Skip to main content

Here and There

edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins

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.


Sierra Regional Ski for Light

The 2023 SRSFL three-day cross-country ski event will be held in Truckee, Calif. Saturday, March 4 through Monday, March 6, 2023. Lodging will be at the Best Western Hotel in Truckee, Calif. Skiing will be at Tahoe Donner Cross Country. Fees include two nights’ lodging (double occupancy) in Truckee, breakfasts and dinners, and trail passes for all three days. You are on your own for lunches in Truckee. Tahoe Donner has a lunch menu, which includes vegetarian items. For those coming in on Friday, March 3, lodging will be at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, 10745 Gold Center Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670; phone (916) 858-8680. SRSFL will hold an informal meet and greet from 6 to 8 p.m. with a salad and pizza dinner. We will depart at 7:15 a.m. Saturday, March 4th from the Fairfield Inn for Tahoe Donner Cross Country.

This year our Skier Application Form is online! There is nothing to download. Visit our Skier webpage at https://srsfl.org/, click on the link there, read the application carefully, fill it in fully answering all questions, and click on “Submit.”  

Your trip fees are due by the sign-up deadline, Feb. 18, 2023. If you need to cancel, please do so on or before Feb. 18, 2023. There will be NO refunds after this date. Note: Because of many generous donations to SRSFL, these fees are heavily subsidized.  

For more information and details, contact Cathy Campbell, Skier Coordinator, at [email protected] or call or text at (916) 705-7913.

SRSFL recommends that all participants be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

What are the costs for the weekend? With equipment rental, $290; if you bring your own skis or snowshoes, $200. If you want a single room, add $200. Mail checks for payment to Jean Snuggs, 609 42nd St., Sacramento, CA 95819. Contact Jean at [email protected] for information on how to pay online with Zelle.

Request for Book Content

Emma Moor, the 21-year-old granddaughter of Dr. John Hinchcliff, former Vice Chancellor (president) of Auckland University of Technology, is seeking stories and/or anecdotes from those who are blind and/or deaf for a book project. For more information, contact [email protected].

National Braille Press Books

NBP has several new books available. One is “5-Ingredient Mediterranean Cookbook: 101 Easy & Flavorful Recipes for Every Day,” by Denise Hazime. It’s available in braille and as a BRF.

In the technology section, newly available is “Microsoft Windows 11 Keystroke Compendium” by Kim and Chris Nova. It’s available in braille or BRF, and has a comprehensive list of the keystrokes available in Windows 11.

Over in the children’s section are a number of new books and some old favorites. “The Going To Bed Book” by Sandra Boynton is a print-and-braille board book for ages baby to 3. This classic bedtime story is just right for winding down the day as a joyful, silly group of animals winds down for the night.

Newly available is “Clive and His Art” by Jessica Spanyol. It, too, is a print-and-braille board book for ages baby to 3. Clive loves all kinds of art. He likes looking at it, making it and sharing it with his friends.

If you have a youngster who loves to interrupt, you’ll love this book. “Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise” by David Ezra Stein is available in UEB for ages 4-7. Full of the same boisterous charm that made Interrupting Chicken so beloved by readers, this gleeful follow-up is sure to delight fans of stories, surprises, and elephants alike.

Do you remember “Frog and Toad”? Now available is “Frog and Toad Together,” by Arnold Lobel. It comes in UEB, and is for ages 4-7.

Another brand-new book is “Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist,” by Jess Keating and Marta Alvarez Miguens. It’s available in UEB for ages 3 to 8. This book shares the story of a woman who taught the world that sharks were to be admired rather than feared, and that women can do anything.

For more information, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323 or (617) 266-6160 ext. 520; or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html.

Free Audio Magazine

Jubilee Club is a free audio magazine available by email or thumb drive. You can download it from Dropbox, https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3hv4qzopqnfh487/AABgOw6MRmt2XZID9I2Yx4EHa?dl=0, or send an email to Rob at [email protected].

Circle of Love Magazine

The Circle of Love is a monthly, conservative Christian audio magazine for the blind. Each issue contains gospel songs, a Bible quiz, prayer requests, a Bible memory verse, church-related news items, testimonies of those who have come to Christ, a gospel message, and other features, such as recognition of birthdays and anniversaries.

For more information, write to Circle of Love Ministry, 12200 N. Route B, Hallsville, MO 65255, or call toll-free, 1-800-871-9012. Enter extension 235948, followed by the pound sign, to leave your message. You may also send email to [email protected], or visit the website, www.circleofloveministry.com.