[Ohio-talk] Deborah Kendrick Column

[Eric Duffy]

Thanks Deborah,

I’ve already gotten one call.

Deborah Kendrick commentary: Author will tell tales of his time with the Beatles. What do the Beatles have to do with Braille? For the past 50 years, not too much. But on Oct. 31, in a Columbus-area hotel, that is about to change. Art Schreiber was at the pinnacle of his career as a broadcast journalist when he woke up in a Santa Fe hotel room and was unable to see the ceiling. That was 1969. He went on to have many more years of success in his career, to adjust to life as a blind guy, and is still a consummate storyteller. In 1964, Schreiber was one of two reporters to tour with the Beatles on their first visit to America. He has plenty of stories to tell about that and other adventures involving travel with JFK and Martin Luther King Jr. and more, and he has shared his story in a book called Out of Sight (and Doing Alright). He's still "out of sight" and still doing alright, and is going to regale an audience at the Holiday Inn Worthington with his memories of playing Monopoly with Lennon and McCartney to while away the hours between concerts in 1964 and more. The event, "The Beatles and More in '64," is a fundraiser for the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, kicking off the group's 2014 annual state convention. Besides Schreiber, the event will feature the music of the John Schwab Band, a silent auction, and maybe even some intermittent performances featuring the talent of kids who have benefitted from the work the federation, a membership organization of blind people, accomplishes. Braille is the key to literacy for blind children and adults and, with that commitment in mind, the federation of Ohio has hosted two camps for blind children (2013 and 2014) called BELL, Braille Enrichment through Literacy and Learning. They also provide scholarships to blind students - three of whom will be on hand at the "Beatles and More in '64" event. One student, a music-therapy major at the University of Dayton, has altered some Beatles lyrics to match the mood of the federation's motto of "Live the life you want" and will be performing them throughout the weekend. Another, an entering freshman at Wright State, is committed to ending world hunger, a commitment he demonstrated by orchestrating a shoe drive last year that sent 3,600 pairs of shoes to underdeveloped countries. The third, a doctoral student in counselor education who has come from her native Turkey to study at the University of Cincinnati, has launched an online magazine to translate the articles about blindness and independence published here into her native language. Tickets are $12, but the group is still seeking corporate sponsors and donated auction items. Whether you just love sixties music, are a fan of John Schwab, are addicted to silent auctions or want to treat yourself to some one-of-a-kind insider stories of a journalist who spent two weeks hanging out with the Fab Four on their first American tour, you'll want to check it out. And, your bonus for a night you won't forget will be contributing to the quality of life for blind kids and adults in Ohio. For tickets or more information, visit www.nfbohio.org <http://www.nfbohio.org/> or call 614-935-6965. Deborah Kendrick is a Cincinnati writer and advocate for people with disabilities. dkkendrick at earthlink.net <mailto:dkkendrick at earthlink.net>