THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVII February 2009 No. 8 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Mitch Pomerantz, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 (202) 467-5081 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. Submission deadlines are the first of the month. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. Join the MMS program and help improve tomorrow today in ACB. Contact Ron Milliman by e-mail, rmilliman@insightbb.com, or by phone at (270) 782-9325 and get started making tomorrow look brighter today! To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2009 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President?s Message: A Historic Meeting for ACB, by Mitch Pomerantz Executive Director?s Report, by Melanie Brunson ACB Convention 2009: The Serious Side of Orlando, by Carla Ruschival Florida Host Committee Seeks Your Help, by Sila Miller Seeking Nominations, by Cindy Van Winkle Board of Publications Awards: This Year It Could Be You! Talking the Talk about Walking the Walk, by Ken Stewart My Cane, by John Lee Clark Book Review: Rachael Scdoris? ?No End in Sight,? by Ken Stewart Of Dogs and Iowa, by Paul Edwards From Your Perspective: ?Stay in Your Place,? by Carl Jarvis Letter to the Editor Here and There, by Sue Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-L-subscribe@acb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** PRESIDENT?S MESSAGE: A HISTORIC MEETING FOR ACB by Mitch Pomerantz On Dec. 8th, a historic meeting took place between representatives of the two major consumer advocacy organizations of blind and visually impaired people and a member of President-Elect Barack Obama?s transition team. To the best of my knowledge such a meeting is unprecedented in our history, and I want to bring everyone up to speed on what took place at this important get-together. The meeting was held in Washington, D.C., so I participated via conference call. (The invitation came too late for me to be there in person without breaking the ACB bank.) Attending in person was our director of advocacy and governmental affairs, Eric Bridges. The National Federation of the Blind was represented by President Marc Maurer and John Pare, executive director for strategic initiatives. The American Foundation for the Blind was also invited, but was unable to participate on that day, so their representatives will meet with the Obama people at another time. For well over an hour, we met with Kareem Dale, a blind attorney from Chicago who is a member of Obama?s transition team. Dale has been the president-elect?s point person on disability issues and, while he is relatively unfamiliar with most blindness-related concerns, he is obviously very intelligent and truly interested in what we had to say. Several other government staffers ? including longtime transportation and disability-rights advocate Michael Winter ? sat in as well. Winter has worked for the Federal Transit Administration for many years and is quite knowledgeable about our transportation needs. At the outset, Dale acknowledged his understanding that there were differences between the two organizations present, as well as between the blindness organizations and the larger disability community. Despite this, he emphasized the incoming administration?s hope that ACB and NFB would work more closely together and that both organizations would work collaboratively with other disability organizations to the greatest extent possible. Prior to the briefing, ACB was advised (as presumably was the NFB) to focus on three of our organization?s highest priorities. While we certainly could have talked about many more than three issues, Melanie Brunson, Eric and I agreed prudence dictated that we strictly adhere to the ground rules set forth in the original invitation. Eric and I did so. When it came time for the Federation to speak (Dale asked ACB to go first), Pare chose to run through a far lengthier laundry list of items. Eric and I outlined the following priorities: 1. Maintaining and strengthening categorical services for blind and visually impaired people, including the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program. Here we pointed out the need for an RSA (Rehabilitative Services Administration) head who recognizes our unique needs as expressed through active support for specialized programs and services for blind and visually impaired people. 2. Providing full access to information, including accessible web sites and consumer electronics. We described the key provisions contained in H.R. 6320 and stressed the necessity for web sites maintained by all federal agencies to be fully accessible. 3. Advocating for enhanced pedestrian safety through research into making hybrid vehicles (quiet cars) more audible to blind and other pedestrians. We indicated ACB?s support for H.R. 5734 and suggested that the Obama administration could use its influence to see similar legislation passed in the next session of Congress. Clearly, issues such as increased funding for public transit, greater employment opportunities (including opportunities for blind and other persons with disabilities), and changes to Medicare -- which would permit reimbursement for visual aids such as closed-circuit television systems -- could have been mentioned as well. However, it was our feeling that transportation, employment and Medicare were already on the president-elect?s radar screen and the issues we raised likely were not, at least until this meeting. We also chose those issues because ACB has numerous resolutions going back many years establishing our positions on each issue. I know that there was quite a bit of discussion on ACB-L and Leadership immediately following announcement of the meeting relative to the issues we decided upon. That?s what makes ACB the democratic organization it is, and I appreciated the e-mail give-and-take which ensued. I know that ACB?s presentation was well-received by Kareem Dale and the others in attendance from the Obama team. There has already been further communication and I fully expect ACB to have far more input into blindness-related decisions and policies than we have ever had under any previous administration since our founding in 1961. We were strongly encouraged by Dale to inform our members about this historic meeting and to let everyone know within the American Council of the Blind that the Obama administration intends to keep the lines of communication open between it and the disability community, including ACB. We can only hope that this is not an empty promise. Based on our Dec. 8th meeting, I am cautiously optimistic that this promise will be kept. ***** EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR?S REPORT by Melanie Brunson This month I just have a quick reminder for everyone. The ACB national office has moved. Our telephone numbers will remain the same, but we have a new fax number. It is (703) 465-5085. Our new street address is 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201. Happy new year to all, and may your advocacy pursuits prosper in 2009! Speaking of advocacy, I?m keeping my message brief this month to ensure space for Lainey Feingold. See below. Accessible Credit Reports Now Available Thanks to ACB's settlement with three United States Credit Reporting Agencies, people who are blind or visually impaired within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act may now order Braille, large print or audio credit reports from any of the three national credit reporting agencies. ?Each person is entitled to one free credit report each year from each of the following three companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. ?Reports in braille, large print and audio formats can be ordered?by calling toll-free 1-877-322-8228. Free annual credit reports are also available online in accessible formats by going to www.annualcreditreport.com. More information is available on Lainey Feingold's web site at www.LFLegal.com. ?The direct link to additional accessible credit report information is www.lflegal.com/2008/12/credit-announce/. ?Lainey and Linda Dardarian, ACB's lawyers in the structured negotiations that led to the accessible credit report settlement, can be reached by e-mail at LF@LFLegal.com or toll-free by phone at Linda's office,?1-800-822-5000. New Talking ATM and POS Settlement Agreements? Dollar General has agreed to install tactile keypads at point-of-sale devices in over 8,000 stores in the United States. ?TCF Bank is installing Talking ATMs and providing alternative format banking materials throughout its midwest service area. ?Both companies reached agreements to improve accessibility for blind customers at the end of last year?as a result of structured negotiations, without a lawsuit being filed. ? The agreement with Dollar General was reached with ACB, the American Foundation for the Blind, and the California Council of the Blind. ACB's structured negotiations lawyers, Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian, negotiated the agreement. The Illinois Council of the Blind was involved with the TCF negotiations, and Equip for Equality in Chicago negotiated the settlement with Lainey.?Both negotiations also involved individual blind customers. These agreements are a reminder of the importance of accessible financial information and technology. ?No one should have to disclose confidential information if they want to use a debit card to pay for products or services. ?Financial statements must be available in accessible formats, and tens of thousands of Talking ATMs across the country show that ATMs can be made accessible. ?ACB has now been involved in agreements with seven national chains to guarantee that point-of-sale devices have tactile keys so visually impaired shoppers can enter their confidential information. ?The TCF Bank agreement is the 19th agreement negotiated by ACB affiliates about Talking ATMs and accessible information. ? Both the Dollar General agreement and the TCF Agreement began when individual customers of these companies advocated for greater accessibility. ?Individual advocacy joined with ACB advocacy and resulted in agreements affecting people with visual impairments across the country. ? If you have been denied accessible information, technology or services, and have questions about how you can become involved in a structured negotiations effort, contact Lainey and Linda by e-mail at LF@LFLegal.com, or by calling Linda's office toll-free at?1-800-822-5000. ***** ACB CONVENTION 2009: THE SERIOUS SIDE OF ORLANDO by Carla Ruschival The 2009 ACB convention is teeming with magic, and the convention committee and local host committee are hard at work creating a grand event that is sure to please young and old alike. We're inviting speakers, selecting menus, organizing tours, assigning meeting rooms, and registering exhibitors and sponsors. We're planning the 2009 ACB convention! Convention dates are July 3 to 11; the place, the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Often people ask if there are activities that can help them in their careers. They want to know about information available on important issues, and how they can learn more about new adaptive technology. Here's a sampling of these outstanding opportunities. Let your employer know about these programs, and explore the possibility of receiving professional days while attending part or all of the convention. Exhibits: Compare and contrast the latest products for blind and visually impaired people. Discover which video magnifier, braille device or speech program best meets your needs. Examine tutorials, print/braille books, watches, and an endless variety of products for work, school and daily living. Collect materials to take home to others in your office or organization. You will want to spend hours and hours browsing the exhibit hall; it opens on Saturday, July 4, at 1 p.m. and closes on Thursday, July 9, at 1 p.m. Workshops and Focus Groups: Every convention features unique opportunities to learn new skills, tips and techniques on a wide range of topics. Seminars on diabetes, employment issues, and access to off-the-shelf technology are some examples. There's instruction on high-tech products such as screen readers, braille notetakers, low-vision products, and much more. Programs and Discussions: ACB general sessions (Sunday evening, Monday to Thursday mornings, and all day Friday) address major issues such as education, rehabilitation, employment, accessibility, health-related issues and much more. The presentation by a Talking Book narrator and update on library services are always popular. While the 2009 program is not yet complete, you can be assured that it will be exciting and packed with useful information. ACB committees, special-interest affiliates and others sponsor an endless variety of break-out sessions and small-group discussions. Look for informative programming for teachers, government employees, blind vendors and entrepreneurs, attorneys, and information technology specialists. Students can explore careers and meet people working in their areas of interest. Special programming targets issues related to low vision, guide dogs, deaf-blind concerns, braille, etc. Networking: It is often said that networking with others with similar interests is as important as education and training, and that it greatly enhances the job-seeking process. Whether you are a teacher or student, rehabilitation counselor or administrator, parent or caregiver, employer or job-seeker, you will be able to network with others in your field. Convention Reminders Commemorative Program: Every state and every affiliate have special people who have played significant roles in the lives of blind and visually impaired people. Often these outstanding individuals go unheralded on the national scene. Share the accomplishments of these special people by participating in the commemorative section of the 2009 ACB convention program. Commemorative pages will be printed on high-quality paper; pages can include a color photograph of your special person and a short caption about his or her accomplishments. What a wonderful way to honor or memorialize that special person! Reserve your commemorative page by May 15. Color Pages: Attention, program advertisers! You've been asking for it, and here it is! Full-page ads and program covers are now available in color. See your exhibit and sponsorship packets for details, or visit www.acb.org/convention. Exhibit Special for Blind Entrepreneurs: Are you a blind small-business owner? Do you have products such as CDs, books, crafts, or computer games to sell? Are you a representative for a company that sells jewelry, toys, home d?cor, etc.? Would your products be a popular addition to the ACB exhibit area? If you have always wanted to give the exhibit area a try, but haven't been sure that the hours and cost were right for you, now is your chance. Discounts on tabletop booths are available to blind small-business owners during their first, second and third years of participation in the exhibit hall. For more information, contact Michael Smitherman at (601) 968-4164, or visit www.acb.org/convention. Planning Group Functions: Menus, audio-visual price lists, and instructions for planning group events are now available. All special-interest affiliates, ACB committees, and others wishing to sponsor programs or activities at the convention should have one representative subscribed to the convention-planning e-mail list; contact Carla Ruschival if you have any questions about this list. Groups planning to host events during convention week must submit all information for the pre-registration form by April 1. Program details need to be submitted by May 1. Make all arrangements related to convention events (reserving space, ordering food or A/V equipment, etc.) with Carla Ruschival (phone (502) 897-1472, or e-mail adamcarla@bellsouth.net). Details for Everyone Make your hotel reservations at the luxurious Rosen Centre hotel by calling (407) 996-9840. Rooms are $83 per night, single/double, plus tax. Add $10 per night for each additional person in the room. Please note that the Rosen Centre is 100 percent non-smoking; the hotel can and will impose major additional charges on anyone found to be smoking in any sleeping room. Keep up with all the latest convention announcements. Join the acbconvention e-mail list by sending a blank message to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org. Have more questions? Contact Carla Ruschival, ACB convention committee chair, at (502) 897-1472 or by e-mail at adamcarla@bellsouth.net; or call the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666. ***** FLORIDA HOST COMMITTEE SEEKS YOUR HELP Dear Fellow ACB Friends and Supporters: As many of you know, Florida will be the host of the 2009 national convention. This esteemed gathering will be in Orlando from July 3-11, 2009 at the Rosen Centre Hotel. I am serving on the local host committee, which helps to plan and coordinate this upcoming shindig. As we would when welcoming honored guests into our homes, we want to go above and beyond toward making our fellow ACBers feel special and welcome. One way in which we can do this is to have lots and lots of goodies, door prizes and memorabilia for our guests to win and take back home with them. Another way is that old, unbeatable human contact. There will be plenty of opportunities for both outreach and giving. To this end, I am requesting your help. Whether you want to donate personally or from your chapter or affiliate, we would be grateful for any donations. Some suggestions are: money, gift certificates, small memorabilia from your state and the like. The other suggested and perhaps most important donation is time. When you give of your time and talent by volunteering to help others, you receive the real gift! When thinking about what I wanted to write, I thought of a quote that I read a few years ago. Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." So come on, friends, let?s give freely and make this a convention ACB will never forget! Additionally, FCB will be hosting a Welcome to Florida Party on Saturday, July 4th. This is an awesome opportunity. It?s where we get to meet and greet, see/hear and be seen/heard by our national brothers and sisters. We welcome you all to this party and look forward to showing you some real Florida sunshine while you?re here! Thank you in advance for considering my request and helping in whatever capacity you are able. Please contact me either by phone, (850) 894-9203, or e-mail, silam@earthlink.net, with any questions. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you in July! With sincerest appreciation, Sila Miller ***** SEEKING NOMINATIONS by Cindy Van Winkle It's time to honor those members, individuals, chapters and organizations who have given to ACB and the blindness community in a special way. Please read the below awards and criteria, then submit your letter of nomination. Don't wait thinking that someone else will write that letter. There's nothing worse than sitting out in the audience as an award is presented knowing who the recipient could have been ? if only you had taken the time. The Robert S. Bray Award is given to a person who has made a contribution for improving library technology or communication devices. It could also be given for expanding access for blind people, or making opportunities within the mainstream media. The George Card Award is given to an individual who has dedicated his or her life to work with and for blind people, making a real difference and improving quality of life, for providing leadership and being a positive role model. The Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award is one of our most popular awards. It is given in recognition of a blind person who may or may not be a member of a blindness organization but who has spent his or her life integrating with the community. The James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award is periodically given to individuals who have made important contributions which have advanced opportunities for the blind community. This award can be given to an individual or an organization. The Affiliate Growth Award is based on the greatest increase in membership, as determined by the 2008-2009 membership reports. The Affiliate Outreach Award is based on a recommendation by an affiliate president, which recognizes a local chapter for a new outreach program. This program must have a measurable outcome. For the first time, we are accepting nomination letters via e-mail, and although hard-copy letters will be accepted, the electronic format is preferred. Please e-mail nomination letters to cindy.vw@msn.com. Hard-copy letters may be sent to: ACB Awards Committee, c/o American Council of the Blind, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201. The deadline date for nominations is May 1, 2009. This means letters should be received electronically by 11:59 p.m. on May 1 or be postmarked by that date if coming via U.S. Postal Service. We look forward to reading many wonderful nomination letters, and the subsequent joy of making presentations of these prestigious awards at the upcoming ACB convention in Orlando, Fla. ***** BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS AWARDS: THIS YEAR IT COULD BE YOU! The ACB Board of Publications proudly recognizes excellence each year with two awards. The Ned E. Freeman Writing Award, instituted in 1970, is named for the first president of the American Council of the Blind who, after completing his term of office, became editor of "The Braille Forum." The Vernon Henley Media Award was established in 1988 to honor the man who created and first produced ACB Reports, a radio presentation distributed to radio reading services around the country. The Freeman Award applies to articles published in either the Forum or an affiliate publication and is awarded to an individual piece of work. Mastery of the craft of writing is a major consideration by BOP voters. Interesting subject matter, originality in recounting an experience, or novelty of approach are also considered. All articles published in ?The Braille Forum? between April 2008 and March 2009 are automatically eligible for the Freeman Award. Articles published in state or special-interest affiliate publications are also eligible if submitted by either the president or newsletter editor from that affiliate. If submitting such an article for consideration, please include a cover letter noting the affiliate, publication name, edition and a brief notation about the article. The Vernon Henley Media Award is presented to an organization or person, either sighted or blind, who has made a positive difference in the media -- whether in radio, TV, magazines, newspapers or electronic media -- that may change public attitudes to recognize the capabilities of people who are blind, rather than focusing on outdated stereotypes and misconceptions. Programs and/or articles written and produced specifically for a visually impaired audience, as well as those intended for the general public, are eligible. Multiple articles or programs submitted by one author or organization will be judged as separate entries. Recipients of these awards for the last five years are ineligible to enter the contests. Members of the ACB national office staff, the board of directors or board of publications serving during the awarding period are also not eligible. Submissions for both awards must be received by Sharon Lovering at the ACB national office on or before April 15, 2009. Presentations will be made at the 2009 national convention. For more information about judging criteria, please consult the Board of Publications Policy Manual, found on the ACB web site at www.acb.org/resources/bop-policy-manual-2007.html. Send all submissions with cover letter to: BOP Awards, c/o Sharon Lovering, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201, and e-mail slovering@acb.org. Best of luck to all! ***** TALKING THE TALK ABOUT WALKING THE WALK by Ken Stewart As I write this in mid-December, plans are under way to offer attendees at the 2009 American Council of the Blind national convention an opportunity to participate in an organized run-walk. An event called the Watermelon 5K Run/Walk is held in the city of Winter Park every July 4th. A task force led by Dan Dillon is developing plans for interested ACB members to join the festivities. For some, walking or even trotting 3.1 miles is no big deal. For others, special preparation will be in order. For that reason I have been asked to share my personal experiences preparing for road races and maintaining reasonable fitness generally. Preparation for a long walk is walking. And an almost as basic second principle is, "Consistency trumps intensity.? My preparation for the eight marathons I have raced was to do a training run every other day. The length of each training run was less significant than the avoidance of any multi-day interruption in that training. In reality, my preparatory runs for those 26.2-mile marathons rarely exceeded 10 miles in length. In more than one fitness publication, in fact, I have read advice from experts that a good rule of thumb is that one-third of a race's distance is sufficient to train for that race. The kinds of walking, too, can vary widely and still be quite beneficial. Pushing a heavy shopping cart around the supermarket or even strolling to the kitchen from the television room at the far end of one's McMansion during every commercial break can contribute. But that kitchen activity better be washing the dishes or sweeping the floor, not fetching a high-calorie snack ... but more about eating later. One of my personal favorites for conditioning while carrying on with daily routines is stair climbing. In fact, when I am presented with an option of an up-escalator or an adjacent stairway in a public building, I typically select the stairs. Where there is no alternative, I walk during the ride up if possible. Fortunately I find that most other escalator riders stay to the right, keeping the "passing lane" clear out of consideration for people who are hurrying to catch a train or otherwise in a rush. My training for the Empire State Building Run-Up (described in "Runners High,? which appeared in May 1996?s issue of the Forum), consisted entirely of repeatedly hustling up the six flights in my Manhattan apartment building. It was sufficient to get me up the 86 floors on race day ahead of about half of the other competitors. Among all the types of fitness and exercise equipment now in use, my favorite is the treadmill. It provides a moving surface for walking or running with side rails offering a hold option. The speed can be regulated and the surface can be tilted to simulate a hill. There are models designed for home use, and heavy-duty versions commonly found in fitness centers. I have described my experiences with two models at home in a Dialogue article, "A Tale of Two Treadmills" (www.blindskills.com). The ACB Fitness Equipment Equity Task Force, which I am currently chairing, will be approaching manufacturers to increase the accessibility of the control panels and other design features of their products. The various leg muscles used while walking can be encouraged in more mundane activities too. A little jogging in place while waiting at the bus stop will add the side benefit of warming the body on a frigid afternoon. Even rapidly bouncing on the edge of the bed utilizes the quadriceps ("quads"), the set of four muscles down the front of each leg to the knee. The side benefit there is motivating your lazy sleep partner to awaken before noon. After the bouncing, try thrusting your knees forward repeatedly by pushing back your heels. That puts the hamstring muscles to work, in the back of each leg above the knee. I?ve been doing daily leg-lifts ever since; full leg lifts while lying down, and lifts of the lower legs while sitting at a meeting if at a table so that only a guide dog underneath will notice. Only recently I was reminded of the amazing value that has accrued from those daily quad exercises. While rummaging through a long-closeted gym bag, I rediscovered the variety of knee supports, wraps and bandages I regularly employed because of a chronically sore left knee. The life-changing leg-lift exercises were suggested by a tennis-playing neighbor who told me she got the recommendation from her doctor, who bragged that half of the New York City Ballet were his patients. What contributes to physical health is, of all things, wringing out one's washcloth after bathing. Believe it or not, the rigorous squeezing of every last drop of water can enhance finger and hand strength. One frequently touted strategy is to fill the lungs gradually to their peak volume, hold for a few seconds, and then exhale gradually. This is one more activity that can be performed in many sedentary circumstances, remembering again the great value of consistency. The strenuous snow shoveling I did a few nights ago to clear a footpath through my patch of Warwick woods required frequent pauses to catch my breath. But I was cheered by the realization that my lungs would thank me later for working them so hard. Then there?s body weight. The most important number is not what the scale presents, or even the now very popular body-mass index. It is the waistline measurement. One need not even calculate the inches with a tape measure. Just take note of the belt notch engaging the buckle as your eating habits and fitness improve. And don?t forget running! When I began road racing three decades ago, I read that it was best to apply maximum movement toward forward direction and minimum into vertical. The more level the head remains, the better this objective is being attained. I suppose if applied to walking too, one would concentrate on minimizing any bouncing effects. I have also read that arm swings contribute to efficiency. Each arm swinging in synchrony with the opposite leg, of course. And if running, letting the arms swing as they hang loosely rather than pumping while held up with tensed arm muscles. A white cane in one hand or a guide dog's harness unavoidably reduces the ability to swing arms. During my competitive road races I am always connected to my sighted guide by a strip of white cloth held in one hand of each of us. There is usually enough slack that I can swing that arm almost as freely as the other arm. My Dialogue article, "Running on Low," details my adventures as a road race participant. One disclaimer in closing: I have no personal familiarity with the possible fitness benefits of the Perp Walk. ***** MY CANE Whenever I skedaddle up stairwells or dive down flights, swooping past risers, I want to touch down on each landing standing with my tango partner. Whenever outside, I want her to become a sword, parrying lunges from poles and challenging anything in my way, unafraid of ambushes of concrete and of glass. Whenever I approach seas of feet, I want her to wave her slender figure, luminous white, for all before me to part and make way for a man possessed. -- John Lee Clark ***** BOOK REVIEW: RACHAEL SCDORIS' 'NO END IN SIGHT' by Ken Stewart (Editor's Note: To read this book for yourself, request book number RC61948 from your state's library for the blind.)? The Iditarod is probably the most celebrated of all dog sled races worldwide. It follows an 1,100-mile course from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. The event, held once each winter, is so demanding, with rough terrain and unforgiving weather, that the fastest finish time ever was just short of nine days! In "No End in Sight," a young woman, legally blind from birth, describes in vivid first-person prose her pursuit, from the age of 8, to compete in that famous race, a dream realized at the age of 20. This book, very skillfully narrated by Kristen Allison, has in its 278 pages much to fascinate every low-vision athlete and every dog lover, as well as something for outdoor lovers, policy wonks, accessibility advocates, legal eagles, amateur psychoanalysts, and family therapists, among others. It is a rich autobiographical chronology, from the delivery room, when the newborn's impaired eyesight was first noted, to that ultimate athletic contest in Alaska. It was Rachael's experiences competing with fully sighted public school classmates in track and in cross country that spoke loudest to me. She, running an extra mile along a cross-country course when she missed a turn; me, relinquishing first place by misjudging the location of the finish line at a track meet. I was running the anchor leg on Nathaniel Hawthorne Junior High School's half-mile relay team, but not because I was the fastest of the four-member relay team. Only years later did I figure out why the coach put me in that anchor position. He must have wisely judged that I might have trouble aiming the baton into my teammate's hand stretched back behind him before running the next leg of the relay race. Rachael's vision impairment drew taunts and ridicule from classmates, she recalls. That did not speak to me. True, I had formidable fighting skill. But her apparent social clumsiness seemed to be her primary vulnerability, not a lack of physical prowess. In fact, the story offers ample evidence that Rachael Scdoris was actually an extraordinary physical specimen. Several of the experiences recounted which illustrate Rachael's heroic determination also illustrated her father's questionable behavior. One morning Rachael jogged the entire 26 miles from her rural home to her high school because the bus she regularly caught for the trip failed to appear. I couldn't help but wonder why her father did not wait for the bus with her instead of simply dropping her off and driving away. A few pages further on in her narrative, Rachael describes completing a grueling sled dog race painfully frost-bitten after taking a severe spill at an undetected sharp turn just out from the starting line. Her clothing was filled with snow from the incident resulting from her father's failure to competently perform his role as her two-way radio "visual interpreter" following behind her on a snowmobile. Mr. Scdoris was not the only visual interpreter who failed at times to provide Rachael with sufficient visual information during sled dog races. Many pages in the book report, in great detail, a long series of sled dog races which led up to the climactic episode of the story, the Iditarod. In these many races, Rachael was always accompanied by someone of her choosing, driving a snowmobile (referred to as a "snow machine") just ahead or just behind her sled. One of these helpers was Dan. His unhelpful shout over the radio was, "Get back on the trail," when Rachael's dogs took her off route onto an adjacent highway. "Get on the brake!" puzzled her. "Cliff just ahead!" would not have puzzled her. Dan did better with his descriptive communication sometimes. "Corner left! Lean left!," for example. And then, "Switchback right," "Quarter mile, switchback left." Rachael's own imperfections are revealed from time to time in the story too. Never far short of awesome physically, but certainly an emotionally flawed human at times. "I told myself that I really did not care if I even finished this ridiculous race," she recalls thinking during particularly frustrating sled race conditions. Later she admits, "It was pretty much the height of embarrassment." And on another occasion, "I expected Dad to lecture me." Rachael shares with readers her struggles with her self-image as a blind person, sometimes projecting, however understandably, onto others and how they saw her. She writes, "... but it seems everyone I come in contact with focuses on one thing, what I can see. Or, to be more precise, what I cannot see." Then comes a musing with which many low-vision readers will identify, "Exactly what do I see? I have been asked that question a million times." When she writes about her particular vision impairment, "It is just different. That is all," some will mutter, "Denial" and find confirmation in a following passage. " 'Disabled' means unable. I am not unable." Rachael's sensitivity to the attitudes of others toward her vision impairment showed vividly when the time came to apply for permission to compete in the Iditarod. Rachael worried that her special need for visual interpreters might be enough to result in a rejection. But she believed that the law was on her side. She writes, "After all, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) virtually guaranteed that I be granted reasonable accommodation." Then she adds a more pragmatic observation in her favor, "Besides, having me run the race would only attract more public interest. In the long run, that could only benefit the Iditarod." The most thought-provoking part of the entire story for me was this account of Rachael's attempts to gain entry to the Iditarod. Her preoccupation since she first frolicked with her father's sled dogs as a young child, that participation did not come easily. It turned out to be a greater challenge than all the physical demands of her innumerable preparatory dog sled races. The problem, as she anticipated, was not the quality of her record in dog sled competition, but the special accommodation she required. The fairness of being accompanied by a second person to narrate the course to her generated much debate among members of the race's executive board. I was reminded of the current controversy over a world-class track star who runs on prosthetic legs which are suspected by some critics of giving him more spring in his stride than his fellow runners can get from their God-issued natural legs. There is currently a competitive woman swimmer without legs, causing some to wonder if having legs is a net deficit causing more "drag" on her competitors than the "kick" produced by legs. Then there is the matter of the 2007 New York City Marathon Committee banning the wearing of headsets by runners because it has been decided that listening to inspiring music confers an unfair advantage to runners wearing them. The live music being played along the race route which touches all five of New York's boroughs, and of course, the cheering crowds, certainly inspired me during my marathon runs. But those sounds were available to all of my competitors too. These days I use a sighted guide in road races, and I assume it is obvious to spectators that there is enough slack in the thin strip of cloth that connects us that he is not pulling me along! My closest personal association with the Iditarod came when a large contingent of blind lovers of the out-of-doors were housed in an Anchorage hotel during a week-long Ski For Light event. The ceremonial starting line for the race was a short stroll from our hotel on a downtown street. Our winter's exceptionally mild weather had required trucking in snow to create a better "photo op" for the start just a few days earlier. No such good meteorological fortune Rachael's year. The last portion of "No End in Sight" goes into great detail about each segment of the monstrous climatic and geographic obstacles confronting Rachael during her Iditarod. There was so much detail, in fact, I became impatient to get to the inevitable climax. Then, a surprising ending! An ending you won't read about in this review. Get the book and find out for yourself! ***** OF DOGS AND IOWA by Paul Edwards It is amazing to me that more than five years have passed since Stephanie Dohmen was denied access to a training center operated by the Department for the Blind in Iowa as long as she wished to be accompanied by her guide dog. I found myself wondering what had happened in the case, so I did a little research. Here is the latest status. Many will remember that Dohmen filed suit in federal and state court. She eventually withdrew her federal complaints and stuck with the case in state court. The court decided that she did not have the right to file her complaint as she did. They made no decision about whether she was right or wrong in her allegations about the training center or her treatment. Instead they threw the case out because, in their opinion, Dohmen had not exhausted all remedies before resorting to the court trial. Essentially, what this meant was that, according to the lower court, she hadn't done enough with the agency to see if she could find a solution. Therefore the court decided it would not hear any more of the case. Earlier this year, the Iowa Court of Appeals overturned that decision. They decided that the department had waited too long to raise the issue of exhausting remedies and therefore they have now sent the case back, demanding that the court take up the matter again. So, more than five years after this case occurred, we have still not moved out of the starting blocks. I suppose we should be glad that the case is still open and that the appeals court has sent the case back. On the other hand, it seems sad that the courts appear to be increasingly prepared to find or accept ways to avoid ruling on cases rather than accepting their responsibility and dealing with the very real issues that need settling. Both Dohmen and the lady in New York who filed a suit against fast-food restaurants because they did not have large-print menus could be pardoned for thinking that their issues have not been taken seriously by a judicial system that says its aim is to uphold and affirm justice for all. ***** FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE: ?STAY IN YOUR PLACE? by Carl Jarvis (Editor's Note: "From Your Perspective" is a column that appears occasionally. Its contents vary from technology to religion, from internal goings-on to items of concern in the blindness field in general. The opinions expressed are those of the authors, not those of the American Council of the Blind, its staff or elected officials. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the opinions expressed herein.) "You stay in your place, Blind Boy, and we'll git along just fine."? Sound a little familiar?? Back in my youth, which was somewhere just prior to the last Ice Age, this was a commonly heard phrase.? Only it was not directed toward the blind.? It was applied to a group of folks we called Negroes.? In those days I took my lunch at a small caf? on the Seattle waterfront, filled with longshoremen, truckers and produce workers, all white.? This was in the latter part of the 1950s, and the daily papers were full of stories of unrest among the Negroes.?And the kindest, most tolerant words I ever heard in that restaurant were, "Well, they're all right, if they stay in their place.? No, I never piped up and asked just where that place might be.? I was the long, lanky one, and they were the broad, burly ones.? But when you get right down to it, isn't that what we blind folk are being told today?? Oh sure, it sounds a little different, but it means the same thing.? From the person who stops us on the street and says, ?You people are so wonderful and deserving."? Or the local politicians who ooze, "You people deserve everything.?? Of course they deliver nothing.? But so long as we stay in our place, we're all right.? And just where is our place?? Well, they don't know.? Because when we are there, we're invisible.? Out of sight ... literally.? And as long as we sit quietly in our place, like good little sub-citizens, they will feel compassion, pity, sadness and even a sort of love.? And best of all, they will take care of us.? Maybe not real good care, but beggars can't be choosers, can we?? But if you want to be called an ingrate, or a malcontent, just rise up from your street corner and demand to be treated with respect, as an equal citizen.? If you do, be prepared to duck, because the you-know-what will hit the fan.?I think most folks reading this article recognize the techniques used to keep us in our place.? If we can be properly "managed,? then we won't cause any problems.? But what is always troubling in these class struggles is that some of our fellow brothers and sisters sell out.? In a sense they are the house servants of the old South.? If they please their master, they will be allowed to live in or near the big house.? And so they become self-serving and even turn on their people.?And while the house servants stand in the shade and drink cool water from a tin cup, the field hands drink brackish, tepid water from a rain barrel by cupping their unwashed hands.? And so it is among the blind.? This is why I belong to the American Council of the Blind.? ACB works on behalf of all the blind.? No one in this organization is getting rich off the backs of fellow members.? Nor are we beholden to big business or the federal government.? We own our own souls and we represent ourselves, and no one else.? Please, let's keep it this way.? ***** LETTER TO THE EDITOR The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, Jan. 7, 2009. Letters are limited to 300 words or fewer. All submissions must include the author's name and location. Opinions expressed are those of the authors. Hearing Tests Important for All Last fall, I had a premonition that someone was going to be hit by a car he/she didn?t hear. I hadn?t had a hearing test in eight years. My exposure to noisy machines for 25 years made me to decide to take a hearing test. I took the test, and learned my hearing is normal. Then it happened: a blind person was hit by a car he never heard. A few of us started talking about hybrids and how quiet they are. I have a friend who owns a hybrid, and asked him if he would come over with it and let us listen for it. I listened only for the motor. A sighted friend told me I heard it from about half a block away. That friend was wearing slippers with bells on them. We could all hear the bells except for one totally blind cane traveler. One person asked where the bells were coming from; the other asked, ?What bells?? Our friend shook them harder, but that person still couldn?t hear them. Then she shook them as hard as she could; the person still heard nothing. The scary part of this is the person who couldn?t hear the bells thought her hearing was normal! My hope is that we blind get up-to-date hearing tests because hearing can diminish so slowly, we won?t know it until it?s too late. The ENT recommended to me that we totals take a hearing test every 5 to 10 years if our hearing is normal, depending on age and circumstances. -- Donna Hemp, Minneapolis, Minn. ***** HERE AND THERE by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. The Braille Forum cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering?s mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP The ACB Women's Concerns Committee is sponsoring a support group by phone for women with vision loss who are living with breast cancer. The group will be facilitated by three social workers who are members of ACB. The group will not give medical advice, or provide therapy. It will foster a safe and positive atmosphere in which to discuss relevant issues and support one another. Participants should respect the confidentiality of all involved. Meetings will take place via toll-free conference call on the first Tuesday of each month from 8:30-10 p.m. Eastern (5:30-7 p.m. Pacific). To join the support group discussion, call 1-866-633-8638. Enter the group identification code 7877678, which spells SUPPORT. Should you encounter any problems with the phone system, hang up and call (650) 969-3155. WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES ANTHOLOGY Women with disabilities are being sought to participate in an anthology that will explore the disability experience through poetry, short essays and visual arts. Selected pieces will be part of a follow-up to the groundbreaking book "With the Power of Each Breath" that was written in the 1980s. To find out more about the project, go to www.powervoices.blogspot.com. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 28, 2009. For further information, e-mail Susan Weiss at stillstanding22@aol.com. 2009 SCHOLARSHIPS? Through the Looking Glass and its National Center for Parents with Disabilities and Their Families are pleased to announce new scholarships specifically for high school seniors and college students who have parents with disabilities. Please note that these are new awards and have different application procedures. Five scholarships of $1,000 will be awarded in each category. For application details and selection criteria, visit www.lookingglass.org, or call 1-800-644-2666. The deadline for applications is March 16, 2009. IRS CONFERENCE The IRS/DEAF and VIEW annual Leadership Development Conferences will be held in tandem for the first time. This three-day event will take place at the Omni Southpark Hotel in Austin, Tex., from June 16-18, 2009. The theme of the conference is ?Workforce of Tomorrow: Carpe Diem.? There will be issue-specific workshops, roundtable discussion groups, and presentations. Keynote speakers will address general sessions. Other features include an awards banquet and a job fair. This will be IRS/DEAF's third such event and an exciting first for VIEW. Each group is a recognized employee organization of the Internal Revenue Service. For more information about IRS/DEAF, VIEW, or the Leadership Development Conferences in Tandem 2009, contact IRS/DEAF president Jim Bishop via e-mail at President@irsdeaf.org, or by phone at 1-866-642-8779. Or contact VIEW president Joyce Williamson, President@federalview.org, or by phone, (206) 220-6052. AFB CLOSING AUDIO PRODUCTION After 75 years of participating in the NLS Talking Book Program, the American Foundation for the Blind is closing its audio book division in October 2009 with the expiration of its New York headquarters' lease. Since pioneering the development of recorded books in the 1930s, AFB has produced tens of thousands of Talking Books for the Library of Congress -- a program championed by Helen Keller during her tenure at AFB. Of course, fans of talking books will continue to have access to high-quality audio books from the many other accomplished audio book producers participating in the NLS program. READER TRYING TO RECONNECT My name is Adrijana Prokopenko and I am hoping that someone can help me find and get in touch with a particular individual. I am living and working in Macedonia, but 10 years ago, I had a chance to visit and study in the U.S. After coming back home, I had the pleasure of contacting a particular blind individual who was trying to help me acquire some information about university scholarships for international students. I got his address from Labina and Teona Mitevski, two Macedonian sisters involved with Macedonian movie production, and I believe they got to know about him by a common friend of theirs called Goran. I believe that this blind individual was either English or American and I believe he is in his 30s now. All I know is that he studied at Oxford 10 years or more ago and that he was pursuing a very unusual degree in history or architecture. If he is reading this magazine, or if anyone thinks they know him, please forward this article to him, because I would really like to get back in touch with him. My e-mail address is aprokopenko@yahoo.com and my Skype ID is adrijana832. FREE SAMPLE SUBSCRIPTION National Braille Press is offering a free month (four issues) of its braille newspaper, "Syndicated Columnists Weekly.? "SCW" gives you access to the editorial pages of the most respected newspapers and web sites in the country, such as "Wall Street Journal," "The New York Times," "The Washington Post," "The Boston Globe," "The Chicago Tribune," "Salon.com," and many others. Each week you will receive a 36-page braille weekly newspaper that contains the best editorials appearing that week, written by syndicated columnists -- many of whom have won the Pulitzer Prize for journalism. To begin receiving this trial subscription, contact NBP at 1-888-965-8965 or via e-mail, orders@nbp.org. DEAFBLIND COMMUNICATOR? Great news for the deaf-blind community! HumanWare recently began shipping its new DeafBlind Communicator (DBC). The DBC enables deaf-blind users to communicate with members of the hearing and deaf communities. The basic DBC provides a TTY for communicating with other deaf or deaf-blind individuals. The DBC consists of two components: 1) a BrailleNote with braille display and either a standard or braille keyboard and the accompanying software, and 2) the DBC Companion phone. These two separate units communicate wirelessly with each other using Bluetooth technology to allow for face-to-face communication. The BrailleNote also has special software built into it that enables it to operate as a TTY when connected to a land-line telephone. With the addition of a SIM card and a texting plan from a wireless provider, a DBC user is able to send and receive text messages via cell phone. The DBC instantly translates the text to braille and vice versa. To learn more about the DBC, contact HumanWare in the U.S. at 1-800-722-3393; via e-mail, us.info@humanware.com; or on the web at www.humanware.com/deafblind_communicator. SYSTEM ACCESS BREAKTHROUGH Serotek has recently released System Access 3.0, the first software to provide screen-reading support for 64-bit Windows operating systems. This latest version enables a blind IT professional to plug in a USB drive containing the System Access 3.0 software and instantly provide technical support services to anyone in the world. Version 3.0 also features voice-over IP, speech and refreshable braille output, and extensive support for iTunes 8. For a free trial or to purchase the product, visit www.satogo.com. For a complete list of features and enhancements, visit www.serotek.com/whatsnew.html. KURZWEIL USB VERSION Kurzweil Educational Systems has released Kurzweil 3000 version 11 USB. This version gives students a portable and convenient way to access Kurzweil 3000 regardless of the computer they use. It includes a complete set of tools for the writing process such as planning, drafting, revising and proofreading. It also includes Kurzweil 3000's Virtual Printing functionality for accessing electronic files and an increased 4GB capacity. For more details on features and pricing, visit www.Kurzweiledu.com. CANADIAN CHANNEL FOR THE BLIND On Dec. 3, 2008, the National Broadcast Reading Service launched the ?Accessible Channel? for the millions of Canadians who have a visual impairment. The channel?s open format makes description available on the primary audio setting and the only soundtrack provided is the described track. The channel also provides closed captioning for 90 percent of its program schedule. The Accessible Channel?s broadcast library includes over 500 films, countless television programs, as well as current events, news, and entertainment. BOOK OF POETRY Handtype Press recently released "Suddenly Slow: Poems," a limited edition chapbook that showcases 16 poems by the award-winning deaf-blind poet, John Lee Clark. He was born deaf and became progressively blind in early adolescence. Some of his poems deal directly with deaf-blindness, while others are about broader topics. Among Clark's accomplishments are: being the first member of the signing community, deaf or deaf-blind, to be published in the prestigious magazine "Poetry;" having a poem of his selected for and broadcast on the "Poem of the Day" radio program on Martha Stewart; and winning a Best Sports Poem prize from Kent State University. To order copies by mail, send a check for $8 to John Lee Clark, 111 E. Kellogg Blvd. #3207, St. Paul, MN 55101. To order online, visit www.handtype.com or www.amazon.com. 2009 TRIPS FOR THE BLIND Mind's Eye Travel, which organizes trips for people who are visually impaired or blind, has released its 2009 schedule. The three trips include: New York City and the Arts, May 13-17, for $1,595; Discover the Coast of Maine, July 22-26, with prices starting at $995; and Santa Fe and Taos, Sept. 16-20 with prices starting at $1,195. All prices are per person based on double occupancy. For more information, visit www.mindseyetravel.com. For reservations, call (207) 542-4438. SUPPORT FOR PERFORMERS WITH DISABILITIES I.AM.PWD is a global civil rights campaign seeking equal employment opportunities for artists and professionals with disabilities throughout the entertainment and news media. Founded in 2008 by the Actors Equity Association (AEA), American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG), TriUnion Performers With Disabilities Committee, I.AM.PWD is dedicated to ending the discrimination and exclusion of performers and broadcasters with disabilities. I.AM.PWD is uniting labor, industry, community and governmental allies in the fight to combat continuing discrimination against people with disabilities. Visit I.AM.PWD at www.IAMPWD.org. CROSSWALK SAFETY TECHNOLOGY Engineers at the University of Idaho are developing a system that would assist people who are visually impaired to locate and stay within crosswalks. The technology utilizes features already available in many cell phones, including communications, GPS functions and magnetic compasses. Specialized software would allow these pedestrians to activate the crossing signal remotely without having to locate the physical button. Then, the GPS system monitors the position and direction of travel while crossing. As long as the pedestrian stays within the crosswalk, nothing happens. But stray outside the lines, and an audible warning activates. It then provides directions on how to get back within the safety zone. Should the walker somehow end up in the middle of the intersection, the system automatically would turn every light red, stopping traffic and averting a potential disaster. While the system would require rewiring all intersections, the engineers have developed a more cost-effective, simplified powering system. Field trials are expected to begin in June. They are building prototypes supported by funds from the University Transportation Centers program, Idaho's Higher Education Research Council and their commercial partner, Campbell Company, who currently makes the accessible pedestrian signals that chirp and talk. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Large-screen Daewoo CCTV from Enable-Mart. Brand-new. Asking $1,200. Contact Robert L. Barry at (301) 788-8711. FOR SALE: Perkins braille writer in excellent condition. Asking $350. Contact Leela by e-mail, leelaab@yahoo.com, or call her at (323) 578- 9673. FOR SALE: Honistec TV for computers, never used. Asking $60. It comes with a book, all cables, connections, and CD software. Will accept checks or money orders. Contact Nancy via e-mail, owenryder@sympatico.ca. FOR SALE: Perkins braille writer, in good condition. Asking $250. Contact Rick Dalton at (724) 668-2836. FOR SALE: Aladdin CCTV, color, with 12? monitor. Asking $500. Contact Kristine at (412) 421-7772. Prefer Pittsburgh area sales. FOR SALE: BrailleNote mPower with 32-cell braille display, running the latest version of the Keysoft suite. It comes fully loaded with all of the standard software. Includes all accessories as well as an SMA for the next version of the software. If interested in this unit, please contact Aaron Bradley via e-mail, arbradley7983@gmail.com, or by cell phone, (856) 316-6130. WANTED: I am looking for a Voice Mate or Voice Diary or Tap Memo. Contact Debbie Fillyaw at (207) 582-6241. WANTED: 19-key keypad for Reading Edge. Contact Bob Groff at (501) 589-2886. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KIM CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVE. WATERTOWN, MA 02472 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT BRENDA DILLON 313 OVERRIDGE COVE HERMITAGE, TN 37076 SECRETARY MARLAINA LIEBERG 632 S. 189TH ST. BURIEN, WA 98148 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Marsha Farrow, Summerville, GA Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Cammie Vloedman, Oklahoma City, OK Ex Officio: Paul Edwards, Miami, FL BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Edwards, Chairman, Miami, FL Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA Judy Jackson, San Antonio, TX Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Ex Officios: Barry Levine, Homer Glen, IL Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY