Opens Friday, June 17 at 12:00 noon ET Closes Saturday, June 18 at 12:00 noon ET Opening Bids Included Appetizer Auction Rules and Information: Contact Leslie Spoone at 407 678-4163 or email at [email protected] with your bid. Please provide your name, phone number, email, item number and bid amount. Bids must be in $5.00 increments. Leslie will send out Appetizer Auction information communicating the high bid on each item at 5:00pm ET, 8:00pm ET and 9:00am ET each day. Billing for both the Appetizer Auction and The ACB Summer Auction will begin on Monday, June 20 for the total amount of all winning purchases. Items: 227 Macramé Watch Bands for Apple Watch 38/40/41mm Donated by Anonymous Opening Bid $25 This set has four different colors of watch bands, black with stainless steel beads, light pink with stainless steel beads, teal with stainless steel beads, hot pink with stainless steel beads watch band fastens with an adjustable toggle closure. Satin loop on one side serves as the loop part of the toggle metal button one the other side serves as the toggle bar. There is a knot just below the button on the cord. Size can be adjusted by repositioning this knot. 228 Three Dozen of Your Choice Homemade Cookies Donated by Patty Slaby Opening Bid $30 Wow, Patty’s delicious homemade cookies are back by demand! Enjoy your choice of three dozen cookies. There are many kinds, but a few might include: snickerdoodles, ginger, oatmeal varieties, peanut butter varieties and many more. Yum, Yum! 229 12-inch Silver Necklace Donated by The Literacy Project Opening Bid $30 You will love having this fine silver chain necklace which is 12 inches, and it comes with a circular rhinestone pendant. The rhinestones are clear in color and this necklace will dress up any occasion! 230 Handmade Winter Wear Knitted Hats Donated by Becky Hawkins Opening Bid $25 Enjoy these lovely handmade knitted hats. One of the hats is black and sparkly and the second hat is multi green. These adorable hats are easy to put on and keep your head warm for those cold days and nights. 231 $50 Starbucks Gift Card Donated by Merrilee Hill- Kennedy Opening Bid $25 Everyone loves a good cup of coffee. It’s even better with a friend. 232 Two Trees of Life Donated by Gigi Beatty Opening Bid $25 This palpable artwork which I’ve titled, “Tree of Life” is constructed of an 8-inch natural wooden embroidery circle which holds two twisted metal trees.  The trunk is twisted, as in nature, as are the branches and roots. they wrap around the wooden hoop as if growing from it. It comes with a story. From one of the branches hangs a realistic-looking swing which may or not be "broken.” This is a 3-D piece which can be appreciated through touch, front and back. When hanging on a wall, since there is no backing, the wall behind it will be seen. It can lean against a wall or on a table, placed on a mantle, displayed near a plant arrangement, on an easel or hung from a hook as a wreath as well. If you have a photo wall, or just want an interesting conversation piece, this object d’art will attractively fill either request. The value of this piece is $50.00 which includes shipping. 233 White Howlite, Black Onyx, Stainless Steel Jewelry Set Donated by Anonymous Opening Bid $30 Jewelry set in white howlite, onyx and stainless steel (Black, white & silver). The necklace is 24-inch, bracelet is 8 inch, and 2 sets of earrings are on surgical steel fishhook wires. White howlite is white gemstone with vines of gray and black. Onyx is solid black. Pattern: 10mm round howlite, 4mm disk steel spacer bead, 4mm round onyx, 4mm steel disk spacer, 8mm round howlite, 4mm steel disk spacer, 4mm round onyx, 4mm disk steel disk spacer then repeats. Set one earrings are top to bottom 4mm disk steel spacer, 4mm round steel spacer, 10mm howlite. Earrings set 2 is identical but with 8mm howlite at the bottom.  234 $50 Olive Garden Gift Card Donated by The Literacy Project Opening Bid $25 Enjoy this gift card with someone special or just splurge on yourself and don’t forget those scrumptious breadsticks! 235 Echo Show 8 Donated by Carl Richardson Opening Bid $50 Echo Show 8 has an 8-inch screen. Screen resolution is 1280 by 800. Echo Show 8 has two 2-inch speakers, a 1-megapixel camera and built-in shutter and a microphone “off “button. 236 $50 VISA Gift Card Donated by Mississippi Council of the Blind Opening Bid $25 Enjoy this card either dining or doing some shopping for you or someone special in your life! 237 Temptations Giving Plate Platter Donated by Connie Jacomini Opening Bid $25 This platter is beige and brown and is 11 by11. This giving plate is a bake, share, and pass it on plate. With this giving plate, you will pass along the love it holds to your family and friends. It is dishwasher, oven, and microwave safe. This giving plate is a treasure to have! 238 Luxurious Leather Coach Bag Donated by Deb Trevino for Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Opening Bid $50 Enjoy this lovely evening black clutch bag with purple interior. There is one main compartment with a small side pocket for facial tissues or identification/credit cards. It would be a treat to have for a special occasion! 239 Hand Knitted Dishcloths and $25 Starbucks Gift Card Donated by Roberta McCall Opening Bid $25 Enjoy five beautiful hand knitted dishcloths. The cotton cloths come in a variety of colors: lemon yellow, soft violet, coral, denim blue, medium blue, green, and others. You will receive a random collection of colors. Each cloth is approximately 7 by 7 inches square. Plus, a $25 Starbucks card to enjoy. 240 Handmade Tactile Skills Books for Children Donated by Sharon Dutmer Opening Bid $20 These handmade tactile books are in print and Braille. There are many adventures on learning how to button and zip. Also, these tactile books have objects such as stars, hearts, circles, and hairbrushes. The title of the book is Things That Children Can Do. You will love spending time with your children while they are enjoying these tactile books. Happy reading! 241 White/Gray 50 oz Vacuum Insulated Mug and a $50 Walmart Gift Card Donated by Connie Jacomini and Arkansas Council of the Blind Opening Bid $25 This mug includes 3-in-1 Lid, Dual Wall Vacuum Insulated,36 Hours Cold, Sweat Proof, Easy to Carry Handle and BPA Free. Plus, a $50 Walmart gift card to splurge on a shopping spree! 242 Lucky Cat Teapot or Creamer Pot Donated by Anonymous Opening Bid $25 This cute vintage teapot is the cat’s meow. The pot is white porcelain and shaped like a cat’s body with tiny blue flowers painted all over the cat’s body. Teapot holds about 8 oz. The cat’s tail is the handle, and the cat has one paw lifted and the liquid pours out of the end of the paw. The cat head is the lid. Cats head turns sideways to lift off. 243 $75 Amazon Gift Card Donated by Bluegrass Council of the Blind Opening Bid $40 It’s time to treat yourself to something special and here’s a gift card to help you do it. $75 in spending at Amazon! 244 Insignia 32- Inch Smart Television with Amazon Fire Donated by Dan Spoone Opening Bid $60 Insignia HD Smart TV - Fire TV Edition delivers 720p picture quality with deep blacks and rich colors. With the Fire TV experience built-in, enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills, including Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more 245 Bakers Candies Donated by Kristal Platt Opening Bid $50 Sample in advance two 1-pound bags of mouth-watering Bakers Candies variety chocolates where the ACB Convention tour will visit. 246 $100 Gift Card to Walmart Donated by Mary Haupt Opening Bid $60 Enjoy this opportunity to fill your basket with treats for your family and friends. This $100 gift card should even provide a chance for a special gift for yourself! 247 Medic Therapeutics Massager with Multiple Heads Donated by Connie Jacomini Opening Bid $30 This therapeutic massager has a massaging gun with a 24-volt battery pack. It also has six personal massaging heads for your enjoyment. It comes in a carrying case and the color is black. 248 Nite Ize Dog Toys and Accessories Donated by Sheila Styron Opening Bid $25 NiteDog Rechargeable LED Leash, blue, RadDog Collapsible Bowl, blue; Pack-A-Poo Bag Dispenser + refill roll, S-Biner TagLock, stainless. 249 Two Quarts Vermont Maple Syrup, $25 Gift Card to IHOP and $25 Starbucks Gift Card Donated by Vermont Council and Leslie Spoone Opening Bid $50 The syrup provides a naturally sweet, rich, and smooth taste. A pronounced maple flavor makes Amber Rich maple syrup a favorite for table and all-around use. At Butternut Mountain Farm, we know our syrup! Also includes a $25 IHOP gift card and to top it off an excellent cup of coffee to enjoy the morning with someone special in your life! 250 Be A Pro In Your Kitchen With This Well-Equipped Kitchen Bundle From Future Aids Donated by ACB Next Generation Opening Bid $30 This bundle includes:   Liquid Level Indicator that beeps when cup is full, Talking Cooking Thermometer with a push probe that tells you the temperature of your meat in seconds, A Set of Braille Measuring Scoop Cups with raised print and Braille, A Set of Braille Measuring Spoons, with raised print and Braille, and A Set of Bump Dots to help label and mark your appliances. This bundle also includes batteries for talking products. Whether you need the kitchen basics, or need a kitchen restock, this bundle is for you. To learn more about how to use these kitchen essentials, be sure to join ACB Next Generation at the ACB Conference and Convention during our session titled Are You Afraid of the Kitchen featuring well-known ACB Cooks Herbie Allen and Janeen Flanagan. 251 A Romantic Evening Donated by Friends in Art Opening Bid $70 Start your romantic evening off with a $50 certificate for a pound of chocolate from Varsano, a $50 certificate for wine of your choice and a $50 MasterCard to use for dinner. This romantic evening could be spent with someone special or just spoil yourself! 252 Tile Locators for Lost Items Donated by ACB of Connecticut Opening Bid $20 Are you always hunting for something? Your keys, your wallet, your pet? These tiles can help you. We offer two 4-packs which, with the help of your phone, can let you know where anything is.

Opens Thursday, June 16 at 12:00 noon ET Closes Friday, June 17 at 12:00 noon ET Opening Bids Included Appetizer Auction Rules and Information: Contact Leslie Spoone at 407 678-4163 or email at [email protected] with your bid. Please provide your name, phone number, email, item number and bid amount. Bids must be in $5.00 increments. Leslie will send out Appetizer Auction information communicating the high bid on each item at 5:00pm ET, 8:00pm ET and 9:00am ET each day. Billing for both the Appetizer Auction and The ACB Summer Auction will begin on Monday, June 20 for the total amount of all winning purchases. Items: 201 $50 Rada Cutlery Gift Certificate Donated by ACB Board Director Donna Brown Opening Bid $25 For the cook of the house or the wannabee cook, cutlery from Rada is made in the USA and is guaranteed for life. Choose from a variety of knives, utensils, pans, food mixes, and more. Items will be shipped from the factory directly to your home. 202 The Stars and Stripes Crafters Gift Basket Donated by Anonymous Opening Bid $25 This basket includes 5 rolls of red, white, and blue decorative mesh ribbon, a star-shaped wreath frame, 3 sheets pearl stick-on gems 216 of each color red, white and blue. Jeweled boarder stickers made of rhinestones and pearls 10 inches long .5 inch wide 15 white and 15 blue, 6 scalloped rhinestones boarder stickers 10 inches long in blue, 2 pages of rub-on foil transfers various patriot images, 2 blue stencils with border designs, 2 pages of jeweled star stick-ons, 24 blank 5x7 cards 8 white, 8 red, 8 blue with 24 matching white envelopes, 24 blank 4.25 x 5.5 8 white, 8 blue, 8 red with matching white envelopes also comes with 6 pages of rubber stamps for paper stamping approximately 36 stamps. 203 Handmade Crochet Afghan Donated by Nancy Moreno Opening Bid $40 This beautiful handmade afghan is 45 inches wide and 58 inches long. The colors are yellow, orange and beige. You will love cuddling up on a cold night with a special friend! 204 One-Year License for Office 365 Donated by Anonymous Opening Bid $50 Make the most of your Microsoft 365 Premium Office apps and more. Make life more creative, organized, and secure. Install Office apps on your favorite devices including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Now it’s easier than ever to write, design, and share seamlessly across your devices. You get smart assistance features as soon as they are released in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint so you’re always working with the latest. Now, you can manage multiple calendars in one view to stay on top of work meetings, remote schooling, and family time. Back up your files with 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage. 205 Mary Kay Satin Hands Set Donated by Nancy Folsom Opening Bid $25 This 3-step process will leave your hands and feet feeling soft, smooth, and luxurious! The Satin Hands set softens, exfoliates, and moisturizes each time you use it. Now that we are washing our hands more than ever, this set is great for guys and gals to help keep your hands healthy! You will love how great your hands feel! You can use it on your feet as well. 206 American Patriot with Statue of Liberty Picture Frame Donated by Sharon Dutmer Opening Bid $20 This is an 8 by 10-inch brown frame with a picture of the American Patriot with the Statue of liberty and the American Eagle with a flag in the background. It will look lovely hanging on your wall. 207 Three Dozen of Your Choice Homemade Cookies Donated by Patty Slaby Opening Bid $30 Wow, Patty’s delicious homemade cookies are back by demand! Enjoy three dozen cookies of your choice. There are many kinds, but a few might include: snickerdoodles, ginger, oatmeal varieties, peanut butter varieties and many more. Yum, Yum! 208 $100 Amazon Gift Card Donated by Jim and Vickie Kennedy Opening Bid $60 It’s time to treat yourself to something special and here’s a gift card to help you do it. $100 in spending at Amazon! 209 Three Scented Sprays from Dau De Parfum Donated by Connie Jacomini Opening Bid $25 Enjoy these Dolly Parton perfumes Above Deu De Parfum Spray which is 3.4 fluid ounces. Also, enjoy Love Notes by Michael Buble, Dau De Parfum 3.4 fluid ounces and an Invitation by Michael Buble, which is 1.7 fluid ounces. Wow, what an extravaganza! This would make a fantastic gift for that someone special in your life or if you just want to spoil yourself. 210 Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Generation Donated by The Literacy Project Opening Bid $25 Our most popular smart speaker with a fabric design. It is our most compact smart speaker that fits perfectly into small spaces. Improved speaker quality. Better speaker quality than Echo Dot Gen 2 for richer and louder sound. Pair with a second Echo Dot for stereo sound. Designed to protect your privacy - Built with multiple layers of privacy protections and controls, including a microphone off button that electronically disconnects the microphones. 211 Plot Stitch Editorial Review Donated by Ann Harrison Opening Bid $20 For the winner, I will provide a critique of the first three chapters of a manuscript, or a short work up to 10,000 words. This is such a wonderful item to either give to yourself or a friend. Please contact Ann at [email protected] 212 A Basket of Goodies from Blind Girl Designs Donated by Tricia Waechter Opening Bid $25 The basket will be filled with 3 assorted Blind Girl Designs printed t shirts in your favorite size (S to 5XL) in black, ash grey, and deep blue. A black cotton sun hat to keep the summer sun off your peepers, and a bundle of soft, stretchy knit beanie hats each in their own little organza drawstring pouches. 213 Braille Plus Mobile Manager Donated by Roberta McCall Opening Bid $35 Braille+ unit: rectangular gray plastic case with brushed aluminum faceplate; top features diamond-shaped navigation pad in middle with five application buttons immediately above and three below; gray 12 key numeric keyboard at bottom; six rectangular blue braille keys on left and three braille keys on right (shift, space, and alt); speaker grill at top middle of face, along with screened APH logo and Braille+ logo in blue; on bottom of case is keyboard lock toggle and interface cable port; on left side of case is volume toggle, speaker on/off button, and record button; on top of case are line in jack, mini SD card reader slot, headphone jack, and headset jack. 214 $25 Amazon Gift Card and a $25 Oriental Trading Gift Card Donated by Monica Svopa and ACB of Nebraska Opening Bid $30 It’s time to treat yourself to something special and here’s a gift card to help you do it. $25 in spending at Amazon! Also, enjoy this $25 gift card to Oriental Trading to buy some unique gifts for yourself or friends. 215 $100 Gift Card to Urbane Salon in Omaha, Nebraska Donated by Ann Brash Opening Bid $50 Enjoy pampering yourself while in Omaha over a busy week during convention. You can look spectacular for the banquet. Urbane Salon and Day Spa is a full service, Aveda salon offering excellent hair care services for men, women, and children and exceptional spa services. Our skilled stylists will provide you with the quality service you deserve and the style you will love. This salon is three blocks from the hotel in Omaha. 216 Storage Galore Donated by Marsha Farrow Opening bid $30 Silicone reusable bags: reduce plastic waste with reusable bags to take meals and snacks with you on the go! Each silicone bag has a clear window and a leakproof zipper so you can see and seal whatever’s inside plus, these bags are perfect for sous-vide cooking. They can go in your freezer, refrigerator, microwave, or oven (400 degrees max). This set includes the following items: Small Reusable Storage Bag - Take snacks with you on the go. Holds 1.5 cups (375 mL). Medium Reusable Storage Bag - Perfect for meal prep, storing snacks, and sous-vide cooking. Holds 3 cups (750 mL). Medium Reusable Sandwich Bag - Store sandwiches, snacks, and more. Holds 3 cups (750 mL). Large Reusable Storage Bag - Use for transporting snacks, storing leftovers, and sous-vide cooking. Holds 8 cups (1.9 L). Step up your meal prep: Our Cut & Store Containers are the ultimate 2-in-1 kitchen storage containers. Outfitted with lids that double as cutting boards, you can use these durable containers to cut and store your food. Plus, they stack to save you counter and fridge space. Refrigerator, freezer, and dishwasher safe. 217 Tan Denim Purse Donated by Anonymous Opening Bid $25 A lovely purse made from jeans. This one is from a repurposed pair of tan cargo pants, or kakis. The purse is 16 inches deep and 18 inches wide.  The purse part is made from the upper part of the pants, so pockets are still used as part of the waistband functions as the top band of purse legs of the pants were cut up and sewn to make the two purse handles, one on either side of the opening. Hammer on coat snaps were used so purse can be snapped closed at the top. The purse is lined with a navy blue, burgundy and tan print and decorative belt is made from the same fabric as the lining to accent the purse. The accent belt is feed through the existing belt loops. 218 $50 Gift Certificate to Sergeant Peffer’s Café Italian Donated by Dana Peffer, owner of Sgt. Peffer’s Café Italian Opening Bid $30 Remember the Welcome to Omaha party with its Beetles cover band as you dine-in or carry-out at Sgt. Peffer’s Café Italian with a $50 gift certificate. Sgt. Peffer’s is a charming, Italian eatery decorated in a Beetles theme. The restaurant is located 4 miles west of downtown Omaha. Expires April 2023. 219 Bakers Candies Donated by Kristal Platt Opening Bid $50 Sample in advance Two 1-pound bags of mouth-watering Bakers Candies variety chocolates where the ACB Convention tour will visit. 220 $150 Spencer’s Steaks and Chops Gift Certificate Donated by The Literacy Project Opening Bid $70 Enjoy dining at this fantastic steak house in Omaha. This steak house offers crafted cocktails with prime beef and prime pork. This certificate expires July 21, 2022. 221 Josh Allen Quarterback NFL Official Jersey Donated by Angelo Lanier Opening Bid $50 Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills Quarterback, is a rising superstar. You will enjoy having this extra-large blue jersey in your sports collection! This is truly a must to have for yourself or to give someone for a special gift. 222 Four $25 Starbucks Gift Cards Donated by Tennessee Council of the Blind Opening Bid $50 Everyone loves a good cup of coffee. It’s even better with a friend. 223 Restore Your Brailler Donated by John Harden Opening Bid $45 Is your good old Perkins braille writer not working as good as it once did? John Harden's quality Brallier repair service will take care of that for you. Ship John your machine and he will return it to you in like new condition with a brand-new dust cover complements of John’s quality service. Contact John to make shipping arrangements. 224 $75 Gift Certificate to Cranberry Sweets Donated by ACB of Oregon Cranberry Sweets on the Beautiful Southern Coast of Oregon Opening Bid $40 Do you have a sweet tooth? Does the sound of homemade, hand crafted, goodies strike your fancy? Then head on over to the website for Cranberry Sweets. Browse everything from chocolate dipped cranberries, a massive variety of flavored popcorn, cheeses, cookies, etc. I mean you name it they probably have it. With your gift card you aren’t able to order online but give the fabulous ladies at Cranberry Sweets a call and they will be more than happy to help you out. They can ship directly to you and even tell you what some of their seasonal treats are at the time of your call. Contact Information: Cranberry Sweets 1005 Newmark Ave. Coos Bay, OR. 97420 (541)888-9824 225 The Pocket Bible Donated by Rev. Ray Raysor, President DC Council of the Blind Opening Bid $40 The Pocket Bible is a self-contained digital device that contains the entire Bible. It is about the size of the old cassette tapes and has navigation buttons that allow forward and backward movement by both book and chapter. It has no moving parts and is rugged and water resistant. The Pocket Bible Player has both an internal speaker and an earphone jack. English Standard Version King James Version New King James Version New American Standard Bible New International Version (NIV) New Living Translation ® Audio Bibles in Spanish also available. 226 Amazon Fire TV Stick Donated by Margie Donovan Opening Bid $30 The Amazon Fire TV Stick is a device joining the ranks of home entertainment streaming technologies. The Fire Stick plugs into your TV’s HDMI port giving you access to your favorite TV shows, movies, music, games, photos and more. It has both screen reading and magnification capability and is accessible to the blind and visually impaired community. You can watch Prime Video, Netflix, Disney, and much more all with audio description.

Recognizing the critical role that public transportation can play in promoting the physical, emotional and economic wellbeing of people who are blind or have low-vision, having a basic understanding of what public transportation includes, how it is funded, how it is evolving, and how blind and low-vision people can incorporate its use into their own lives is of critical importance for anyone who either lives as a person who is blind or has low-vision or who provides programs or services for blind/low-vision consumers. A three-part workshop hosted by VisionServe Alliance will take a deep dive into the world of public transportation and how individuals, organizations and communities can work together to make it better. The dates, time, and registration links for each webinar are listed below: The Basics of Public Transit: The Complete Trip from a Blind/LowVision Perspective - June 15 at 1pm-2:30pm ET. Register Here. Make a Difference: Strategies to Participate and Inform Transportation Services - June 21 at 1pm-2:30pm ET. Register Here. Using Partnerships and Advocacy to “Get on the Right Track” with Accessible Transportation: Specific Examples - June 29 at 1pm-2:30pm ET. Register Here.

The application on smart phones will usher in a new chapter of accessibility for public transportation that will benefit all riders of varying abilities. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Reuters reported on the debut of Waymap’s groundbreaking app that will strengthen and make community travel more accessible for blind and visually impaired people in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Waymap was joined by partners in the public and private sectors such as Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, WMATA, The White House Office of Public Engagement, several District government agencies, National Industries for the Blind, American Council of the Blind, Verizon, and Catholic University, for the launch of the app at the Brookland Metro station, located in Northeast DC.  In the article, Tom Pey, CEO and Founder, who lost his sight at 39, noted, "Mobility is not a luxury. It is, in fact, a human right. This app will allow more people to become more independent - not to have to rely on family and friends - and use public transport like everyone else."  Waymap, which is free to all users and does not use GPS, is accurate up to three feet from a destination and can operate regardless of cell phone signal strength. The step-by-step audio directions direct users with specific directions as to how exactly they should move and make their next steps with valuable contextual information. NBC4’s Adam Tuss joined Tom Pey at the Brookland station in Washington D.C. for a demonstration of the app. You can watch the segment here.  Other key articles and news stories that reported on the launch, include: Event launch Youtube video NBC4: Metro Partners With App to Help Visually Impaired People Navigate Transit WTOP: New navigation app aims to empower Metro riders with blindness, low vision USA Inquirer: An app to help blind people navigate public transit to launch in Washington MyDroll: New Navigation App Aims To Empower Metro Riders With Blindness, Low Vision The Fiji Times: App to help blind people navigate public transit to debut in Washington TysonsReporter: Morning Notes FFXNow: Morning Notes Reston Now: Morning Notes Planetizen: New App Helps People With Visual Impairments Navigate Transit Greater Greater Washington: Breakfast links: Metro to launch new app to help blind and low vision riders better access its transit system PC Magazine: Waymap Starts Guiding Blind People Through Washington Subway Stations Mobile World Live: Navigation app for the blind launches in the US The launch of Waymap starts a new chapter for an even more equitable region. Waymap will be rolled out more broadly in phases with the goal of deploying the app at up to 30 Metro train stations and nearly 1,000 bus stops by September of this year. The app is scheduled to be working across the entire Metro system by early 2023.  Visit https://waymap.org/ for more information.  Contact: [email protected]

New system to be available for June primary election Springfield, Illinois (May 31, 2022): The Illinois State Board of Elections (SBE) announces the launch of a remote accessible vote-by-mail system for the June 2022 primary election. This secure system will allow blind, deafblind, and some other voters with disabilities to vote-by-mail – privately and independently – just as all other Illinois voters can.  It allows them to securely receive and mark their ballots electronically at home, instead of forcing them to rely on help from others or travel to vote at polling places, where they could be exposed to COVID-19. For example, blind and deafblind voters cannot read or mark paper ballots without having a sighted person assist them, which deprives them of an independent, private vote. The new SBE system will allow such voters to use their own screen reader technology, which voices digital content or displays it on a Braille device, to mark their ballots at home. This system will also help voters who, for instance, have manual disabilities that prevent them from marking paper ballots with writing utensils. Today’s SBE launch is the result of a partnership with and advocacy by the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, an affiliate of the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans, and Equip for Equality, an Illinois nonprofit organization mandated under the Help America Vote Act to promote accessible voting for people with disabilities. Eve Hill of the Baltimore law firm Brown Goldstein & Levy and attorneys at Equip for Equality provided legal representation. Recently, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation mandating every local election authority to provide its voters with disabilities with an accessible vote-by-mail option starting with the November 2022 general election. This legislation was prompted by two years of advocacy by a group of disability and voting rights advocates led by the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, Equip for Equality, the Illinois Council of the Blind, Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, and Reform for Illinois.  Today’s SBE launch will make it simple and cost-free for Illinois local election authorities to provide access earlier – in time for the June 2022 primary. “We are thrilled that vote-by-mail is a reality for our blind community,” said Marilyn Green, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois. “People who are blind, deafblind, or have other print disabilities can vote privately and independently in the June 2022 primary and beyond. We are thankful to all who joined in the effort to bring accessible vote-by-mail to Illinois.” ”The COVID-19 pandemic made voting by mail a critical option for all Illinois citizens,” said Zena Naiditch, President and CEO of Equip for Equality. “Courts around the country have found that accessible vote-by-mail is required under the Americans with Disabilities Act. These actions by Governor Pritzker and the State Board of Elections will help bring Illinois’ system into line with these federal requirements and ensure the civil rights of voters with disabilities.” “Ensuring the right to vote for all Illinois voters is the mission of the State Board of Elections and the 108 local election authorities who conduct the state’s elections,” said Bernadette Matthews, executive director of the Illinois State Board of Elections. “Allowing voters with print disabilities to vote independently is a major step for elections in Illinois.” The application period to vote-by-mail is already open. Voters interested in voting by mail using this new SBE system must contact their local county clerk or other election authority.  Local authority contact information is available on the SBE website (elections.il.gov). The SBE has established an Ombudsperson to help answer questions or facilitate problems encountered by persons with disabilities attempting to vote in the June 2022 Illinois Primary Election. That Ombudsperson is Jordan Andrew, Deputy General Counsel & ADA Coordinator, who can be reached at [email protected] and phone 217-782-4003. For more information, contact: Illinois State Board of Elections – Matt Dietrich, Public Information Officer: [email protected], (217) 558-1955 National Federation of the Blind of Illinois -- Marilyn Green, President: [email protected], 312-343-8396 Equip for Equality – Bebe Novich, Senior Attorney, Voting Rights: [email protected], 312-895-7262 The Illinois State Board of Elections is an independent state agency charged with the responsibility of having general supervision over the administration of election laws of the State of Illinois. Elections are administered locally by the State’s 108 election authorities. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at nfb.org Equip for Equality is a private, not-for-profit entity that advances the human and civil rights of children and adults with disabilities in Illinois. The organization is designated to administer the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy System to safeguard the rights of people with all types of disabilities in Illinois. Congress designated Equip for Equality, as the Illinois Protection and Advocacy System, to promote full participation to people with disabilities in the electoral process. For more information, visit www.equipforequality.org

The ACB National Conference & Convention will take place July 1st through the 8th at the Omaha Hilton and Convention Center, with virtual programming in the days leading up to the return of our in-person event. Visit www.ACBConvention.org to learn about traveling to Omaha and other ways you can participate in this year’s historic event. 

Registration is now open for the 2022 ACB Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk. Sign up now as an individual or team, or join an already existing team. Proceeds support ACB national along with state and special interest affiliates. We’ll walk our way to the opening session of the 61st annual ACB Conference and Convention on July 3rd at 6pm CT, and there will be virtual walks across the country that evening as well. So, let’s all walk together wherever we may be as we raise awareness on the importance walking plays toward living a healthy and independent life. 

Join blind musicians from around the world on April 16th, 2022, at 2 p.m. Eastern time for a very special benefit concert for those who are blind impacted by the conflict in Ukraine. The American Council of the Blind is proud to be a broadcast partner for the WBU global benefit concert “We’re With You,” which provides direct assistance for those in Ukraine who are blind and visually impaired.  The atrocities in Ukraine have turned life upside down for millions across the impacted region. The stories we have heard from those who are blind and visually impaired are extremely troubling. In response, voices from around the world are stepping up to sing a message of hope and unity for all those struggling during the conflict. The online streaming platform Mushroom.FM has taken a lead role in organizing the broadcast, and both ACB and NFB are providing ways for individuals in the United States to donate to the cause. All proceeds will be sent directly to the World Blind Union (WBU) Unity Fund, which will provide disaster relief to those impacted by the current conflict taking place in Ukraine.   How to Listen The ACB Media Network is one of many broadcast partners across the globe providing coverage of the event. That means in addition to the Mushroom.FM live feed, the concert will be carried over ACB Media Channel 4. You can listen via the ACBMedia.org player or ask your Alexa smart speaker to “Open ACB Media and play Media 4.” How to Join the Conversation We will be having social rooms set up during the event where people can join in on the conversation as the concert goes live. Follow us on the ACB Community Facebook page for details on accessing the social rooms via Zoom and over our ACB Room on the social audio app Clubhouse. And be sure to check out Mushroom.FM.com/WithYou for program details and to learn more about the event and live performers.  

Contact: Anthony Stephens, [email protected], 202.559.2045   ALEXANDRIA, VA (MAR. 24, 2022) — The American Council of the Blind (ACB) congratulates the CBS Television Network for significantly increasing the amount of programming it makes available on CBS with Audio Description (AD). In keeping with its ongoing commitment to accessibility, CBS recently added AD to seven primetime series: Bull, Ghosts, United States of Al, S.W.A.T., Good Sam, Magnum P.I, and Undercover Boss. With these additions, CBS now offers AD with nearly all of its regularly scheduled scripted primetime programs.      CBS has consistently exceeded the government-mandated hourly requirement for AD programming over the past 20 years. With these expanded AD offerings, it has once again shown its leadership in the provision of accessible media to blind and low vision consumers.    “As co-chair of the Audio Description Project and as an avid consumer of Audio Description, I am thrilled that CBS is furthering its already robust commitment to quality Audio Description. Paramount Global has always been a leader in Audio Description and it continues to show others that there is a need for even more Audio Description programming. I look forward to watching more of Paramount Global’s programming,” said Carl Richardson, ACB’s Audio Description Project Co-Chair.    “CBS is proud to provide Audio Description to audiences of nearly our entire primetime lineup and will continue to work to expand this important access for fans of our shows. It reflects many of Paramount Global’s core values including inclusivity, collaboration, determination, agility and adaptability. We thank the American Council of the Blind for their continued commitment and advocacy,” said Mark Turits, Vice President, Captioning & Audio Description at Paramount Global.   ACB sincerely hopes that other broadcasters and entertainment services providers will follow their lead and join Paramount Global in providing increased accessible content to our community.   For more information about accessible programming with Audio Description, please visit ACB’s Audio Description Project website at https://adp.acb.org/.   The American Council of the Blind is a leading national member driven organization committed to fostering voice, choice and community for people who are blind and visually impaired. Learn more at www.acb.org.

The agenda for the 2022 ACB Leadership Conference is now available on the Leadership Conference page. Read below for more conference highlights. During the presidents’ meeting, you’ll get to meet the members of ACB’s Advisory Board as well as learn about the expansion of the Monthly Monetary Support Program, the launch of ACB’s mentorship program, discuss how to make the membership certification process better, get some marketing and communications tips on how to promote your affiliate, and how to create a podcast for yourself, your affiliate or chapter, among many other things. At the legislative seminar, you’ll hear from some well-known speakers and ACB members, including Dr. Sachin Pavrithan, Jeff Thom, Becky Davidson, Sheila Styron, and Mark Richert, just to name a few. You’ll also hear from the FCC’s Lyle Ishida on broadband adoption and disability rights.  All registered attendees will get their Zoom links on Friday.