[nfbmi-talk] THE BRAILLE EXAMINER Summer Issue 2012
Larry Posont
president.nfb.mi at gmail.com
Mon Aug 27 16:20:14 UTC 2012
THE BRAILLE EXAMINER Summer Issue 2012
Editor: Connie J. Davis
Co-Editors: Debbie Stein & Meg Dowell
President: Patti Chang
CONTACT INFORMATION
President: Patti Chang, (773) 307-6440, pattichang at att.net
Editor: Connie Davis, (773) 338-6922, connie.davis at rcn.com
Co- Editor: Deborah Kent Stein, (773) 203-1394,dkent5817 at att.net
Co-Editor: Meg Dowell, medowell at live.olivet.net
Formatting & Electronic Distribution: Connie Davis, (773) 338-6922,
connie.davis at rcn.com
Newsline® Edition: David Meyer, (708) 209-1767, datemeyer@ sbcglobal.net
Limited Print Edition: Bill & Roberta Reif, billreif at ameritech.net
Braille Edition: Leslie Hamric, lhamric390 at comcast.net
Proofreaders: Meg Dowell, Steve Hastalis & Bill Reif
Website: Byron Lee, webmaster, www.nfbofillinois.org,
webmaster at nfbofillinois.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Articles and calendar postings should be submitted to Connie Davis at
connie.davis at rcn.com. The Newsletter Committee will meet prior to the
publication of each issue of the newsletter. Meetings will be
announced on our e-mail listservs, posted to the NFBI calendar and on
our website. Our meetings are open and new members are welcome. This
newsletter is available in electronic format on our listservs, via
e-mail, and on our website. It is also available on Newsline®. It is
published in Braille and limited print edition for our donors, as
well.
Snail mail and e-mail address changes should be sent to Connie Davis.
Format changes should also be sent to Connie Davis.
connie.davis at rcn.com. Question or comments may be addressed with
Connie, Debbie or Patti.
STATE CONVENTION ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Door Prizes—Denise Avant
Just a reminder that our State convention will be October 5-7. So it
is time to start gathering door prizes. Thanks to everyone’s hard
work, we have been able to give out some great door prizes.
So let's keep them coming.
See your chapter president for the necessary letters. If possible,
please Braille your prize so we know what it is. If you cannot do it,
then we will take care of it.
If you bring your door prize to the state convention, you should leave
it with me. Things get too busy to leave them at the information
table.
If you cannot attend this year's convention, please send your door
prize to State President, Patti Chang, 6919 W. Berwyn, Chicago, IL,
60656. If you have any questions about door prizes, please contact me,
dravant at ameritech.net.
Resolutions—George Villa
The Resolutions Committee is requesting that anyone submitting
resolutions for consideration do so no later than Monday, September
24th, 2012. Please email your resolution to me at georgejvilla@
comcast.net. If you know of a suitable resolution another affiliate
has, we may ask them for permission to use their resolution. You do
not need to be a member of the committee to
submit a resolution.
Because some of our NFBI members do not use email, we are also asking
that other members and Chapter Presidents circulate this request using
other means.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at
georgejvilla at comcast.net or by calling 630-416-3875.
IABS Idol—Rose Sloan
Hey Everyone!!
Don't forget to sign up for IABS Idol! The cost is only $5 per
person to sing a song at state convention on Friday night!! Please
send your name, song title, and artist of the song to
RoseSloan920 at gmail.com.
Also indicate if you would like the song to be true karaoke style (no
lead-singer; just the instruments and backup singers) or the song with
the lead-singer (what you might hear on the radio, for example).
Anyone who wants to play their musical instrument is welcome to do so
as well! Please just indicate what you will be performing in your
email!
Thanks and I can't wait to hear all your wonderful songs!
2012 SUMMER PRESIDNET'S REPORT
By: Patti Gregory Chang
This has been a busy season for us. We sponsored successful parent
and teacher seminars. We enjoyed national convention with 55 Illinois
members in attendance. We are in the midst of protesting Goodwill
Industries, planning for Oktoberfest, and gearing up for a truly
remarkable state convention.
In April, we held both a Parent and Teacher of the Visually Impaired
Seminar. They were both well-attended. In fact, the negative
comments on our evaluation forms were limited to two. First, we
emphasize Braille. Honestly, I don’t see that one changing. And,
second, we did not have a big enough room for the TVI seminar which
was absolutely true. We planned for fifteen or so teachers and our
sign in sheet showed twenty-four in attendance.
The most positive responses came in respect to our hands-on
activities. Cary Supalo brought and demonstrated his company’s
Lab-Quest, which allows for independent non-visual assessment of
scientific results. Ann Cunningham was on-hand to demonstrate her
tactile drawing boards which can be used for mapping, art, and so much
more.
Our new vendor contingent helped us to enter the top ten states in
attendance records at the beginning of our National convention in
Dallas this year. In fact, John Gordon was elected to our National
Association of Blind Vendors Board of Directors. This convention was
truly fun and jam-packed. If you missed it, the audio is available on
our national web page.
By the publication of this newsletter, we will have already
participated in an informational picket of Goodwill Industries at 1521
Lee Street, in Des Plaines, Illinois. The purpose of our picket is to
educate the public as to the unfair practice of paying disabled
workers less than minimum wage. Some Goodwill entities still pay less
than the minimum to their workers. The Federation has introduced HR
#3086 in the house, which would phase out section 14(c) of the Fair
Labor Standards Act, which currently makes it legal to do so.
On September 15th, 2012 from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M, Federationists, our
friends and families will gather at the home of Francisco and Patti
Chang to celebrate Oktoberfest and to raise funds for our affiliate.
Bring your musical instruments. The exact address is 6919 W. Berwyn
Ave. Chicago, IL. The cost is $25 per person, which includes your
first drink. After your first beverage, beer, wine, and soda will be
$2. Please join us for this fun event. RSVP to pattichang at att.net.
Feel free to call (773) 307-6440 with questions or concerns.
All of us are busy working on an amazing 2012 State Convention. The
Bulletin and Registration form are included in this issue. I would
add that our Resolutions Committee, vendors, students, and parents are
already holding meetings to plan various events. Please check our
calendar and join in on whichever aspect interests you. Dale Sczweck
tells me we need people to assist with Teen Scene and we will need Kid
Camp volunteers. Please contact Dale at (215) 390-7918 about Teen
Scene and Francisco Chang at (773) 391-1248 about Kid Camp. We need
your ideas and assistance.
Finally, I am putting out a plea for a volunteer to Chair our Braille
Literacy Committee. Please let me know if you are interested. Call
(773) 307-6440.
Thanks for all you do. We cannot do this alone. It takes all of us.
KEEPING YOUR NEWSLINE® SUBSCRIPTION
By David Meyer
Late in 2011, the Illinois Talking Book and Braille Service mailed a
survey to all Newsline® subscribers. The survey inquired how often the
subscriber used Newsline® and whether he/she wished to continue
receiving the service.
As the Newsline® coordinator for this affiliate and as a former NFBI
representative to the Illinois Library Advisory Committee, I wish to
thank all of you who took the time to complete the questionnaire.
However, not all subscribers received the survey. For example, I did
not receive it in the mail. I requested a copy and it was sent to me
via email.
Recently, I have become aware of a few developments. The Illinois
Talking Book and Braille Service sent a number of follow-up letters to
those who did not complete the survey, asking if they wished to
continue as Newsline® subscribers. Those who did not respond to the
follow-up letter are likely to receive a phone call, a final
opportunity to answer the same question.
If you receive a call regarding NewsLine®, I urge you to keep the
service. Newsline® has many life-enhancing benefits.
What does Newsline® have to offer you?
1. Newspapers, newspapers, newspapers! Currently, Newsline® provides
more than three hundred newspapers from the United States and around
the world.
2. Magazines. Newsline® offers approximately forty magazines,
including Time, AARP, ESPN, Rolling Stone, and The Readers Digest.
3. Listings for TV programs carried by your satellite provider or
cable network.
4. Job listings from Career Builder, with the opportunity to set up a
personal profile. Illinois also offers a list of job openings at
agencies serving the blind.
5. The Blindness Information Channel, with news from several
organizations and agencies serving the blind of Illinois, as well as
information about accessible voting.
Accessing Newsline®
Newsline® subscribers can access the service in a wide variety of
ways. In addition to accessing content by means of a touch-tone phone,
subscribers can download content to a wide variety of digital Talking
Book readers. Individual articles may be sent to a subscriber's email
address using the phone or computer.
Perhaps the best thing about Newsline® is that all content is provided
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, free of charge. If you
wish to learn more, don't miss the Friday-afternoon session on
Newsline® during the upcoming NFBI convention.
Give NewsLine a try. You may discover it's a service you can't live without!
REPORTS FROM THE ILLINOIS BLIND VENDORS
Note: These articles are reprinted courtesy of the Illinois
Association of Blind Vendors Newsleter.
By David Crawford, Ed Birmingham, Charlie Stolzenbach, Giovanni
Francese, Jesse Rogers, and Steve Heltsley
Seventeen blind vendors from Illinois were first-time attendees at the
2012 NFB national convention. We are all very excited to welcome them
into our Federation family. Several of them wrote about their
experiences in Dallas.
Dave Crawford: Well over two thousand people converged on Dallas,
Texas, for the National Federation of the Blind’s 2012 annual
convention. Illinois was represented by fifty-five attendees,
seventeen of them blind vendors. During the NFB board meeting I
enjoyed learning about the thirty college scholarships presented to
blind students around the country. All of the recipients were there,
and each one had thirty seconds to thank the NFB board and share their
future plans. It was impressive to see the fields that these
intelligent, young blind persons are going into, including political
science, medicine, accounting, music, teaching, and many more.
It was great to see so many Illinois Blind Vendors attending the
National Association of Blind Merchants (NABM) board meeting. Ed
Birmingham and John Gordon gave presentations to the group and
represented us well. Most important for Illinois, John Gordon was
elected to the NABM board.
One of the most entertaining hours I spent at convention was the
fifteenth annual mock trial. Though the topic was serious, the trial
was presented for conventioneers in a highly humorous way. The case
was Duped vs Lost Vision Industries. I.B. Duped was an employee of
Lost Vision Industries whose job was to put tags onto undergarments.
He thought he accepted the job for an hourly wage of $14.44. When he
received his first paycheck, he was surprised to discover that his
wage was in fact $1.44, and it was not a case of a misplace decimal.
The jury was the room packed full of NFB conventioneers. The attorney
for the defense, Mr. D. Fense, opened with a motion to throw out the
jury, claiming it to be prejudiced, being predominately made up of
“optically deluded” people. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr. Dwight Cane,
disagreed with that characterization, stating that the jury was simply
hard of seeing. The judge threw out the motion. The plaintiff called
several witnesses, including Mr. Duped, Ima Forthepeople and Dr.
Lovethemoney. These witnesses testified that Mr. Duped did the same
job as sighted workers, and yet was being paid less than minimum wage.
The defense called several witnesses for Lost Vision Industries. The
owner, Makinem Howl III, testified that the company had obtained a
waiver from the Department of Labor and therefore complied with the
Fair Labor Standards Act. He also stated that blind workers were not
as productive as sighted workers. The defense also called an expert
witness, Dr. Augustus Ceaser Shortstrip, who is purported to be an
expert in all things. He testified that the company was providing a
type of therapy rather than real work. Its purpose was to give these
individuals some sense of value and the feeling that they were doing
something worthwhile. The defense argued that the company was quite
charitable in giving the blind a few hours a day to be distracted from
their infirmity. Dr. Shortstrip believed it would be a cruelty to pay
equal wages to blind workers, because it would give them the false
belief that they might be capable of self-support. He testified that
it would cause them fear and anxiety if they believed they had to rely
on their own earnings to support themselves. He stated that it would
not even be possible for a blind person to perform any task
competitively, other than sleeping. In the end the jury got so unruly
that the judge declared a mistrial.
This is a very serious and important issue to the Federation. There is
no way that anyone can justify paying people with a disability
anything less than minimum wage. All the arguments used during the
mock trial are real arguments used by companies, not just in the past
but in recent months. We must get HR 3086 passed!
I enjoyed my time in Dallas, thank you.
Ed Birmingham: Without a doubt, the convention in Dallas was the most
impressive gathering of the blind that I have ever witnessed. Over
2200 blind and visually impaired individuals from the United States
and several countries gathered in one place to celebrate their
independence and fight for equality. The NFB agenda was filled with
blindness issues. There were seminars on just about every subject
concerning the blind. The General Sessions, which were attended by
most of the 2200 in attendance, were extremely energizing. The opening
session started out with prayer and song, welcoming all. It included a
very stirring tribute to the veterans who now belong to the NFB.
As far as the Merchants Division, the Illinois contingent helped them
stuff snack bags for their annual fundraiser. I would like personally
to thank CSI and all of the Illinois blind vendors who contributed
products for this event.
Early Monday morning we attended the Illinois Caucus, chaired by NFBI
President Patti Gregory-Chang. In the afternoon, we attended the NABM
Board meeting, chaired by President Nicki Gacos. At this meeting, we
heard from several outstanding speakers, including Terry Smith of BEI.
I can tell you that over the past year NABM and the BEI have
accomplished many great things that will benefit blind vendors for
years to come.
President Gacos was kind enough to allow John Gordon and me time to
address the group. We made sure to reiterate how happy the Illinois
Blind Vendors are to be a part of the NFB and the Merchants Division.
We also told them how much we look forward to hosting them in October.
This meeting concluded with elections. John Gordon was elected to a
one-year term that was vacated by a vendor who could no longer serve.
I very much look forward to working with our new partners at the NFB.
This is a highly professional organization, and the members have a
tremendous amount of passion for what they do. I would strongly
encourage all of the Illinois Vendors to get involved and make a
difference. Between the NFB, the Merchants and the BEI,
Randolph-Sheppard is alive and well. However, it still takes money and
involvement to make everything work. Please consider giving of your
time and treasure to help keep the movement rolling forward!
Charlie Stolzenbach: Welcome to the seventy-second convention of the
National Federation of the Blind! The convention was held in Dallas,
Texas, at the Hilton Anatole Hotel during the week of June 30 through
July 6, 2012. This hotel sits on over thirty acres of land. It has
1,610 guest rooms and over 300,000 square feet of meeting space. This
hotel has outdoor and indoor swimming pools. The Hilton was built in
1979 and the tower was added in 1982.
At the convention all fifty states were represented, as well as
forty-two foreign countries. The NFB offered all kinds of exhibits and
seminars. I learned about applications for the iPhone, such as the NFB
Newsline app that lets you download newspapers, magazines, and TV
listings throughout the country. I also signed up for the Talking Book
program and Bookshare. One thing I really found interesting was
information on Seeing Eye dogs. I spent over an hour with some people
from the school, learning how the dogs and blind individuals are
trained. This school in New Jersey offers training for approximately
thirty days for a person who is interested in receiving a Seeing Eye
dog. I found it interesting that guide dog schools are not funded by
the federal government. All funding is privately donated.
I also found out that the blind community has a long way to go for
equal rights in this country. For example, a labor law states that it
is okay for a blind person to be paid less than minimum wage. There
are blind people today making as little as seven cents per hour. Also
there are college students having a hard time getting their books in a
proper format such as Braille or audio. I learned that the US State
Department has a contract with Barnes & Noble to purchase 35,000 Nook
Readers, which are inaccessible to blind users, to the tune of $16
million paid for by the taxpayers of this country.
By Giovanni Francese: Are the Illinois vendors ready for the NFB? I
was in Dallas for the NFB convention. The NFB is a very enthusiastic
bunch of blind people who do what it takes to get things done. I like
their independence, and their commitment to blindness issues is second
to none. As far as the blind merchants go, well, they follow in the
same footsteps as the leadership of the NFB. I think that the vendors
of Illinois will be grateful for the change of national organizations.
The meetings at the convention had great substance, although some of
them could get a bit repetitive; the message was understood, at least
by me. You may want to consider going to a national convention, as
there are many different sessions to attend. There were sessions on
technology, guide dogs, and independent markets, as well as group
sessions, where you can go and talk about a topic with people who are
interested in the same thing.
I hope the vendors of Illinois will become active. It’s not only
important for us to get behind the committee of blind vendors, but to
work with the blind merchants. They are shaping the future landscape
of the Randolph-Sheppard program, and the only way to make a
difference is to stand up and be heard by our fellow vendors.
Jesse Rogers: I attended my first NFB convention and all I can say is
WOW!! I never heard so many tapping canes in my life!
There is only one word to describe the Hilton Anatole--Huge! I found
two large elephant statues in the lobby area, but I never did find the
donkey statues. There were plenty of sighted folks (volunteers from
UPS) stationed everywhere to provide assistance, if needed. There was
so much to do in so little time, such as the exhibit hall with
countless vendors of equipment. I was impressed with the number of
activities for the youth. We attended the Blind Auto Enthusiasts
Seminar and the mock trial. Sharon attended the Public Relations
Seminar while I attended the NABM meeting, where John Gordon was
elected to the board. Congrats to John!
On Tuesday morning the General Sessions started with a salute to
veterans, a roll call of states, and a presentation on internet access
for the blind. In the afternoon we heard NFB President Dr. Marc
Maurer's annual report and talks on descriptive video and Windows
accessibility. A highlight of the afternoon was a presentation by the
Honorable Ray LaHood, US Secretary of Transportation, who spoke on
safe and accessible travel. Sharon and I were able to meet and have
our picture taken with Mr. LaHood.
All in all, convention was a great experience. I will attend future
conventions and recommend that others do the same.
by Steve Heltsley: I had an informative time at the NFB convention in
Dallas Texas. It was my first time attending a conference of this
magnitude. I went to the Rookie Roundup, where all the first-time
convention-goers got a preview of what to expect throughout the week.
I was enlightened and motivated by the speakers at the conference as
they informed us of many things that involve blind people, not only in
this country, but around the world. I learned to use Blio, which is
software to access books online and now for use on the iPhone. I
enjoyed the update given by a Microsoft employee on Windows 8 and how
it will operate. Sendero was there to inform us of the new iPhone
application they will release later this year. It will be competitive
with Navigon and TomTom.
There was a lot of information at the Independence Market and exhibit
hall. I attended the Texas BBQ and enjoyed the entertainment provided.
I met many new friends there, and was able to visit with other friends
I have not seen in a while. There was more to see and learn than I had
time for. I look forward to going to the convention next year in
Orlando, Florida.
REFLECTIONS ON CONVENTION
By Rose Sloan
The 2012 NFB National Convention was my first national convention, and
I was fortunate to be there as a national scholarship winner.
As the scholarship winners rehearsed for the awards presentation at
the convention banquet, Patti Chang said, "Scholarship applicants ask,
`Do we really have to go to convention`" Her response, and mine, is
yes, you really do! The experience can be life-changing, as it was for
me.
I highly recommend that you come to convention well rested and ready
for an incredibly busy week. This was my first mistake. On the first
day, I was extremely tired. I had a chance to have dinner with two
scholarship committee members and two other scholarship winners. You
never know who is going to become an inspiration or a friend. Although
I didn't realize it at the time, one of the scholarship winners I had
dinner with that night became one of my good friends during the week.
I am confident we will keep in touch.
Another piece of advice I heard was to talk to as many people as you
can. Start conversations in the elevator. Sit by different people in
your state delegation during general sessions. Go to division meetings
that interest you. At the very least you will have one thing in common
with every single person at the convention. It is truly a good time to
stretch your character, to be bolder than normal.
I am sure people told me I would meet amazing mentors at convention,
but I had no idea just how amazing these mentors could be. Among the
speakers was Kareem Dale, President Obama's advisor on disability
policy. As it turns out, he is an old friend of Patti's. She
introduced me to him, and after the banquet, I had the chance to meet
him in an informal setting. This connection is huge for me; my dream
job is to be a policy advisor or advocate one day. Being an advisor to
the president of the United States would be the epitome of achieving
my career goals.
Members of the NFB from all over the United States are professionals,
or have access to someone in any field imaginable. I was incredibly
lucky to meet some leaders in my field while I was at the convention,
but it wasn't complete luck. If someone tells you to remind them to do
something, be proactive and do it. Don't be afraid to be persistent,
and don't let someone's rank intimidate you. Patti asked me to remind
her to introduce me to Kareem Dale, for example. And whenever Dr. Fred
Schroeder's name came up, I mentioned I wanted to meet him. My
persistence paid off; on the last day of convention, Patti told me,
"Dr. Schroeder is looking for you."
It's difficult to describe in words, but I felt a boost of confidence.
I have to believe the NFB National Convention receives full credit for
this. The amazing speeches by the leaders of the NFB are nonstop, and
the messages stick. Dreams can be achieved. My takeaway is that being
blind is a mere inconvenience or annoyance, but it is not a barrier.
If blindness becomes a barrier to achieving dreams, the NFB will be
there to destroy the barrier, whether it is by taking matters into the
courtroom or developing new technology.
I heard the phrase "Federation Family" many times during the
convention. I truly felt that every person I met was interested in
getting to know me. Professionals such as lawyers and professors take
time to meet with fellow Federationists who are interested in their
fields.
Go to National Convention. Go not because you have to, or you feel you
should, but because it's a worthwhile experience. As long as you don't
sit in your hotel room for a week, you will at the very least make a
few new acquaintances. Most likely, you will gain much more.
INTRODUCING MEG DOWELL
Meg Dowell is the newest member of our newsletter committee. She was
one of the scholarship winners at our NFBI State Convention in 2011.
She is currently an English major at Olivet Nazarene University in
Bourbonnais, Illinois. Here is an autobiographical note about her. She
has done a major portion of editing for this issue and we thank her!!!
There are a lot of things people don't know about me. No one knows
about my Barnes & Noble online shopping addiction (until now); very
few people are aware that I am a hyperperfectionist. I would not be
able to do all that I do without these qualities, of course: the
perfectionism makes me work to the point of exhaustion, and the books
keep me sane, 46% of the time. I am a junior in college, but I still
sometimes feel like a thirteen-year-old, gushing over boys and Taylor
Swift and lip gloss. But I was always one of those girls who wanted to
grow up fast. Even now, I sometimes sit at home during the summers and
beg God for my own apartment. Part of growing up, I've realized, is
learning who you are, or at least, who you're meant to be.
Unfortunately, I'm still wandering down that winding path. One thing I
do know is that words are my passion. I not only read them, edit the
stuffing out of them, and analyze them until they cry, but I also
write them. I have never known a person as thoroughly as I know the
characters I create; I have never viewed a landscape as clearly as the
ones I form when describing a story's setting. When the end of the day
approaches, and I have a six-page literary analysis to write, two
newspaper deadlines to meet, and a grammar competency exam to study
for, I dream of running off to New York after graduation and begging
unimpressed publishers to buy my books. Perhaps, if life drives me
crazy enough, I will.
TECH TIP: USING MORE I-PHONE APPS
by Denise Avant
All of the apps can be purchased from the App store.
1. Look Tell Money Reader: This app uses the iPhone's camera to
identify money. Once the app is downloaded and installed to the phone,
all you have to do is double tap on the app, and hold the phone a few
inches above the bill you wish to identify. It will not matter if the
bill is crinkled or folded. The app is very accurate. When the app
first came out, it was $2.99. But it is $9.95 in the app store.
2. Read2Go: This app is for downloading daisy books from
Bookshare.org. You need a Bookshare subscription and the app itself
cost $19.95. If you do not have a Bookshare membership, you will have
to go online at www.Bookshare.org, and fill out an application. You
will have to supply proof of blindness, (if you have qualified with
NLS or some other blindness related reading service Bookshare can use
that verification). You will have to pay an application fee of $25.00.
Once you have been approved, the Bookshare membership is $50.00 for
unlimited access to Bookshare's library. Students receive Bookshare
memberships free of charge. The Bookshare library has scanned books,
but in recent years, Bookshare has added with the publisher's
permission, publisher quality books. Once the app is installed, you
have the ability to search and download books from the Bookshare
library onto your phone. You can either use the built-in speech,
Heather U.S. or Ryan U.s. or you can disable the speech and use the
voiceover speech, which is likely Samantha for most of you. Whatever
voice you use, you will be able to set the speech rate according to
your own comfort level. Finally, depending on how well the book is
marked up, you will be able to move by section, chapter, page and
phrase.
3. Audible: These books are recorded audio books. The app itself is
free. However, you have to pay for the books, either individually or
by purchasing one of Audible's subscription plans. Unlike with
Read2Go, you have to go to the Audible.com website to select your
book. Once you have selected and purchased your book, you can download
it to your phone using the Audible app. You can change the readers
speech rate, and you can move by section and by time intervals in the
book. There is also a sleep timer.
I have just presented an overview of these apps. But for more detail,
you can find podcasts that discuss most of the apps talked about by
Marco, Byron, Syed and I.
POPULAR websites ARE www.appelvis.com and www.accessible-devices.com.
You can also search for blind access journal blog and podcast and all
with my iPhone for other podcasts and information about the iPhone.
Most apps work with the iPad and iPod touch as well as the iPhone.
RECIPES
Here are two summer recipes to tickle your taste buds:
Yogurt Fruit Smoothie
1 cup vanilla yogurt
½ cup orange, pineapple, grapefruit or cranberry juice
½ cup of fruit (You can use more. Fresh or frozen fruit works best.)
6-8 ice cubes
Chicken Salad
Chicken breast
Raisins
Walnut pieces
Chopped celery
Onion
Mayonnaise, enough to hold chicken salad together
CALENDAR
August
28—Guide Dog Committee Meeting, 8-9:00 PM, 218-936-1200, via
teleconference code 6324
September
1--Kankakee Heartland Chapter Meeting, 10 AM--12 PM, Bourbonnais
Public Library, 250 W. John Casey Road, Bourbonnais, Illinois
2--At Large Chapter Meeting, 7 -9 PM, via teleconference,
218-936-1200, code 6324
5--Parents Committee Meeting, 7:30-8:30, via teleconference, code 727368
8—Four Rivers Chapter Meeting, 11 AM to 1 PM, Belleville Public
Library, 3414 W. Main Street Belleville, Illinois
Chicago Chapter Membership Tea, 11:30 AM
Chicago Chapter Meeting, 1-4:00 PM, Exchequer Pub, 226 S.
Wabash, Chicago, Illinois
Blackhawk Chapter Meeting
9--IABS Meeting--7-10 PM, via teleconference, 218-936-1200, code 4227
11--Membership Committee Meeting, 7--11:30 PM, via teleconference, code 6362
13--Teen Scene Committee Meeting, 7-9 PM, via teleconference, code 7526
15--Oktoberfest, home of Patti and Francisco Chang, 5 PM to 9 PM, cost $25,
October
5—State Convention, Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N. Cumberland Chicago, IL,
6—State Convention, Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N. Cumberland Chicago, IL,
7—State Convention, Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N. Cumberland Chicago, IL,
13--There will be no Chicago Chapter Meeting this month
Four Rivers Chapter Meeting, 11 AM-1 PM, Belleville Public
Library, 3414 W. Main Street Belleville, Illinois
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF ILLINOIS
2012 CONVENTION BULLETIN
Expecting the Impossible
On October 5th, 6th, and 7th, 2012, enthusiastic Federationists will
assemble in Chicago to renew our dedication in the pursuit of
security, equality, and opportunity for all blind people.
The site for our convention will be the Holiday Inn O’Hare, 5615 N.
Cumberland Chicago, IL, (773) 693-5800. Room rates are $79 per night
plus applicable taxes. Please indicate you are with the NFBI to get
this special rate. Room reservations must be made by September 15th.
After that date, reservations will be accepted only on a space
available basis.
This year’s convention will kick off with a Friday afternoon seminar
as well as an afternoon resolutions committee meeting. Exhibitors of
technology and products will be present to answer individual questions
from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon. In addition, we plan to
have a Friday evening session for exhibitors to talk about and
demonstrate their products and services to the convention. Come
learn.
The Resolutions Committee will be chaired by George Villa. ALL
resolutions must be submitted by September 26, 2011. He may be
contacted at georgejvilla at comcast.net or (630) 416-3875.
IABS IDOL will occur Friday evening. Those wanting to perform during
the IABS Idol should contact IABS by e-mailing Rose Sloan at
RoseSloan920 at gmail.com. Please put IABS IDOL in your subject line.
Our general session will convene on Saturday, October 6th at 9 a.m.
We will begin with a National Report regarding NFB happenings. We
welcome key speakers such as Adrienne Asch, a preeminent bioethicist
and Cary supalo, a chemistry professor. After our parent and student
lunches, we will reconvene. Our featured panelists, Raven Pulliam,
John Gordon and Nicky Gakos, will address Business Enterprise Program
issues. In addition, there will be breakout sessions for parents of
blind children, a teen scene and significant others meeting.
The evening will culminate with our annual banquet, featuring an
energizing address from our National Representative who will be a
national leader in the organized blind movement. We will also see the
much-anticipated scholarship awards.
Sunday morning’s session will begin with Braille is Beautiful and we
will hear from other blind people sharing their experiences.
Resolutions will be voted on during the Sunday morning session.
Adjournment is scheduled for 12:00 PM on October 7th.
Advance registration for the convention made before September 24th is
$5. Registration after that date or at convention will be $15. The
registration form and fees for breakfasts, luncheon, and banquet
should be sent before September 24th to Glenn Moore, Treasurer NFBI,
P.O. Box 1065, Elgin, IL 60121. Checks or money orders should be made
payable to NFB of Illinois. Please do not send cash.
We will host a breakfast for parents of blind children at 7 a.m. on
Saturday. The student breakfast will be held on Sunday morning at 7:00
a.m., at which time the student division will conduct its business
meeting. The cost for each breakfast will be $10.
We will have two luncheons for all those interested in student and/or
parent issues
on Saturday. The cost for either luncheon will be $15. The banquet on
Saturday night will start at 7 p.m. and tickets will cost $30.
Those with special dietary needs for any of the meals should contact
Denise Avant, (773) 325-1117 or dravant at ameritech.net. The deadline
for such requests is September 24th.
Kids’ Kamp (childcare) will be available on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. Kids’ Kamp is free to all children under 12 who are
registered for the convention. A separate release form must be filled
out at time of registration.
For those needing financial assistance to attend the convention, all
applications must be submitted to President Patti Chang no later than
September 5th at 6919 W. Berwyn Ave. Chicago, IL 60656 or
pattichang at att.net. The form to fill out for financial assistance
from the James Chappell Memorial Fund is available on our web site at
www.nfbofillinois.org or one will be mailed to you upon request.
Federation conventions change the lives of blind and sighted people
alike! Don’t miss out on this opportunity for change! Join us for our
best convention yet!
2012 NFBI STATE CONVENTION
Registration Form
Name(s) _______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
City __________________________ State ___________ Zip ____________
Phone_______________________
Cell Phone________________________
E-mail address__________________________________________________
Registration $5.00 or $15.00 x ______ = ______
**$5.00 before September 24th, $15.00 after
Breakfasts
Parents (Saturday) $10.00 x _____ = _______
IABS (Sunday) $10.00 x _____ = _______
Luncheon
Parent’s (Saturday) $15.00 x _____ = ______
Student’s (Saturday) $15.00 x _____ = ______
Banquet (Saturday evening) $30.00 x _____ = _____
At-Large Membership $2.00 x ______ = ______
TOTAL
______
All activities take place at the Holiday Inn. O’Hare. Hotel phone is
(773) 693-5800. Questions regarding registration should be directed to
Glenn Moore at gmoore3rd at gmail.com or (847) 899-9801. Please make
checks payable to NFBI. Return the registration form with payment
before September 24, 2012 to: Glenn Moore Treasurer NFBI, P.O. Box
1065 Elgin, Il 60121.
Photo from Goodwill Protest in Des Plaines on August 25, 2012
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