The ACB E-Forum Volume LII June 2014 No. 12 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** The American Council of the Blind strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people. Kim Charlson, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 (202) 467-5081 fax: (703) 465-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org The ACB E-Forum (TM) is available via e-mail, as well as via download from www.acb.org. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 195, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or read it online. Copyright 2014 American Council of the Blind All content created initially for use by ACB in publications, in any media on any web site domains administered by ACB, or as a broadcast or podcast on ACB Radio, archived or not, is considered to be the property of the American Council of the Blind. Creative content that appears elsewhere originally remains the property of the original copyright holder. Those responsible for creative content submitted initially to ACB are free to permit their materials to appear elsewhere with proper attribution and prior notification to the ACB national office. ***** Table of Contents President’s Message: Which One Do I Take?, by Kim Charlson Hetlioz Is Now Available Inaccessibility of GSA Web Site Results in Class-Action Lawsuit, by Eric Bridges Update on the Marrakech Treaty, by Melanie Brunson Fun for All in Las Vegas, by Janet Dickelman Welcome to Nevada Party Features Sock Hop DKM: Invest in the Future It’s Vegas, Baby!, by Lynn Hedl Extra, Extra! Convention Newspaper Now Seeking Volunteers Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved: Readying for Resolutions at Our July Conference and Convention, by Mark Richert One Book, One ACB Don’t Miss This Year’s Membership Seminar! Board of Publications Gives You the Chance to Let Your Voice Be Heard Here Comes the Bride (Or, Get Me to the Church on Time!), by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega Understanding Hospice Care and Medicare Coverage, by Ron Pollack Affiliate-Sponsored Leadership Training, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Passings Affiliate News Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski High Tech Swap Shop ** Correction The number for the Minnesota office was given incorrectly in the May issue. It should have read (612) 332-3242. We regret the error. ** Forum Subscription Notes You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, go to www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/brailleforum-L. ** Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. For news you can use, check out the new ACB Radio News and Information Service at acbradio.org. Check out ACB Radio Mainstream to keep abreast of happenings in the blind community. ***** President’s Message: Which One Do I Take? by Kim Charlson Today, more than any other time in history, there are many medical advances and prescription medications to help us manage chronic conditions and to feel better. A new study from Mayo Clinic researchers reveals that seven out of 10 Americans take at least one prescription drug. More than half of Americans take two prescription medications, and 20 percent of Americans are on at least five prescription medications. People who are blind or visually impaired may have even more medications due to using eye-related medicines, and having other medical conditions such as diabetes, which are more closely associated with vision loss. Using prescription drugs has some additional complications for people with visual impairments. One major issue that has to be resolved, and the most important in my view, is identifying which of your medications is which and how to keep them all straight. You can only expect to rely on your memory so far, and if you don’t feel well, that probably isn’t the time to rely on your memory to determine which medication bottle is which. There are many ways people can label their medication bottles to identify them – you might use a braille label, a large print label or sticker of a different color. You may be fortunate to have a talking prescription solution that you like, or you rely on tactile methods like a rubber band or Velcro dot or other shape sticker. Whichever method you use, you probably only know the name of the medication, but you also have to remember how many times a day you are supposed to take it and whether it is with or without food, etc. And then what about the availability of accessible information about the medication itself – side effects and proper usage instructions? ACB believes that having access to this type of health-related information is essential for people who are blind or visually impaired to manage our own health care independently and safely. In mid-March, ACB, along with our advocacy partners the American Foundation for the Blind and the California Council of the Blind, announced an agreement with CVS/pharmacy. They will now provide ScripTalk talking labels for prescriptions ordered for home delivery through its online pharmacy program. ScripTalk labels provide a safe and convenient way to access information on prescription labels for individuals who cannot read standard print. These labels are free to CVS.com pharmacy customers who are blind or visually impaired. Customers can also obtain a free ScripTalk reader from En-Vision America that will enable them to listen to the information on the ScripTalk label. According to the official press release announcing this agreement, CVS’ Josh Flum, senior vice president of retail pharmacy, stated, “We are pleased to offer the ScripTalk service to our online pharmacy customers who are visually impaired. Enhancing access to important information about prescriptions is in keeping with our purpose of helping people on their path to better health.” This ground-breaking settlement was the result of collaboration between ACB and its advocacy partners, CVS and California-based attorneys Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian. This agreement is a positive step that allows for a greater level of privacy, safety, and independence for blind and visually impaired Americans of all ages who take prescription medications. “The lack of accessible labels on prescription drug containers puts people with vision loss at serious risk of medication mishaps,” said Paul Schroeder, Vice President of Programs & Policy at the American Foundation for the Blind. “We applaud CVS/pharmacy for taking steps to provide speech access to label information for customers with vision loss along with its willingness to evaluate methods to improve large print labels.” "The California Council of the Blind applauds CVS's willingness to offer access to the information on prescription medication labels. As a result of this initiative, persons who are blind or visually impaired who use CVS mail order to fill their prescription needs will have the same direct, and independent access to label information as do sighted customers," stated Donna Pomerantz, immediate past president of the California Council of the Blind. To request the labels with a prescription ordered through cvs.com, the number to call is 1-888-861-4363. Questions about the ScripTalk system should be directed to En-Vision America at 1-800-890-1180. It is recommended that you reach out to cvs.com first. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is available at http://info.cvscaremark.com. CVS.COM, Caremark and CVS/pharmacy, while they have one parent company, operate as three entirely separate businesses. This agreement covers CVS.com mail-order only; however, we have been in contact with CVS Caremark and hope to extend the accessible prescription initiative to the Caremark side of the corporation as well. Anyone interested in obtaining talking prescription containers from Caremark should e-mail Lainey Feingold at LF@LFLegal.com or call (510) 548-5062. This settlement is a tremendous national commitment by CVS, and ACB will continue talking about other access possibilities moving forward. I am personally very excited to have ACB working with CVS on this nationwide talking prescription program. I believe that this is just one more step in putting the issue of accessible prescription labeling on the map for serious attention by companies, corporations and government alike. Stay tuned for more positive announcements in this area in the near future. In the meantime, take steps in your life to have accessible prescription labels and know what medications you are taking every day. Stay safe! ***** Hetlioz Is Now Available In last month’s issue of “The ACB Braille Forum,” you learned that a medication for Non-24 was on its way. So, we thought you'd want to know about the first and only FDA-approved treatment for people with Non-24. It's called HETLIOZ (TM) (tasimelteon), and it's now available by prescription from your doctor. With Non-24, you experience a constant shift in the times when your body expects to sleep and be awake, creating periods when you may be awake at night and want to sleep during the day. Non-24 is a serious, chronic circadian rhythm disorder that affects up to 70 percent of people who are totally blind. It may be time to ask your doctor about HETLIOZ. In clinical studies, HETLIOZ helped many people living with Non-24 sleep at night and stay awake during the day. So, now that there's an FDA-approved treatment for Non-24, it's time to talk with your doctor about your symptoms and determine if HETLIOZ is the right treatment for you. The most common side effects associated with HETLIOZ include headache, elevated liver enzymes, nightmares or abnormal dreams, and upper respiratory or urinary tract infection. These side effects may occur more frequently in patients 65 years of age or older. HETLIOZSolutions™ was created to support people with Non-24 who are totally blind. For help with questions you may have about insurance or financial support, as well as starting HETLIOZ™, we created HETLIOZSolutions™. Care coordinators are available to talk about Non-24 or HETLIOZ™ Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. Call 1-844-HETLIOZ (1-844-438-5469). For help with talking to your doctor about Non-24 and HETLIOZ, we've posted three accessible PDFs to the web site, AboutHETLIOZ.com, for you to download and bring with you to your next doctor's appointment. The first PDF can help you get the conversation with your doctor started. At AboutHETLIOZ.com, you'll find a downloadable Doctor Discussion Guide you can use to help describe your Non-24 symptoms to your physician. It can also help you discuss treatment with HETLIOZ. Review the guide and send it to your smartphone or notetaker, or print it out, and bring it to share with your doctor at your next appointment. The second PDF can help you get your medication delivered. Because HETLIOZ is not available at retail pharmacies, there is a special process that you and your doctor will need to follow to have HETLIOZ delivered to you. Once you have been diagnosed, and your doctor has determined HETLIOZ is right for you, you and your healthcare professional will need to fill out and sign the HETLIOZSolutions Prescription and Service Request Form, also found at AboutHETLIOZ.com. And because your doctor may need more information, there's a third PDF for that, too. The last PDF is the Doctor's Guide to HETLIOZ. It's been written specifically for doctors and covers the science behind a circadian rhythm disorder and Non-24, as well as information about the safety and effectiveness of HETLIOZ. This PDF can be helpful if your doctor isn't familiar with Non-24 or HETLIOZ. So, be sure to share the information with your doctor. If your doctor still has questions about Non-24 and HETLIOZ, it may be helpful to refer him or her to HETLIOZPRO.com, where we explain Non-24 and how HETLIOZ can help. If you have any questions, just give us a call. We're here to help. So, call HETLIOZSolutions at 1-844-HETLIOZ (1-844-438-5469). Here's some Important Safety Information about HETLIOZ™. HETLIOZ is a prescription medication used to treat Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (Non-24). It may cause drowsiness. After taking it, limit your activity to preparing for bed. HETLIOZ can potentially impair your ability to perform activities that require complete mental alertness. The most common side effects associated with HETLIOZ include headache, elevated liver enzymes, nightmares or abnormal dreams, and upper respiratory or urinary tract infection. These side effects may occur more frequently in patients 65 years of age or older. Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you're taking. HETLIOZ should not be taken in combination with fluvoxamine or rifampin. Tell your healthcare provider about all of your health conditions, including whether you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. HETLIOZ has not been studied in pregnant women. HETLIOZ should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risks. HETLIOZ has not been studied in children, and it is not recommended for use in patients with severe liver problems. You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, call 1-800-FDA-1088, or report by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178. For more information, ask your doctor or call 1-844-HETLIOZ (1-844-438-5469). To hear the full prescribing information, go to HETLIOZ.com. ***** Inaccessibility of GSA Web Site Results in Class-Action Lawsuit by Eric Bridges For many years, blind or visually impaired federal employees and those contracting with government agencies have continuously encountered inaccessible technology as part of their daily work activities. On April 22nd, three brave ACB members stood up for their rights as federal contractors and joined with ACB to file a class-action lawsuit against the General Services Administration (GSA) concerning the inaccessibility of SAM.gov, a web site that federal contractors are required to use when registering and renewing registration as contractors. Details are included in the press release below. ** Sutherland and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs File Class Action Against General Services Administration on Behalf of Blind Federal Contractors and the American Council of the Blind WASHINGTON (April 22, 2014) – The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP announced today that they have filed a class action on behalf of blind federal contractors and the American Council of the Blind against the General Services Administration (GSA), the federal executive branch agency responsible for administering the federal government’s non-defense contracts. The complaint, filed in federal district court in the District of Columbia, alleges that GSA has failed to provide a website accessible to blind federal contractors who must register and annually renew their federal contractor registration. The complaint names three individual federal contractors and the American Council of the Blind as plaintiffs. GSA is responsible for ensuring that recipients of federal funding comply with the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits both the federal government and recipients of federal funding from discriminating on the basis of disability, including blindness. GSA requires federal contractors to register and annually renew their registration on a GSA website, SAM.gov. The complaint alleges that SAM.gov is incompatible with screen-reading software that many blind individuals, including the individual plaintiffs in this case, rely on to navigate the Internet. As a result, the plaintiffs allege that GSA discriminates against blind federal contractors who cannot register or renew their registration on SAM.gov, which they are required to do under federal law. The lawsuit seeks to force GSA to make its website accessible to blind federal contractors. Sutherland became involved in the case through the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, which helped two of the individual plaintiffs file administrative complaints with GSA. “The great irony here is that the agency charged with ensuring that others comply with the Rehabilitation Act and make their websites accessible to the blind is not itself complying with the law. GSA is effectively telling federal contractors to ‘do as I say, not as I do,’” said Sutherland partner Lewis S. Wiener, who leads the team representing the plaintiffs. “We are honored to work with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee and the ACB in such a worthy cause and are working vigorously to ensure that SAM.gov is accessible to blind and visually impaired federal contractors.” In addition to Mr. Wiener, the plaintiffs are represented by Sutherland associates Amanda R. Callais and Charles M. Kruly. “In 2014 there is absolutely no reason why a website, not to mention a government website, should not be accessible to everyone,” said Kim Charlson, president of the American Council of the Blind (ACB). “The inaccessibility of SAM.gov points out a clear lack of commitment by leadership at GSA to make accessibility a core component of the design and development process.” Matthew Handley, the director of litigation at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, commented, “The law requires that GSA provide equal access to SAM.gov to all persons seeking to be federal contractors. Compliance with the law means, at a minimum, maintaining a registration system accessible to individuals with disabilities, many of whose livelihoods depend on their ability to maintain their status as federal contractors. Unfortunately, GSA has not met this minimal requirement, compelling the lawsuit filed today.” ***** Update on the Marrakech Treaty by Melanie Brunson Last summer, we reported extensively on the approval by the World Intellectual Property Organization of a treaty aimed at improving access to books for people around the world who have visual impairments. By way of a very brief summary of the treaty’s provisions that is free from legalese, countries that ratify this treaty agree to insure that their copyright laws allow authorized organizations to share books that are produced in accessible formats for use by people with visual impairments across borders. As anyone who is familiar with the politics of treaty enforcement knows, arriving at agreement regarding the content of the treaty is only the first step. Before a treaty can take effect, the specified number of countries must both sign and ratify it. Since the Marrakech Treaty was approved last June, 64 nations have signed it, including both the European Union and the United States of America. The U.S. signed the treaty last October. Since then, ACB and other blindness organizations in the U.S. have been working to set the stage for ratification by the Senate. Anyone who follows Senate deliberations on treaties knows that ratification can be a major undertaking, particularly when the treaties originate with the United Nations or one of its associated organizations. A case in point is the effort to gain Senate ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was rejected by the Senate in December 2012. Since efforts to obtain reconsideration of this treaty are still under way, no attempt has been made yet to obtain ratification of the Marrakech Treaty. However, our work to inform senators and their staffers about the book famine faced by people with visual impairments, even in the USA, and the potential remedies provided in the Marrakech treaty’s provisions are ongoing. It is our hope that our community won’t forget about this important matter, or think that the work was completed in Marrakech. It has only just begun, and there is still plenty we can and must do if we want to preserve our right to read. ***** Fun for All in Las Vegas by Janet Dickelman By the time you read this, there will be a little over a month until the start of the 53rd annual conference and convention. Are you ready for the glitz and excitement of Las Vegas? Have you made your reservations at the Riviera, the home of the 2014 convention? ** Room Rates at the Riviera ACB will be using two towers, the Monaco and Monte Carlo. Rooms in the Monaco tower are $87; rates in Monte Carlo are $63 per night. The Monaco is a non-smoking tower. It was remodeled in 2008. All rooms have refrigerators. The Monte Carlo tower has smoking and non-smoking floors. It was last remodeled in 1998. The rooms are older and do not have refrigerators. ** Convention Registration There are three ways to register for the convention. The fastest way is to visit our web site, www.acb.org. Just follow the link for 2014 conference and convention registration. You can also register by phone; call 1-800-866-3242 and leave a message with your name, phone number, time zone and best time to reach you. One of our registration gurus will call you back to complete your registration form. You can also request a paper copy of the registration form. ** Kids’ Explorers Club Attention children ages 6 through 12: the Kids’ Explorers Club is where you'll want to be! We have lots of fun activities planned for you! By popular request, the Kids’ Club will open Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. While mom and dad attend the opening session, come to Kids’ Explorers Club. You can get to know our coordinators Miss Suzanne and Mr. Andrew, meet friends from your last visit to an ACB convention, and make new friends. Visit the arcade and have snacks. Monday through Friday we'll have breakfast and lunch, take a swim, do a craft project and have the tour of the day. Although the tour schedule isn't totally worked out as of yet, plans include: Monday, the Discovery Children's Museum, which has more than 100 hands-on exhibits; Tuesday, Shark Reef, where you’ll get to meet a variety of sharks in a “touch tank”; Wednesday, Pump It Up, featuring bounce houses and tons of safe indoor fun; Thursday, Red Rock Bowling, where you’ll get to bowl 2 games (shoes included); and Friday, Adventuredome, an indoor theme park beneath a glass dome. Located at Circus Circus, the Adventuredome features roller coasters, premium rides, large rides, junior rides, a climbing wall, mini golf, free clown shows and an arcade. Kids’ Club hours are Sunday 6:30 to 9 p.m.; Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. ** Evening Fun for All Want to take a break after a full day of outstanding speakers at our general sessions, and our informative and educational afternoon workshops and seminars? Below is a snapshot of our evening events. ** Saturday, July 12th 5:00 PM USS Moontype Star Trek Sci-fi Fan Club 8:00 PM ACB Students Welcome Party 8:00 PM “Sin City Sock Hop,” Nevada host committee welcome party 9:00 PM ACB Lions Milly’s Place ** Sunday, July 13th 3:30 PM Newsreelers get-together BPI, FIA, CCLVI and RSVA/IVIE mixers ** Monday, July 14th 7:00 PM Gospel Sing Join Alison and Michael Smitherman in singing all your favorite gospel songs! 7:30 PM Viva Las Vegas Listen to RSVA's special Elvis Presley entertainer and have your picture taken with the king! 8:00 PM CCLVI Game Night Be a contestant or a member of the audience and play "The Newlywed Game" and "Family Feud" 8:00 and 8:30 Join SASI and BITS for their mixers 9:00 PM FIA Prose and Poetry reading 9:00 PM Viva Las Vegas Our DJ will be spinning records; come dance with RSVA. ** Tuesday, July 15th 7:00 PM ACB Families Bingo Fun for all ages; see how many ways there are to get bingo on your card and win a prize! 8:00 PM FIA Performing Arts Showcase Enjoy performances by your favorite artists, as well as new talent; cash bar available. 8:00 PM RSVA Slot Tournament Try your hand at slot machines and win cash prizes! ** Wednesday, July 16th 4:15 PM AAVL musical mixer 6:00 PM Let's Make A Deal Auction You'll find bargains galore. Bid, buy and have a blast and support the American Council of the Blind at the same time! Auction preview begins at 6:00 PM; the bidding begins at 7:00. 7:00 PM BPI Wednesday Night at the Movies, audio-described “Behind the Candelabra: The Tempestuous life of Liberace.” Filmed at the Riviera Hotel, this drama re-creates the glittering private world of Liberace (Michael Douglas), the flamboyant, phenomenally successful entertainer whose extravagant costumes, trademark candelabra, and elaborate stage shows made him the most bankable entertainer of his time. ** Thursday, July 17th 5:00 PM DKM reception Meet the 2014 DKM first-timers and share memories of ACB pioneer Durward K. McDaniel 7:00 PM ACB Movie Night, “12 Years a Slave,” audio-described “12 Years a Slave” won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Film. Starring Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Lupita Nyong'o. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty at the hands of a malevolent slave owner, as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life. 9:00 PM ACB Students Comedy Night 9:00 PM ACB Diabetics mixer ** Friday, July 18th ACB banquet, dinner, banquet speaker and presentation of awards. 10:00 PM BPI farewell party *** Evening Tech Sessions ** Monday, July 14th 5:45 PM HumanWare Make Travel a Breeze! 5:45 PM BookShare members gathering 7:15 PM Independence Science workshop 7:15 PM Piano technology workshop ** Tuesday, July 15th 5:45 PM HumanWare iConnect your BrailleNote Apex or the portable HumanWare Brailliant displays to iPhones, iPads, and PC's with your favorite screen reader. ** Wednesday, July 16th 5:45 PM HumanWare Why I love my new Victor Stream ** Reservation Details Room taxes are currently 12 percent. You will be charged for one night’s stay when you make your reservation. Make telephone reservations by calling 1-800-634-6753, or online by visiting the ACB web site at www.acb.org and following the 2014 conference and convention link. ** Convention contacts Stay in touch by joining the ACB convention e-mail list! Send a blank e-mail to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org. ** 2014 Exhibit information Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, amduo@bellsouth.net ** 2014 Advertising and Sponsorships Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, oleo50@hotmail.com For any other convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** Welcome to Nevada Party Features Sock Hop Come to the “Sin City Sock Hop” party! We of the Nevada Council of the Blind are happy to host a “Welcome to Nevada” party at the 2014 ACB conference in Las Vegas. Everyone is invited. It looks like everyone will be hopping their way through a fun evening at the “Sin City Sock Hop” at this year’s ACB “Welcome to Nevada” party. A D.J. has been found to bring a variety of dance music into the Riviera and liven the hotel up. The “Sin City Sock Hop” party is scheduled for Saturday, July 12, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. in an as yet to be assigned destination within the hotel. You may find it easily by following the sounds of music and laughter emanating from that area. We heard from several attendees in Reno that they wanted to dance but could not find a partner. That made a real impression on our local host committee co-chair Carol Ann Ewing, so she is arranging for members of a dance group to be there for you to dance with this time. They will be seeking you out and offering dances, so bring your energy drinks to make you vibrate to the tunes. There will be door prizes, including the Nevada-shaped boxes in cobalt blue containing $25 in Ike silver dollars. Only light snacks will be provided, so if you are on a diet, please eat before attending to keep yourself balanced. If this party goes viral, we do not want you to pass out and miss anything. Crazy socks may visit and cause crazy hops. Keep a string attached to your shoes. No one knows what is going to happen in Sin City! ***** DKM: Invest in the Future The ACB national conference and convention is a memorable though expensive experience. If only the flights were free. If only the hotel donated the rooms. If only the meals were complimentary. But, that’s dreaming. Reality tells us that every good experience has a cost. This cost requires an investment. Each year the DKM First-Timer program faces the challenge of fulfilling its commitment to underwrite the cost of two ACB members attending the national conference and convention for the first time, including travel, hotel and meal stipends. ACB members are invited to meet this challenge by participating in the 2014 DKM “ticketless” fundraiser. For each $5 donation, you will receive one entry to win a variety of prizes. For each $10 donation, you will receive three entries. Prizes include: • $50 Amazon gift card • 1 lb. Maker’s Mark bourbon balls • Red Cross solar-power emergency radios • iTunes cards • Gift cards from national retailers and restaurants • And more prizes to come! Drawings will be held at the DKM reception Thursday evening, July 17. You do not have to be present to win. Your donation may win you a prize. More importantly, your donation is an investment in a future ACB leader. ***** It's Vegas, Baby! by Lynn Hedl If you are planning to audition for a slot on the 2014 FIA Showcase of the Performing Arts in Las Vegas this year, please make note of some important changes. If you have never auditioned to perform, let this be the year you step out and show your stuff. You will be able to tell your friends that you "played Vegas!" If you plan to attend as an audience member, we intend to give you an unforgettable show, and even though we have had to increase our ticket prices to compensate for extra expenses we will incur from the hotel, it will cost much less than any show you may attend on the Strip. Who's playing? For the past two years, FIA has been lucky enough to secure professional bands who have not only played during the show, but who generously let us use their microphones and sound equipment for our performances. None of us were able to "sing with the band," but that is changing for this year. Thanks to the persistence and hard work of FIA member Dwayne Estes, we were lucky enough to secure professional musicians on drums, bass, keyboard and guitar, who are ready and willing to accompany performers. It goes without saying that everything comes at a price, and just as we paid musicians for the last two years, we will be required to pay these band members. In addition, because this is Vegas, extra costs will be incurred for use of sound technicians as well as hotel sound equipment. Thus, this unavoidable cost increase had to be passed down to Showcase attendees with higher ticket prices. In future years, we hope not to have to deal with these inflated hotel charges. You're playing in Vegas, baby! Yes, you have an opportunity to get up and sing with a real Vegas band! Of course, this means that you really have to have your number well prepared. We are also keeping to our five-minute time limit in order to give performers an equal chance in the limelight. If you do plan to sing with the band, you will need to bring one copy of the sheet music or lead sheet you wish to use. If you do not have sheet music, you can obtain it in any key from several web sites, including www.sheetmusic.com. A copy generally costs around $5. It is probably a good idea to keep your original music and only bring copies in case things get misplaced. Remember, these folks are professional musicians, and as long as they have your lead sheet, they can style a song any way you want to perform it. As always, it is good to have a backup number in case someone else wants to sing the same song. Opera, anyone? In past years we have provided a sighted accompanist, but we haven't done this in some time. This year, if you want to belt out that aria you have worked hard on, by all means, bring along a copy of the music and share your song with us. If you are a classical performer, a movement from a favorite sonata would always be welcome. Of course, you may choose to accompany yourself, have another person play for you, or to perform with your own instrument. Other instruments add variety, which every show needs, and in past years, guitars, ukuleles, flutes and harps have graced our stage. Make room for the spoken word. In years past, we have always welcomed spoken performances in the form of poetry, stories, and even short dramatic readings. This year will be no exception, and we already have it on good authority that a certain beloved storyteller from Oregon will make an appearance with a brand-new tall tale. ** FIA Mixer and Audition At the FIA mixer this year, which is an ice cream social, you may submit your name, along with information on what you want to perform, to Lynn Hedl. You can also come to the FIA booth in the exhibit hall if you are not able to attend the mixer. Auditions will take place in the FIA suite beginning at 2:45 on Monday, and ending around 5:30. This year we are not requiring specific audition slots, but we would like to know who we are expecting to audition. Come to the FIA suite during that period of time prepared to perform your number. We will have a keyboard in the suite, but there will be no microphone. We just want to hear your number, time it, and later determine if it will fit in the show. Please note that you will be unable to sign up after auditions have been held. You will be notified by phone on Monday night about the results of the auditions. Please note that, as of this year, with no exceptions, we will no longer use accompaniment tracks or CDs. ** It's Show Time! On Tuesday afternoon, beginning around 5 p.m., the band will be set up in the performance space and you will be able to rehearse your number. If you are singing with the band, this is your only chance to rehearse with them before the show, so it is very important that you make plans to arrive in time to get this accomplished. If you are playing your own instrument or accompanying yourself, this sound check rehearsal is also a must for you. All performers will need to be present no later than 7 p.m., so we can arrange you in performance order. This makes it easier for volunteers to quickly get you on and off stage so that the show runs smoothly. Please plan your day taking these things into consideration if you are one of the performers. Luckily, they have food 24/7 in Vegas, so you can grab a missed meal any time. Please address any questions you may have to fiashowcase@gmail.com. This is an address specially created to share information. If you know what you would like to perform with the band, please send that information to the above address so we can get an early idea of how the show may be shaping up. In any case, get your act together, because it's Vegas, baby, and we want to provide the best experience for you as a performer, as well as for you as the audience. ***** Extra, Extra! Convention Newspaper Now Seeking Volunteers Are you coming to convention? Do you like helping out where needed? The communication center is now seeking volunteers to help collate and staple papers, take ads and announcements, and staff the room. Sharon Lovering is the operations manager. She is seeking volunteers to fill two-hour shifts throughout the day (8-10 a.m., 10 a.m.-noon, noon-2 p.m., and 2-4 p.m.). The communication center will be open Friday through Wednesday, and be taken down Thursday morning; it will open daily at 8 a.m. and close to the public at 5 p.m. To sign up for a shift, contact Sharon at the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. This year's convention newspaper will be called “The Real Deal Review.” It will run from Saturday through Thursday in braille and large print. Ads and other items intended for publication must be in the center's hands by 2 p.m. each day. Ads should be 100 words or less. By a directive from the board of publications, ads will be allowed to run for only three days. If you wish to advertise in the newspaper, please contact Margarine Beaman, advertising and sponsorship coordinator, at (512) 921-1625 or by e-mail, oleo50@hotmail.com. The BOP's editorial policy manual prohibits us from producing or distributing campaign materials. During the evenings, we will need people to help collate and staple the braille papers. Thanks to Enabling Technologies, we will have three braille printers this year. Are you a night owl? Are you good at separating braille copies from each other, separating the pages, collating them in order and stapling? Drop by and see if the communication center needs help. If you have signed up for home delivery of “The Real Deal Review,” drop by the information desk and give them your name, tower and room number, and format preference once you arrive. This will ensure that you don't miss an issue. Hold onto your Saturday issue; it will include all the suite numbers, phone numbers, and room changes. If your committee or affiliate needs something brailled, we will be able to do that. Make certain you label your thumb drive or memory card(s) before bringing them down to the communication center, and tell us how many copies you will need, by what time, as well as how we can reach you (room number, cell phone, etc.); also be sure that your document(s) are on the drive or memory card. Bring your items down in the morning before the general session to help us fit them in. If you need something brailled for a 1 p.m. meeting, don't wait until 12:30 p.m. to bring it to us. Affiliates, if you know who your delegate, alternate, and nominating committee representative will be, please let Ray Campbell and Sharon Lovering know as soon as possible. ***** Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved: Readying for Resolutions at Our July Conference and Convention by Mark Richert I'm very appreciative to Kim Charlson for re-appointing me to serve as ACB's resolutions committee chair. What a privilege! And speaking of privileges, we are so very fortunate to be part of an organization that not only welcomes but actively encourages each of us as members to exercise leadership in formulating our organization's positions on matters of policy and, thereby, to nurture the democratic spirit that continues to breathe life into ACB's mission and work. I'm talking about ACB's resolutions process, undertaken at each year's conference and convention. In preparation for that important work this summer, here are a few things to know and some tips on getting involved in the process even before July. The resolutions committee will be meeting in person during this July's Las Vegas conference and convention for five consecutive nights, Sunday, July 13, through Thursday, July 17. Please consult the convention program for the meeting location and each night's start time. To have your resolution considered by the committee, I must receive it from you no later than 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, but I strongly encourage you to submit it to me well in advance of that deadline. Any ACB member is welcome to submit a draft resolution to me at any time up to and including during the July conference and convention, so long as I receive your submission no later than 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 15. Drafts that are not received in a timely manner will only be considered by the committee at the committee's discretion. Thank you. Now let me ask this of you, and while I'm serious about this, I hope this makes you smile. A draft resolution will only be regarded as having been received if I myself have received it; drafts, partial drafts, rumors of drafts, drafts merely existing in someone's consciousness, drafts that are only titles of resolutions, drafts that are merely a couple words scribbled on a soiled napkin, drafts that have been sealed in clay jars and buried in the Judean desert for millennia, or anything else that is transmitted to another person other than to yours truly by 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, will not be considered received. While you need not worry at all whether your resolution is in properly edited condition when you submit it to me, the thing you submit to me must clearly be a communication that says that you want the communication to be considered as a resolution by the resolutions committee, and the communication must, at a minimum, be written so that it plainly declares what you believe ACB should say or do. You may submit your draft resolution to me via e-mail at MRichert@afb.net so long as you make it clear in the subject line and/or the body of your message that you are indeed submitting a draft resolution for consideration by the committee. I will also gladly receive brailled copies of draft resolutions that you may hand to me during the conference and convention, and I will also gladly receive commonly used word-processed electronic files handed to me. Please do not ask another person, even someone whom you believe to be on the resolutions committee, to turn in your resolution for you. Between my e-mail address, my general availability during this summer's convention, and the regular hours during which the committee will be meeting, you should have plenty of opportunity to convey your draft. If none of these means for communicating your draft resolution meet your needs, I'm sure the ACB national office would love to hear from you and help you out. If you have any questions about the preparation of your draft resolution or about the resolutions process, please do not hesitate to e-mail me or to call me on my mobile phone, (571) 438-7895, including during convention week this July. My hope is that by the time you read this article, your resolutions committee will have already met at least once by phone to get organized for this summer's work and to begin discussing resolutions submitted in advance of our conference and convention. I look forward to working with all of you. Bring 'em on! ***** One Book, One ACB For the past few years, Library Users of America has made book discussion a part of its annual program at the ACB convention. This year we are asking you to read “For the Benefit of Those Who See: Dispatches from the World of the Blind,” by Rosemary Mahoney. In this book, Mahoney, educator and author of “Down the Nile,” describes her experiences teaching at a school for the blind in India and details her fears as well as the challenges of translating the sighted world for her students. It also profiles the founder of the school, Sabriye Tenberken. "For the Benefit of Those Who See: Dispatches from the World of the Blind" is available on digital cartridge or by BARD download, DB77851, from your NLS regional or sub-regional library. You can also find it as a Kindle Book that you can read with the Kindle app on your iOS device or with your Kindle Fire HDX. ***** Don’t Miss This Year’s Membership Seminar! The 2014 ACB Membership Seminar will be held Thursday, July 17, 2014, from 2:45-4 p.m. This year’s theme is “How Successful Chapters and Affiliates Recruit and Maintain Membership.” The seminar will feature two panel discussions. The first one will focus on successful strategies used to recruit newcomers. Panelists include Marlaina Lieberg, Will Burley, and Norman Culver. Panel two focuses on “How to ‘wow’ your members to keep them involved.” Participants include Brian Charlson, Cindy Van Winkle, and Guillermo Robles. There will be time for questions after each panel. Then the committee will recognize this year’s Membership Growth Award winners, those with the highest percentage and highest number of new members. (And there were quite a few contenders this year! Come find out who this year’s winners were!) We’ll wrap it all up with a number of hand-outs and door prizes. We encourage each affiliate to send at least one representative. ***** Board of Publications Gives You the Chance to Let Your Voice Be Heard The Board of Publications (BOP) is seeking the assistance of all ACB members and “ACB Braille Forum” subscribers. Those of us on the BOP know and believe that the best way to garner support for any and all ACB publications is to ensure that those publications address the needs, interests and concerns of as many ACB members and subscribers as possible. Both in a previous “ACB E-Forum” article, and at the affiliate presidents’ meeting this past February, we told you about our plans to conduct a comprehensive membership survey to get the feedback of our readers on a range of topics connected with our two primary national publications, “The ACB Braille Forum” and “The ACB E-Forum.” We are pleased to let you know that the survey is now available and we are inviting ACB members and friends to share their opinions. Our goals are to learn how our readers access these publications, which sections they like most, where readers think we can improve and any ideas readers have for making improvements to the quality and/or quantity of the information we publish. In order to ensure that our survey reaches the widest possible audience and that return rates are as high as possible and reflective of our entire membership base — including people who do not have access to computers or the Internet — the survey is being included in this issue of “The ACB E-Forum,” available online at forms.acb.org/bopsurvey, via e-mail, and a hard copy can be mailed to you in your chosen format upon request by contacting Sharon Lovering at the ACB national office by calling 1-800-424-8666. We will also provide copies to each state and special-interest affiliate president as well as to each member of the board and national staff. All of these members will be asked to assist any member to complete the survey if asked. BOP members will also be available to help anyone needing assistance, both before and throughout convention week. If you would like to request assistance in completing the survey, you may call 1-877-651-9560. Leave your name, phone number and the best time to call, and someone will get back to you as quickly as possible. E-mail responses can be sent to bopchair@acb.org. The survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete, and we don’t want anyone to be left out. Finally, the BOP is very excited to be conducting two town hall meetings during the 2014 ACB conference and convention regarding this project, to be held on Sunday afternoon, July 13 and Thursday afternoon, July 17. The purpose of the town hall meetings will be to talk candidly about all aspects of Forum production, answer any of your questions, and receive feedback from any and all who attend. Everyone attending the convention is invited; we want to hear from you. ** ACB Board of Publications 2014 Membership Survey Questionnaire The following questions pertain to “The ACB Braille Forum.” This is the bimonthly magazine which is published in hard-copy formats, including braille, large print, on cassette tape, on CD-ROM and in several other electronic formats. 1. Do you receive “The ACB Braille Forum”? Circle only one. a. Yes b. No 2. In what format do you receive “The ACB Braille Forum”? Circle all that apply. a. I read it on the ACB website b. Large print I receive in the mail c. Large print I download from the ACB website d. Braille I receive in the mail e. Braille I download from the ACB website f. Text on CD-ROM g. Text I download from the ACB website h. Audio cassette tape i. Email j. Phone via ACB Radio/Audio Now k. Phone via NFB-Newsline® 3. How often do you read “The ACB Braille Forum”? Choose only one. a. Every time it comes out (all six issues) b. Usually but not always (four or five issues per year) c. Sometimes (about 3 issues per year) d. Occasionally but not often (one or two issues per year) e. Rarely if ever 4. When you read “The ACB Braille Forum,” how do you read it? Choose only one. a. I read it cover to cover. b. I read it in bits and pieces over several days or weeks. c. I read only those parts of the magazine that interest me. d. I rarely read it. 5. Which three “ACB Braille Forum” features do you like most? Choose your top three. a. President’s Message b. Convention information and updates c. ACB business, committee reports, etc. d. Articles from ACB members and other individuals e. Affiliate updates f. High Tech Swap Shop g. Here and There h. Poetry and other features i. Other – Please describe: 6. When you are finished reading “The ACB Braille Forum,” what do you usually do with the magazine? Circle the answer that best describes what you do. a. I keep the magazine so that I can refer back to it in the future. b. I share the magazine with another individual or organization so it can be passed along to someone else. c. I discard the magazine. d. Other – Please describe: The following questions pertain to the new “ACB E-Forum.” This electronic magazine was launched in 2013 and is published bimonthly during the months when “The ACB Braille Forum” is not published. 7. Do you receive “The ACB E-Forum”? a. Yes b. No 8. If you do not receive “The ACB E-Forum,” which of the following statements best describes why you do not receive it? Choose only one. a. I do not have access to e-mail. b. I do not like reading magazines in an electronic format. c. I do not like listening to magazines in an audio format. d. I have never heard of the ACB E-Forum. e. Other – Please describe: 9. If you are an E-Forum recipient, how often do you read the E-Forum? Choose only one. a. Every time it comes out b. Usually but not always (four or five issues per year) c. Sometimes (about 3 issues per year) d. Occasionally but not often (one or two issues per year) e. Rarely if ever 10. When you read “The ACB E-Forum,” how do you read it? Choose only one a. I read it cover to cover. b. I read it in bits and pieces over several days or weeks. c. I read only those parts of the magazine that interest me. d. I rarely read it. The following questions pertain to both of ACB’s primary publications: “The ACB Braille Forum” and “The ACB E-Forum.” 11. Which document formats are accessible to you for ACB publications? Choose all that apply. a. Text displayed on the ACB website b. Large print available by mail c. Large print which can be downloaded from the ACB website d. Braille available by mail e. Braille which can be downloaded from the ACB website f. Text on CD-ROM g. Text which can be downloaded from the ACB website h. Audio cassette tape i. E-mail j. Phone via ACB Radio/Audio Now k. Phone via NFB-Newsline® 12. If you could receive “The ACB Braille Forum” in any format, which would you choose? Choose only one. a. Text displayed on the ACB website b. Large print available by mail c. Large print which can be downloaded from the ACB website d. Braille available by mail e. Braille which can be downloaded from the ACB website f. Text on CD-ROM g. Text which can be downloaded from the ACB website h. Audio cassette tape i. Audio on CD-ROM j. E-mail k. Phone via ACB Radio/Audio Now l. Phone via NFB-Newsline® m. Audio via podcast n. Other – Please describe: 13. Although the ACB collects a total of $5 per member per year, it costs the ACB about $40 to produce and provide “The ACB Braille Forum” and “The ACB E-Forum” to one member for one year. Given this fact, would you be willing to: a. Pay higher dues b. Pay an additional subscription fee c. Make a voluntary donation d. Some combination of A, B and/or C e. I would not be willing to pay more to receive “The ACB Braille Forum” and “ACB E-Forum.” 14. If you would be willing to pay more in the form of additional dues or a subscription fee to cover the cost of “The ACB Braille Forum” and/or “The ACB E-Forum,” what amount would you be able/willing to pay on an annual basis? This would be in addition to the current ACB annual dues of $5. a. $10 b. $20 c. $30 d. $40 e. Other – Please describe: 15. How do you think the ACB should raise money to cover the rising cost of producing and distributing ACB publications? Circle all that apply. a. Higher annual dues b. A voluntary donation to cover subscription costs c. A combination of A and B d. Other – Please describe: The following questions pertain to your feelings about ACB’s use of Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets. 16. Do you use Twitter? – Check only one. a. Yes b. No 17. If you use Twitter, do you follow the ACB or any ACB affiliates or chapters? a. Yes b. No 18. Do you use Facebook? – Check only one. a. Yes b. No 19. If you use Facebook, have you liked the ACB’s webpage? a. Yes b. No ** Demographic Information The following questions are optional—you do not have to answer them. Any information you provide will not be shared or correlated with your specific answers to the survey. Our intent is to ensure that our survey is reaching the broadest possible cross-section of ACB members and friends. It will also assist us in evaluating any potential correlations between specific responses and groups of respondents, e.g., men, women, people over 75, people in the East, people with limited incomes, etc. 1. Your zip code 2. Gender – Choose only one. a. Male b. Female c. Prefer not to specify 3. Age – Circle only one. a. Under 18 b. 18-24 c. 25-39 d. 40-49 e. 50-59 f. 60-74 g. 75+ h. Prefer not to disclose 4. Annual income - Choose only one. a. $24,999 or less b. Between $25,000 and $49,999 c. Between $50,000 and $74,999 d. Between $75,000 and $99,999 e. $100,000 or more f. Prefer not to disclose 5. How many ACB national conventions have you attended within the past ten years? Circle only one. a. 8 or more b. 5 to 7 c. 3 to 5 d. 1 or 2 e. I have never attended an ACB national convention. 6. Are you involved with an ACB state affiliate and/or an ACB special-interest affiliate? a. Yes b. No 7. Are you involved with a local chapter of an ACB state or special-interest affiliate? (Circle only one.) a. Yes b. No ** Comments Please share any other comments you have that would assist the ACB Board of Publications to improve the quality and/or accessibility of ACB publications. ** Optional Contact Information If you would like to disclose your contact information and/or if you would like to be contacted by a member of the board of publications to discuss your thoughts and ideas about how ACB can improve the quality and availability of our publications, please feel free to provide the following information: 1. First name 2. Last name 3. E-mail address 4. Daytime phone number 5. Evening/weekend phone number ***** Here Comes the Bride (Or, Get Me to the Church on Time!) by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega June is the most popular month for those wishing to exchange their wedding vows. In 1970, over the Thanksgiving holiday, Curtis and I became engaged. I was in my junior year of college, living in my own apartment with my dog guide Tammy. I was managing my finances, my school requirements and busy with friends and activities. Curt was the first young man I had dated who understood my need to be independent and make my own choices. He never tried to rein in my enthusiasm or to control me. Many of my friends were irreverent, outgoing and extroverted. They couldn't understand why I liked such a quiet person. He made me feel very special and loved for whom I really was. He knew how to make me laugh and allowed me to be myself instead of always having to put on a performance to prove I was just an ordinary college girl. Many of the other people I knew didn't believe that blind people were normal human beings. They could not get past my blindness. Other girls were petite, blonde or cute. Blind was the first defining term in their minds when they thought of me. Curt didn't rush to do simple tasks for me or treat me as if I were helpless. If I set out to do something, he waited to be asked for his assistance. He didn't act as if he thought my ability to accomplish tasks on my own was remarkable. The night I finally accepted his proposal, he placed my fingertips in the palm of his open hand. Quietly, he told me that I feared commitment because I thought of love as a cage. What he offered was a safe haven to come back to for rest after I had exhausted myself flying in all directions. He promised that he would never clip my wings. As long as I always returned home I could go freely and do whatever I pleased. The love he offered would have no bars to cage my spirit. I had briefly been engaged during my senior year of high school. The man was 10 years older than I and had been married before. He saw me as a beautiful Dresden figurine he could put on a shelf and keep as an isolated treasure. I broke off the engagement when it became clear to me that he didn’t know who I was at all. I wasn't so sure myself, but I was determined to find out. I knew instinctively that love isn't love if there isn't mutual respect and trust. I hadn't really considered marriage a viable option. I envisioned a life as a single professional woman. I imagined going interesting places on my vacations, wearing expensive clothes and dedicating my time to working for the well being of others. Of course this future self would have a beautiful well-groomed companion of the canine variety in harness at her side. She wouldn't have to face the world alone. Curt and I planned our wedding for the following June. We tried to save up money to fly my parents and grandmother out for a small ceremony at school. We had a classmate who was a minister, and I wanted my best friend Scottie Hagedorn to take part in the wedding as my bridesmaid. My grandmother had never flown and was in frail health. She had always been one of my role models because she was a tough, tiny woman who had been left on a doorstep as a newborn. She married my full-blood Chippewa grandfather when she was very young and bore him eight children. It couldn't have been easy to face the prejudice of society against an obviously white woman with a houseful of half-breed children. Our plans had to be changed when Grandma Luella declared that she wanted me to come to Michigan to be married in the church in which my parents were wed. Indian children are taught to respect their elders. I was the eldest grandchild and was born on the same day Grandma considered her birthday. Since my parents were divorced, I didn't see the point of getting married in that church, but if it was what my grandmother wished, I wanted to make her happy. Another wrench was thrown into our June wedding date. Curt got a job that was supposed to begin the day after the school term ended. Spring break had to do as a wedding date, even though it fell during Lent. Mom panicked when the wedding day had to be moved up to accommodate Curt's summer job. I had put a dress on layaway the last time I was home. Fearing I wouldn't have the money before the new date, Mom exchanged it. She took two of my attendants to the bridal shop clearance sale and had them try dresses on alternately. Kerri was my height and Nadine was closer to me in build. The poor salesclerk was confused and finally asked, "Which girl is the bride?" Mom floored her when she replied, "Oh, she's not here. She's in college in California." Early on March 20th, 1971 I boarded a plane from Modesto, Calif. with my two best friends. One of these friends was a large black Labrador that curled under the seat in front of me. The third member of the party was a broad-shouldered young man with a shy smile and a quiet manner that hid a lively sense of humor and a gentle, loving heart. Despite the fact that we had never gone on an unchaperoned date, Curt and I were on our way to begin life as a married couple. When our plane landed in Detroit, we were bumped from the continuing flight one hundred miles short of Saginaw. I went to turn in the unused portion of our tickets while Curt tried to reach my family to keep them from going to the airport. When Tammy and I joined him at a phone booth, my youngest brother Donny was refusing to accept the charges from someone named Curtis Noriega. I snatched the phone and told him he was not going to live to be 14 if he didn't accept the collect call! While getting the refund for our tickets, I had learned that an airport shuttle bus was returning to its garage in Pontiac. The driver was willing to race us there to catch a Greyhound bus for the rest of the trip. It was snowing heavily and we only had lightweight coats. When we reached the bus station, the snow was falling so hard, it was impossible to tell if the bus had come and already gone. The station was closed. Our driver was loath to leave us standing in the snow. He said he had some business in Saginaw the next day and would be happy to drive us the rest of the way in his own car. While trying to call my mother on the pay phone, I pushed the coin return and about $30 came cascading out. It seemed our lucky day. By the time we hit the road to Saginaw, the snowstorm had taken on blizzard conditions. Our kind driver kept losing sight of the road and driving through people's yards or off on the shoulder of the road. He just laughed and put another tape in his player to sing along with as he drove on throughout the night. It was early morning before we reached the Saginaw bus station and our good Samaritan driver refused to accept any money for gas or his trouble. My grandfathers quarreled over where the reception was to be held. My stepfather's stepfather wanted it to be in the Moose Lodge. My Grandma Luella's second husband wanted it to be in the steel workers’ union hall. Considering that neither one of them was actually my grandfather by blood relationship, I supposed I should have been flattered to be the cause of the argument. It was hard to see the simple wedding among college friends I had hoped for turn into an extravaganza and bone of contention. My mother and stepfather weren't speaking to each other. Don had moved out temporarily. He found it hard to see us all growing up. Parenting young adults was difficult for him. I had always played the peacemaker role in the family, but even my skills were barely sufficient to keep things from boiling over. My mother got into a fender-bender the morning we arrived. Her 10-year-old dog was stolen. My gentle brother Rob had to go over and threaten a neighbor to secure her return. The man made a practice of stealing and selling purebred dogs. This was the second time he had stolen Babette. The first time he must have sold her because she returned home after being gone two weeks. Her pads were worn through from the long journey she made to come home. I kept Tammy at my side and on leash whenever I came home to avoid her being snatched from the yard. Chaos was the norm for my large, quarrelsome family. Mother was the eldest of 10 and her father was the eldest of 12 children. I was the oldest grandchild. Relatives were not in short supply. The phone never stopped ringing as distant relations called to ask why they hadn't received an invitation to the wedding. Mom kept a stack of cards beside the phone. She asked for current information and reassured the second or third cousin that she was sure their invitation was in the mail as she wrote one for them. I had asked a young neighbor of Mom's to be a bridesmaid. We had become friendly because I had been babysitting for her two children during my trips home from college. I had also asked a teenage cousin to take part in the ceremony. Various relations had begged to be included in the wedding party. My brothers Rob and Ruben had steady girlfriends who wanted to participate. By the time the date approached, I had five bridesmaids, a maid of honor, a flower girl and a ring bearer. I was beginning to feel like merely an excuse for my family to hold a party. My maid of honor was a step-aunt that I had fought and played with since we were both three. She insisted that we use her car to travel from the church to the reception. I was uneasy, but since we had shared so many childhood memories, I didn't feel I could refuse. I wondered what her clients would think when they saw her paisley-topped Cadillac go by plastered with a "just married" sign. Nina had turned her beauty to profit by becoming a very expensive lady of the evening. My uncle John was appalled when I told him I didn't intend to buy any alcohol for the reception. He insisted on supplying it himself. He and his wife also wanted to be in the wedding. The week before the big day flew by as Mom defrosted and decorated the layers of my tiered wedding cake. I did a few minor alterations to the sale dress and took it to pick out a veil. We needed to replace groomsmen’s gifts that had been stolen from Curt’s suitcase en route to Michigan. Thank heavens they missed his great grandfather's gold pocket watch and chain hidden in one of his dress shoes. Then there was a bridal bouquet, corsages for the mothers and grandmothers to choose and a blue garter to find. Not to mention a bridal shower to attend. One afternoon, I slipped into my parents' room to phone my mother-in-law to be. I asked her to take us out shopping. My excuse was to look for an outfit to wear to the rehearsal dinner. I really didn't need a new dress. I was just worried I wouldn't have a groom come the big day if I didn't get him out from underfoot. My mother was busy piping roses, lilies of the valley and doves using her secret decorating frosting on the layers of our wedding cake. Curt and my youngest brother were sticking fingers into bowls of colored icing and sword fighting with the wooden dowels used to support and separate the layers of the cake. I seriously doubted Mom's patience would hold out if I didn't drag my intended out of harm's way. Curt's parents had made a reservation for a room with a king-size bed for their stay. When they arrived, the bed appeared to be queen-sized. When Curt's dad objected, he was told that it was a queen-size bed if one person rented the room but became king-size when two shared the room. Being an engineer, he was stymied by this logic. Beds don't usually grow a foot wider if two people share them. When they asked to reserve the bridal suite for us, the manager explained that they were in it. It appeared that not only did the bed magically expand with double occupancy, but the room also became a suite if newlyweds rented it. When we arrived at the church to rehearse, I was surprised to find my accompanist had not even looked at the music I had purchased and mailed to her months in advance. She made such a hash of it on the piano that I asked her to try it on the organ. The way an organ blends one note into the next disguised some of her mistakes and at least the music was vaguely recognizable. There were 30 of us at the rehearsal dinner. Upon arrival at the restaurant, the management charged more than the agreed amount, alleging they didn't have a reservation for our party. This claim was made despite the fact that they had a table set for us for a family-style meal. My baby sister refused to eat anything at the restaurant, even turning down the ice cream. When we arrived back at my parents' home, she placed her little hand in mine and whispered, "Sissy, will you make me a cheese sandwich?" I just had to laugh and make her the sandwich because crying was out of the question. My stepfather arrived and started pacing at 7 in the morning on my big day. He still wasn't talking to my mother. I scrambled to make sure my things were packed. After lunch, I gave my little sister lessons in sitting down in her flower girl dress. The first time she attempted this feat, the hoop holding her skirt out flipped up and hit her in the nose, causing a storm of tears. I got her calmed down just as Mom rushed into the room to ask if I could manage to dress myself. I replied that since I had been doing so for most of my 22 years, I thought I could handle it. She burst into tears, exclaiming, "Well, I can't, I have got my zipper stuck!" I got the jam solved and went back to hoop skirt lessons. Finally, we left for the church. The cake developed a list in the back of Mom's station wagon. We arrived at the church to find that the janitor had not appeared to unlock the door. It started to snow and I stood shivering on the doorstep hoping my groom would not appear before we could get in and out of sight. The dress I had originally chosen had a train that flowed from the waist and could be fastened up to form a butterfly effect for dancing. The one my mother had traded it in for had a train that fell from the shoulders and didn't have a way to fasten it up. When I moved some satin roses to disguise where one was missing, I had fortunately added a satin wrist loop. My dress was a sugar crystal organza. As the wind dusted me with snowflakes, I held the train of the dress up to keep it out of the mud. Tammy sat quietly at my side calming me with her presence. There was a last-minute scramble for safety pins when Nina wanted to practice putting back my veil. The snaps on her full satin sleeves kept coming undone and they slid up to her shoulders. Then I took Tammy to my grandfather to hold for me. He loved dogs. When a heart attack forced him to retire, Grandfather had adopted my Chihuahua and spoiled her rotten. He was having a hard time holding back his tears. I thought minding Tammy would give him a distraction. The music began and I followed 5-year-old Christina down the aisle. She forgot her shyness and walked with measured steps ahead of me carrying her flower girl basket. As we passed the pew where Grandpa sat with Tammy, she broke loose and came dashing up the hardwood floor of the aisle, sounding like a small pony. Donny, my youngest brother, tackled her from the side and pinned her to the floor. My stepfather hissed, "Don't laugh!" I disgraced myself by breaking into giggles. During the service, there were the usual sounds of a fussy baby, an elderly person's cough and the mournful wails of a protesting Labrador. Curt swears to this day that the loudest of these erupted when the minister reached the part in the ceremony where he asked if any in the congregation could give a reason these two should not be joined in holy matrimony. I think if I had only let her walk with me up the aisle, she would have been perfectly happy. When we arrived at the reception hall, we had to coax my new mother-in-law in from playing in the snow to stand in the reception line. Although a buffet dinner was provided, I had no time to eat. After cutting the cake and opening the gifts, the dancing began. My new husband and I led off and my little sister played ring-around-the-rosy with my 6-year-old ring bearer and the rest of the wedding party joined us on the dance floor. Then generous relations lined up to dance with the bride and groom, paying a few dollars for the privilege. The money they gave us allowed us to buy a washing machine, a table and chairs for our new home together. Many American Indian women get heavy in their later years and Chippewa are usually tall. Curt was very intimidated when several of my great-aunts formed a line to dance with the groom. He said that at five foot seven, and weighing in at 130 pounds, he couldn't help feeling as if he were facing being asked to steer Green Bay Packers in drag around the dance floor. I had my own problems managing the train of my dress as my father-in-law went into his version of Fred Astaire twirling and swooping around the room. Picture-taking and more gift opening took up additional time. Finally, I slipped around the room to give good-bye hugs to my two grandmothers, great-grandmother and closest relations. We crept away without my even throwing the bouquet. The extended family was so busy dancing, drinking and trying to top each other in the telling of outrageous tall tales that I don't think most people noticed us leave. I was so tired and we needed to catch a 5 a.m. flight back to school the next day. Monday our spring quarter of classes began. If this all sounds a bit like the perils of Pauline, well, at least Tammy and I avoided being tied to the railroad tracks and we ended up carrying off the hero in one piece with us when we made our escape. Forty years later, we are still sharing the trials and tribulations of living as a team. ***** Understanding Hospice Care and Medicare Coverage by Ron Pollack (Editor's Note: Ron Pollack is the executive director of Families USA, the national organization for health-care consumers.) If someone in your family needs hospice care, this column explains what it is and what Medicare covers. ** What is hospice care? Hospice care is a program of care and support for patients who are terminally ill. These patients may no longer want to try to cure a terminal illness, or their doctor may have determined that efforts to cure an illness are not working. To qualify for hospice care, the patient's regular doctor and a hospice medical director must certify that the patient is terminally ill and has six months or less to live. A decision about hospice care can be emotionally difficult for the family, and the patient should be part of this decision whenever possible. ** What is the goal of hospice care? The goal of hospice care is to help patients who are terminally ill live comfortably. Hospice services may include physical care, counseling, drugs (including pain medication), and other treatments that can help a person feel more comfortable physically and at ease emotionally. Hospice care can include doctor and nursing services, home health aide and homemaker services, social worker services, grief and loss counseling, and short-term care in a medical facility for pain and symptom management. Care is generally given in the home but can also be provided at an inpatient facility. ** What Medicare benefits are available for hospice care? Medicare hospice benefits are available to patients who are eligible for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and who are certified as having six months or less to live (if the illness runs its normal course). Patients must sign a statement choosing hospice care instead of other Medicare-covered benefits to treat the terminal illness. It is important to remember that Medicare will still pay for covered benefits for any health problems not related to the terminal illness. Medicare will also pay for a one-time-only hospice consultation, and it will pay for this consultation even if the patient does not go into hospice care. Once a patient is certified as having six months or less to live and has proactively chosen hospice care, Medicare covers a full package of services related to hospice care. There is no deductible or up-front amount the patient must pay before coverage begins. The co-payment or charge for each prescription drug or for products for pain relief and symptom control cannot be more than $5. All services a patient receives while in hospice care are covered under original Medicare, even if the patient has a Medicare Advantage plan (like an HMO or PPO). If the patient has original Medicare and a Medicare supplemental policy (Medigap), the Medigap policy covers co-payments and charges for drugs and respite care. And the Medigap policy covers health care costs not related to the terminal illness. ** What are the terms and conditions for hospice care? Once a patient chooses hospice care, Medicare will no long cover treatment or prescription drugs intended to cure the terminal illness. However, hospice patients always have the right to stop hospice care at any time. At that point, health care for the terminal illness and services not related to that illness are covered as usual under Medicare. To qualify for Medicare hospice coverage, a patient must get hospice care from a certified hospice provider. Once that hospice provider is chosen, all care for the terminal illness must be given or arranged by that provider. A patient can't get the same type of hospice care from a different provider unless the patient officially selects a new hospice provider. Medicare does not cover room and board if a patient is receiving hospice care in the home, in a nursing home, or in a hospice inpatient facility. If the hospice team determines that the patient needs short-term inpatient care (or if the patient’s caregiver needs respite services) and the hospice provider arranges the stay in a facility, Medicare will cover the ambulance transportation and stay. Respite care for the caregiver is covered for up to five days. (Respite care is temporary care provided so that a family member or friend who is the patient's caregiver can rest or take some time off.) Respite stays can be covered by Medicare more than once, but they can be provided on an occasional basis only. There may be a small co-payment for the respite stay. For more information about Medicare rights, visit Medicare.gov/appeals or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. ***** Affiliate-Sponsored Leadership Training compiled by Ardis Bazyn, ACB Membership Chair In our latest membership focus call, we discussed leadership training sponsored by different affiliates and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Below are outlines of the basics from different states. We hope these examples help your affiliate decide which type would be most appropriate for you. The Washington Council of the Blind has an annual leadership training seminar. Each one has a different theme. Topics include: WCB history, personality types, resolving conflict, chapter involvement, publicity, and a leadership focus. Table discussions are valuable. Each participant gets a T-shirt with the theme of the year on it and a photo and certificate of completion. The training ends with a banquet Saturday night. Sunday is a quarterly WCB board meeting for participants to attend. For this training, members are allowed to attend one time unless asked to speak for another one. Some program ideas from the last few years are below. The "Reach for the Stars" event used round tables with star centerpieces. "Ocean of Opportunity" had decorations and appropriate prizes for trivia. "Carrying a Torch for WCB" was the first theme. WCB has been successful in getting people to attend and training them to run for positions in the future. They have spent $2,000 for each conference and have graduated more than 200 members; of those, 20 percent have moved to full leadership positions. WCB used outside speakers for the first few years and then Washington state speakers once there were budget restrictions. Washington eventually moved to a shorter seminar for chapter presidents and leaders, where the training is held on Friday, with the state board meeting on Saturday. New leaders can attend this training more than once. The shorter seminar cost less for Washington and the participants as well. WCB has offset the cost of the training conference. The California Council of the Blind has handled leadership training at conventions. Previously, leadership training took place the day before the convention started - Thursday from 8:30 a.m., with continental breakfast, and ending at 3 p.m. Besides a luncheon speaker, sessions included the history of CCB, roles and responsibilities of officers, outlines of various committees, and other aspects of leadership. At this year's convention, CCB opted to have two tracks at the Saturday afternoon session of the convention itself: a leadership track and an employment track. Each lasted from 1:30 to 4:15 p.m. The leadership track covered an interactive session on personalities. Participants were asked to choose one of four personality types and join that group. Questions were asked that each group answered the way most in the group wanted. The exercise ended by showing how each type of personality would work best in the committee structure, including which committee might work best for the individual. Then the roles and responsibilities of officers and leadership qualities were covered. CCB decided to try this strategy because it cut down the cost for participants. In the last few years, some regional and national training seminars have taken place. This year, the Midwest Leadership Conference took place in St. Louis, and the Crossroads Leadership Conference was held in Louisville, Ky. The Crossroads conference took place Friday afternoon and Saturday. Topics included fundraising, public relations, and membership recruitment. This year, Kentucky offered a small stipend. It was mentioned how inexpensive door prizes helped keep the participants listening, since questions were asked during the day about what was already covered. The national Leadership Institute was held in 2012 and will be held again this year on July 11, prior to the ACB convention. The topics of the upcoming Leadership Institute were mentioned. Interested members can sign up on the pre-registration form. Members from Florida, Georgia, Missouri, and other states mentioned training held by conference calls. President's calls were another method of training, with topics such as constitution and bylaws and requirements for chapters, writing resolutions, Robert's Rules of Order, and the roles and responsibilities of officers. The Bluegrass Council of the Blind started a mentoring program, where newer members met with experienced members. Seven have been trained so far. They discussed mentoring, what it is and what skills are involved: empathy, active listening, etc. A local chapter formed an outreach program for members to share how people can deal with blindness. CCLVI developed a book called "Insights into Low Vision," which they are sharing with those who want to assist newly blinded people or their families. Our next membership focus call will be held in August; it will focus on 501(c)(3) and the importance of incorporating. If you can speak or write in Spanish and are interested in serving on a subcommittee, please contact the membership committee. If you are interested in working on a committee on CP and blindness, also let us know. ***** Passings We honor here members, friends and supporters of the American Council of the Blind who have impacted our lives in many wonderful ways. If you would like to submit a notice for this column, please include as much of the following information as possible. Name (first, last, maiden if appropriate) City of residence (upon passing) State/province of residence (upon passing) Other cities/states/countries of residence (places where other blind people may have known this person) Occupation Date of death (day if known, month, year) Age ACB affiliation (local/state/special-interest affiliates or national committees) Deaths that occurred more than six months ago cannot be reported in this column. ** Laura Hoffmaster Laura Whiting Hoffmaster, 94, of Romney. W.Va., had not been in good health for some time. She celebrated her birthday at her home on April 1, 2014 with many phone calls, visits and a birthday cake with a few special friends. Laura came from Birmingham, Ala. in the 1940s to the West Virginia School for the Blind as her first teaching position. In 1957 she married Frank Hoffmaster, a graduate of the school, who became the piano tuning teacher that year at the school. When Mountain State Council of the Blind (MSCB) first officially organized in May 1980, Laura was elected as our vice president. MSCB received its charter from ACB in July 1980 in Louisville, Ky. Our president was unable to attend, so Laura accepted the charter. She was actively involved in MSCB, serving on the board and on many committees. She gave generously of her time and financial support. She attended many ACB conventions as long as her health would permit. Visitation was held April 15th at the Shaffer Funeral Home in Romney. Her service was held April 16th. In lieu of flowers, she requested donations be made to the Franklin Hoffmaster Scholarship Fund, c/o Frank McGhee, Alumni Treasurer, 3391 University Ave. Apt. 101, Morgantown, WV 26505. If you have questions about the scholarship fund, call Frank at (304) 476-0596. Laura will be greatly missed by many former students and friends. ** Paula Marshall Paula Marshall died of a staph infection on Dec. 3, 2013 at the age of 57. She was born on Nov. 17, 1956 to her loving parents, Gilbert and Jane Buratt. Paula was a graduate of Louisiana State University. She worked many years for Ascension Parish schools with special-needs students. She and her husband were active in the Louisiana Council of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind, and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Baton Rouge, La. Paula loved life, her family and friends, and always the LSU Fighting Tigers. She is preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert and Jane Buratt; her nephew, Reese Buratt; and great nephew Stephen Guitreau Jr. She will be greatly missed by her husband Dan Marshall and family, sister Joyce B. Lambert, brother Martinis Buratt, her many nephews and nieces, and her best friend Michael Hodgeson. ** Wallace Gene Menning December 19, 1927 - March 20, 2014 (Reprinted from "The Statesman Journal," March 26, 2014.) Wallace Gene "Wally" Menning of Salem, Ore., died March 20, 2014. He was 86. Wally was born in Compton, Calif. In 1936 his family moved to Oregon. Wally and his younger brother Cliff attended elementary school in Coquille, spent a short time at the Oregon School for the Blind in Salem, and finished their high-school education in Monmouth. Wally completed two years at the Oregon College of Education, then transferred to Oregon State University. During his junior year, he joined a country-western band and began a tour of several states. Music was always Wally's passion. Settling once more in Coquille, he became part-owner and manager of a music store and worked part-time at radio station KWRO —doing broadcasting and advertising air-time sales. He relocated to Salem in the ’50s, and continued his involvement with music by singing with the Salem Senate-Aires and becoming the guitarist for the Country Four. Even in retirement, he remained interested in entertaining and enjoyed performing in shows at the Salem Greene clubhouse with other residents. Wally was self-employed, contracting with the Oregon Commission for the Blind Business Enterprise Program. He was manager of cafeterias at the Highway Division (now known as ODOT), the Public Service Building, and finally at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Salem. Wally was appointed by Gov. Tom McCall to be a member of the Oregon Commission for the Blind board of directors, and was pleased to have been elected to serve as its chairman for several years. Wally was acutely aware of problems affecting blind people, especially in areas of education and employment opportunities. Recognizing the need, he became one of the founders of the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, also serving for some time as its national president. He was a member of the American Council of the Blind, and of its state affiliate — the American Council of the Blind of Oregon. For the latter organization, he served as its legislative representative. Working with legislators heightened his interest in politics and political endeavors. Books on political accomplishments, detective ventures, mystery stories and biographies of country musicians provided much pleasure in retirement. A favorite activity of Wally's was spending mornings at the Salem Greene clubhouse with the men's coffee group. Wally was preceded in death by his parents, Garrett and Verna Menning, and his brother, Clifford Menning. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Iva May; his son Larry and wife Colleen; his daughter Lynda and husband Manny; and granddaughter Heidi, as well as several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following: Gentiva Hospice, 2925 River Rd. S. #100, Salem, OR 97302 or Blindskills Inc., PO Box 5181, Salem, OR 97304-0181. ***** Affiliate News ** Georgia Council of the Blind Scholarship Fundraiser Come and enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship, and support the Georgia Council of the Blind’s Al and Cora Camp Memorial Scholarship Fund! Al Camp was blinded on the battlefield of Korea and continued to fight after losing the sight in one eye until he was blinded in both eyes. He and his wife Cora led the Georgia scholarship fundraiser until their deaths. When: Saturday, June 7, 2014 Where: Chattooga County Civic Center, 44 Highway 48, Summerville, GA Time: 12 noon until 7 p.m. What: Musical event featuring gospel, bluegrass, and classical performances. Performers include: Under Grace Gospel Band; Steve, Amy, Toni Helms and Lloyd Gilreath; Dr. Philip Dillard, blind musician; Keith Morris Band, blind musicians; George Barton, organist, Cedartown First Methodist Church; Larry Wesson Band; and Ricky Woods Band. Veteran Fred McDade, blinded in Vietnam, will be honored. There will be food available for purchase, a silent auction, and a cakewalk. For more information, contact Jan Morris at (706) 346-7249, or Marsha Farrow at (706) 859-2624. ** ACB Diabetics in Action Convention Preview It is nearly time for our conference/convention in Las Vegas. I hope all diabetics will register for the activities we are having this year. Check your pre-registration form and register for the diabetes seminar on Sunday, July 13th. We are having two great speakers again this year: Mark from Dogs 4 Diabetics, and a speaker from UNLV. On Wednesday, July 16th, we will hold our annual luncheon. The menu is as follows: soup of the day, croissant with chicken salad, coleslaw, slice of fruit, and a piece of chocolate cake. After lunch, we will have our business meeting. The convention isn’t all business, though. On Thursday night, we will have our mixer; it will feature finger sandwiches and time to get acquainted. We’ll have a great time! Be sure and join our ACBDA telephone conferences on the second Wednesday of each month. They start at 9 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Central, 7 p.m. Mountain, and 6 p.m. Pacific. To participate, dial (712) 432-3675 and follow instructions to room 0. Each month we learn something new. We look forward to seeing you at the conference/convention in Las Vegas! ** Want to Help Start an Affiliate? All blind and visually impaired ACB members with cerebral palsy are invited to help form a special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. The purpose of the affiliate will be to provide a vehicle in which those who are blind and have CP can advocate to obtain better educational opportunities, better employment opportunities, better social opportunities, have a voice in the federal government, a voice in state governments and a voice in local governments. This affiliate will also teach legislative advocacy tactics to gain independence and freedom. Meetings will be held on the first Saturday of the month from 6 to 10 p.m. Eastern time July through June. The first call will be held Saturday, July 5. To join, phone (567) 314-5605 and use the access code 999999 pound. A face-to-face meeting will be held at the 2015 national conference and convention. If you are interested in helping to create this special-interest affiliate, please contact Alexander Scott Kaiser, 2720 Middle Way Lot 129, Forks Township, PA 18040; send e-mail to alexanderkaiser@ptd.net; phone (610) 829-0620 home, or (484) 353-2526 cell; or chat on Skype, (862) 345-6664, and look for Skype ID alexander.scott.kaiser10301990. ***** Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The ACB Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to slovering@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering's mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. ** Scholarships Available McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., the makers of TYLENOL®, just opened its 24th annual TYLENOL® Future Care Scholarship program. The 2014 TYLENOL® Future Care Scholarship program will award a total of $250,000 in scholarship funds to 40 undergraduate or graduate students pursuing an education in healthcare. Scholarship recipients will receive awards of $5,000 or $10,000 to help them manage the rising costs of education and be poised to enter dynamic and compelling occupations as nurse practitioners, pharmacists, dentists or family doctors. Winners will be selected based on their leadership qualities, academic performance, and community involvement. To be eligible, students must have completed at least one year of undergraduate or graduate study by the spring of 2014 at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational/technical school. Applications are available online at www.Tylenol.com/Scholarship, and must be received by June 30, 2014. Decisions will be made in July, and awards will be distributed to selected students in August 2014. There’s more good news! This year, in addition to the Future Care Scholarship, the makers of TYLENOL® have partnered with Rite Aid to give students pursuing a college degree the chance to win a $500 gift card to put toward textbooks for the upcoming semester. One winner will be randomly selected each day in June, beginning June 2nd. For more information, visit www.riteaid.com/tylenolbooks. ** Searchable Jobs Board Enable America has launched a new dynamic and searchable online jobs board: EnableAmerica.jobs. This web site provides the latest information on more than a million job opportunities from employers nationwide that are committed to building diversity in their workplace by including people with disabilities, disabled veterans and wounded warriors. New features allow users to easily tailor their search to occupation, location, and company, making the site a powerful tool for job seekers. Companies that have joined Enable America as employment partners include Eaton Corporation, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Lenovo, Duke Energy, Northwestern Mutual, EDM Americas, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and VASTEC. ** New Faces on the Access Board The U.S. Access Board unanimously elected Michael K. Yudin of the U.S. Department of Education as its new chair on March 12. As Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Yudin serves as the Secretary of Education's principal adviser on special education, vocational rehabilitation, and disability and rehabilitation research. Sachin Dev Pavithran was elected vice chair of the board. Pavithran, from Logan, Utah, is program director of the Utah Assistive Technology Program at Utah State University's Center for Persons with Disabilities. Previously, he served in a variety of other roles at the center, including program coordinator and disability policy analyst. President Barack Obama named Patrick D. Cannon to the U.S. Access Board and reappointed board members Howard A. Rosenblum and Deborah A. Ryan. Patrick Cannon, of Lansing, Mich., was director of the Michigan Commission for the Blind from 1997 to 2012. He was also president of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind and served as director of the Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns for 10 years. Cannon previously served as a member of the Access Board from 1995 to 2003, including a term as its chair. Howard Rosenblum, who joined the board in 2010, is chief executive officer of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) in Silver Spring, Md. Previously, he was an attorney at Equip for Equality, the designated protection and advocacy entity in Illinois, from 2002 to 2011. Rosenblum is the co-founder and former chairman of the Midwest Center on Law. Deborah Ryan of Boston, who was first appointed to the board by President Obama in 2011, is the founder and director of Deborah A. Ryan & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in ensuring compliance with state and federal accessibility requirements. Before creating her firm in 2002, Ryan served for over 25 years at the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board, including 15 years as its executive director. The MAAB develops and enforces state requirements for accessible buildings and facilities. She is also a member of the Boston Society of Architects Access Committee. ** AccessaMed Prescription Labeling In 2011, AccessaMed created the Digital Audio Label, which gives blind and visually impaired people and senior citizens the information they need: which medication they are taking and the dosage. The Digital Audio Label is a 2” tall by 1” wide device that permanently adheres to prescription bottles or packages. By pressing the button on the label, the embedded speaker provides a clear verbal description of the prescription details as prepared by the pharmacist, up to 400 times. For more information, visit www.accessamed.com, call (360) 696-5955, or e-mail info@accessamed.com. ** America’s Long-Term Care Crisis In the next two decades, an aging population, fewer family caregivers, increasingly limited personal financial resources, and growing strains on federal, state, and family budgets will create an unsustainable demand for long-term care. Over the past 20 years, policy makers have debated different solutions, but have failed to reach consensus on a sustainable means of financing and delivering long-term services and supports (LTSS). Failure to find that consensus well before the baby boom generation begins to need long-term services and supports will strain our long-term care safety-net to the breaking point. The Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC) Health Project announced today a new initiative to find a politically viable and fiscally sustainable path forward to improve the financing and delivery of LTSS for America’s aging population and working-age Americans with disabilities. BPC’s new Long-Term Care Initiative (LTCI) is led by former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle and Bill Frist, former White House and Congressional Budget Office Director Dr. Alice Rivlin and newly appointed BPC Senior Fellow and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson. The co-chairs of the new initiative released a white paper, “America’s Long-Term Care Crisis: Challenges in Financing and Delivery.” The paper identifies the major challenges to the financing and delivery of long-term services and supports for seniors and individuals with disabilities under 65, including: • The population needing long-term care is expected to double between now and 2050. • Significant diversity in populations will need long-term care and will require a wide range of assistance and types of services. • Medicaid, a safety net program, covers the cost of the majority of paid LTSS, at well over $100 billion annually. As the baby boom generation ages, this amount is projected to grow rapidly at a time when federal and state budgets will be stretched. • Limited options are available for individuals and families seeking to prepare for potential LTSS costs, and the private long-term care insurance market remains small relative to public programs as a source of LTSS financing. The BPC initiative will work to find a policy pathway that addresses the nation’s current and projected need for long-term care. It will focus on integrating and emphasizing the role of long-term care within organized systems of care delivery and payment, and exploring sustainable approaches for financing at the individual, family, state, and national levels. A final report of LTCI policy recommendations, accompanied by a quantitative analysis of budget and distributional impacts, will be released later this year. ** Perkins CEO Named Perkins recently announced that Dave Power of Newton has been selected as its chief executive officer and president. As a successful operating executive and business strategist for more than 25 years, and the founder and current president of Power Strategy, Inc., Dave brings an informed viewpoint and innovative approach that will take Perkins and its various business ventures to the next level. He will oversee all five divisions of Perkins' – Perkins School for the Blind, Perkins Products, Perkins Library, Perkins International and Perkins eLearning. He will work with educational leader Dorinda Rife to promote the mission of Perkins School for the Blind while also finding ways to improve what we do across all areas and target new populations who need our services. New Dean of Research at Salus University Dr. Mitchell Scheiman has been named interim dean of research at Salus University. Scheiman has served as the associate dean of clinical research and director of the university’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry Pediatric/Binocular Vision programs. He has been recognized nationally for his leadership in binocular vision. ** NCOD Thanks Claudia Gordon The National Council on Disability (NCD) thanks Claudia Gordon, Esq., for her service as the White House's Public Engagement Advisor for the Disability Community in the Office of Public Engagement. Gordon served in the position from July 2013 until March 28th, 2014. Gordon is returning to the Department of Labor, where she'll resume her role as special assistant to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director Patricia A. Shiu. ** Wounded Warrior Program Celebrates 10 Years The U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) celebrated its 10th anniversary in April. Established in 2004 as the Disabled Soldier Support System (DS3), AW2 plays a strategic and tactical role in executing the Army’s Warrior Care and Transition Program (WCTP) under the Warrior Transition Command (WTC). The AW2 model of personalized support extends through a corps of more than 200 AW2 advocates at Army and Veterans Affairs facilities throughout the country. The advocates work with each soldier to anticipate challenges, identify programs and benefits and ensure continuity of care throughout the recovery and transition process. Key milestones in AW2’s history include: • April 2004: Established the Disabled Soldier Support System (DS3) • November 2005: Name changed to U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) • June 2006: First AW2 Symposium. The seven total symposiums resulted in real change (i.e., VA Caregiver Stipend, expanded TSGLI coverage, financial counseling for AW2 soldiers, Special Compensation for Assistance with Activities of Daily Living) • April 2007: Warrior Transition Units established • November 2008: Assumed Recovery Coordination Program mission for Army • April 2009: Moved under U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) • September 2009: Established AW2 Community Support Network (now WTC Community Support Network with 300 organizations) • October 2009: Warrior Transition Command (WTC) established and AW2 integrated into WTC structure • February 2011: Wounded Warrior Federal Employment Conference • February 2012: Wounded Warrior Employment Conference (expanded to include private sector employers) • 2013: Conducted online symposium to gather feedback on improving warrior care from soldiers and families • 2014: Regional staff trainings (planned) on resilience, lessons learned, VA integration and continuity of services Today, the WCTP provides personalized support to more than 24,000 soldiers and veterans throughout the recovery and transition process. ** Lucky 365 Do you feel lucky? If so, the Governor Morehead School Alumni Association’s Lucky 365 fundraiser is right up your alley! Proceeds from this endeavor will help the alumni association continue funding awards and scholarships, education and technology, and the Envisioning Youth Empowerment (EYE) retreat programs. First prize is $1,000; second prize, $500; and third prize, $250. If you’d like to get a ticket, or several, contact Lawrence Carter, (919) 856-0034; Douglas Davis, (202) 744-4666; Fred McEachern, (919) 821-4808; or Ricky Scott, (919) 673-8300. You do not need to be present to win. The drawing will be held on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014 at the alumni luncheon. ** Science Sense Tours New York's Museum of Natural History offers Science Sense tours to visitors who are blind or partially sighted. Specially trained tour guides highlight specific themes and exhibition halls, engaging participants through extensive verbal descriptions and touchable objects. Science Sense tours are available to individuals or groups, and are free with museum admission. Space is limited; advance registration is required. Programs may be subject to change. For additional information, or to register for a Science Sense tour, call (212) 313-7565 or e-mail accessibility@amnh.org. Wednesday, July 16th, 2:30 p.m.: Mexico and Central America. Explore the cultures of the Olmec, Aztec and Maya. Discover their beliefs, gods, and myths in the Hall of Mexico and Central America. Saturday, August 16, 10 a.m.: The Changing Seasons. Learn what causes weather, the change of seasons and its impact on different areas of North America in the The David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, The Hall of North American Forests, and the Bernard Family Hall of North American Mammals. ** Getting Started with the iPhone "Getting Started with the iPhone and iOS 7: An Introduction for Blind Users" by Anna Dresner is available from National Braille Press in braille, e-braille (BRF), Word, and DAISY formats. If you like step-by-step tutorials, you'll appreciate the detailed way in which you're guided through setting up your phone, loading and backing up music, contacts, etc., using the built-in apps, and buying more. If you prefer to look up the commands you need, check out appendix 1, which lists every gesture and button on the phone in an organized manner so you can find the one you need. Other appendices include troubleshooting tips and a list of resources to help you learn more. Most of the book is also relevant for iPod Touch users. (iPad screen layouts, on the other hand, are different enough that many of the details described will not apply.) Want to learn more? Visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/IPHONE-IOS7.html to preview the table of contents. Or write to NBP, 88 St. Stephen St., Boston, MA 02115-4302, or call toll-free, 1-800-548-7323. ** Online Courses OnlineCourses.com offers free online courses on the web to any devices of the users’ choice. The site is developed to be optimized for mobile devices, which will allow users to take courses anywhere. Students can explore the courses, create unique programs and track their progress. The site feature courses from institutions such as Yale, MIT, Stanford, and Harvard. For more information, visit www.onlinecourses.com, or send an e-mail message to admin@onlinecourses.com. ** Newsreel Magazine Newsreel Magazine is a two-way audio magazine by and for the blind and visually impaired. Subscribers share ways to make daily living skills much easier without vision. For a free three-month introductory subscription, or for more information, contact Newsreel at (614) 469-0700 or toll-free, 1-888-723-8737, or e-mail info@newsreelmag.org. Newsreel Magazine is available in 4-track cassette, MP3 CD and MP3 download. ** Brailler Repairs Are your brailler keys sluggish or sticking? Does it need a tune-up? Bring your brailler back to life! The Selective Doctor, Inc. specializes in the repair of Perkins braillers. Send your brailler to The Selective Doctor, Inc., PO Box 571, Manchester, MD 21102 via U.S. mail. The company accepts free matter shipping. Be sure to insure your brailler! If you need more information, call the company at (410) 668-1143 or e-mail braillerrepair@yahoo.com. Or you may check the web site, www.selectivedoctor.com. ***** High Tech Swap Shop ** For Sale: Trekker breeze. Asking $350. Contact Michael Capelle via e-mail, michael.capelle@frontier.com, or phone (715) 298-9672. ** For Sale: Braille Note PK with KeySoft version 7.2. Asking $250 or best offer. Contact Philip at (703) 581-9587 or via e-mail, philip-ashley2006@hotmail.com. ** For Sale: Olympus DM-4 digital recorder. Has 8 gigs internal memory, a bright 2.2" color screen, a voice guidance system, and supports DAISY, audible.com, podcasting and audio book formats. It transfers audio files quickly and easily; records and plays back in MP3, WMA and PCM. It charges the battery when you connect it to your PC or when plugged in with the AC adapter (included). It has a long battery life (20 hours) with lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Used very little; in box with instructions and disks. Asking $280 plus $10 shipping. iPad 1 model MB29311. Has 28.6 gigs of memory. In excellent condition; comes with charger and iPad cover. Asking $150 plus $10 shipping. For more information, contact Jeff via e-mail, mplsjeffm@gmail.com, or phone him at (612) 869-7410. ** Wanted: I am looking for Trekker Breeze Canadian maps! If you have Canadian maps, e-mail Nino at ninopacini@gmail.com and put "maps" as the subject. ** Wanted: I am looking for a Tascam four-track music recorder with two speeds. Will be used to make music tapes for a one-man band. Can't pay much. Contact Walter walterchavira1@gmail.com, or call (661) 748-7249. ** Wanted: I am looking for a four-track tape player/recorder in good condition. If you have one, contact Mark Brautigam at (614) 224-1203. ***** ACB Officers ** President Kim Charlson (1st term, 2015) 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** First Vice President Jeff Thom (1st term, 2015) 7414 Mooncrest Way Sacramento, CA 95831-4046 ** Second Vice President Marlaina Lieberg (1st term, 2015) 15100 6th Ave. SW, Unit 728 Burien, WA 98166 ** Secretary Ray Campbell (1st term, 2015) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ** Treasurer Carla Ruschival (2nd term, 2015) 148 Vernon Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 ** Immediate Past President Mitch Pomerantz 1115 Cordova St. #402 Pasadena, CA 91106 ** ACB Board of Directors Berl Colley, Lacey, WA (final term, 2016) Sara Conrad, Stevensville, MI (1st term, 2016) Janet Dickelman, St. Paul, MN (1st term, 2014) Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX (final term, 2016) George Holliday, Philadelphia, PA (1st term, 2014) John McCann, Falls Church, VA (1st term, 2016) Allan Peterson, Horace, ND (1st term, 2014) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2014) Dan Spoone, Orlando, FL (1st term, 2016) David Trott, Talladega, AL (1st term, 2014) Ex Officio: Denise Colley, Lacey, WA ** ACB Board of Publications Denise Colley, Chairman, Lacey, WA (1st term, 2015) Ron Brooks, Phoenix, AZ (1st term, 2015) Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA (final term, 2014) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (1st term, 2014) Ex Officios: Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY Bob Hachey, Waltham, MA Berl Colley, Lacey, WA