[Ohio-talk] Buckeye Update

[Eric Duffy]

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Buckeye Update, February 8, 2013

	It has been a busy week for many of us in the Federation. Barbara
and I flew to Baltimore on Saturday for a legislative seminar. The purpose
of the seminar was to do far more than prepare us for the next few days on
Capital hill. It was really a means of preparing us to do legislative work
year round. We must follow up   with congressional issues, but we must also
work in our state legislature. 
	H.R. 164, an act to provide Equal Access to Air Travel for
Service-Disabled Veterans currently has three cosponsors from Ohio. They are
Reps. Beatty, Joyce, and Latta. Richard and I also got a commitment from Rep
Stivers and Deborah and Sheri got a commitment from Rep Wenstrup. No
legislation has been Introduced concerning our other two issues.
	While we were visiting with Representative Stivers, he showed us
Braille materials his office had on hand for blind visitors, including
information about the Capitol, the constitution, the emancipation
Proclamation, and more. Mr. Stivers was pleased that he had the Braille, and
so were we. 
	We had a good group that worked hard in Washington this year. Those
who wanted to go found ways to fund most or all of the cost of their trip.
This included everyone using some personal money. Finding alternative
funding is both necessary and appreciated. When we work harder and smarter,
we accomplish more for the blind. So, when we consider who will participate
in an event such as the Washington Seminar, many factors must be considered.
One's ability to come up with funds for the trip is certainly a tremendous
help, but we must also consider the composition of the team and our overall
ability to be effective. We ask people to share rooms and spend a lot of
time together on the Hill. We need to be well organized, confident,
knowledgeable, and professional  in what we do. So no one should assume
that, if one can raise money for the trip, he or she will automatically be
included. 
	One member of our team lost luggage while preparing to board the
super Shuttle to travel from Washington to Baltimore. Although we watch out
for each other, because that's what family does, we are ultimately
responsible for ourselves and our possessions. This whole situation could
have been avoided with some ordinary care. The individual in question handed
luggage to a bellman rather than to the shuttle driver. The bellman quite
naturally stored it for later pick-up. But that meant it did not get on the
plane to Ohio with its rightful owner. All's well that ends well however.
The missing luggage was found at the hotel, and it is now on the way back
home. So the moral of the story is be extra careful to make sure that, when
handing something off, it gets into the hands of the intended recipient. 
	Yesterday I had a good meeting with Kevin Miller and Matt Mumma from
RSC and Carolyn Knight from the Developmental Disabilities Council. In large
part we discussed the RSC budget as proposed by the governor. The agency has
received a significant budget increase. The governor wants to see the
waiting list eliminated, and there are specific increases for BSVI. We hope
that this will mean more and better services for the blind. ETech Ohio will
no longer exist. RSC has now received the funds that ETech has administered
for operating the Reading Services. 
	The agency will be undergoing a name change, but only to try to
clarify what the agency does. Director Miller wants everyone to know the
structure of the agency will stay the same. There is no attempt to combine
bureaus or in any way decrease services to the blind. I will write a letter
to the governor thanking him for his support of the agency and services for
the blind. I will also testify in budget hearings. 
We have much work to do, and the blind can gain a great deal if we do it
right. Let's keep working together to change what it means to be blind.
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