[Nfb-editors] New Mexico-- QUE PASA December issue

[Robert Leslie Newman]

QUE PASA

DECEMBER 2013

 

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) 921-5422

 

James Babb, Editor

E-mail: jim.babb at samobile.net

(505) 291-3112

 

Tonia Trapp, Assistant Editor

E-mail: Tonialeigh513 at earthlink.net

(505) 856-5346

 

 

Table of Contents

PREAMBLE <> . 1

EDITOR <> 'S NOTE. 1

PRESIDENT <> 'S MESSAGE. 2

NEW MEXICO FEDERATIONISTS CHANGE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLIND WHEN WE MARCH IN
THE STATE FAIR PARADE <>   2

BLIND IOWAN PIONEERS SUCCEED: Lillian Blanche Fearing <> . 3

NFB OF NEW MEXICO SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FORM <> ... 5

ANNUAL WHITE CANE BANQUET <> . 8

KAY BOYD AND THE LONG WHITE CANE <> . 8

WHITE CANE ESSAY No. 1 <> . 9

WHITE CANE ESSAY No. 2 <> . 9

MY COOL CANE ESSAY <> . 9

WHITE CANE SPEECH <> .. 10

A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE WHITE CANE <> . 11

COOKING FOR FUN <> .. 11

GOOD EATING <> .. 13

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND WEBSITES <> . 13

MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS <> . 14

 

 

 


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 NOTE


 

By Jim Babb, Editor

 

Hello everyone, 

We have many great articles, recipes, upcoming events, etc. in this issue.
In fact, we had too many articles, so a couple will appear in the March 2014
issue. No one stepped forward to take my place as editor so I guess I will
keep on doing it for a while.

 

Since the last issue, Mary and I have moved to La Vida Llena, a retirement
center complex on the east side of Albuquerque. We haven't gotten all the
issues resolved with the move yet, but probably soon. The biggest issue is
getting used to 1/3 the square footage you had before the move.

 

Thanks to Tonia who puts the articles in some sort of order, corrects
spellings, and reads Que Pasa onto New Mexico Newsline. 

 

 


PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE


 

By Adelmo Vigil, President, NFB of New Mexico

 

Greetings Federation Family:

 

As we approach the end of another year, I want to take this opportunity to
thank everyone for your support in the work of the National Federation of
the Blind of New Mexico state affiliate. We have been busy with various
activities such as the State Fair Parade and activities for Meet the Blind
Month in each division and local chapter. We are working on creating a new
chapter in Espanola and reorganizing the chapter in Las Cruces.

 

I look forward to the new year and all that we will accomplish as an
organization. It is not too early to start planning for the upcoming State
Convention on April 4 through 6, 2014 in Albuquerque, and the National
Convention in July in Orlando, Florida.

 

We continue to have our Chapter at Large meetings and have had great
participation. We are not scheduling Chapter at Large meetings in the months
of December and July due to the holidays and the National Convention. We are
excited about the upcoming Washington Seminar in January. We are also
planning our State Convention, and if you have any suggestions on topics for
the convention agenda or division agendas, share those with us no later than
January 15.

 

I want to wish everyone great blessings during the holidays and a happy New
Year.

We will call on members of each division and local chapter to help move
forward and grow as an affiliate. We are changing what it means to be blind
for children, youth and adults of all ages in New Mexico.

 

 

NEW MEXICO FEDERATIONISTS CHANGE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLIND
WHEN WE MARCH IN THE STATE FAIR PARADE

By Curtis Chong

 

In the National Federation of the Blind, we have a motto which says, "We are
changing what it means to be blind." We give substance to this motto through
the many local, state, and national activities we undertake in the
Federation to educate the public about the true nature of blindness. We want
the public to abandon the perception of blindness as symbolizing
hopelessness, helplessness, and dependence; we want the public to have in
its collective mind a picture of the average blind person as someone who can
work hard, contribute to the community, move about independently, and take
leadership.

 

Since 2005, the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico has been
creating new public perceptions about blindness by marching in the annual
New Mexico State Fair Parade. Each September, as the New Mexico State Fair
gets underway, Federationists from across the state come to Albuquerque to
march in the annual parade; and by their participation, they demonstrate to
the public that blindness does not prevent a person from walking the
two-mile route--and at a rather fast clip at that. We are proud that in
2006, 2009, and 2011, we won the award for being the largest non-high school
marching unit in the parade.

 

September 14, 2013 started out to be a cloudy, rainy day. However, this did
not dampen the spirits of our State Fair marchers. Preparations for the
parade started the night before when a hard-working crew, led by Alexia
Switzer (our Parents of Blind Children division president), decorated our
diamond float--diamond representing the 75th year of the New Mexico State
Fair. In addition to its flashy appearance, the float was large enough to
accommodate those among us who would have difficulty walking in the parade
given the two-mile route and the fast pace of the march. This year was the
first in which Federationists who used a wheelchair were able to participate
in the State Fair Parade.

 

Sixty-three Federationists and one guide dog arrived at the New Mexico State
Fair early Saturday morning to participate in this year's march. We
chartered two small buses to make it easier for Federationists to gather
together and get themselves organized for the parade. The bulk of our group
met at a shopping mall, climbed aboard our two buses, and negotiated the
chaotic throng of people and vehicles to get to our spot in the parade line.
There were four families with blind children who participated in the parade,
proudly walking with their white canes. Marchers carried signs saying things
like "NFB," "Meet the blind," and "Success." Some signs had a foot-high
picture of Whozit on them.

 

Leading the parade was our blue National Federation of the Blind banner,
carried by four Federationists, among them our own president, Adelmo Vigil.
The banner prominently displayed our Whozit logo and the name National
Federation of the Blind. Behind the banner was our twenty-foot float. It was
surrounded by Federationists who walked in front of, alongside, and behind
it.

 

The parade route was two miles long, and it took about 45 minutes for us to
complete it. We walked at a fairly fast pace. We were well received by the
crowd of people lining the parade route. Many people shouted "Good morning,"
or "Nice job," as the marchers passed by, and we were often greeted with
enthusiastic applause. Federationists smiled and waved to the crowd even
though, toward the end, some of us were beginning to feel a little tired.

 

Although there is a lot of work involved in planning for and marching in a
parade of this type, it is well worth the effort. We are always well
received by the people who come to watch the parade, and these people (who
probably never met a blind person in their lives) are seeing a group of
enthusiastic, mobile, and independent people who just happen to be blind.
This is another way to change what it means to be blind.

 

 


BLIND IOWAN PIONEERS SUCCEED: Lillian Blanche Fearing 


 

By Peggy Chong

 

Lillian Blanche Fearing was born the second of two daughters, to Marry Ann
Ferris and Henry Fearing on November 27, 1863 in Davenport, Iowa. At the age
of 6, while playing with other children, she injured her eyes. It was
believed that this injury caused her to lose much of her sight, but not so
much that her family thought she could not get a good education in her home
town. But an illness when she was about 12 years old caused her to lose what
remaining sight she had left. 

 

Almost as soon as Blanche, as she was commonly known, learned to read as a
young child, she began to write poetry. At the age of 9, one of Blanche's
poems was published in the Young Folks Monthly, out of Chicago, IL. Little
Blanche was well known in her home town of Davenport as the young poetess.
She continued throughout her childhood to write poems that were published in
many magazines. She also entered contests, and she won prize money for her
efforts. At the age of 12, one of her poems caught the interest of many
well-known writers. She received many letters of commendation, including one
from Oliver Wendell Holmes. Mr. Homes said in part, "There is thought enough
and music enough and feeling enough in your little volume to win you the
respectable attention of the critics; and I hope that the success of your
poetical venture will meet all your reasonable hopes and expectations."

 

After she lost all of her sight, Blanche entered the College for the Blind
in Vinton, Iowa on May 7, 1877. She quickly became a leader in her school
activities. Blanche roomed with Emma Magoon, Martha Ena Cassels, and Nannie
Duncan. Roommates at the schools for the blind easily became family. Later,
after Nan had to go home to care for an ailing mother, Adelia Hoyt took
Nan's place in the set of four girls. Adelia would become a very close
friend of Blanche's through the rest of her life. 

 

Blanche became involved in the Literary Society at school as soon as she was
allowed. The Literary Society met on Saturday evenings, keeping the children
at the school active as much as possible. In her senior year, she took
advantage of a special literature class offered by one of the teachers
during free time. 

 

But for Blanche, the school was also a place for her to challenge, and to
create her own challenges. In the early 1880's, there were four girls and
four boys of the Literary Society who were most of the brightest children in
the school and all about the same age. In 1884, they put on a play for the
College for the Blind and the town of Vinton. This was noteworthy, because
at that time, drama was not a course or activity taught at schools for the
blind anywhere in the country. It would be several years before a play was
performed again by the blind students at the school in Vinton. 

 

Blanche got permission from the principal, Thomas McCune, for the activity.
It was to be a secret from everyone. Eventually, the other students began to
know that there was something going on, maybe a play, but no one else asked
to be a part of the adventure. Professor Thomas Slaughter, blind himself,
was one of the staff that assisted the young people, and guided them through
setting up the play, the rehearsals and the music that would accompany the
play during scene changes and the intermission. The play selected was called
East Lynn. Not only did the students have parts, but they also enlisted the
services of another blind male teacher to play the part of "Sir Archibald."
Blanche played the part of "Lady Isabel." Blanche had great fun, encouraging
all of her friends to steal away in the evenings or on the weekends to some
basement room of the College for the Blind, where they could rehearse in
private. 

 

On March 25, 1884, the play was performed by the students for the first
time. It was advertised in the Vinton Eagle, the paper that supported the
school locally, as well as across the state of Iowa. The townspeople of
Vinton took pride in the school and were an active part of the programs, as
many people from the town had a family member employed at the College for
the Blind, or helped to build the school. The play went off as a great
success, even though the weather had become rainy and turned the roads into
rivers of mud.

 

Blanche took quickly to learning the reading code for the blind that was
most popular at that time, New York Point. She continued writing poems and
short stories for school, family, friends and the magazines that
occasionally paid her money. But most of them had to be transcribed back
into print so they could be shared with the sighted world--an extra task
that involved finding someone else to write in print for her.

 

Blanche was determined to make it on her own and become an independent
person. At the College for the Blind, she was taught that she was just as
good as a sighted person. Some of her learning or tasks needed to be done
differently, but that did not mean the results were any less successful or
important. She took these lessons to heart, put them into practice, and
taught them to the sighted world around her for the rest of her life. 

 

In 1884, Blanche graduated from the College for the Blind. She was the
Valedictorian and gave the graduating speech for her class. Each year,
contests for literature and music were conducted as part of commencement
week. Blanche took second prize and was awarded $8.00 in 1884. In 1883, she
won first prize and took away $12.00. After graduation, Blanche moved back
to Davenport with her mother and continued to write. More and more of her
poems were published in magazines and newspapers across the country. Her
first book of poems, "The Sleeping World" was published in 1887. It
highlighted 27 of her best works. Critics loved the book and gave it
favorable reviews in many of the country's leading newspapers. Before
publishing, her publisher agreed to print the book, but only if Blanche
would agree to be responsible to sell 500 copies. The book was a great
success as far as Blanche was concerned, and she did sell her 500 copies and
more. 

 

When Blanche returned to the College for the Blind in the spring of 1887 for
the alumni meeting and the graduation of her friend, Adelia Hoyt, she was
celebrated as a student who had done very well after graduation. The College
asked her to speak to the graduating class as one of their out-of-town
celebrities.

 

Professor McCune told Blanche that she should go out herself and solicit
orders for her book, which was the custom at that time. If she traveled
across the region to promote her book, he felt she would do well. Blanche
was a pretty young lady, well spoken and personable. But Blanche felt that
she wanted to be known as a great writer, not a blind writer. If she went
out on the road to promote her book, she felt that people would buy the book
because she was blind and not because it was worth reading. For the most
part, Blanche did not mention her blindness to those who she wanted to
promote her writings. 

 

Her need to make it on her own was very strong. In 1885, when she wanted to
return to the College for the Blind's graduation ceremonies and the alumni
meeting, she did not have a lot of money for the trip. To pay for the
travels, she cut off her long, soft, light brown hair and sold it. 

 

After the graduation of 1887 at the College for the Blind, her friend Adelia
Hoyt came to Davenport to visit Blanche during the fall. That year, Blanche
had gotten a World Typewriter. This was a great asset to Blanche as she
could now easily communicate with the sighted world and produce her poems
and stories in a printed form, quickly and independently. She enjoyed
sharing and teaching this new technology for the blind with her friend
Adelia. When Adelia wanted to publish her short stories, Blanche introduced
Adelia to her publisher. 

 

Blanche hired a private tutor from Davenport to increase her knowledge of
Latin and German. As usual, Blanche exceeded expectations. She also got her
friend Adelia interested in Latin and German and shared many of her Braille
text books with Adelia.

 

Helping her fellow blind was not limited to just her friends. In the spring
of 1888, Blanche, her former teacher Miss Lorana Mattice and several other
alumni from the College for the Blind went to the Iowa State Legislature to
ask that money be appropriated to build an Industrial Home for the Blind to
allow the blind of Iowa to pursue meaningful and financially productive
careers. To prove to the legislators that blind people could do the same
jobs as a sighted person, Blanche took dictation quickly and efficiently
from legislators on her typewriter. 

 

Religion was very important to Blanche during her life. This was reflected
in her works. During her early life, religion was intertwined in community
and school. After her graduation from the College for the Blind, she became
active in the Christian Science church. This lasted only a few years and she
was off exploring other philosophies of life. By 1890, Blanche had let her
friends know that she had joined the Socialist party. She became a strong
advocate of evolutionism and higher criticism (forerunner of modernism).

 

In 1888, Blanche and her mother moved to Chicago where Blanche enrolled at
the Union College of Law. She was the only woman in her class as well as the
only blind person. A few women were going to law school at that time, but a
blind woman caused many to sit up and take notice. 

 

Blanche graduated in 1890 with high honors. Her mother was a constant
companion and reader. Her sister Mary also came to Chicago and took up court
reporting to be of assistance to her sister. They lived together and worked
together in Blanche's downtown Law office space. Blanche became a member of
the Illinois Bar Association on June 10, 1890. Blanche soon opened up her
own law practice in Chicago. Interestingly, when the photograph was taken of
her graduating class, Mrs. Fearing sat beside her daughter in the photo.

 

The practice of law was also an inspiration for more of Blanche's poems. Her
book, "The City By The Lake" was published in 1892. In 1897, she published
"The Island Lily, an Idyl o the Isles of Shoals." This book of poems was
inspired by her trip to Boston in 1895. Her novel Roberta was said to be
published in 1901, shortly after her death; however, it was advertised in
the Daily Times in Davenport in June of 1896. 

 

Blanche had gotten to know many influential women in the Chicago area, such
as Mrs. Potter Palmer. Mrs. Palmer helped to get Blanche appointed to a
committee of the Women's Department of the World's Fair. During the World's
Fair, Blanche gave a speech to those assembled. 

 

The last year of her life, Blanche had been ill much of the time. Her aunt,
Lidia Haworth came to live with the three Fearing women in Chicago and help
with the housework. Sadly, Blanche passed away in Eureka Springs, Arkansas
at the young age of 34, ending a great literary life as well as a promising
law career. Her friends from the College for the Blind and back home in Iowa
kept her memory alive. Today, her poetry books can still be purchased on
Amazon.com.

 

 


NFB OF NEW MEXICO SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FORM


 

November 7, 2013

                                                                

Dear Friends:

 

We are asking for your assistance in disseminating the following information
to your clients and/or constituents. Many New Mexicans are losing their
sight and returning to school to enhance their skills. Those just beginning
to lose their vision rarely know of the many services and organizations such
as the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico (NFBNM) who can be of
tremendous assistance to them. Your support in helping us to reach out to
those who may not know of services available to the blind or visually
handicapped through your newsletters or email list is greatly appreciated. 

 

The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico offers yearly
scholarships to legally blind students attending any college, university, or
vocational school. Any legally blind student from New Mexico, regardless of
field of study, is eligible. Priority will be given to individuals who will
be attending school in New Mexico, but consideration will be given to
individuals that plan to attend school outside of New Mexico as well. Past
scholarship applicants are also encouraged to apply.

The scholarships will be awarded during the annual state convention of the
NFB of NM, which will be held April 4-6, 2014 at the following location:

 

Sheraton Uptown Hotel

2600 Louisiana NE

Albuquerque, NM 87110

Phone: 505-881-0000

 

Scholarship applicants must be registered and present at the state
convention in order to receive a scholarship. Winners will be notified two
weeks prior to the convention. 

For those interested in applying for a scholarship, please read the
guidelines and complete the attached application form and return it no later
than February 28, 2014 to Peggy Chong, Scholarship Chair, at
peggychong at earthlink.net or via mail at 400 Central Ave. SE, Unit 201,
Albuquerque, NM 87102. 

 

If you have any questions concerning the scholarship program, you may call
Mrs. Chong at 505-508-1978, or e-mail her at peggychong at earthlink.net.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Adelmo Vigil, President, National Federation of the Blind of NM

Peggy Chong, Scholarship Chair

 

 

 

 

National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico Scholarship Guidelines

Scholarship applicants must be legally blind and attending any college,
university, or vocational school. 

 

Student must have a GPA of 2.0 or better. If the student has been out of
school for over five years, the 2.0 GPA may be waived, depending upon
references and work or volunteer experiences. 

If the student is beginning their first year at a two- or four-year college
or university, the student must be taking no less than 9 credit hours. Two
of the classes can be non-credit classes for first-semester students. If the
student needs to take less than 9 credit hours, it MUST be due to medical
reasons that must be documented. Also, if 6 credit hours are the requirement
of the higher education program, there must be verified documentation from
the specified institution.

Required application material

An official copy of your transcript;

An essay (approximately 250 words) describing how this scholarship will
benefit you, including comments on your philosophy of blindness; and 

 Proof of legal blindness. This can be documentation from an ophthalmologist
or a letter from a rehabilitation counselor from the New Mexico commission
for the Blind, or Teacher of the Visually Impaired; and

Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a
Federationist in good standing.

Students MUST send in ALL required application materials in ONE email with
attachments or One envelope. Each reference letter requires a separate
attachment or must be on a separate piece of paper and contain a signature
by the author. 

All reference letters MUST be current, within the scholarship year.




National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico

Scholarship Application

Please print or type the following information

 

Name________________________________________________________

 

Address______________________________________________________

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

Phone (home) (____)____________________(cell)(___)_______________

Email:________________________________________________________

Name And Location of High School_________________________________

Dates Attended____________________          GPA________________________

Name of College, University, or Business/Technical School and dates attended


____________________________________________________________________________
_______

____________________________________________________________________________
_

____________________________________________________________________________
_______

GPA__________________

Total Post-Secondary Credit Hours
Earned________________________________________________

Major Field of
Study_________________________________________________________________

 

List any special awards or scholarships received

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________

Submit this application with: 

 

1) An official copy of your transcript; 

 

2) An essay (approximately 250 words) describing how this scholarship will
benefit you, including comments on your philosophy of blindness; and 

 

3) Proof of legal blindness. This can be documentation from an
ophthalmologist or a letter from a rehabilitation counselor from the New
Mexico commission for the Blind, or Teacher of the Visually Impaired; and

 

4) Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a
Federationist in good standing; to: 

 

NFB of New Mexico Scholarship Committee

c/o Peggy Chong

peggychong at earthlink.net, or

400 Central Ave. SE, Unit 201

Albuquerque, NM 87102

 

 

Remember, applications MUST BE RECEIVED BY FEBRUARY 28, 2014

 


ANNUAL WHITE CANE BANQUET


 

By Peggy Chong

 

On Saturday October 19th, at Garcia's Kitchen in Northwest Albuquerque,
Federationists gathered for the Annual White Cane Banquet to honor the
winners of the 2013 White Cane Essay Contest. The room was packed with 59
guests. 

 

This year's winner in the adult contest was Veronica Smith. In the youth
contest, the winners were Jude Martinez, Faith Switzer, and Arianna Benally.
Each winner received a certificate and a $10 prize. Their essays appear in
this issue of Que Pasa for you to enjoy. Each writer did a terrific job of
describing their white cane. 

 

The program consisted of presentations from parents and long-time travel
teacher, Michael Hayes. Each was very informative and entertaining in their
own right. Mr. Hayes had taught travel and mobility skills to many of the
guests in the room. He reminisced about teaching them how to travel
independently, and he remarked on how proud he was of the successes of his
students in their lives. He stated that he thought that learning to travel
confidently makes a huge difference in the later success of a blind student.

 

Personally, I was very moved by the presentation of Sonia Lopez. The speech
was originally written in Spanish and translated and read by her daughter
Lupita Lopez. Her parents shared their perspective that raising a blind
child was filled with deep soul searching and emotion. I could feel her
inner battle between wanting to protect her precious daughter from the cruel
world and her desire for her daughter to become all that she could be. Her
words eloquently portrayed her struggles. Phrases such as the "darkness in
her eyes" as opposed to the "darkness in our hearts" and the realization
that if the parents are weak, the children will be weak as well, moved me
greatly. 

 

Sonia realized that protecting her daughter too much might not be what was
best for Lupita. To deeply love her daughter, she had to let go of her own
fears, letting Lupita spread her wings and explore, sometimes frightening
her parents. Sonia's remarks are also printed in this issue of Que Pasa. 

 

It was a great night and a wonderful celebration of freedom and independence
for blind people.

 

 


KAY BOYD AND THE LONG WHITE CANE


 

By Veronica Smith

 

I know the story or poem should be about myself, but when I heard the
subject, I just couldn't resist telling this story about my very best friend
who left us earlier this year.

 

You know, when you are a student at the NM Orientation Center in Alamogordo,
they don't treat you like a baby, nope not at all: they mask you with sleep
shades and send you out onto the streets, expecting you to do your best and
find whatever it is they say.

 

My cane travel class was later in the day, when it was easier to find
things, as stores were already hustling and bustling and you could hear
plates clinking or smells caressing the neighborhood. But Kay Boyd had her
class in the very early morning, when most were barely crawling out of bed,
and unless it was a breakfast place, their doors were tightly sealed!

 

One morning in late fall, early winter, Kay set out to find Pizza Hut. All
she knew was, it was across White Sands Boulevard and south. She made it to
the corner, crossed at the light and turned left. She pondered, "But just
how far shall I go?" She found gravel and dirt and weeds, and then finally
her trusty cane found an asphalt parking lot, which she was almost certain
without a doubt was the parking lot of that wonderful pizza place. But they
were not open, no smells tickled her nose to let her know that she was
indeed there. She strained her brain, trying to remember something that
would give her the clue. What did she remember about Pizza Hut?

 

Then it came to her: Pizza Hut always had a red tiled roof. So when she
encountered the building, she felt the walls, and they did feel like
rectangular bricks. Next she felt the door, and it did feel and sound like
glass with a metal handle, these things she thought she remembered from days
past. Then with her long white cane, she reached up and tried to touch the
roof.

 

Her instructor appeared right then and asked, "Kay, what are you doing?" She
replied, "Seeing if there are red tiles up there!"

 

 


WHITE CANE ESSAY No. 1


 

By Jude Kennedy Martinez

Albuquerque High School

 

I was walking along singing my awesome song, when I noticed it had started
to rain. So I went and grabbed my cane. I said to myself, "I have to use my
cane, in the sunshine or the rain, no matter what, I have to use my cane." 

 

I took a train down to Spain. On the way back I took a plane. During the
ride I met a blind boy whose name was Shane. I said to him, "You better be
tapping your cane." 

My song goes like this, so you better not miss: "I'm walking in the rain,
tapping, tapping my cane. On the plane, on the train, going to Spain, I'm
still tapping my cane. I took a plane to see the band Stained. My hand hurts
from tapping my cane. It stops raining so I get back on the plane, but I
still have to use my cane."

 

 


WHITE CANE ESSAY No. 2


 

By Faith Switzer 

 

Hello this is Faith. I am doing a story about my cane.

I use my cane and find things with it. I find really cool things like steps
and even a balance beam.

I go to Valencia Elementary and I take my cane down the tunnel slide with
me. Ms. Suzy meets me at the bottom. 

I use my cane in line, It helps not to run into other kids but sometimes on
accident I poke kids with it and they don't like it and I say "I'm Sorry".

I have had a lot of canes since I was little.

I decorate all of them. Some have had ribbons, puffy stickers, puffy paint,
jewels, bells and even Hello Kitty duct tape.

My old canes had big marshmallow tips and my new canes have a tapping tip.
The cane that I have right now is decorated in Hello Kitty duct tape. I even
got a new cane tip from BELL camp this summer.

I do not use my cane in my house. I only use it outside.

My sister likes to take my cane and swings it around. Sometimes it hits me
and I get mad. 

This year I have taken my cane to Orlando, Florida, to Elephant Butte Lake,
to Cliff's Amusement Park, to the State Fair, to Explora, to the Mountains
on a hike, to the State Fair Parade and to Orlando Regional Hospital. 

My cane and I travel all over the world and have lots of fun.

 

 


MY COOL CANE ESSAY


 

By Arianna Benally

 

I take my cane everywhere I go,

Like to the mall, or anywhere.

I took my cane to my Grandpa's.

I took my cane to the State Fair Parade.

I took my cane to my Grandma's.

I cannot leave it at home.

So, I take it where ever I go.

I cannot play with it.

I cannot put it in my mouth.

I cannot hit people with it too.

My cane is important to me.

My cane is special to me.

My cane is my eyes.

I love my cane.

I will use it for the rest of my life;

And, also when I am older;

And, also forever.

 

 


WHITE CANE SPEECH


 

By Lupita Lopez

 

I would like to start off by sharing with you one of my favorite quotes
because it describes one of the most important lessons I've learned thanks
to the use of the white cane, my successful blind friends, my family, and my
school career. Now that I'm a senior in High school, I know that school
played an important role in my life and attitude. The quote is, "Nothing is
impossible, the word itself says, "I-m possible!" (Audrey Hepburn) What does
it mean to use a white cane? Well, when you start using the white cane you
learn to avoid obstacles and navigate safely. That is in the surface. But in
reality I truly believe the meaning of the use of the white cane goes deeper
than that. To demonstrate this, I will talk about different skills I
learned, with their emotional effects.

 

Sometimes we can assume that a person who is blind and is given a cane for
the first time will refuse to use it because he/she feels like the cane will
make the disability obvious. For me that wasn't the case. I was fine with
the fact that I was blind, but I had a misconception. Because I didn't have
the knowledge or experience with blind people at the time, I thought that
blind people could not be independent. Shortly after, I was proven wrong.
Soon I learned where everything was at school and I was able to walk with my
cane by myself. I felt good knowing that I could go anywhere at school. I
learned the basics about street-crossing and that taught me that blind
people could independently cross streets safely. I was obtaining this
knowledge, but the fear and lack of confidence were not letting me use them
fully. 

 

The breaking point happened when I was in tenth grade. I don't remember
where I was going, but I remember I was riding the bus and for the first
time I felt that I had, during that brief moment, control over my life. The
new feeling of freedom allowed me to explore my surroundings more and made
me realize that I could do and go wherever I wanted, no matter the
disability. The summer after Junior year, I went to the step program. It was
a life-time experience because my eyes opened up even more. I did more
street crossings and got exposed to different life scenarios. I was already
confident that I could do everything I wanted to, and that program
reinforced my belief even more, allowing me to see how being a blind adult
felt like and that once again, it is possible.

 

Senior year. I always wondered why senior year was so important. Well it is
important because students will go to college or the workforce or both. They
are considered adults. During this year students also reflect on their
school career, they reflect on their successes and failures. That's what
I've been doing, though for me there is no such thing as failure. Just like
every student, I have reflected on my academic success, but I have also
reflected on my experience as a blind person. I feel happy with the progress
I've made, I'm truly thankful that I've used the white cane because with it
I was able to accept me for who I am. I'm also thankful for my family who
supported me. Now I understand my grandfather when he said "with education
you have power and freedom."

 

 


A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE WHITE CANE


 

By Sonia Lopez

(Translated by Lupita Lopez)

 

One of the hardest moments with major emotional impact for the parents of a
child that has a severe visual impairment is that in which the diagnosis is
given or when we realize the problem. We become confused, we don't
understand anything, and we blame ourselves for what has happened. We get
depressed and we feel unable to face the problem. We think of sight as our
most valuable and useful sense, and we close our eyes once, twice, three
times and with sadness we see that this is the reality of our children. And
no one is prepared for that, to deal with a reality without light, because
they have the darkness in their eyes and we have it in our hearts.

 

However, the way in which we react to this process is the security we will
transmit to our children. If we don't seek professional help, we will not be
prepared to teach the child to explore the world. We as parents must always
be confident, strong, and enthusiastic to be able to give our children the
confidence and strength that will guide them toward the path of happiness
and success. If we are weak, our children will be weak; if we are strong,
our children will be strong. In conclusion, all children need affection to
create a sense of safety and high self-esteem, they always require a
constant reinforcement that reminds them that we love them so that they can
accept themselves.

 

However, this is in the psychological and emotional sense. Now let us
analyze the hardest and uncomfortable concept for the child: the use of the
white cane. What does it mean for a two-year-old child who can barely walk
to use the white cane? Surely for him, the white cane is an object that is
very uncomfortable and unknown. Because of his age he completely ignores
that this object is, and will be, something that will make his path in life
easier. Two-year-olds may not be the only ones that struggle to use the
white cane. I remember my daughter was five years old and used her cane to
play, not to walk. She started using the white cane correctly when she was
nine years old attending Zia Elementary. Thanks to the patience, love, and
advice of her teacher, she started to understand the meaning of using the
white cane, but with that knowledge she still resisted. In two months she
will be an adult and I can truly say that her white cane is her best friend.

 

My personal conclusion is that people who are visually impaired don't have
light in their eyes, they have their heart filled with light.

 

 


COOKING FOR FUN


 

By Nancy Burns

 

My culinary career, if it can be called that, began in a tiny kitchen in my
off-campus apartment near UCLA. My roommate, Lucy, and I had parents who
supplied our kitchen with most of the essentials but we were just not sure
what to do with them. I could brew a fine cup of coffee, scramble eggs, and
even make pancakes with a batter I poured from a carton. Lucy was good at
making a pot of beans and taught me how to make quesadillas over an open
flame. We each tried to branch out and met with some successes and many
failures. We managed to keep it together and not starve and even packed
decent lunches to take to campus. Microwaves had not yet made it into
student apartments so we actually began trying a variety of recipes and by
the end of the school year could put together a tasty and well-presented
meal. I continued experimenting with various dishes between studying, taking
exams, and walking the several blocks to campus.

 

My last year of undergraduate work was at San Francisco State which was a
totally new experience for me. I could no longer walk to campus but rode a
street car which dropped students off near campus. I did locate a grocery
store near enough to my upstairs one-room apartment. I was still enjoying
cooking and by moving the kitchen table to the living room I could
accommodate two or three guests. I made new friends but none of them drove
as my So Cal friends had done. Street cars and trolleys seemed to be the
transportation mode of choice. With a cooler climate I began experimenting
with hearty soups and stews. Spaghetti was a favorite as the inexpensive
hamburger meat could go a long way on my limited food budget. 

 

Soon after graduating with my B.A. I met and married and settled down back
in the L.A. area. Now my total attention was focused on decorating our
apartment and providing healthy and inventive meals for my husband and me.
He learned of my interest in cooking and subscribed to a cookbook of the
month. When books would arrive, we would read through them and then he would
read recipes to me and I would write them in Braille. I soon had a large
3-ring binder full of recipes. My husband was a willing and appreciative
guinea pig for my experimentation. 

 

As time passed I had two sons to cook for, each with their own likes and
dislikes. Jeff would eat almost anything I put on his plate while Kevin
mostly sniffed, tasted, and asked to be excused from the table. 

 

During those years I made a lot of cakes, cookies, and other desserts. I
baked mostly chocolate chip, oatmeal, and other drop cookies as I do not
like rolling out dough. At about the age of 9 or 10, Kevin wanted more
creative cookies and began rolling out dough and decorating Christmas
cookies. He had shown an interest in watching me prepare meals and this was
most helpful when it was necessary for me to go to work after a divorce. I
could prepare a meatloaf, for instance, and leave written instructions for
Kevin as to when to turn on the oven, and place potatoes for baking and the
prepared meat dish into the oven. I also used the crock pot during this time
so that meals were often ready once I returned home from a long day at work
and taking buses. 

 

Creativity manifests itself in many ways. I love home decorating and setting
a beautiful table. My sister and I, for several years, took turns preparing
large holiday meals for the family and friends. After cleaning, stuffing,
and shoving a 23 or 24 pound turkey into the oven I usually sat down with a
cup of coffee and mentally planned out the rest of the dishes. My
organizational skills are good and the meal usually came out at the
estimated time. It was satisfying to hear the oos and aahs as guests entered
my Burbank home. Since pie making is not my strong point, my brother-in-law,
Jay provided several kinds of pie. Jay, and his partner Jack, were co-owners
of a Marie Callenders in Orange County. An interesting detail is the fact
that Jay and Jack were the first to own a Marie Callenders franchise. They
bought it from Marie Calender and her son and at the time it was only a pie
shop.

 

My patio and large backyard became a place for entertaining not only family
but Federation friends. Several fundraising events were held there with
funds directed to various NFB projects. By then Kevin had become a gourmet
cook, far surpassing Mom. He was always a help in the planning and
preparation of such fundraising events. On one occasion two of Kevin's
friends provided live entertainment. A male and female vocalist along with
their keyboard accompaniment entertained the entire neighborhood. 

 

My journey down the ever-changing and fantastic road of cooking took yet
another twist when I met Don. Red and green chili were introduced to me. my
favorite was green. I initially found it interesting that these chilis came
in mild, medium, hot, and sometimes extra hot. New Mexico food is not only
tasty but colorful. Many cultures have blended their unique foods to create
this delicious and popular cuisine. Don knows his way around the kitchen and
soon introduced me to many traditional New Mexico dishes such as green chili
stew and posole. I started introducing green chili into many of my dishes. 

 

After moving to Albuquerque, I exchanged my China plate settings for the
brightly colored Fiestaware. Most of our entertaining is in our enclosed
patio where I still enjoy setting a beautiful table but now I use my crystal
in combination with the colorful Fiestaware.

 

NFB fundraisers are still an important activity. Don likes to cook burgers
and vegetables on the grill. I have peeled as many as 10 pounds of potatoes
to make potato salad for fundraisers. Our patio is the perfect location for
dining, mixing and mingling with Federation friends to raise funds. One of
my favorite fundraisers, although it involved no cooking, was an ice cream
social. Blind children, along with their parents, learned that ice cream
cones or Sundaes could be easily created by a blind person. Several West
Mesa chapter members scooped, dished, and added requested flavored syrups
and goodies as requested. I have always felt that such lessons are often
more significant than reading about this from a book. These are just some of
the ways in which my cooking skills have helped others who happen to be
blind. I have shown by example that it is perfectly safe and fulfilling to
work in a kitchen. Few adaptations have been necessary for me. Other than my
Braille recipes, my stove and microwave are marked with Braille numbers. I
suppose that my kitchen philosophy could be summed up by saying that in
addition to the need for cooking healthy and tasty foods, cooking is also
fun.

 

 


GOOD EATING


 

FLUFFY REFRIGERATOR DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PIE WITH EQUAL OR SPLENDA

 

Submitted by Veronica Smith

 

23% fewer calories from traditional recipe.

 

1 package (8 ounces) reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Equal or Splenda

2 squares (2 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate, melted, cooled

3 cups light whipped topping

1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 prepared graham cracker crust (6 oz. OR 9-inch)

 

Beat cream cheese in medium size bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Mix
in sweetener of your choice, until blended. Beat in chocolate until well
combined. Gently fold in whipped topping and chocolate chips. Spoon into
prepared crust. Refrigerate several hours before serving. 

 

Makes 10 servings. 

 

* May substitute 12 packets of Equal or Splenda. 

 

 


USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND WEBSITES


 

1-888-624-3841 

This is the information and hotline number for guide dog users to get
information or settle issues about access to buildings/restaurants, etc.
This hotline was created by a grant from the National Federation of the
Blind Imagination Fund as well as contributions from the California and
Florida Associations of Guide Dog Users.

The website for the National Guide Dog Users is: 

www.nagdu.org 

 

www.nfb.org/scholarships 

Go here to obtain details and the application for college scholarships
ranging from $3,000 to $12,000. Deadline is March 31, 2014.

 

www.irs.gov/charities/contributors 

This is the time of year that we are bombarded with requests from charity
organizations for money. They are not all legitimate, and some of them have
a poor ratio of what they spend on themselves versus the intended charity.
Go to this website to verify the charity and its purpose.

 

www.flying-blind.com 

View information about the latest technology for the blind. 

 

 


MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS


 

January 27-30, 2014: Washington Seminar

The Great Gathering is held on January 27. This is a great opportunity to
meet with our New Mexico Senators and Congresspersons to promote issues
relevant to the blind.

 

April 4-6, 2014: New Mexico State NFB Convention to be held at the Sheraton
Uptown Hotel. See you all there!

 

July 1-6, 2014: NFB National Convention in Orlando, Florida.

 

 

 

 

Robert Leslie Newman

Personal Website-

Adjustment To Blindness And Visual impairment

http//www.thoughtprovoker.info

NFB Writers' Division, president

http://writers.nfb.org 

Chair of the NFB Communications Committee   

Nebraska Senior Division, Vice President