Come One, Come All to ACBDA in Texas!
Now is the time to get your plans made for the conference and convention in July in Dallas, Tex. The diabetes seminar is going to be great this year. Have you ever wondered what those numbers really mean when you check your blood sugars? Well, come and find out on Sunday, July 5th at 1:15 p.m.
We are having our luncheon on Wednesday, July 8th; it will be followed by our general meeting. If you have ideas for us, come and let us know. Remember, this is your affiliate, not just the board’s. We want input from everybody!
Our mixer will have a few new twists to grab your interest. Come join us at 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 9th!
Watch for information in the pre-registration and be sure to sign up for these activities. More details will be in the next Diabetics in Action newsletter, too.
ACBDA will also be at the marketplace this year, with lots of new items for sale. Be sure to stop by, say hello, and check out the new items.
Hope to see many of you in Dallas this summer!
CCLVI: Come See What We're Up To!
The finishing touches are going on the 2015 CCLVI convention program. CCLVI's convention committee, consisting of Jim Jirak as chair, and committee members Bianca Knight, Dan Smith, and Lindsey Tilden, has worked tirelessly to ensure the convention program is memorable for all of the right reasons.
CCLVI programming is slated to run from July 4-8. The CCLVI board of directors will meet Saturday, July 4. On Sunday, July 5, programming begins at 9 a.m. with introductions, the reading of any proposed constitutional amendments and resolutions, followed by the popular Low Vision Showcase affording vendors the opportunity to display the latest in low-vision technology. That afternoon from 4 to 6 is our mixer; attendees will have the opportunity to meet our scholarship winners.
Monday, July 6 from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., CCLVI will partner with ACB's Rehab Task Force and discuss the pros and cons of structured discovery and conventional methodology in the rehabilitative process. Certified O & M instructor Michael Byington and Mark Bulger plan an informative, lively and interactive discussion on understanding both methodologies and how to advocate for effective rehabilitative service delivery back home.
From 2:45 p.m. to 4 p.m., we will partner with ACB Next Generation. This partnership will feature a panel of those who use apps on a regular basis; they will present not only low-vision–friendly apps, but also apps of interest.
That evening, you’ll have the chance to unwind and have some fun from 8 to 11 p.m. at the always popular game night. Relive the game shows of the past as we resurrect Peter Marshall and Gene Rayburn by way of Michael Byington and play Hollywood Squares and Match Game. The price of admission includes two beverages of your choice from the cash bar.
CCLVI’s business meeting will be held Tuesday, July 7 from 1:15 to 4 p.m.
On Wednesday, July 8 at 1:15 p.m., we’ll hear from a representative from Comcast. He or she will talk about low-vision–friendly accessibility features contained within the X1 platform. X1 allows Comcast subscribers to control their TVs right from their phones using voice commands to change channels, search for shows, and get recommendations. Then from 2:45 to 4 p.m., we plan to hear from Leandre Jo, general manager of Uber, about how Uber can help visually impaired non-drivers.
CCLVI encourages you to watch ACB’s pre-registration information for more details. Hope to see many of you in Dallas!
ACB-Ohio Offers Scholarships
The American Council of the Blind of Ohio has several scholarships available. This year we are adding a new scholarship specifically for incoming college freshmen. Called the Friends of Freshman Scholarship, it will be a $1,000 scholarship offered to an incoming college freshman in any field of study. As long as you are legally blind and an incoming freshman, you qualify for this scholarship!
The $2,000 Max Edelman Scholarship and the $2,000 David Newmeyer Scholarship are both offered to legally blind undergraduate students in any field of study. Anybody with a visual impairment can apply, and it doesn't matter whether you want to be a business owner, a doctor, or a preschool teacher.
Don't worry, we have scholarships for graduate students as well. In fact, we have two of them. The $2,500 Joann Fischer Scholarship is offered to a legally blind graduate student in any field of study. Also at $2,500, the Linwood Walker Scholarship will be awarded to a legally blind graduate student in a service-related field. This includes teaching, health, and public administration.
For those of you going into a blindness-related field such as special education, rehabilitation, teaching or counseling, orientation and mobility, or concentrating in programs serving people who are blind or visually impaired, the $2,000 Nola Webb-McKinney Scholarship is for you.
To apply for these scholarships and get qualification information, go to www.acbohio.org/convention/scholarships/requirements.html. You may also request information by calling the ACBO office at (614) 221-6688. Applications are due Aug. 1.
D.C. Council Enters Internet Age
The D.C. Council of the Blind has entered the Internet age with a web site of its own, www.dccounciloftheblind.org/. It features DCCB’s history, information about upcoming meetings, referrals to local blindness-related agencies, transportation and mobility information, low-vision resources, opportunities for recreation and entertainment (such as rowing with the Out of Sight Dragons or bowling with various blind bowling leagues), and much more.