[Nfb-editors] New Mexico's QUE PASA June issue 2012

Tue Jun 12 12:59:19 UTC 2012

QUE PASA

June 2012

Quarterly newsletter of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico

(Published in March, June, September, and December)

Adelmo Vigil, President

E-mail: Avigil74 at gmail.com

(575) 434-8391

James Babb, Editor

E-mail: jim.babb at samobile.net

(505) 792-9777

Tonia Trapp, Assistant Editor

E-mail: Tonialeigh513 at earthlink.net

(505) 856-5346

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREAMBLE

EDITOR'S NOTES

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

THE BANQUET OF THE 2012 NFB OF NEW MEXICO STATE CONVENTION

MY MEMORIES OF RAY MARSHALL

WALK THE WALK

A FREE LIFETIME PASS TO NATIONAL PARKS

NEWS FROM THE WEST MESA CHAPTER

NEWS FROM ALAMOGORDO

CHAPERONING

TAKE IT SLOWLY

GOOD EATING

USEFUL WEBSITES

MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PREAMBLE

The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico (NFBNM) 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 own 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 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 New Mexicans about the abilities and
aspirations of New Mexico's blind citizens.

(Adapted from NFB of Ohio newsletter.) 

EDITOR'S NOTES

I'll start by saying some thanks. Thanks to my lovely wife Mary who has
helped me so much in producing this Newsletter for about 10 years and now
has asked to retire from those duties. 

Thanks to Tonia Trapp who has volunteered to take over Mary's duties.

Thanks to all of you who have contributed to this issue and past issues of
Que Pasa. Without those contributions there would be no newsletter. I'd like
to welcome Adelmo Vigil as our new State President. 

and finally with sadness and honor:

Even though Ray has gone away

Our memories are here to stay 

A true Federationist thru and thru

And so generous to me and you

He always, always did his best

To help us in our Quest

To change what it means to be Blind 

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

By Adelmo Vigil, President, NFB of NM

Greetings,

We would all agree that we had a great convention in April. The topics were
great and it was an honor to have Dr. Marc Maurer, National Federation of
the Blind President and our first lady Patricia Maurer at our state
convention. Many topics were discussed but one that stands out is the one
about chapter building and the idea of creating  a chapter at large in the
New Mexico affiliate. I understand we had 129 attendees register for our
convention this year. I want to thank Christine Hall and everyone who helped
make this convention a success.

Thanks to Christine and Art for attending the Kiwanis Club Luncheon where
they accepted a grant in the amount of $1,000 for our state affiliate.
Christine also spoke to the Seniors at the New Mexico Commission for the
Blind Skills Center in Albuquerque.

In May I had the privilege to attend a leadership seminar in Baltimore at
our National Federation of the Blind center. The seminar was very
informative and energizing, and it gave us the opportunity to learn from
each other. I look forward to the opportunity to share the ideas with our
New Mexico affiliate.

On Monday, May 14, the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico board
met by conference call to make plans for the future. The Board has decided
to create a chapter at large in New Mexico. We will be working on this in
the next month. We are also planning to conduct a leadership training
seminar in the fall for all NFBNM chapters and divisions.

The National Federation of the Blind convention in Dallas is coming up soon.
If you plan to attend the National Convention in Dallas this summer, please
contact your chapter or division president as soon as possible.

Have a great summer, and we will be calling on members of each local chapter
and division to help us move forward and grow as an affiliate. We will
continue to change what it means to be blind for children, youth and adults
of all ages in New Mexico.

THE BANQUET OF THE 2012 NFB OF NEW MEXICO STATE CONVENTION

By Pat Munson

After the silent part of the auction and the social hour, Master of
Ceremonies Art Schreiber introduced those at the head table. He next
mentioned those at the tables of honor who volunteer at Newsline and donate
to the NFB of New Mexico affiliate. We are grateful for all their work.

The Albert Gonzales Public Service Award was presented to New Mexico State
Representatives Danice Picreaux and Yvette Herrell for their work in the
legislature to increase the budget for the New Mexico Commission for the
Blind. They thanked us indirectly as they were unable to attend because of
bad weather.

Affiliate President Christine Hall next presented the President's Award to
Veronica Smith for all her work. She serves as a chapter president and
auction chair. It is NFB members like her who forward our work with a cheery
smile and tons of hard work!

Next Adelmo Vigil presented Christine Hall with an award. She thanked
everyone and further stated that she could not have done the job without all
of our support.

Vickie Buchignani then stepped forward to give a scholarship allowing a
parent Francis DeDios and her blind child Arianna Desally to attend the 2012
NFB Convention in Dallas, Texas. This was followed by the presentation of
two scholarships to college students. Lionel "Toby" Chacon was awarded a
five-hundred dollar Pauline Gomez Educator Scholarship. Derrick Thomas
received a one-thousand dollar scholarship. We thank Ray Marshall for
donating the funding for these scholarships. Without funds we would be
limited in our work. Thanks Ray!

Dr. Maurer, the national representative to this convention and President of
the National Federation of the Blind, talked in his banquet address about
why we belong to the Federation and work so hard to forward our work. He
discussed the births and raising of Mrs. Maurer and his two children. He
also reminded us of how much work the NFB has done to educate hospital staff
that blind parents have the right to take new-born infants home at the same
time as sighted parents. Some uneducated staff think the blind cannot care
for infants, which is wrong. The blind are normal persons; we simply cannot
see.

The evening concluded with the sale of many auction items. They ranged from
many kinds of wine, movie tickets, jewelry, and paintings to a restaurant
gift card.

We thank everyone for coming and for all their work in its planning. Events
like the banquet require many hands to ensure its success. Again, thanks to
all you Federationists and your countless friends.

MY MEMORIES OF RAY MARSHALL

By Tonia Trapp

On May 13 of this year, we lost a dear friend, Ray Marshall, who died at the
age of 62. If Ray were sitting here next to me as I write, I know that he
would want me to warmly greet all of you with an enthusiastic, "Good
morning!" I always loved to hear him say that. It was his signature
greeting, regardless of the time of day. 

My earliest memory of Ray is from 1988. I was a blind swimmer at the
Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Ray was also there. Ray excelled in
sports, especially beep baseball and goal ball. I was only fourteen at the
time, so these are distant memories for me, but I specifically recall Ray's
presence with the team because of his warm and humorous nature. 

The next time I remember spending time with Ray was in 1997 when I came to
Albuquerque for the summer to work as one of the dorm staff for the New
Mexico Commission for the Blind STEP program. Ray took me out for a meal,
and he took me to visit the Explora Museum where I remember seeing what one
of the original switchboard systems looked like (the kind where the
operators actually had to manually manipulate movable pieces into various
holes to connect people to the party they were trying to reach). 

Ray was a very kind and generous person. I had an unexpected opportunity to
witness a very recent example of Ray's generosity just this year, right
before the NFB of New Mexico state convention began. On Thursday evening,
April 12, a small group of our members went out for dinner with President
and Mrs. Maurer at Sadie's. My guess is that there were at least 15 of us
there, possibly more, and Ray was among us. The company was wonderful, the
food was superb, and we all had a fabulous time. Then it was about time for
us all to receive and pay our bills, and much to our amazement and delight,
Ray made a very quiet comment to one of us that he had already taken care of
the bill for everyone. As it turns out, he had been very sneaky on this
occasion and had taken aside one of the restaurant staff shortly after he
arrived and instructed them to give the entire bill to him so he could take
care of it. What an unexpected treat this was, and we all thanked Ray
heartily and enthusiastically for his wonderful generosity in treating all
of us to dinner (and keep in mind we're not talking about just three or four
people, but at least 15 and possibly 20 or so).

Ray has been a very generous supporter of the NFB of New Mexico, and I know
that we are all extremely grateful for his many contributions and all of the
assistance he has provided this affiliate over the years. Here I will give
just a few examples of how Ray showed his loyalty and support to the NFB of
New Mexico: He served as first vice president of the affiliate, and he
served as president of the Albuquerque chapter. He was responsible for
arranging the bus each year that provided transportation to those of us who
marched in the state fair parade. He also contributed regularly and
generously to our scholarship fund. In addition, he participated
enthusiastically in the annual auction to raise money for the scholarship to
send a blind child and their parent to the NFB national convention, and he
was a frequent buyer of auction items. In fact, I remember one year when his
aunt Rosella, who makes beautiful porcelain dolls, donated a doll to the
auction that I really wanted to win. Ray and I were bidding against each
other. Eventually I stopped bidding, so Ray won the doll. He then
immediately brought this gorgeous doll to me and gave it to me, saying that
he wanted me to have it. Imagine my surprise! I was very touched and
grateful for the gift. 

In addition to his work in the NFB, Ray also served in numerous leadership
positions within the blind community. He was a past President of the
Committee of Blind Venders, the entity that represents the venders who are
part of the Commission for the Blind Randolph Sheppard program. He was also
a past member of the Commission's State Rehabilitation Council.

Ray also had an impressive career. He worked for what is now Disabled
Student Services at the University of New Mexico as a counselor for most of
his career. In that capacity, he assisted many blind UNM students to realize
their college dreams. After retiring from UNM, he ran a very successful
vending facility at the main Albuquerque post office. Perhaps his crowning
accomplishment was his service as manager of the Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center facility in Artesia. Ray did a fantastic job overseeing
every aspect of the operations of that very large facility, which feeds over
a thousand people every day. Ray was a very hard worker, and his success in
his multiple careers reflects that.

But Ray didn't spend all of his time working. He was very involved in the
sport of beep baseball, in which he excelled. I found the following write-up
on the website of the National Beep Baseball Association, which I found
compelling:

[Beginning of excerpt.]

NBBA Legend passes -- May 15, 2012

Media Contact:

Kevin Barrett

NBBA Public Relations

Ray Marshall

Albuquerque, New Mexico, --- The National Beep Baseball Association is
sadden to

announce The passing of Ray Marshall. Ray was a long time member of the
NBBA, inductee

to the NBBA Hall of Fame and was known for his outstanding contributions
defensively

to the sport of Beep baseball.

Dan Greene, President of the NBBA stated in a communication to members of
the league,

"At Your next practice, and/or game, please take a moment to remember the
passing

of Mr. Ray Marshall.

The NBBA loses members from our league on a regular basis, but Mr. Marshall
was special.

In an era when the league was trying to define itself, he defined what it
meant to

play Defense. He was, without a doubt, one of the best defensive players to
ever

play our game.

It was my personal privilege to play alongside him once, back in the 1990's,
and

I'm here to tell you, he was one of the best our game has ever produced.

Take a second, and reflect on the people who came before you, who defined
our game,

and, against who, all your efforts will always be judged.

He was, defensively, the best you'll ever see."

[End of excerpt.]

In addition, Ray was also a superior goal ball player. My Internet search to
find specific information about all of the goal ball medals that Ray won did
not yield the information that I was seeking, but I did learn that Ray
played on the U.S. goal ball team that won the world championships in 1982.
Clearly, he excelled in a number of sports and was a superb athlete.

In conclusion, Ray contributed much of his time and energy to helping others
and increasing athletic, educational, and employment opportunities for blind
people. He will be greatly missed.

Ray's obituary from the Albuquerque Journal follows:

Ray D. Marshall

Ray passed away on May 13, 2012. He was predeceased by his sister, Prudence
Ann Bustamante

and granddaughter, Holly Marie Jarosick. Ray is survived by his father's:
Raymond

Bustamante and Neil Marshall; mother: Viola Marshall; sons: Andre Marshall
and wife

Amanda, and Neil Marshall; daughter: Barbara Jarosick and husband Tim;
sister: Mary

Lou Borth; granddaughters: Marianne Jarosick; grandsons: Timmy Jarosick and
Anthony

Jarosick; godson: Kenneth Trujillo; aunt: Rosella Cordova; and special
friend, Pam

Carrasco.

He graduated from the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
and received

his bachelor's degree from the University of New Mexico and retired from UNM
as student

program advisor. Ray was a member and chairman of the Committee of Blind
Vendors,

an inductee of the Beep Ball Hall of Fame, a dining hall contract manager of
the

Federal Law Enforcement Center in Artesia, a member of the National
Federation of

the Blind, a former president of the New Chapter of the Federation of the
Blind,

and an assistant team leader, and member of the board for the United States

Association of Blind Athletics. Ray was a three-time gold medal winner in
goal ball.

A Viewing and Visitation will be on Friday, May 18th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. in
the Reflection

of LifeR Chapel (Washington and Cutler NE) with a Rosary following at 7:00
p.m. A

final Viewing and Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, May 19th at
9:00 and

10:00 a.m. at St. Therese Catholic Church followed by a Graveside Service at
Mt.

Calvary Cemetery. Pallbearers are Timmy Jarosick, Anthony Jarosick, Ken
Trujillo,

Carlos Cordova, Tom Cordova, George Watson, Tim Jarosick and Luke Griego.
Contributions

may be made to the Lions Club.

WALK THE WALK

By Nancy Burns

Membership recruitment is an ongoing and challenging problem for most any
organization. While working with membership growth and strengthening within
the National Federation of the Blind, one might want to consider two
questions. First of all, why would any individual want to join such a local
chapter, and secondly, why would one NOT want to join a group of blind or
visually-impaired individuals?

The answers to these two questions are as varied and numerous as the
personality traits of those being considered for membership. For many,
particularly those experiencing recent vision loss, it is a matter of
denial. Such people have not realized the need for introduction to
positive-thinking and active blind people. These individuals may fall down
stairs, run into obstacles, and may admit that they are unable to read the
paper, but they are not "blind."  They just do not see very well. Because of
existing stereotypes and inaccurate perceptions of blindness which exist in
society, the admission of blindness is painful for many. It is an ongoing
and constant effort of the NFB to erase or clarify these false impressions.
Such an endeavor is difficult. So what is the solution and how do we reach
those who are uncomfortable joining the ranks of thousands of people who
believe that it is respectable to be blind? 

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In my opinion a single
act by a confident blind person can have a long-lasting influence on one of
these people who are not blind but just do not see well. As blind people we
are ambassadors of education, independence, and hope for such people. My own
introduction to the NFB occurred when I was just a teenager. I reluctantly
attended a local chapter meeting in Los Angeles and was taken there by a
blind woman who used her white cane to navigate the two of us through the
busy L.A. traffic. Once we arrived at the home of the woman who was hosting
the meeting, she greeted us, showed us to a seat and provided us with
refreshments during a short break. It was after the meeting that I learned
that Dr. Isabelle Grant was blind. The group was comprised of people who had
varied talents and interests. There were students who were working toward
such goals that I had never considered possible. There was a woman with a
small child on her lap. One gentleman repaired small engines and another was
an auto mechanic. All of these people had used public transportation,
successfully traversing the busy Friday evening traffic. This was prior to
the days of paratransit. What an eye-opening, no pun intended, experience
this was for me. As a totally blind high school student I had no idea of the
possibilities that this one meeting opened up for me. I was hooked. 

Dr. Grant became a most influential person in my adjustment to blindness.
She was a tiny bundle of energy who referred to herself as Scottish, not
Scotch, which she said that is what one drinks. She encouraged me to take
the prerequisites for college; without her influence I doubt I would have
attended college at all. Recognizing the power of education in all aspects
of life, she mentored and guided many blind and visually-impaired
individuals. The introduction to her and the NFB at that first meeting I
attended changed the direction of my life. 

My advice to members and officers who are focusing on membership growth and
strengthening is to inventory your own independence skills and determine if
they would appeal to a perspective member. You and your confidence hold the
key to attracting new members. 

A FREE LIFETIME PASS TO NATIONAL PARKS

By Jim Babb, Editor

If you are blind or permanently disabled, you will qualify to receive the
America The Beautiful Card. You would normally pay $20.00 per day to visit
Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Bandelier National Monument or any of 400 other
national parks, forests and monuments. This lifetime card is free. I got
mine by going to the Visitor Center at the Grand Canyon. It was obvious I
was blind since I had my white cane. An application was filled out and I
received my card. 

You can get this card in Albuquerque by visiting the Forest Service offices
at 333 Broadway SE, or 2113 Osuna NE. Fill out the application and obtain a
note from your doctor stating that you are permanently disabled. If you have
an obvious disability, you may not need the note. Usually the white cane,
guide dog, wheelchair, etc. is OK. 

NEWS FROM THE WEST MESA CHAPTER

By Veronica Smith, President, West Mesa Chapter

The West Mesa chapter has had a good year already. In January we concluded
our Braille Readers are Leaders contest with 2 first-place winners, Francine
Garcia in the advanced category and Veronica Smith in the beginners. In
March we had a breakfast fundraiser where we enjoyed breakfast burritos from
Hurricane's, sweet rolls, fruit, coffee and juice. For some reason, that
particular day, the church where we have our meetings moved us into a very
small room that comfortably sits 15 people, however, 30 members crowded in
and enjoyed each other's company.

This month, May, we conducted our yearly elections. The presidency stayed
the same, as did the vice president and treasurer. Veronica Smith, Caroline
Benavidez and Raquel Aguirre welcomed our new secretary Francine Garcia and
our new board member Nancy Burns.

Over the next few months, the West Mesa chapter will plan some activities: a
summer BBQ, a swimming party, the State Fair Parade, and a Christmas party.

In addition to all of this, we are always here teaching inquiring minds
about blindness!

NEWS FROM ALAMOGORDO

By Kay Boyd, Vice President, White Sands Chapter

The White Sands chapter of NFBNM held elections with the following results:

President - Larry Hayes

Vice-President - Kay Boyd

Secretary - Ray Thomas

Treasurer - Soledad Vigil

Board Members:  Larry Lorenzo and Bea Thomas

The White Sands chapter meets in Alamogordo the third Tuesday of each 

month at 5:30 PM. We are currently meeting at Peppers Restaurant   for 

a dinner meeting. For more information, call Kay Boyd, 575-437-3899. 

We are planning a picnic and another "Meet the Candidates" forum in the
fall. We have the honor of having the president of NFBNM, Adelmo Vigil, as a
chapter member. Among our new members are Lucy Alexander, director of the
Adult Orientation Center  for the Blind, Joni Martinez, president of NABS
and several students from the Orientation Center. In case you missed it,
which I doubt, we won the Meet the Blind Contest for our Concert in 2011. We
invite anyone from Otero County or the surrounding area to the meetings.

CHAPERONING

By Veronica Smith, President, West Mesa Chapter 

On Friday March 9, I volunteered to be a chaperone in my daughter's
6th-grade science class.

On one hand I am glad I went. On the other hand, I don't think I will ever
do it again. We went to what is called the 3 Sisters Volcanoes, which is
west of the Double Eagle Airport. Like the name says, 3 volcanoes side by
side, each a little taller than the other. My group consisted of 6 kids, my
own being one of them. The first question the kids asked Gabriella was, "If
your mom is blind, how can she be a chaperone?"  The answer my daughter gave
was, "Just like other moms."

So we went. The first climb was not so hard. Although we did have to climb
over some boulders, we made it to the top without incident. Though a funny
thing, my daughter's teacher told me before we left the bus area that
another teacher would accompany us. As we headed out, the other teacher was
putting something away and she said she would catch up to us. We never saw
her again until close to the end of the day. At that time, she said, "Wow,
you guys move really quick and I could not catch up," thus she lost us.

The second volcano was harder and steeper. Wow, I would have to put my cane
up on the next level and climb up over the boulders, over and over, and each
level we climbed my daughter would say, "Wow this is high," and I would say,
"don't look down."  Note to self:  you are too old for this adventure.

By the time we got down from that freaky volcano, I was exhausted as were
the girls, but the boys wanted to climb the last volcano which was steeper
and bigger and more treacherous. I asked another teacher to take my place
and they did, and the girls and I headed back to the bus area.

The hike back was just under a mile and the wind had begun by then, and oh
my goodness, was it ever cold.

As my daughter said, I did it like the other parents and I didn't complain
(I said some bad words, but I didn't complain.) Haha So my daughter's
friends asked why I didn't go straight home after the field trip. She wanted
me to go to the last 2 classes with her. My daughter told them it was close
to the end of the day, she wanted me to stay and her friends said, "She
could of just driven home, right?"  Right!

TAKE IT SLOWLY

By Richard Derganc

I have experienced a few new truths.

Some hard-won, some by sloth.

The newly blind have lots to learn.

So strain your senses, there are skills to hone.

One, don't rush, it takes more time.

You're operating with one sense less.

You lost the big one, I do confess. 

So listen more concertedly to the rest.

Two, wear a hat, the peak projects,

Without it my nose would be a mess.

You must develop the bat-like sense,

Of what is about to retard your forward progress.

Three, I put it there, yesterday.

I expect it there to remain. 

That may work if you live alone,

I hope you don't, so explain your needs.

Four, open and close your own car door.

You need the special repertoire.

Sighted people don't know why.

State your reasons, they will comply.

Five, think like you're sighted, easier if you once were,

Behave like you're blind, by letting others know. 

They will be tempted to "over-help" you.

Impress them with all that you learned to do.

GOOD EATING

Diabetic 10 Layer Salad

>From Veronica Smith

INGREDIENTS

-  2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce

-  1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage

-  1 medium red or green bell pepper, sliced

-  1 cup broccoli or cauliflower florets

-  1 cup sliced mushrooms

-  1 cup sliced carrots

-  1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

-  1/2 cup sliced cucumber

-  1/2 cup sliced red onion

-  Herbed Sour Cream Dressing (ingredients to follow) *optional*

-  Finely chopped parsley leaves, as garnish

Herbed Sour Cream Dressing Ingredients:

-  3/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise

-  3/4 cup fat-free sour cream

-  2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

-  1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves

-  1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves

-  1/4 teaspoon salt

-  1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

Arrange lettuce in bottom of 1-1/2-quart glass bowl; arrange remaining
vegetables in layers over lettuce.

Make the dressing by mixing all Herbed Sour Cream Dressing ingredients in
small bowl (makes about 1-1/2 cups).

Spread Herbed Sour Cream Dressing over top of salad and sprinkle with
parsley.

Refrigerate, loosely covered, 8 hours or overnight. Toss before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 68; Protein: 3 g; Sodium: 380 mg;

Carbohydrates: 15 g; Fat: 0.4 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg

Exchanges: 1-1/2 Vegetable

Yield: 8 servings

Sunflower Strawberry Salad

>From Veronica Smith

Note: I used dried cranberries instead of the regular raisins, and I used
fat free yogurt. It was so good, thought I'd share.

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 medium apple, diced

1 cup seedless green grapes, halved

1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup strawberry yogurt

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Lettuce leaves, optional

In a large bowl, combine strawberries, apple, grapes, celery and raisins.

Stir in yogurt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Add sunflower
seeds and toss; serve on lettuce leaves if desired. Serves 6.

Jo Ann's Appetizers

Submitted by Kay Boyd

Ingredients:

1 jar of asparagus in wine

1 dozen thin flour tortillas, medium size

1 pkg. cream cheese

1 lb. good salami or ham

Preparations: 

Spread cream cheese on each tortilla. Cover with salami and

1 asparagus, roll them up, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Then cut in thirds
diagonally and enjoy.

USEFUL WEBSITES

www.amazon.com/access

This is the screenreader-friendly version of Amazon for online shopping.

www.appolicious.com

Go here to find/read about new apps for your smart phone.

www.nahb.org

Go here to find an aging-in-place specialist. This could be an alternative
to a retirement center.

www.reputation.com

Go here to get ratings on doctors, dentists, lawyers, plumbers, etc. 

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Help Line

(Toll-Free) 1-855-787-2227 

This is a help line for passengers with disabilities who may have special
needs or circumstances related to air travel. This could include, for
example, the need to carry oxygen, diabetic supplies, etc. You may want to
call ahead to ease your passage through the security screening. Call at
least 72 hours before your flight. 

MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

June 30-July 5: NFB National Convention, Dallas, Texas

September 15: New Mexico State Fair Parade, Albuquerque

October 6-October 14: International Balloon Festival, Balloon Park,
Albuquerque 

October 15: National White Cane Safety Day

November 4: Daylight Savings Time ends

November 6: Election Day

November 11: Veterans Day

November 22: Thanksgiving Day

Robert Leslie Newman

President, NFB Writers' Division

Division Website

 <http://www.nfb-writers-division.net/> http://www.nfb-writers-division.net

Chair, Communications committee

Personal Website-

 <http://www.thoughtprovoker.info/> http://www.thoughtprovoker.info