American
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American
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A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF:
THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MINNESOTA
P O BOX 7341
MINNEAPOLIS MN 55407
The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the position of the American Council of the Blind of Minnesota. They are the views of the article's author. Product and service information is provided as a resource only and not as an endorsement of a particular product or service.
Jo Taliaferro, Editor
E-mail: soaringeagle7@comcast.net
Bob Lockwood
E-mail: peggy_bob@msn.com
Carolyn Coby, Webmaster
E-mail: cs_coby@hotmail.com
ACBM Info Express - (612)-486-5180, our telephone news and information hotline was established by the membership in October 2005. Its purpose is to provide important and relevant information vital to the membership, quickly and efficiently between scheduled business meetings. Please keep yourself informed by calling regularly. You can also contact any board member using the information provided at the end of this issue of the Minnesota Memo.
The deadline for article submission for the next edition of the Minnesota Memo is 15 December 2009. We value your suggestions, ideas and submissions pertinent to blind and visually impaired people. Do your eggs come out sunny-side down? Did you drop a stitch while knitting? Why do you enjoy audio described movies? If you’ve never written an article for the newsletter, the editor wants to talk to you and she knows where you live!
Note: Article titles are marked with *** for easy searching.
Hello everyone. Once again we are approaching my favorite time of year—fall. Pumpkin pie, honey crisp apples the smell of fireplaces in the air. By the time you read this I really will have retired from my job with the Social Security Administration. My last day of work was October 9th. I’m looking forward to having more time to devote to ACBM and finding new and interesting outlets to pursue.
One of the things I’ve been very negligent about doing is updating the president’s message on info express. My retirement resolution is to have the message updated by the 3rd of every month.
Once again this fall we are selling world’s finest chocolate bars. We have the most popular seller the chocolate almond bars plus new variety cases with combinations of all of your favorites. There are 50 to a case and the bars sell for $1.00 each. The wrapper on each bar is a pizza Hut coupon for $2.00 off a large pizza. If you would like bars to sell please let your calling committee caller know, leave your name on info express or contact any board member. Bars will be brought to the October quarterly meeting. You are also as always, welcome to attend a board meeting and pick up bars there as long as you let someone know in advance so you don’t leave the meeting without a case of bars for the ride home!
I was contacted by a woman from AT&T regarding a cell phone event. The event was held in Dallas where 60 people participated. Here’s how it works. It would consist of 2 half days when representatives would be available to answer any questions or offer any assistance with any cell phone regardless of your cell phone carrier or manufacturer. This helps representatives learn what blind and low-vision users of cell phones need in the way of accessible features. If you’d be interested in participating let me know.
As always please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or suggestions at (651) 428-5059, or Janet.Dickelman@comcast.net. You can also leave a message on info express: 612-486-5180.
Janet Dickelman, President, ACBM
The October quarterly meeting will be held on October 24th at Joseph’s grill, 140 Wabasha, Saint Paul ,MN
Social hour from 11:30—12:30, Lunch at 12:30, Business meeting to follow
Menu choices:
By: Jo Taliaferro
At our last quarterly meeting, we honored two scholars, both majoring in accounting and both with outstanding qualifications in academics, volunteer service and meeting the challenges of blindness or visual impairment. Katherine Vala is our Freshman scholar this year, commuting from Plymouth to classes each day. Eileen Vasquez is our post-secondary scholar and former ACBM scholarship recipient. I had the pleasure of sitting with both of these women and their guests at lunch and it was obvious to me that each had overcome numerous life obstacles with grace, dignity and perhaps just a little stress.
Eileen’s husband was home from Texas and the family was in the midst of moving to an apartment which apparently was full of boxes which she climbed over so as to join us for the July meeting. She lives in St. Paul and at this writing, I have no update to share. I can only hope that she is no longer surrounded by boxes and that she is settling into a comfortable daily routine.
When I chatted recently with Katherine Vala, who is attending Minneapolis Community and Technical College, she rattled off the courses she’s taking this semester. Introduction to Business, Financial Accounting, English 900 and Accounting are just the first few. Katherine is also discovering that diversity can be both educational and disconcerting. Not everyone at school is caucasian and a product of the suburbs and not everyone has lived in loving homes with two parents. She commented that one of the main reasons she continues to pursue her degree at the technical college is the outstanding department of disability services. She commended them for getting her materials to her on time and in a format that makes studying and test-taking very manageable.
ACBM awards each scholarship winner $500 per semester and hopes you will begin thinking about applicants for the 2010-2011 school year. We wish Eileen and Katherine much success and will keep you updated throughout the year.
So far, we have 4 ACBM life members who no longer need to pay affiliate dues. Our first life member is Bert Morlock, who received this honor for distinguished service to ACBM and continues to inform himself about the happenings of the affiliate. Bert applauds the numbers of young people who have joined us and lurks on e-mail lists when he’s having a good day. Congratulations once again to you for hours of fundraising and behind-the-scenes involvement in ACBM. Chris Bell, Merle Johnson and Jo Taliaferro are also life members, two of whom serve on our board of directors. We welcome others to begin the process of life membership which can be completed over a five-year period.
The following people were winners of the Daily-3 Fundraiser this year.
12 August – Sherman Goplen - #76
13 August – Sarah Whealon - #26
14 August – Delores Ford - #05
15 August – Linda Moen - #95
16 August – Dick Endres - #50
17 August – Lane Waters - #17
18 August – Ken Rodgers - #98
19 August – Bert Morlock - #02
20 August – Amy Burmeister - #57
21 August – Nancy Schadegg - #20
Thank you very much to everyone who participated in this fundraiser!
By: Patty Slaby
I wish to express my appreciation for being selected as a delegate to the 2009 ACB National Convention and for assistance in covering my expenses. This was a first for me. As in years past I found plenty to keep myself busy. Conventions are for learning, sharing, and having fun. I helped where it was needed and a few opportunities included the Information Desk, Communication Center, mentoring students, etc.
The 4th of July began with a group of ACBers ready to do the Watermelon 5k Walk/Run. Guides were available for members who needed one. Mine was a gem an I completed the event. Watermelon was served before loading the bus back to the hotel. Sat. afternoon finds me at the exhibits if possible.
There are so many new things to learn about. But I always head to National Braille Press to increase my library of books for my students. The evening begins with the scholarship dinner. We enjoyed that.
Sunday evening the general session opened with the usual activities. Amy Carol Webb, a folk singer, was our entertainer. The performance was in honor of Gayle Krause-Edwards given by Paul Edwards. A few awards were presented after which Mitch gave his president's report covering ACB's accomplishments and goals set during the past year. The end of the evening is marked by the annual roll call of delegates. This is a favorite because it provides me the information I would have if I had vision. I like to know who has come to another convention. Now of course no one is perfect so, as the delegate of ACBM, I tried to have the assembled body believe that a member of the National Association of Blind Teachers was one of our delegation! The powers that be certainly gave me a hard time about that false bit of news.
Wednesday morning was the most exciting session in my opinion. There were professionals who spoke about the importance of schools for the blind and the effects they have on our young people's education. It was the morning where the Louis Braille 200th Anniversary was celebrated. Steve, the president of the Perkins School for the Blind talked about the memorable impact Braille had and continues to have among people who are blind, losing their vision or who are both deaf and blind. A gentleman from Canada wrote a song about Louis which was performed. The surprise we had been waiting for arrived. Thanks to the Braille Revival League each attendee was presented with a delicious cookie that was white with raised blue dots that had the contracted word “Braille” on it. This was extraordinary for me!
All the officers were reelected and it was one of the shortest nominating committee meetings ever.
Some of the resolutions this year included: the need for accessible material on blackboards when taking distance learning classes, teacher prep programs, audio described movies and the need for audible features on quiet cars.
During the convention we enjoyed a job fair sponsored by the Employee Task Force. We had international attendees from Australia, Canada, Vietnam, and Africa and more I am not aware of. There was a silent auction held on Tuesday which worked out well. The ACB auction was held Wednesday evening. A highlight for many at the convention is the Friends-in-Art Showcase, where ACB members display their talents to a captive audience.
I spent time with Minnesota people and some of their 4-legged friends. Janet's dog was under the impression that if she couldn't get Janet to give her what she wanted, she thought I might. Isabel and I are good friends but I am not easily bribed.
I did find time to have fun as well. I spent a few hours at Wonder Works a museum where you experience such things as a hurricane, (thought I would never get my hair combed out), an earthquake, the bed of nails and Titanic ocean water, etc. Saturday I spent with friends at Walt Disney World and we left early and returned late.
Please feel free to call or email me if you’d like to know more about a great convention. I could write more but the Memo editor is waving at me to stop.
Thanks again for selecting me as your 2009 delegate.
By: Ronald Milliman, Chair: ACB PR Committee
The PR Committee's Mentoring Program was very successful last year. We had an excellent group of twelve "mentorees," and we covered many important and interesting topics. However, the Committee wants to greatly expand our Mentoring Program this year to be able to reach lots more people, which, inturn, will help us achieve more results quicker than by working with only twelve people at a time.
Therefore, this year we are going to hold a conference call every quarter that will be open to everyone who is interested in learning more about how your affiliate and chapter can take advantage of engaging in more and better marketing and public relations activities. We will cover all kinds of free and low-budget techniques for getting the word out about your affiliate's and your chapter's activities, to reach potential new members, to educate the public about blindness, to reach medical professionals, and much, much more.
We urge each of our affiliates and chapters to select at least one person to represent your organization and to participate in these quarterly conference calls.
More details will be published shortly giving you the date and time of our first quarterly conference call. We will have a specific agenda for each call, which will be circulated in advance of each call.
By: Nancy Schadegg
In a 2006 article about Beepball, St. Paul Lions Beepball Coach Dennis Stern stated that, “Charles Fairbanks of the Telecom Pioneers created beep ball in 1964” Beep Ball was created to make “America’s favorite pastime,” baseball, possible for all visually impaired and totally blind athletes.” Dennis Stern resurrected the game of Beepball in Minnesota in 2003. The team has grown in ability and we have more players. We practice at least once a week. Our team, at times, takes on the challenge to play against a celebrity team, all rookies of course. The celebrity team players are sighted employees of organizations that make a donation to a worthy program to either combat blindness or that provide rehabilitation to blind people.
Many of us played the game of Beepball in the 1970's. The teams disbanded only to be brought back together six years ago under the leadership of Coach Dennis Stern. Our team is sponsored by the St. Paul Midway Lions club. We usually practice from 10:00 am to noon Saturdays at Aldine Park in St. Paul. The season begins in April and ends in mid-September.
Sighted batters and defensive players wear sleep shades to block out residual vision so all players are totally blind. A sighted pitcher has the task of throwing the beeping ball as the batter swings on cue. "Set, two, ready, pitch!" sets the cadence and the batter swings so the ball connects with the bat on the word, "Pitch." There are twenty feet between pitcher and batter so the trick is for batter and pitcher to be in synch so bat and ball connect. Players are swinging at different heights, different speeds, etc. and the pitcher's job is to throw the ball for the benefit of the batter's consistent manner of swinging the bat! Once the bat and the ball connect, it is up to the defensive players to scramble for the ball as it bounces and rolls or flies, still beeping into the outfield.
Defensive players, six in all, make up the in and out field. Sighted spotters announce the direction of the ball and players in that part of the field rush, crawl, dive or flop on their sides to make an out. The batter has to reach one of the two bases first or third, respectively, (whichever is sounding a constant buzz one hundred feet from Home plate before the ball is caught and raised in a clutched hand high above the head of the defensive player. Spotters will call SAFE or Out. If the batter gets to the base before the ball is caught, it is a run. If the defensive player catches the ball before the batter reaches the beeping base, it is an out.
Part of the thrill of Beepball is to run as fast as one can to reach the soft, cone-shaped base(made to be knocked down) before someone catches the ball. There are no trees to stop the runner and one learns that the freedom to run with abandon is like magic!
Beepball is a game of friendly competition. It' is, above everything else, a fun activity for the summer just to get outside and enjoy the camaraderie. It helps to get some exercise too. People of all ages (from age 15 to 70 years old) participate in our practices and games. We welcome new players and have a great time whether we are veteran players or new to the game.
September 12 was our last practice for the 2009 season. The team will continue with our practices this winter so we are in shape and ready to play in the 2010 national tournament in Rochester, Minnesota.
If you want to try your hand at Beepball, contact Coach Dennis Stern at 651-452-5324; or, dennisstern@comcast.net The website to visit is http://www.nbba.org
Enjoy the commentary on the games and do come join us.
Welcome to the newest Memo feature. Each Memo will contain a question which we hope
every member will respond to. This quarter’s question is:
How important is it to you to have ACBM social events?
Things to consider
What type of event would you participate in?
How much would you be willing to pay
How often would you like to see events occur
We’re open to any and all suggestions so don’t think your idea is too outlandish or uninteresting. Please leave any comments on the comment line of info express or send an email to any board member. If you email please write, “question of the quarter” in the subject field. The information will be tabulated and discussed with the membership at the January quarterly meeting. Please submit your feedback by December 31.
October 24th – Quarterly Membership meeting and budget approval (Josephs Grill in St. Paul, 11:30AM to 4:00PM)
Ongoing candy bar sales...remember those Halloween trick or treaters!!
Note that there are standing meetings that occur throughout the year. The ACBM Board of Directors meets on the third Monday of every month from 6:30PM to 8:30PM in the community room of the Lunds market, 1450 West Lake Street in Minneapolis. Members gather at Dunn Brothers for coffee and conversation on the third Saturday of each month from 10AM to Noon at the Dunn Bros coffee shop located at 1915 South Lyndale Ave.
Two local E-mail lists exist to disseminate different types of information to blind Minnesotans.
The first is a private list for ACBM members. This is a very low traffic list used to send out announcements of upcoming events or calls to action on legislative efforts. When you become an ACBM member you are automatically added to this list. If you are not receiving announcements of our meetings and other events please send an e-mail to Ken Rodgers at: kenrodgers@comcast.net . He can get you added to the list.
The second list you may wish to join is a higher volume discussion list. Although this list was started by ACBM, it is meant for anyone in the blindness community. In the past, material from NFB, VLR, SSB, and of course ACB, has been posted to this list. If you need assistance with something, or want to talk about some aspect of blindness in a relaxed environment, this is a list you can use. You can sign up by sending an e-mail to: mn-blind-chat-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. It would be great to have more people join this list as it will become even more useful with more participants. If you do not like this list you can easily unsubscribe by sending a message to: mn-blind-chat-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
I hope you will join both lists, if you have not already. See you there.
By: Jo Taliaferro
You may be wondering what in the world is meant by a Complete Street! I thought my street was “complete” till I looked at the definition...and then I scratched my head and asked myself, “Is my street accessible for everyone no matter their age or ability? Is it safe for everybody? Can a street be complete without sidewalks?”
There is growing support to pass legislation in 2010 so that the entire state would eventually have complete streets and I can hardly wait! Hennepin County and the city of Rochester have adopted “Complete Streets” policies, so that their communities will be much more friendly for all travelers. Bicyclists would have more places to ride without getting in harm’s way. Children would have safer routes to school and pedestrians with disabilities would find accessibility to be the norm instead of the exception. Vehicle traffic would slow down to minimize congestion and for every kind of transportation, there would be space so everyone could share our roadways and walkways more peaceably. People who might otherwise remain indoors would walk, improving their health and strengthening a sense of community. Complete streets policies do not mean that every street would look or feel like another. Rather, with careful planning and efficient use of funds and energy, ALL streets would be designed with safety and accessibility as top priorities. Our board of directors signed on as part of the “Complete Streets Coalition” and you can sign up as an individual in support of Minnesota’s effort to ensure safer, more accessible travel for everyone. These are just a few reasons you may want to join the coalition. Visit their website http://www.mncompletestreets.org to see why this is such a great initiative for Minnesota. Here’s just a taste of what a Minnesota “Complete Streets” policy would provide.
By: BBC News
A new portable device for deaf-blind people allows them to have face-to-face conversations, make phone calls using a text relay service and communicate by SMS.
The DeafBlind Communicator (DBC) consists of a Braille note-taker linked by Bluetooth to a mobile phone. The DBC is made by assistive technology firm HumanWare and was developed in partnership with the Washington State Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH) as well as several deaf-blind individuals.
QWERTY keyboard
Using the device, a deaf-blind person can have real time conversations in pubs and
shops, with sighted friends or when conducting confidential meetings - for example
with a doctor or solicitor. With the Braille note-taker - a device also made by
HumanWare called the BrailleNote - the deaf-blind person types a message into the
device which comes with either a standard Braille or QWERTY keyboard. This is then
delivered to the screen of the mobile handset - which has special software installed
on it - and the person responding then types a message back using the handset's
QWERTY keyboard. When the mobile phone is first handed to a new speaker, it uses a
voice message to inform them that the person using the equipment is blind and unable
to hear. It then asks them to communicate by typing a message on the mobile's
keyboard.
Phone service
Once the sighted person has pressed the return key, a message is sent to the
BrailleNote, the deaf-blind person replies and so the exchange can continue.
The deaf-blind version of the BrailleNote has a landline connector built in which
enables the user to dial up a text relay service - for example the BT-funded Typetalk
service - to enable deaf-blind people to use the device to make and receive phone
calls. The DBC also gives deaf-blind people access to SMS text messaging - which has
become one of the most commonly used forms of communication. The deaf-blind person
simply needs to purchase a SIM card from a mobile network operator in order to
activate the service.
Web browser
The device also contains some more advanced applications which are ordinarily hidden
from new users in order to reduce complication. These include a word processor, a
planner, an e-mail client, an internet browser and a digital book reader. As and when
the deaf-blind person feels ready to use them, they can be activated easily and
quickly. The DBC can also use instant messaging services like Google Talk.
"Imagine the freedom that comes from being able to communicate with nearly anyone, anywhere," said HumanWare's Jim Halliday. "The DBC finally gives this capability to people who are both deaf and blind." To see the DBC in action, the BBC met Graham Hicks at a city centre pub in Peterborough. Mr. Hicks is deaf-blind and has written an evaluation report on the device for HumanWare.
'Liberating device'
He was able to go to the bar and order drinks from a member of staff who had never
seen the DBC before as well as answering some questions from us. The conversation
took much longer than it would have between fully hearing and seeing people. However
it proved to be an effective system by providing a link between two people that would
otherwise be impossible.
"This gives us a great advantage that we have waited many years for", said Mr Hicks. Mr. Hicks described the device as liberating, by giving a deaf-blind person the ability to act independently. The DBC costs between £4,400 and £5,400 depending on the size of Braille display required. Money to purchase the device could be obtained from the government's Access to Work fund if the deafblind person is in work, and those in education could also get help with the cost.
Classes are at the Adaptive Technology Lab, Central Library 300 Nicollet Mall.
Register by calling 612-630-6000 or visit the library’s website at:
http://www.hclib.org/pub/events/ClassesAction.cfm?agency=ce-atl.
* EXCEL with adaptive software: This class will teach you how to use Excel with software such as Jaws.
Wednesday October 21 11a – 1p
* IT’S MAGIC! -- Learn to use Magic to magnify and read from your computer screen
Saturday November 14 1p – 3p
* JAWS -- Learn to use this powerful screen reader with Microsoft Office as well as
many other applications
Thursday November 5 4p – 6p
* JOB SEARCHING on the internet for blind and low vision users: learn to use adaptive
software to help your internet job search.
Thursday September 24 4p – 6p
* OPEN BOOK -- Enter a brand new world of reading. This class is an introduction to
OCR scanning for low vision and blind writers and readers
Thursday October 8 4p - 6p
* USING THE INTERNET AND EMAIL FOR BLIND AND LOW VISION COMPUTER USERS -- Learn to use
adaptive software to surf the internet and communicate with friends and family.
Saturday October 17 1p – 3p
Adaptive Technology Classes are supported by a generous donation from the Hudson Family Foundation
Budget: Catalina Roisum
Legislative and Advocacy: Chris Bell
Membership: Jeff West
Projects: Amy Monthei
Scholarship: Patty Slaby
Serving on a committee is a great way to get to know other members of the organization and to make your voice an integral part of what happens now and in the future. Volunteer for a spot on a committee through Info Express or at a quarterly meeting. No experience needed.
By: Jo Taliaferro
ACBM has purchased 20 cases of World’s Finest Chocolate candy bars in several combinations of chocolate, chocolate and chocolate. We will be selling them at the upcoming quarterly meeting! Get your “chocolate” or chocolate nut and crunchy bars at $50 per case or a buck a bar!
Starting in January,2010, the cost of lunch at the quarterly meetings will be $12.00 because of the rising cost of food.
If you haven’t heard about the iPhone yet, you will. It is the most popular topic on blindness-related technology and non technology lists. It has a Voice Over feature that allows it to speak right out of the box. This hand-held product also has a virtual screen. It is operated with a flick of your fingers or a couple of taps on the flat screen. Familiarity with a qwerty keyboard helps when using the iPhone since there are no buttons on the screen to guide you except the Home button which is slightly indented. Play music, play games, surf the net or call your nearest Apple or AT&T Store for more information.
Janet Dickelman, President
St. Paul, MN
Phone: (651) 428-5059
E-mail: Janet.Dickelman@comcast.net
Michael Malver, Vice-President
Minneapolis, MN
Phone: (612) 673-0664
E-mail: mmalver@visi.com
Sue Lindgren, Secretary
Minneapolis, MN
Phone: (612) 605-4526
E-mail: slindgren@mindspring.com
Catalina Roisum, Treasurer
Minneapolis, MN
Phone:
E-mail: catalina229@gmail.com
Chris Bell, Director
Roseville, MN
Phone: 612-859-4938
E-mail: christophergbell@comcast.net
Carolyn Coby, Director
Forest Lake, MN
Phone: (651) 464-5935
E-mail: cs_coby@hotmail.com
Amy Monthei, Director
Minneapolis, MN
Phone: 612-870-2886
E-mail: amymonthei@yahoo.com
Jo Taliaferro, Director
Roseville, MN
Phone: (651) 636-0404
E-mail: soaringeagle7@comcast.net
Jeff West, Director
Golden Valley, MN
Phone: (763) 544-5664
E-mail: westjeffm@comcast.net
