here is a 23 page, 10,275 word newsletter edited by list member, Barbara
Pierce. 

 

Winter/Spring 2010

 

Buckeye Bulletin

 

A publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

 

Barbara Pierce, Editor

 

237 Oak Street

 

Oberlin, OH 44074

 

bbpierce at pobox.com

 

http://www.nfbohio.org

 

(440) 775-2216

 

Sylvia Cooley, Production Editor

 

Dr. J. Webster Smith, President

 

(800) 396-6326 (NFBO Office)

 

jwsmithnfb at verizon.net

 

P.O. Box 458, Athens, OH 45701-0458

 

 

Voice of the Nation's Blind

 

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is a 501 (c) 3 consumer
organization comprised of blind and sighted people committed to changing
what it means to be blind. Though blindness is still all too often a tragedy
to those who face it, we know from our personal experience that with
training and opportunity it can be reduced to the level of a physical
nuisance. We work to see that blind people receive the services and training
to which they are entitled and that parents of blind children receive the
advice and support they need to help their youngsters grow up to be happy,
productive adults. We believe that first-class citizenship means that people
have both rights and responsibilities, and we are determined to see that
blind people become first-class citizens of these United States, enjoying
their rights and fulfilling their responsibilities. The most serious
problems we face have less to do with our lack of vision than with
discrimination based on the public's ignorance and misinformation about
blindness. Join us in educating Ohioans about the abilities and aspirations
of Ohio's blind citizens. We are changing what it means to be blind.

 

The NFB of Ohio has fourteen local chapters, one for at-large members, and
special divisions for diabetics, merchants, students, seniors, parents of
blind children, and those interested in Braille. This quarterly newsletter
is produced in large print and on CDs. For information about the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio or to make address changes or be added to
the mailing list, call (440) 775-2216 or email bbpierce at pobox.com. For
information about NFB-NEWSLINE, our free digitized newspaper-reading
service, call (866) 391-0841. Local NEWSLINE numbers are: 330-247-1241
(Akron), 330-409-1900 (Canton), 513-297-1521 (Cincinnati), 216-453-2090
(Cleveland), and 614-448-1673 (Columbus)

 

Table of Contents

 

Editor's Musings

 

by Barbara Pierce

 

>From The President's Desk

 

by J. Webster Smith

 

2010 NFB of Ohio Committee Assignments

 

The 2010 Washington Seminar

 

Now It's Your Turn

 

by Barbara Pierce

 

Reflections on the Washington Seminar

 

by Robert Campbell

 

A Washington Seminar to Remember

 

by Richard Payne

 

Appliances, Electronics Should Be Accessible to Blind

 

by Deborah Kendrick

 

Marching among the Roses

 

by Macy McClain

 

Technology Corner

 

by Eric Duffy

 

White Cane Walk in Cincinnati a Success

 

by Deborah Kendrick

 

In Memoriam: Liz Haag, May 20, 1922, November 29, 2009

 

by Paul Dressell

 

Buckeye Briefs

 

Calendar

 

Notice for NEWSLINE Users with Email

 

Reminder from the Editor

 

 

In January everyone who receives this newsletter through the U.S. mail got a
letter requesting that the enclosed form be completed and returned if you
wished to continue to receive either the CD or large print edition. We have
received several hundred forms and have removed from the mailing list the
names of all those who said that they no longer wished to read the
newsletter or that they would be happy to read it on NFB-NEWSLINE or
download it from our Website. Everyone else is receiving this issue of this
newsletter. For your convenience the circulation request form is reprinted
on the inside back cover of this newsletter as a final chance to remain on
the newsletter list. If you wish to continue to receive the publication in
the mail but have not returned your form saying so and specifying a format,
you must do so and zigzag fold it in order to use the free-matter privilege.
As soon as we think we have received all these last-chance forms, we will
delete the names of those who have asked to be removed from the mailing list
and those who have not responded. This is an unfortunate but necessary
financial step. Of course you can be reinstated on the mailing list at any
time by notifying your chapter president or Barbara Pierce and providing
your correct address and format preference.

 

Editor's Musings

 

by Barbara Pierce

 

 

As I sit down to write this column, we have a foot of snow on the ground and
are awaiting who knows how much more snow tomorrow. February is a quarter
over, but it is difficult to summon convincing optimism about spring's being
just around the corner. That said, I just counted, and the opening day of
our national convention is 144 days from today. 

 

In many ways this year's convention will be the potentially life-changing
event for parents of blind children and blind adults that it has always
been. The same information, inspiration, challenge, and networking will be
available to attendees. The encouragement and support that make NFB
conventions an unforgettable experience will be present for the taking. But
Ohioans will find one important difference. The affiliate will be cutting
back on the amount of assistance it is able to offer members to help them
attend the convention. The impact of our loss of fundraising programs is
becoming more and more painfully obvious. In fact, the only reason we have
any funds to spend on convention assistance this summer is that we have
decided, for better or worse, to deplete our savings one last time.

 

President Smith is in the unenviable position of having to stretch the funds
we do have as far as possible and to insist that those who receive that
assistance earn it by selling candy and assisting in the exhibit hall both
at the Ohio table and in the NFB store. Convention scholarship recipients
must be prepared to attend all the appropriate meetings. Despite our best
efforts in the past, people sometimes took our funds and then stayed in
their rooms or went sightseeing rather than attending meetings.

 

Our delegation will undoubtedly be smaller this year, but I urge everyone to
encourage those who most need the convention experience to make every effort
to get to Dallas July 3 to 8. Chapters should seriously consider assisting
deserving members to attend, and chapter leaders should give serious thought
and effort to helping deserving members to apply for affiliate assistance or
help from local service organizations to get to convention.

 

At the same time we must all take seriously J.W.'s plea that we be thinking
of ways to raise significant amounts of money in the coming year and for
years to come. Our efforts to serve and represent blind Ohioans will be
profoundly limited by our ability to pay for the programs and services we
want to offer. The responsibility for solving this threat to our
organization lies with each of us. Board members have been elected to
shoulder the affiliate's problems, but all of us know people and may hear
about ideas that might keep us afloat. I urge us all to keep thinking and
praying about this challenge that faces us. And let us know if you come up
with an idea or contact that might help.

 

>From the President's Desk

 

by J. Webster Smith

 

I have decided that the focus of my column this issue will be my reflections
and observations of my colleague, Barbara Pierce. I have already apologized
to her for putting her in the position of editing this piece, but I think it
is important for me to convey some of my thoughts about working with a
person as closely as I have with Barbara since 1993. 

 

I first met her at the national convention in Dallas, Texas, in 1993.
Although I had spoken to her on the phone and in fact she had made it
possible for me to attend at least some of that convention, I had never met
her personally. Our introduction occurred in the hotel bar, and I remember
that she had a glass of red wine in one hand and her cane in the other. My
first impression of her was indeed positive and impressive. I had joined the
NFB in 1990 as a member of the South Bend Chapter in our Indiana affiliate.
Moving to Ohio in 1993 would be the beginning of my personal relationship
with Barbara and the NFB of Ohio. What follows are some of my reflections
and observations of that relationship. I am a cut-to-the-chase kind of
person, so at times I come across as too simplistic. I hope this does not
occur here. These are my reflections and observations based on my
experiences with the woman I have come affectionately to call "the boss." 

 

In my mind Barbara Pierce is regal. The dictionary defines regal as "of or
pertaining to a king, royal, befitting or resembling a king, stately,
splendid, and magnificent." She is tall and agile and moves through life
with fluidity and grace. It is difficult for most people to keep up with the
pace that she sets as she moves through the halls of Congress or her
neighborhood or perhaps even her church. She is stately and maintains
effective eye contact, keeps her head up, speaks clearly and forcefully when
necessary, and gives an unmistakable impression of confidence and
assertiveness. It has been my observation that this demeanor can sometimes
be misconstrued as aloofness, arrogance, or even condescension. In the
appropriate context all of these may be true, especially if Barbara is your
adversary, and believe me, you don't want her to be. It is quite clear to me
that her very presence in a room clearly identifies her as a key player and
one to be reckoned with. I have personally grown to appreciate her regalness
over the years

 

Not only is Barbara regal, she is also resolute. The dictionary defines
"resolute" as "firmly resolved or determined, set in purpose or opinion."
This mind set can be seen even as she knits and wrestles with some
brain-twisting activity at our national conventions. I believe these
activities keep her mind fresh and help her to find ways to solve problems.
Obviously she is an extraordinary author of resolutions, both at the state
and national levels, and she has an amazing ability to tie up the loose ends
of a discussion or situation intellectually and emotionally, apparently
almost without effort. This resolute mindset does set her apart and, much
like her walking pace, can make it very difficult for others to keep up with
her intellectually. She must sometimes feel like a lone ranger because of
this resolute quality, and in fact I have heard her say, "I'm the best one
to do this job," and then get it done as probably only she could. For
twenty-four years our affiliate benefited from her resolute leadership
style. She in fact made life easier for all of us and probably spoiled many
of us in the process. 

 

Finally, my experience with Barbara has shown me that she is reassuring. She
has a way of reassuring and encouraging the most tentative member. My friend
Roger Hawk told me that he decided to come back to Athens County and run for
public office as a result of watching Barbara conduct a board meeting in
1995. Indeed her reassurance has a clear maternal aspect, and thus she has
been unofficially adopted as mother by many children of our movement, both
in Ohio and across the country. She teaches best by experience and example. 

 

For over thirty years she has embodied the philosophy and ideals of our
movement. Her selfless determination and genuine commitment to this movement
have been and continue to be infectious throughout every aspect of our
affiliate. As members you covet and benefit from her reassurance, advice,
and support. As a board member or chapter or division president some of you
flourish because of her resolution and general ability to get the job done.
And as a friend and family member we all admire her regalness because she
makes us look good, too. Thank you, Barbara, for giving your life to this
affiliate; we are all the better for it! 

 

2010 NFB of Ohio Committee Assignments

 

  At the first board meeting of each year the president traditionally makes
the committee assignments for the coming year with the advice and consent of
the board. Here are the appointments to the 2009 affiliate committees:

 

 

DEAF-BLIND COORDINATORS: Debbie Baker, Bernie Dressell, Lisa Hall, and
Deanna Lewis 

Charge: To provide assistance and information to those who are in this
unique community and to serve as a vehicle to foster a positive relationship
for the deaf-blind community. 

AWARDS COMMITTEE: Barb Fohl (chair), Debbie Baker, Eric Burghardt, Paul
Dressell, Eric Duffy, Wanda Sloan, and Kathy Withman 

Charge: To oversee the awards process, to provide information and feedback
when necessary, and to make reasonable judgments about NFBO awards. 

CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE: Deborah Kendrick (chair), Annette Anderson, and
Colleen Roth 

Charge: To make sure that all NFB-O chapter and division constitutions are
in compliance with the state and national constitutions, both
philosophically and rhetorically. 

CONVENTION PLANNING AND ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE: Mary Pool and Sheri Albers
(co-chairs), Carol Akers, Susan Day, Deborah Kendrick, Crystal McClain,
Jerry Purcell, and William Turner 

Charge: To assist in the planning and functioning of our state and national
conventions and to provide additional assistance in the selection process of
state convention sites. 

FINANCING THE MOVEMENT COMMITTEE: Sherry Ruth (chair), Annette Anderson (SUN
coordinator), Paul Dressell (PAC coordinator), and Mary Pool (Jernigan Fund
coordinator) 

Charge: To make members aware of these specific organizational fundraising
opportunities and to implement strategies to increase participation. 

FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE: Eric Duffy (chair), Carol Akers, Eric Burghardt,
Stefanie Claytor, Cindy Conley, Susan Day, Gloria Robinson, and William
Turner 

Charge: To investigate additional opportunities to increase NFBO resources
and to implement effective fundraising strategies and programming. 

GUIDE DOG COMMITTEE: Debbie Baker (chair), Annette Anderson, Deborah
Kendrick, Deanna Lewis, and Kathy Withman 

Charge: To serve as a vehicle for disbursing information and opportunity for
interested guide dog users. 

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE: Eric Duffy (chair), Sheri Albers, Debbie Baker,
Cheryl Fischer, Barb Fohl, Deborah Kendrick, Colleen Roth, and William
Turner 

  Charge: To increase the visibility and viability of the organization in
the state legislature. 

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Richard Payne (chair), Eric Burghardt, Stefanie
Claytor, Beth Debus, Crystal McClain, Macy McClain, Bruce Peters, and Tracy
Sinkovic 

Charge: To implement effective strategies to recruit, retain, and
reinvigorate the members of the NFB of Ohio. 

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE: J.W. Smith (chair), Eric Duffy, Barb Fohl, Deborah
Kendrick, Crystal McClain, Barbara Pierce, and Sherry Ruth 

Charge: To oversee and manage the personnel matters of the organization. 

PROMOTION AND PUBLICITY: Susan Day (chair), Sheri Albers, Eleanore Brown,
Angela Clark, Cheryl Fields, Barbara Pierce, and Jerry Purcell 

Charge: To promote and publicize appropriate programs and events, and to
acquire as much positive publicity as possible for such activities. 

RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE: Paul Dressell (chair), Barb Fohl, Bruce Peters,
Colleen Roth, and Ron Williamitis 

Charge: To oversee the submission process and to write and distribute
clearly articulated and philosophically sound resolutions. 

SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: Barbara Pierce (chair), Beth Debus, Deborah Kendrick,
Bob Pierce, and William Turner 

Charge: To conduct the affiliate scholarship program and to develop and
implement effective strategies to increase the visibility of the program and
increase participation. 

WEBSITE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: Barbara Pierce (Chair), Eric Duffy, and Deborah
Kendrick 

Charge: To facilitate the development and maintenance of our Website and
other related technological outlets. 

The 2010 Washington Seminar

 

Now It's Your Turn

 

by Barbara Pierce

 

 

Each year early in February Federationists from across the country gather in
Washington, D.C., for the NFB's Washington Seminar. This year over five
hundred of us from forty-nine affiliates gathered February 1 for the great
gathering-in at 5:00 p.m. But many meetings and seminars had been taking
place all weekend and throughout that day. Eric Duffy and I did our annual
stint as senators during the afternoon so that inexperienced seminarians
could practice making their presentations of the three issues we would be
dealing with this year. This is always fun because we can stride in and gush
over the dogs, praise the constituents for their courage and inspiration,
and make life difficult for them by being distracted when they are trying to
make us focus on their presentations. This is nothing more than they are
likely to get on the Hill, but the truth is that we get less of this sort of
nonsense with every year that passes. This is just one of the results of our
steady demand over the decades to be taken seriously.

 

The following three articles address this year's seminar and the issues we
brought to the attention of Congress. Robert Campbell and Richard Payne
describe their experiences in Washington, and Deborah Kendrick devoted her
February 1 column to one of our issues. We are reprinting the text of the
column in case you missed it in the Dispatch.

 

Once you have read these articles, it will be your turn to help carry the
load. Each of you has two Senators, George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown. You
also have a member of the House of Representatives. At the moment neither
Senator is a cosponsor of either of the bills that have already been
introduced in the Senate, though I have hope for Sherrod. You can help by
contacting their offices to register your hope as an Ohioan that they will
become cosponsors. Call 202-224-3121, which is the Capitol switchboard. Ask
for the office you wish to reach. The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, our
silent cars legislation, is S. 841. Jonathan McCracken is the staffer in the
Brown office who should hear from you. It is fine to leave a message on his
voicemail. I am in email contact with him, so you can use my name. In
Voinovich's office leave a message or talk with Angela Mikolajewski for this
issue.

 

I do not have a bill number to give you for the Technology Bill of Rights
for the Blind Act in the Senate. We are looking for someone to drop in a
companion bill to H.R. 4533, which Jan Schakowski, D IL, introduced just
before we got to Washington. By the time you are reading this newsletter, we
may have a Senate bill number. If so, we will spread the word about the bill
number, and you can ask to speak with the Senate aide for technology and
request the Senator's cosponsorship. By that time the aides we spoke with
should have passed along the fact sheet on this issue to the technology
aide, so he should know what you are talking about. If not, let me know, and
I will email the fact sheet to the right person. I have emailed Jonathan
McCracken asking him to send the fact sheet to Dan Flave-Novak, Brown's
technology aide, so he should be ready for our calls.

 

Our third issue was the Blind Persons Return to Work Act, S. 2962, which
Chris Dodd and John McCain had just introduced before we hit town. In
Brown's office you want to speak with Moira Lenehan, who does Social
Security issues; in Voinovich's office again ask for Angela Mikolajewski.
Your message is that we need cosponsors.

 

To reach your member of Congress, you can call the Capitol Switchboard and
ask for your member's office. For the silent cars bill, H.R. 734, you can
thank the following members who have already cosponsored the bill: Driehaus,
Kaptur, LaTourette, Ryan, Space, Sutton, and Wilson. If your member's name
is not on this list, ask his or her transportation aide to relay to your
Representative that his or her blind constituents and all others who ever
walk outside need this legislation if they are to be safe.

 

The Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind is H.R. 4533. So far no members
of the Ohio congressional delegation have signed onto this bill. You want
your member to be the first. Give this message to the technology aide.

 

As for the Blind Persons Return to Work Act, H.R. 886, only Ryan has so far
cosponsored from Ohio. Your message to any other Social Security aide is
that you want your member to cosponsor this bill.

 

If you are not confident discussing these bills, fall back on urging the
aide to read the fact sheet. We can send it. Someone in the office has
received it and should already have gotten it to the aide. He or she can go
to nfb.org and read the fact sheets, which are prominently displayed there.
You can ask J.W., Eric Duffy, Deborah Kendrick, or me to talk with the aide.
Mostly the aides just want to know what you want and not what you think.
Please do not decide not to call because you fear that you cannot explain
every little piece of the legislation. You know that these bills are good
for blind people, and that is the message you need to convey. One of the
reasons the NFB is as effective as we are is that our members do get
involved and stand up to be counted. All of our lives would be better if
these pieces of legislation were passed. The twelve of us who went to
Washington have blazed the trail. Now it is your turn to walk it by calling
Congress.

 

Reflections on the Washington Seminar

 

by Robert Campbell

 

Editor's note: Robert Campbell was the recipient of the 2010 Jennica
Ferguson Scholarship at our November convention. He is a first-year law
student at the University of Akron law school. Since this was his first
Washington Seminar, I asked him to write a first-person account of the
event. This is what he wrote:

 

Click, click, click-over five hundred blind people made this sound when they
marched to Capitol Hill to fight for civil rights, independence, and
respect. We had three salient issues to focus on throughout the Washington
Seminar. The first was the problem of silent cars. As blind people we rely
heavily on our hearing to travel safely to our destinations. Blind people
listen for the sound of internal combustion engines to cross the street.
Whether a sound is present or not helps blind people determine whether or
not to cross a street. Because electric and hybrid cars are virtually silent
at low speeds, they create a huge problem for blind people who travel
independently.

 

The second issue the NFB focused on was the need for a Technology Bill of
Rights for the Blind that would mandate that all home and office technology
manufacturers make their products accessible to blind people. We encounter
this problem of lack of accessibility of technology every day when we go to
the grocery store, when we work in offices, and when we go to the
airport-not to mention when we try to operate our home appliances.

 

The last issue we focused on again this year was a revision of the Social
Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Our suggested revisions would
remove the incentive for blind recipients not to work. The current SSDI
program discourages blind people from working by limiting the amount of
money a blind person can earn before losing all of the SSDI stipend and
Medicare benefits. As soon as a blind person earns more than $1640 a month,
he or she will lose the entire stipend as well as Medicare. Our revised SSDI
program proposes a gradual reduction of the benefits as blind people exceed
the amount set by the current SSDI program. For every $3 a blind person
earns above the limit, he or she would lose $1 of benefits.

 

These are the three issues that the NFB introduced to the members of
Congress. In these meetings I felt empowered. Before going to Capitol Hill,
I knew this trip was going to be an experience that I would never forget.
However, I almost backed out on it. I did not want to miss class, and I had
a memo due the following weekend. I recall contacting Barbara Pierce to tell
her to find someone to replace me. Fortunately, Barbara did not return the
call, and in retrospect I think she did that intentionally. But I am
grateful she did not answer the phone because I used the ten hours after
calling her to complete my work. Because I was able to complete a
significant amount of work, I decided to attend the Washington Seminar.

 

As I anticipated, the Washington Seminar was an experience I will never
forget. I was able to meet a lot of wonderful people. I was able to be one
of the voices who spoke for all blind people, and I now have the courage to
continue to fight for civil rights. Although this was my first time
participating in the Washington Seminar, I felt comfortable. All of the
members of the NFB were understanding, informative, and pleasant. I truly
felt I was at home. The members of the NFB are wonderful people, and I
consider myself part of a huge family.

 

Because Congress does not usually listen to blind people, I felt empowered
to be one of the voices that spoke for us. Many blind people assume our
opinions do not mean anything to Congress. But this is not true. All blind
people need is the courage and the strength to make Congress listen.
Throughout the Washington Seminar I was able to make Congress listen. As
blind people we deserve equal rights with those of other people. We deserve
independence. I felt great conveying this message to Congress.

 

Furthermore, I gained courage from the Washington Seminar. As soon as I
returned to school, I spoke with the law librarians about replacing the
touch-screen printer. I should not have to wait until someone is available
to print a document. The law librarians informed me that they will do what
they can. Hopefully, the law librarians now understand how the touch-screen
printer impedes my ability to be independent. I am no longer going to settle
for things that are sub-par and inaccessible.

 

Throughout the entire Washington Seminar the NFB chanted, "Are you
listening?" It felt good to have a message for the members of Congress who
were listening. But for the members of Congress who were not inclined to
listen, the NFB focused their attention. After making them listen, the NFB
gave them a solution to solve the problem of the encroachment on our civil
rights. This is what the NFB is all about-the blind speaking for the blind.

 

A Washington Seminar to Remember

 

by Richard Payne

 

Editor's note: Richard Payne is president of the Miami Valley chapter and a
member of the NFB-O board of directors. In his own laid-back way, he is a
very effective spokesperson on Capitol Hill. He is passionate but funny,
relaxed, but determined to be taken seriously. I thought it would be
interesting to hear from an experienced member of the Ohio team. This is
what he said about this year's Washington Seminar:

 

After getting up early to catch the flight to Baltimore, I found that the
Cincinnati members of the Ohio delegation were not on the plane when I
boarded. Eventually I heard Paul Dressell's voice and felt more at ease. It
turned out that their driver got them to the Dayton airport late, and they
nearly missed the plane. In fact, they would have missed it except that the
aircraft developed mechanical problems.

 

Shortly after they sat down, an announcement was made that we would have to
get off the plane and wait for it to be repaired. Eventually they said we
had to wait for them to get a part from Atlanta. The Air Tran staff finally
put our group on a U.S. Air flight leaving at noon. At last we were on our
way.

 

For those of you who have not been to Washington Seminar, here is a little
taste of what you missed. After standing in a short line to check in to our
rooms, we had just enough time to hang up clothes and get to the meeting
room by 4:00 to get a seat even though the meeting did not start till 5. It
always amazes me that I get so excited to be with other NFB members. I guess
that, while I have been to the Washington Seminar before and have been
around awhile, for me it is like those who go to church on Sunday, a
reviving of the soul. I wish everyone could feel the up-lifting of being
with others who understand the importance of working to change what it means
to be blind. It was good to get to the great gathering-in meeting and hear
so many Federationists who are eager to learn and fight for their rights and
those of others. 

 

After that two-hour meeting we went to dinner together and then to a meeting
in Dr. Smith's room to plan and gather our materials for Tuesday. I kind of
miss Jason Ewell in our group because he would get little things done like
helping people get new key cards. When someone else normally takes care of
such things, we forget to appreciate the convenience. I also want to say
that, the more I have watched the transition of presidents over the last
year, the surer I am that we made the correct decision. The leadership has
made things very comfortable so that everyone can be happy. 

 

The three issues we were discussing with Congress this year were things that
I could relate to and talk about with ease. While we understood them
clearly, trying to convince the House and Senate to get on board by
cosponsoring them turned out to be a big job. Visiting the offices of our
Ohio members, I noticed that everyone had some respect for our issues, but
we have much work to do. We say every year that there is a lot of walking,
but you cannot really understand how true this is until you do it. You can
be sure that the NFB made a great impression on the reps and aides we met
with. They really do want us to bring them issues of concern. The fact is
that what we bring to them should be so important to us that they can hear
it in our presentations and want to join us.

 

The last night we were there I went out with a few NFB friends. While we
were riding around in the taxi, Dr. Smith told the driver he wanted soul
food. The cab driver said in that case he would take us to MacDonald's. I
got a good laugh out of that. I hope you can tell from what I have written
that the Washington Seminar is long hours, hard work, and lots of laughs

 

Appliances, Electronics Should Be Accessible to Blind

 

by Deborah Kendrick

 

Editor's note: The following column appeared in the February 1, 2010,
edition of the Columbus Dispatch. Deborah, who was a member of our
Washington Seminar delegation despite being less than a week away from
hip-replacement surgery, remembered that, with a bit of fancy footwork in
the hotel business center, we could get copies of the article to give to
each office. It turned out to be a great way of making our point that having
home and office technology that we can use is, not just a convenience, but a
necessity and therefore a matter of civil rights. Here is what she said:

 

In 2002 I launched a nine-month project to build my dream kitchen. Walls
were demolished, an addition was constructed, and architects and carpenters
were my daily companions. We traipsed around myriad showrooms and retailers
so I could get my hands on everything from light fixtures to faucets to
windows and doors. It was my project, a dream creation, and my inability to
see pictures or conventional blueprints sparked a certain creativity in
everyone involved.

 

Eventually it was time to shop for appliances. What should have been the
most fun turned out to be the most aggravating. For nearly thirty years I'd
cooked the meals and washed the clothes with old appliances repeatedly
coaxed into service. The prospect of shiny new machines was dizzying indeed.
But finding ones I could operate was a nightmare.

 

I can't see the digital displays or flashing messages on a high-tech clothes
dryer or microwave oven. In lieu of the four push buttons per burner on my
clunky electric range, new ones offered flat panels with no controls
discernible by touch. For years I had counted clicks on turning knobs or
quickly touched the dots I'd glued on to indicate water height, spin cycle,
cooking time, or any manner of other settings essential when operating
machines that wash our dishes and clothes, cook our food, or blend our
margaritas.

 

Eventually I located beautiful appliances that, with a little ingenuity and
assistance, I could adapt for use without vision. My General Electric gas
oven has a grid with a faint raised line forming a square around each
number. When pressed, numbers beep, so that, by listening and counting, I
can set the oven temperature. My Whirlpool washer and dryer have knobs that
rotate, and, by counting clicks or using the Braille marking I have added
myself, I can set the controls. But finding products that would work wasn't
easy, and nonvisual access was not part of the original design.

 

The same challenge presents itself with each piece of consumer electronics I
use. I can't simply buy a TV or DVD player, fax machine or copier based on
its satisfying performance. Instead my shopping centers on controls that can
be felt or have audible feedback.

 

Although I am known among friends as a techno geek, the person always
testing the latest MP3 player or cell phone, the one who knows intricacies
of voice-mail systems and various software applications, I am helpless in
the grips of a flat-screen kiosk for checking in at the airport. The irony
here is that it doesn't cost much to integrate visual or tactile elements
into consumer electronics at the time they are built. And, when those
elements are included, they wind up being used by everyone.

 

A decade ago, for example, Panasonic released a "talking VCR." All of the
menus were voiced when accompanying buttons were pressed on the remote
control. When I called the company's public relations director to inquire,
his response was not uncommon. "I've gotten e-mails or calls from about 150
blind people this week," he told me. "It never occurred to us that blind
people would like this machine. We just wanted to develop a product that was
less intimidating and thought speech would be fun."

 

There are some twelve million Americans whose vision is sufficiently limited
to render digital displays impossible to navigate. The irony is that it
doesn't cost more to build products with a nonvisual interface, not if that
compatibility is included from inception. Some companies do it accidentally,
and some have stepped up to the plate with intention. Apple is a perfect
example of the latter. The company's popular iPhone and new iPad can be used
out of the box with or without sight.

 

So it is that my current hero is Rep. Jan Schakowski, D-Ill., who introduced
House Resolution 4533, the Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind Act. If
passed, this proposed legislation would mandate the establishment of minimal
nonvisual access standards for integration into the interfaces of consumer
electronics and would create an office within the Department of Commerce to
enforce such standards.

 

I don't live in Illinois, so I can't vote for Schakowski. But a lot of blind
people do vote there--and here--and in every other state. And voting
machines, by the way, are equipped with a nonvisual interface so we know
exactly which button to push.

 

Deborah Kendrick is a Cincinnati writer and advocate for people with
disabilities.

 

Marching among the Roses

 

by Macy McClain

 

For over a year just about everyone with any interest in the blindness
community in Ohio has known that the Ohio State School for the Blind
Marching Band had been invited to march in the Rose Parade in Pasadena,
California, on New Year's Day. Our own Macy McClain plays the flute in the
band, and the McClains have been active in fundraising efforts since the
invitation was announced. We asked Macy to tell Buckeye Bulletin readers
about the highlights of her trip to California and the parade. This is what
she wrote:

 

We arrived in Los Angeles, California, very late. Tired and grumpy, but yet
excited. The OSSB marching band headed off to bed in high spirits, hoping
that the week would be a rewarding one. We were going to make history in the
parade, history that has never been made before. We are the only marching
band comprised totally of blind and visually impaired members. We are
thirty-two members strong, with a purpose that says, "We are speaking for
the blind. Let's show everyone what blind people can do." This was what we
were all thinking as we trudged off to our hotel rooms, hoping to get a good
night's rest for the days ahead, which were going to be pretty jam-packed.

 

The next day we attended a Bandfest rehearsal. Bandfest is where all of the
bands that are participating in the parade come together and show off their
musical and marching talents. Joining us were the Pickerington Central
Marching Band and JW Smith's favorite, the Ohio University Marching 110.
After Bandfest our band headed out to Disneyland, "the happiest place on
Earth." (It certainly is!) After a hurried lunch and changing into our
uniforms, we played a half-hour concert for an audience. 

 

After the concert we participated in a jazz workshop conducted by the
principal trombonist of the Los Angeles Symphony. He was really cool; I
heard things that none of my friends who can play trombone do. He played
"Sentimental Journey" by singing and playing at the same time. Gosh I wish I
could do that on flute.We played a couple of songs, one of which was "When
You Wish upon a Star" in a jazz style. We also got a free CD of the music we
played (we were at a live recording studio; how cool is that!) 

 

After the workshop, due to time constraints and lack of organization from
Disneyland, we did not have very much time to explore the park. Some kids
didn't get a chance to put food into their stomachs. But it was good for me
because I got fuel. I was mad that I didn't get to do anything, but the
workshop was great. But hey--at least we got to see fireworks. I also bought
a pair of hoop earrings that are Tigger from "Winnie the Poo." They were so
cute! Tomorrow was going to be one of the biggest days of our lives, so off
to bed we went.

 

December 30th was another huge day for our band. This was "Bandfest Day." We
stood out in the cold for what seemed like years. Cold and wet, angry,
frustrated, excited, nervous, sobbing because her piccolo wasn't working up
to her standards (that was me, by the way): these were just some of the
emotions that we experienced before heading out to Bandfest to play for more
than 3,000 people at Pasadena City College. It was a great experience.
Cameras were everywhere, and of course my parents and two sisters were
there, screaming their heads off until they almost lost their voices. A
cameraman didn't move out of the way in time and almost made my piccolo fly
out of my hand on our last song. Luckily it was okay, though. 

 

After our portion of Bandfest, we watched Pickerington Central (they
dedicated "Amazing Grace" to us), Ohio University Marching 110 (JW, the next
time I see you, I'll have to give you a million hugs, because OU is one of
my favorite bands now. Thanks.), and of course, OSU. OSU stayed on the
field, and the other three Ohio bands came out. All four of our marching
bands played "Beautiful Ohio" together. It was a great experience, and
having four Ohio bands in the parade was probably the most from Ohio that
we've ever had.

 

  After Bandfest all of the bands got to try In And Out Burgers (they are so
much better than McDonald's), then headed off to get our picture taken at
the Rose Bowl stadium. After the photograph (it was so cold!), we headed to
the float decorating tents to watch the final touches being added to the
floats. We were not able to actually touch the floats (kind of surprising, I
know), but it was really cool because we got to see what some of the floats
were made out of besides roses. We saw cotton and certain types of seeds.
They had to glue each seed or cotton on to the float. Talk about having
patience. 

 

We also went to the Santa Monica Pier; while there, we went to a pep rally
for OSU. There we had seafood at a restaurant called Bubba Gumps. (Run,
Forest, run!) We went to the Grammy Museum as well. We saw lots of different
exhibits displaying different musicians. There was a huge exhibit there of
Michael Jackson. We went to a dinner buffet dance. It was pretty fun, and I
hung out with some people from different bands. The Rose Parade was one of
my top highlights, however. All of the energy that the crowd gave us was
fantastic. Plus there were tons and tons of people watching on television. I
called the Wright State University flute professor, and he saw it. (He is
going to look on YouTube for me.) The first three miles went by very quickly
for me. But the last 2 1/2 were pretty grueling. 

 

All of that work and commitment certainly paid off. I appreciated all of the
contributions that people have made towards making this big event happen for
us. We were the ninth unit in the parade, which was good because we were
right in the beginning. We were right behind the Lions Club band and float.
After the parade we went to the Rose Bowl game (OSU vs. Oregon). Thank
goodness we won! After the game we went to a Medieval dinner and watched as
knights on their horses battled other knights with swords until one knight
was left standing. My knight won, which was the red knight. I got to meet
him and have my crown signed by him and got a picture taken with him. 

 

The next day we traveled to Universal Studios and had all day to explore all
of the rides, movies, etc. I went on a mummy ride and the Simpsons ride.
Then we went to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner and then proceeded to the
airport to catch our flight home. I was sad to leave California because of
the warm weather, but at the same time I was ready to go back home and back
to being a normal teenager. I got interviewed and photographed so many times
that I told my grandmother it was like paparazzi following us. I got a
first-class seat by accident at the airport. So did two of our marching
assistants. I had a very good time overall out in California. It was a trip
that I will never forget.

 

Technology Corner

 

by Eric Duffy

 

Editor's note: Eric Duffy, NFB of Ohio first vice president, is our very own
technology expert. He is sales manager for Universal Low Vision Aids, and he
writes a column in every issue of this newsletter addressing some technology
matter that is of importance and interest to any blind person who uses
access technology. This is what he says this time:

 

I am devoting this column to the BrailleNote Apex. But before we get to the
glitz and glamour of this new product, a little history is in order.

 

It was the summer of '89, and I was about to start a new job. I knew very
little about computers, but I knew I needed something to help me organize
information for work. I borrowed a Braille 'n Speak from a friend and taught
myself to use it. If I remember correctly, the manual was on cassette. I was
frustrated while learning to use the device, but I could input and retrieve
information in Braille, and that was really all I cared about. I had the
ability to deal with information more efficiently than ever before.

 

Yet I still wanted a Braille display, and I didn't have to wait too long to
get it. Just a few years later the Braille Lite became available. This was a
Braille 'n Speak with a little more power but most of all a Braille display.
We called this family of products notetakers, and they weren't much more
than that. It was only possible to get onto the Internet using an external
modem.

 

>From the Braille Lite I moved on to the original PAC Mate. Once again I was
without a Braille display. The PAC Mate was a Windows-based unit, and
Freedom Scientific marketed it by saying we would be able to use
off-the-shelf software and hardware. They said that, if you knew JAWS and
Windows, you knew the PAC Mate.

 

The learning curve was longer than they said it would be. I did not actually
purchase a PAC Mate until Freedom Scientific came out with a removable
Braille display to attach to it. The PAC Mate evolved as a result of Freedom
Scientific's effort to keep up with and ultimately get the jump on HumanWare
and its BrailleNote product. I for one bought into the hype about being able
to use off-the-shelf hardware and software. StreetTalk was a great example
of just how completely that promise did not materialize.

 

 

StreetTalk was Freedom's GPS solution. They made a program called Destinator
accessible. Destinator is primarily used in Europe, and at the time
StreetTalk was introduced it was used only by drivers. Those of us who
bought StreetTalk were told that Destinator would soon be updated to work in
pedestrian mode and that we would then receive an upgrade to StreetTalk. In
fact I purchased a software maintenance agreement for StreetTalk. It turned
out that the PAC Mate was modified before we ever saw an upgrade to
StreetTalk, so the promise was empty and the maintenance agreement
worthless. In my opinion the PAC Mate Omni was merely an expensive Windows
upgrade. Yes, we got a little faster processor and once again a lot of
promises about StreetTalk, but that was all.

 

I found the PAC Mate sluggish and often unresponsive. I wanted a GPS
solution, so I made the decision to get a BrailleNote mPower BT32. All of my
concerns about the BrailleNote's operating using Keysoft, a proprietary
operating system, and therefore unable to keep pace with the PAC Mate, which
runs on Windows, were unfounded. The BrailleNote mPower was lighter than the
PAC Mate but still heavier than I would have preferred. However, it was easy
to learn and easy to use.

 

In late October 2009 I first saw the BrailleNote Apex. As soon as I touched
it, I said, "I have to have this." It is small and lighter than any other
product with similar capacity that I have ever seen. Not only is it nice to
the touch, but I'm also told that it looks sleek and contemporary as well. I
like the feel of the keyboard, and it is somewhat quieter than both the
mPower and the PAC Mate.

 

Unfortunately, I think HumanWare is guilty of rushing to get the product out
and has not assured quality of production. I have a BrailleNote Apex BT32.
This means that I have a Braille keyboard and a thirty-two-cell Braille
display. Many people who want the QWERTY keyboard have been waiting for
their units for quite some time. I know of at least three BT units that have
been returned as out-of-the-box failures. Like many other companies,
HumanWare has taken the hurry-up-and-buy approach to sales, but they have
failed to hurry up and deliver.

 

I think the BrailleNote Apex is something well worth waiting for. As
consumers we must hold a hard line in our expectations of high-quality
products. We must also demand timely and reliable repairs, and here is where
I think HumanWare has most fallen short. It has not lived up to the
assurances given by its CEO at the NFB convention in Detroit last summer to
provide two-week turn-around on repairs.

 

Despite these shortcomings I like the BrailleNote Apex. Consider the
following comparison chart. Better yet, get your hands on the Apex, and see
what you think.

 

White Cane Walk in Cincinnati a Success

 

by Deborah Kendrick

 

Editor's note: October is Meet the Blind Month, and Cincinnati has developed
an event that both educates city officials and educates the public about the
abilities of blind people and the very real ways sighted people can make
life harder for us. Here is Deborah Kendrick's description of the 2009
event. Other chapters, take note:

 

Despite the prediction of more miserable weather-rainy, wet, and cold-about
two dozen intrepid supporters showed up on Fountain Square in Cincinnati for
our October 15 White Cane Safety Day in Cincinnati. Joining the several
Federationists were two vans carrying employees from the Clovernook Center
for the Blind, two orientation and mobility instructors from the Cincinnati
Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and three members from
Cincinnati's City Council. 

 

Patty Willits, the CABVI O&M instructor who joined us last year, has been
enthusiastic since her attendance and helped spread the word and plan the
route. She brought extra white canes and some blindfolds for interested
sighted people. Councilmember Cecil Thomas, who captured our attention and
hearts in 2007 and 2008 when he used his necktie as an improvised blindfold
and walked the route with a cane, used a real blindfold this year and was
serious about his cane technique. (Susan Guagenti, the other O&M instructor
among us, walked alongside him offering pointers along the way.) 

 

We walked from Fountain Square to City Hall, a route which took us through
the heart of downtown Cincinnati at lunch time on a Thursday, so despite the
promise of rain visibility was high. When we arrived at City Hall,
Councilmember Greg Harris, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory's designee, read
the signed proclamation. "You get both a day and a month," Councilmember
Harris quipped at the conclusion of the reading. Indeed, in Cincinnati
October 15 was proclaimed White Cane Safety Day and October Meet the Blind
Month. 

 

While standing on the steps of City Hall, we presented Councilmember Harris
with a Louis Braille key ring, talked a bit about Braille literacy and
pedestrian safety, and expressed gratitude all round that the rain had not
yet arrived.

 

 

In Memoriam: Liz Haag, May 20, 1922, November 29, 2009

 

by Paul Dressell

 

As far back as any of us can remember until a massive stroke snuffed out the
joyful and engaged spirit that we recognized as Liz Haag, she was a part of
the NFB of Ohio. In an era when most women did not work and most blind
people could not find jobs, Liz was a home teacher working for the Bureau of
Services for the Blind. She and her driver traveled wherever she needed to
go to work with her clients. Mostly she was gentle and kind, but, if she
needed to fight for one of her clients, she could stand up and give the
opposition what for.

 

When writing about Liz Haag, it is difficult not to be impressed by the
extent of her interests-ranging from gardening to visiting churches to
working with clients. Liz took pride in cultivating her roses, doing the
gardening herself. She enjoyed creating Christmas ornaments in beadwork. 

 

Liz traveled the extra mile in serving her clients; in addition to teaching
them various crafts, she helped them to market their work. She did not
shrink at working overtime if it meant that a consumer would receive good
service.

 

Liz lived in a small town; many would have considered this a drawback for
Federation activities. Not Liz. She considered it an advantage because there
were more towns in her area in which to get proclamations enacted. It didn't
matter if they were White Cane Safety Day or Braille Literacy Week
proclamations. Along with her home teaching work, Liz had plenty of
remaining energy to have these proclamations signed and to make sure that
the city officials knew what it was they were proclaiming. We could use an
entire affiliate of Liz Haags. She will truly be missed. 

 

Buckeye Briefs

 

We are delighted to report that we have a new chapter in Springfield. On
October 24 President Smith and Richard Payne and Susan Day of the membership
committee joined interested Springfield residents to form the NFB of
Springfield. The new officers are president, Debbie Baker; vice president,
Shaun Dodson; secretary, Macy McClain; treasurer, Gail Cowan; and board
member, Robert Merkle. Congratulations to the members of our newest chapter.

 

We have a newly redesigned brochure about the affiliate, "About the National
Federation of the Blind of Ohio." These are in full color and should be
useful to your chapter when you are doing public education. President Smith
has the brochures, so contact him if you need them.

 

Richard Payne reports that the NFB of Miami Valley conducted elections on
November 14 with the following results: president, Richard Payne; vice
president, Vince Fugate; secretary, Karen Noles; treasurer, Gus White; and
board member, Vince Boykin.

 

On November 9 the NFB of Lake County met to elect officers and make plans
for the coming year. Elected were president, Anne Marble; vice president,
Virginia Mann; secretary, Barb Fohl; and treasurer, Joel Sarich.

 

October 16 the NFB of Cleveland conducted elections with the following
results: president, William Turner; vice president, Joanne Williams;
recording secretary, Anita Psomas; corresponding secretary, Annie Dixon;
treasurer, Paula King; sergeant at arms, Henry Butler, and board members,
Cheryl Fields and Effie Scott. Hold-over board members are Billie Graham and
Evelyn McLean.

 

Here is the announcement that RSC Administrator Michael Rench made about the
new BSVI director. Dan Connors has been on the job now for several months
and in fact introduced himself to us at our January 23 board meeting:

 

Dan Connors has accepted the offer to become director of the Bureau of
Services for the Visually Impaired. Dan is a certified rehabilitation
counselor who will bring innovative thinking and strong leadership skills to
his position as director. He is currently serving as a BSVI vocational
rehabilitation supervisor in the Cleveland area. 

 

Dan started his career with RSC as a BSVI intern in 2000 and was a BVR
counselor from 2001 to 2003. He went to the private sector for a brief
period between 2003 and 2004 and then returned to RSC as a BSVI counselor.
In 2006 he was promoted to BSVI vocational rehabilitation supervisor and has
served in that capacity ever since. Dan has an undergraduate degree from
Penn State University and master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from
Bowling Green State University. 

 

Richard Payne, president of the Miami Valley chapter, writes to report that
the chapter had its second annual banquet in December:

 

The theme was Braille and the use of Braille. I would like to thank our
state president, first vice president, Paul Dressell, and Debbie Baker for
their attendance and Macy McClain, who set things going with her singing
talent. Her speech was right on point. Her proud mom was also a speaker and
told us some very good things about Macy and Braille. They say that there is
strength in numbers, and together we will get it done. Again, to those who
came from Columbus and Cincinnati, thanks for coming. We think the event
went well, and we look forward to the third banquet next December.

 

The Capital Chapter had a potluck Christmas dinner on December 19 that was
very well attended. We also hosted a Christmas party for the junior high and
high school students at the Ohio State School for the Blind. We had pizza,
soft drinks, and dance contests. We want to thank Jeff and Michelle Tolle
for contributing the soda, and the Lorain County and Cincinnati chapters for
their financial support of the event.

 

We are deeply sorry to report the death on January 16, 2010, of Virginia
Mann, former Lake County chapter president, Ohio seniors division president,
and member of the NFB of Ohio board of directors. Virginia had been fighting
the effects of diabetes for a number of years. She first came to us as a
result of diabetic retinopathy. She was never one to sit down and feel sorry
for herself. If she had lost her vision, there were bound to be things she
could do to help other blind people. She began by helping to establish a
support group for seniors losing vision, but she soon wanted more challenge.
She found the NFB and became the first president of the Lake County chapter.
She traveled with us to Washington to work on Capitol Hill and to Baltimore
to learn how to organize possibilities fairs for blind seniors. Virginia
wasn't flashy, but she knew how to organize things and events, and she could
charm people into doing what she knew had to be done. We are all richer for
having known and loved Virginia, and we will have to work very hard to make
up for her loss. Her husband Pete and her Daughter Deb are in our thoughts
and prayers.

 

At its January 25, 2010, meeting, the National Federation of the Blind of
Cincinnati held election of officers with the following results: president,
Paul Dressell; vice president, Sheri Albers; secretary, Deborah Kendrick;
and treasurer, Judy Cook. 

 

On January 24 the NFB of Lorain County reelected its officers: Sherry Ruth,
president; Phil Copeland, vice president; Bob Pierce, secretary; and Pat
Standen, treasurer.

 

On February 8 NFB-O's Secretary Deborah Kendrick underwent hip-replacement
surgery in Cincinnati. Becoming a bionic woman is bound to slow her down
somewhat for the next couple of months, but at this writing she is doing
well in rehabilitation. 

 

Fred Lotze of the Stark County chapter reports that his wife Pauline will
celebrate her 82nd birthday on April 1. Anyone who would like to send
Pauline a birthday card can send it to Pauline Lotze, 836 34th St. NW, Rm
424, Canton, OH 44709.

 

Calendar

 

February 1, to April 30, Onkyo Braille Essay Contest

 

March 1, deadline for Junior Science Academy applications

 

March 31, deadline for national scholarship applications

 

April 14, deadline for Jernigan Fund convention scholarship applications

 

April 24, spring NFBO board meeting, Toledo

 

May 1, deadline for submitting convention assistance forms

 

May 1, deadline for NFB of Ohio scholarship applications

 

May 15-22, White Cane Recognition Week

 

July 3-8, national convention

 

July 28 to August 1, Junior Science Academy first session

 

August 4 to 8, Junior Science Academy second session

 

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