Fore~Sight, the Newsletter of the
Spring 2009
It’s Not Too Late AzCB
Annual Convention – Coming
By Ron Brooks,
Convention Coordinator
There are lots of reasons for you to
make your plans to join the Arizona Council of the Blind for our 38 Annual Convention, and the time is drawing near. Members of the
Convention Committee and Board of Directors are working hard to ensure that
this event is worth your while, and we hope that the details in this article
will give you all the reasons you need to be with us.
The convention will take place on
Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2, at the Phoenix International Airport Hilton
Hotel, located at 2435 South 48 Street in Phoenix. Although the April 1
deadline for getting the AzCB convention room rate has passed, the hotel does
have additional rooms available (as of the time of this writing), and they will
honor the convention room rates of $105 per night plus tax ($130 per night plus
tax for suites) as long as there is space available. If you wish to make a
reservation, call the hotel directly at (480) 894-1600, and ask for the AzCB
Convention Rate.
Convention
Highlights
Each year, the AzCB Convention Committee
learns from the feedback we receive from our guests and exhibitors. As a result,
this convention will be the best ever.
Here is a short overview of our
Convention program. Watch the AzCB website for more detailed convention updates
and announcements.
On Thursday, April 30 we will begin with
Convention Registration from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, and several AzCB Committees will
hold business meetings. We will also host a Pre-Convention mixer in the
President’s Suite, beginning at 8:00 pm, so if you’re in town early, come join
us for refreshments, conversation and catching up.
The Convention begins in earnest on
Friday with Convention Registration and a free Continental Breakfast for all
attendees, beginning at 8:00 am. Our
Exhibits area will also open at this time.
We will hold a general session from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, which will
feature updates from the AzCB President, the Arizona Rehabilitation Services
Administrator (invited) as well as speakers who will discuss everything from
adaptive technology to tips for improving your ability to impact the
legislative process.
After the general session, we will have
a break to permit guests to attend our exhibits area, so if you’re interested
in sampling the latest and greatest products, services and programs intended to
benefit the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired, come check out
the Exhibits Hall.
At noon, we will hold a luncheon to
honor 2009 AzCB scholarship winners as well as any other individuals receiving
awards from the AzCB. Check the box on
your registration form to indicate your desire to attend the Scholarship Luncheon.
On Friday afternoon, we will conduct a
series of four smaller workshops dealing with more focused topics which should
be of interest to our members and guests.
Attendees will be able to choose from among the following workshop
topics:
Workshop 1 - Strategies for Improving
Local Transportation – Speakers will discuss ideas for beginning and/or
expanding local transportation options for people who are unable to drive
and/or for those who need door-to-door or curb-to-curb paratransit services.
Workshop 2 -“Finding Employment in the
New Economy – This workshop will focus on strategies for finding home-based
employment and other flexible forms of employment and will include discussions
of how to resolve challenges associated with adaptive technology, concerns from
RSA about non-traditional employment and other perceived barriers which may
stand in the way of a perfectly viable employment future.
Workshop 3 – “Left to Right, Front to
Back & Cover to Cover” – With the advent of the
Internet, electronic formats for books and digital talking books, there are so
many ways to read books and access information that it’s almost hard to choose
which one is best for you. Speakers at
this workshop will discuss the different options and technologies which are now
making reading more enjoyable than ever.
Workshop 4 – “Living Well
and Without Eyesight” – We all know that our overall health contributes much
more to our quality of life than does our visual acuity. Speakers for this session will discuss a
variety of topics related to the development and maintenance of a healthy
lifestyle, including where to find information on health-related topics,
strategies for staying physically active and fit, and tips for eating right.
Although the convention is about
information-sharing and the doing of important organizational business, it’s
also about fun, and Friday night is dedicated to just that. We will begin the festivities with a
reception, which will be followed by our annual banquet. We are still working on the details for the
banquet, but watch the AzCB website for an announcement of our 2009 Master of
Ceremonies and guest speaker.
After the banquet, we will once again
convene in the President’s Suite for an evening of refreshments, conversation
and fun, and the President promises to stay up until the last guest leaves.
On Saturday, May 2, the Convention will
reconvene at 8:00 am with Exhibits and a free Continental Breakfast for all
attendees. Our annual business meeting
will begin at 9:00 am, after which, we will offer a
box lunch, to be followed by a Post-Convention Board Meeting (which is open to
the public) as well as time for any of our special interest affiliates to
meet. Although it may seem
anti-climactic, our Business Meeting and the Post-Convention Board Meeting are
important events for you to attend because these meetings will afford you the
chance to become better acquainted with the AzCB and to give your input on
where you think the organization should go in the future. We will also be holding elections for our
First Vice-President, Treasurer and at least two Director positions,
so membership involvement is crucial.
I want to close by encouraging you to go
to our website (http://www.azcb.org) and check the 2009 AzCB Convention
links in order to read updated program information and announcements, to
download registration forms and to learn more about exhibiting at the
convention. Our convention is only as good as the people who attend, so having
you there will make all the difference as the AzCB continues to work to promote
the concerns of Arizonans who are blind or visually impaired.
See Kili Our Way
In the summer 2009, nine blind climbers
from the Foundation for Blind Children, along with nineteen guides, will make
the trek to summit Mt Kilimanjaro in
“I want to be a part of the efforts that
shatter the many myths and preconceived notions held toward blindness.” Tom
Hicks said, “I want others to know the truth about living a life with
blindness, ‘You can do it!’ Together with your support we can, will and must
reach the summit of Kilimanjaro”
Team Hicks is made up of Tom and sighted
climbers Kristy Kevitt and Grahame Richards. Kristy
is a marketing professional and a member of the Board of Directors for the
Foundation for Blind Children. After going on a night hike with the group
preparing for Kilimanjaro, Grahame, a volunteer at the Foundation, was keen to
participate.
“The Council (AzCB) has always supported
people who are blind in reaching the top of the mountain.” Said Dan Martinez,
former president of the Arizona Council of the Blind, “This climb is an example
of what people can do if they first believe and then prepare themselves to
succeed.”
Currently there are nine teams training
to make the Kilimanjaro climb. Through http://www.seekiliourway.org, you can
read each climber’s story and follow him/her through training, and ultimately,
their summit. To finance the climb, See Kili Our Way
has an initial goal of raising $500,000, half of which will directly fund
programs at the Foundation for Blind Children.
There is no question, each climber,
blind and sighted, has a tall road ahead and without question, this road will
be truly life changing. This trip is not just about individual goals. It’s
about what each individual climber stands for – the hopes and dreams of people
who are blind around the world.
From Tom Hicks: I am asking you to
partner with me in this once-in-a-lifetime challenge to inspire hope in others
and demonstrate the great accomplishments people with disabilities can achieve
with equal access, training, and opportunity.
Reaching the top of Kilimanjaro will not only testify to the power of
those with a disability, but will also signify reaching a new apex in what
blind children and adults can do with the will and support to take a risk. If you are able and would like to contribute
to my journey, please visit my Team page at http://www.SeeKiliOurWay.org to
donate funds online. Simply click the “Climber” link on the left and then “Team
Hicks”.
Bobbing
Along With Bob, by Bob Williams, Sr.
I stand corrected. In my last column, I
reported that members elected to officer positions last May to the AzCB
governing board were all elected to full two-year terns. Well, to borrow a line
from George and Ira Gershwin, “it ain’t necessarily
so.” Under AzCB’s revised constitution and by-laws
approved last year by the general membership, persons elected to the officer
positions of President, 2nd Vice president and Secretary were elected to full
terms expiring in 2010. Under the
revised provisions of Article four dealing with officers, Directors and Board
of Directors, persons elected last year to the positions of 1st Vice President
and Treasurer will need to elected this year to full two-year terms expiring in
2111. Correcting this inadvertent
oversight will bring our organization into compliance with the staggered term
provision in Article Four.
This means that First Vice
Sharon Booker of
The revised guidelines provide that any
officer shall be eligible to serve in the same office for not more than two
consecutive terms. Any director shall be
eligible to serve in the same position for not more than three consecutive
two-year terms. There is no limit to the
number of non-consecutive terms to which an individual may serve on the board.
Finally, a brief reminder that the AzCB
will be the host affiliate for the 49th Annual National Convention of the
American Council of the Blind in July 2110.
The newly opened 1,000 rooms Phoenix Sheraton downtown will be the
convention site. Members of our
In 1992 then Arizona Governor Fife
Symington appeared before a morning general assembly during the 31st annual
national convention of ACB at the Hyatt Regency hotel in down town
In the last edition of our Foresight
newsletter President Barbara McDonald mentioned something about President
Barack Obama. This led me to thinking;
wouldn’t it be nice if ACB could get him to come back to
AzCB Welcomes
Distinguished Guest to Annual Conference
This year, attendees at the AzCB's annual convention, to be held in
Ray
is a member of the ACB Board of Directors , an active advocate on behalf of people who
are disabled and he is recognized for his insight regarding the capabilities of
and challenges facing people who are blind or visually impaired. He is a
nationally respected writer and speaker on the rights and responsibilities of
people with disabilities.
Ray
worked for more than 15 years as a software engineer for Motorola before being
downsized out of his position. Rather
than becoming disheartened by this setback, Ray joined the Chicago Lighthouse
for the Blind, where he helped to create a National Adaptive Technology Help
Desk, where he assists blind and visually impaired callers with the use of
adaptive technology and software. Ray
not only knows about adaptive technology; he uses it every day. He uses a variety of high-tech tools in his
office, including a computer, which reads aloud all the type displayed on the
monitor, a device that presents information on the computer screen in Braille,
and much, much more. Ray wears two sets
of headphones, one to hear the computer voice and the other attached to his
phone to listen to his callers. He also has a printer, but the documents it
produces are in Braille, not ink.
Ray
attended
Ray
will be joining us at our AzCB State Convention Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May
2. He will be a presenter, facilitator and participant at several of our
sessions. Make time in your busy convention schedule to attend one of Ray’s
presentations. Ray is an advocate, author, actor, auctioneer and avid friend. His
insight, wit and wisdom will make your convention experience momentous.
Are you a current
member of the AzCB?
In
March of 2009 the AzCB reported its membership roil to the American Council of
the Blind. Membership in the AzCB is also membership in the ACB. Did you renew
your membership for
2009? If you have not, your membership has lapsed. Check your
address label on this newsletter to determine your membership date. If your
membership has lapsed, renew on line at www.azcb.org or use the membership application
on the back cover of this newsletter. Thank you.
Midyear Legislative
Conference By Sharon Booker
It was my privilege to represent Barbara
McDonald and the AzCB by attending the Presidents' Meeting and Midyear
Legislative Conference of the ACB. The events were held in
The Legislative Conference was one and a
half days of intensive discussion and training to equip us to "Take the
Hill" on the 24th of February. Our two main imperatives were supporting H.R.
734, The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act, and hoping to breathe life into a
proposal that wasn't voted on last year, The 21st
Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.
With my husband Thom acting as guide, we
met with staffers from the offices of Senator Kyl,
Representatives Franks, Shadegg, Grijalva and Giffords. Most of
the staffers expressed interest in our concerns and asked pertinent questions
regarding both issues. I have since sent
e-mails to everyone I talked to as well as sending my comments and impressions
to the ACB National Office.
I came away from this trip knowing a lot
more about how important it is for all of us in blindness to keep on top of
pertinent issues and in lending our support to those matters, which have such
an impact on our everyday lives.
I want to thank the AZCB board for
giving me this opportunity.
Note:
The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act
establishes a motor vehicle safety standard that provides for a means of
alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation (Quiet Cars).
The Communications and Video Accessibility
Act adds consumer protections to ensure greater accessibility to digital
communication devices by people with disabilities.