by Sarah Blake
The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its staff, or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of products and services mentioned.
To submit items for this column, you may e-mail Sarah Blake at [email protected], or call ACB at 1-800-424-8666 and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please remember that postal regulations prohibit us from including advertisements, and that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates.
Participants Sought for RP Treatment Study
A new treatment study for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is being conducted at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston with the support of the National Eye Institute and the assistance of The Foundation Fighting Blindness. If you are between 18 and 60 years of age and wish to participate, or to learn more, call (800) 683-5555.
Ski for Light in Wisconsin
Are you a blind or visually impaired adult who would enjoy a week of great cross-country skiing on gently rolling, wide, well-groomed trails? If so, you're invited to attend the 29th annual Ski for Light International Week to be held February 8-15, 2004, in Green Bay, Wis. Participants will stay at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Green Bay and ski at the nearby Brown County Reforestation Camp.
The total cost of the week is $700, which includes a double-occupancy room, all meals, six days of skiing, round-trip transportation between the airport and hotel, and daily transportation between the hotel and ski area. A limited number of single-occupancy rooms are also available, first-come, first-served, for an additional $350. Cross-country skis, boots, and poles will be provided free of charge to first-time participants. The cost of transportation to and from Green Bay is the responsibility of the participant. Partial stipends are available for first-time participants, on a limited basis, based on financial need.
The application deadline is November 1, 2003. Applications received after the deadline will be considered as space permits. Full payment is due by January 1, 2004. For more information, contact Lynda Boose via e-mail, [email protected], or call her at (906) 250-7836.
Skiing Anyone?
Foresight Ski Guides, a member of Disabled Sports USA (DS/USA) and accredited by the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA), offers an adventurous, safe, and affordable winter sports experience for people who are blind and visually impaired at some of the world's top resorts, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone. Starting this year, in addition to downhill, Foresight will offer both cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
For a suggested contribution of $50, Foresight Ski Guides provides all participants with everything needed for a great week, including a trained guide, lift tickets, transportation from both Denver and Eagle/Vail airports, rental equipment, and lodging assistance. Advanced notice and reservations are required. For additional information, log on to www.foresightskiguides.org, or call Mark Davis toll-free at 1-866-860-0972.
Skiing in California
Tahoe Donner Cross Country will sponsor several Saturday skiing trips and a three-day event in early 2004. The Saturday trips are for children and adults at Tahoe Donner Cross Country, Truckee, CA. The dates for the three-day event are March 13-15. The cost is $185 if you supply your own skis or $285 to rent skis. The dates for the Saturday trips are January 10, February 7, and February 21, 2004. The cost for adults at these events is $15 if you bring skis and $30 to rent them. The cost for children is to be announced.
For more information and an application for any of the scheduled trips, contact Betsy Rowell, SRSFL Skier Coordinator, P.O. Box 276371, Sacramento, CA 95827-6371, phone (916) 362-5557 or e-mail [email protected].
Holiday Shopping? Greeting Cards Available
Puget Sound is selling holiday greeting cards. For $5, you get a package of 10 cards and 10 envelopes. The cards have a snow scene and the Ski For Light logo. The message reads, "Season's Greetings and every good wish for your happiness in the New Year." Send orders to Mary Ellen Rutter, 1717 150th Ave. SE, Condo #3, Bellevue, WA 98007.
Aprons Available at a Special Discount
"Cooking in the Dark" offers a special discount on aprons for ACB members. Aprons come in a natural color and have the "Cooking in the Dark" logo screen-printed on the front. From the waist they measure 23 inches long and are about 28 inches wide. They include ties at waist and neck.
The logo features Bart B. Cue, a plump little gray mouse wearing dark sunglasses and a chef's hat, with a spatula in his left hand. On his vest are the words "Cooking in the Dark" in black letters. Beneath the mouse, the show's slogan, "You Don't Need Sight to Make Dinner Tonight!," is printed in cartoon lettering. To view the logo, go to http://www.blindmicemart.com and enter "apron" in the search engine; click on the product when it comes up.
Aprons retail for $26.95 on the show and on the web site. "Here and There" readers can purchase aprons for only $18.40 apiece. To purchase an apron for yourself or a friend, e-mail your order request to Dale Campbell at [email protected] or call (713) 876-6971. Shipping cost will depend on location and number of aprons ordered.
New Holiday CD Available from Generations
The Generations, Inc., a chorus made up mostly of visually impaired singers, has released a new Christmas CD. Entitled "Gloria In Excelsis Deo," the CD contains 20 Christmas carols and songs, including "Carol of the Bells," "The Christmas Song," "Winter Wonderland," "Come, Follow The Star," "The Angels' Carol" and two P.D.Q. Bach selections. Send check for $12.50 to: Generations, Inc., 3106 Townsend Terrace, Louisville, KY 40241.
New Color Identifier Available
BRYTECH launched its latest talking product, Color Teller, for people who are blind or visually impaired. Color Teller is a compact, portable, easy-to-use talking color identifier that allows people who are blind or have a color vision impairment to determine the color of materials and objects. It helps people to match clothes, enjoy the pleasures of their gardens and homes, color code products for easy identification, and much more. Color Teller distinguishes all commonly used colors from pink to pale blue-green, dark brown to vivid yellow in English, French, or Spanish. Order online directly from BRYTECH's web site at: www.brytech.com. In the U.S., customers can obtain Color Teller directly from any of BRYTECH's distributors. A list of distributors is available on the web site.
Crazy Eights: Try It Free!
AllinPlay Crazy Eights now joins AllinPlay Poker as the only completely accessible online games that blind and sighted people can play together. AllinPlay has faithfully reproduced the classic game of Crazy Eights so that blind and sighted people can play together as equals. Be the first to get rid of all of your cards. Play special cards to stymie your opponents. Play the wild "crazy eight" and pick the suit to your best advantage. And, even better, make new friends and enjoy the camaraderie with players from around the world with our in-game, real-time text chat. Both AllinPlay games, Crazy Eights and Poker, are available for one low monthly membership price once your introductory free membership expires.