[Nfbmt] {Spam?} RE: {Spam?} FW: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, December 2013
Rebecca Stewart
becca33 at bresnan.net
Sun Dec 22 03:34:14 UTC 2013
Hi Ted. Merry Christmas to you also. I get the Braille Monitor on Newsline
but it is hard using the Iphone ap and so this is much easier for me. Thank
you.
Becca
-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmt [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Edward Robbins
Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2013 11:14 AM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List'
Subject: [Nfbmt] {Spam?} FW: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, December
2013
Greetings,
All on this list may not be subscribed to the Braille Monitor. See
it below. This month, like all months, has some wonderful articles. If
you've already received it, just hit delete.
Merry Christmas.
Ted
EDWARD C "TED" ROBBINS
, CEO MBEI, Treasurer NFB of Montana & MANAGER MAB EQUIPMENT PROGRAM
PHONE & FAX: 406 453 6678, CELL: 406 799 6268
104 RIVERVIEW 5 E
GREAT FALLS MT 59404
-----Original Message-----
From: brl-monitor-bounces at nfbcal.org [mailto:brl-monitor-bounces at nfbcal.org]
On Behalf Of Brian Buhrow
Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2013 11:16 PM
To: brl-monitor at nfbcal.org
Subject: [Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, December 2013
BRAILLE MONITOR
Vol. 56, No. 11 December 2013
Gary Wunder, Editor
Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive
(see reverse side) by
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
Marc Maurer, President
telephone: (410) 659-9314
email address: nfb at nfb.org
website address: http://www.nfb.org
NFBnet.org: http://www.nfbnet.org
NFB-NEWSLINE. information: (866) 504-7300
Letters to the president, address changes,
subscription requests, and orders for NFB literature
should be sent to the national office.
Articles for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also
be sent to the national office or may be emailed to gwunder at nfb.org.
Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year.
Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the
subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to National Federation
of the Blind and sent to:
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998
THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION
SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES.
ISSN 0006-8829
) 2013 by the National Federation of the Blind
Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick
or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a
National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots--the
familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and
a second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This
smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad
covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one
position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again.
(Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive,
the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is
inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital
materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges,
when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.
You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to
your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb
drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in
order to stretch our funding. Please use the return label enclosed with the
drive when you return the device.
Vol. 56, No. 11 December 2013
Contents
Illustrations: No Tricks, Just Treats from the NFB Halloween Party
Convention Bulletin 2014
A Journey of Success
by Julie Deden
Of Parallels, Learning, and New Paradigms
by Carlton Anne Cook-Walker
Producing Tactile Materials, an Update
by Robert Jaquiss
Social Security, SSI, and Medicare Facts for 2014
by Lauren McLarney
Blind War Hero's Next Fight is in Court
by Tim Elder
A Season for Gratitude
by Barbara Pierce
Strong People Cannot Be Defeated
by Dolores Reisinger
Santa's Little Helper
by Darrel Kirby
A Thank-You From a Reader
by Estelle Shukert
Federation of the Blind Honors Keyser's Edgar McDonald
by Barbara High
New Mexico Federationists Change What It Means to Be Blind
by Curtis Chong
Ask Miss Whozit
The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards
by Jim Gashel
The 2014 Blind Educator of the Year Award
by David Ticchi
Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award for 2014
by Cathy Jackson
>From the President's Recipe File
by Marc Maurer
Recipes
Monitor Miniatures
No Tricks, Just Treats from the NFB Office Halloween Party
Halloween is fun. This is true whether one's age is measured in
single or double digits. Here we see staff members at the National Center
for the Blind celebrating the holiday with a brief morning break before
going back to their work to create greater opportunities for all of us.
[PHOTO CAPTION: John Berggren plays it cool with a Mad Hatter top hat.]
[PHOTO CAPTION: Nick Lambright salutes the camera with his coffee, while
wearing on his head a unique hat, a panda with devil horns.]
[PHOTO CAPTION: Joanne Wilson's witch's hat with artfully draped cobwebbing-
positively bewitching]
[PHOTO CAPTION: Nijat Worley dressed as Harry Potter]
[PHOTO CAPTION: Sonia Little strikes a sassy pose in her cat costume.
[PHOTO/CAPTION: Palm-lined drive leading to front entrance to Rosen Centre
Hotel]
Convention Bulletin 2014
Rosen Centre Hotel
It is time to begin planning for the 2014 convention of the National
Federation of the Blind. We are returning to Orlando for our second stay at
the beautiful Rosen Centre Hotel this year, July 1 through 6. Once again
our hotel rates are the envy of all. For the 2014 convention they are
singles and doubles, $82; and for triples and quads, $88. In addition to
the room rates there will be a tax, which currently is 13.5 percent. No
charge will be made for children under seventeen in the room with parents
as long as no extra bed is requested. Please note that the hotel is a no-
smoking facility.
For 2014 convention room reservations you should write directly to the
Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819. You
can call the hotel at (800) 204-7234 after January 1. At the time you make
a reservation, a $95 deposit is required for each room reserved. If you use
a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately,
just as would be the case with a $95 check. If a reservation is cancelled
before May 28, 2014, half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise
refunds will not be made.
Guest-room amenities include cable television, in-room safe,
coffeemaker, and hairdryer. Internet access is available in each guest
room, and currently it is offered without charge. Guests can also enjoy a
swimming pool, fitness center, and on-site spa. The Rosen Centre Hotel
offers fine dining at Executive Chef Michael Rumplik's award-winning
Everglades Restaurant. In addition, we will have an array of dining options
from sushi to tapas to a 24-hour deli. See later issues of the Monitor for
details and information about other attractions in the Greater Orlando
area.
The 2014 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be a
truly exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and
rededication to the goals and work of our movement. Make plans now to be a
part of it. Preconvention seminars for parents of blind children and other
groups and set-up of the exhibit hall will take place on Tuesday, July 1.
Adjournment will be Sunday, July 6, following the banquet. Convention
registration and registration packet pick-up for those who preregistered
will begin on Wednesday, July 2, and both Wednesday and Thursday will be
filled with meetings of divisions and committees, including the Thursday
morning annual meeting, open to all, of the board of directors of the
National Federation of the Blind.
General convention sessions will begin on Friday, July 4, and
continue through the banquet on Sunday, July 6. Monday, July 7, will be
available for tours for those who enjoy getting to know something about our
convention city. To assure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at
convention rates, you must make reservations early. The hotel will be ready
to take your call or deal with your written request by January 1.
Remember that as usual we need door prizes from state affiliates,
local chapters, and individuals. Once again prizes should be small in size
but large in value. Cash, of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As
a general rule we ask that prizes of all kinds have a value of at least $25
and not include alcohol. Drawings will occur steadily throughout the
convention sessions, and you can anticipate a grand prize of truly
impressive proportions to be drawn at the banquet. Prizes should be sent to
Dwight Sayer, First Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of
Florida, 12516 Hammock Pointe Circle, Clermont, FL 34711. Dwight can be
reached on his home phone by dialing (352) 988-5583, and can be contacted
using email at <REPCODDS at aol.com>.
The best collection of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of
our special interest groups, committees, and divisions; memorable tours
suggested by the host affiliate; the most stimulating and provocative
program items of any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew
friendships in our Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity to
be where the real action is and where decisions are being made-all of these
mean you will not want to miss being a part of the 2014 national
convention. We'll see you in Orlando in July.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Diane McGeorge (left) and Julie Deden are shown at the
banquet celebrating the Colorado Center for the Blind's twenty-fifth
anniversary.]
A Journey of Success
The Colorado Center for the Blind Celebrates Twenty-five Years
by Julie Deden
From the Editor: We who are members of the National Federation of the
Blind have been called dreamers. We were thought to be half crazy when we
said that we should organize and speak for ourselves, a bit more crazy when
we began defining the most significant problem of blindness as the social
reaction to it, and thought to have gone completely around the bend when we
boldly stated that, with the proper training and opportunity, blind people
can do almost anything we want to make our way in the world. When we were
small and disorganized, people weren't very interested in or threatened by
what we thought. If we wanted to meet periodically and discuss our little
fantasies, what would it hurt except to create false expectations for the
gullible? But, when we began to say that our dreams and expectations must
go beyond our meetings and that they should be reflected in programs of
education, rehabilitation, and employment policies, the agencies who saw
their role being to take care of us reacted bitterly against the criticisms
we leveled at their programs. Some were outright hostile and forbade their
patients/clients/students/consumers from associating with us. Others were
less extreme but proclaimed that, when the day came for us actually to try
educating and rehabilitating blind people, we'd sing a different tune, one
more in keeping with what their experience taught them to expect.
So it is that the National Federation of the Blind had to become more
than just a consumer organization, urging funding for and critiquing the
programs of others. The challenge was to put up or shut up, so, through a
few state programs and later centers of our own, we have taken our dreams,
have molded them into strategies, and have actively undertaken the work of
providing direct service to blind men and women who want to be normal,
capable, contributing members of society.
One of the centers we started was the Colorado Center for the Blind in
1988. The center has been changing lives for a quarter of a century, and
here to commemorate this special anniversary is an article written by our
executive director of the center, who daily soldiers on with the rest of
her dedicated staff to see that blind people come to think of themselves as
normal and not as damaged and broken sighted people:
On a cold and snowy Sunday evening in January of 1988, I had the honor
and the privilege to attend a Thanksgiving meal complete with turkey,
mashed potatoes, and stuffing to welcome the first five students at the
Colorado Center for the Blind. We gave thanks for the National Federation
of the Blind, for without the NFB we would not be opening up a center
filled with promise for the future of blind people. Diane McGeorge and her
husband Ray, along with several of us from the Colorado affiliate, had a
dream: a dream to take control of our own destiny. For many years we had
attempted to work with the state rehabilitation center to see if we could
shape it into one where blind students would be challenged and where they
would have high expectations placed upon them in order to excel. We came to
the conclusion that this was not possible. So, at age fifty-five, Diane
McGeorge made the commitment to direct the Colorado Center for the Blind.
She, along with Tom Anderson and Duncan Larsen, started it all.
I was a rehabilitation counselor for the state of Colorado at the time
and the president of the NFB of Denver. I will never forget how I felt that
evening as we talked to our five students, letting them know that we
believed in them, that we expected them to succeed, and that we would be
there with them every step of the way! I felt proud, elated, excited, and
appreciative and could not wait to see what would happen.
Twenty-five years later I am now the director of the Colorado Center
for the Blind. I still feel honored and privileged every day to be a part
of this magical adventure. Our three NFB centers [in Colorado, Minnesota,
and Louisiana] have provided training to hundreds of blind people in these
years. The training has been guided by the beliefs and the philosophy of
the National Federation of the Blind. We have truly revolutionized training
for blind people of this country.
Today Diane McGeorge chairs the board of the Colorado Center for the
Blind. She volunteers every week with our seniors, but her first love is
working with all of our students to instill belief in blindness in each of
them. At this writing we have twenty-nine students enrolled in our full-
time program from all over the country. Our students expect to be
challenged each day, whether it is crossing a busy intersection, skiing, or
meeting an employer for the first time. The center has programs for blind
youth of all ages and also programs for seniors. We most recently began
providing intensive training to blind college students.
On Friday, September 13, and Saturday, September 14, we all gathered
together to celebrate twenty-five years of progress at the Colorado Center
for the Blind.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Ann Cunningham unveils new artwork in the Colorado Center
for the Blind.]
Friday, September 13
As some of you may know, Colorado had the worst flood in a century in
September, and the Littleton area was in the thick of it. The rain stopped
and the sky cleared for a few hours on Friday, September 13, 2013. The calm
lasted just long enough for the opening ceremony of the twenty-fifth
anniversary celebration, along with tours of the center and rides in the
National Federation of the Blind's Blind Driver Challenge. car. Guests also
enjoyed bratwursts grilled by current center students.
Distinguished guests at the morning ceremony included Littleton's
mayor, Debbie Brinkman; National Federation of the Blind first vice
president, Frederick K. Schroeder; NFB of Colorado president, Scott
LaBarre; and founder and long-time director at the center, Diane McGeorge.
The ceremony also included the unveiling of Colorado artist Ann
Cunningham's remarkable stone bas relief of the Front Range, the rivers
that flow out onto the Great Plains from the mountains, and the cities that
stretch from the southern border with New Mexico to the northern boundary
with Wyoming.
Later in the morning center graduate Mark A. Riccobono, executive
director of the Jernigan Institute at the National Center for the Blind in
Baltimore, took advantage of the short stretch of good weather to give
nearly sixty attendees a short ride around the block in the National
Federation of the Blind's Blind Driver Challenge car. The BDC is the
perfect symbol of the Colorado Center for the Blind's twenty-five years of
success-our training puts blind people into the driver's seat of their own
lives.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Blind driver, Mark A. Riccobono, takes celebration
attendees for a spin in the NFB's Blind Driver Challenge car.]
Saturday's Gala
On Saturday evening the crowd reconvened with many more friends and
alums at the Denver Renaissance Hotel for a gala evening of food, more
memories, and dancing. NFB President Dr. Marc Maurer addressed the nearly
160 in attendance. He said the purpose in starting the three NFB training
centers in 1987 and 1988 was to put into practice the NFB's philosophy of
self-determination: to raise the bar for training centers in general; and,
through these changes, to raise the expectations of and for the blind. But,
on a more practical level, establishing our centers was to start "turning a
lot of confident, capable blind people loose," people who would begin to
make things happen for themselves and for the blind in general. Thus one of
the purposes was to start a revolution in the blindness world. That
revolution continues to this day.
Recognizing that our students are central to what we do, we heard from
a number of them. "Without the training I received at the center," said Jim
Barber of the call he received to take a job on the West Coast a dozen
years ago, "I wouldn't have had the confidence to pick up and move to a new
city in a different state so far from family and friends." Jim was one of
the original five students at the center, and his risumi includes Google,
Yahoo, and Qualcomm.
At every student graduation, when the bell of freedom is rung, I have
a feeling of pride and exhilaration right along with the graduating student
and everyone else in the room. Together we are "changing what it means to
be blind." Think about what the next twenty-five years will bring!
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Carlton Anne Cook-Walker]
Of Parallels, Learning, and New Paradigms
by Carlton Anne Cook-Walker
From the Editor: Carlton Anne Cook-Walker is an amazing woman whose
motivation, education, and insights are invaluable. Here is a speech she
recently made at a luncheon for parents of blind children in Iowa:
Good afternoon. Thank you so much for having me here. It is indeed an
honor to be in this Hawkeye state that holds so much history of the blind
with individuals like you, who represent the future.
I serve as the president of the National Organization of Parents of
Blind Children. This marks my fifth year of working as an itinerant teacher
of blind students in south central Pennsylvania, and I continue to operate
my law practice on a part-time basis. But to explain better where I want to
go, I need to let you know where I have been.
I am a native North Carolinian, so, if you ask me where I'm from, the
answer is Raleigh, North Carolina. However, in 1995 I met an incredible
gentleman. He was a widower and the father of two lovely children, Kenny
and Stephanie. Despite the fact that he was also a Yankee, we married, and
I moved up to Pennsylvania, where we all now live.
In March of 2001 our family grew with the birth of Anna Catherine. She
was a healthy, full-term baby, weighing eight pounds, twelve ounces-but
health problems soon developed. As many first-time mothers do, I had
heavily researched the benefits of breastfeeding. Unfortunately, Anna could
not latch on well, and after our first hospitalization I ended up feeding
her my milk in a bottle. This worked well for a couple of months-then she
developed severe reflux.
Our next three hospitalizations ended with surgery to treat the reflux
and the placement of a feeding tube. Again we muddled through as a two-pump
family-my breast pump and her feeding pump.
Just after Thanksgiving, when we returned from our first family
vacation, Anna's lips started turning various shades of blue. Another two
weeks in the hospital, and we came home with two oxygen tanks and an
overnight monitor. We were also told that this first Christmas with Anna
Catherine might well be our last.
In February Anna started vomiting blood. We again rushed to the
emergency room but this time at a different hospital, Children's Hospital
in Pittsburgh. Everything was different. In Pittsburgh Anna was not treated
as a pulmonary case or a neurology case. Anna was a sick little girl who
needed to get better. Anna Catherine was sicker than she had ever been
before, but these doctors believed that she could and would improve. They
learned that she could no longer tolerate any proteins, so she could no
longer have my milk. Instead she needed a very elemental formula, made in
England, that contained only amino acids, which her body would then form
into proteins.
I had to throw out my preconception of the superiority of breast milk.
No matter how I changed my diet, I could no longer provide what she needed.
I had to give up what I wanted in order to give my little girl what she
needed. Anna's early health issues hampered the development of both her
macula (used for central vision) and her retina (used for peripheral
vision). Nevertheless, early educators steered us toward large print-after
all, three-year-old Anna could read seventy-two-point font at four inches.
Through an improbable series of events I found the National Federation
of the Blind. We attended the first Beginnings and Blueprints conference in
Baltimore in 2005; we attended the 2006 NFB convention in Dallas, and we
fell in love. We realized that our new NFB family could provide Anna
Catherine with the skills, tools, and mentoring that we, as her sighted
parents, could not.
As I reflect on the first fifteen months of Anna's life, I am struck
at the parallels between my journey and those of parents of blind children-
especially blind children who have some functional vision. I had researched
the benefits of breast milk, and I did everything in my power to ensure
that Anna got it. Parents of children with low vision are bombarded with
information about maximizing vision. Just as I did with breast milk,
parents and professionals bend over backward to maximize use of vision-even
when the child is harmed in the process. I remember vividly how hard it was
for me to give up nursing and move to formula-you can probably hear in my
voice how emotional a decision it was. Thus, it should not surprise us that
sighted parents and professionals cling steadfastly to their misconceptions
about the superiority of vision in all circumstances. It takes time to
change attitudes and transform belief systems; and our support and patience
are vital. We know the utility of nonvisual techniques, and parents' minds
will be changed when they witness the increased capabilities and
independence of their blind children who use them more efficiently and
effectively than those vision-maximizing methods.
Anna Catherine is now a healthy twelve-year-old seventh grader. She
describes herself as blind with some functional vision. She reads Braille
and uses a long white cane for travel. In truth she has several long canes,
none of which are white-each is decorated in different colors and with
different patterns-a pre-teen girl needs to match her cane to her outfits,
you know. Also Anna has always been a "math girl," and we had the pleasure
of meeting the late Dr. Abraham Nemeth on several occasions at NFB
conventions and at the Braille coin launch in 2009. We mourn his passing
this week.
I truly shudder to think of where Anna would be had we not found the
Federation. Anna would not be able to keep up with her studies if she was
reading print, and she would be constrained to mental math. Instead of
walking home from school and walking to the grocery store (sometimes
without my knowledge), she would be fearful of moving around independently.
Thanks to the skills, tools, and mentoring of our Federation family, my
Anna Catherine is a headstrong, math-loving, fashionista-just as she should
be!
When your president, Mr. Michael Barber, invited me to come to Iowa, I
was excited. I have never been here before, but I know my NFB history, and
I know that our past president, Dr. Jernigan, molded many past and current
Federation leaders, including our current president, Dr. Maurer, here in
Iowa. I was also excited to come to the home of Meredith Willson and the
site of his beautiful love letter to his home state, The Music Man. This
incredible musical is one of my favorites, and my family watches it often-
both live local performances and the movie versions.
Life being what it is, I soon had my own Music Man experience. I had
the opportunity to lead two summer programs: one for deaf and blind
students and one for blind students only. In both programs we had staff
with and without experience in working with blind children. I explained
that we need to teach nonvisual skills under sleepshades and that we, as
sighted individuals, must practice these skills under sleepshades before we
attempt to teach them to our students. My viewpoint was a revelation to
them. Some of the sighted people with experience teaching blind children
had never used sleepshades before-for themselves or for their students.
Some argued that sleepshades are not really necessary; they were convinced
that one can learn and teach nonvisual skills while using vision.
This struck me as a modern-day implementation of the "think system."
In The Music Man, a traveling salesman, Professor Harry Hill, holds himself
out as an expert in forming boys' bands. He sells townsfolk the
instruments, instruction books, and uniforms, with promises of forming
their young children into the River City Boys' Band to entertain their
community at the upcoming Fourth of July celebration. Unfortunately,
Professor Harry Hill does not know how to teach or even play these band
instruments. He cannot even read music. Professor Hill does not let this
stop him. He develops a "think system," a process by which the children do
not touch their expensive instruments; instead, they "think" the music.
Isn't this very much like teaching nonvisual skills with the use of
vision? Just as one cannot learn to play an instrument without touching the
instrument, one cannot learn efficient and effective use of nonvisual
skills while employing vision. Just as Professor Hill hid his incompetence
in music instruction by teaching his think system, too many teachers of
blind students avoid instruction in blindness skills (such as Braille
reading and cane use) by substituting instruction in techniques that
maximize vision but do not maximize students' performance and independence.
Just as Professor Hill's ineffective methods failed to produce competent
musicians, overreliance on vision in the instruction of blind students
fails to produce competent or confident blind adults.
We know the risks of over-reliance on vision. While I do not suggest
that we tar-and-feather these vision-centric instructors, I do believe that
we, as Federationists, can help them improve. We can educate parents and
professionals about the increased functionality nonvisual skills provide.
We can mentor blind adults and children and provide a positive blind role
model in their lives. We can gently but firmly insist on teaching nonvisual
skills nonvisually. We can, and we must.
Let us join together to transform the think system into the do system.
Just as Professor Hill abandoned his flawed plan, we can help blind adults,
parents, and professionals realize the shortcomings of a vision-
maximization approach. We must help individuals maximize efficiency,
maximize effectiveness, and maximize independence. And-together we will!
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Robert Jaquiss]
Producing Tactile Materials, an Update
by Robert Jaquiss
From the Editor: Robert Jaquiss is a longtime member of the
Federation who has lived in several states and has participated actively in
each of them in our National Federation of the Blind affiliates. He is
passionate about the need for tactile materials and shares the views of
many who have recently written for this magazine that learning to use
tactile graphics should be a part of any young student's experience as he
or she matriculates through school. As a member of the Committee for
Research and Development, Robert has been following and actively
encouraging developments in this field since 1993. He is now a director of
the recently announced 3D Tactile Graphics Division of the American
Thermoform Corporation (ATC). ATC is selling the equipment described in the
following article. Here is what he says:
In the April 2012 issue of the Braille Monitor I wrote an article
entitled "Technology for Producing Tactile Materials." The technologies
described are often referred to as 3D technologies. Products are improving
and prices are decreasing-developments that will have a major effect on the
education of the blind. Now a teacher can find an image using the Internet,
download it, and produce a model for his/her students. Blind and low-vision
students can more easily understand the concepts being taught and will be
able to feel models of cultural artifacts.
I will describe two devices: the 2BOT and the MakerBot Replicator 2.
It should be noted that both the 2BOT and Replicator 2 are most likely to
be used by sighted teachers and transcribers. The software requires the
user to view an image on screen in order to produce it.
[PHOTO CAPTION: The 2BOT]
The 2BOT is an easy-to-use, computer-controlled milling machine that
connects to a PC with a USB cable. This machine uses blocks of foam
measuring 12 by 13 3/4 inches and up to 2 inches thick. The foam blocks are
inexpensive, ranging in price from $4 to $28 per piece depending upon the
type of foam used.
To operate the 2BOT, the user removes a frame from the 2BOT, installs
a piece of foam in the frame, and inserts the frame back into the 2BOT. The
software is started, an image selected, parameters set, and the job
started. When the first side of the model is complete, the foam dust is
vacuumed out, and the frame is removed, flipped over, and inserted back
into the 2BOT. The job then resumes, cutting the back side of the model.
When the job is complete, the model is detached from the remains of the
foam block. Depending on the size and complexity of the model, a job can
take anywhere from twenty minutes to three hours. The 2BOT sells for
$5,995. A complete turnkey system, including a supply of foam and an
industrial vacuum cleaner, sells for $6,595.
[PHOTO CAPTION: The MakerBot Replicator 2]
The MakerBot Replicator 2 is a 3D printer that uses spools of ABS
filament to construct models by melting and then depositing drops of molten
plastic under computer control. The Replicator 2 can create models
impossible for a milling machine to produce. The build volume is in inches:
11.2 long, 6 wide, and 6.1 high.
Like the 2Bot, the Replicator 2 is also easy to use-it connects to a
PC using a USB cable. The models are built in layers: imagine building a
loaf of bread standing on its end. The loaf could be built by stacking up
the slices of bread until the loaf is complete. The process is similar for
the Replicator. The user starts the software, selects an image, sets
parameters, and starts the job. When the job is complete, the model is
removed from the Replicator, and any support material is removed. Support
material is necessary when a model has an overhang, for example the head of
an animal. The Replicator can deposit material either on its base plate or
on previously deposited material. If a model of an animal is needed,
support material is produced to hold up the animal's head. The Replicator 2
sells for $2,400.
American Thermoform Corporation is proud to sell these fine products.
Anyone with questions should contact the author by writing to Robert
Jaquiss, Director, 3D Tactile Graphics Division, American Thermoform
Corporation, 1758 Brackett Street, La Verne, CA 91750; or by phone at (909)
593-6711, ext. 107; by email at <rjaquiss at 3dtactilegraphics.com>; or check
out the website <www.3dtactilegraphics.com>.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Lauren McLarney]
Social Security, SSI, and Medicare Facts for 2014
by Lauren McLarney
From the Editor: Every December we publish the Social Security
figures that have been announced for the coming year. Here is the 2014
information as prepared by Lauren McLarney, governmental affairs
specialist, NFB Advocacy and Policy Department:
Another year, another set of annual adjustments to Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and
Medicare programs. The updated amounts for 2014 are listed below. These
numbers include new tax rates, higher exempt earnings amounts (substantial
gainful activity), and cost-of-living increases. They also include
deductible, premium, and coinsurance amounts under Part A and B of
Medicare.
Tax Rates
FICA and Self-Employment Tax Rates: The FICA tax rate for employees
and their employers is a combination of payments to the Old Age, Survivors,
and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Fund, and the Hospital Insurance
(HI) Trust Fund, from which payments under Medicare are made. In other
words, the tax rate is the combined rate for Social Security and Medicare.
The total tax rate for 2013 was 7.65 percent for employees and their
employers and 15.3 percent for self-employed workers. These percentages are
unchanged for 2014. Please note that as of January 2013 individuals with
earned income of more than $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing
jointly) pay an additional 0.9 percent in Medicare taxes. The tax rates
listed above for 2013 and 2014 do not include that additional 0.9 percent.
Ceiling on Earnings Subject to Tax: In 2013 the ceiling on taxable
earnings for contributions to the OASDI Trust Fund was $113,700. For 2014
the maximum amount of taxable earnings will be $117,000. All earnings are
taxed for the HI Trust Fund.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
Quarters of Coverage: Eligibility for Retirement, Survivors, and
Disability Insurance benefits is partially based on the number of quarters
of coverage earned by any individual during periods of work. Anyone may
earn up to four quarters of coverage in a single year. The rationale behind
the quarter-of-coverage concept is that a person must have contributed to
the system before being eligible to collect benefits from it. The quarters
of coverage are a way of measuring how much one has contributed to the
system. In 2013 a quarter of coverage was credited for earnings of $1,160
in any calendar quarter. Anyone who earned $4,640 in 2013 (regardless of
when the earnings occurred during the year) received four quarters of
coverage. In 2014 a quarter of coverage will be credited for earnings of
$1,200 during a calendar quarter. Four quarters will be credited for annual
earnings of $4,800.
Trial Work Period Limit: The amount of earnings required to use a
trial work month is subject to annual increases based on changes in the
national average wage index. In 2013 the amount was $750. This amount will
increase to $770 in 2014. In cases of self-employment a trial work month
can also be used if a person works more than eighty hours, and this
limitation on hours worked will not change unless expressly adjusted.
Exempt Earnings: The monthly earnings exemption is referred to as
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). This is a measurement used to determine
whether a beneficiary is earning enough income that he or she may be deemed
ineligible for benefits, and is calculated as a person's monthly income
before taxes, minus any unearned (or subsidy) income and any impairment-
related work expense deductions. In 2013 the SGA for a blind person
receiving disability benefits was $1,740. In 2014 this number will increase
to $1,800 per month. This means that in 2014 a blind SSDI beneficiary who
earns $1,801 or more a month (before taxes but after subtractions of
subsidy incomes and impairment-related work expenses) will be deemed to
have exceeded SGA and will likely no longer be eligible for benefits.
Social Security Benefit Amounts: There will be a 1.5 percent cost-of-
living adjustment (COLA) for beneficiaries in 2014. Increased payments to
beneficiaries will begin in December of 2013 and will apply to everyone
receiving benefits in 2014.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Standard SSI Benefit Increase: Beginning January 2014 the federal
payment amounts for SSI individuals and couples are as follows:
individuals, $721 a month; SSI couples, $1,082 a month.
Student Earned Income Exclusion: In 2013 the monthly amount was
$1,730, and the maximum yearly amount was $6,960. In 2014 the monthly
amount will be $1,750, and the maximum yearly amount will be $7,060. The
SSI program applies strict asset limits of $2,000 for individuals and
$3,000 for couples, which can be changed only by Congress.
Medicare
Medicare Deductibles and Coinsurance: Medicare Part A coverage
provides hospital insurance to most Social Security beneficiaries. The
coinsurance amount is the hospital charge to a Medicare beneficiary for any
hospital stay. Medicare then pays the hospital charges above the
beneficiary's coinsurance amount.
The Part A hospital inpatient deductible was $1,184 in 2013 and will
increase to $1,216 in 2014. The coinsurance charged for hospital services
within a benefit period of no longer than sixty days was $0 in 2013 and
will stay at $0 in 2014. From the sixty-first day through the ninetieth
day, the daily coinsurance amount was $296 a day in 2013, and will slightly
increase in 2014 to $304 a day. Each Medicare beneficiary has sixty
lifetime reserve days that may be used after a ninety-day benefit period
has ended. Once used, these reserve days are no longer available after any
benefit period. The coinsurance amount paid during each reserve day used in
2013 was $592. In 2014 the coinsurance for each reserve day will be $608.
Part A of Medicare pays all covered charges for services in a skilled
nursing facility for the first twenty days following a three-day in-
hospital stay within a benefit period. From the twenty-first day through
the one hundredth day in a benefit period, the Part A coinsurance amount
for services received in a skilled nursing facility was $148 in 2013 and
will increase to $152 for 2014.
Most Social Security beneficiaries have no monthly premium charge for
Medicare Part A coverage. Those who become ineligible for SSDI can continue
to receive Medicare Part A coverage premium-free for at least ninety-three
months after the end of a trial work period. After that time the individual
may purchase Part A coverage. The premium rate for this coverage during
2013 was $441 a month. In 2014 the premium rate for Part A coverage will
reduce to $426.
The annual deductible amount for Medicare Part B (medical insurance)
in 2013 was $147. That amount will not change in 2014. The Medicare Part B
monthly premium rate charged to each new beneficiary or to those
beneficiaries who directly pay their premiums quarterly for 2013 was
$104.90 a month, and again that amount will not change in 2014. For those
receiving Social Security benefits, this premium payment is deducted from
your monthly benefit check. Individuals who remain eligible for Medicare,
but are not receiving Social Security benefits because of working, must
directly pay the Part B premium quarterly-one payment every three months.
Like the Part A premiums mentioned above, Part B is also available for at
least ninety-three months following the trial work period, assuming an
individual wishes to have it and, when not receiving SSDI, continues to
make quarterly premium payments.
Programs That Help with Medicare Deductibles and Premiums: Low-income
Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for help with payments. Assistance is
available through two programs-the QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary
program) and the SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary program).
To qualify for the QMB program in 2013, an individual's monthly income
could not exceed $978 and a married couple's monthly income could not
exceed $1,313. A note on the Medicare website says: "These amounts may
increase in 2014."
Under the QMB program states are required to pay the Medicare Part A
(Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) premiums, deductibles,
and coinsurance expenses for Medicare beneficiaries who meet the program's
income and resource requirements. Under the SLMB program states pay only
the full Medicare Part B monthly premium. Eligibility for the SLMB program
may be retroactive for up to three calendar months.
Both the QMB and SLMB programs are administered by the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services in conjunction with the states. The rules
vary from state to state, but the following can be said: Resources, such as
bank accounts or stocks, may not exceed $4,000 for one person or $6,000 for
a family of two. Resources are generally things you own. However, not
everything is counted. The house you live in, for example, doesn't count;
and generally one car also doesn't count.
If you qualify for assistance under the QMB program, you will not
have to pay the following: Medicare's hospital deductible amount, which
will be $1,216 per benefit period in 2014; the daily coinsurance charges
for extended hospital and skilled nursing facility stays; the Medicare Part
B (Medical Insurance) premium, which will be $104.90 a month in 2014,
unless you are currently receiving benefits from Social Security and the
agency is automatically withholding your Part B premiums; the 2014 $147
annual Part B deductible; and the 20 percent coinsurance for services
covered by Medicare Part B, depending on which doctor you go to (these
services include doctor services, outpatient therapy, and durable medical
equipment).
If you qualify for assistance under the SLMB program, you will be
responsible for the payment of all of the items listed above except for the
monthly Part B premium, depending on your circumstances.
If you think you qualify but you have not filed for Medicare Part A,
contact Social Security to find out if you need to file an application.
Further information about filing for Medicare is available from your local
Social Security office or Social Security's toll-free number (800) 772-
1213.
Remember that only your state can decide if you are eligible for help
from the QMB or SLMB program and also that the income and resource levels
listed here are general guidelines with some states choosing greater
amounts. Therefore, if you are elderly or disabled, have low income and
very limited assets, and are a Medicare beneficiary, contact your state or
local Medicaid office (referred to in some states as the Public Aid Office
or the Public Assistance Office) to apply. For more information about
either program, call the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
on its toll-free number (800) 633-4227, or go online to
<http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ContactCMS>.
----------
Blind War Hero's Next Fight is in Federal Court
From the Editor: the following is reprinted from a press release
posted October 17, 2013, which we received through the courtesy of Tim
Elder. It outlines the legal battle against a loan company by Army Sgt.
Major Jesse Acosta, who was blinded in combat in 2006. Following the
original press release is an update about the outcome of the suit from Tim
on October 25, 2013.
Army Sgt. Major Jesse Acosta's latest fight is against his bank,
which denied his approved and fully executed loan only after finding out
that Sgt. Major Acosta is blind. In 2006 Sgt. Major Acosta was hit by a
mortar while leading his men on a mission in Iraq. He returned to his job
at SoCal Gas Company in Garden Grove with a Purple Heart but suffering with
Traumatic Brain Injury, severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and
without his eyes.
On Tuesday, October 22, 2013, Sgt. Major Acosta will ask a federal
jury to find that Huntington Beach-based NuVision Federal Credit Union
("NuVision") refused to fund a $20,000 loan they offered him after he went
to sign loan documents and the bank realized Sgt. Major Acosta was blind.
NuVision reneged on the fully executed loan and told Sgt. Major Acosta,
"You didn't tell us you were blind; that's a problem." NuVision claimed
that Sgt. Major Acosta had to produce a valid driver's license to qualify
for a loan.
In a move reminiscent of the 1950s, when women could not borrow money
without their husbands or fathers co-signing loans for them, NuVision's
manager told Sgt. Major Acosta to get a co-signer for a new loan. The only
qualification Jesse's co-signer needed, according to NuVision, was a valid
driver's license-the one qualification no blind person could ever meet.
Since returning from Iraq, Sgt. Major Acosta, a father of four, has
been a leader in advocating for the needs of returning disabled vets:
testifying before Congress, speaking at the White House, and working with
injured vets.
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Unruh Act,
businesses cannot discriminate on the basis of a person's disability. Sgt.
Major Acosta will prove that NuVision denied him a loan because he was
blind and not on the basis of a legitimate business purpose.
This is "the first time I was made to feel that I was less of a
person because of my disability," stated Sgt. Major Acosta. He has been
battling depression, anger, and severe episodes of PTSD that cause him
great physical and mental anguish, as he relives the helplessness he felt
in dealing with NuVision's denial of his loan. Sgt. Major Acosta's anger
and depression have turned into a new mission to stop NuVision's
discrimination and teach business that discrimination injures returning
vets.
Sgt. Major Acosta was referred to civil rights attorney Patricia
Barbosa, the founder of Barbosa Group, who has twenty-six years of
experience enforcing civil rights. "NuVision's policy-that blind customers
must have valid driver's licenses-is discrimination on its face and
violates the ADA and California's Unruh Act," said attorney Barbosa. "I
want to vindicate Jesse's belief that he is a full member of society, even
if he is disabled," said attorney Barbosa.
The jury trial will be heard by Judge Margaret Morrow in the Roybal
Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles October 22-24. "I want NuVision to
understand that discrimination is wrong and is not just business as usual,"
said Sgt. Major Acosta.
Tim Elder says: "For those who saw the press release I posted earlier
this week about a trial in Huntington Beach on behalf of a blind veteran
denied a loan because he did not have a driver's license, I'm told the jury
found in his favor. They awarded him $160,000 in damages. The attorney is
also filing proposed changes to the lender's policies for court
enforcement.
Any federal jury finding in favor of a blind person is a good thing."
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Barbara Pierce]
A Season for Gratitude
by Barbara Pierce
From the Editor: the article which follows was originally printed in
December of 1990. It beautifully illustrates how often those of us who are
blind are encouraged by our families to be givers, but how difficult it is
to give in a world which expects little giving from us, and sometimes
frustrates us when we try to be more than passive spectators. Here is what
Barbara has to say:
My parents always made a conscientious, though all too often futile,
effort to teach my brother and me that the Christmas season was a time for
reflection, for reassessment, and for gratitude, not only for the blessings
we had received, but also for the opportunities to give. We understood
about joy, after December 25, at least, but gratitude smacked unpleasantly
of thank-you notes and visits to old ladies, where lively children were
expected to sit still, answer silly questions, endure being patted on the
head, and refrain from swinging their legs or squabbling.
My adult understanding of this holiday season is far nearer to that of my
parents than to my own youthful views. And, if I am honest, I must admit
that I have not been noticeably more successful in conveying this more
meditative approach to the holidays to my children. I remember the year
that each family member drew the name of another every week leading up to
Christmas and then tried secretly to do kind things for that person every
day. We placed a cradle in front of the fireplace and added one piece of
hay for each good deed. The children loved the idea and even tried to
remember to be thoughtful, but I'm afraid that the Christ Child did not
have a luxuriously soft bed of hay by Christmas Eve.
The fact remains that both the Jewish and Christian faiths encourage
us at this season of the year to reflect upon the blessings we have been
given and the uses we have chosen to make of them. My trip to Jamaica this
past fall and the deprivation I saw there have been a poignant reminder to
me of just how much progress Americans in general and the blind in
particular have made. Despite the great distance we still have to travel to
achieve true equality, all of us have much for which to be grateful.
But I have been thinking recently of how lucky we are to be able to
give. For much of the history of blind people, no one in society was
particularly interested in anything we had to offer. Preoccupied with what
we could not do-or what they thought we could not do- members of the
community taunted or ignored or practiced charity upon us. Today, however,
thanks to Braille, good travel skills, and increased technology, but most
of all, thanks to the philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind,
blind people in increasing numbers are demonstrating to society that we do
have many things of value to offer to our communities.
All this is important, and it is necessary that we take stock of such
progress and be grateful for it. But we must also recognize how lucky we
are to be able to help other blind people. How empty of satisfaction life
would be, how distressing our encounters with one another if we had no
encouragement, expertise, or support to offer to those who are coming to
terms with blindness for the first time. The fact that we do possess a gift
that is infinitely valuable to people who are desperate for even a little
hope, dignity, and self-respect is a great blessing. Being a part of the
National Federation of the Blind enables each of us to help other people
every day. Each time we staff an information table in the rain, take part
in a fundraising project, or work to get our literature placed in
libraries, we are offering the philosophy that rescues lives to people who
need to know about it. Somehow it is all too easy to forget about this
aspect of the work we do week in and week out.
These were the thoughts that ran through my mind as I read the
following letter. It just appeared in the mail at the National Center for
the Blind one day this fall. Each of us stands a little taller because of
it. Here it is. Happy holidays to each of you.
October, 1990
Dear Mr. Jernigan,
I recently lost enough vision in my one remaining eye to be
considered legally blind. This all started last December. My goal was to
return to work this September. I was, however, worried about my ability and
needed some advice. The people at the Lighthouse advised me to get "legal
status" with the state. I set up an interview with one of their counselors.
To my amazement the counselor told me to "quit work." He told me "I was a
smart young man." As a shop teacher I would be placing myself in danger of
losing the rest of my sight, going blind. I would be placing my students at
risk. I would be doing a disservice to my family.
I was bewildered. I was forty years old and on my way to applying for
SSDI. At the Social Security office I was told about social welfare. That
evening I came home and told my wife the news. I should quit work, retrain
to become a counselor, go back to school; she must find work, and keeping
the house seemed iffy.
I called my uncle that night. He went blind due to a chemical
accident when his kids were small. He told me that newly blinded people are
likely to accept anything that people tell them. He said, "Don't believe
any of that crap!" He got the same treatment. He told me to call the NFB.
He told me the "OF" in National Federation of the Blind was very important.
They are blind people helping each other. There is a difference.
The woman I spoke to in the Baltimore office was great. She told me
how to get in touch with a member of the Federation in my state, and ten
minutes later I was talking with him. In a few minutes more we were on a
conference telephone call with a Federationist in another state who works
in one of the Federation centers and knows about what the blind can do with
machinery and shop work. We spoke about shop and my skills as a shop
teacher. It gave me a new perspective and showed me possibilities.
Later that morning I called the state agency for the blind. I asked
my counselor if he could legally stop me from working. He said no. I told
him I would be returning to work. He told me again how foolish I was. He
told me I'd be back when I saw things his way.
I tell you, I pray to God each day to watch over me. I also pray to
be smart. I teach safety first. I maintain discipline. I ask for help with
heavy things which have to be moved. In this way I provide for my family. I
do the work I'm qualified for. I maintain my independence.
I know that I have a long way to go. I'm joining the NFB, and I am
learning.
Sincerely,
----------
Giving a Dream
One of the great satisfactions in life is having the opportunity to
assist others. Consider making a gift to the National Federation of the
Blind to continue turning our dreams into reality. A gift to the NFB is not
merely a donation to an organization; it provides resources that will
directly ensure a brighter future for all blind people.
Seize the Future
The National Federation of the Blind has special giving opportunities
that will benefit the giver as well as the NFB. Of course the largest
benefit to the donor is the satisfaction of knowing that the gift is
leaving a legacy of opportunity. However, gifts may be structured to
provide more:
. Helping the NFB fulfill its mission
. Realizing income tax savings through a charitable deduction
. Making capital gain tax savings on contributions of appreciated assets
. Providing retained payments for the life of a donor or beneficiary
. Eliminating or lowering the federal estate tax in certain situations
. Reducing estate settlement costs
NFB programs are dynamic:
. Making the study of science and math a real possibility for blind
children
. Providing hope and help for seniors losing vision.
. Promoting state and local programs to help blind people become first-
class citizens
. Educating the public about blind people's true potential
. Advancing technology helpful to the blind
. Creating a state-of-the-art library on blindness
. Training and inspiring professionals working with the blind
. Providing critical information to parents of blind children
. Mentoring blind job seekers
Your gift makes you a partner in the NFB dream. For further
information or assistance, contact the NFB planned giving officer.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Dolores Reisinger at the National Federation of the Blind
of Iowa's state convention]
Strong People Cannot be Defeated
by Dolores Reisinger
From the Editor: Dolores Reisinger is a longtime member of the
National Federation of the Blind of Iowa, and these are the remarks she
delivered at the affiliate's 2013 convention:
The popular American author, Danielle Steel, once wrote: "Strong
people cannot be defeated." Perhaps her words can be applied to all of us
here today. They certainly express my point of view and reflect my
experiences.
I am a native of Brazil and grew up in a city that today is the most
important industrial complex in Latin America. Sao Paulo City has a
population of over twenty million people, and it is the leading car
manufacturing center of Latin America.
I was six months old when my parents learned that I was blind as a
result of the atrophying of my optic nerve. They were not rich, and they
didn't have college educations. However, they didn't give up; they didn't
lose confidence. Of course they knew that I was blind, but they also knew
that I was a normal person, capable of learning through my remaining senses
and, above all, using my mind. I was allowed to grow, not only physically
but mentally, emotionally, and intellectually. My parents taught me very
valuable and important lessons. They were very strong people. Therefore,
they were never defeated.
Years later I left home and went to a special school for blind
children. It was a Catholic school run by the Sisters of Charity of Saint
Vincent de Paul. They played an important part in the development of my
positive attitudes toward life during my early years. After my elementary
and secondary education was completed, I spent four years at the University
of Sao Paulo State, where I graduated with a master's degree in history. I
taught in Brazil until 1968, when I was invited by the US State Department
and the International Federation of the Blind to come to America for two
months in an exchange program. The purpose of my trip to this country was
to visit and observe schools and rehabilitation centers for blind
Americans. The following schools and agencies serving the blind were on my
schedule: the American Foundation for the Blind, the Jewish Braille
Institute, the Library of Congress, the Hadley School for the Blind, the
American Printing House for the Blind, and the Iowa Commission for the
Blind in Des Moines.
While at the Commission I had the opportunity to visit with the
director, Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, the staff, and students who were taking
training at the Orientation and Adjustment Center for Blind Adults. My
future husband, Jack Reisinger, was one of the students taking training at
the orientation center.
When my exchange program ended, I had to return to Brazil. The country
was politically ruled by the army. There was no freedom of the press; there
was no freedom of speech. We were not allowed to conduct public meetings
and could not voice our opinion. Thankfully I managed to leave the country.
However, the generals remained in power for almost sixteen years until 1985
when the nation finally held democratic elections.
The army domination of Brazil began in 1963 and ended twenty-two years
later. During that period a whole generation of children grew up under a
very oppressive military regime. College students, teachers, lawyers,
political leaders of the congress, and other professional people
disappeared overnight, and they were never found. Popular Brazilian singers
who tried to express their sentiments through music were exiled. They were
sent to France and returned to Brazil only when democracy was
reestablished.
So in 1969 I left Brazil and flew back to this country, where I
decided to live and to work. Later I learned that my Brazilian degree was
not completely recognized in the United States. I went back to college at
the University of Northern Iowa, where I obtained my teaching certificate
and a master's degree in Spanish.
I taught languages in college and Spanish at Columbus High in
Waterloo, and then in 1976 I went to work for the Iowa Commission for the
Blind as a vocational rehabilitation teacher. For more than eighteen years
I worked with blind people in eleven counties. I helped them in acquiring
the skills of daily living so that they could retain their independence. I
also helped them understand that blind people, given an opportunity, can
overcome the inconvenience of the loss of sight and that the real problem
of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. Instead, it is the
misunderstanding and the lack of information which exist. The real problem
of blindness is quite often caused by public attitudes, misconceptions, and
social prejudices.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Dolores demonstrates a Braillewriter to three children at a
Meet the Blind Month event.]
After having worked for two decades for the Iowa Commission for the
Blind, which is now the Iowa Department for the Blind, I finally retired.
For the last eighteen years I have done volunteer work for the City of
Cedar Rapids. I was a commissioner for the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights
Commission, and in this volunteer activity I read and discussed with the
director of the commission the cases for which I was responsible. On
October 15, 2012, a White Cane Safety Day proclamation was signed and
presented to me by the mayor of Cedar Rapids, Ron Corbett.
I was on the task force for the Help America Vote Act in Linn County.
Our task force looked at machines from three vendors: Election Systems and
Software, Diebold Election Systems, and Sequoia Voting Systems. I was a
presenter at classes held for precinct election officials to make them
aware of the needs of people with disabilities and tell them how to address
questions and problems that might arise at the polls on election day.
I have helped with the teaching of English as a second language at
Kirkwood Community College, where I have taught Portuguese. Quite often I
speak to groups about blindness and the philosophy of the National
Federation of the Blind. Since 2006, Meet the Blind Month programs have
been presented to the public in eastern Iowa.
March 2012 marked the beginning of my ministry at All Saints Parish. I
serve as a lector in front of the congregation, and I'm also a member of
the Shawl Ministry.
I must conclude my remarks by saying to you that, if you have
determination, you will succeed in your endeavors; if you have courage, you
will face the problems of life, and you will find ways of solving them; if
you are strong people, you will never be defeated, and you will see that
your dreams will become reality.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Darrel Kirby]
Santa's Little Helper
by Darrel Kirby
From the Editor: In looking for some holiday cheer to put into our
December issue, we came across this little gem that seems just as
appropriate now as it did when it was originally run in 2004. Here is how
Editor Barbara Pierce introduced it:
From the Editor: For obvious reasons I have been saving this
delightful little story for several months. Darrel Kirby was the 2004
Kenneth Jernigan Memorial Scholarship winner. He is a graduate student at
the University of Iowa and president of the Old Capitol Chapter of the NFB
of Iowa. Here is his Christmas story:
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. The holiday season
was always a joyous time for my family. Each year I waited anxiously for
Thanksgiving, knowing that the following weekend would include walking
through the snow to find a real Christmas tree in the woods near our
farmhouse. A tree with no gaps and a triangular shape was a lucky find. We
did our best to make the tree look beautiful by decorating it with colorful
lights, icicles, and an assortment of ornaments. My mother attempted to
make the tree more attractive with a set of blown glass ornaments with gold
accents, but each year the tree was crowded with school-made decorations
created by my three brothers and me. Like diamonds in a dime-store display,
the glass ornaments, beautiful and fragile, stood out from the sturdy,
homemade ornaments made of Popsicle sticks, colorful yarn, and Elmer's
glue.
My three brothers and I differed in personality and interests,
sharing only the Kirby nose and hand-me-downs. We all had our personality
quirks, and I was notorious for being hyperactive and excited by many
things, especially Christmas. My three brothers and parents would rather
have received a full night's rest on Christmas Eve, but I could not wait
for the festivities to begin, so I pulled them out of bed every Christmas
morning to gather in the living room. One advantage of being an over-active
child growing up in a house full of shy boys was that the extrovert got
most of the attention on Christmas day. I was happy to be the boy who
enjoyed the spotlight on those brisk Iowa mornings.
Over the years I evolved for myself the role of Santa's little
helper. The presents with their colorful ribbons and bows sat under the
three-week-old evergreen, waiting for me to distribute them to their
anxious recipients. I discovered that, if I grabbed the Santa Claus hat
that sat under the tree and handed out the gifts to my brothers and
parents, they would begin opening their presents first, and I could watch
my gifts pile up in a designated area of the living room. After my parents
and brothers opened their gifts, all eyes were on me, which met my need for
attention. Naturally enough I grew to love handing out gifts on Christmas
morning.
Although the scene I am describing from my childhood sounds like
something I would eventually outgrow, my job as Santa's little helper
continued into adulthood. It was this way each year of my life, even after
I went off to college. I never lost my enthusiasm for Christmas and handing
out gifts. However, things were drastically different on Christmas morning
four years ago. When I was twenty, I began losing my sight from diabetic
retinopathy. Three weeks after being officially pronounced "legally blind"
by the eye doctors, I returned home for Christmas. After becoming blind, I
believed my life was over. Christmas no longer seemed so wonderful.
That Christmas morning my family sat in silence around me as I stared
at the blurry lights of the Christmas tree. The silence in the room seemed
louder than all the laughter of other years combined. My younger brother
cleared his throat and somberly asked, "So who is going to hand out the
presents?" I felt a tear well up in my eye. I did not want to ruin
Christmas for my family, but my sadness inevitably placed a damper on the
day for everyone. It was clear that Santa's little helper was not able to
see the names on the gift tags.
Not wanting my family to see my tears, I turned away from the lighted
tree and looked out the window. Something on the tree caught a ray of
sunlight and focused my attention. It was one of the glass ornaments with
the gold accents that my mother loved. Through the years some of them had
broken in the rough-and-tumble play of the four boys. Mom had always warned
us to be careful around the glass ornaments. This year the warning was to
be careful around me, for I was so fragile that I too might break.
I lost my sight in the middle of my college career and was forced to
withdraw from classes. Having been able to see for twenty years and not
knowing how to be blind, I discovered that my life had significantly
changed in a span of two months. My family recognized that I was unhappy
after losing my sight, and with no exposure to blind people, they did not
know how to help me. They made sure not to talk about my eyes or blindness,
thinking that it would pain me to talk about the thing that made me sad. I
believed that blindness would take away my strength and that I would no
longer be a confident young man, full of energy and plans for the future.
It would be a while before I realized that my life was not fundamentally
different just because I was blind.
The next year brought more changes and adjustments. As Christmas drew
near, I had lost the remainder of my sight. I had accepted that I was blind
but believed I was limited by my blindness. I tried to enjoy my second
Christmas as a blind person, but I was still saddened not to wear the Santa
Claus hat and hand out presents. I had my mother place me in a chair near
her and describe the gifts I received. I was not accustomed to accept my
gifts passively from someone else. Somberness loomed in the living room,
and I continued to feel as breakable as my mother's glass ornaments.
Although I had begun to accept my blindness, I had not found the
National Federation of the Blind and thus did not understand that my life
need not be limited by blindness. During the following year I would attend
the Iowa Department for the Blind's Orientation Center, return to college
as a full-time student, and discover the philosophy of the National
Federation of the Blind. I attended my first national convention and became
active in my local NFB chapter. I met thousands of people who were not
letting blindness stop them from accomplishing their goals. The success of
the blind people I met inspired me to challenge myself.
I was proud to graduate from the University of Iowa in December after
completing a semester full of difficult classes. My performance in those
classes was far better than any other semester's performance-even those in
which I could see. My success in college was just one part of my success in
life. In that year I grew as a person and gained back all the strength and
confidence I had lost. For the first time in two years I was hopeful about
the future, and I understood that most problems are only problems until one
finds the solution. With this new philosophy I knew that if blind people
were finding ways to be doctors, engineers, and lawyers, there was bound to
be a way for me to be Santa's little helper.
The next Christmas Eve I pulled out my slate and stylus, hurried my
mom to the kitchen, and revealed my plan to her. I would Braille labels for
all of the gifts under the tree. Excitement radiated from my mother as she
slipped into the living room to retrieve some of the presents. We worked
for about an hour, labeling all of the gifts in Braille. My mother
recognized the significance of Braille as she saw how easy it was to label
the things I had once read with my eyes. Braille would save the day.
Christmas morning came, and I waited in anticipation just as I had
when I was five years old. In the past year my brother and his wife had had
a son, and I wanted my nephew's first Christmas to be like the ones I grew
up with. I searched for the Santa Claus hat and put it on. I reached for a
present and felt the familiar dots of my name. A smile crossed my face as I
thought of the gifts that would pile up in my designated area. Although
some of the attention was on my new nephew, I could feel the pride in the
room as my family recognized what I had accomplished in the last year.
It was not long before I heard my mother express her worry that my
nephew would grab one of her glass ornaments. She would hate for any more
of them to break and for him to get hurt. My mother's concern reminded me
that I had felt like one of those glass ornaments just a year earlier. The
National Federation of the Blind has shown me that blindness does not
weaken a person; it had only made me stronger. I was no longer a delicate
glass ornament, but a stronger version of the boy who had demanded that he
be Santa's little helper.
----------
A Thank-You from a Reader
by Estelle Shukert
From the Editor: One of the benefits of being the editor of the
Braille Monitor is the occasional note of thanks that comes from people
whose lives have been made better by our publication. Sometimes I read
them, write a brief reply telling them how much I appreciate the note, and
file it away. Sometimes I send it to President Maurer if I think it is
something he ought to see. In this case, however, I thought sharing it with
readers of the Braille Monitor appropriate, so here it is:
October 22, 2013
To the Editor of the Braille Monitor,
First I would like to thank you for the Braille Monitor. I receive it
on the thumb drive and enjoy the stories and articles. I would like to
thank you for including one of my articles about three or four months ago.
I was looking for Braille Pen Pals or Braille Buddies to help me use and
keep up my Braille skills. Because of your article I currently have two
Braille Buddies from Hungary, one possibly from Poland, and a Pen Pal from
Nebraska. It's a wonderful way to meet others and share concerns and
successes.
I attend the senior program at the Colorado Center for the Blind in
Littleton, Colorado. I still have a fair amount of vision but am trying to
get prepared for the time when I will need to depend on the Braille and
other skills we learn at the center. The support and encouragement we get
at the center is very helpful, and they have definitely become a second
family for me.
I have a request. I am interested in buying a Braille dictionary. I
know some of them include many volumes and are quite expensive but wondered
if someone might have a set that they no longer need. If so, they are
welcome to call me at (303) 789-7538 or send me an email:
<samestelleshuke at hotmail.com> so we could discuss the possibility.
Thank you again for helping so many of us feel connected to the world.
Blessings and best wishes,
Estelle
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Edgar McDonald]
Federation of the Blind Honors Keyser's Edgar McDonald
by Barbara High
From the Editor: Ed McDonald is no stranger to members of the
National Federation of the Blind, and word of his entry into the National
Federation of the Blind of West Virginia's Hall of Fame comes as no shock
to us. What makes this event meaningful to Ed is the recognition given by
his colleagues; what makes it even more special is that now the public in
Ed's hometown know about the honor, and through this message they now know
more about the National Federation of the Blind. With permission we are
gladly reprinting this article, taken from the Mineral Daily News Tribune:
The National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia got a new member
in 1969-Edgar McDonald. What they didn't know at the time was that they had
gained a loyal member who would bring about great change over the next
forty four years. It is McDonald's hard work and dedication that recently
earned him an induction into the National Federation of the Blind's Hall of
Honors. McDonald says the induction meant a lot to him because it is people
he has worked with and been friends with over the years who voted him in.
"The fact that they think enough of me to vote for me means a lot;
it's significant," he said. McDonald says it has meant a great deal to him
to be involved in the organization. "I learned about being blind as a
political issue rather than a medical one," he said. McDonald said that he
has tried to change social "barriers" and the public's view on the blind.
"I came to understand that by talking to other blind people and working
collectively, you get more done." Getting more done is exactly what
McDonald has done in his years of service to the organization. McDonald
served as president of the West Virginia affiliate from 1991 to 2002. Under
his leadership NEWSLINE for the Blind. was brought to West Virginia with
the addition of the Huntington Herald Dispatch. McDonald was also a driving
force in getting the Braille Bill pushed through the West Virginia
Legislature and signed into law. McDonald also had the distinction of
serving on the national board of the National Federation of the Blind from
1994 to 1997. He currently serves as chairperson of the Agency Partnership
Committee and is also serving as the first vice president of the National
Federation of the Blind of West Virginia and as president of the Members-at-
Large Chapter.
"It's humbling in a way," says McDonald. "But now that I got that to
live up to, if I don't step it up they might kick me out," he laughs.
McDonald's nomination said he was an integral and essential part of the
Federation family and most deserving of the honor for changing what it
means to be blind. For McDonald, that is just a part of everyday life. "I
try to live my life in a way that says I am blind and still out living my
life. Being blind is a part of my life, a big part," says McDonald, "but I
am not a blind guy, I am a guy who happens to be blind."
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Curtis Chong, Lucy Alexander, and Solidad and Adelmo Vijil
hold the NFB banner and lead the group down the streets of Albuquerque.]
New Mexico Federationists Change What It Means to Be Blind
We Marched in the State Fair Parade
by Curtis Chong
From the Editor: When I joined the National Federation of the Blind
back in 1972, one of our major affiliate projects was to build a float and
march in the annual American Royal Parade. The reactions we got were
uniformly positive, but we discontinued our annual participation because it
seemed to us that showing the public we could walk in a parade was less
significant than it once was. Reading this article from Curtis Chong causes
me to question our decision and reveals just how surprised and excited the
public is to see us participating in public events and walking proudly on
our own.
Curtis Chong has lived in many states, and, wherever he goes, he is
an active part of chapter and affiliate activities. He now lives in New
Mexico and has taken on the task of writing about the affiliate's
participation in the New Mexico State Fair. Here is what he says:
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 work to promote the image 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 under way, Federationists from across the state come to
Albuquerque to march in the annual parade and by their participation
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 were awarded for being the largest non-
high school marching unit in the parade.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Members of the NFBNM riding the diamond float]
September 14, 2013, began as a cloudy, rainy day. 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 seventy-fifth 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 wheelchairs were able to
participate.
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 trip. 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,
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 charge was our blue National Federation of the Blind
banner, carried by four Federationists, among them Adelmo Vigil, president
of the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico. The banner
prominently displayed our Whozit logo and the name National Federation of
the Blind. Behind the banner was our twenty-foot float, surrounded by
Federationists who walked in front of, alongside, and behind it.
It took about forty-five minutes for us to complete the route,
walking at a fairly fast pace. We were well received by the crowd lining
the 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, we believe that it is well worth the effort. The
crowd who comes out to watch the parade is always friendly, and it's a
great way for us to show them who we are. Many of these people have
probably never met a blind person, but, because we're out and marching,
they see a group of enthusiastic, mobile, and independent people who just
happen to be blind-just another way to change what it means to be blind.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Bringing up the rear of the group is the past president of
the NFBNM, Christine Hall, accompanied by Peggy Chong and one family from
the NMPOBC division.]
----------
[GRAPHIC/DESCRIPTION: A formal place setting, complete with placecard
bearing the Whozit logo and the words, "Miss Whozit"]
Ask Miss Whozit
From the Editor: From time to time Miss Whozit answers reader
questions about etiquette and good manners, particularly as they involve
blindness. If you would like to pose a question to Miss Whozit, you can
send it to the attention of Gary Wunder, National Federation of the Blind,
200 East Wells Street, at Jernigan Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, or
email me at <gwunder at nfb.org>. I will pass the questions along. Letters may
be edited for space and clarity. Here is the most recent letter Miss Whozit
has received:
Dear Ms. Whozit,
I have an issue that has troubled me for years and has recently
surfaced again. I have been blind from birth and have never observed the
beauty of a smile except when touching the happy, upturned cheeks of a
child.
My question, almost too embarrassing to ask, is, how does one
appropriately smile? Some would say that a smile is natural, but my
experience suggests that this isn't necessarily so. More broadly, how does
one ensure that the emotion felt is being appropriately conveyed visually?
Two stories will explain what motivates my questions.
When my daughter was applying to colleges, she was turned down by
some and accepted by others. Her SAT score was low, and one of the schools
that accepted her did so because she was classified as a minority and did
so despite their published SAT score requirement. They followed up with
letters saying how they really wanted her to be one of their students and
couldn't wait until she became a bear-their team mascot.
Believing that I should tell her what I thought she was up against,
I tried to explain that her low SAT score might mean she would have trouble
at this prestigious school. Her answer was, "But, Dad, can't you see by
these letters that they want me?" Feeling terrible and trying to express
myself as clearly and sincerely as I could, I explained that the letters
resulted from the calculated use of an automated tool and that no one was
really sitting down to write with her specifically in mind. As I was saying
all of this, she jumped up and yelled, "Dad, why are you smiling? Do you
think this is funny?" In tears she ran to her room-almost in tears I sat
immobile, trying to figure out what I had done wrong and what I might have
done differently. What skill had I failed to employ? I had broken myself as
a child of the hand-in-the-eye and the head-down or on-the-desk behaviors
because I was told that they were odd or disrespectful to the person I was
speaking with. Had I ignored some other advice that might have saved me
this smiling heartbreak?
My second problem is much the same and has to do with taking
pictures. I am always told to smile, but, if I really try to produce the
smile that conveys the happiness I'm feeling and therefore trying to
express, I am likely to receive comments like "Now, be serious," or "When
you smile like that, you look like a monkey or a grinning little boy."
Again, what did I miss, and, rather than crying over these problems, how
can I learn what others seem to expect as instinctive behavior?
Puzzled but still smiling
Dear Puzzled,
Well you do have yourself in a stew. The good news is that I think
that your two experiences are manifestations of one difficulty: judging how
much and when to smile. The first thing to remember is that human beings
fall along a spectrum of how and how much they smile. Some people hardly
ever crack a smile, while others smile almost all the time, and the good
news is that, as far as Miss Whozit can tell, where a person falls on this
continuum has nothing to do with blindness. You may have to ask a trusted
friend for feedback about how much you smile, but you can try sneaking up
on yourself mentally when you are at rest. When it occurs to you to conduct
the experiment, freeze your mouth in its relaxed position, and check on
whether or not you seem to have the corners of your mouth tucked up in a
smile. If so, you will probably be told that you generally look pleasant or
that you mostly smile. If you are among the poker-faced, you will feel it
unnatural to contract those smile muscles.
Once you are familiar with how it feels to smile, you can check
yourself in serious conversations to be sure that your mouth has not
tightened up into a smile. I suspect that your painful experience with your
daughter had much more to do with the overwrought emotions of a teenager
hearing painful truths than with inappropriate smiling on your part.
If you still lack confidence in your ability to judge the presence
and size of your smile, spend time listening to the voices of other people.
You can often actually tell from a person's voice how broadly he or she is
smiling. A common piece of advice given to people who talk a lot on the
telephone is to smile before picking up the receiver. You can hear a lilt
and warmth in the voice of someone answering the phone. See if you can
reproduce that lilt while smiling into the phone. Listen to the voice of a
person telling a funny joke. You can hear the smile gathering and bursting
into a laugh. Listen to people talking with babies. They almost always
automatically smile at the baby. You will do so as well if you try talking
to a baby. If you pay attention to others' voices as they are smiling, you
will come to understand how to reproduce the various degrees of smiles. You
can always check out your impressions with an honest friend. He or she can
tell you if you smile appropriately or how to modify your smiling to fit
social norms.
As for smiling in photographs, Miss Whozit has observed that many
people struggle with artificial expressions on their faces during a
photography session. A good photographer can catch you at the moment when
you relax into a natural expression. People who do not like to have their
picture taken usually fall into this group. Trying to force a smile is
usually disastrous. It may be, however, that you will find that all this
analysis of degrees of smiles will teach you how to reproduce a pleasant
rather than a goofy smile on demand.
You did not mention whether you are totally blind. I suspect that you
are and that you may also benefit from considering whether or not you keep
your eyes open when having a photo taken. This is a problem for many
people, and some totally blind people have simply given up the struggle to
keep their eyes wide open for photos. Miss Whozit's only comment is that
having our eyes open during photography sessions makes our loved ones very
happy. Learning to do so may be worth the effort.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: James Gashel]
The Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards
by James Gashel
From the Editor: James Gashel is secretary of the National Federation
of the Blind and chairs the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards committee. Here is his
announcement about the 2014 Bolotin Awards program:
The National Federation of the Blind is pleased to announce that
applications are now being accepted for the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Awards. These
prestigious awards, granted each year as funds permit, recognize
individuals, corporations, organizations, or other entities for outstanding
work of excellence on behalf of the blind in the United States. The public
recognition ceremony will be held during the 2014 annual convention of the
National Federation of the Blind in Orlando, Florida. Each recipient will
be given a cash award in an amount determined by the Dr. Jacob Bolotin
Award Committee and will also be honored with an engraved medallion and
plaque.
Dr. Bolotin was a pioneering blind physician who practiced in the
early twentieth century, and the awards which now bear his name are made
possible through the generosity of his late nephew and niece. Their
bequest, the Alfred and Rosalind Perlman Trust, allows the National
Federation of the Blind to recognize and support the most outstanding
individuals and projects working to improve opportunities for blind people
in the United States, consistent with Dr. Bolotin's pioneering example.
As chronicled in his biography, The Blind Doctor by Rosalind Perlman,
Bolotin fought ignorance and prejudice to gain entrance to medical school
and the medical profession. He became one of the most respected physicians
in Chicago during his career, which spanned the period from 1912 until his
death in 1924. He was particularly known for his expertise in diseases of
the heart and lungs. Bolotin used his many public speaking engagements to
advocate for employment of the blind and their full integration into
society. Interested in young people in general and blind youth in
particular, Dr. Bolotin established the first Boy Scout troop consisting
entirely of blind boys and served as its leader.
Jacob Bolotin's wife Helen had a sister whose husband died suddenly,
leaving her to raise a son, Alfred Perlman. The Perlmans moved in with the
Bolotins when Alfred was eleven, and for four years (until Jacob Bolotin's
untimely death at the age of thirty-six), "Uncle Jake" became Alfred's
surrogate father. Alfred later married Rosalind, and the couple worked on a
book about Dr. Bolotin's life. After Alfred's death in 2001, Rosalind
dedicated the rest of her life to completing and publishing the book. Then
upon her death and as part of her will, Rosalind left a bequest to the
Santa Barbara Foundation and the National Federation of the Blind to
produce Dr. Bolotin's biography and establish the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award
program. Her book, The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story, has been
published by and is available from Blue Point Books
<www.BluePointBooks.com>.
Award Description
In 2014 the National Federation of the Blind will again recognize
individuals and organizations that have distinguished themselves in
accordance with the criteria established to receive the Dr. Jacob Bolotin
Award. The committee will determine both the number of awards and the value
of each award presented. The Federation determines the total amount to be
distributed each year based on income received from the trust supporting
the award program. The award categories for each year are blind
individuals, sighted individuals, and organizations, corporations, or other
entities. Individuals may apply on their own behalf or may submit a third
party nomination, or the committee may also consider other individual or
organizational candidates.
Who Should Apply?
Individuals: Only individuals over eighteen years of age may be
considered for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award. Applicants must demonstrate that
they have shown substantial initiative and leadership in improving the
lives of the blind. Examples of such initiative include but are not limited
to developing products, technologies, or techniques that increase the
independence of the blind; directing quality programs or agencies for the
blind; or mentoring other blind people. All individual applicants or third-
party applicants nominating other individuals must demonstrate that the
work to be recognized has been conducted within the twelve months preceding
the application and/or that the work is continuing. Applications by or on
behalf of individuals must include at least one letter of recommendation
from a person familiar with or directly affected by the work to be
recognized.
Organizations: Organizations may apply for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award
in order to further programs, services, technology, or techniques of unique
and outstanding merit that have assisted and will continue to assist the
blind. Applications from third parties nominating an organization will also
be considered. The organization category includes corporations, nonprofit
organizations, or other entities, such as a specific division within an
organization. Organizations or third-party applicants must demonstrate that
the programs or services to be recognized include substantial participation
by blind people as developers, mentors, administrators, or executives, and
not merely as clients, consumers, or beneficiaries. For example, an
organization operating a program for blind youth might demonstrate that a
substantial number of the counselors, teachers, or mentors involved in the
program are blind. The organization or third-party applicant must
demonstrate that it has substantially aided blind people within the twelve
months prior to application and that an award would support efforts to
build on previous successes. The application must also include at least one
testimonial from a blind person who has benefited substantially from the
programs or services.
To qualify for an award both individuals and organizations must be
headquartered in the United States of America, and their work must
primarily benefit the blind of the United States.
Procedures
More information, including an online application, can be found on the
National Federation of the Blind website at <https://www.nfb.org/bolotin-
award-main>.
Online submission of nominations, letters of support, and other
relevant materials is strongly encouraged, but applications sent by mail
and postmarked by the deadline will also be accepted. The 2014 deadline for
application submission is March 31. Recipients chosen by the committee will
be individually notified of their selection no later than May 15. Receipt
of all complete applications will be acknowledged; only those applicants
chosen to receive an award will be contacted by May 15. All decisions of
the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award committee are final.
The awards will be presented in July during the annual convention of
the National Federation of the Blind. Individuals selected to receive an
award must appear in person, not send a representative. Organizations may
send an individual representative, preferably their chief executive
officer. Recipient candidates must confirm in writing that they will appear
in person to accept the award at the National Federation of the Blind
annual convention. Failure to confirm attendance for the award presentation
by June 1 will result in forfeiture of the award.
Ineligible Persons
Those employed full-time by the National Federation of the Blind may
not apply for a Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award for work performed within the scope
of their employment. Students may not apply for both a Dr. Jacob Bolotin
Award and a National Federation of the Blind Scholarship in the same year.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: David Ticchi]
The 2014 Blind Educator of the Year Award
by David Ticchi
From the Editor: Dr. David Ticchi is an experienced educator in his
own right. He was named Blind Educator of the Year in 1998. He chairs the
2014 Blind Educator of the Year Award selection committee. This is what he
says:
A number of years ago the Blind Educator of the Year Award was
established by the National Organization of Blind Educators (the educators
division of the National Federation of the Blind) to pay tribute to a blind
teacher whose exceptional classroom performance, notable community service,
and uncommon commitment to the NFB merit national recognition. Beginning
with the 1991 presentation, this award became an honor bestowed by our
entire movement. The change reflects our recognition of the importance of
good teaching and the impact an outstanding blind teacher has on students,
faculty, community, and all blind Americans.
This award is presented in the spirit of the outstanding educators
who founded and have continued to nurture the National Federation of the
Blind and who, by example, have imparted knowledge of our strengths to us
and raised our expectations. We have learned from Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, Dr.
Kenneth Jernigan, and President Marc Maurer that a teacher not only
provides a student with information but also provides guidance and
advocacy. The recipient of the Blind Educator of the Year Award must
exhibit all of these traits and must advance the cause of blind people in
the spirit and philosophy of the National Federation of the Blind.
The Blind Educator of the Year Award is presented at the annual
convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Honorees must be
present to receive an appropriately inscribed plaque and a check for
$1,000.
Nominations should be sent to Dr. David A. Ticchi, Newton North High
School, 457 Walnut Street, Newtonville, MA 02460. Letters of nomination
must be accompanied by a copy of the nominee's current risumi and
supporting documentation of community and Federation activity. All
nomination materials must be in the hands of the committee chairman by May
1, 2014, to be considered for this year's award. For further information
contact David Ticchi at (617) 559-6253.
----------
Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award for 2014
by Cathy Jackson
From the Editor: Cathy Jackson chairs the committee to select the
Distinguished Educator of Blind Children for 2014.
The National Federation of the Blind will recognize an outstanding
teacher of blind children at our 2014 convention next July. The winner of
this award will receive an expense-paid trip to the convention, a check for
$1,000, an appropriate plaque, and an opportunity to make a presentation
about the education of blind children to the National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children.
Anyone who is currently teaching or counseling blind students or
administering a program for blind children is eligible to receive this
award. It is not necessary to be a member of the National Federation of the
Blind to apply. However, the winner must attend the national convention.
Teachers may be nominated by colleagues, supervisors, or friends. The
letter of nomination should explain why the teacher is being recommended
for this award.
The education of blind children is one of our most important concerns.
Attendance at a National Federation of the Blind convention will enrich a
teacher's experience by affording him or her the opportunity to take part
in seminars and workshops on educational issues, to meet other teachers who
work with blind children, to meet parents, and to meet blind adults who
have had experiences in a variety of educational programs. Help us
recognize a distinguished teacher by distributing this form and encouraging
teachers to submit their credentials. We are pleased to offer this award
and look forward to applications from many well-qualified educators.
Please complete the application and attach the following:
. A letter of nomination from someone (parent, coworker, supervisor, etc.)
who knows your work;
. A letter of recommendation from someone who knows you professionally and
knows your philosophy of teaching; and
. A letter from you discussing your beliefs and approach to teaching blind
students. In your letter you may wish to discuss topics such as the
following:
o Your views about when and how students should use Braille, large
print, digital recordings, readers, magnification devices, computers,
electronic notetakers, and other technology.
o Your method of deciding whether a child should use print, Braille, or
both.
o Your timetable for recommending that your students begin instruction
in the use of a slate and stylus or a Braillewriter.
o Your process for determining which students should learn cane travel
(and when) and which should not.
o When keyboarding should be introduced.
o When a child should be expected to hand in print assignments
independently.
National Federation of the Blind
Distinguished Educator of Blind Children Award
2014 Application
Deadline: May 15, 2014
Name:_______________________________________________________
Home address:_________________________________________________
City, State, Zip:_________________________________________________
Phone: (H)____________________(W)____________________________
Email:______________________________________________________
School:______________________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________
City, State, Zip:_________________________________________________
Use a separate sheet of paper to answer the following:
. List your degrees, the institutions from which they were
received, and your major area or areas of study.
. How long and in what programs have you worked with blind
children?
. In what setting do you currently work?
. Briefly describe your current job and teaching responsibilities.
. Describe your current caseload (e.g., number of students, ages,
multiple disabilities, number of Braille-reading students).
Email is strongly encouraged for transmitting nominations; letters of
support and other relevant materials should be included as attachments.
Applications sent by mail and postmarked by the deadline will also be
accepted. Send all material by May 15, 2014, to Cathy Jackson, Chairperson,
Teacher Award Committee, <cathyj1949 at gmail.com> or by mail to 210 Cambridge
Drive, Louisville, Kentucky 40214-2809; (502) 366-2317.
----------
From the President's Recipe File
by Marc Maurer
Recently I obtained a pumpkin and cut it in half, scooped out the
seeds, and baked it in the oven until the flesh of the pumpkin was tender.
I scraped the flesh out of the skin and made a pumpkin pie with part of it.
I mentioned this to my daughter Dianna, emphasizing the unused portion of
the pumpkin, and she sent me the following vegetable pumpkin soup recipe:
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can navy beans
Kernels of 3 ears of corn cut off the cob or a medium bag of frozen kernel
corn
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
5 small potatoes, peeled and cut in bite-size dice
1 small bag of baby carrots, sliced
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 1-pound can pumpkin purie (or 2 cups of fresh pumpkin if you have it)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup skim milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Method: In oil sauti chopped onion and red pepper for about two
minutes. Add corn, mushrooms, and navy beans and cook for another two
minutes. Then add remaining ingredients and cook for twenty-five minutes or
until vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot
with crusty Italian bread.
----------
Recipes
This month's recipes have been provided by members of the NFB of
Nevada.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
by Anthony Pascual
Anthony Pascual is the president of the Henderson Chapter of the
National Federation of the Blind of Nevada.
Ingredients:
1 jar or can artichoke hearts, drained and diced
1 box frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, and chopped
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
Garlic powder
Method: In a mixing bowl place cream cheese, microwave for one minute,
and add drained and diced artichoke hearts and spinach. Mix well. Sprinkle
on garlic powder to taste. I enjoy this with garlic bread, but you can get
creative with chips or crackers. Serves four.
----------
Fettuccini Alfredo Sauce
by Anthony Pascual
Ingredients:
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup romano cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
4 ounces cream cheese
Garlic powder to taste
Method: In a medium saucepan pour whipping cream and heat on medium
until warm enough to melt cheeses. Pour all cheeses into cream and stir
gently until well blended. Sprinkle in garlic powder to taste. Serves four.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: William Harmon]
Chicken Main Dish
by William Harmon
William Harmon is a past president of the NFB of Nevada.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1 cut-up chicken or equivalent amount of chicken pieces
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 envelope dry onion soup
1 soup can of milk
< cup cooking sherry, optional
Method: Place the rice in a large, greased casserole dish. Arrange the
chicken pieces on top. Mix the soup, milk, and sherry together and pour
over the chicken. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours. Uncover and bake
30 minutes more to brown the chicken. Serves 4.
----------
Saucy Baked Pork Chops
by William Harmon
Ingredients:
4 to 6 pork chops
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup onion, chopped
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Method: Brown the pork chops in a skillet. Drain excess fat. Combine
remaining ingredients and pour over chops. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees for
forty-five minutes or simmer on top of range for thirty minutes. Serves 4
to 6.
----------
Pizza Dip
by William Harmon
Ingredients:
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 can tomato soup
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Method: Grate Velveeta or cut into small pieces. Place cheese in
saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat until cheese
melts. Stir occasionally. Serve warm with pizza or meatball-flavored
crackers.
----------
[PHOTO CAPTION: Rena Smith]
Garden Greens
by Rena Smith
Rena Smith is president of the NFB of Nevada. She reports that her
grandmother, who never measured anything, taught her to cook. She does not
care for cooking, but it's healthier and less expensive than dining out.
She comments that, if you are a greens lover, this recipe is for you.
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 bunch collard greens
1 bunch turnip greens
1 bunch mustard greens
Turkey or ham hocks stock
1 stick butter
Crushed red pepper to taste
Method: Wash greens thoroughly. Cut them up and place in a pot of
boiled smoked turkey parts or ham hocks. Add crushed red peppers to taste
and butter or margarine. Let greens simmer until tender, about three hours.
----------
One-Egg Cornbread
by Rena Smith
Ingredients:
1 egg
2 cups yellow corn meal
1 cup flour
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar, optional
2 cups milk
Method: Mix all ingredients until smooth, Pour into a greased bread
pan and place in 350-degree oven for about thirty minutes or until
toothpick comes out clean. Both these dishes can be served with a pot roast
or fried chicken.
----------
Kaoyum
by Elsie Spell
Elsie Spell is the daughter-in-law of Rena Smith. She says this
recipe is delicious:
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons green curry paste
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more to taste
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
4 ounces thin rice noodles, broken into pieces
2 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), very thinly
sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Method: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly
browned, about eight minutes. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook,
stirring, one to two minutes more. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, and
fish sauce; cover and bring to a boil. Add the bell peppers and noodles and
simmer, uncovered, until the noodles are al dente, about three minutes. Add
the chicken and simmer until just cooked through, about three more minutes.
Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Add more fish sauce and lime juice if
desired. Serve immediately.
----------
Monitor Miniatures
News from the Federation Family
2014 Washington Seminar:
This notice comes to the Braille Monitor courtesy of Diane McGeorge.
The 2014 Washington Seminar will be held on Monday, January 27,
through January 30, 2014. As in previous years it will be held at the
Holiday Inn Capitol at 550 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20024. The Great
Gathering-In will begin Monday afternoon at 5:00 PM in the Columbia Room on
the first floor of the Holiday Inn Capitol and will adjourn at 7:00 PM.
Legislative appointments should be made for Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday in the Senate and House office buildings. Meetings for NFB members
to review the legislative progress and provide guidance will occur Tuesday
and Wednesday evenings.
Room rates at the Holiday Inn Capitol are $177 for single, double,
triple, or quad rooms with a 14.5 percent tax per night. Please do not
contact the hotel to make your reservations. To make your reservation, you
may call (303) 778-1130, extension 219, or email Lisa Bonderson at
<lbonderson at cocenter.org>. Room reservations must be made by December 17,
2013. If you wish to have room space for meetings prior to or during the
seminar, please have those requests in to Lisa Bonderson by December 17,
2013.
National Federation of the Blind Deaf-Blind Division Launches Operation
Outreach:
The Deaf-Blind Division has been hard at work since the National
Convention putting together a plan to advance our deaf-blind projects.
Before the 2014 convention the division intends to:
1. Identify more people with deaf-blind issues
2. Ensure that all eligible people are aware of and have applied for
equipment under the iCanConnect program
3. Help people with deaf-blind concerns communicate with each other
4. Encourage membership in the NFB
5. Ensure interested deaf-blind citizens understand the resources
available to them-they may need guidance in working with the agencies
responsible to provide their services.
To make all this happen, we need two things: first, we need the help
and support of every state affiliate. Second, we would appreciate names,
addresses, and email addresses so we can make contact to determine the
level of interest on the part of each deaf-blind individual in each state
affiliate.
We want to keep it simple. We have been fortunate that members of the
Deaf-Blind Division have stepped forward and have offered their assistance
and dedication to Operation Outreach. The board could not have done this
without their support. We need every helping hand. We have been excited by
the progress we have received so far. People are starting to take notice of
the deaf-blind and their issues.
Each member of the Deaf-Blind Division who is participating in
Operation Outreach has been given the names of state affiliate presidents
to contact. Affiliate presidents now have the opportunity to name a person
to be committee chair for their affiliates, keep in contact with the Deaf-
Blind Division, and be responsible for Operation Outreach in their state,
as well as assisting the affiliate in establishing a committee and
eventually a division in that state. At this time all fifty state
affiliates have been contacted. All affiliate presidents who were present
at the national convention were given introductory letters introducing them
to Operation Outreach. They were then contacted post-convention to
establish a relationship with their national Deaf-Blind Division contact
person and to answer any questions they may have or discuss the logistics
of establishing a committee in their state.
Operation Outreach is a very important project for the NFB and the
Deaf-Blind Division. It will help to address the needs of the deaf-blind
and ensure them equal access. As we say in the NFB Deaf-Blind Division,
"We're changing what it means to be deaf-blind."
Thank you to all who support Operation Outreach. If you have any
questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at any time.
President Joe Naulty can be reached at (321) 768-9500 or
<AMNaulty at aol.com>.
Elected:
The New York Association of Guide Dog Users held elections recently
with the following results: president, Jessica Snyder; first vice
president, Margo Downey; second vice president, Joyce Carrico;
secretary/treasurer, Lucy Mar; and member at large, Cheryl Echevarria.
[PHOTO CAPTION: Cover art for The Heart of Applebutter Hill]
Blind Author Offers a Book to Change Attitudes:
Ever wish you could do something to make sighted people just get it?
What would it take to create a quantum shift in the level of fear, pity,
low expectations, and negativity regularly displayed by the sighted world?
Try giving them a good story for the holidays, like The Heart of
Applebutter Hill by Donna W. Hill (http://donnawhill.com/). An adventure-
mystery for general audiences, it features a 14-year-old legally blind
heroine. The Heart of Applebutter Hill is not a "coming-to-terms-with-
blindness story." The adventure could have happened to a sighted kid. If
the author, who was born legally blind, had been willing to write blindness
out of the story, she wouldn't have had to self-publish it.
The Heart of Applebutter Hill has received recommendations from
professionals in the fields of education, rehabilitation, and the arts as a
valuable resource for diversity-inclusivity and anti-bullying initiatives
in colleges and secondary schools. Recommenders include Louisiana School
for the Blind Braille teacher and author Jerry Whittle, NFB Writers'
Division president and chair of the NFB's Communications Committee Robert
Leslie Newman, Future Reflections editor and novelist Deborah Kent Stein,
and web accessibility expert Dr. Brian Wentz. You can read their comments
at: <http://donnawhill.com/recommenders-of-the-heart-of-applebutter-hill-
from-professionals-in-education-rehabilitation-the-arts/>.
The holiday shopping season is upon us, and you have a great
opportunity to influence public opinion, support a blind author, and share
an exciting adventure-mystery. The proceeds from The Heart of Applebutter
Hill provide Braille books for blind students.
Throughout history, from Uncle Tom's Cabin and Oliver Twist to Roots
and Children of a Lesser God, fiction has played a major role in
enlightening the general public about social justice issues. The privacy
and intimacy inherent in reading will provide a safe place for people to
confront their own prejudice and to develop an intuitive understanding that
blind people have valuable and unpredictable contributions to make in all
aspects of life as employees, students, coworkers, citizens, and friends.
You may obtain a copy of this book from Amazon and/or Bookshare. Buy,
share, and read.
In Brief
Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor
readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we
have edited only for space and clarity.
To Prospective NASA Student Interns with Disabilities:
NASA is looking to increase the number of students with disabilities
pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers through
our internship programs. NASA has a 2 percent hiring goal for employment of
people with disabilities, and internships are a good way to get experience.
Students can apply for summer 2014 internships right this very minute. The
deadline for submitting applications is Friday, March 14, 2014, and we will
begin extending offers to students as early as Monday, February 3, 2014. We
encourage you to apply early because the best opportunities are likely to
be filled early. Plus, your likelihood of being selected decreases the
longer you wait. You can register for an account anytime at the One Stop
Shopping Initiative (OSSI): NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships
(NIFS) at <http://intern.nasa.gov/>. However, students will not be able to
see Summer 2014 opportunities until November 1. Summer 2014 internships run
from early June until early August for college students and from late June
until early August for high school students. All student interns get paid.
For example, last summer at Goddard college students received a stipend of
$6,000 and high school students $1,800. As an intern you are responsible
for your own housing. NASA internships for college and high school students
are also offered during spring, fall, and year-long sessions through the
OSSI website.
NASA has internships for high school students and for rising freshmen
through doctoral students in STEM [science, technology, engineering, and
math] fields. A rising freshman is a high school student who has been
accepted to an accredited institution of higher learning, i.e., a college
or university, at the time of the internship. Applicants must be US
citizens, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for college and 3.0 for high school;
however, applicants must understand that the competition for internships is
keen. High school students must be at least sixteen years old at the time
the internship begins.
Internships are available at all NASA centers nationwide. Students can
submit a completed application, whether they apply to a specific
opportunity or not. However, applying to opportunities has the advantage of
allowing applicants to be considered by mentors who work in disciplines of
interest and at a particular center. Applicants may apply to as many as
fifteen opportunities. For example, an opportunity having to do with the
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) will be at the Goddard Space Flight Center
in Maryland because SDO is located there. Not applying to an opportunity
means that prospective interns will be hoping that a mentor happens to read
their applications rather than directing their applications to mentors in
fields and at centers of interest.
Students who are selected for summer internships will receive an offer
letter by email sometime after February 3, 2014. They will then have five
days to either accept or reject the offer through their OSSI: NIFS account.
The offer will automatically expire after five days if no action is taken.
Please feel free to contact me for more information or help with
applying:
Kenneth A. Silberman, Esq.
Education Office Code 160
NASA/GSFC Mailstop 160
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Voice: (301) 286-9281
Email: <kenneth.a.silberman at nasa.gov>
Email is preferred.
Ski for Light is Alaska Bound. Applications Are Due November 2013:
The 39th annual Ski for Light International week will be held in
Anchorage, Alaska, from Sunday, February 23, through Sunday, March 2, 2014.
Join over 200 active blind and sighted adults from across the U.S. and
around the world who pair up for what many have called the experience of a
lifetime. We will stay in downtown Anchorage at the Hilton Hotel and
Conference Center and ski at nearby Kincaid Park.
This year's event fee, including hotel accommodations for seven days,
all meals and other extras will be $850. Financial stipends may be
requested when completing the application, and applications are due this
month. For more details and to submit your application, please visit the
fully accessible web site at <www.sfl.org>.
If you need more information, please contact the Visually-Impaired
Participant Application Coordinator in Michigan: Lynda Boose, (906) 370-
7541, or by email at <LBoose at up.net>
New Speak To Me Catalog:
Give the gift that says something; check out our new Fall/Winter 2013
catalog, packed with exciting gift-giving ideas. This catalog is focused on
some of our newest arrivals, products that didn't appear in our summer
catalog. We are introducing a special new category of products for those of
you with mobile devices that need to take your sounds on the go. You'll
find keyboards for your phone, headsets and earphones, and ways to charge
and carry your books or music. Order early: this is the busiest time of the
year for us. We want to make sure that all of your gift-giving desires are
met with no disappointments if stock should become limited. Call us at
(800) 248-9965 or visit our website at <http://www.speaktomecatalog.com> to
place an order online.
Monitor Mart
The notices in this section have been edited for clarity, but we can
pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for
the accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the products for
sale.
For sale:
I have several items for sale: first, a PAC Mate Classic with 40-cell
Braille display in good condition. The PAC Mate comes with a case. I am
asking $1,700 (plus shipping). Second, I have a talking MaxiAids Super Cube
clock for which I am asking $20 (plus shipping). Next, I have a cigarette
lighter charger for the PAC Mate and mini USB cable for flash drives, and
I'm asking $5 for each (plus shipping). Last, I have two one-gigabyte
compact flash type II cards, for which I'm asking $5 each or both for $10
(plus shipping). Contact Jeff Rutkowski by phone at (651) 756-8684 or using
email at <jrutkowski7 at gmail.com>.
----------
NFB Pledge
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National
Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for
the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to
abide by its constitution.
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