[Nfb-editors] Senior Division newsletter

[David Andrews]

>
>Below is the latest newsletter for the NFB Senior Division.
>
>Newsletter
>
>
>
>National Federation of the Blind Senior Division
>
>
>
>Winter-Spring 2012
>
>
>
>Volume thirteen Number one
>
>
>
>President, Judy Sanders
>
>111 Marquette Ave. South apt. 403
>
>Minneapolis, MN 55401
>
>Telephone: 612-375-1625
>
>e-mail: jsanders.nfb at comcast.net
>
>
>
>Submit inquiries to Ms. Sanders, at the above address.
>
>
>
>Read by Will Schwatka
>
>
>
>Editor, Pat Munson
>
>10501 Lagrima de Oro NE apt 139
>
>Albuquerque NM 87111
>
>phone 505-291-3139
>
>e-mail pat.munson at comcast.net
>
>
>
>Articles for the National Federation of the 
>Blind Senior Division, newsletter should be sent to: Ms. Munson.
>
>
>
>
>
>Table of Contents
>
>
>
>President's Message
>
>By Judy Sanders
>
>
>
>My Life
>
>by Larry Sebranek
>
>
>
>Mission Accomplished
>
>By Nancy Burns
>
>
>
>Learning to Use a White Cane as a Senior
>
>by Jonathan Ice
>
>
>
>Deborah Kendrick Commentary
>
>
>
>I'm a Newly Blind Senior
>
>by Bill Madden
>
>
>
>Full Speed Ahead
>
>by Art Schreiber
>
>
>
>Working with Blind Seniors in Support Groups
>
>by Rebecca Irvin
>
>
>
>Lawrence Muzzy Marcellino a Fantastic NFB Mentor
>
>by Pat Munson
>
>
>
>NFBSD Board Member Tells about Her Life
>
>by Margo Downey
>
>
>
>A Garden from the Rubble
>
>by Patrick and Trudy Barrett
>
>
>
>This and That
>
>
>
>President's Message
>
>By Judy Sanders
>
>
>
>I begin this message with an important 
>announcement.  This is our last newsletter 
>produced on cassette. You may be aware that 
>cassettes are no longer available for purchase 
>making it necessary to find other means of 
>delivery. Future newsletters can be read in two ways:
>
>
>
>We will post it on our listserv. You can 
>subscribe to it by sending an e-mail to
>
>Nfb-seniors-request at nfbnet.org
>
>
>
>Put the word "subscribe" in the subject line by 
>itself. You will receive an e-mail asking you to 
>confirm that you do indeed want the subscription.
>
>
>
>The other way to access this newsletter will be 
>on NFBNEWSLINE® This is the NFB's nationwide 
>free service offering several hundred newspapers 
>and magazines through our telephones or 
>computers. For example, all of AARP's magazines 
>can be read through this service. To learn how to sign up call 866-504-7300.
>
>
>
>Now is the time to make your plans for showing 
>up in Dallas, Texas for the convention of the 
>National Federation of the Blind--and in 
>particular the activities of this Senior 
>Division. On June 30 in the afternoon we will 
>sponsor a seminar where we will have a 
>discussion about opportunities for blind 
>seniors. The seminar, entitled "We're still 
>learning and teaching", will examine blindness 
>from the view point of newly blind seniors and 
>those of us who have been blind for many years. 
>All are welcome and it is not necessary to register in advance.
>
>
>
>On Monday, July 2, we will have our business 
>meeting with more speakers of interest. Once 
>again, we will have our hugely popular 
>"not-so-silent" auction. You can donate items, 
>bid on your favorite things and empty your 
>wallets on behalf of the NFB Senior Division. 
>This year's auction is being coordinated by 
>Margot Downey. You can contact her to let her 
>know what you will donate by calling 716-886-0567.
>
>
>
>Come and join us for both activities.  Stay the 
>entire week. For more information about the entire week go to the NFB website:
>
>
>
>www.nfb.org
>
>
>
>Have you ever noticed that our newsletter is 
>nameless?  We want your help in changing this 
>deplorable situation.  We are having a contest 
>to choose the name. If you have a suggestion e-mail it to me at
>
>
>
>Jsanders.nfb at comcast.net
>
>
>
>In the subject line please put newsletter 
>contest.  That way your entry will be 
>considered.  We will announce the winner at our July 3 meeting.
>
>
>
>See everyone in Dallas.
>
>
>
>
>
>My Life
>
>
>
>by Larry Sebranek
>
>
>
>Editor's note: The following was given at a 
>local Idaho chapter meeting. Members were so 
>impressed that Larry was asked to repeat his 
>life's story at the NFB convention.
>
>
>
>I was born in a very small town in Wisconsin. 
>There were over one thousand persons in the 
>area. Like many rural areas decades ago, many 
>families were poor including mine.
>
>Dad did many kinds of odd jobs, but full-time work was not available.
>
>
>
>In small towns vision problems were not noticed 
>when children were very young. Mine was not 
>noticed until I was in the second grade. One day 
>my parents noticed that my two-year-old sister 
>could find the ball faster than I could, they realized something was wrong.
>
>
>
>My parents took me to an eye doctor and I was 
>given glasses; we all thought the problem was 
>solved. Things move slowly so it wasn't until I 
>was in high school that I realized I could not see very well.
>
>
>
>When I finally realized that I could not follow 
>a ball, the other kids or some of them were very 
>unkind. They said things like I could not even 
>see the ball when it was under my feet. What I 
>had was tunnel vision so kids would stick out 
>their feet so I would trip and then they would laugh.
>
>
>
>When it came time to talk about a career, I did 
>not have much of a problem because I could see 
>well enough to drive Dad's tractor up and down 
>the rows and do a good job. But, since the kids 
>had been so mean, I had lost my self esteem so 
>decided to go out and hide on a farm some place.
>
>
>
>When I graduated from high school, Dad decided 
>to buy a farm to provide work for him and me. It 
>was 1961, a very bad time to start farming but 
>we decided to go ahead with the plan. Other 
>farmers were going broke. But, we survived.
>
>
>
>I really did not know the extent of my vision 
>loss until I received a notice from the draft 
>board. I gave the notice to my eye doctor so he 
>could write a letter explaining my blindness. 
>When I read the letter he wrote, I was shocked. 
>It said in part that I had tunnel vision, night 
>blindness and that most likely by age forty, I 
>would be completely blind. That ended my prospects in the military.
>
>
>
>The next 22 years, I did farm, but by age 
>thirty, I had lost my reading vision. At this 
>point my father was doing the tractor work, and I was doing the muscle work.
>
>
>
>In 1984 we had sold the farm and I got a call 
>from the voc rehab counselor. The guy came out 
>and talked to me because I had applied for Social Security Disability.
>
>
>
>When he arrived at my door and was led to a 
>chair I was not encouraged if this was the best 
>a blind rehab counselor could do I had no hope 
>for myself. His lack of mobility was not 
>encouraging. I thought my future looked exceedingly bleak.
>
>
>
>He said that I needed to be evaluated. I told 
>him that I was a farmer and that was all I knew how to do.
>
>
>
>He said that he would send out a home teacher 
>who can help me get set up with talking books and teach me how to use a cane.
>
>
>
>June 6, 1984, a young rehab counselor showed up 
>at my door. Most of you knew her as Cathleen Sullivan.
>
>
>
>She sat me down and said that she saw I was 
>living with my parents. She then asked what I 
>thought I was going to do when they were too old 
>to care for me. I told her that I had a sister 
>who had a bedroom in her basement and that she 
>would be glad to take me in. Cathleen asked if 
>my sister knew about my plan. I said I had not 
>discussed this with my sister, but.
>
>
>
>Cathleen then said that she was going to go to a 
>convention of blind people and asked if I would 
>like to go. I assured her that I wanted nothing to do with blind people.
>
>
>
>About the third lesson she said that I ought to 
>learn Braille. I told her that I had very torn 
>up hands from farming and that as far as I was 
>concerned Braille was out of the picture for my future.
>
>
>
>She did not give up even though I told her that 
>I had recently chewed up my fingers with a table 
>saw. I finally decided that I could feel Braille 
>and learned grade two Braille in six weeks. I 
>was motivated because I needed to know how to read and write.
>
>
>
>As I worked with Cathy, she kept telling me of 
>all the places she went, and that caught my 
>interest. I finally got my courage up and took 
>my first plane ride and attended the 1987 NFB convention in Arizona.
>
>
>
>I soon met a scholarship winner named John Fritz 
>who was also a farmer. Of course, we really hit 
>it off. He also showed me a computer. I had been 
>told many times that I needed to attend a rehab 
>center where I would learn how to use a computer, but I resisted.
>
>
>
>Back in 1985, Cathy said she was going to take a 
>bus to an NFBW board meeting and that the bus 
>was going to go right through my town. So, I did 
>get on that bus. When I got to the meeting, I 
>was very impressed at how serious these blind 
>people were and how much they were 
>accomplishing. I also met a lady named Sue whom I married years later.
>
>
>
>My first state convention was that year and a 
>guy named Fred Schroeder was the national rep. 
>There was a discussion I simply did not 
>understand. NFBW members were complaining about 
>the quality of rehab services. I could not 
>understand what the problem could be because 
>these kindly folks were just trying to help 
>blind people, I thought. As you see, there were 
>times when I had real problems with the Federation.
>
>
>
>What really changed my mind was my first 
>Washington Seminar. I could not believe that an 
>old farm boy like me could be sitting in my 
>Senator's office and that he was taking what I said seriously.
>
>
>
>This whole exposure to the Federation has been a 
>mind changing experience. After I met the 
>Federation my world kept opening to an even 
>broader and broader world. Like many of you, I 
>owe my wonderful life to the National Federation of the Blind.
>
>Note: After he finished speaking his wife asked 
>him to tell the story about why he gave up his 
>driver's license. Larry said that he was driving 
>up a hill at sunset. He was following the yellow 
>line and at a pretty good rate of speed ran 
>right into a county truck. His eye doctor told 
>him that he had better stop driving before he 
>killed himself or someone else so he did.
>
>
>
>Judy asked Larry when he first got married. He 
>said that he was slow to catch on so he was 46. 
>Some time after his first wife died he married 
>Sue and as seniors they really enjoy cruising.
>
>
>
>
>
>MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
>
>By Nancy Burns
>
>
>
>Editor's note: The following is from the NFB of New Mexico newsletter.
>
>As Caroline explained her dream vacation to me, 
>it was probably done with some trepidation since 
>she was inviting me to go along on this 
>adventure.  She spoke of a quaint cabin nestled 
>in the Pecos Mountains close to the river.  She 
>was attempting to rev up my enthusiasm about 
>fishing and hiking when she was aware that my 
>favorite kind of hiking is to the nearest 
>shopping mall.  Don became excited about the 
>trip as he is an avid fisherman and it has been 
>quite some time since he has had the opportunity 
>to drop a line into the water.  We agreed to 
>join the party for this three-day vacation and 
>began to plan and pack.  The big day finally 
>arrived and found Caroline, Diego, Yolanda, Don, 
>and me climbing into the well-packed jeep.  It 
>was determined that Yolanda would serve as the 
>designated driver as she is the only one of us 
>in possession of a valid driver's license and a vehicle.
>
>We drove north through Santa Fe angling east to 
>Glorieta and reaching our destination early that 
>afternoon.  The trip had gone by quickly as the 
>five companionable friends joked and laughed in 
>amused anticipation.  We pulled into the rocky 
>driveway and began the tedious task of unloading 
>what we had just loaded a few hours earlier.  A 
>large screened-in porch surrounded three sides 
>of the building.  Our temporary home was indeed 
>a cabin, an old, log cabin.  The kitchen was 
>rather modern complete with sink, stove, and 
>microwave.  The floors were old, uneven and 
>creaky.  The living-dining room was sizable with 
>a dining room table, couches and several easy 
>chairs.  A fireplace made from local limestone 
>flanked one wall.  Then there was the bathroom; 
>one bathroom for five people.  Oh well, but 
>where will I put my cosmetics?  Just off of the 
>living room was a bedroom with two single beds 
>which was claimed by Caroline and Diego.  A 
>flight of rather steep steps led to the upper 
>level with a king-size bed and a pitched roof, 
>as it was an A frame building.  I probably 
>bumped my head on the ceiling at least once or 
>twice a day as I   forgot to stoop a 
>little.  Rocking chairs were scattered 
>throughout the cabin.  Downstairs one of the 
>couches opened up into a bed but Yolanda chose to sleep on her air mattress.
>
>Three dinner meals had been planned which 
>included one fresh fish dinner, of course 
>depending upon the success of the fishermen.  I 
>had cooked and seasoned some hamburger meat for 
>a taco salad for our first meal.  Fresh fruit 
>and vegetables had been picked up along the 
>way.  Yolanda chopped, mixed, and created a 
>great salsa for the taco salad.  Caroline 
>brought sandwich fixings for lunches and some 
>yummy cookies to go with our morning 
>coffee.  She made coffee each morning and the 
>five of us sat around enjoying the companionship 
>along with her favorite blend of freshly ground coffee.
>
>Pecos is a small mountain community 
>approximately 80 miles north of Albuquerque.  We 
>were within feet from the Pecos River but 
>because of the low water level there was no 
>fishing to be done in that River.  We took 
>several short trips to surrounding areas and 
>located a lake called Monastery Lake.  The lake 
>looked promising for fishing and we decided to 
>check it out more thoroughly later.
>
>During one of these trips we climbed to about 
>10,000 feet into the Aspen-covered 
>mountains.  We were amazed at the details of 
>this trip which were remembered by Diego even 
>though it had been years since he had 
>experienced the terrain visually.  Stepping out 
>of the car, we breathed in the fresh mountain 
>air.  Caroline and I were able to examine a 
>small Aspen tree and checked out its unusual 
>round leaves.  We were surrounded by gigantic 
>Aspens reaching into the sky and far out of our 
>reach.  The baby trees were fun to check 
>out.  Diego fascinated us with stories about how 
>he ranched, worked construction and road 
>horseback through these mountains.  His family 
>is from Santa Fee and we met two of his brothers 
>on the way back toward Albuquerque.
>
>As our last evening approached, we were still 
>anticipating a fish fry.  The five of us 
>returned to Monastery Lake with everyone toting 
>a fishing pole with the exception of me.  I 
>toted my Victor reader and encouragement for the 
>others.  Don was becoming lucky until a couple 
>of fish got away just as he got them to the 
>shore.  One of them he actually got down on 
>hands and knees and grabbed the evasive trout, 
>bringing it out of the water.  We returned to 
>the cabin that evening excited about the 
>upcoming meal.  Don caught, cleaned, and cooked 
>five fish-just enough.  Caroline made some 
>wonderful potatoes in a foil packet and Yolanda 
>washed some giant jalapenos which went along 
>with the other items for the grill.  What a great meal!
>
>The next morning we repacked and loaded supplies 
>along with our bodies into the car.  It was a 
>terrific trip but we were all ready for the 
>return trip home.  We stopped in Santa Fe and 
>there just happened to be an arts and crafts 
>fair along with Indian vendors selling silver 
>and turquoise jewelry-my kind of 
>vacation.  Caroline found earrings and I 
>purchased the turquoise necklace.  After 
>stopping for a cold drink we climbed back into 
>the car and headed south.  On the way home we 
>laughed and joked and reminisced about the three 
>exciting, fun, and relaxing three days.   Our 
>mission had definitely been accomplished.
>
>
>
>
>
>Learning to Use a White Cane as a Senior
>
>by Jonathan Ice
>
>
>
>Editor's note: Mr. Ice is a cane travel 
>instructor with the Iowa Department for the Blind.
>
>
>
>He started by saying that this was the first 
>time he was going to give a presentation using 
>Braille notes. He said he had been what we call 
>a high partial so was just now learning Braille.
>
>
>
>I am not going to make the assumption that all 
>of you are experienced cane users. I want to 
>talk about the value of the cane and how it is best used.
>
>
>
>I did not use a cane until I was in my mid-life 
>although my vision has not changed. I'll explain 
>why I started using a cane. Most of the time I 
>could get around okay; my central vision is not 
>there but I can see around the sides of my eyes. 
>So what if I cannot see things directly in front of me.
>
>
>
>It wasn't until I finally went to an NFB 
>training center and used a cane under a 
>sleepshade that I realized that I had been 
>fooling myself.  I couldn't read signs which 
>caused me a lot of problems. I was trying to get 
>around as a sighted person, but since I had to 
>ask questions which confused sighted persons. 
>They thought I was really odd for asking about 
>signs and so on which were right in front of my face.
>
>
>
>The first answer to the question of using the 
>cane is safety. If a person cannot always see 
>stairs or curbs then the cane is a necessity. I 
>know that I have saved myself from some nasty 
>falls. Also, no matter how blind the person is, 
>when asking for help the sighted person usually 
>will give detailed directions instead of saying 
>that something is over there which has no meaning to a blind person.
>
>
>
>Basically, the cane acts as an antenna. It 
>alerts the blind person of a change in the space 
>ahead on or near the ground. With use the blind 
>person learns to move into the safe place.
>
>
>
>The user does not want to swing the cane in too 
>wide an arc for this provides unnecessary 
>information and does not provide the data in 
>front of the cane. When the cane does find 
>something in the path, a turn or stop is essential.
>
>
>
>Besides using the cane hearing can assist. But, 
>those who have poor hearing can use touching 
>things in the environment as aids.
>
>
>
>It is important to keep the cane on the ground 
>for each step. If the cane is in the air, a curb or step down can be missed.
>
>
>
>I have been asked if I use the same methods with 
>teaching seniors. Since I'm older myself, I 
>realize that I have to use more repetition with 
>older folks. Also, I stay closer to the senior. 
>If I'm working with a person who is 80 and that 
>person falls, it might mean a broken hip. A 
>younger person would usually simply get up and go on.
>
>
>
>I teach my students that if we make a right turn 
>at the corner that when we turn around to return 
>that a left turn will be required. Sometimes I 
>notice that older persons think they know 
>something and they really don't. I just let the 
>senior make the mistake and then figure out it was not a good choice.
>
>
>
>When I get a new student I realize that there is 
>usually a lot of fear of being injured or simply 
>being looked at as a blind person for the first 
>time. However, after time these problems usually abate.
>
>
>
>Some have inquired about using the sleepshade 
>with older persons. I have found that if it is 
>not used the older person does not learn because 
>that limited vision is still used although it did not work well in the past.
>
>
>
>At one point I was teaching a group of seniors. 
>The star of the group was 89. She was safely 
>crossing streets after only four days. She was 
>highly motivated but she always kept safety in 
>her mind. She told the others in the group that 
>if she could do it they could too.
>
>I had one older person who had serious problems 
>and I thought she would have a hard time 
>learning, but she proved me wrong. The part of 
>her brain which had been injured was not affected.
>
>
>
>Another of my older students was having trouble 
>finding her way around her kitchen and I was 
>about to give up on her, but one day she got the 
>hang of the layout. Then we progressed out to 
>the porch, then down the steps and finally 
>around the neighborhood, and visiting was her goal.
>
>
>
>If any of you at this meeting have not used a 
>cane before now you have heard all these stories 
>and might want to give it a try. All agree that 
>the NFB cane and its metal tip are the best, and 
>for most seniors, using a backpack or bags with 
>long handles is good so the hands are free of items.
>
>
>
>
>
>Deborah Kendrick Commentary
>
> From The Columbus Dispatch
>
>Sunday, June 5, 2011
>
>
>
>Editor's note: This article was reprinted in the 
>summer newsletter of the NFB of New 
>Mexico.  Deborah Kendrick is a Cincinnati writer 
>and advocate for people with disabilities. dkkendrick at earthlink.net
>
>
>
>When meeting someone with a disability, some 
>cross the line. There's a certain kind of 
>assault unique to people with visible 
>disabilities. It's an assault on privacy, an 
>overstepping of boundaries, an occasional 
>aberration that can ruin your whole day.
>
>
>
>"Sooo, what happened to you?" is the bluntest, 
>most raw form of the invasion. And it usually 
>catches you off guard. Imagine yourself 
>daydreaming at the swimming pool or riding the 
>bus home from work, and suddenly a stranger is 
>in your face with such a question.
>
>
>
>The sniper-like surprises can occur anywhere. 
>And sometimes they're more specifically directed.
>
>
>
>In an elevator or a doctor's waiting room, a 
>stranger might suddenly ask me, "Is your husband blind, too, or what?"
>
>
>
>Or maybe I'm at an awards luncheon, and after 
>such getting-to-know-you topics as the salad 
>dressing and the hot rolls have been exhausted, 
>the guy beside me might casually inquire, "How'd you lose your sight?"
>
>
>
>It doesn't happen often, but most people with a 
>disability that can be seen know the experience. 
>Gripped by curiosity, complete strangers or 
>acquaintances abruptly demand personal 
>information in a way they would ordinarily 
>consider unthinkable. How did disability strike? 
>Was it accident or disease? And how do you function in such a state?
>
>
>
>I'm not talking about the constructive curiosity 
>that helps us communicate better with someone 
>who has a disability. It's OK to ask how one 
>gets the wheelchair into the car, how a guide 
>dog knows to find the door or if a deaf person 
>is able to read your lips. What's not OK is to 
>fire intimate questions of personal history at someone you barely know.
>
>
>
>Think about it. Would you ask a black person 
>what if feels like to be black? A white person 
>if her spouse is white? Or a fat person how long he's been that way?
>
>
>
>One Vietnam veteran who uses a wheelchair told 
>me that people will actually ask him if his 
>children are biologically his own. What is it, 
>I'd like to know, about that wheelchair that 
>gives people the idea they have permission to 
>interrogate a man about his sex life?
>
>
>
>For me, one of the most offensive inquiries is 
>when I'm asked if my husband is blind, too.
>
>
>
>What is the translation here? First, that I must 
>have a husband because I couldn't possibly take 
>care of myself? And, next, if my husband has 
>normal vision, the interloper can feel relieved 
>that there must be, after all, someone behind 
>the scenes to take care of me? Or, if my husband 
>is blind or has some other disability, that we 
>are appropriately keeping to our own kind? Marrying within the ranks?
>
>
>
>Does this sound angry? Well, maybe just 
>exasperated, but here's the reality: People with 
>disabilities can sometimes be angry. They can 
>also feel humiliation, amusement, rage and pain, 
>just as their nondisabled peers do.
>
>
>
>People with disabilities come in all racial, 
>sexual and economic packages, and they have good days and bad ones.
>
>
>
>For most of us, though, a time arrives when the 
>disability itself takes a decided back seat to 
>life. The nuts and bolts of living take priority over specific limitations.
>
>
>
>Don't get me wrong: It's not that we forget that 
>we can't see or run or speak quite the same as 
>others. You never forget entirely - because 
>disability, like any personal trait, is a factor 
>that, when you have it, becomes integrated into 
>your total personality. But once the adaptations 
>have been learned and the abilities discovered, 
>disability generally loses its center-stage status.
>
>
>
>People with disabilities, just like people 
>without them, spend emotion and energy in three 
>basic areas: our work, our play and our 
>relationships with others. Remember that the 
>next time you meet someone with a disability - 
>and, if the urge still washes over you to ask 
>how they "got that way," ask yourself instead 
>how you got to be so rude and find a more sociable approach to conversation.
>
>
>
>
>
>I'm a Newly Blind Senior
>
>by Bill Madden
>
>
>
>Editor's note: This is one of many presentations 
>by Ruth Sagar's students at BISM in Baltimore. 
>This was given at the 2011 meeting of NFBSD.
>
>
>
>Good afternoon seniors. This is my very first 
>NFB convention and I am overwhelmed by the size 
>of the hotel, but more so by the involvement of all the blind in attendance.
>
>
>
>While I was sitting in my doctor's waiting room, 
>I picked up a pamphlet which described a program 
>for blindness skills training. I could not wait 
>to get home to give the program a call.
>
>
>
>When I first started, I had made up my mind that 
>I did not need Braille, but my teacher would not 
>let me off. I have since fallen in love with 
>Braille, and hope to read the entire agenda at the next NFB convention.
>
>
>
>I had used a computer in my employment, but had 
>never mastered the keyboard. At BISM they said I 
>had to use the keyboard and I did. Another of 
>the classes was in home management. I learned to 
>cook, shop, clean the house and do everything to keep my home operating.
>
>
>
>I cannot tell you how this program has turned my 
>life around. I thought when I lost my sight that 
>life was over, but I now know that this program 
>at Blind Industries and Services in Maryland has 
>opened all doors to me. I advise anyone who 
>thinks that blindness slows one down to enroll 
>in one of the NFB training programs and get in step with the rest of society.
>
>
>
>
>
>Full Speed Ahead
>
>Art Schreiber Knows No Limits Despite His Blindness
>
>by Jessica Dyer
>
>Journal Staff Writer
>
>
>
>Editor's note: This article about Art Schreiber 
>doing the half-marathon appeared in the 
>Albuquerque Journal on Friday, October 20, 2011, 
>on the front page of the sports section. Art 
>serves as second vice president of this division.
>
>
>
>A doctor's visit is rarely a good time, but Art 
>Schreiber found himself particularly irritated 
>during a recent heart exam. The 83-year-old 
>Albuquerque man said the hospital staff was 
>afraid to check his ticker with the standard 
>treadmill test because he is blind. The 
>extremely fit chairman of the New Mexico 
>Commission for the Blind, Schreiber bristled. He 
>insisted on the regular test. As three nervous 
>medical professionals surrounded the treadmill 
>reminding him to say "stop" when his body was 
>taxed, Schreiber kept on walking. "I had my mind 
>made up. ... (I was thinking) 'I'm not going to 
>tell you when to quit,'" Schreiber said. "I 
>didn't, and finally they said 'stop. I was about 
>to die, but I wasn't going to say anything."
>
>The lesson here? Don't underestimate Art 
>Schreiber's ability, his will, or, for that 
>matter, his endurance. For additional proof, 
>look no further than Sunday's New Mexico Cancer 
>Center Duke City Marathon, in which Schreiber 
>will be among the estimated 5,500 competitors 
>lining up. He entered the 20-kilometer walk. 
>That's 12.4 miles - nearly a half-marathon. His 
>friend Rick Walsh will guide him, and Schreiber 
>said his goal is to finish in less than 5 hours.
>
>"For anybody that age (it's impressive), but to 
>be blind too?" said an awestruck Leslie Kranz, 
>fitness director at La Vida Llena, the 
>retirement community Schreiber calls home.
>
>This isn't a new endeavor. In 2010, Schreiber 
>completed the same race. It was trying and, quite frankly, painful.
>
>Schreiber - who used to run 5K and 10K races - 
>always wanted to run a marathon one day, but a 
>torn quadriceps tendon and fractured kneecap in 1999 ended that dream.
>
>He figured he could walk, although a 20K 
>certainly tests an octogenarian's joints. "My 
>knees hurt bad (last year)," he said. "A couple 
>of times near the end, I wanted to quit, but I won't do it. I won't quit."
>
>Schreiber placed 209th out of 209, finishing the 
>course in 5 hours, 57 seconds. "(But) I was 
>first in my age group - because there was nobody 
>else in my age group," he said.
>
>As of Thursday, Schreiber was the oldest entrant 
>in the 20K, although there is a 91-year-old man 
>in the 5K walk and an 89-year-old woman registered for the 10K run.
>
>When Schreiber signed up for last year's DCM, it 
>was for both the personal challenge and as a way 
>to motivate others. "Blindness is not the end of 
>the world, you know," he said. "There are so 
>many seniors who are losing their sight. They 
>think it's the end of the world, and it isn't." 
>Schreiber, a veteran of radio broadcasting who 
>came to Albuquerque in 1981 to manage KOB radio, 
>lost his sight because of torn and detached 
>retinas. The first eye succumbed in 1969. The 
>second went dark in 1982. For a while, he 
>retained about 4 percent of the vision in one eye. But now that's gone too.
>
>A recent diagnosis of the inner-ear condition 
>Meniere's disease has threatened his balance, 
>but Schreiber has remained undeterred. "I really 
>did (the race) hoping that I could get more 
>people in my age group to do those kinds of 
>things, because I really think it would help 
>them," he said. "I think they would feel a lot 
>better if they would work at trying to do a walk like that."
>
>After a news career that saw him traveling with 
>Martin Luther King Jr. and covering the Beatles 
>on their first American tour - playing regular 
>Monopoly games with John Lennon and George 
>Harrison - Schreiber likes to stay busy. He fits 
>his rigorous training regimen into an already 
>active life as an advocate for the blind.
>
>While prepping for this year's race, Schreiber 
>logged up to three or four hours per day on the 
>treadmill, often getting to the La Vida Llena 
>gym by 5 a.m. Kranz has helped design a training 
>plan to improve his endurance and strength and 
>said she's consistently wowed by his efforts. 
>"He goes twice as much as all the people half his age," she said.
>
>Schreiber jokes that he has never been 
>particularly sporty. During his days at 
>Westminster College in Pennsylvania, his 
>physical education coach made sure to point that 
>out, once approaching Schreiber to ask if he 
>drank. "I said 'no,' and he said, 'You've got 
>the coordination of an alcoholic,'" Schreiber 
>recalled with a laugh. "And I was never worth a damn as an athlete."
>
>Nobody seems to have noticed any athletic 
>shortcomings. Kranz refers to Schreiber as 
>"amazing," and his longtime friend JoAnn Huff 
>would agree, "He's truly an inspiration to all who know him," Huff said.
>
>
>
>
>
>Working with Blind Seniors in Support Groups
>
>by Rebecca Irvin
>
>
>
>Editor's note: The following was given at the 2011 meeting of NFBSD.
>
>
>
>I lost my sight at age 53. I woke up one morning 
>and everything had gone black. I simply did not 
>know what to do. The only thing I saw in my blind future was death.
>
>
>
>Finally I came out of my coma and went to a 
>blindness skills training center. One of the 
>most important things I learned along with the 
>skills was that I could in turn give back to other seniors losing vision.
>
>
>
>I tell them my story with a sense of humor and 
>how I gave in and learned the skills of 
>blindness. I frankly answer their questions and 
>I make them feel that if I could learn, and I 
>really resisted, then they could too.
>
>
>
>I met the sister of Joe Ruffalo. She told me 
>that I needed to meet Joe and get involved with 
>this nation-wide blind organization. Of course, 
>I was very impressed, have joined and started a chapter.
>
>
>
>I go out and find older blind persons who have 
>been simply sitting around the house. I get them 
>going again. I travel by myself and I tell 
>everyone I meet that it is true that I am blind, 
>but so what, the rest of my body parts all work.
>
>
>
>I used to love reading. Now I have mastered 
>Braille so I have taken up reading again. Now I teach others to read Braille.
>
>
>
>I have support groups. I let each person bring a 
>concern to the table. We all talk it over and find a solution to that problem.
>
>
>
>At one group we talked about reading mail. Many 
>said a family member would read the mail to the 
>blind person only when he felt like it and would 
>only read what the family member thought was necessary.
>
>
>
>We all decided it would be much better to find a 
>nonfamily member to do that task. Then we 
>discussed how to find a reader. Some have found 
>readers who do not charge by putting a note on a 
>bulletin board at a senior center, a library or place of worship.
>
>
>
>I am thrilled to be a member of the National 
>Federation of the Blind; others have given to 
>us, and now we turn around and give to others. It's a great feeling.
>
>
>
>
>
>Lawrence Muzzy Marcellino a Fantastic NFB Mentor
>
>by Pat Munson
>
>
>
>Note: Muzzy studied under Dr. Newell Perry, the 
>blind professor of math and advanced studies at 
>the California School for the Blind (CSB). Dr. 
>Jacobus tenBroek was a contemporary of Muzzy's. 
>CSB was where the National Federation of the Blind was conceived.
>
>
>
>One of the speakers at the 2011 NFB convention 
>mentioned Muzzy and his work; he was always 
>working for the Federation and helping blind persons live its philosophy.
>
>
>
>I first met Muzzy at the 1971 NFB convention. 
>Everywhere I went, I encountered Muzzy. He was 
>quietly assisting a blind person to get 
>somewhere or to help with a meeting. Dr. 
>tenBroek had died three years prior to my 
>meeting Muzzy. Muzzy was filling in the gaps, 
>but I did not understand that at that time.
>
>
>
>I then did not see Muz for some time, my loss, 
>but I did not think I needed too much help! You 
>know how young folks are be they blind or 
>sighted, they know everything.or so they think!
>
>
>
>In the late 1970's Muz called me and asked me to 
>take over the editing of a newsletter. I argued 
>that I knew nothing about writing and editing. I was simply an English teacher.
>
>
>
>He acted as if he had not heard a word I said. 
>He said he would pick me up at my job and that 
>we would take the bus to the Berkeley hills 
>where Mrs. tenBroek would teach me all I needed 
>to know. You did not tell Muzzy no so I followed 
>him from the bus stop up the hill and up a 
>million stairs and up some more to reach the 
>tenBroek home. We were up in the steep hills 
>where stairs were used for sidewalks in places 
>because the terrain was too steep. I figured if 
>he could travel this place I could do it in my 
>high heels, but I was very nervous I would fall 
>off something. He kept telling me to use that white cane and boy did I!
>
>
>
>I remember sitting next to Mrs. tenBroek while 
>she slammed my writing, but gave me endless 
>suggestions. I think we stayed for dinner; Mrs. 
>T. was always feeding anyone who came through 
>her door which added to an exciting work session.
>
>
>
>At some point Muz said I needed to meet him in 
>San Francisco. I simply followed him around. We 
>went to an office-like space he had been given 
>by a California state legislator in his office. 
>The secretary acted as if Muz was a part of the 
>office personnel. The secretary brought him 
>coffee, which she did for everyone, and said his 
>typewriter had been repaired. The staff greeted 
>him with great respect. I was shocked with the respect he was shown.
>
>
>
>We then proceeded to his place of employment, at 
>that time he was selling insurance. When he 
>opened the door to enter everyone stopped 
>working and greeted him with great affection. I 
>sat while he carried out some business, but 
>again I was in shock at this blind man's being treated as if he were a king.
>
>
>
>Finally we proceeded to a restaurant where my 
>husband joined us for dinner. Again, the staff 
>welcomed him with great respect, showed us to 
>the best table and told Muz the freshest items 
>on the menu. Later I told my husband that I had 
>never met such an interesting person. Blindness 
>had nothing to do with it, but it did.
>
>
>
>Muz always dressed in his beautiful three-piece 
>suit with a crisp white shirt, perfectly 
>polished shoes, and carried his briefcase and 
>his long white cane. We were out doing NFB 
>business so we dressed in business attire.
>
>
>
>Another time I followed him as he did his work 
>at the California state capital. We would be 
>walking down a hall when a legislator would spy 
>Muz passing the door. The legislator would stop 
>what he was doing and call to Muz. The 
>legislator would ask Muz what he could do to 
>further the work of the Federation. Again, I was 
>in shock. But, I did not know about those many 
>years Muz and other NFB members had worked those 
>halls to better the lot of the blind which included me.
>
>
>
>To me, the most difficult outing I had with him 
>was the following. We met at a street corner and 
>he announced that after a couple of errands we 
>were going to eat lunch at a buffet restaurant. 
>I stated that I was not going to go. I hated 
>buffets. I said I had been to an NFB center and 
>that I had done that. He simply started walking 
>away from me. What could I do but follow. One 
>could not argue with Muz, because I knew in my heart that he was right.
>
>
>
>We got to the restaurant and he rounded up an 
>employee whom he instructed how to assist. He 
>took my hand at the first bowl, plate or 
>whatever and had me run my hand around the outer 
>rim until I found the spoon or what ever. He had 
>the employee tell what was in each dish then we 
>quickly took the food using Muz's method.
>
>
>
>At the end of the line we picked up the tray 
>putting our arm under it, reached our hand 
>around and held our drink so it could not spill. 
>The other hand used the cane and looked for an 
>empty chair at the same time. We then sat and 
>ate just like everyone else in the place. Of 
>course, he was testing my blindness skills.
>
>
>
>As we ate we discussed how Dr. Jernigan handled 
>a buffet put on by the blind. A blind person 
>stood behind the item or items he was serving 
>and told the person going through the line what 
>he had to offer. since the server knew where the 
>tray was it was easy for the server to put the 
>food on the plate, but if it was finger food the 
>eater could easily find the food to take. It all 
>sounded simple, but Dr. Jernigan and his 
>students had been perfecting these techniques for years.
>
>
>
>Another time we were working in San Francisco. 
>We were on a crowded city bus. The driver was 
>not happy by the sound of his voice, but when 
>Muz yelled in his stentorian, polite voice from 
>the back of the bus that he wanted to know the 
>name of the next street, the driver very 
>politely told him. Later the driver stopped the 
>bus at Muz's stop and patiently gave Muz 
>directions to Muz's questions. My jaw dropped. I 
>was sure that driver would have yelled at me and that would have been that.
>
>
>
>I later learned that a couple of decades earlier 
>when he was a rehab counselor, he would give 
>cash to his blind clients out of his pocket. He 
>would simply state that he remembered when he 
>was a poor student and that was that.
>
>
>
>Muz and his wife owned a three-story home. The 
>garage was at street level with his flat on the 
>second floor; the top floor apartment was 
>rented; He said the rent paid for upkeep and taxes.
>
>
>
>He handled all the upkeep needs of the building, 
>and he also did all the food shopping. He took 
>his shopping cart which he pulled behind him, 
>his Braille shopping list and his cane and off 
>he went. Of course he could only buy what would 
>fit in his cart, so he shopped often. Rain or 
>shine he was walking the streets to the store 
>with his white cane always leading the way.
>
>
>
>Of course he knew all the folks in the 
>neighborhood and would stop many times to chat. 
>Taxi drivers would see him and would honk and 
>stop to chat also. I think he knew everyone in 
>San Francisco because he was always out and about.
>
>
>
>There were many subjects which interested Muz. 
>One was the planting, pruning and all other care 
>of roses. I told him I was interested in growing 
>roses. He gave me detailed instructions on the 
>purchase of roses, digging the holes and all the 
>products to nourish the soil. When I had 
>everything ready, I called him. Shortly 
>thereafter he showed up at my door with a suitcase in hand.
>
>
>
>Inside were his work clothes which he quickly 
>changed to. Then it was out to the future rose 
>garden where we planted and watered those rose 
>roots. I got stabbed and jabbed but he said I 
>would learn to be more cautious. He was right again.
>
>
>
>He showed up the following fall when it was time 
>to prune. Again, I caught my fingers in those 
>thorns, but I was reminded how much I had loved 
>the beautiful blooms. Speaking of those flowers, 
>Muz was a judge for the San Francisco Rose 
>Society. I wonder if there was anything he could not do!
>
>
>
>Muzzy taught many blind persons that it is 
>respectable to be blind. He carried his cane 
>with pride and educated everyone who met him. 
>What a mentor he was! The blind who worked with 
>him learned more than they could ever learn from 
>a book. He opened countless doors for many, many 
>blind and showed us how to change what it means 
>to be blind. What a gift he was to the blind of this nation.
>
>
>
>He said that a blind person can learn from 
>reading and watching TV, but that there is a 
>great big world out there with many open doors 
>to opportunity. He stated that we needed to pick 
>up that cane and go out and expand our knowledge 
>in the world. NFB members had made it possible 
>for the blind to live normal lives in the main 
>stream of society, but that each of us had to 
>choose our path! He was living proof that it was possible!
>
>
>
>
>
>NFBSD Board Member Tells about Her Life
>
>by Margo Downey
>
>
>
>Editor's note: Margo was again elected to serve 
>on our board at the 2011 annual meeting.
>
>I was born in Fort Hayes, Kansas in 1954; 
>however, because of my father's employment we 
>moved to Texas when I was three. My airplane 
>ride to Texas was my first, but there would be 
>many more because my father designed planes.
>
>I was one of the RLF babies born in the 1950's. 
>Luckily my parents had very progressive 
>attitudes for the times. When I was very young 
>these home counselors would come to our house, 
>including some blind ones, and tell my mother what I could not do.
>
>Even as far back as when I was crawling, my 
>parents would leave me to explore my 
>environment. If I were in danger of falling down 
>stairs, they would show me the stairs and take 
>me away from them, but did not teach me fear.
>
>Even as I grew, my mother would sit me down and 
>talk to me about how I could do what I needed to 
>accomplish and she would ask me how I thought I would complete the task.
>
>I went to private pre and elementary school 
>through the first grade. Then my family 
>transferred me to public school. I did learn to 
>use Braille and finally to use a white cane when 
>I was ten, but my parents did not feel I was 
>learning all the skills of blindness. I was not allowed to take Home Ec or PE.
>
>Beginning with the tenth grade I transferred to 
>the Texas School for the Blind. I'm glad I had 
>both, but I did learn a lot from my peers at the School for the Blind.
>
>After graduation I decided I did not want to go 
>and finish a college degree. But, now after all 
>those years I think I shall finish. In New York 
>we can design our own degree program and I am very happy with that idea.
>
>I did work for the Texas Commission for the 
>Blind. I was a receptionist-secretary at our 
>rehab center for blind and otherwise disabled 
>persons. I also worked for IRS in Saint Louis. I liked moving around.
>
>In the 1980's I taught blind people to use 
>computers. I had received my training which was 
>set up for learners before they even went out to 
>look for a job. I wish there were more classes 
>like this because learning a computer while trying to learn a job is too much.
>
>I liked teaching computer but sometimes payment 
>was a bit different. One time I was training a 
>gal who was working for a department store. 
>Instead of paying me, she paid my credit card bill at that store.
>
>Another of my clients let me stay at their home 
>and in turn I taught the gal to use a computer. 
>That was really fun. I didn't even have to shop or cook.
>
>It was back in 1979 that I joined NFB. I went to 
>the convention in Florida. When I went back home 
>to Louisiana, I was voted in as state secretary 
>at the next state convention. I was there when 
>Joanne Wilson started the NFB center in that state.
>
>In 1987 I moved back to Texas. I had a job at 
>the local college. I had a job at the center for 
>students with disabilities. I was a note taker 
>for those students who could not use their hands 
>or for those who were deaf. Also, I did 
>tutoring, and I think that that was my favorite job.
>
>I then worked for tech support for Juno. I did 
>not stay at that job very long, because I did 
>not like working at a call center. What I hated 
>was that each call was timed and I would be told 
>to shorten the calls. I did not like that at all 
>because I really wanted to help people solve 
>their problems. This job had brought me to New York state.
>
>I also worked at the VA medical center for a 
>while. I worked at a switchboard but took care 
>of the security alarm systems. Part of my job 
>was looking up patient information. One thing I 
>really liked was getting to know the vets in the 
>hospital. I found them very likeable folks.
>
>Now for various reasons, I am somewhat retired. 
>However, I am busier now than when I was 
>working. My partner and I have three 
>grandchildren who keep us busy, and I am on a 
>couple of NFB boards. I am president of my 
>church board. Besides my other jobs in the church, I sing in the choir.
>
>I love to read, sing, and listen to music. I 
>like to cook and take part in water sports. I 
>skydived ten times. Since my father dealt with 
>planes, I would love to be able to fly every day.
>
>Besides my local chapter, I want to start a 
>division for seniors. We might hold meetings on 
>the phone because seniors are so scattered 
>around the state. The important thing is that we 
>find seniors and get them involved.
>
>My philosophy is that we are always evolving. 
>NFB is a life philosophy. Together the blind 
>have made more successful lives with the help of NFB.
>
>
>
>
>
>A Garden from the Rubble
>
>by Patrick and Trudy Barrett
>
>
>
>Editor's Note: Pat Barrett is first 
>vice-president of the Metro Chapter in Minnesota 
>and a member of the NFB of Minnesota board of 
>directors. This article appeared in the Windom 
>Community News, Spring 2011, and is a good 
>example of how NFB of Minnesota members are involved in their local community.
>
>
>
>We moved 1300 miles east to Minnesota from Idaho 
>(not Iowa or Ohio as some confuse those state 
>names) in the summer of 1993. Windom Gables has 
>been our home since then. Our town home is close 
>to public transportation, shopping, and doctors' 
>offices.    Our apartment managers and 
>maintenance folks have been outstanding. Both of 
>us are blind, and have raised our 24-year-old 
>sighted daughter for most of those years here.
>
>Eighteen years have seen many changes on the 
>northwest corner of 62nd and Nicollet Avenue 
>South. This is the planned site for the Windom 
>Community garden (not officially named yet). 
>Raeann, our daughter, and her friends from 
>Windom Gables used to go to Virge's Gas Station 
>to get pop. A 36-unit apartment complex was 
>there. Mounds of sand and rock occupied that 
>spot during the agony and ecstasy of the Crosstown project.
>
>Today, the spot sits serene, absent of machines 
>and rubble. Brian O'Shea, also a Windom Gables 
>resident and newest member of the Windom 
>Community board, is heading up the community 
>garden project. We, along with many other 
>enthusiastic people, serve on the project task force.
>
>Our first meeting was on May 12. At the meeting, 
>we came up with the following four goals for the garden:
>
>. Improve appearance of intersection/community
>
>. Build community relationships by creating a gathering space
>
>. Grow healthful food for our families
>
>. Make the garden an educational tool for 
>neighborhood kids, and potentially neighborhood schools
>
>We also identified five other benefits of the 
>garden, in addition to the four things above:
>
>. Public health benefits from food and activity
>
>. Access to gardening for renters who may not have space
>
>. Potential park/play lot/green space next to garden
>
>. Property value increases
>
>. Public safety improvements through community building
>
>Brian has had soil samples from the lot tested 
>by the University of Minnesota to determine if 
>there are any contaminating chemicals in the 
>ground. As of this writing, we are waiting for 
>those results. A hydrant is on site for 
>watering. The Department of Transportation owns 
>the site, and Brian has also been working with 
>them to transfer ownership of the space to the city.
>
>We probably will not be able to plant, weed, or 
>water until the spring of 2012, because we are 
>waiting for all the paperwork and red tape to be completed.
>
>
>
>
>
>This and That
>
>
>
>Laughing Matters
>
>
>
>Editor's note: SOME LAUGHS FROM AROUND THE WORLD 
>Contributed by Dick Campbell. These jokes are 
>from the monthly newsletter put out by the life care facility where I live.
>
>
>
>. A Bangkok temple: It is forbidden to enter a 
>woman, even a foreigner, if dressed like a man.
>
>
>
>. An airline office in Copenhagen: We take your 
>bags and send them in all directions.
>
>
>
>. Cocktail lounge in Norway: Ladies are 
>requested not to have children in the bar.
>
>
>
>. Doctor's office in Rome: Specialist in women and other diseases.
>
>
>
>. Dry cleaners in Bangkok: Drop your trousers here for best results.
>
>
>
>. A Nairobi restaurant: Customers who find our 
>waitresses rude ought to see the manager.
>
>
>
>. A road sign when leaving Nairobi: When this 
>sign is under water, this road is impassable.
>
>
>
>. A poster: Are you an adult that cannot read? If so, we can help.
>
>
>
>. A restaurant: Open seven days a week and weekends.
>
>
>
>. A cemetery: Persons are prohibited from 
>picking flowers from any but their own graves.
>
>
>
>. Tokyo hotel: Guests are requested not to smoke 
>or do other disgusting behaviors in bed.
>
>
>
>. A Swiss restaurant: Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.
>
>
>
>. A Tokyo hotel: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.
>
>
>
>. A Moscow hotel lobby across from a monastery: 
>You are welcome to visit the cemetery where 
>famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists and 
>writers are buried daily except Thursday.
>
>
>
>the end