As Project Leader for the preparation of the living document that is the web based American Council of the Blind (ACB) Pedestrian Safety Handbook, it is my honor and privilege to acknowledge the significant contributions to this Handbook by talented men and women with a lifelong commitment to and expertise in the fields of environmental access for people who are blind and visually impaired and orientation and mobility training to insure that we have mastery of the best techniques to move safely and independently throughout our environment.
This ever evolving work is dedicated to the memory of Patricia Beattie who worked tirelessly as long time Chair of the ACB Environmental Access Committee and during her career with National Industries for the Blind to insure that our right to access the environment of our country was protected, understood and appropriately accommodated.
Those who have contributed to the handbook gave their best in order to enable us to advocate for pedestrian access where we live, work and play. They have created a toolbox full of the most accurate and current information and resources. Because this handbook is a living, evolving document, this toolbox will always be one that we can turn to as we educate about and advocate for our civil right as blind pedestrians to access our environment.
I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my first partner and colleague in the creation of the first edition of the ACB Pedestrian Safety Handbook, Charlie Crawford, who, as Executive Director of ACB in the late 1990's, immediately bought into the idea of the handbook when I first presented it to the ACB Board as little more than a vision. Charlie spent time helping me to flesh out my vision and wrote an impassioned introduction. He led me to wonderful resources and introduced me to experts in the field, all of whom have contributed to this incarnation of the handbook.
I wish to convey my deep gratitude to the authors who care so deeply and who know so much:
Janet M. Barlow, COMS
Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist
Accessible Design for the Blind
Billie Louise (Beezy) Bentzen, COMS
Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist
Accessible Design for the Blind
Lukas Franck COMS, GDMI
Senior Special Projects Consultant
The Seeing Eye
Gene Lozano
Founder and first chair of the ACB Environmental Access Committee
Dona Sauerburger, COMS
Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist
Lois Thibault
Coordinator of Research (Retired)
US Access Board,
Each of these phenomenal individuals not only wrote the chapters that are credited to them in the Handbook, they spent a great deal of time assisting with the plan and scope of this project.
As Lois was carrying out her last responsibilities at the Access Board before her well deserved retirement, she joined the project team not a moment too soon. Lois brought her understanding of the issues, clarity of thought and excellent writing ability to the project as she collaborated on the chapters and submitted valuable information for which she is credited in the Handbook.
I gratefully acknowledge the ongoing commitment of ACB President, Mitch Pomerantz, to this project and his contribution to it.
Members of the ACB Environmental Access Committee who assisted with the project are: Gene Lozano, Kathy Lyons and Pat Sheehan,
Each person who contributed to this endeavor can be justifiably proud of the outcome and the ongoing impact that it will have as together we advocate for meaningful and comprehensive environmental access throughout this country.
The Editors of the ACB Pedestrian Safety Handbook are Gene Lozano, Founder and first chair of the ACB Environmental Access Committee, and Penny Reeder, whose multifaceted career has provided her with much editing experience.
Gene somehow found the time and the heart to do whatever I asked of him, often carrying the project by himself until I could find my feet. Besides undertaking the roles of author and collaborator, Gene checked and rechecked every chapter and reference for accuracy and spent hours insuring that each chapter achieved what we had planned for it.
Penny Reeder joined the project team because she is a good friend and because I asked her to. Penny's editing skill and passion for the content and intent of the handbook gave us the final push we needed to get the project across the finish line.
How can each of us truly thank the amazing individuals who have been acknowledged here? We can take the steps, often small steps, one at a time, to make the environment in our own corner of this country truly accessible. Let's get out there and do it!
Respectfully
Debbie Grubb
ACB Pedestrian Safety Handbook Project Leader
Chair, ACB Environmental Access Committee