[Nfbv-announce] Spring 2011 Vigilant
Fredric Schroeder
fschroeder at sks.com
Tue Apr 19 17:10:38 UTC 2011
NFB Vigilant
National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
Spring 2011
“Voice of Virginia's Blind"
In This Issue:
• From the President
• 2011 McDonald Fellowships to National Convention
• Blind Driver Experience
• Independence 2011
• Bullying and the Blind
• Guide Dog Association Launches Innovative Hotline
• Musings of a Blind Cook
• Chapter/Divisions Roll Call
• NFBV Calendar of Events
• Vigilant Report
• How You Can Assist Us
• State Officers
• Vigilant Production Staff
>From the President
Dr. Fred Schroeder
Over the last few months, Federationists have been working hard to spread
the message that blind people can live full and productive lives. In
January we took our message to the General Assembly and stressed the
importance of maintaining the Department for the Blind as a separate
program. We also reminded the legislators of the need to fund the Standards
of Quality—the bill passed a few years ago that will limit caseload size for
teachers of blind children and will increase funding for local school
divisions to hire more teachers.
In early March our Chesapeake Bay Chapter co-sponsored a seminar for parents
of high school blind students. Federationists who participated in the
seminar included our Parent division president, Zina Lewis, Chesapeake Bay
Chapter president, Mary Durbin, Theresa Willis, Sandy Halverson and Virginia
native Chancey Fleet. The parents learned about Federation summer training
programs and scholarship opportunities along with hearing about important
technology.
Remember to make your plans to attend the national convention in Orlando
this summer. Every blind person needs to attend the national convention.
The information is invaluable and the encouragement and spirit cannot be
overstated. See you in Orlando!
2011 McDonald Fellowships to National Convention
By: Tracy Soforenko
This year, we will celebrate our NFB National Convention in beautiful
Orlando, Florida. The convention will be more magical if you are there to
join us.
Many of those who have attended our national NFB convention are amazed at
how seeing, meeting, and interacting with over 3000 other blind and low
vision convention attendees has literally changed their lives. They not
only experience how the problems of vision loss can be overcome, but they
also experience the confidence that can come with it.
The McDonald Fellowship program was established in 1998 in order to: a)
assist those who have never attended a convention of the National Federation
of the Blind (NFB) before, or b) financially assist those who have
demonstrated a commitment to our organization and who are unable to afford
the costs of attending a national convention.
Robert and Marian McDonald selflessly contributed to our Virginia affiliate
to further the progress and better the lives of those who are blind,
visually impaired, and low vision in Virginia. In their honor, we recognize
the personal benefits that come to people who attend a national convention
for the first time. In their memory, the National Federation of the Blind
of Virginia (NFBV) continues their legacy of education and empowerment to
Virginia's blind citizens.
This year the goal of the McDonald Fellowship program is to issue four
McDonald Fellowship awards each in the amount of $600.00. These funds will
be awarded to assist each fellowship recipient in covering the cost of
attending our 2011 NFB National Convention to be held in Orlando, Florida,
the week of July 3 through July 8. This event will take place at the
absolutely remarkable Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida.
We will link each of our fellowship winners up with mentors who will assist
them in getting the most out of their national convention experience.
Preference will be given to McDonald Fellowship applicants who have not
previously attended a national convention.
As part of the fellowship application requirements, McDonald Fellowship
winners are asked to attend the entire NFB convention and write an article
about their experiences for the Vigilant (the newsletter of the National
Federation of the Blind of Virginia) upon their return from convention.
Winners will also have an opportunity to address our 2011 NFB of Virginia
state convention.
Deadline for applications for the McDonald Fellowship is April 15, 2011.
Winners will be announced May 17, 2011. We ask that applicants write a
brief letter of application outlining their reasons why they should be
considered for a Fellowship. Preference will be given to applications from:
those who have never attended a NFB National Convention before; those who
have demonstrated commitment to the NFBV organization by their participation
in either chapter or state activities over the past year; and by those
applicants who include pertinent supporting information that will help in
our selection process (e.g. letters of support from chapter presidents).
There is no specific format for the application. E-mailed applications or
questions about the Fellowship program should be sent to Tracy Soforenko,
Chairman, McDonald Fellowship Committee, by e-mail at PotomacNFB at verizon.net
or by phone at 703-635-2085.
Blind Driver Experience
The new Imagination Fund initiative was launched in March which is offering
the Blind Driver Experience on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 5, for thirty
Federationists who raise $1000 or more for the National Federation of the
Blind Imagination Fund.
Here's how it will work. The top ten Imaginators in this year's campaign in
terms of money raised, along with twenty others drawn from a pool of
individuals who raise at least $1000 by June 15, 2011, will be entitled to
select up to three friends and ride in the Blind Driver ChallengeT car
alongside an experienced blind driver.
Participants will have the opportunity to see the technology up close,
dialogue with the driver, and be the envy of the other 3000 plus attendees
at the Orlando National Convention. To have a chance to take part in this
initiative, members must register for the Convention, sign-up for the Race
for Independence at www.raceforindependence.org or by calling 410-659-9314
ext. 2371, and raise at least $1000 by June 15. Remember the top ten
Imaginators will qualify automatically, and the other twenty will be chosen
by a drawing from a pool of those who raise at least $1000 by June 15.
Independence 2011
By: Amy Phelps, Blind Institutes and Services of Maryland
The birds are singing, the sun is out, it is time to start making plans for
the summer and Independence 2011 is the place to be! Please be sure to help
spread the word about this fantastic summer program for blind/low vision
youth entering into the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.
What is Independence 2011?
Independence 2011 is a seven-week residential training program that provides
blind and low vision teens with the non-visual skills and confidence to help
transition from high school to college and/or employment.
Learn to travel independently using a long white cane
Experience real-world career opportunities
Two-week paid work experience
Learn to read and write using Braille
Develop computer skills through assistive technology
Reside in campus apartments with blind instructor/mentors
Expand cooking, cleaning, and shopping skills
Attend the NFB Youth Slam, a STEP Leadership Academy
Develop a positive attitude about blindness
Attend the 2011 NFB national convention in Orlando, FL
Tour Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Disney World
Participate in recreational and athletic activities
Who Can Apply? Legally blind high school students who are entering into the
10th, 11th, and 12th grades in the fall of 2011. Applicants should have an
open case with their state’s vocational rehabilitation or have an
alternative funding source.
Where? Again we will return to Towson University where the students will
live in apartments on campus.
Sponsored by? Blind Industries and Services of Maryland
When? June 19th – August 5th
For more information or to apply, please contact Amy Phelps at 410-737-2642
or e-mail aphelps at bism.org.
Bullying and the Blind
By: Paula Kelsey
During this past year, I've noticed a dozen or more cases of bullying that
have led to suicides. These cases have been all over the media. It's like
you couldn't turn on the TV or pick up a magazine without seeing and hearing
these poor souls’ stories. Granted, most of these young folks had different
complaints that led to their early deaths. Some were harassed because they
were too smart, or too fat, or they were gay. Naturally, it brought back
memories of me growing up. Throughout my years in school (from elementary
all the way through high school) I was continuously harassed for having low
vision. I ended up either in the nurse's office or the girl's bathroom
crying my little heart out. However; I suppose I was one of the lucky ones.
Not once did I say to myself, "I can't take this anymore, I have to end it!"
Not once in all those years did they take my spirits so low as to make me
not want to live. I wonder though how many blind children ever gave up and
committed suicide. I am the president of the Winchester/Lower Shenandoah
PFLAG and we have put on several programs about bullying lately. We've
shown several DVD's and had some very profound discussions with the public.
I've shared my stories about myself being bullied and harassed and how I
didn't tell anyone like teachers or my parents, but somehow despite that I
survived to adulthood with minimal scars. Telling someone is crucial and
that's one of my main points. When I was done with my speech, I ran into
someone who had a visually impaired daughter and it turned out we knew each
other through the NFB.
Small world!
GUIDE DOG ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE HOTLINE
The National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU), the leader in service
animal advocacy, has launched an innovative new service. The NAGDU
Education & Advocacy Hotline not only offers information about the legal
rights of individuals who use service animals, it offers the option to speak
with an advocate who is trained to resolve access denials. According to the
new federal guidelines that took effect on March 15, 2011, a service animal
is “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the
benefit of an individual with a disability” (28 CFR Part 35.104 & 28 CFR
Part 36.104). The new regulations specifically state, “Other species of
animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service
animals for the purposes of this definition.” In an effort to further
clarify its intent, the Department of Justice specifically states, “The
crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of
emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute
work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.” The new regulations
concerning service animals are available at
http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleII_2010/titleII_2010_integrated.htm.
“We find that most access problems are the result of a lack of information,”
says Michael Hingson, the Association’s Vice President who serves as Project
Manager for the hotline. “This hotline is an excellent resource for
accurate information.”
The NAGDU Education & Advocacy Hotline currently offers general information
about service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as
well as specific guidance concerning restaurants, taxicabs, and health care
facilities. Callers needing immediate assistance can connect directly to a
live trained advocate. Future plans for the hotline include summaries of
each of the state laws concerning service animals, more industry specific
information, and guidance in a variety of languages, such as Mandarin and
Arabic. The hotline is available anytime by calling, toll-free,
1-866-972-3647.
The NAGDU Education & Advocacy Hotline was created by a grant from the
National Federation of the Blind’s (NFB) Imagination Fund, as well as with
contributions from the California and Florida Associations of Guide Dog
Users. The National Association of Guide Dog Users is a strong and proud
division of the NFB. NAGDU conducts public awareness campaigns on issues of
guide dog use, provides advocacy support for guide dog handlers who face
discrimination, supports effective legislation to protect the rights of
service animal users, offers educational programs to school and civic
organizations, and functions as an integral part of the National Federation
of the Blind. For more information about the National Association of Guide
Dog Users, you can visit their website at http://www.nagdu.org or send an
email message to Info at nagdu.org
Musings of a Blind Cook
By: Rick Holley
South of the Border Dish
Rick is back with his Tex-Mex dish, Chicken Enchilada, a yearlong specialty.
Rick added this recipe to his favorites list while residing at the VA State
Rehab Center. He says he and his wife like it so much because it feeds them
for at least 4 days. Once again the recipe has been tweaked and you may
also feel free to do likewise. The ‘must’ ingredients are the chicken,
sautéed onions, mushroom soup, salsa, grated cheese and tortillas with the
others open to substitution. Allow about one hour to prepare.
Chicken Enchilada Ingredients
Basics:
1 onion chopped and diced
1 green bell pepper chopped and diced
1 jar salsa (mild or medium hot)
1 can of broth (chicken or vegetable)
3 tbsp. olive oil
¾ cup of grated parmesan cheese
4 chicken breasts cooked and diced
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Corn
1 cup of chopped mushrooms
6 tortilla shells
Procedure:
1. Grill chicken and chop into bite size pieces.
2. Sauté onions and peppers in olive oil for 5 minutes.
3. Add chicken, onions, peppers, broth, mushroom soup, cream of corn,
chopped mushrooms, salsa, and half of grated cheese into a large pot.
4. Over medium heat, stir well until hot.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. In a large Pyrex baking dish, layer the enchilada mix with the
tortillas: 3 layers of enchilada separated by tortillas.
7. Spread the balance of cheese on top.
8. Heat in oven for 45 minutes.
9. Serve and enjoy.
Chapter/Division Roundup
Blue Ridge Chapter – By: Gwen Beavers
Greetings from the beautiful blue ridge which is especially wonderful in
spring! Speaking of spring, we are planning to have a blind exchange
student from Germany speak to us at our April meeting.
In May, we are planning our annual walk-a-than which will be held on
Saturday, May 7, 2011. This time we will walk on the downtown mall where
more folks will see us and maybe we will get some good publicity. In June,
we are having our annual picnic once again at the home of Woodrow Berry one
of our chapter members. In July we hope to celebrate everyone's birthday at
a special party.
We will have quite a busy summer and we invite anyone in our area to join us
at any of these events. We meet the third Saturday of the month at
Jefferson Park Baptist Church, 2505 Jefferson Park Avenue. For more
information, please call Kathy Owen, President, at 434-293-3556, or Gwen
Beavers at 434-977-4947. Have a wonderful time until we see each of you at
our next board meeting May 14th.
Fredericksburg Area Chapter – By: Michael Kasey, President
We will hold our 9th Annual Walk-a-thon on Saturday, April 16th and all are
invited. Look for more information in the NFBV Announcements. This year,
our 1st District Congressman, Rob Wittman will walk with us. Our chapter
members participated in the AER conference at the meet and greet table to
sell books and Louis Braille coins. We attended both Washington and
Richmond seminars. Due to inclement weather in December, we held another
dinner meeting in March at Renato’s Restaurant. We will be on the campus of
Mary Washington University to promote the NFB on Wednesday April 13th. Hope
to see all at the NFBV quarterly board meeting on Saturday, May 14th.
Potomac Chapter – By: Tracy Sorfenko, President
The Potomac Chapter has been very active in 2011.
January: The PCNFB jumped right into the new year with a vengeance. We
kicked off the new year on Tuesday, January 4th with the implementation of
and first meeting of the new PCNFB Book Club, which will generally be held
on the first Tuesday of each month. Nancy Yeager is the catalyst behind
this new initiative, and the endeavor has attracted a growing group of
chapter literary enthusiasts. This is an on-going monthly event which will
be hosted at different members’ homes and conducted by different session
leaders discussing a variety of readings. Per usual, our first monthly
chapter meeting of the new year was held on the second Thursday of January.
We welcomed one new member, Heather DeAtley into our chapter. We also had
the unique experience of hearing first hand from three triplet brothers, all
blind, who had attended through the auspices of the PCNFB their first state
convention in November 2010. It was a fascinating sharing an inspirational
event. Incidentally, all three brothers are students of PCNFB member
Michael Fish, a teacher of blind and visually impaired in the Arlington
County Public School system. Then, we were off to the state capital. The
PCNFB had 8 members attend the quarterly meeting of the State Affiliate
Board of Directors meeting held on Monday, January 17th in Richmond, and
these same 8 members then attended and participated in the annual “Richmond
Seminar” the next day. The annual visit to the Virginia General Assembly
was very successful. Our teams received favorable feedback, if not outright
support of the NFBV legislative issues. Delegate Patrick Hope
(D-Arlington), who is the state delegate for the district where our chapter
meetings are located, is committed to a specific date to present to the
PCNFB on results of this past legislative session later this spring. Then,
on Saturday, January 22nd, we enjoyed a very successful wine tasting fund
raising event with 30 members and guests. The chapter realized an ample
financial success and a good time was had by all. A toast to the event
organizers and volunteers including Joe Hobson for the logistical
arrangements with The River House.
February: The 2011 Washington Seminar launched the second month’s agenda.
The chapter was well represented at the annual NFB Washington Seminar which
managed to avoid the snow storms this year. PCNFB members assisted with the
pre-meeting assembly of the seminar assisting in the set-up of the nerve
center Mercury Room and with its daily operation. Gerry Yeager was in
charge of the Virginia NFB congressional visits. Four chapter members
including Gerry Yeager, Charlie Brown, Mary Ann Kessler, and Joe Hobson
participated in the Hill visits as part of the Virginia team, which at one
point grew to 14 Federationists representing various chapters from
throughout the Commonwealth. The PCNFB February monthly chapter meeting
conducted an abbreviated business session, and then hosted our annual
chapter Valentine’s Day auction. Again, the 2011 annual chapter auction was
a big success. Who else but Jacki Brown was our auctioneer! But, the month
was not over yet! The chapter then hosted a learning experience event on
President’s Day, Monday, February 21st, which allowed 15 plus members and
guests take a specially arranged guided tour of the U.S. Capitol and their
new Visitor’s Center. Thanks to Mary Ann Kessler for the organization of
this first time ever event for the chapter.
March: The PCNFB joined together to celebrate at a baby shower for our
members, C J and Michael Fish. The shower was hosted at the home of Sandy
and John Halverson, who shared their usual gracious hospitality and the
parents-to-be left loaded down with baby goodies. Our March monthly chapter
meeting attracted the usual enthusiastic attendance. A special presentation
on adaptive technology and equipment was offered by Jerry Marindin,
Government Accounts, Freedom Scientific, which was then followed by usual
chapter business and program agenda. The PCNFB held a fun learning event on
Saturday, March 19th which was a cooking class held at the beautiful new
home of Billie Ruth and Alan Schlank. Finally, on March 21st, Tracy
Soforenko and John Bailey, Fairfax Chapter President taped a television
interview with Virginia Delegate Ken Plum on Fairfax Cable Access. The
program highlighted NFBV programs and legislative priorities that are
important to blind Virginians.
In conclusion of the first quarter, we are now looking forward to the next
three months of the second quarter with new initiatives, events, and
activities. Highlight include out chapter annual meeting and lections on
April 14th, our annual chapter banquet and installation of 2011-2012
leadership to be held May 12th at the Chinese Gardens in Arlington, a
program on digital talking books conducted jointly with the Arlington
Talking Book program on June 11th, and a fundraiser at a Lebanese
restaurant.
Prince William – By: Jody Silverberg, President
At our last chapter meeting, we welcomed John Bailey, NFB Membership Chair
for the state of Virginia, who gave a wonderful presentation. You can
listen to him on YouTube.
I know it is difficult for everyone to get out to a meeting, so we have
options. In lieu of meeting in person, I can send an e-mail once a month
with an update, and you are also welcome to join the monthly at-large
chapter meetings by teleconference. I will forward the call-in information
when I receive it.
I have recently joined the Out of Sight Dragons, a Dragon boat racing team
in DC. This group is exclusively for blind and visually challenged
individuals. That means we are all eligible! If you like to paddle a boat
and enjoy the outdoors, this sport is for you. Race days are Saturday and
Sunday, May 21 and 22 in DC.
Next on the agenda is Tennis for the Blind. I am in the process of
partnering with the Lake Ridge Lions Club to purchase equipment so we can
get the show on the road! Suggestions for sponsors or donations are
welcome.
Remember, life is not a spectator sport!
Vigilant Report
The tape version of the Vigilant will no longer be available. Instead, the
full text of the Vigilant can be heard on NFB-NEWSLINE®. One reason for
this change is that the time and expense required to create each audio issue
of the Vigilant are very costly. A second reason is that many services that
produce audio tapes are switching over to alternative formats because
technology is changing and that change does not include the continued use of
audio tapes. There are much better alternatives.
NFB-NEWSLINE® is a free service available to all Virginians. It is as close
as your telephone and enables you to read not only the NFBV Vigilant, but
over 200 other publications from around the country.
If you are not already a NFB-NEWSLINE® subscriber, signing up is easy. If
you have Internet access, go to www.nfb.org, and follow the directions. You
may also call toll free: 1-866-504-7300. Having the Vigilant available on
NFB-NEWSLINE® means that you will be able to read each issue as soon as it
is available. You will not have any more long delays while the tapes are
being manufactured. You will also get the great features that come with
being an NFB-NEWSLINE® subscriber. For example, being able to select the
reading voice you want, having the ability to read the articles as fast or
as slowly as you want, the ability to read word by word or character by
character; and best of all, NFB-NEWSLINE® IS FREE.
Don’t hesitate to sign up for NFB-NEWSLINE® now and begin receiving the
Vigilant along with hundreds of other state and national publications!
How You Can Assist Us
The National Federation of the Blind of Virginia is a nonprofit organization
whose purpose is to improve the lives of the blind through education and
legislation. The NFBV is the blind speaking for the blind. Assistance from
those who share our mission is always welcome. If you can offer time,
material resources, or financial help, it would be greatly appreciated.
Another way to support the efforts of the NFB of Virginia is by means of
bequests. Simply include the following information in your will: "I give,
devise, and bequeath unto National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, 3230
Grove Ave, Richmond, VA 23221, a Virginia non-profit corporation, the sum of
$___ (or "___ percent of my net estate" or "The following stocks and
bonds:___") to be used for its worthy purposes on behalf of blind persons."
To learn of other ways in which you can support the organization, call Fred
Schroeder, President, NFBV, at (703) 319-9226.
State Officers
President, Fred Schroeder
First Vice President, Michael Kasey
Second Vice President, Althea P. Pitman
State Treasurer, Mark Roane
Recording Secretary, Stewart Prost
Corresponding Secretary, Mary Durbin Vigilant Staff
Chief Editor/Print Production, Althea P. Pittman
Staff, Kathryn R. Hall
Braille Production, Alan and
Billie Ruth Schlank
NFBV Calendar of Events:
• Friday, April 15, 2011 – Deadline to apply for McDonald Fellowship
• Saturday, May 7, 2011 – Blue Ridge Walk-a-thon
• Saturday, May 14, 2011 – Board Meeting, Richmond, VA
• Sunday-Friday, July 3-8, 2011 – NFB National Convention. Orlando, FL
• Wednesday-Sunday, July 13-23, 2011 – Youth Slam, Townson, MD
NFB Vigilant FREE MATTER
Althea P. Pittman FOR THE
BLIND
15018 Par Place
Melfa, VA 23410
altheapittman at yahoo.com
(757) 414-0100 work
(757) 787-3853 home
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