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 [email protected], 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.
Candle in the Window Retreat
Candle in the Window will hold its annual retreat Aug. 5-9. This year’s topic is “Blindness and Self-Esteem.” The retreat will be held at Wooded Glen Retreat Center in Henryville, Ind., just minutes away from Louisville, Ky.
Attendance is limited to 20 participants, so make your reservations early. A $40 deposit (non-refundable) will reserve your spot. If payment is received before July 1, a $15 discount is offered. Registration closes Aug. 1, 2015.
This is a great opportunity to connect with friends and enjoy conversations that explore the impact of internal and external factors on our self-worth and how much our blindness has affected how we feel about ourselves. Participants will reflect on questions such as:
- How did our parents or those closest to us feel about having a blind child/ adult as part of their lives? How did they make us feel: inferior, as capable as our sighted peers, etc.?
- How did the sighted folks with whom we interacted treat us and how did that affect our feelings about our self-esteem?
- How important is outside validation to our self-esteem?
- What do you do to enhance your own self-esteem?
Fees, which include round-trip transportation from the Louisville airport to the retreat center, all meals, and your room per person are as follows: double occupancy, $550; triple occupancy, $530. We have scheduled group transportation to Wooded Glen and we would like to arrive there by 3 p.m., so plan to arrive by 1:30 p.m. at the Louisville, Ky. airport. Those who arrive later may need to arrange their own transportation to the retreat center. Please try to arrange your departing flights from Louisville for no earlier than noon on Aug. 9.
Payment through PayPal should be sent to [email protected]. Payment by check may be sent to Carlos Taylor, 925 S. Luick Ave., Muncie, IN 47302. Make check payable to Candle In the Window.
For more information, contact Kathy Szinnyey at [email protected], or call her at (502) 759-1288. Or contact Patrick Votta via e-mail, [email protected], or call him at (718) 797-2475.
Governor Morehead Reunion
The Governor Morehead School Alumni Association will hold its 8th annual reunion Aug. 7-9, 2015. You do not have to be a graduate of the Governor Morehead School to attend; all blind and visually impaired people, friends of, family of, and interested people are invited.
The hotel this year will be the Embassy Suites Crabtree located at 4700 Creedmoor Rd. in Raleigh, N.C. Room rates are $85 plus tax per night; this price includes a hot buffet breakfast. To reserve a room, call the hotel at (919) 881-0000 or 1-800-EMBASSY (1-800-362-2779) and ask for a room with the Governor Morehead School Alumni Association group rate. This rate will be available until July 18 or until the block is sold out. The hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to/from the airport. They are also providing our group with complimentary shuttle service to/from the bus and train stations from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the hour.
The registration rate for members of GMSAAI is $50 plus your yearly membership dues of $15; for non-members the rate is $70. Please be sure to register by July 18, 2015; after July 18 there will be an additional $10 fee. There will be no refunds after July 18th.
Checks should be made payable to GMSAAI and mailed to GMSAAI, PO Box 46808, Raleigh, NC 27620. If you have any questions or need more information, contact Lawrence Carter via phone at (919) 856-0034 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Come and join us in August!
Award Winners
Robert Cabrera is the winner of National Industries for the Blind’s Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year Award. Paul Fearns received the Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award. Both men work at the Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Utica, N.Y.
6dot Braille Label Maker
The 6dot Braille Label Maker has everything braille users need to create braille labels in any language. Powerful but simple, 6dot is ergonomically designed to make it easy for people of all ages to label practically anything at home, school, the office, or on the go. The label maker is portable; has a built-in braille keyboard that supports all grades of braille; offers optional QWERTY connectivity; has an automatic cutter – no need for scissors; and has dual power options (AC/DC adapter or battery). Want to learn more? Visit www.6dot.com.
Seeking Computer Teacher
Bob Groff Jr. is seeking someone to teach him Windows XP, how to download software, create a backup disk, how to recover from crashes, file management, and how to keep a computer running smoothly, among other things. Contact him at (501) 589-7577 or e-mail [email protected].
Brailling Service Available
If you are looking for ways to braille anything that is not copyright-protected, contact Adrijana Prokopenko via e-mail, [email protected]. She can braille songs, cards, letters and anything else that is needed. She can transcribe from a Word document or from a Skype call.
New Facebook Group
The Blind Dating Community is a new Facebook group hosted by blind moderators, enabling visually impaired singles to communicate and get to know others. Want to join? Visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/732925866827394/.