ACB - A Path To the Future: July 3 - July 10, 2020 If you have registered for the ACB 2020 Virtual Convention, you have already taken the first step on the path. If you haven’t registered you can still run the path with us! There are more opportunities to experience and participate in one of the most ambitious virtual conventions in the non-profit world.  There are several ways to join ACB on our virtual journey: ACB Radio The convention will be streamed on ACB Radio using multiple streams. All general sessions, and much of our afternoon and evening programming will be live streamed on ACB Radio. Listen to ACB Radio from your computer by going to www.acbradio.org and selecting the stream you want to hear. You can also listen to ACB Radio on the telephone by calling (518) 906-1820. ACB Link You can follow the convention via the ACB Link app on your smart phone. Stream ACB Radio through ACB Link and access news, announcements, and special content all in the one stop app on your device. Download ACB Link from the Apple app store for your iPhone or from the Google Play Store for your Android phone. Humanware Devices Humanware Devices are another way to stream the content that will be broadcast across the ACB Radio channels. News and announcements also will be available on the Victor Reader Trek and the Victor Reader Stream.   Alexa Follow the convention using Alexa. Seven Alexa skills exist for your use. You may need to enable the Alexa skill for each ACB Radio Mainstream channel. To enable a skill, say “Enable” and then say the name of the channel you would like to connect to. For instance, to enable the ACB Radio Community channel, you would say, “Enable ACB Radio Community.”  After the skill has been enabled, the following phrases should be used to launch the streams: To play the ACB Radio Mainstream channel, say “Open ACB Radio Mainstream.” To play the ACB Radio Mainstream West channel, say “Open ACB Mainstream West.” To play the ACB Radio Cafe channel, say “Open ACB Radio Café.” To play the ACB Radio Community channel, say “Open ACB Radio Community.” To play the ACB Radio Live Event channel, say “Open ACB Radio Live.” To play the ACB Radio Special Event channel, say “Open ACB Radio Special.” To play the ACB Radio Treasure Trove channel, say “Open ACB Radio Treasures.” Convention Email List The ACB Convention email list keeps you up to date on all the news. Even if you aren't at the convention, you can receive "The Digital Daily” and all other information. To subscribe, go to http://www.acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/acbconvention or send a blank message to [email protected]. Social Media To follow the latest goings-on at the convention you can find ACB on: Facebook at www.facebook.com/americancounciloftheblindofficial Twitter at www.twitter.com/acbnational ACB’s YouTube Channel at http://tinyurl.com/gloz7bq Convention Assistance If you need technology assistance during the convention, contact our technology help desk [email protected] or call us at (612) 470-1959. For general convention questions, call our convention information desk at (612) 470-1947 or email them at [email protected]. You can reach a help desk representative between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Auction Item List: 1. Two Florida Idyllic Photos Donated by Jackson Kracht, Grandson of ACB Board of Director Jim Kracht Image 1 – Blue Springs -- 16x20 Canvas, taken at Blue Springs in Florida, a spring’s creek surrounded with trees under a clear blue sky. Image 2 – Beach Blues -- 16x20 Canvas; this is A beach in Captiva, FL with slight overcast and a beautiful sunset, with the waves crashing onto the shore. Photos by Jackson Kracht [email protected]   2. Special Basket with Scrumptious Goodies Honoring Dee Clayton Donated by ACB Diabetics In Action This basket features dipping pretzels, bacon jam, roasted corn snack, Kramer’s Salsa, homemade fudge (2 Pieces), ½ lb. Trappistine Caramels, summer sausage, water crackers, caramel popcorn, small roasted nuts cone, Triple Medallion bin, and Amana trail mix.   3. New Book Port Plus by APH Donated by Jim Kracht The Book Port Plus plays Daisey audio books, text files, and web radio stations.  Use it to download podcasts, create digital talking books from recordings made on the device, and take notes or edit text files.   4. International Basket and $50 Walmart Gift Card Donated by International Relations Committee and Arkansas Council Heart pendant wooden bracelet handcrafted from India has mahogany wood beads accented by an ivory heart charm. Tagua jungle necklace, handcrafted in Ecuador can be 20 inches long depending on how you tie the necklace and it has a variety of colors which are yellow, orange, aqua, green, cranberry, and brown. Fair Trade recycled multicolored paper beads, handmade in India, can be put over your head with no clasps and hangs 20 inches. Two gray Love Elephant Family, handcrafted in Peru, stands 3 inches high. Shea Butter Hand and Foot Night Cream, handmade in Ghana, Tea Tree Lemon 100% Shea Butter in a pottery container which is light brown. Yellow and Green beaded bracelet with sterling silver and turquoise earrings. Two handmade puppets from Bolivia, a bunny rabbit, and an owl, hand-crafted with love by two very caring and gentle Bolivian ladies and also there is a gold purse hook.   5. Staying Social Donated by members of the ACB Community Social Calls Bring community to your life. Connect with family and friends and make memories, even if from a distance. This package includes one year of a Pro Zoom account, $50 gift cards for each Door Dash and Starbucks, $100 gift card to Amazon, and one-hour personal fitness training by Leslie Spoone.   6. Light Blue Jean Tote Donated by Keri Bishop, Kirkland WA This tote is made from light color blue jeans with shoulder strap constructed from fabric remnants of the legs of the pants. The purse is lined with a poly cotton that resembles patchwork of different patches: light blue, navy blue, and white squares; print on the various squares are hearts and flowers. Purse has snap closures across the top. Machine wash in a knotted pillowcase to ensure straps don’t catch on the agitator. Handcrafted by Keri Bishop   7. Apple Spice Bundt Cake Donated by Jane Carona This scrumptious cake will be made with love from Jane’s own oven. The moist and flavorful spice cake has sliced apples throughout. It’s a standard size Bundt cake, about 10 inches across, and 3 inches high.   8. Echo 3rd Generation Alexa Enabled Smart Speaker Donated by Arizona Council of the Blind All the benefit of Alexa, now with noticeably improved sound and a new look. Enjoy premium speakers with equalizer controls, and easily set up multiple compatible devices for stereo sound or multi-room music. Size: 3.91 by 3.91 by 5.85 inches.   9. Shopping Spree Donated by Mary Haupt and Beth Corley Enjoy these two $50 gift cards from Walmart and a $100Target gift card and shop to your heart’s desire.   10. One-On-One Phone Conversation with Our Talking Book Narrator Donated by ACB Enjoy chatting with our talking book narrator, Erin Jones. Here’s your chance for some one-on-one, behind the scenes conversation with a talking book narrator.   11. Spoil Me Pink Donated by Cindy Hollis and Connie Jacomini Pink Coconut Calypso: Ultra Shea body cream, body spray, and body wash, all from Bath and Body Works, and Josie Maran 100% Pure Argon Oil 6 fl. oz. AND 0.5 fl. oz. Argan Oil is nature's richest source of all 3 essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6, 9), which are known to counter the loss of firmness and help boost the appearance of skin's elasticity. Use it as a moisturizer, cuticle oil, lip salve, eye treatment, and hair serum. Argan Oil does a body good.   12. Delectable Sweets Just for You! Donated by Catalina Martinez and her guide dog Elroy Enjoy the wonderful assortment of goodies. This excellent package includes one pound assorted salt water taffy, one-half pound of each chocolate fudge, chocolate walnut fudge, cookies and cream fudge, peanut butter, and chocolate fudge; and medium size bags of each caramel popcorn, Main street mix (combination of caramel, cheddar and buttered) popcorn, caramel cashew popcorn, dark chocolate sea salt popcorn, and cheese lover’s popcorn. Share with friends and family or just keep this delicious assortment for yourself. Package will be shipped directly to the winner since all items are made fresh daily. Hayward Gourmet Popcorn, https://popcornalicious.haywardgourmet.com $100 value.   13. Echo Studio Donated by Library Users of America The Echo Studio creates an immersive, 3-dimensional soundscape, wrapping you in studio-quality audio from every direction. Just ask Alexa to play a song, artist, or genre and hear new details revealed in your favorite music. Echo Studio's five strategically positioned speakers generate room-filling sound, sending different parts of the song to your ears from different directions. Dolby Atmos technology enables a multidimensional audio experience, adding space, clarity, and depth. Echo Studio also plays new music formats that have been mastered in 3D. Echo Studio automatically analyzes the acoustics of your room, fine-tuning playback for optimal sound, no matter where it's placed. Streams through Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, and more.   14. A Romantic Evening Honoring Lynn Hedl Donated by Friends In Art 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 card to use for dinner. Lynn really enjoyed having a good time and we thought with these gift cards, someone would enjoy the treats.   15. $100 Amazon Gift Card Donated by ACB of Minnesota 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!   16. Necklace Set Donated by Keri Bishop Made of shell hematite and rose quartz, the shell beads are sliced so that each bead is spiral shaped, and you can see the inside glow and pink and black streaks of the shell. Hematite is a metallic charcoal gray stone. Rose quartz is a light opaque pink stone. The necklace is 21 inches with lobster clasp and bracelet is 7.5 inches with toggle clasp. The shells slices are about 1 to 1.5 inches apart with alternating chips of rose quartz and hematite in between. Chips vary in size so there isn’t an exact number of chips between shells. It ranges from 5 to 3 chips between each shell bead. Earrings are on steel fishhook wires with a dangle top to bottom hematite chip, rose quartz chip, hematite chip, spiral cut shell at the bottom.   17. Missouri Chocolates Donated by Missouri Council of the Blind Ever since King Louis XIV granted the Bissinger family the title of "Confiseur Imperial" in 17th Century France, they have been crafting high quality confections in Missouri, sourcing all-natural ingredients. Enjoy chocolate-covered wine grapes, apple-ghost salt caramels, and much more in this two-pound, custom-selected assortment of fine chocolates.   18. Apple Watch Series 3 and Training Donated by Washington Council of the Blind This Apple watch has a silver aluminum case and white sport band: 38mm, GPS, retina display, swim proof, optical heart sensor, stores music, podcasts, and audiobooks, elevation, emergency SOS, S3 chip with dual-core processor, watchOS with activity trends, cycle tracking, hearing health innovations, and the App Store on your wrist. Shipping included.  One hour of technology training provided by Reginald George, assistive technology specialist for Washington State Services for the Blind.   19. The Sassy Shopper Package Donated by Sara Conrad and Katie Frederick from the ACB Board  Includes a Kate Spade Jackson Triple Gusset Crossbody purse in black, a $20 gift card to Macy’s, a $20 gift card to LOFT by Ann Taylor, a $20 gift card to DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, and a 1-hour zoom fashion advice chat while online shopping.   20. Romeo 60 Embosser Donated by Humanware This singled-sided embosser is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled, has Firebird tactile graphics software included, Sideways and booklet printing styles available, UEB contracted braille translator built in, American English speech, adjustable braille dot height for individual reading preferences, and lighted control panel with speech and braille and tactile labels.   21. $25 Amazon Gift Card and $25 Target Gift Card & Two 31 Tote Bags Gift card donated by ACB Students and Tote Bags Donated by Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired 2 tote bags from 31 gifts: Maroon tote bag inside has a logo that says, “31 Jewels” and has silver metal hardware. The zipper connects like a jacket. The inside measures about 15 by 19 by 3 inches deep. There are 2 pockets on each side of the inside pocket. There are 2 pockets on the outside. It has 2 straps that you can put over your arm. The pocket is 5 inches across. The other is burnt orange with silver tone color and has black pocket. The inside color is Konya. This bag has snaps and has no external pockets. It has one zipper pocket on the inside and snaps on the other side to add other pockets with magnetic closure. Measures about 15 by 19.   22. $150 Legal Seafood Gift Certificate Donated by Bay State Council of the Blind Fanatics for Freshness, Legal Seafood's reputation for outstanding seafood has spanned over six decades. Legal Seafood offers a great selection of superior quality fresh fish and shellfish products. Schedule a delivery online and enjoy an outstanding gourmet seafood dinner at home or use the Gift Card at any Legal Seafood restaurant location. The gift card will be mailed directly to the winner within 2 weeks of the auction.   23. Victor Reader Trek Donated by Humanware Navigate the world around you and that latest best seller with one consistent physical experience! Take a long bus ride and read books or listen to podcasts with the press of one button, Trek will tell you: your current nearest address, cardinal direction you are traveling, description of the next intersection, next instructions if you are following a route, and simply drop a voice tagged landmark and you can receive turn by turn directions to an exact point. Use Trek’s familiar telephone keypad to quickly type an address and simply press the toggle button to get back in your book or podcast exactly where you left off. Includes additional maps.   24. Health and Safety Package Donated by GDUI American Kennel Club Dog First Aid Kit (86-piece set), accessible Safety Light- audible signals to indicate on/off, low battery, charging and charge complete. LED light emits through translucent red shell. Waterproof & USB rechargeable, Charge time approx. 1.5 hours and operating time up to 12 hours. Silicone mount for harness or cane or quick clip to your clothing. Ethical Pet Brown Clean Paws Grooming Mat, 35 by 24 inches.  Soft & absorbent microfiber traps dirt, water & mud. For indoor or outdoor use. Is machine washable and has a non-skid backing.  Package of Groom Genie Wipes (100 count) Mushers’ Secret Paw Wax (protect paws from scorching hot pavement and winter ice). Kong Genius treat toy. Wild Life Creature Hedgehog toy.   25. $150 Amazon Gift Card Donated by ACB of Indiana It’s time to treat yourself to something special and here’s a gift card to help you do it. $150 in spending at Amazon!   26. Black Hills Gold Necklace Donated by South Dakota Association of the Blind Black Hills Gold/Silver genuine onyx accented with grape vines and leaves. The heart is black onyx trimmed with silver. Grape vines are silver, and leaves are a little larger in Black Hills gold. The chain is an18 in, rope-style, silver chain.   27. Kentucky Derby Pie Donated by Greater Louisville Council of the Blind A Kentucky tradition made from a secret family recipe; Derby Pie combines rich semi-sweet chocolate with English walnuts for a truly decadent experience. Delicious when eaten at room temperature; incredibly heavenly when eaten all warm and gooey and topped with either whipped cream or ice cream. This 9-inch pie will be baked fresh and shipped directly to the buyer. Stays fresh for about 14 days. Ready to warm and serve or freeze for later use. Serves 8 to 10.   28. Guidelights and Gadgets $100 Gift Certificate and an Orbit Writer ™ Donated by American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys The Orbit Writer is a Bluetooth enabled, pocket sized full function Perkins style Braille keyboard for use with smartphones, tablets, and computers. The keyboard consists of the six usual Braille writing keys, dots 7 and 8 used in making symbols or capitalization, a space bar, and a five-way navigation keypad. All commands and gestures for a smartphone or computer can be carried out using the Orbit Writer. The keyboard is approximately 8 inches long by 3 inches wide and only half an inch thick. It weighs less than 4 ounces. It has rubber feet to keep it from sliding and an optional protective sleeve is available for carrying.   29. Target Shopping Spree Donated by Dan Dillon, member of ACB Board of Directors Here’s a $150 gift card for Target to use in store or online. Treat yourself to something special.   30. Key West Getaway Vacation Donated by Dan and Leslie Spoone Enjoy this four-day, three night get away vacation to historic Key West Florida. This island trip includes three nights stay at the historic Amsterdam Curry Mansion Inn on Caroline Street, featuring complimentary breakfast with homemade omelets and Happy Hour with free cocktails, live music, and hors d’oeuvres. This bed and breakfast, located within easy walking distance to the action on Duval Street and the Gulf of Mexico, includes: two tickets to the Ernest Hemmingway’s House with over 60 cats with six toes, two Adult tokens to the pilar Papa Hemmingway Rum Distillery with taste testing, Two VIP Historic Tours of America tickets for admission to either the Key West Konch Train, The Truman Little Whitehouse, or the Key West Aquarium, $25 Gift Cards to each Caroline’s Restaurant on Duval Street and Kermit’s Key Lime Shop on Elizabeth Street.   31. Magic Chef Talking Microwave Oven Donated by the Florida Council of the Blind The TMO2-W Talking Microwave Oven is a modified Magic Chef, countertop, feature rich, talking microwave oven which allows persons with low or no vision to cook foods independently. Specifications: 1.1 cubic foot chamber, 1000 watts cooking power, 4 cook modes: Defrost, Low, Medium and High, clear and intelligible male voice, 8 volume level settings, integrated 12/24hr talking clock with 30 minute power outage backup, integrated talking cooking timer with easy-to-feel buttons. Weighs 28lbs. Your choice of colors either white or black. Purchase includes shipping cost.   32. Maker's Mark Gourmet Bourbon Balls Donated by Greater Louisville Council of the Blind An elegant gift for family, friends, and business associates.  A fantastic treat for yourself. Fine, handcrafted chocolates made from an old family recipe; laced with a generous touch of Maker's Mark Bourbon Whiskey. One-pound gift box contains 32 delicious pieces. Shipped directly to the winning bidder.   33. Echo Show 5 inch with Adjustable Stand and Ring Video Doorbell First Generation Donated by Springfield District Association of the Blind Compact 5.5 inch smart display with Alexa ready to help manage calendar, make to-do lists, get weather and traffic updates, cook along with recipes, watch movies, TV shows, listen to songs, radio stations, guided meditations, and audiobooks, voice or video call friends and family with compatible Echo devices, Alexa app, or Skype, and much more. The Ring Video Doorbell First Generation has HD video, motion activated alerts, 720p HD video doorbell that lets you see, hear, and speak to people from your phone, tablet, or select Echo device.   34. HAB Broke the Mouth, Fun and Licious Hawaiian Kine Goodies Donated by The Hawaii Association of the Blind An extra thick insulated Hawaii Cool Tote Bag (black with yellow pineapples, red hibiscus, and green ferns all over it), will keep all your food fresh hot or cold up to 5 hours and holds up to 48 drinks. Includes: box of local Kine snacks. Li Hing gummy bears, sour pineapple flavor gummies, lemon strips, and Li Hing Mangos, the original macadamia nut honey coconut peanut butter, pineapple jam made in Oahu, Chinese sweet-sour spareribs seasoning mix, Hawaiian Style Curry Sauce mix (just add water), oriental stir fry seasoning mix (just add veggies and water), 2 packets of Hawaiian Iced tea (just add 1 quart ice water to each packet), two bags of coffee, Lion chocolate macadamia ground coffee And mountain roast ground coffee, a cute cup cozy made by artist Amy Monthei, red with an orange trim and red hibiscus flower with leaves, matching apron, potholder, kitchen towel, and oven mitt (white with many bright colors with words saying: Waikiki, Aloha, Honolulu and more, pictures of turtles, dolphins, roosters, hibiscus flowers and much more, vegetable glycerin coffee scented soap on a rope, coconut butter and macadamia nut oil, loofah soap that is pikake flower and pineapple scented, and Hawaiian black and white plumeria flower antimicrobial fluid resistant fabric mask with nano silver-copper filter. Keep for yourself or share the aloha with others.   35. Two-layer, Plush Fleece Blanket Donated by Nancy Becker from the Mpls ACB office One side of the blanket is watercolor bubbles that are purple, blue green, rust, pink and green. The other side is larkspur blue. This handmade blanket measures 85 by 60 inches.   36. Southern Gates Pendent Donated by Marsha Farrow and Debbie Young This collection is a tribute of skilled artisans in the past who wrought beauty from iron in their forges. The intricate scroll design shows well in sterling silver as a decorative iron work. This beautiful jewelry would be an accent to eveningwear or casual fashion. Made of Sterling Silver and is oval shaped. The pendant features the Tree of Life with tactile features on the leaves and at the base of the tree. Chain length 20 inches. Pendant Dimension is 1 3/16-inch width by 1 ½ inches tall.   37. Homemade Chocolate Fudge Donated by Zelda Gebhard, North Dakota Rich and creamy, this fabulous fudge is made with nuts and is a “must buy”. Like love, chocolate is always a delight to give or receive.   38. Brailliant 14 Donated by Humanware Built for the user on the go, this braille display offers an ergonomic, traditional 8-dot braille input keys, comfortable typing experience with a note taker style spacebar, 14 high quality braille cells with unique touch sensor routers, Humanware signature thumb keys, and 15 - 20 hours of battery life. Pair up to 5 Bluetooth devices at once Plus one USB connection, and Brailliant Sync ensures notes taken on the BI14 are available everywhere. This light-weight braille display weighs only 0.63 lbs. and measures 6.54 by 3.94 by 0.91 inches. Retails for $995   39. Keurig K-Classic Coffee Experience Bundle Donated by CCLVI leaders including Sara Conrad, President; Kathy Farina; First VP; Richard Rueda, Second VP; and Zelda Gebhard, Director Includes Keurig K50 Coffee Maker in black, Keurig pod carousel, Keurig 12 oz. insulated mug, My K-cup Universal Reusable Coffee Filter, and a sample pack of 40 K-cups. Also included is a $50 Starbucks Gift Card Donated by Tennessee Council of the Blind   40. Lunch with the ACB Executive Director Donated by ACB Enjoy lunch with Eric Bridges, ACB Executive Director. Chat over important issues, share a laugh or two, and enjoy good company in Phoenix, Arizona.   41. WayAround WayTags Donated by the North Dakota Association of the Blind WayTags are to be used with the free WayAround app for iOS or Android devices. Use to add helpful information to items around your home and office. The simple tag-and-scan system lets you add a custom description to any item plus more details like washing instructions or expiration dates. The selection of WayTags include 35 clips, 15 stickers, 5 on metal stickers, 10 magnets, 35 oval hole buttons, 5 two-hole buttons, and 5 clips for metal. Near Field Communication (NFC) is the technology that powers the WayAround information system and comes built in most smart phones. WayTags may be reused again and again. To change a description or add details, edit the information in the app and retag any item.   42. Kermit’s Key West Lime Pie Duo Donated by Dan Spoone Direct from Kermit’s Key Lime Shop, the winner will receive a gift certificate for two 9inch Key Lime Pies. The pies that started it all named “the best taste Key Lime Pie” by food network’s Keith Famie’s adventures. Kermit’s Key Lime Pie is baked fresh daily.  True tart Key Lime flavor in a delicious graham cracker crust and topped with fluffy whipped cream. This Key West delicacy will arrive at your door just waiting to be shared with the people you love the most.   43. Explore 8 Magnifier Donated by Humanware Magnification up to 30X with HD stunning image quality, Tully customizable functions, touchscreen to navigate easily through menus, twin Ultra HD cameras for desktop or distance viewing, large physical buttons to adjust magnification and contrast, can be connected easily to a large screen TV, battery life of 4.5 hours.   44. Mary Kay Basket Donated by ACB Next Generation and Amanda Selm Turn back the hands of time and treat yourself to a spa-tacular experience. The Timewise Repair Volu-Firm Collection is Mary Kay’s most prestigious and most luxurious of all six of their skincare lines. The collection includes Timewise Repair Volu-Firm Cleanser, Timewise Repair Volu-Firm Day Cream with SPF 35 and Night Cream with Retinol, Timewise Repair Eye Renewal Cream with a precision application tool located directly on the tip of the product, and the Timewise Repair Volu-Firm Lifting Serum which is referred to as Face Lift in a bottle to complete your daily skincare regiment. In addition, the Timewise Repair Volu-Firm Collection includes a Wrinkle Filler, and two products for those much-needed Self Care days ahead -- the Revealing Radiance Facial Peel, and a set of Four Bio Cellulose Masks. Includes a free virtual consultation with Independent Beauty Consultant, Amanda Selm to help guide you through the entire process step by step. And who knows, with this collection you might just pass for under 40 and fit right in with ACB Next Generation.   45. $100 Amazon card and ACB Hoodies Donated by Karen Blachowicz and ACB of New York Three 2X hoodies with I heart ACB in white writing. They are dark blue, dark red, and black in color. Also included is a $100 Amazon gift card.   46. Handcrafted Quilt Created and Donated by Cindy Gregg of Ringgold, Georgia The artisan has designed this beautiful quilt with love and care. The 8-inch squares are made of striped and floral materials in every color of the rainbow. The pattern has lovely unique squares throughout, made of very soft, white chenille. The total dimensions of this one of a kind work of art is 53 inches wide and is 67 inches long. You will be so proud to own and display this gorgeous art in your home or office. Donation obtained by Debbie Young and Marsha Farrow   47. Chocolate Covered Rum Balls Donated by Penny Crane No, this is not your Grandpa's White Lightnin’... It's a decorative tin filled with a pound and a half of chocolate covered Rum Balls. No waiting as these scrumptious delights are here and ready to eat! Very delicious and handmade by one of our chocolate candy makers, Penny Crane.   48. Echo 3rd Generation Alexa enabled Smart Speaker Donated by Blind Information Technology Specialists All the benefit of Alexa, now with noticeably improved sound and a new look. Enjoy premium speakers with equalizer controls, and easily set up multiple compatible devices for stereo sound or multi-room music. Size: 3.91 by 3.91 by 5.85 inches.   49. Everything’s Bigger in Texas with Longhorn Steaks, Great Shopping and Big Bargains Donated by ACB of Texas This gift card tree includes a $150 Amazon gift card, a $150 VISA gift card, and a $50 Longhorn Steak House gift card.   50. Fun in the Sun! A week at the Wyndham Ocean Walk Resort Donated by Tim Paul of Chicago, IL Must be used September 27-October 4, 2020. This unit has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, fully equipped kitchen, washer/dryer, and all the amenities of home. The resort offers activities for family members of all ages: Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, outdoor hot tub, beach, lazy river water, exercise equipment, island putting green, bar and grill, live entertainment, etc.   51. WayAround WayTags Starter Pack, and WayLink Scanner Donated by the WayAround Company from Plano, Texas The WayLink Scanner and WayTags are to be used with the free WayAround app for iOS or Android devices. Use the WayTags to add helpful information to items around your home and office. The simple tag-and-scan system lets you add a custom description to any item plus more details like washing instructions or expiration dates. The WayLink Scanner makes scanning WayTags superfast and convenient. Continuous scanning lets you quickly scan one WayTag after another, while keeping your phone hands-free! It connects to the WayAround app on your iPhone or Android via Bluetooth. Along with the scanner is a starter pack of WayTags containing 10 clips, 5 square clips for metal, 15 stickers, 5 on-metal stickers, 10 magnets, 5 two-hole buttons and 10 oval hole buttons. WayTags may be reused again and again. To change a description or add details, edit the information in the app and retag any item.   52. A Virtual Trip to Illinois Donated by the Illinois Council of the Blind Since you could not come to Illinois this year, ICB will send some Illinois to you. All these items have one thing in common in that they are all from Illinois. Head out for the day with your morning coffee in hand in a travel mug from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield featuring a collage of photos including Lincoln and an American flag. Carry your lunch in a lunch cooler from the Illinois Council of the Blind. After a long day, relax to some great smooth jazz from Chicago- based Billboard chart-topping guitarist, Nick Colionne, with a personally autographed copy of his newly released CD called Finger Painting. If you are having Wine for the evening, make it a little more special with $50 to spend toward some great wine accessories from Illinois-based Coopers Hawk Winery. You’ll no doubt need money to buy more wine at some point or spend in any way you like. Never fear, with five tickets in ICB’s g1 50/50 Summer Raffle, you just might win a nice chunk of change to cap off the summer if your name is drawn in September. Good luck and thank you for supporting ACB.   53. Smart Home Technology Package Donated by Connie Jacomini The Fire HD 8 is a fast performance tablet with up to 10 hours of battery life, a vibrant 8-inch HD display, 1.5 GB of RAM and Dolby Audio. Transform your tablet to an immersive, full-screen Alexa experience optimized for visibility across the room. Dock your tablet to automatically switch to Show Mode. The Kami Indoor security camera offers a handful of useful features including mechanical pan and tilt, motion tracking, and dual-band Wi-Fi.   54. The Purr-fect Meow Donated by the Kentucky Council of the Blind You'll have one happy cat with this purr-fect package. Includes SmartyKat Collapsible Cat Cave - looks like a beehive. Aqua and white diamond patterns around the outside; inside and top are beige soft plush. Kitty can go inside the cave or collapse it and use as a cat bed. Happy Tails Klawz Cat Toys (each with catnip): colorful butterfly on a stick, round doughnut-shaped toy with long legs with feathers and bells (hang on doorknob for cat's playtime), gray mouse, silver fish, orange and pink flamingo, and eagle (each about 4 inches long), pack of 4 Spot lattice balls with bells (pink, purple, yellow and blue), Magic Coat cat brush, ceramic water and food bowls (white with outline of a cat inside and on the outside says "meow, stretch, purr, eat, play, sleep, and scratch"), 8 packs of Temptations Treats (all different flavors.   55. Shop, Sip and Relax Donated by Multicultural Affairs Committee This gift card tree includes a $50 Target card, a $50 Starbucks card, a $50 VISA card and $50 Regal card   56. Green Malachite Onyx Set Donated by Keri Bishop Necklace has alternate beads of 4mm onyx alternating with green malachite which gradually increases in size from the back to the center. Smaller malachite being 6mm graduating to 12mm. Necklace 22 inches, bracelet 7 inches.   57. Strawberry Nut Bread Donated by Margarine Beaman This loaf of Strawberry Nut Bread was lovingly prepared by our very own Margarine Beaman. Need we say more?   58. $100 Gift Certificate to Guidelights and Gadgets and an Orbit Writer Donated by American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys The Orbit Writer is a Bluetooth enabled, pocket-sized full function Perkins style Braille keyboard for use with smartphones, tablets, and computers. The keyboard consists of the six usual Braille writing keys, dots 7 and 8 used in making symbols or capitalization, a space bar, and a five-way navigation keypad. All commands and gestures for a smartphone or computer can be carried out using the Orbit Writer. The keyboard is approximately 8 inches long by 3 inches wide and only half an inch thick. It weighs less than 4 ounces. It has rubber feet to keep it from sliding and an optional protective sleeve is available for carrying.   59. $100 VISA Card Donated by Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss We recommend you spend it on items such as Old Grand-Dad Kentucky Bourbon Whisky, stuff from Old Navy, Old Spice, anything for New Year’s Eve (Auld Lang Syne), old-time radio, Old English 800, Old Crow whiskey, and any other old things that come to mind.   60. DC Leadership Conference Package Donated by ACB Alexandria Office, Virginia Council and Leslie Spoone Be a part of the 2021 President’s Meeting and the Legislative Seminar in historic Alexandria, Virginia. This package features a three-night stay in the Alexandria hotel where the DC Leadership Conference will be held and enjoy a $100 gift card to the “A La Lucia” Italian Restaurant at 315 Madison St, Alexandria.   61. Tupperware Vent and Serve, 7-piece Set Donated by Georgia Council of the Blind Set includes 1¾-cup/400 mL Round, 2½-cup/600 mL Round, 2½-cup/600 mL Medium Shallow, 3¼-cup/800 mL Round, 4½-cup/ 1 L Medium, 6-cup/1.4 L Large Shallow and 6¼-cup/1.5 L Medium deep containers. The unique venting system allows steam to escape when reheating foods in the microwave. The footed bases ensure even reheating while handles stay cool to the touch.   62. Tony’s Energy Bar Delight  Donated by Anthony Akamine and Terri Lyn Higashi members of HAB and ACB Next Generation Are you ready for a rumble? This item is new to our auction and we expect people to have a bidding frenzy. One banana bread loaf full of bananas and walnuts. If you don’t like bananas, we can do mangos. Also, Anthony from Hawaii is perfecting his mom’s energy bar recipe. Get a bag full of these yummy treats packed with Rice Krispy, oatmeal, raisins, peanut butter, and nuts. If you don’t like peanuts, we can throw out the nuts. Made by Anthony and his mom’s creation.    63. Echo Studio and Amazon Smart Plug Bundle Donated by California Council of the Blind Immersive sound – 5 speakers produce powerful bass, dynamic midrange, and crisp highs. Dolby Atmos technology adds space, clarity, and depth. Ready to help - Ask Alexa to play music, read the news, and answer questions. Voice control your music Stream songs from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, and more, listen to 50 million songs in the highest quality audio formats available, HD, ultra HD and 3D, adapts to any room - Automatically senses the acoustics of your space, fine-tuning playback for optimal sound. Built-in smart home hub - Ask Alexa to control Zigbee-compatible devices. Keep your family in sync - Use your Alexa devices like an intercom and talk to any room in the house with Drop In and Announcements. Designed to protect your privacy - Built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a microphone off button that electronically disconnects the mics.   64. Country Cooking and Crafts Donated by Mountain State Council of the Blind This Heavenly package from West Virginia will give you a real taste of country cooking and crafts. One dozen homemade pepperoni rolls. These rolls can be a snack that needs no refrigeration or heat but are hearty enough to be a meal. The pepperoni roll was created in WV in the 1920s by a coal miner. One box of 16 pieces of Holls homemade assorted Swiss chocolates. The winner can select from approximately 30 different types of confections. Some choices include dark chocolate, milk chocolate, truffles, and sugar free chocolate. Wake-Robin Gallery -- hand thrown pottery by Marcia Springston. These chili bowls are one of her most popular pieces, high fired stoneware, food, and dish washer safe. The chili bowl is a handy all in one bowl and plate that catches most accidental spills. It measures approximately 9 inches wide by 3 inches high. These are great for soups or salads, with the attached plate for crackers or small sandwiches. The bowl is centered in the middle of the plate, and the plate is curved up in two places to create an attractive design. The bowls are blue.   65. Crocheted Baby Afghan Donated by Keri Bishop The afghan is striped pattern: narrow strip 1/8 inch stripe of mint green, a 1/2 inch stripe of white, 3/4 inch stripe of mint green squares, a 1/2 inch  white stripe, 1/8 inch  mint green stripe, 1/2 inch stripe of white, 3/4 inch stripe of variegated pink. blue, white, yellow, and green squares,1/2 inch white stripe pattern repeats. 2 sides are straight and top and bottom edges are scalloped. Acrylic baby yarn.   66. Hawaii's Love and Joy Jewelry Collection Donated by Anthony Akamine, & Margaret Higashi from the Hawaii Association of the Blind Calling all jewelry lovers. Four beautifully hand crafted koa wood jewelry pieces made by master woodcrafter James Gonsalves. First, a koa wooden plumeria flower pendant fully opened and hangs from a black cotton string. Next, matching fully opened delicate medium size koa plumeria flower earrings. Perfect for a casual or business day. Third, beautiful koa monserra fern earrings, stunning with great detailed etching on the leaves. Last, turtle koa wood earrings with great detailed circles in the middle of the turtle shell. Wait, we're not finished yet. We have this unique, beautiful cup cozy created by artist Amy Monthei. It is a baby blue cup cozy designed with a fully opened yellow plumeria flower with a pink center. It also has two beautiful green leaves on it. It is tactile and you can feel the beautiful design. To top it all off, some delicious ground vanilla macadamia coffee. All of this comes in an insulated, recyclable Hawaiian bag with a green turtle on it.   67. Hawaii Association of the Blind Mega Snack Attack Bag of Aloha Donated by Hawaii Association of the Blind Includes a box of Hawaiian Host Caramacs that is full of caramel, chocolate and macadamia nuts; some delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from Betty’s Best of Hawaii; some crunchy mini rice cracker treats, a bag of mini churros, a bag of Chex mix drizzled in furikake, Hurricane Popcorn bursting with flavors of butter, mochi crunch & nori and microwavable, white sweet Li Hing Mui (AKA pickled dry plums), Hawaiian seasoning salt with garlic, vinegar, and chili pepper and a delicious Hawaiian seasoning made of sea salt, cracked pepper, ginger, garlic, and alae salt, decaf vanilla macadamia coffee, passion fruit lilikoi jelly, two face masks with Hawaiian print, and a beautiful black with purple hibiscus and green turtles draw string bag to put all your snacks in. All the comforts of Hawaii right within your reach.   68. Echo 3rd Generation Alexa Enabled Smart Speaker Donated by Louisiana Council of the Blind All the benefits of Alexa, now with noticeably improved sound and a new look. Enjoy premium speakers with equalizer controls, and easily set up multiple compatible devices for stereo sound or multi-room music. Size: 3.91 by 3.91 by 5.85 inches   69. $100 Gift Certificate for National Braille Press Donated by the Braille Revival League The number one stop for all your Braille print needs.   70. Lunch with the ACB President Donated by ACB Enjoy one-on-one time with ACB President, Dan Spoone, over lunch in Phoenix, Arizona in 2021 to be determined by the winner and Dan.   71. Backyard BBQ Set Donated by Jeff and Leslie Thom Set includes: Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce, Kansas City BBQ Sauce, Green Chili Hot Sauce, Sweet & Spicy Cocoa Rub, Honey Sesame Sauce, Burger Seasoning, and Recipe Book.   72. Michigan Iconic Gift Box Donated by Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Includes, one each: Heart of Michigan gift box, crinkle filler paper, and a gift note, Original Vernors, Faygo Redpop, Germack Tigers Peanuts, Better Made Caramel Corn,  Better Made 8oz Licorice, Murdick's Original Mackinac Island Fudge (Chocolate), Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, Sanders Milk Chocolate Topping, 8 oz bag of Sayklly's Salt Water Taffy, Velvet Creamy Peanut Butter, Laser Engraved Mackinac Bridge Ornament, and Michigan Coaster It's Pop not Soda.

Every year in July, ACB holds its trademark conference and convention in various cities around the country, and 2020 was scheduled to be in Schaumburg, Ill. There is no need to explain or expound on social distancing or the reason for the decision to transform this year’s convention from an in-person to a virtual platform. What we can all celebrate is the fact that ACB recognized how important it was to find a way to keep the most important event of the organization alive. However, in the process of finding ways to transform a live and in-person event into a virtual convention, something amazing happened! The convention is not only alive but it thrives with energy, content, and a spirit to be the online event that changes the way we will hold conventions, adding multiple layers of enhancement in the future, but that is a story for another June. This year, we will all have the opportunity to experience the best of what is convention from the comfort of our own homes. The feel and energy of convention is not only stacked in every moment of programming but in every person who has spent countless hours trying to transform the programming to shine virtually. So, although we won’t be able to share a hug in Illinois, there are so many ways to participate and engage with each other. There will of course be general sessions, amazing tours, a virtual fireworks display which will be professionally described, and an exhibit hall with virtual participation. Then there are all the amazing special-interest affiliate programs! Highlights include: exercise, yoga and meditation; happy hours and mixers; seminars on technology, advocacy issues and imperatives; and forums on transportation and audio description, just to name a few. This is an amazing opportunity for all those out there who have never had the opportunity to experience the magic of convention. Time is running out to reserve your place in the virtual meeting rooms of convention. You can register online at https://acbconvention.org/ until 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on June 21st. To register by phone, call (612) 332-3242 and press 6 for convention, then leave your name, telephone number with area code, and your time zone, and someone will return your call as soon as possible.

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) proudly announces the 2020 Achievement Awards in Audio Description, an initiative of the Council’s Audio Description Project (ADP).   In conjunction with ACB’s 59th annual conference and convention (held virtually in July 2020), the awards will be presented at a plenary session of the conference broadcast via Zoom and on ACB Radio to thousands of people who are blind, ACB members/convention registrants and all people worldwide who are advocates for audio description and greater access to the arts for people with vision loss.   Award Recipients: Achievement in Audio Description – Performing Arts:  Broadway Sacramento Since the inception of Broadway Sacramento (BWS) in 1951, it has become Northern California’s premiere producer and presenter of musical theater as well as the most successful nonprofit performing arts organization in Northern California. Because of Margie Donovan’s leadership, ACB Capital Chapter’s support, and Margaret Hardy/AudioVision’s technical assistance and equipment loan, the BWS launched on April 24, 2010 its first audio-described performance — “Little House on the Prairie” —with overwhelming enthusiasm from the blind and low vision community. In the past ten years, BWS has purchased AD receivers/transmitters; trained audio describers; provided tactile pre-show presentations; trained ushers and volunteers how to work with people with vision disabilities; offered braille and large print programs; and through the “Arts Alive” summer venues, performance tickets are discounted to encourage the attendance and education of new audiences, including those with vision loss. Special Recognition Achievement in Audio Description — Performing Arts: Mary Hanks For many years, Mary Hanks has single-handedly ensured that performances by the Houston Grand Opera (HGO) are accessible via audio description. She has described over 200 opera performances; for years she was the only HGO audio describer. She describes, recruits, trains, and schedules, expanding accessibility services all over Houston. Her work with the Houston Museum District Association resulted in the addition of blind accessibility services at five institutions. Consumers of Mary’s top-notch audio description services will often travel hundreds of miles to hear her; other describers consult with her regularly. And she does it all as a volunteer. Achievement in Audio Description – Media:  Disney+/The Walt Disney Company From its launch, Disney+ has included audio description with its offerings — the only streaming service to have such a large number of titles available from inception. They have committed to adding audio description tracks to all original programming and have audio-described their extensive back catalog (going back to the late 1920s). Titles such as Snow White, Dumbo, and Cinderella now allow children who are blind or vision impaired and their parents to more meaningfully enjoy all of the classics that have enchanted sighted audiences for decades. They maintain high standards for the audio description scripts they produce, and the quality of the voicing and audio mix is outstanding. Disney+ and, in particular, its employee Mirka Pavlikova, has done considerable outreach to the blindness community, asking what they would like to see and encouraging their feedback.  Achievement in Audio Description – Visual Art/Museums/Visitor Centers: Michele Hartley Since 2010, Michele has served as Media Accessibility Coordinator for the Harpers Ferry Center (HFC), an interpretive media design center for the National Park Service (NPS) system. Michele provides technical assistance, training and resources to promote media, exhibits, videos and publications that are accessible and universally designed. She has made presentations throughout the NPS for the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Access Board and for conferences hosted by organizations such as the American Council of the Blind (ACB), American Alliance of Museums, Preservation Maryland and the Kennedy Center’s Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD). She is a past recipient of the Roger Kennedy National Parks Fellowship from George Washington University. During her tenure as the Acting Deputy Associate Manager of HFC’s audiovisual arts department, she was responsible for improving accessibility of park movies by providing audio description, captions and assistive listening. She developed audio-described exhibits for NPS sites and used automatic triggers to provide more independent access for users and facilitated an audio description player option for videos posted on nps.gov. Over the past 6 years, she has been the NPS liaison to the UniD project, an initiative that produces audio-described park brochures. She is an important advocate for inclusion of user-experts to ensure effective and inclusive communication. Achievement in Audio Description – International: VocalEyes (U.K.) VocalEyes is today considered the leading AD company working in the UK theater, museum, and heritage sectors. Recognized with funding by Arts Council England since the beginning, VocalEyes has audio described around 2,300 productions across the country — an average of 180 annually — covering drama, comedy, musicals, opera, ballet, dance, circus, children’s theater, outdoor festivals, even fireworks displays. Clients include Shakespeare’s Globe, Donmar Warehouse, Royal Court and the Almeida Theatre. The group describes commercial West End shows (Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hamilton) and touring shows. Honed with the involvement of blind and partially sighted users and professionals, VocalEyes provides a 10-15 minute recorded audio introduction a week before the performance, containing information about the set, characters and costumes, venue access information and contact details. On performance day, a touch tour on stage is an opportunity to explore the set, props and costumes, and meet members of the cast. Large print and braille cast and creative lists are provided. In 2012, VocalEyes established a museum, gallery and heritage program which includes live tours, recorded guides, training courses for venue staff in visual awareness, guiding and audio description. Clients include The British Museum, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Wellcome Collection, Natural History Museum, Ferens Art Gallery, and Windsor Castle. Recent research projects include partnership on a Ph.D. study with University of Westminster into Museum Audio Description and Describing Diversity, in partnership with Royal Holloway, University of London, an exploration of the practice of describing human characteristics, such as race, gender, disability and body shape as part of theater audio description. Special Recognition Achievement in Audio Description – International: Audio Described Aotearoa Ltd. (New Zealand) In 2020, many countries, New Zealand included, went into COVID-19 lockdown. Theaters, museums and galleries closed their doors. Audio Described Aotearoa (ADA) immediately sought opportunities to continue audio description. The Royal New Zealand Ballet was planning to live stream recordings of their recent performances, so ADA collaborated with them to offer audio description. So far, over 1,500 people from around the world have tuned into the audio-described ballet. Led by blind consultant Paul Brown and trained audio describer Nicola Owen, ADA was established in 2014 as a company providing audio description services across New Zealand. In 2019, ADA trained the first two Maori (indigenous New Zealand) audio describers and simultaneously audio-described in English and Maori languages — a world first. In 2019, ADA provided description for the English National Ballet’s Giselle as part of the Auckland Arts Festival and made the audio description scripts available for the ballet to use for subsequent overseas tours. In 2020, we encouraged the Auckland Arts Festival to purchase the audio description script for the ballet Snow White to recognize the work of Will McRostie of Description Victoria in Australia and further promote international collaboration between audio describers. ADA has introduced audio description for opera, chamber music, children’s theater, contemporary dance, civic events, and gallery/museum tours. Dr. Margaret R. Pfanstiehl Memorial Achievement Award in Audio Description – Research and Development: United Airlines United Airlines is the first U.S.-based airline to offer the most extensive suite of accessibility features on their in-flight seatback entertainment system, which accommodates any level of visual disability, as well as provides support for hearing and mobility-impaired passengers. Not only are all of the features and functions of the system available using text-to-speech and screen magnification, but passengers can easily find movies and other entertainment with audio description. The accessible IFE system is currently deployed on United’s 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft, and will continue to be deployed on other aircraft moving forward. United clearly understands that their customers have different needs, and they have worked to accommodate everyone’s access needs within the in-flight entertainment system. United offers the largest selection of movies and TV shows with audio description and closed captioning — 54 titles — of any U.S. airline. A variety of settings and features are available to accommodate different levels of vision, such as: Exploration by touch: This function describes each item aloud as the individual moves their finger across the screen Adjustments: Change the text-to-speech, voice volume, speed, and pitch Text sizing: Allows for accessing three different text sizes for easier visibility Magnification: Enlarges a portion of the screen for easier visibility High-contrast text: Makes it easier to read the text on the screen Color correction (beta): This setting enables different color settings to account for types of color blindness Color inversion (beta): This setting inverts color on the screen so it’s more comfortable for those with sensitivity to brightness. Clark Rachfal of Alexandria, Va. reports, “I flew from Sydney, Australia, to Los Angeles, California via United Airlines on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. While navigating the seatback display, my wife discovered that the United in-flight entertainment system on this plane had built-in accessibility features. This was my first time using this screen reader and interface. In addition to navigating AD content, this screen reader gave access to the passenger light and flight attendant call button. These are features that can be independently activated and deactivated by a passenger who is blind with a specific gesture on the screen.” Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description:  Matthew J. Kaplowitz Matthew Kaplowitz is CEO and Chief Creative Officer, as well as President and Director of Technology and Innovation for Bridge Multimedia, the largest producer of audio description for network and cable TV in the United States. But it is the work that he has done on behalf of blind and multiply disabled children that most resonates: he has produced songs and chants that blind preschoolers can use when learning various orientation and mobility skills. Matt also worked with National Braille Press to create descriptions for braille/print children's picture books. Blind parents reading these books to their sighted children can share in the joy of the pictures. The most familiar title in the series, Dragons Love Tacos, is accompanied by songs and lyrics in English and Spanish. A much sought after presenter at educational conferences, Matt addressed the American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description conference in 2018, and the Kidsscreen Summit Conference in 2019. Matt is also an Emmy, Peabody, and Grammy award-winning producer, composer, and sound designer, as well as an assistive listening systems engineer and A/V systems integration specialist for ADA-compliant installations for public spaces. The Achievement Awards are made to individuals and/or organizations for outstanding contributions to the establishment and/or continued development of significant audio description programs. The Barry Levine Memorial Award for Career Achievement in Audio Description recognizes an individual for outstanding contributions to the field of audio description over an extended period of time, leading, inspiring or providing significant service to others. “Audio description uses words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative to convey the visual image from television, film, DVDs, theater, museums and many other settings,” stated Dan Spoone, president of the American Council of the Blind.  “The organizations and individuals honored with these awards are among the leaders in description.  They help make so many aspects of our culture accessible to people who are blind or have low vision; they deserve this special recognition.”  Additional information about ACB’s Audio Description Project is available at: www.acb.org/adp.  About the American Council of the Blind The American Council of the Blind is a national membership organization. Its members are blind, visually impaired, and fully sighted individuals who are concerned about the dignity and well-being of blind people throughout the nation. Formed in 1961, the ACB is one of the largest organizations of blind people in the world, with more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates and a nationwide network of chapters and members spanning the globe. For more information about the American Council of the Blind, contact:  Eric Bridges, Executive Director, American Council of the Blind, 1703 N Beauregard Street  #420, Alexandria, VA 22311;  phone (202) 467-5081 or toll-free, 1-800-424-8666; or  visit the website, www.acb.org. Contact Joel Snyder, PhD, Director, Audio Description Project, ACB (202) 467-5083 24-7 Press Release Link: https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/473536/american-council-of-the-blind-announces-audio-description-awards

Rehabilitation teachers and counselors, teachers of the visually impaired, low vision therapists, orientation and mobility instructors, and many others may earn continuing education credits at the 2020 ACB Virtual Conference and Convention.  Individuals working in vision and other fields may also earn professional development hours during the conference and convention. Content will be delivered through the power of ACB Radio and the Zoom platform; participate from home or office - no need to travel. CEC's are recognized by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP). Topics covered during conference and convention week include employment, technology, health and leisure, orientation and mobility, self-advocacy, braille, low vision, and much more. Individual sessions are provided by ACB, its committees and special-interest affiliates, and leaders in the field of vision. Our new Flex Credits can be used for specific programs and presentations aired during general sessions and on the virtual exhibit channel, as well as for CE and PD sessions not included on the pre-registration form. A list of sessions offering CEC's and PD hours is available at www.acbconvention.org. A list of additional presentations and sessions added since May 15 will be posted in late June; Flex Credits should be used for items on the June list. ACB Conference and Convention dates are July 3 to July 10, 2020. Pre-registration is open until June 21, 2020, and includes the ability to register for continuing education credits and professional development hours. Registration will also be open during the convention. Individuals registering for CE and PD opportunities have several responsibilities: Plan to arrive at each session a few minutes ahead of the scheduled start time, and stay for the complete session. A unique code will be announced at the beginning of each session, and another unique code will be announced at the end of each session. Make note of these codes, as they can only be obtained during the airing of the session.  Re-plays of sessions will be available to accommodate various time zones. Following the conference and convention, you are responsible for completing a CE and PD report that will have been emailed to you prior to the convention; you must enter the codes from your sessions on this form. You must also complete a report and evaluation form for each session. This will provide feedback to the presenter and/or provider, and will help ACB improve its CE and PD offerings in the future. Return all forms to ACB NO LATER THAN Aug. 15, 2020. Upon receipt of your completed forms, ACB will issue your certificate, indicating the number of CE credits and/or PD hours earned with ACB. You are responsible for submitting your certificate to your employer for your PD hours or to ACVREP for your CEC's. Please share this information with schools, agencies and private contractors in your state so that others may take advantage of this great opportunity. For more information, contact Carla Ruschival, continuing education chair, by phone at 1-877-630-7190, or by email at [email protected].

“Individuals with disabilities have a right to full participation in voting, including absentee voting,” stated Eric Bridges, Executive Director of the American Council of the Blind. “Persons with disabilities have fought for decades for their right to vote privately and independently. Now, especially in light of COVID-19, such persons are fighting for their right to vote via absentee ballot.” On May 15, 2020, ACB filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Disability Rights Section, to emphasize the inaccessibility of absentee voting for persons who are blind and visually impaired in the state of Idaho during the 2020 primary election. The complaint provided personal declarations of Idaho residents who, as it stands now, cannot vote privately and independently in their home state via absentee ballot. This submission was a supplemental complaint to one filed by Disability Rights Idaho (DRI) on April 23, 2020. The complaint filed by DRI stressed concerns about the lack of information being provided for voters with disabilities, including elderly individuals with disabilities, regarding accessibility options so that voters can maintain their right to vote independently during the May 19, 2020 primary election. “DRI remains concerned that voters with disabilities across the state of Idaho may become disenfranchised by the lack of uniformity and specificity that is being offered when it comes to providing accommodations to voters with disabilities,” said Courtney Holthus, Advocacy Director with DRI. “Voters with disabilities have the right to request modifications to the voting process. They have a right to equally effective communication, including the provision of ballots in alternative formats. Those rights are not waived or eliminated by the COVID-19 crisis.” ACB urges the DOJ to ensure the right to a private and independent vote in Idaho for all future elections. Both organizations are confident that these complaints with the Department will yield positive findings that will impact voting accessibility nationwide. Contacts: Claire Stanley, Advocacy and Outreach Specialist, American Council of the Blind (202) 467-5081 [email protected] Courtney R. Holthus, Advocacy Director, Disability Rights Idaho (208) 336-5353, ext. 119 [email protected]

June 3, 2020 – New York, NY – A federal court has approved an agreement between the NYS Board of Elections (NYS BOE) and disability groups that provides voters a more accessible absentee ballot for the upcoming June 23 Primary Election. Following a lawsuit filed on May 22 by a disability rights coalition, the NYSBOE has agreed to email accessible absentee ballots to qualified voters with disabilities. Voters can access an Accessible Absentee Ballot Request Form on the NYS BOE website to request an accessible electronically-delivered absentee ballot. The accessible absentee ballot request form is located here: https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/download/Voting/NYAccessibleElectronicAbsBallotApp.pdf. “We are encouraged by the steps taken to ensure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to protect both their safety and their vote, via absentee ballot, in the upcoming June primary. However, there is still more to be done before the general election in November for the system to be fully accessible,”  says the coalition, which includes Disability Rights New York, the American Council of the Blind—New York, Inc., Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, Disability Rights Advocates, National Federation of the Blind of New York State, Inc., represented by Eve L. Hill of Brown of Goldstein & Levy LLP and several New York voters with disabilities, including Rasheta Bunting, Karen Gourgey, Keith Gurgui, and Jose Hernandez. The terms of the agreement, which only applies to the June 23, 2020 Primary Election, include the following: A voter with a print disability can request an accessible absentee ballot using the accessible request form available online. The voter must send via email their completed request form to their county BOE on or before June 16. Voters can sign the form with text input or e-signature. The county BOE will send the accessible absentee ballot to the voter by email as soon as possible after it receives the voter’s request form. The county BOE also mails a postage paid return envelope and oath envelope to the voter. The voter will receive an email with the accessible ballot, and the voter can mark their selections on the computer and print it out at home. The voter must sign the oath envelope anywhere on the envelope, then put the ballot in the oath envelope. The voter must put the oath envelope in the larger envelope provided with paid postage by the county BOE. A voter must get the ballot in the mail by June 22, or hand-delivered it to the county BOE by June 23, 2020. This agreement does not provide an online ballot submission option, and only applies to the upcoming June election. Plaintiffs will continue their pursuit for a fully accessible absentee ballot for the November 2020 General Election and all subsequent elections. About: About American Council of the Blind (ACB): The American Council of the Blind is a national grassroots consumer organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. With 70 affiliates, ACB strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people. Learn more by visiting www.acb.org. About Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY (CIDNY): The Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY’s goal is to ensure full integration, independence, and equal opportunity for all people with disabilities by removing barriers to the social, economic, cultural, and civic life of the community. Learn more about our work at www.cidny.org. About Disability Rights Advocates (DRA): Disability Rights Advocates is a leading national nonprofit disability rights legal center. Its mission is to advance equal rights and opportunity for people with all types of disabilities nationwide. DRA has a long history of enforcing the rights of voters with disabilities, including their rights to accessible voting machines, polling places, and online voter registration. Visit www.dralegal.org. About Disability Rights New York (DRNY): DRNY is the designated independent non-profit Protection & Advocacy System empowered by Congress to investigate allegations of abuse and neglect and provide legal and non-legal advocacy services to people with disabilities in New York State. The Protection & Advocacy System was created by Congress as a direct result of the horrific conditions that were uncovered in the 1970's at New York’s Willowbrook State School. DRNY is supported at tax payer expense by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, The Administration for Community Living; Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration; U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration; and, the Social Security Administration. This press release does not represent the views, positions or policies of, or the endorsements by, any of these federal agencies. Visit www.drny.org. About National Federation of the Blind (NFB): The National Federation of the Blind, headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB 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. 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 www.nfb.org. Contacts: Disability Rights New York: Katrin Haldeman [email protected] 518-512-4929 American Council of the Blind: Clark Rachfal [email protected] 202-467-5081 Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York: Jeff Peters [email protected] 646-442-4154 Disability Rights Advocates: Christina Brandt-Young [email protected] 212-644-8644 National Federation of the Blind: Chris Danielsen [email protected] 410-262-1281

By Cindy Hollis Van Winkle, Membership Services Coordinator, American Council of the Blind I can remember as a little girl trying to color pictures that were dot to dot. The premise was to assist one in drawing the prescribed picture. Of course, I could never see the dots well enough to color the picture to look like anything recognizable, no less what it was supposed to be. But this was during a time in my life when we lived in a neighborhood of young families. Kids played together, schooled together, and grew up together. When a family was on vacation, others watched their home. When kids were playing outside, one of the parents watched through a window. Birthday parties, sleep overs, sharing meals, and yes, even the occasional quarrels occurred in that neighborhood, but we were connected by location, schools and Scouts, age of children, and an unspoken sense of belonging. Now let us talk about the American Council of the Blind (ACB). Our neighborhood is made up of sixty-eight affiliates spread out all over the country and covering a myriad of interest areas. Annually, a representation of those affiliates join at the Conference and Convention, but many aren’t able to travel to those in-person events for whatever reason. When we are there, however, we feel that sense of connection as a picture of ACB is drawn in that week-long moment in time. And then a pandemic hit, and our world experienced an upheaval. Suddenly, local groups who normally met on a regular basis in person could no longer do so. Our annual event was changed to a virtual one, and many of our members have been confined to their living quarters – human distancing. But we are a resilient bunch. We’re used to finding creative ways to do things, to clear obstacles on our pathway, to charter new territory. We’re also accustomed to talking on the phone and using technology. So, the government says we need to distance ourselves from one another, and so we abide. Then we create ways to connect via different avenues by using tools known to us. In mid-March, two conference calls were held by ACB for affiliate leaders, exploring ways to stay connected with our membership. Ten weeks later, those calls have turned into 40 to 50 calls each week covering a variety of topics and several social in nature, a weekly schedule being sent out to members and friends of ACB and email list where the daily schedule can be shared each morning, over 1000 people joining one or more of these community events each week, and several people coming forward to facilitate or host these calls. ACB Radio has supported these events along the way and has now provided a dedicated community channel for the expressed purpose of sharing these events with even more people. Listen to our community on the ACB Radio Community channel: www.acbradio.org/community or access through your favorite Amazon device by saying, “Open the ACB Radio Community skill.” Today, members of ACB from all over the U.S., and often guests from within and outside of our country, are becoming active members of a community not connected by streets and sidewalks, but rather by hearts and passion. The dots on ACB’s proverbial coloring page are the hearts of our members; the lines are the events we join in on via Zoom, and the connection takes place each and every time we meet. Through these community events, regardless of where we each live, we’re reminded we’re not alone. We truly are a community. If you have not yet joined us for one of these calls, we are ready to welcome you. The first step is to subscribe to the ACB Community Events email list so that you too can receive your morning email with that day's schedule of events: http://acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/acb-community-events. Next, join us!