[Nfbkabs] FW: NFBK - KY Cardinal, winter 2009
Shannon Caldwell
sjgc14 at windstream.net
Fri Mar 20 15:59:54 UTC 2009
FYI
Sharing the Kentucky Cardinal our NFBK Newsletter.
Shannon Caldwell
Sjgc14 at windstream.net
-----Original Message-----
From: NFBK at yahoogroups.com [mailto:NFBK at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Denise
Franklin
Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 9:52 AM
To: nfbk at yahoogroups.com
Cc: kentuckycardinal at yahoogroups.com
Subject: NFBK - KY Cardinal, winter 2009
The Kentucky Cardinal
WINTER 2009
A publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Kentucky
Cathy Jackson, President
210 Cambridge Drive
Louisville, Kentucky 40214
Phone: 502-366-2317
Edited by: Denise Franklin
3639 Hurstbourne Ridge Boulevard
Louisville, Kentucky 40299
Phone: 502-499-0759
e-mail: kyfranks at yahoo.com
Editorial staff:
Lora Felty, e-mail: <mailto:lorafelty at windstream.net>
lorafelty at windstream.net
Jayne Seif, e-mail: jayneseif at att.net
We invite and encourage your participation in this newsletter. Articles may
be edited for length, and the editors reserve the right to judge suitability
for this publication. Material may be submitted to any of the editors.
Presidential Report
Spring 2009
By Cathy Jackson, President, National Federation of the Blind of Kentucky
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I felt like a fish out of water the
weekend of September 5th through 7th. That would have been the usual
weekend for our state convention. I had this nagging feeling I was supposed
to be somewhere doing something. Anyway, our 61st Annual Convention of the
NFB of Kentucky took place at our new scheduled time September 26, 27 and 28
in Louisville at the Hotel Louisville, formerly the Holiday Inn.
Our state convention was a success. We registered 99 people which was
fantastic. Fred Schroeder, first-vice president of the National Federation
of the Blind and President of the Virginia affiliate, was our national
representative. We enjoyed Fred’s visit and he certainly added to the
success of our convention. Our agenda was a busy one. We kicked things off
with a Monte Carlo and silent auction on Friday evening before we got down
to business on Saturday. Games and cards were available, but Old-fashioned
socializing seemed to be the most prevalent activity. Folks enjoyed the
exhibits and the auction provided some real bargains.
After a good night’s sleep and with breakfast under our belts we were ready
for one of the more popular parts of our convention. For the past two years
we have had the roll call of chapters and divisions. This gives everyone a
chance to hoot and holler to let others know they are present. It also
allows presidents a brief minute to give a thumbnail sketch of what has been
going on, as well as a time to present donations to the state treasury.
We are always pleased to have representatives from the Kentucky Office for
the Blind on the program. This year Beth Cross, our new Director, shared
with us her thoughts about the future of OFB. We also allowed time in the
schedule to take a consumer satisfaction survey giving our members a chance
to offer suggestions as to how individuals might be better served by the
Office for the Blind. This proved to be a very productive segment of our
agenda.
Since 2008 was the 150th anniversary of the American Printing House for the
Blind, we invited Tuck Tinsley, President of APH, to share a bit of history
and to tell us all about the programs planned to commemorate this occasion.
We received the news in late summer that we were loosing our regional
talking book library here in Louisville. We were informed that we would be
served out of the Frankfort Library. We decided it would be important to
have someone from Frankfort address our convention. Barbara Penegor was
very matter-of-fact but also reassuring. She was confident that we wouldn’t
realize any delay in receiving books. As far as I can tell she was right.
I guess you could say that our open board meeting of the NFBK is fast
becoming a tradition. We had the largest crowd so far at this year’s
luncheon.
Fred Schroeder gave a national report that was both informative and reached
deep into the souls of Federationists. Fred is also a certified orientation
and mobility instructor. In this capacity he spoke to the assembly about
common practices and courtesies using the long white cane.
The business portion of our program went smoothly. Pamela Glisson gave our
legislative report and resolutions. Dennis Franklin gave us the grim news
about finances. To boost our wealth, once again we accepted pledges from
the membership. The elected NFBK officers are: Cathy Jackson, president,
Pamela Glisson, first vice-president, Charles Allen, second vice-president,
Lora Felty, secretary, Dennis Franklin, treasurer. The board positions are
held by Kathy Athey, Tonia Gatton, John Glisson, Denise Franklin, Danny
Perry, and George Stokes.
The annual banquet is always an enjoyable evening. Nickie Pearl was our
illustrious mistress of ceremonies. This was Nickie’s first attempt at
stand-up comedy but she managed to hold the audience’s attention and keep
them involved with her “factoids.” Dr. Schroeder’s banquet address was
nothing short of spectacular.
This year we were delighted to be able to present 5 scholarships to a group
of deserving students. Charles and Betty Allen have established a
scholarship fund which has allowed us to increase the number of awards we
can give, provided the candidates meet the criteria. Three individuals
received the first-ever Charles and Betty Allen Scholarships: Randy Fiveash,
Kayla Smith and Stacy Timberlake. Kevin Athey was given the Emerson Foulke
Memorial Scholarship and Jayne Seif was presented the Betty J. Niceley
Memorial Scholarship. Congratulations class of 2008.
Twenty-six Kentuckians were in attendance at our National Convention in
Dallas this past July. This is half the number we registered in Atlanta in
2007. Again it boils down to economics. We weren’t able to provide as much
financial support as we have in years past.
Although our numbers were small we made our presence known. We marched
proudly in the second annual March for Independence, worked in the
Presidential Suite, the NEWSLINE booth and the NFB store. I am excited to
tell you that I contributed over $1,100 to the Imagination Fund and received
a medallion.
The 2008 Kentucky State Fair has come and gone. Since our 2007 booth was
such a success we decided to do it again. We need to be visible in the
community and this is certainly good exposure for the NFB of Kentucky.
There are those who asked if the $2,000 spent, the long hours in the 8 x 8
booth, and all of the transportation issues made it worthwhile. I’ll let
you be the judge. We passed out over 10,000 pieces of literature. We
brailled hundreds of names for those curious about the code. We talked to
countless people who knew someone who was blind or loosing vision. We told
them about NEWSLINE and the resources available to them. Teachers who have
blind children in their classrooms stopped by the booth. We handed them
information about the Parents of Blind Children Division.
Perhaps the most compelling story of the ten-day fair was the young mother
of a seven-month-old daughter who had just had both eyes removed because of
cancer. Denise and Dennis Franklin were managing the booth at the time.
The Mom began talking to the Franklins about her daughter. Denise said you
could tell by the tone in her voice how distraught and discouraged this
parent was. She really didn’t think there was hope for her infant. As the
Franklins talked to her about blindness, the NFB, the Parents Division,
Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) and all of the resources and
opportunities available to them, Denise said you could see her spirits
lifting. I also know for a fact that by seeing Denise and Dennis she saw
two productive blind people and realized her child would have a bright
future. So I ask you, do you believe our booth makes a difference?
In late summer of 2008, a grandmother in Laurel County who is raising her
two blind grandsons contacted me. These youngsters weren’t getting a
quality education. As a matter of fact, they weren’t getting much of
anything. Their IEP’s were for the most part being ignored. The Itinerant
Teacher of the blind was told not to ask for any advice or assistance from
those at the Kentucky School for the Blind. When the school district
contacted the grandparents it was most often through their attorney, which
as you can imagine was intimidating.
Well, grandma had had enough. She was fortunate enough to have made the
acquaintance of Mitch Dahmke at a Kentucky School for the Blind parents
weekend. He put her in touch with me and things began moving along quite
rapidly. I spoke to Dr. Maurer and he introduced me to Sharon
Krevor-Weisbaum, an attorney from the offices of Brown, Goldstein and Levy.
Now this lady is a go-getter! A hearing was set for Thursday, October 2nd.
Pamela Glisson attended the hearing with Ms. Trevor-Weisbaum to represent
NFBK and to give testimony about the needs of blind children. The members
of the school board along with the teachers and faculty really don’t have
very high expectations of blind people. Pamela served in a duel capacity,
presenting herself as an excellent role model. They were able to see
firsthand that blind people are successful.
Since this all-day meeting in October the Laurel County School District has
agreed to teach Braille, Orientation and Mobility, and to provide the
necessary equipment to the youngest boy. The oldest student is attending
KSB. Pamela Glisson attended their IEP meetings and is keeping a watch on
the progress of both the students and the quality of services being provided
by the district.
If you remember we passed a resolution at our 2007 National Convention
condemning the adaptation of the book “Blindness” written by Jose Saramago
to a screenplay. The premise of the book and subsequent movie go like this:
Suddenly for some unknown reason people in the city begin going blind. They
are then housed in an abandoned medical facility guarded by military
personnel. This film depicts blind people in the worst possible way.
Because they are blind and can’t find their way to the toilet they urinate
and defecate on themselves. They have been so dehumanized that they are no
longer called by their names but instead referred to as animal. They crawl
around on all fours. Because they are “animal-like” they can be seen
copulating in public. These are just some of the degrading highlights. The
producers and writers have told us that we don’t understand. This is just a
satire. Unfortunately, we understand all too well. We understand the
negative repercussions a movie of this magnitude would have on us. We don’t
want everything that we have tried so hard to build over the past 68 years
to be destroyed in less than two hours.
This film was released on Friday, October 3rd. All across the country
thousands of blind people participated in peaceful protests. Our Lexington
chapter president, Pamela Glisson, was interviewed by two local TV stations.
Her comments were aired on the evening news for all to hear.
It is important to remember that we were not trying to change the plot --
although we would have liked to. Nor were we trying to prevent anyone from
going to view it. We simply wanted to educate the public about blindness.
Fortunately, after only a few weeks on the silver screen the movie met with
a quiet death and was pulled.
All of our chapters across the state organized “Meet the Blind Month”
activities. You will learn all about the different events our members
participated in as you read chapter reports in this issue. Every year the
“Meet the Blind” activities become more impressive and this year was no
exception.
Here is a brief update on the Quiet Cars issue here in Kentucky.
Representative Sannie Overley from the 72nd District continues to champion
our cause. She has written Congressman Ben Chandler and encouraged him to
sign on to Congressmen Ed Towns and Cliff Stearns Pedestrian Safety
Enhancement Act. This act will direct the Secretary of Transportation to
conduct a study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides
a means of alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation,
based on appropriate scientific research and consultation with blind
Americans and other affected groups. There wasn’t enough time during this
short session of the Kentucky legislature to do much in the way of getting a
Quiet Car Bill introduced. However, Representative Overley has promised to
work with us next year so that we will have a piece of legislation
comparable to that of Towns and Stearns that can be presented for
consideration in 2010. The 2008 NFB of Kentucky state convention addressed
this issue in the form of a resolution.
Looking back over the past few months I believe we have been very
productive. Naturally we participated in many events that are established
NFB activities and still we found time to spread our wings and take on new
ventures.
Kentucky was represented at the NFB Washington Seminar in February. In my
estimation this is one of the most important events sponsored by our
organization. Pamela and John Glisson, George Stokes, Ranelle Mackey,
Shannon Caldwell and Michael Freholm represented Kentucky. Pamela Glisson
has submitted a report for the Cardinal which outlines the issues. She
tells me that the seminar was outstanding and that the crew from Kentucky
did an admirable job.
Again because of our diligence and persistence, the switch from the outdated
cassettes and cassette players to the new digital machines and
cartridge-type books will be happening soon. Individuals are encouraged to
contact their regional library to put their name on the roster so that when
the distribution of equipment begins you won’t be left out in the cold.
The passing of Public Law 109-247: The Louis Braille Bicentennial-Braille
Literacy Commemorative Coin Act, is significant because it means that the
President of the United States and the Congress recognize just how critical
Braille is in the lives of the blind. The coin will be released on March
26, 2009, just a couple of months after Louis Braille’s 200th birthday.
Proceeds from the sale of the coin will be used to sponsor our Braille
Literacy Campaign for both young and old alike. The coins can be purchased
through the U.S. Mint by going to www.usmint.gov, or by phone at
1-800-USA-MINT, (1-800-872-6468). There will be a special introductory
price beginning March 26 through April 26. The uncirculated coin will cost
$31.95 and the proof coin is available for $37.95. The price of the coins
will increase by $2 and $4 respectively beginning on April 27.
Four hundred thousand coins will be minted. NFB will receive $10 from the
sale of each coin. Any coins that aren’t sold by midnight December 31 will
be melted down.
There will be a ceremony and activities for all ages at our national office
in Baltimore, MD, on Thursday, March 26, from 10:00 Am until 1:00 PM to pay
tribute to this historic occasion. All are invited to attend. The director
of the U.S. Mint will be on hand to sign certificates of authenticity.
Other dignitaries will be in attendance to mark the importance of this day.
Representative Christopher Dodd, who sponsored the coin bill, will be
present via a video recording. Other exciting plans are still in the works.
If you are interested in being there you should contact the NFB at
410-659-9314 so that the organizers can make preparations.
On March 26, most of our local chapters are planning to recognize this
special day by presenting a variety of activities to raise awareness about
Braille and the NFB. You should look forward to reading all about these
events in the next edition of the Kentucky Cardinal.
Perhaps our biggest task is matching the $4 million we hope to gross through
the coin sale. We are asking our members to pull out all of the stops and
use their resources and influence to obtain gifts and grants that can be
used for our Braille Literacy program. For example, your local Lions Club
might want to promote Braille and find this an exciting and a cutting-edge
way to do something positive. They might kick in a couple of thousand
dollars. If you are acquainted with a prominent sports star or a TV
personality who believes in what we are doing, you might ask him/her to make
a hefty donation. It is going to take a lot of ingenuity to pull this off,
but NFB is always up to the challenge.
With the permanent closing of our outreach office in May of 2008 the State
Board has been frantically searching for some additional funding sources.
Pamela Glisson and I are going to collaborate on writing a grant. Denise
Franklin is researching the practicability of selling raffle tickets on a
cruise. Most likely we will do our reverse raffle again at our 2009 state
convention.
We have always put emphasis on getting members to state and national
conventions, spending in the neighborhood of $10,000 some years. The
Washington Seminar costs the affiliate between $3,500 and $4,000. Our 2008
state convention cost upwards of $6,000. The bottom line is that there will
be cutbacks until we can find new ways to feed the Kitty. Yes, we still
have money in our savings, thank goodness. But if we start taking it out at
the rate of $20,000 a year it will be gone in less than five years. This
year alone we spent $9,000 more than we took in, and this was while we were
still receiving some income from the outreach office.
Three years ago we began making personal pledges to the NFBK. We have a
segment on the program called “Funding the Movement”. The first year we
raised close to $6,000 in pledges and collected nearly 100% of the money.
Every year since, this amount has dwindled. Again I attribute this to the
tough times and tight budgets that we are living with.
The NFBK Board of Directors discussed the possibility of having each local
chapter and division contribute 10% of their total fundraising dollars to
the state treasury. This matter was brought before the convention. A
motion was made and it carried that this should be done. It was met with
some pretty sarcastic remarks after that vote. But let me assure you this
was in no way meant to control your money or leave you penniless. It is
simply a method by which the local chapters and divisions can contribute to
the state. Many of our members are on fixed incomes and are not able to
give as generously as they would like. The idea is that by working together
combining time, talent and effort everyone can feel good about their
involvement in supporting the affiliate. It is obvious that we aren’t
getting rich off the backs of our chapters and divisions. At our 2008
convention contributions of just under $700 were donated. Believe me when I
say your dollars and your efforts are appreciated.
I spent the weekend of February 28th through March 1st at a president’s
seminar at our national office. The program was fascinating and
educational. There is always more to learn and more ideas to share. I
can’t wait to put into practice some of the tips I learned for negotiating
hotel contracts for our 2010 state convention.
Speaking of state conventions, our Ashland chapter will be hosting our 2009
convention at the Ashland Plaza Hotel the weekend of September 25, 26 and
27. We believe room rates will be $79.00 per night plus taxes. No further
details have been worked out at this time.
The financial assistance that will be available for the 2009 national
convention will be limited. Initially we had planned to charter a bus from
Louisville to Detroit, but we aren’t able to get enough people to make that
commitment. It just would not be financially feasible to reserve a bus
unless we have at least 25 riders. The board had approved $3,300 for this
expenditure. Most likely we will take this amount and award money to
individuals who are planning to attend.
There are a few things that those of you who are attending the convention
need to be aware of. Security is very tight at the Detroit Marriott Hotel
at the Renaissance Center because the General Motors Headquarters is located
here. The only thing allowed through the front door of the hotel is
luggage. Boxes of fundraising materials will need to be shipped in advance.
It would be advisable to go grocery shopping after you arrive. Even then
you should be prepared to buy only what you can carry safely in bags. This
advice goes for those who might be driving as well. When you enter the
parking garage your car will be scanned. Anything that is suspicious may
cause you difficulty.
Another bit of information that you should take note of is the check-in
policy. When you arrive you will be asked to present a credit card for
incidentals: i.e., meals, phone calls and other necessities or luxuries. If
you present a debit card you should know that a freeze will be placed on
your account and should you try to use your card in the food court,
restaurants or anywhere you will be notified by the business that they are
unable to access funds. At the end of your stay your account will be
settled and the freeze lifted. You will be permitted to use cash for this
purpose, but be prepared to give the front desk around $50 per day. When
you check out, again your account will be settled and any remaining cash
returned.
Kentucky has always played a prominent role in the National Organization.
Harold Reagan, the first president of NFBK was a colorful old gentleman to
say the least. But he had such a great love for this organization, a love
that could never be measured. There are very few of us who remember Harold,
but he has had an influence on all of our lives.
Betty Niceley, our immediate past president, was a member of the national
board of directors. She was the first president of the National Association
to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB). Actually, Kentucky members organized
the division. Betty, Denise Franklin, Tim Cranmer, Emerson Foulke and David
Murrell were the founding members. Betty also served with the Braille
Authority of North America (BANA).
Charles Allen has served as President of the National Merchant’s Division.
Maria Jones was on the board of the National Organization of Blind Parents
for a number of years.
Tim Cranmer was chair of the Research and Development Committee (R & D). He
had a major influence on much of the technology used by the blind today.
I am pleased to serve as president of this affiliate and as a member of the
national board of directors.
All of this is to say that Kentucky continues to lead the way. Scott
Spaulding was appointed last spring by Dr. Maurer to serve on the Research
and Development committee.
Michael Freholm Jr. is involved with the Living History Committee and
chaired the committee’s first meeting in Dallas.
NEWSLINE continues to grow under the watchful eye of Pamela Glisson. Our
Kentucky Cardinal is one of the best state publications thanks to Denise
Franklin, chief editor along with Lora Felty and Jayne Seif.
After you read the chapter and division reports in this issue of the
Kentucky Cardinal you will no doubt share my confidence that we are on the
right path and moving straight ahead in a positive direction. We all need
to be taking our job as Federationists seriously. I can’t thank you enough
for your hard work, commitment and continued support.
NFB Washington Seminar 2009 Report
by Pamela Roark-Glisson, Legislative Liaison, National Federation of the
Blind of Kentucky
The delegates attending the NFB Washington seminar 2009 were: Ranelle
Mackey, George Stokes, Shannon Caldwell, Michael Freholm, John Glisson and
Pamela Roark-Glisson. After much difficulty, the appointments were finally
confirmed on Friday, February 6, 2009. Everyone was on time for the Great
Gathering In on Sunday evening and Betty & Charles Allen met us there.
The issues for this Congress are: The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act,
Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind, and the new Common Sense Approach
to the SSA Wage Earnings Penalties on the Blind. In addition, as we learned
during the ‘Gathering In’ session on Sunday evening, a sample letter of
support for Dr. Fredrick K. Schroeder as appointee as Deputy Secretary of
the U.S. Department for Education and Rehabilitation was included in every
packet of information materials. Also, Appropriations issues introduced by
Jesse Hartel after the ‘Gathering In’ were included to Members sitting on
the Appropriations Committee. The issues are $650,000 appropriations to
extend the existing Mentoring Program which is scheduled to expire in 2009
without renewed funding streams and the furtherance of the appropriations to
provide blinded veterans the opportunity and option to attend NFB National
Training Centers. The Kentucky Members serving on the Appropriations
Committee are: Senator McConnell, Congressman Chandler and Congressman
Rogers. Follow-up is expected on all matters.
In addition to the informational materials concerning all NFB programs and
services, a special letter of invitation was presented to each Member or
Legislative Aide representing the Member inviting the Member to attend the
Launch of the Louis Braille Commemorative Coin Initiative to be held in
Baltimore at the National Center on March 26, 2009.
Freshman Congressman Brett Guthrie (Bowling Green) and Congressman John
Yarmuth (Louisville) were the only two representatives who met with us
personally. Holly Sentri, Scott Raab, Robert Kramer, Victoria Luck, Jeff
Morteir, and Alex Keeney are the Legislative Aides who met with the
delegation, for whom contact information is available when necessary.
The delegation did not receive any resounding commitments to sponsor or
co-sponsor legislation, yet all of the Members and Aides are now informed of
the importance of each issue to the blind of Kentucky and of the nation. By
close of the second day, over 50 representatives had signed on to co-sponsor
the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act along with a very positive expectation
for the co-sponsors to reach the necessary 100 Members by the end of the
week. The bill did reach 88 last year and is expected to pass this year.
On Monday afternoon during our rigorous schedule of five appointments,
Michael Freholm and Shannon Caldwell skipped the final two appointments in
order to join the Louis Braille Commemorative Coin meeting in the Discovery
conference room at the lodging location. The information provided during
the meeting is important to share with our State Affiliate, regarding the
release and distribution of the newly minted coin.
Overall, the delegation represented the NFBK State Affiliate very well and
took advantage of the off-time to build relationships and organizational
bonding.
All the Kentucky delegates expressed great enthusiasm and gratitude to have
the opportunity to take part in ‘Changing What It Means to Be Blind” in
Kentucky and in the nation at this high level of involvement!
HAVE YOU HEARD?
For many years, Lora Felty of Ashland has been the very capable editor of
this section of the Kentucky Cardinal. Lora finds herself battling several
health issues and is once again hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic. She
is facing surgery and a recovery time of uncertain length. Our thoughts and
prayers are with you, Lora, and we all look forward to enjoying your
skillful writing in the next issue.
John and Pamela Glisson are the proud grandparents of a new grandson. On
January 15, 2009, at 8:44 AM, Payton Allan Wallace was born to David and Amy
Wallace. He weighed 7 pounds 10.8 ounces and was 20 and ½ inches long. He
has his daddy’s big feet, lots of hair and he is healthy. Congratulations
to the entire family.
Sarah Williams of the Louisville chapter lost her mother to lung cancer on
January 26, 2009. Sarah and her mother were very close and our thoughts and
prayers will be with her.
The stork is circling Owensboro and he has his sights on the home of Kathy
and Kevin Athey. The happy couple is anticipating the arrival of a bundle
of joy the end of June. Baby Jenna and her parents are thrilled about the
new addition and we are privileged to share in their happiness.
We tip our hat to Jay Rasmussen, a student at the McDowell Center and new
member of the NFB of Greater Louisville chapter, who received the Consumer
of the Year Award from the Office for the Blind in November, 2008.
Given the current economic situation and lack of job security, it is
refreshing to report that someone has actually started in a new position.
We are delighted to report that Melanie Peskoe of Louisville is now the new
Family Services Coordinator for Visually Impaired Preschool Services,
(VIPS). We wish you all the best and are certain that you will be a
valuable addition to the staff.
If you remember, not long ago Tonia Gatton was suffering from a broken wrist
she had received from a fall in her kitchen. Well you might want to avoid
that particular room in the Gatton home because husband Greg took a tumble
there shortly before Christmas and shattered his femur. Following surgery
and a warning that putting any weight on the injured leg could result in
permanent damage, Greg has endured the past three months stoically. Our
sources tell us that with a great deal of assistance Greg managed to get to
Freedom Hall to watch a U of L basketball game. In his wheelchair he was
carried by four friends into the stands. You just can’t keep those Cardinal
fans down. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Folks in the Murray chapter have had more than their share of sickness and
could use some prayers which we send their way. Sue Rudd and her husband,
Bill, have had a bad time. Sue’s maladies range from the flu to arthritis
and everything in between. Bill has had major surgeries in Nashville, but
he is home and is slowly doing better day by day. Barbara Cunningham had
back surgery twice and is getting better. President Danny Perry had eye
surgery this week. He is expected to be up and out soon. All chapter
members were affected by the ice storm, which brought back memories of oil
lamps, wood stoves, and out houses. Needless to say, they managed with the
Lord's help and are looking forward to an early spring.
********
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following two newspaper articles are proof positive that
our Kentucky affiliate is maintaining its usual high profile and that our
members are out there spreading the Federation philosophy.
>From the Ashland Independent
January 4, 2009
Reading by Touch
By Mike James
Her eyes clouded by cataracts, Lora Felty lost her ability to read printed
books in junior high school.
Yet there she was, reading to a small audience Saturday at the Boyd County
Public Library.
Today is the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth. Blinded in early
childhood, Braille developed a code that improved on previous systems.
Today it is the standard alphabet for the blind and sight-impaired. The
National Federation of the Blind, of which Felty is president of the Ashland
chapter, wants to widen Braille literacy among both children and adults, she
said.
Often, Felty said, children with some vision are encouraged to read regular
print. That’s fine, but one who knows Braille can read more efficiently, she
said. “It can be a struggle to read print,” she said.
And Braille is easier to learn during childhood, in part because children
can learn it in school, said Felty, who teaches blind and vision-impaired
children in the Ashland, Boyd County and Russell school districts.
It is obviously no struggle for Felty to read Braille. The volume she read
from Saturday had both printed words and illustrations and Braille, the
latter embossed on clear plastic overlays along with the printed pages.
The design makes it possible for a blind parent, for instance, to read to a
sighted child.
Felty reads primarily with her index fingers, which glide together across
the bumps. The cadence is only slightly slower than typical speech.
It took her about six months to learn the system, which includes
contractions and letter combinations, similar to shorthand.
Besides memorization, learning requires enhancing tactile ability. “It feels
like a bunch of bumps at first,” Felty said.
Felty brought along a device, resembling a typewriter, that embosses Braille
letters. For those in attendance, she typed out their names on index cards
to take home.
Only about 10 percent of blind children in the United States are learning
Braille, according to the National Federation of the Blind. But studies show
that of employed blind people, more than 80 percent read and write fluently
using the system.
The U.S. Mint will issue a coin commemorating Louis Braille later this year,
according to the federation.
Wednesday January 21, 2009 Central Ky. blind ‘see’ success in Braille By
Tyler Young tyoung at jessaminejou <mailto:tyoung at jessaminejournal.com>
rnal.comIf Louis Braille had only known what kind of impact he would have on
the blind community, he wouldn’t have been surprised that blind and sighted
people alike gathered to celebrate his 200th birthday at the Jessamine
County Public Library Sunday afternoon.
Braille, a 19th-century French man, became blind after an accident when he
was three years old. In his teenage years, he modified an old war method of
sending messages by using raised print, into an alphabet of raised dots that
blind people can read as quickly as 300 words per minute.
“Louis Braille really couldn’t tell down the centuries and years what he was
doing for people who are blind,” Pamela Roark-Glisson, president of the
Lexington chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, said. “Ninety
percent of (blind) people who are successfully and gainfully employed today
use Braille to read and write. If you find a blind person who has a decent
job, you better believe that they know how to read and write.”
One of those people is Harley Cannon, 53, who has been blind his whole life.
He began playing piano at three years old, when his mother started to teach
him. Now, he plays weekly at North View Baptist Church in Lexington and has
recorded three CDs.
“I do gospel, jazz and oldies. I play piano and sing and some trumpet,
also,” Cannon said. “I used to own a recording studio several years ago, but
I shut it down because I wasn’t making enough money to keep it open.”
The Lexington man, who is originally from Maryland, said music is a good
outlet for the blind, and almost anyone can pick it up.
“It depends on how well they play by ear,” he said. “I don’t read music at
all, so that’s the only downfall, but I started playing when I was young and
had lessons throughout the years in different styles.”
Roark-Glisson has also been legally blind her entire adult life, but she
echoed Cannon, saying that vision loss shouldn’t stop people from
accomplishing their goals.
“So many times in my work over the last several years, people say, ‘My life
has ended. I’ve lost my sight — there’s nothing I can do now,’” she said.
“Well they came too late to tell me that. I have three sons, six
grandchildren, I’ve earned two degrees from UK, I’ve served in the
governor’s office. I participate in writing state and federal laws that have
been signed into laws to impact the lives of people with disabilities all
over the country. Anybody can do whatever you want to.”
There are some limitations, she said, but the things that blind people can
do far outweigh what they can’t.
“Unfortunately, I can’t drive myself here; I can’t fly an airplane,” she
said. “That would be awesome, but those things are minimal compared to what
I can do as a blind person.”
All of those in attendance at the celebration pointed to Braille as the
reason they could accomplish so much, even through their vision loss. The
new technologies that they demonstrated included devices that would read
paper and identify items by their barcodes, but Braille continues to be the
greatest tool for the blind.
“You see all kinds of technology on these tables, and I love it,”
Roark-Glisson said. “But let me tell you, nothing takes the place of the pen
and paper. Therefore, nothing will take the place of the slate and stylus,
the Braille writer, the Braille labels to identify things. Braille will
always be necessary.”
Copyright:The Jessamine-Journal 2009 "
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HISTORY IN THE MAKING
By Melanie Peskoe
At 3:30 the alarm went off and I hit snooze once (okay twice) before
dragging myself out of bed and into the shower. Even though I was very
excited about the day to come I gave serious thought to going back to bed.
Nevertheless, I showered, dressed and had my coffee before heading out for a
6:30 departure time. On the plane I slept for a few more minutes and had
weird dreams about what I would say if Anderson Cooper approached me and
asked "what does this election mean to you?" I thought I came up with a
pretty good response, but sadly Anderson never found me.
We arrived in Baltimore at 7:55 and were on a shuttle to the train station
shortly after 8:00. The whole place was buzzing with talk of the
inauguration. At the train station we waited for a bit and were pleasantly
greeted by many really nice volunteers helping to get everyone where they
wanted to go (DC in other words.) In fact, everyone I encountered was
really nice and just generally happy to be participating in the festivities.
The one really wild thing that I learned at the train station is that when a
train zips by at super speed you better stand back. The announcer told us
to stand back and I kind of casually took a step or two back, but oh my gosh
when that train sped by it literally pushed me back another foot or so. It
was wild!
In any case, we arrived in DC around 10:15 and we anxiously left Union
Station with plans to head toward the National Mall to be with the other 2
million crazy people who decided to freeze their bottoms off to see history
in the making. At one point in our quest to find The Mall, we somehow got
stuck in a crowd that was waiting to be admitted into one of the ticketed
areas. Well, seeing as we didn't have tickets we thought we should probably
get out of there. That wasn't happening. Right at the time we started to
make an exit an official opened a gate to let people in. Let's just say the
literal stampede scared me more than just a little bit. I kid you not, my
feet were not moving but I was being moved along with the rest of the crowd.
Finally, Erica and I were able to make our way out of the massive crowd and
get back on track to our planned destination. As we walked toward the rear
of the Mall we started seeing people coming back from where we were headed
and they were telling us that the Mall was filled to capacity and had been
closed.
At this point we started to wonder where we could see the inauguration. I
think we both were beginning to get discouraged at the thought of coming all
this way for nothing. Just then, a nice gentleman on a bike stopped and
told us that there was a church nearby that was inviting people in to watch
the inauguration there. Since we were cold and not sure where else to go,
we set out to find the church. We found the church just in the nick of
time.
St. Mark’s is a beautiful cathedral both inside and out. When we entered the
church we were greeted by some of the friendliest people we'd met. They
were very welcoming and encouraged us to come in and warm up, have a cup of
coffee and a seat and watch the ceremony live on their big screen. It was a
wonderful scene. There were, I'd say, about 500 or so people there in this
beautiful church, all gathered for one purpose, united for a common
celebration. It was beautiful. I was struck with pride when I looked out
across the room and saw many different types of people of all different
shapes and shades. It was amazing and I felt glad to be there.
Shortly after we arrived the swearing in of Joe Biden began and when he
repeated the oath the crowd applauded excitedly. Then, when President Obama
walked onstage the room shook with cheers and shouts. The energy in that
church was incredible! As Obama was sworn in I felt my throat tighten and
tears of joy filled my eyes. The feeling I had at that moment is beyond
words. I cannot accurately articulate what I was feeling, but suffice it to
say I was profoundly moved. As President Obama finished the oath the room
erupted in sheer overwhelming joy. It was unbelievable.
After the ceremony we decided to head out to hopefully catch some of the
parade. The real disappointment of the day was that there was a real lack
of communication between officials and the general public. There were
police directing automobile traffic on the streets that were open, but
otherwise there were very few who told pedestrians what was happening and
where. We kept thinking that we were on the parade route as best we could
tell from our map, but we saw no floats, bands, etc. At this point we were
hungry so we set out to find something resembling food. The atmosphere was
upbeat and there was this vibe of happiness and excitement all around us.
We wandered the streets of DC not really knowing where we were going and yet
we felt very much at ease just enjoying being there. We happened upon this
place (I don't even know the name) that had a red neon sign in the window
that read "GYROS". We went in. The smells of good food and coffee lured us
onward and we were seated in an upstairs dining room where there was a full
house. This restaurant was really narrow but deep. It was two stories and
the floors creaked as you walked. Erica and I could have very well shared a
meal because the portions were huge! We had some wonderful hummus and Bak
Lavah to share and each of us had a really good entree. After we were warm
and full we set out once again to find the parade.
This time we weren't disappointed. To our luck and surprise we stumbled
upon one branch of the military (I'm not sure which one) as they warmed up
to march in the parade. We stayed there for a while - I'm not real sure
where we were exactly - and watched for a bit. After that part of the
parade passed we decided to move on and see what else we could find. We
stopped by some of the street vendors to check out their wares. One guy was
selling a poster with notable people in history riding horses. On one horse
was Barack Obama and on either side of him were Bob Marley and Tupac. I'm
not real sure how that works, but it was a cool poster! We saw people
selling the requisite buttons and t-shirts, hats and posters. I had a
really cool experience with one of the vendors when I bought a t-shirt. I
thought the shirt was $10 and I gave the man a $20. He handed me a $10 and
I thanked him and started to walk away. He stopped me and told me he owed
me five more dollars. I took the money and thanked him for being honest
since I thought the shirt cost ten dollars. He said to me "today is a new
day, it's all about change." I thought that was really cool.
About 4:30 we decided that we would start making our way back to Union
Station to get our train back to Baltimore and it was a good thing that we
did. When we were about a block away all of a sudden we found ourselves in
another mob of people that weren't moving at all. There were a couple of
police officers shouting above the crowd on bull horns that Union Station
was closed right now and no one would be allowed to go in. There were
rumors floating around the crowd as to why it was closed, but no one would
give us the official word. I heard someone say that a person had been hit
by a train and another person said that train tickets were over sold and
there were not enough trains to transport all the people. It wasn't until
later that I found out that the station had been closed in preparation for
one of the inaugural balls. So we waited, and waited, and waited. We
talked to several of the people around us and had a good time, but we all
just wanted to make sure we were able to get out of the city and get home.
Eventually the station opened and we were permitted in. This is where the
report pretty much ends. We walked around for a minute but quickly decided
that we would try to get on the first train we could to make sure we got
back to Baltimore early enough to catch our flight. On the way to DC our
train tickets were never checked once so we hoped they wouldn't be checked
on our return so we could take an earlier train than the time we were
scheduled to leave. Lucky for us no one even asked if we had tickets. We
made our way onto the train and back to BWI airport very easily and we had
plenty of time to spare. On the plane ride home I talked to a really nice
woman who was able to stake out a spot in the Mall at 7 a.m. that morning.
We chatted for a while, but it didn't take long before we all were snoozing
for the remainder of the trip. We landed smoothly and headed home.
It was a very long day. There was a time when the massive crowd that we
found ourselves in scared me some. The temperature and wind were harsh and
I actually had a sunburn/windburn on my face. Having said all of this, I
wouldn't change a thing and I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. It was
one of the most amazing and memorable experiences I have ever had and
probably will ever have. To be there in person to witness history in the
making was truly awe-inspiring. It wasn't just any history, it was the
rebirth of America.
KENTUCKY ROUNDUP
By Jayne Seif
Katie Penny, President of the Kentucky Association of Blind Students (KABS),
reports that the division will be holding its annual event at the Kentucky
School for the Blind on May 17, at 6:00 p.m. “We will be having snacks and
playing games with the kids. We need all the help we can get with this
event so anyone who is interested is more than welcome to come and take
part.”
KABS will also be selling raffle tickets for an entertainment basket
starting in July. The basket will be raffled off at State Convention in
September. More information about the items in the basket will be on the
way, so keep an eye out.
President Nickie Pearl brings us greetings from Louisville!
For many, many years the Louisville chapter has met at The Kentucky School
for the Blind every third Friday of the month. Due to budget changes KSB is
no longer going to be our meeting place. Starting Friday, March 20, 2009,
we will hold our monthly meetings at the McDowell Center located at 8412
Westport Rd. The time will be the same, social hour 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and
and the meeting 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. We will use the meeting room on the second
floor. No worries, we will have someone posted at the front door to show
you the way.
Our chapter has been busy as usual. We just wrapped up our annual chili
supper and auction February 21, 2009. This year’s turn-out was the biggest
we’ve seen and it was due to a new feature we added to the event. Five of
our members competed in the first annual Greater Louisville Chili Cook-off.
Everyone got to sample the entries and then vote for their favorite. The
winning chili was prepared by Priscilla Thomas, who is a student at the
McDowell Center. As usual a great time was had by all.
On January 23, 2009, Cathy Jackson and Denise Franklin participated in a
celebration for Louis Braille’s birthday given by the American Printing
House for the Blind. Cathy and Denise handed out information about the
Braille coin and the importance of Louis Braille.
In December we continued with our giving projects. With help from the
Interfaith Agency in New Albany, Indiana, we were able to adopt a very
deserving family for Christmas. This family consisted of 7 children ranging
in age from 3 years to 13. We purchased clothes, toys, educational items as
well as a Kroger gift card. Hopefully with our help this family had a very
merry Christmas.
October 18, 2008, was the date for our “Seeing with your Fingers” library
event. This year it was a tribute to Louis Braille complete with birthday
cake. Everyone who passed through received a Louis Braille pin and
brochure. All the kids received a goodie bag after completing all the
activities. A new activity was added this year. The kids got to make
tactile pumpkin magnets.
September, what happened in September? Oh yes, it was the State Convention,
which was held here in Louisville. We started off by hosting a Monte Carlo
Night at the Friday night social. All though we didn’t see many card
players, the Vendors Division seemed to steal our thunder with their silent
auction; it was a good night for socializing. Saturday was a nice long day
with some good information provided by our guests and members. Ending the
day with our banquet, which was my first time as Mistress of Ceremonies. I
had a ball but would like to wait a few years before doing it again.
Our chapter continues in its efforts to change the misconceptions about
blindness and show the sighted public we are not the ones they need to feel
sorry for. We intend to do more activities out and about this year to nail
that point home. You can always keep up with our chapter by calling our
“talking bulletin board” at (502) 495-7130.
The Murray Chapter has been very busy both within the chapter and the
community, report members Brenda Kimbro and Jennifer Hall. A Halloween
outing was held in October with members and guests dressing up. Anetta
Perry won the best costume as cowgirl. Even the food was scary as guests
were invited to enjoy a little witch’s brew, bat wings, and vampire fingers.
In November the chapter held its annual Thanksgiving dinner with members
and families. The chapter conducted a silent auction that helped raise
funds. A great time of fellowship was enjoyed by all. Special thanks goes
out to member Sue Rudd's nephew who sponsored the meal.
In December the chapter dined at Sirloin Stockade for lunch and an exchange
of gifts. A “his and her” basket winner was drawn and the winner was a lady
who works at our local bank in town. President Danny Perry was presented
with a musical tie from the chapter. Danny will now have Christmas music
with him when he wears the tie.
On January 9, the chapter along with assistance from the Murray City
collected trash at a local park. Murray City donated bags, gloves and
safety vests. After seeing postings from President Cathy Jackson, a lady
from Florida who lives in the community called and came out to help. Upon
completion we were given a demonstration of how the newest truck which has
an automatic arm collected and disposed of our collection.
The February meeting was held by phone conference for some as the winter
weather was still upon us. The group discussed the meetings and events for
the rest of the year. We thank Jennifer Hall for setting it up for us. We
are currently planning our auction for April 18. It will be held at the
Murray City Park.
Jennifer Hall is gearing up for her 4th annual Rock-A-Thon! Hopefully this
economic downturn will not dampen the spirits of the gracious businesses who
have donated in the past! Seven of our chapter members are planning to
attend our National Convention in Detroit this July. We are working hard to
make this happen and look forward to the end result!
The Kentucky Parents of Blind Children continue to reach out to parents in
the state. Last October they were invited by the Kentucky School for the
Blind to participate in the Statewide Family Conference held at the school.
The kick off for the event was a fall festival, during which Jerry Lewis and
Phil Seif ran the haunted house they have put together each year for the
Halloween party. Meanwhile Maria Jones, Jayne Seif, Rebecca Lewis, Melanie
Peskoe, Katharine Aqua and her daughter ran a face painting booth, handed
out literature and held a raffle to raise funds for the group. Everyone
enjoyed the experience and the group looks forward to participating in such
events in the future.
One week later the group held its 3rd annual Halloween party, in conjunction
with the Independent Dorm Program at the Kentucky School for the Blind.
Every year it gets bigger and better. This year the kids played games, went
Trick-or-Treating, walked through the haunted house, had a dance and of
course, enjoyed lots of snacks. Everyone involved hopes this will be a
fixture for years to come.
President Pamela Roark-Glisson brings us this NFB of Lexington Update
The Lexington Chapter had no more than returned home from the successful
2008 NFBK State Convention in Louisville when we accepted the challenge to
organize the friendly protest of the movie ‘Blindness’, an extremely
helpless, hopeless, villianous portrayal of the blind, premiering in the
cinema on October 3, 2008 in Lexington. WLEX-TV’s Nikkole Pence, primary
anchor-woman, and camera crews learned about the protest from press releases
and appeared to film and provide coverage at the Lexington cinema in Fayette
Mall. Ms. Pence gained opportunity to interview the NFB of Lexington
President earlier in the day from her office at Independence Place, Inc.
NFB of Lexington was surprised and honored to have along side a number of
members with signs on the sidewalks surrounding the local cinema the almost
brand-new at that time Executive Director of the Kentucky Office for the
Blind, Ms. Beth Cross! Many friends and family members including a
long-time friend and cab driver also joined the chapter members on the
picket lines. With the exception of a minor incident with the Lexington
police force having the picket line move to a non-private portion of the
sidewalk, the Chapter expressed NFB’s protest and disgust of the terrible
portrayal of the blind the movie presented.
Fayette County did not miss the opportunity to ‘Meet the Blind’ of the NFB
of Lexington during the ‘Meet the Blind Month’ activities in October, 2008.
A joint endeavor coordinated by the City of Lexington exhibited a number of
blindness related agencies and organizations local to the community at the
downtown Phoenix Park. Pamela Roark-Glisson, Chapter President, was invited
to address the event from the podium to expound on the nature of the
Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act and the ‘Silent Killer’ of the blind, the
hybrid car. Ms. Glisson did so in addition to being available at the NFB
Lexington exhibit table throughout the day along with Vice-president Michael
Freholm. John Glisson, President of the Blinded Veterans Association, and
an NFB Lexington member was also present and partnering with BVA information
and materials.
NFB of Lexington does not remain in Lexington alone and obscurred from the
rest of Central Kentucky. Shannon and Paula Caldwell of London, Kentucky
and Chapter members do not allow the fall to turn into winter without
visiting the Laurel County schools to share with students and personnel NFB
literature, Braille materials and writing tools and techniques, and other
blindness related aids to daily living. Michael Freholm also shares the
wealth of NFB information and materials in Nicholasville, Kentucky and has
made marked progress in affiliating himself and NFB of Lexington with the
Jessamine County Public Library. Michael participates in a number of the
children’s reading programs and introduces the kids and library staff to
Braille.
A special outreach project to educate the public about blindness and NFB’s
programs and services was conducted. NFB of Lexington partnered with God’s
Pantry to distribute thousands of NFB materials to Fayette County residents
who received food baskets.
Lexington’s NFBK Chapter always does its best to participate in activities
recommended by the State and National movement. January, 2009 was no
exception. Vice-president Freholm worked with the Jessamine County Public
Library to host the 2009 Louie Braille Commemorative Coin celebration in
Nicholasville on a snowy January 18 afternoon. The library had a birthday
cake prepared with Mr. Braille’s likeness inscribed on the cake’s top with
remarkable resemblence to photos of Mr. Braille. A good turnout of NFB
Lexington members, Jessamine County School System VI teachers, Library staff
and personnel, and approximately 100 local citizens passing through the
library had opportunity to visit with the blind, hear Pamela address the
group and news media, see a great number of assistive technology, aids and
apliances used by the blind in daily living and employment. The event was a
great success, as reported by the Jessamine County Journal newspaper the
following day.
NFB of Lexington members Pamela Roark-Glisson, John Glisson, Shannon
Caldwell, and Michael Freholm joined the NFBK delegation to the Washington
Seminar in DC in early February, 2009.
We look forward to Spring springing in Lexington and central Kentucky to
bring forth fun and excitement to the blind through the NFB of Lexington
Chapter activities! ‘Elements for Success’ remains an on-going monthly
project of the Chapter, partnering with Independence Place. Please note
that the NFB chapter meetings will now be on the fourth Tuesday of each
month at 5 p.m. in the conference room of Independence Place, Inc. For more
information, please call (859) 266-0210.
The Merchants division is looking forward to reaching outside their own
state this year, as they attend the BLAST, in record numbers. Charles and
Betty Allen also plan to attend NAMA later in April. Speaking of Charlie,
he has recently stepped down as chair of the Vending committee for the state
of Kentucky after 15 years, and was replaced by our own George Stokes.
The Division was saddened this year by the loss of Donald Pruitt, a former
Merchant’s Division member, and longtime NFB supporter, now retired from the
IRS Center in Covington. Charles fondly remembers his longtime friend as
one who always supported the efforts for equality of blind people, and who
was just a great all around guy. “The world was a better place because Don
was here,” says Charlie.
We are sure that everyone will be excited that the Merchants Division, once
again, plans to hold a fundraising auction at convention. It is something
we have all come to enjoy.
The Frankfort Chapter continues to meet regularly every other month. They
have contributed to both the Imagination Fund and the Charles and Betty
Allen Fund. In addition they are very involved in their city and in working
with the new Mayor. Recently, with the help of the Mayor, the group was
able to acquire weather disaster radios at no cost, which Charles Allen
plans to hand out at the next meeting. They have also worked with the Red
Cross and Homeland Security on ways to make such emergency information
available to people who are blind, and how to put more of these radios in
their hands. As far as information goes they are also working with the
Transit Authority in the city of Frankfort, and as a result this
organization has begun to release their schedule of days they are closed in
Braille along with the printed version.
Many members plan to hand out chocolate coins on March 26, at businesses,
churches, and other public places, to promote awareness of the Louis Braille
Coin.
George Stokes was recently featured in “Faces of Frankfort”, in the State
Journal. Each week this column features a Frankfort resident. George has
been active around the city for many years, and was written up in a
wonderful way. Chapter members are very proud. We will all be sure to
congratulate him when we see him this year at the Convention.
SOUND OFF
Announcing the New KNFBReader Mobile Sales Program
National Federation of the Blind Sales Initiative
Fellow Federationists and Friends:
I am excited to announce that the National Federation of the Blind
KnfbReader
Mobile sales program is now under way. As you may have heard, the price for
the Reader
has dropped significantly over the past few months. The price for the
Reader software is now $995.
All readers will be shipping with a new and improved version of the
KnfbReader Mobile software. This
latest edition of the program offers many fabulous improvements including:
significantly better character recognition, a new and improved user
interface, language translation with the purchase
of an extra language package, and Support for the new Nokia 6220 Classic
cell phone.
Add the cost of the cell phone for $350, thus making the cost for the
complete KnfbReader
Mobile $1,345 and you have the most affordable and portable reading system
available on the market.
Under our sales program we will also be offering both Talks and MobileSpeak
screen readers for the
KnfbReader Mobile. With either Talks or MobileSpeak, all of the standard
functions of the
cell phones used in the KnfbReader Mobile system become fully accessible to
blind people. We are
excited to be able to offer not only the Reader but several ways to make the
rest of the cell
phone’s functions talk. The price for either Talks or MobileSpeak is $295.
This means that
for $1,640 you can have the latest and most advanced reading system
available on the market
today, as well as a fully accessible cell phone.
You can purchase your KnfbReader Mobile with MasterCard or VISA or by check.
Please contact
me with any questions you may have at (888) 965-9191.
There’s even more great news to share: The purchase of your KnfbReader
Mobile can be
financed under the NFB Technology Loan Program. If you wish to finance your
purchase
under this program, the interest rate for your loan will be 3 percent (the
best rate in
town!). To learn more about the loan program and to download an
application, or to learn anything
else about the NFB sales effort and the KnfbReader Mobile visit the special
KnfbReader
Mobile Web page at
<http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com>http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com.
Finally, I'm pleased to tell you that I will be looking for some people to
help sell the
KnfbReader Mobile. If you're looking for extra income or something that can
turn into a
full-time job and if you believe that you can sell this product, please call
me. I can be
reached at (888) 965-9191 any time from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM Pacific Time. If
you need to leave a
voicemail, rest assured that I will call you back as soon as possible.
Best wishes for your success,
Mike Hingson
The Michael Hingson Group
THE COOK’S NOOK
Thanks to Tonia Gatton for supplying us the following tasty treats. Tonia
serves as treasurer for the NFB of Greater Louisville and has been an active
member of the chapter for many years. She is an employee of the McDowell
Center and resides in Louisville with husband Greg and, perhaps the most
important member of the family, Belle.
Beef and Cornbread Bake
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
3/4 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (about 16 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 pkg. (about 8 oz.) corn muffin mix
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook beef and oregano in skillet until browned.
Pour off fat. Add picante sauce, tomato sauce and corn. Heat through.
Stir in cheese. Pour into 2-qt. shallow baking dish. Mix corn muffin mix
according to pkg. directions. Spread over beef mixture. Bake 25 to 30 min.
or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 min.
Legendary Twice-Baked Potatoes
30 Minutes or less
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep/Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
4 hot baked potatoes
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese OR
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
1/4 cup diced cooked bacon
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 jar (16 oz.) Pace® Chunky Salsa
Directions:
Cut potatoes into lengthwise halves. Scoop out inside of potatoes and place
in bowl. Set potato skins aside. Add 3/4 cup cheese, sour cream, picante
sauce, bacon and onions to potato in bowl. Mix well. Spoon mixture into
potato skins and place on baking sheet. Broil until browned. Sprinkle with
remaining cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly. Top with salsa.
Cinnamon Bun Pie
Serving: 8 to 10
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) butter, melted, divided
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 package (17-1/2 ounces) refrigerated flaky biscuits (8 biscuits) (see
note below)
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Coat the bottom of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with 2 tablespoons melted
butter; set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, and cinnamon; mix well.
Sprinkle 1/4 of the pecan mixture over the bottom of the pie plate.
4. Place the remaining 3/4 cup melted butter in a small bowl.
5. Separate each biscuit into 3 layers. Dip the biscuit pieces one at a
time in the melted butter, coating each piece thoroughly.
6. Layer 8 biscuit pieces in the bottom of the pie plate, completely
covering the pecan mixture. Repeat the pecan mixture and biscuit layers 2
more times.
7. Top with the remaining pecan mixture and drizzle with any leftover melted
butter.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden and cooked
through.
9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter and
slice into wedges. Serve warm.
Note: Be sure to use flaky biscuits for this one. And to enjoy every last
bit of pecan flavor, remove any pecans left in the bottom of the pie plate
after inverting and place them over the top of the pie.
THE END
It's a lot more satisfying to reach for the stars, even if you end up
landing only on the moon.
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