[Nfb-editors] New Mexico's = QUE PASA March 2015

[Robert Newman]

QUE PASA

 

March 2015

 

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 <mailto:Avigil74 at gmail.com>
<mailto:Avigil74 at gmail.com>

 

(575) 921-5422

 

James Babb, Editor

 

E-mail: jim.babb at samobile.net <mailto:jim.babb at samobile.net>
<mailto:jim.babb at samobile.net>

 

(505) 291-3112

 

Tonia Trapp, Assistant Editor

 

E-mail: Tonialeigh513 at earthlink.net <mailto:Tonialeigh513 at earthlink.net> 

 

(505) 856-5346

 

Contents

 

PREAMBLE. 1

 

EDITOR'S NOTE. 2

 

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. 2

 

WHERE'S MY STUFF?. 3

 

CAN YOUR MEDICINE BOTTLES DO THIS?. 5

 

UPDATES FOR NFB-NEWSLINE. 9

 

SILVIANO CHACON.. 10

 

COSTA RICA ADVENTURE. 11

 

NFB CAR DONATION PROGRAM... 13

 

UPDATE ON THE U.S. CURRENCY READER PROGRAM... 13

 

GOOD EATING.. 14

 

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND WEBSITES. 15

 

MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. 16

 

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,

 

I think I finally gotten used to writing 2015! I want to thank everyone who
sent in articles for this issue of Que Pasa. I recently had a great honor
and experience. New Mexico Governor Susanna Martinez appointed me as
Commissioner to the NM Commission for the Blind. The Appointment must then
be approved or disapproved by the NM State senate. I had to appear before
the Senate Rules Committee for initial approval; my approval by the
committee was unanimous, followed by approval by the full Senate. I look
forward to serving in this position.

 

Also take a look at the February Braille Monitor; it includes some great
articles including one by our own Curtis Chong.

 

Also I wish to thank Tonia Trapp for her assistance in producing this
newsletter.

 

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

 

by Adelmo Vigil, President, NFB of New Mexico

 

Greetings Federation Family:

 

We are now planning our National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico State
Convention coming up on April 10 through 12, 2015. We invite everyone to
join us at our Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, April 9, from 7:30 pm
to 9:30 pm. Our agenda committee has planned an agenda full of fun
activities and plenty of great and interesting topics. We are looking
forward to a great convention. Mr. Kevan Worley will be our National
Representative. We are excited about the convention and look forward to
seeing everyone there. The convention is a great place to be with old
friends and meet new ones. You will have the opportunity to meet
Federationist from throughout the state of New Mexico. Don't miss out on the
largest gathering of blind individuals in the state.

 

The last week of January we had a delegation from our New Mexico state
affiliate participate in the NFB Washington Seminar. The NFB had three
legislative initiatives for 2015:

 

The Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (HR 188)

 

Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to pay
workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage because of the false
assumption that they are less productive than nondisabled workers. HR 188
responsibly phases out the use of the 14(c) Special Wage Certificates,
ending the era of segregated , subminimum wage work.

 

The Technology, Education and Accessibility in College and Higher Education
Act

 

Electronic instructional materials have replaced traditional methods of
learning in postsecondary education, but the overwhelming majority of
ebooks, courseware, web content, and other technology is inaccessible to
students with print disabilities. The law requires equal access in the
classroom but fails to provide direction to schools for how that applies to
technology. The TEACH Act creates voluntary accessibility guidelines for
educational technology to improve blind students' access to course material,
stimulate the market, and reduce litigation for schools.

 

The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who
Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled

 

Despite the ability to convert print books into accessible formats like
Braille, large print, audio, and digital copies, over 300 million blind and
otherwise print-disabled people are excluded from accessing 95 percent of
published works. The Marrakesh Treaty calls for contracting parties to add
exemptions and limitations to domestic copyright laws to permit
reproduction, distribution, and cross-border exchange of accessible works.
Blind Americans, rights holders, educators, and other stakeholders will
benefit from this treaty, and Congress should ratify it.

 

Our delegation experienced a very positive attitude with our Senators and
members of congress.

 

We call on members of each local chapter and divisions to help spread the
National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico's vision, and together we can
change what it means to be blind for children, youth and adults of all ages
in New Mexico.

 

The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico knows that blindness is
not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise
the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can have the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

 

WHERE'S MY STUFF?

 

by Nancy Burns

 

Chaos reigns! Just a month ago we were residing in our rather large home
with no plans for an immediate move. Over four years ago we had placed our
names on a list for Manzano Del Sol, a retirement home that we had visited
on several occasions. A call from out of the blue set us in motion,
destroying any plans for a normal August and September.

 

Moving from one home to another is always traumatic. During my college years
I packed up my meager belongings at the end of each school year and returned
home to spend the summer with family. These were fairly easy moves and I
learned how to pack my STUFF in a couple of foot lockers

 

. After marrying and having children our moves became somewhat more complex,
but fortunately, we did not move that often.

 

Don and I moved into our beautiful home near the Cottonwood Mall eight years
ago and managed to fill a large three bedroom, plus two car garage, with our
STUFF. It was now necessary to DOWNSIZE extensively. 

Our children, and several philanthropic agencies, were the recipients of
furniture, household items, clothing, etc.

 

My son, Kevin, stayed with us for two weeks and helped paint, organize, and
pack. He labeled boxes with the appropriate room such as kitchen, etc. All
organizational efforts disappeared as the movers piled box on top of box
with little consideration to the designated room. Two rooms in our 900
square foot apartment soon became stacked with boxes floor to ceiling. It
would be an understatement to say that we were now overwhelmed

 

Cooking was not an issue as the top of the stove was covered with boxes.
Fortunately, the dining room down stairs kept us from starvation. Kitchen
items were on a priority list, however, as I searched through boxes of STUFF
for the paper plates. I know I had just seen them but where did they go? I
have always had fairly good organizational skills but I'm thinking someone
must have packed them in one of those boxes.

 

Don and I both felt the emotional tug of leaving our home. Don's vegetable
garden is producing chiles and tomatoes, and how will I ever decorate
without a fireplace mantel and nichos? This kind of move is life changing
and not to be taken lightly. In one sense we have given up our independence.
We each had our own responsibilities in our house but realized that someday
it would not be so easy to maintain such a large home.

 

Transportation had been a huge issue. IN order to get to the nearest bus
stop we walked a mile. This was not always a problem except when the weather
was too hot or cold to walk comfortably. Through our church we met a woman
who we were happy to pay to take us on necessary trips such as doctor
appointments or for large grocery shopping trips. At Manzano transportation
is simply no longer an issue as vans are available with a day's notice. Also
public transportation is only a block away.

 

Possibly the most powerful assist to our adjustment was the warm, friendly
greetings of both staff and residents. People were quick to welcome us and
to commiserate with our feelings of frustration as we attempted to fit our
belongings into the new apartment. Nearly all residents shared stories of
feeling the same kinds of frustration that we were feeling. Another plus was
the scheduled short trips by Manzano to places around the area. We just
signed up and tagged along.

 

As entertaining was a significant part of our life while in the Pueblo style
house, we were somewhat concerned about the feasibility of continuing to
have friends in our home. At the time of this writing we are planning our
first dinner event with the use of a room provided for such events.

 

As we continue to unpack, we realize that we have made the right move. 

I am becoming very creative in finding little corners or shelves in which to
squeeze more STUFF . Baskets have become handy for overflow. 

Baskets will hold extra towels or cleaning supplies in the bathroom, they
will hold aluminum foil, pot holders, etc. and can easily slide on top of
the refrigerator. As the available space is running out I no longer ask
myself, "Where is my STUFF?" but now I ask, "

 

Where do I put my STUFF?"

 

CAN YOUR MEDICINE BOTTLES DO THIS?

 

by B. T. Kimbrough and Marja Byers

 

(This article appeared in the fall 2014 issue of Dialogue Magazine and is
reprinted with permission.)

 

Doctor's Orders

 

Those of us with limited vision often find ways to harvest the information
from food and over-the-counter medicine labels when we really need to. Many
of those ways involve help from sighted family members, friends or
neighbors. But what happens when our packages contain prescription
medication and arrive with customized print instructions that we would
prefer to read for ourselves--without necessarily sharing the information
with anyone else?

 

If lack of privacy is the most significant disadvantage associated with
blindness or low vision--and many of us believe that it is--the difficulty
of getting private information about our prescription medications is long
overdue for attention.

 

The United States Congress took a step toward addressing this problem a year
ago when it passed the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Safety and
Innovation Act, which is scheduled to go into effect on the first day of
2015. The law requires that blind and low-vision patients must receive
instructions they can read for themselves when they buy prescription
medications either directly or via mail order.

 

The legislation itself did not stipulate what does or does not constitute an
accessible format. That issue was left with the US Access Board, which held
a series of meetings last year with interested parties, including consumers
and major players in national pharmaceutical sales, such as Walgreen's,
Walmart and CVS. The Access Board produced a set of guidelines, or "best
practices," designed to serve as blueprints for actual accessible solutions
that pharmacies can offer to blind and low-vision customers.

 

Now, as days grow short before the new law takes effect, there are actually
three accessibility solutions available to drugstores and pharmacies in the
US. This article will provide some details about these products, the
available information about what retail pharmacy is offering them, and how
they can be obtained.

 

NOTE: The overall plan calls for print enlargement solutions as well as
audible ones, but these will involve more adjustments to current labeling
practices than development of new labeling products. This article will focus
on new alternative labeling solutions which have actually achieved product
status.

 

What Goes On the Bottle

 

Talking Pill Reminder is the accessibility solution offered by Walgreen's
drugstores. It's a plastic disc about an inch across and about three
quarters of an inch thick and comes with adhesive stickers to secure it to
the bottom of a prescription medicine bottle. It has two buttons. The
control marked with one dot is for playing and recording information with a
maximum of 30 seconds of recording time. 

The button marked with two dots sets a beeping reminder in adjustable
intervals from two to 24 hours. Talking Pill Reminder is the only product in
the field so far that involves voice recording of information.

 

Once the order is prepared, the pharmacist would record all of the needed
instructions which would fit in the 30-second window, and then attach the
device to the bottle before shipment. Operating instructions are provided in
both braille and print. The Talking Pill Reminder can be included at no
charge for medication orders over $25; for smaller orders, the device costs
$9.99.

 

A company called AccessaMed offers the Digital Audio Label, which is
designed to be permanently attached to the medication bottle with a
hyper-strength sealant. Participating pharmacies will obtain a special
docking station for about $20 which connects to the store's label-generating
computer. At the pharmacist's option, text from the finished label will be
sent to the Digital Audio Label and converted into an audio file using a
synthetic voice which has been licensed from AT&T. The pharmacist can use
check boxes in the software to control the speed at which the text will be
spoken and whether any of the words will be spelled as well as pronounced.
The labels reportedly cost the retailer about $3 apiece. It is expected that
participating pharmacies will offer the disposable Digital Audio Label at no
extra charge with the walk-in or mail order purchase of subscription
medication.

 

The developer with the most experience in this area is Envision America,
which has offered a medication accessibility solution for at least ten
years. The heart of the Envision America system is a computer application
which converts a finished print prescription label into an electronic file
which can be stored in an area of a few centimeters. 

The stored file is conventional electronic text decoded by a product called
ScripTalk Station, which is designed for long-term, no-cost loan to the
blind or low-vision consumer. The retrieval technology uses a weak radio
signal or RFID to transmit the data once the ScripTalk Station is placed on
top of the bottle whose label contains the RFID code. Participating
pharmacies pay about one dollar for each disposable "talking" label, though
the start-up costs are reported to be close to a thousand dollars.

 

Those Devilish Details

 

The ScripTalk Station is the only device in this group to offer volume
adjustment and an earphone connector for private listening. None of the
products offer the user the option to control the speed of playback or to
scroll back and forth within the information. All three offer a simple
start/stop control which is combined on a single button. Talking Pill
Reminder stands alone in offering an alarm to help with multiple doses that
need to be spaced within a single day. ScripTalk Station is the only product
to offer data retrieval in multiple media. Because the electronic text
stored in the RFID can be transmitted to a computer, it can be displayed in
hard copy or refreshable braille, which would be essential if the user is
deaf-blind.

 

The Talking Reminder is unique in that it is reusable. Once the original
medication is gone, the reminder could be detached from the bottle and
associated with other medications so long as there is someone available to
record the essential information. The recording and speaker are of marginal
quality, but with a little care and adaptability, a serviceable recording
could be made to supply necessary information when it's time to take the
medicine and no sighted help is available.

 

Your Mileage May Vary

 

You know those phrases of disclaimer that come at the end of radio
commercials--"Some assembly required. Sorry, Tennessee!"--well, there are
quite a few special circumstances to bear in mind when shopping for
medication that you will be able to handle independently. For openers, we
don't know of any pharmacy that offers multiple accessible solutions. The
alternative is to learn something about every accessible solution and then
find out which one your store of choice offers. If their solution doesn't
appeal, you might decide to go for a pharmacy that offers a solution you
prefer.

 

Some outlets may offer no solution at all, in which case they are in
technical violation of the new law as of January 2015. Bring that matter to
the attention of management, and do not hesitate to talk up the accessible
solution that sounds the best to you.

 

What We Know So Far

 

Walgreen's (over 8,600 stores in all 50 US states) has an exclusive
relationship with the source of Talking Pill Reminder. If you are arranging
for a mail order, there is a phone number you need to use to ask for the
Talking Reminder at the time you order your medicine. The number is
800-345-1985; ask to speak to a customer advocate. If you are a walk-in
Walgreen's customer, contact the store pharmacy manager to find out if there
are any Talking Pill Reminders in the store. When we checked, many local
stores had at least one of the units, and their managers were aware of the
product's purpose, but a few stores were out of the loop, so to speak, and
their managers only caught up when we brought the issue to their attention.

 

The Digital Audio Label had not been officially adopted by any national
providers by press time. There was some talk of a pilot program among some
Target outlets, so you might check with your local Target manager if you are
interested in the Digital Audio Label. For later information about
pharmacies that use the Digital Audio Label, contact Chad Hazen of
AccessaMed at 360-773-0060.

 

The ScripTalk Station is offered for mail orders through CVS Pharmacy and
Walmart. There may be some local in-store availability, so check with the
local pharmacy manager at your nearest CVS or Walmart. You will need to
arrange with Envision America for the free loan of a ScripTalk Station. The
toll-free number to do that is 855-773-2579. 

That same number should yield information about how you could arrange for
CVS or Walmart mail orders in conjunction with the ScripTalk hardware and
labels.

 

Whichever numbers you call, be prepared for the possibility that you'll be
asked for documentation of need, that is to say, written proof of limited
sight. Those with a handy copy of a "limited vision" statement from a doctor
or even a well known agency in the field may get a quick pass, depending on
how motivated the gatekeepers are to hold down demand for the new accessible
solutions. Surely, over time, the process of proving need will become
routine and standardized as corporate executives come to realize that
checking credentials costs money, while selling accessible medicines
generates revenue.

 

Bottom Line

 

The bad news is that the current situation in accessible medication labels
is a jumble of complexity and rapidly changing restrictions/opportunities.
The good news is that the new legal mandate offers a financial motive to
providers that will, one day, open a new window of opportunity for consumers
to read the label as easily as they can locate the bottle itself.

 

UPDATES FOR NFB-NEWSLINE

 

by Peggy Chong

 

Earlier this winter, NFB-NEWSLINE announced a new feature for the telephone
access method that will help subscribers streamline the reading of newspaper
and magazine publications. This new mode is easy to navigate; you are able
to quickly move from section to section without having to return to the list
of sections and their corresponding option numbers, and you still retain the
ability to swiftly move from article to article.

 

Now you can press 99 at the section level of your favorite publication as
soon as you hear all the sections listed with their associated option
numbers, and you will be placed into the new Continuous Reading Mode. With
the easy navigation of Continuous Reading Mode, you can read an entire
newspaper beginning to end, or skip any section that you are not interested
in by simply pressing the star key.

 

Once you are finished using the Continuous Reading Mode and wish to exit,
press the pound key followed by the star key and you are immediately
returned to the section level of the publication that you are reading. These
new reading tools do not affect the existing tools you are accustomed to
using. Pressing Pound 9 will still email articles to your email address.
Pressing 3 will still move you to the next article in a publication even
while in Continuous Reading Mode.

 

For users of the "My Newspaper" feature that allows you to design your very
own customized publication, the Continuous Reading Mode has also been
enabled so you can quickly move through the content that you find to be of
most value to you.

 

Of course, if you like things the way they were, well, they are the way they
were. NFB-NEWSLINE is not like other services that change so much you do not
know where you are.

 

Here in New Mexico, we have established a NFB-NEWSLINE email list for
updates as soon as they come out. If you are not on this email list and wish
to be, contact me, Peggy Chong at peggychong at earthlink.net
<mailto:peggychong at earthlink.net> , and I will get you onto our list.

 

SILVIANO CHACON

 

by Peggy Chong

 

Silviano Chacon was born in 1927 in New Mexico, the son of Juan and
Francesca Chacon. His family lived in Rio Arriba County during his
childhood. Silviano was born during his father's second marriage, and
Silviano had two older siblings from that marriage.

 

Silviano attended the New Mexico School for the Blind in Alamogordo,
graduating in 1947. After graduating from the school for the blind, he moved
to Albuquerque where he found work. In 1949, he was working at the American
Radiator and Steamland Sanitary Corp. in the warehouse. He worked hard to
prove his worth to the company, and in 1957, he was promoted to a clerk in
the office.

 

1957 was a good year for him, as he married Claudina. He and his wife were
founding members of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico in
1956. Claudina was elected the first treasurer of the affiliate. As part of
a delegation of 8, he and Claudina attended the

 

1957 national convention in New Orleans.

 

As an active member of the affiliate, he also chaired the Convention
Coordinating Committee for the NFB of NM State Convention for 1959. 

That same year, the NFB national convention was held in Santa Fe. 

Silviano chaired the Meeting Room Committee, ensuring that all was set up in
the meeting hall before sessions and cleaning up afterwards.

 

In 1969, Sears in Albuquerque had a contest for "his and hers" Maverick
automobiles to be given away before Christmas. Silviano was in the running
for the car. The newspaper listed him and many others who had passed the
first hurdle. But there is no indication that he won the car.

 

Sadly, this is all I have found out about Mr. Chacon. If anyone has
additional information on him, I would love to add to his story.

 

COSTA RICA ADVENTURE

 

by Christine Hall

 

Last November, my daughter, Candy, and I went to Costa Rica. Costa Rica has
been on my "Bucket List" of one of those places in the world I wanted to
visit, so now I can take it off the list.

 

What an adventure it was for both Candy and me. It was a Yoga Retreat in a
beautiful retreat center with the jungle all around us: trees, plants, and
all kinds of jungle animals. We spent the first night in a hotel in San
Jose, a three and a half hour ride from the retreat center.

 

The first morning at the retreat center, some of us went on a walking tour
through the Cahuita National Park, a tropical jungle. Usually there are wild
animals that are easily spotted in the middle of the abundant, colorful
flora. On that particular day, there did not seem to be too many animals,
but our guide was able to point out a few: a couple of viper snakes (very
poisonous), a monkey or two, some sloths hanging from the trees, and lots of
carpenter ants. Some of the group split off and went snorkeling, where they
saw many colorful fish and beautiful coral which they were careful not to
touch. Candy went snorkeling as she had never gone before. I had been
snorkeling before, both in the Caribbean and in Hawaii, so I chose not to
go. When I went snorkeling in the Caribbean, I still had a bit of sight and
was able to see some of the colorful fish. What a delight.

 

When we woke up in the morning at the retreat center, we would hear a sound
coming from the jungle that sounded like a mountain lion. We found out, much
to our surprise, the sound was from Howler monkeys doing their mating call.
These monkey are quite small and it is hard to believe that sound would be
coming from such a little creature. I will say it was reassuring to know
that a mountain lion was not nearby.

 

Speaking of monkeys and other jungle animals, the highlight of the trip for
me was our visit to the Jaguar Rescue Center. Our guide, Dexter, gave me an
opportunity to have a hands-on experience with some of the animals, not
including the snakes, which was fine with me. As a group, we all went into
the monkey enclosure. Before going in I asked Dexter if he thought it would
be okay for me to take my white cane and he said "yes" as the monkeys would
probably love to play with the cane. He was so right. They were climbing on
my cane, on my arms, shoulders, and head. It was so much fun feeling them
and just being in their presence. 

They were young monkeys who had lost their mothers and would be
rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitat. When I first went into
the monkey enclosure, a volunteer immediately put a Howler monkey on my lap
and he just laid there and slept. The spider monkey and a white face monkey
had fun playing with my cane.

 

I also got to have hands-on interaction with an anteater. I got to feel her
entire body as Dexter held her in his arms. Her hair was very coarse, her
nose, as you would visualize, very long and pointed, and her tail long and
skinny. They only have three claws. The one in the middle is very long to
dig out the ant hole. She then puts her long tongue in the hole to retrieve
ants for her various meals. I also got to go into another enclosure and sit
on the ground with a young Ocelot (jungle cat). Dexter made sure I checked
out her paws which were quite large for her size. She was soft and calm and
she did not even seem to be aware of me while she was eating a treat off the
ground.

 

Dexter then asked me if I was up for what might be considered a scary
experience. I said sure, as I have always been a risk taker. So we went out
to an open space area and he put a heavy glove on my hand. He then told me
to raise my arm as high as it would go and proceeded to put a live mouse on
the tip of the glove. He whistled and a hawk came swooping down and flew off
with the mouse. I know it may be sad to hear about the mouse being devoured
by the hawk, but that is just nature. I could hear the hawk as it flew off
with the mouse.

 

While most of the women went Zip Lining, another retreatant, Edie, and I
visited a small cacao tourist attraction. The cacao tree is a tree that
produces chocolate. Once again we had a great guide who took us through
every stage of how the chocolate eventually comes to us. When we got to the
tourist site, I asked about mosquitoes which seemed to be flying all around
us. They love me and I am always protecting myself with insect repellant.
Our guide said I would probably love the mosquito by the end of our guided
tour, as they are the insect that pollinates the flowers on the cacao tree,
and without the mosquito, no chocolate. I would be very sad if I did not
have my chocolate. We learned of the history and science of chocolate, the
transformation from the raw cacao bean, which we tasted, to the chocolate
bar, very yummy. We took our chocolate bar back to the retreat center and
shared it with our friends. Generous of us, wouldn't you say! The chocolate
is much purer than what we are able to get in the U.S. Costa Rican chocolate
is primarily exported to European countries such as Switzerland, with a very
small percentage going to the U.S. If you like dark chocolate, you would
love it. Much better than what we have in the States.

 

I will conclude this article saying I had a wonderful experience, and it was
an example of our NFB message: "You can live the life you want."

 

NFB CAR DONATION PROGRAM

 

by Brianne Kotschwar

 

Good morning ladies and gentleman,

 

I am the Coordinator for the Car Donation Program for the NFB of New Mexico.
The Car Donation program accepts any vehicle from cars and motorcycles to
boats. Someone will pick up the vehicle being donated. 

It doesn't matter what condition the vehicle is in. Depending on the
condition of the vehicle, it will be sold at an auction or sold to a salvage
yard. The NFB gets the money, and the person donating the vehicle will be
able to get a tax deduction for their donation. The beautiful thing is, we
are not asking for money, just going to different businesses and asking them
if they'd help us spread the word.

 

I thought each month, we would do a different thing such as a restaurant or
even a church, and ask if they can hand out fliers or even post a sticker on
their cash register. I really need everyone's help with this. My thought for
the new year would be for us to go to a grocery store and see if they could
help us out. If anyone has any suggestions of places to go, please let me
know. I have posted a link where you can find materials to hand out:

 

http://www.nfb.org/vehicle-donation-materials

<http://www.nfb.org/vehicle-donation-materials>

 

Thanks so much everyone for your help and support! Please let me know if you
have any questions.

 

UPDATE ON THE U.S. CURRENCY READER PROGRAM

 

Here is updated information regarding the Currency Reader Project and a
change in how the currency readers can be ordered.

 

As of January 2, 2015, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) Currency
Reader project will be open to all citizens/legal residents of the United
States who are unable to read regular print because of blindness or a visual
impairment and submit the required documentation.

 

On January 2, 2015, all individuals interested in receiving a currency
reader will need to complete and submit a BEP application for a currency
reader and mail it directly to BEP. Those who are already NLS (National
Library Service) patrons do not need to have the BEP application certified
but instead may merely check the box on the BEP application indicating that
they are already a certified NLS patron. 

BEP will review the currency reader applications and forward them to NLS,
which will handle fulfillment.

 

Here are links to the application and how the library will be assisting
patrons requesting a currency reader:

1. Refer them to either www.moneyfactory.gov/uscurrencyreaderform.html
<http://www.moneyfactory.gov/uscurrencyreaderform.html> 

<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001r8oi2DNfo3GPE8ym9uBuVcWnwEMa76Q77UDmYtAtdddX
JCbUJWxxA25FaKEPf8_D6xs1Iatvqr_j7liV4O2mO8mTH22YXKSnPWDdK9PIyYxtdDblNzRpP23-
K-9A7ximnF29OBi3nFyiKEHZ4q2ouSfacAbX7ElebA9nIf_7cwqqlEe_YITLjTLnGhEFJYqZ7CgB
c8T_05Ncc0w0pjC4wlQMTENIzb8juG7EDx8N5MJp53cOv7POsyhabY6Fh9W3GO4z-4mvBCjoIuLX
dNaouIlBHoLTA7LWR5CXGzkwG6rGeNr86ixjSlPHuNaXhpGdRzXBKA79YdlAO8EI_UW60bG2xVX2
N0k0OooK9RP83Cdc6YKMlB1GFN-fknjD6oeX&c=NKrwlyqk6GqnuzSbfH8CqUhgw0M_bH1yTkNjU
y536pDP6R3mN3sUSg==&ch=MYBrhMjBLwWw_89V0QnnVTlOm5EST1ydypvAj1cgu1VBnI0hF00FZ
w==>

or loc.gov/nls/other/currencyreader/index.html

<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001r8oi2DNfo3GPE8ym9uBuVcWnwEMa76Q77UDmYtAtdddX
JCbUJWxxA25FaKEPf8_DxynY4FdzCWSOfD-GYZcyfyBEeCjlmU3tZE5EAWdQZOd0ZeFYPmht4fHi
lKRFeTfKL715IN6BrHaTBPM-XV-Y0KyqH_W5qr4sk9msQ7hTIBSqltdUF2ebk-W6jSI3-iPYDJwq
3EMYRwHVfKRZkqWFB48lG4miZB2POTNYSGhWLgc59or0C9CvF5PPXnS9foMpujiWq2t5xvLXYFVF
E5jyrD3ZBoiyINNqrtSJ0CXJ3t5qk3ryplztQ7vgPrWdyoUejh_R02sOdC99N93OfAz-CQc2nre1
yjZ0W6r-aryPwwXEcYuyscTMFawKU3mo-DMMeywJPkuLaQ0=&c=NKrwlyqk6GqnuzSbfH8CqUhgw
0M_bH1yTkNjUy536pDP6R3mN3sUSg==&ch=MYBrhMjBLwWw_89V0QnnVTlOm5EST1ydypvAj1cgu
1VBnI0hF00FZw==>,

where they may print a copy of the application.

2. Print a copy of the BEP application from either website and mail it to
patrons (postage is required).

3. Refer patrons to the BEP call center at 1-844-815-9388, from which they
may request a print copy of the application.

 

 

 

GOOD EATING

 

HAWAIIAN Coconut Spread

 

Submitted by Veronica Smith

 

I just discovered that I was completely board with just plain cream cheese
on my bagel, so a friend of mine said she puts this on her bagels, toast or
anything else she can. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

 

2 tablespoons apricot, pineapple or peach preserves

 

1/3 cup flaked coconut

 

Combine cream cheese and preserves, mixing until well blended. Add coconut;
mix well. Chill. Serve with nut bread slices or on your favorite toasted
bagel.

 

Variations

 

Add 1/8 teaspoon anis seed; substitute 1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
for preserves. Be creative!

 

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND WEBSITES

 

http//www.nfb.org/scholarships

 

Go here for rules and applications for college scholarships ranging from
$3,000 to $12,000., to be given at the NFB National Convention in Orlando,
Florida next July. The deadline is March 31, 2015. Also take a look at the
January Braille Monitor article on how to win a scholarship.

 

1-855-787-2227 Toll free to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

 

This is a help line for disabled passengers who may need to carry devices
such as diabetic supplies, oxygen, etc. which can cause delays in boarding
your plane. Many of plan to travel this summer to conventions, etc. Call at
least 72 hours before you plan to travel.

 

https://www.nfb.org/technology-resource-list

<https://www.nfb.org/technology-resource-list>

 

Go here to view a comprehensive list of all the access technology for the
blind.

 

http://www.blindmicemart.com <http://www.blindmicemart.com>

 

This is an excellent source for audio-described movies. The movies are
packaged in mp3(audio only) files and can be played on any device that
handles this type of audio. In order to use this service, you have to
register with www.blindmicemart.com <http://www.blindmicemart.com>  so that
you can be assigned a user ID ( your e-mail address) and a password.
Submitted by Curtis Chong.

 

MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

March 19 Deadline for Tonia Trapp to receive pre-registration forms for the
April 10-12 NFB State Convention to be held at the Sheraton Uptown Hotel,
2600 Louisiana blvd. NE

 

March 19 Call the Sheraton Uptown before this date to book your room for the
State convention. Call: 505-881-0000 or 1-800-325-3535. Rates are $83 plus
tax; see registration form for more details.

 

March 31 final deadline to get your NFB national scholarship application in.
They are to be given out at the National Convention to be held in Orlando,
Florida in July. The Scholarships range in value from $3,000 to $12,000.

 

For more information go to www.nfb.org/scholarships
<http://www.nfb.org/scholarships>  <http://www.nfb.org/scholarships>.

 

July 5-10 National Federation of the Blind 75th anniversary Convention.