THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLV Winter 2007 No. 5 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. Christopher Gray, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 1155 15th St. NW Suite 1004 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085 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 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: 2802. 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 2006 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: Why We Are Here, and Why I Belong to ACB, by Christopher Gray Testing the Visual Acuity of Policymakers, by Melanie Brunson ACB Benefit Auction, by Brenda Dillon It's That Time of Year Again ..., by Nola McKinney Affiliate News Don't Be Intimidated -- Be Activated!, by Billie Jean Keith How to File a Section 508 Complaint, by Margie Donovan Courtesy to Deaf-Blind Travelers, by Rita Kersh Living Skills Way: When the Rules Change, by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega Putting My Best Face Forward, by Donna Smith Living Skills Way: Looking Good without Access to a Mirror, by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega Return of the Unsightly Watchman, by Ken Stewart Grand Softball for the Blind in Japan -- Popular Demonstration in Louisville, by Oral O. Miller The War Came to Camp, by Morton Schlein The Winter Years, by Teddie-Joy Remhild Here and There, by Susan Lichtenfels From Your Perspective: Are We Learning the Right Lessons from Blind Athletes?, by Karla Westjohn 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. Happy Holidays! ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: WHY WE ARE HERE, AND WHY I BELONG TO ACB by Christopher Gray (Excerpted from his address to the 2006 convention on Sunday, July 9.) This evening, I'd like to explore with you some of the reasons why we are gathered together in Jacksonville, Fla., and what it means to us collectively to be a part of this great organization. I'm going to share some of the reasons I am so deeply committed to ACB to share with you a personal perspective that might resonate for some, perhaps educate others, provide some new ideas to still others, and to capture a sense of who and what we are in ACB: dedicated people caring for one another, fostering one another's dreams, and creating a finer world for the blind of tomorrow. I shall try also to paint a picture of ACB's major accomplishments in the past year. Finally, I will ask you to consider some specific items for change and growth within ACB. One of the truly great things we do in ACB is engage in the business of advocacy for blind people throughout our nation and around the world. Since we met together last year in Las Vegas, ACB has kept a high profile in the realm of personal advocacy. In December of 2005 we stood with a family from West Virginia who was denied the shelter, comfort and support provided to so many other able-bodied Americans by the Ronald McDonald House of Baltimore, Md. Our efforts here did not meet with 100 percent success. But we got our member family most of what was needed and wanted, and we have created an environment through which Ronald McDonald Houses around our nation have been educated about the safety of having guide dogs on their premises from the perspective of health, and the legal requirements of doing so as well. The American Council of the Blind has continued to work to preserve the rights of families, and of blind members, particularly parents, to serve in their rightful roles within their families. This is an ongoing struggle, and we have greater and lesser successes in this area of advocacy. When we are faced with the rampant discrimination against blind parents, and the upholding of poor attitudes about how a blind person can function in that role, we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that our work is not only incomplete, it has only just begun. ACB and its California affiliate worked hard on a case this past year, and as things stand today, the courts and social work agencies see fit to place a young child with a convicted criminal and a drug addict as parents, rather than place the child with an employed father who happens to be blind. Where, my friends, is our dignity in that? Where, my fellow blind advocates, is there justice in such decisions? There is none! To create greater justice, to demand full equality, to educate our neighbors that we too have in the past and can right now function as loving, competent and caring parents is reason enough to be members of our great organization. Yesterday, the board adopted a formal set of procedures for accepting and acting upon advocacy issues through the advocacy services committee. Whether it is a Section 508 complaint, an employment discrimination matter, or any other matter where blind people need our help, ACB will do what it can with what resources it has to provide advocacy advice and services on issues related to blindness. On a broader scale, ACB has paved the way in advocacy in a variety of financial areas and through increasing the mobility of blind Americans. Throughout 2005 and 2006, the list of available and accessible ATM machines has grown within the previously participating banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions and has grown to include many new participants. Another huge step forward has occurred in the area of accessing point- of-sale machines, those flat-screen machines we find in Wal-Marts, Safeways, Target stores, Trader Joe's, and so many other large shopping establishments around the country. In the past nine months, ACB and CCB, along with others, have concluded major negotiated settlements with Wal-Mart stores and with Trader Joe's. Many other major retail chains will follow in the coming months. I want to acknowledge and thank Margie Donovan and Melanie Brunson for carrying the torch in this work during the past year. I also thank Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian for their tireless, relentless efforts as our supporting attorneys in these settlements. In the past year, ACB stepped forward and took a stand with the Social Security Administration, saying on behalf of all blind Americans: It is wrong that SSA does not provide determination and other letters in a form that can be read by visually impaired Americans. SSA has chosen to fight us in the courts rather than do what they know and we know is not only right, but that is legislatively mandated and required through regulation. We continue to pursue our litigation against the Department of the Treasury for accessible paper currency. As I have said so many times before, if 150 other nations in the world, including the European Union, can provide accessible currency to their citizens and visitors, the United States of America can do the same! We have not yet lost a single legal motion in this case, though the government continues to claim its inability to do what so many other enlightened governments have already done. We will prevail as long as we have the patience and the fortitude to do so. Think for a moment, my friends and fellow advocates, about what we have done to change our environment! Thirty short years ago, edge detection was little more than a dream. The concept of audible pedestrian signals was a hope. Accessible ATMs weren't even on our radar screens at all. Today, we have all these things, plus a Talking Signs demonstration project in the works, pedestrian signals that talk to us, and an ever more enlightened framework of traffic and building engineers and supporting regulations to help us put these tools into place across the length and breadth of this nation. ACB played the leading role in this national transformation! But we certainly didn't do it overnight. We have done it through unrelenting hard work and advocacy these past 45 years. We've done it by sticking to fundamental principles of what is right for blind Americans, and what core services are critical to our survival, our success, and our future! It is things such as these that make me proud to be a part of ACB, that wake me up each and every morning with the will to do my part in moving forward this agenda both for our members and for all blind Americans, whoever and wherever they are! There are still so many unresolved issues and so much work to be accomplished. I pledge to you tonight to redouble my efforts to reaffirm our vision as ACB, and to have faith that based on all that we have done through today, we will do even more this week, this year, and this decade! I begin this 45th convention by telling and reminding you of so many great things we have done together in ACB because this is ACB; we, you and I, are ACB. There is so much more we can and will do if we maintain our vision, our commitment, and our faith in ourselves and in one another. Think on this for a moment, and be proud of what you have accomplished! But wait, there's more! ACB works first within the United States. But we also care about and contribute our knowledge and expertise to the blind of the world. Much of this work we do as members of the World Blind Union. In 2005 and 2006, we have participated also in United Nations initiatives to support disabled children and to create a worldwide treaty that protects people with disabilities. Between now and the end of the year, ACB will move forward toward the creation of an internationally focused Internet radio station: ACB Radio World. This is the exciting next step in the genesis of ACB Radio and in our efforts to assist all blind people around the world. In a targeted, specific effort, ACB has taken action in 2006 to help a school for the blind this past year in Ethiopia. We have provided them with 200 slates, styluses, and braille paper. Until now, this entire school for the blind had less than 10 slates and styluses to educate an entire school full of blind children. I particularly want to thank Tuck Tinsley and the American Printing House for the Blind for their support of this project. Also, ACB has worked very hard this year to support efforts to assist the Caribbean region in its efforts to improve life for the population of visually impaired and blind citizens. Finally, I pledge to continue our work and outreach to our members in Puerto Rico. Their needs may be some of the greatest in our country, and ACB needs to be there and offer what we can to assist them. And yes, there's still more! I want to bring you some good news about ACB's membership. The kinds of successes we are seeing in ACB lend themselves to strengthening and creating new affiliates. We have seen both in the past year. In particular today, let me introduce to you our newest affiliate: the Montana Blind and Low Vision Council. Now, I want to talk with you for a moment about the most necessary infrastructure project in which ACB has ever engaged. It's called the American Center on Blindness and Visual Impairment. This is a center, almost a kind of museum, that is initiated by and embodies ACB's core strengths and belief, but also reaches more broadly throughout the blind community to draw us together and capitalize on the best that so many other entities have to offer to the blind. This is the greatest infrastructure building project for ACB in our history. In its infancy, this idea was called a "Hall of Fame." In its youthful adolescence, we began to discuss it as a museum. As it has grown to maturity, we have come to realize that it is an American Center, a representation of the history and the future of what it means to be blind, and a focal point for ACB along with many other dedicated organizations of and for the blind to come together in harmony and accomplishment as we move full throttle into the 21st century. You will be hearing a major resolution or motion on the American Center this week, and the American Center mission statement will be distributed for your review and consideration as well. The American Center on Blindness and Visual Impairment has already galvanized many individuals and organizations throughout our community. After my Forum article, I was amazed at the number of ACB leaders who contacted me to say, "How can I help? What can I do?"; or, "I have contacted so-and-so, and here is what we want to offer." The National Education and Legal Defense Services for the Blind has provided an initial seed gift of $2,500. HumanWare has provided a $5,000 initial gift to pursue a major architectural initiative. Many other efforts are in the works. The challenge of moving this project forward and giving it the necessary structure it must have to progress and succeed is one of the challenges we have. Also in the area of fund-raising, let me now turn with you to the topic of ACB's Monthly Monetary Support Program. You knew I'd get around to this, right? I do every year; why should this be any exception? This program grows year by year. But we have come nowhere near the contributions that other organizations receive from similar programs. I'm not going to ask any of you to contribute tonight; in fact, I'm not going to ask any of you directly to contribute at all. But ... (You knew there was going to be a "but," right?) I am going to ask each and every one of you in this room simply to believe that you could participate some time in the future. Let's speculate for a moment. There are probably about 2,000 of us here. If each of us gave $10 per month for the whole of 2007, that would be $240,000, almost one-quarter of a million dollars. Now, given that we all got here, that we're affording this hotel, that we're eating at least nominally well, imagine that each of us walked away pledging an average of $25 per month. With an average gift of $25 per month per year from 2,000 ACB members, ACB would receive for calendar year 2007 approximately $600,000. You hold this possibility in your hands. Let me ask you to open your minds to this possibility and realize that each of us, individually and collectively, can make a difference. $600,000 is more than our stores have contributed since 2000. $600,000 could renew and restore our staff resources we so desperately need. This, my friends, is not a dream; it is a reality we can create. ACB is prepared to recognize MMS participants, and to help and talk with people who are interested in considering this program and reasonable, sustained giving to our goals. Sponsors at the $25 level and higher will receive a quarterly CD of special information and programming that, while available to all through ACB Radio and elsewhere, is not made available in a single place to subscribers. ACB may consider making other special activities available to MMS participants in future years. This is a win-win proposition, and I hope you will think seriously about joining. Up to half of your contribution can be designated to an affiliate of your choice. With a relatively small investment each month, we can collectively make a huge difference in ACB's available resources and the ability of ACB to bring that back into our affiliates and communities. Now, let me turn to what's on my mind for you to think about this week for ACB's governance and our organizational future. (1) Committee restructuring. In ACB, we have over 15 committees variously mandated and differently described in our constitution and bylaws. In addition, we have many more ad hoc committees. This week, I will ask the constitution and bylaws committee to consider a means of streamlining and organizing this situation. (2) Placing the BOP in the ACB constitution. For several years, the ACB board of publications has been a major source of organizational contention due in large part to the fact that it is defined and governed through the bylaws and subject only to the need of a majority vote to change. No proposed change has been adopted for many years, though we have spent an inordinate amount of time arguing over all of these provisions. I am asking you and the constitution and bylaws committee to consider placing these governance provisions into the ACB constitution, requiring a 2/3 majority for any future change. Let us try to focus our efforts on our goals and purposes as an organization, the things we can do to improve the world for blind people. This, then, is ACB: blind people advocating for one another; blind people helping one another; blind people standing for the needs and rights of our fellow blind citizens; friends and supporters of blind people who want to help make a difference. Let us rekindle our enthusiasm, redouble our efforts, and broaden and strengthen our accomplishments. Every day, we are making the difference that has and continues to transform what blindness is all about here and throughout the world. ***** TESTING THE VISUAL ACUITY OF POLICYMAKERS by Melanie Brunson Most of us are familiar with the processes by which eye doctors determine a patient's visual acuity and visual field. We keep track of our own test results and often compare results when we encounter other people with eye conditions similar to ours. But do we think much about the visual acuity of our legislators or other public officials? I suggest that we may want to give this some serious thought. Why? Because policymakers with limited vision can make very shortsighted decisions, and those decisions can have consequences for people who are blind that are sometimes unintended and can be downright harmful. When the new Congress takes over in January 2007, there will be a number of new members. That will provide us with a good opportunity to examine their vision of what is necessary and appropriate for them to do, especially as it relates to programs and services for people who are blind or visually impaired. For instance, do they see the world through the proverbial rose-colored glasses? Is their vision blocked by dollar signs so they can't see anything beyond how much something costs? Do they use a magnifier, which is constantly focused on one particular idea, trend, or group? Or are they people with sufficient vision to see the world in a manner that enables them to pick out both similarities and differences in the landscape, appreciate the diversity of their constituency and see creative solutions to significant public policy issues? If your legislator or public official is in this last group, you are fortunate. Our goal in ACB is to expand the ranks of this latter group, because we have a tremendous need for more visionary leaders at all levels of government across this country. As we look ahead to the new year, many of the public policy issues we have been concerned about in the past remain on the table. Many others will surface in the months ahead. One of our most important challenges, as we deal with each issue that arises, will be to determine which legislators and/or public officials have enough vision to enable them to see their way to appropriate solutions and which have vision that is impaired by their own biases, lack of experience or limited understanding of the issue at hand. Any of these can impact how an official views both his or her role, and how he or she responds to public policy alternatives. Therefore, it's not enough to know our own views, or even how our affiliate or ACB sees an issue. In order to be effective influencers of society's responses to issues we are concerned about, we need to try to get a handle on what that society is seeing, or, in some cases, not seeing, so that we can either improve their vision or help them to find alternative techniques for dealing with the issue. Here is a case in point. Since 1936, many blind and visually impaired people across the country have found meaningful career opportunities through the Randolph-Sheppard program. The Randolph-Sheppard Act, which established the program, provides a mandatory priority for "blind persons licensed under [the Act] ... to operate vending facilities on any federal property." Under this act, the term "vending facilities" includes: "automatic vending machines, cafeterias, snack bars, cart services, shelters, counters, and such other appropriate auxiliary equipment as the secretary may by regulation prescribe as being necessary for the sale of the articles or services described in Section 107a(a)(5)." Increasingly, this priority has been ignored by federal agencies. Readers of "The Braille Forum" may recall a number of articles on examples of this trend over the past years. As recently as last month, we became aware of a proposal by the Committee for Purchase from Persons who are Blind or Severely Disabled to ignore this priority and place the food service facilities at the FBI's training facility at Quantico, Va., on the procurement list. Although the Randolph-Sheppard Act has been in effect now for 70 years, this development shows that there are people throughout the federal government who refuse to see that the priority it grants to blind vendors applies on their federal properties. Why? In many cases, they see these facilities only in terms of the opportunities they could provide to private business. In other cases, well-intentioned individuals who have a vision for providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities sometimes discount the value of this program because it limits eligibility to people who are blind. Never mind that blind operators of vending facilities can and do provide employment opportunities to other people with disabilities. It has become trendy to look at the political landscape through lenses imprinted with an image that says, "One size must fit all or nobody should wear it." Those who see the world in this manner will passionately proclaim that this program cannot be worth protecting unless it is opened up to all people with all disabilities. Any program that is disability-specific lies outside their field of vision. There are a number of other variations on these themes, and space does not permit me to discuss them all here. My point is that it is not enough for us to know what we think and why we think it. We need to figure out what's driving those we want to influence. As noted above, we are facing a period in our relations with governments at all levels where programs and policies that are meant to meet the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired, as a particular group, are viewed with increasing suspicion. In short, what we advocates call "categorical services" are under attack. The Randolph-Sheppard program is only one example of this trend. If we want to save these programs for future generations of people with visual impairments, we will need to work on two levels simultaneously. First, we will need to provide a clear message about these programs, indicating both their value to our community and our community's expectations that they will actually provide the benefit or service to people who are blind they were intended to provide. It's not enough to say we support it because it's ours. We must support it because there is measurable evidence that we, and the society we live in, will be harmed without it. Second, we must identify factors that impair the vision of policymakers who can't, or won't, see the value of these programs, so that we can offer them rehabilitation and enable them to see the situation more clearly. For those of us who have the good fortune to be acquainted with policymakers with a clear view of what people who are blind can do for, as well as need from, our society, our job will be to develop relationships with those folks and encourage them to stay engaged. These people can become our partners and we could use a lot more of them beginning in 2007. ***** ACB BENEFIT AUCTION by Brenda Dillon At the fall meeting of the ACB board of directors, it was decided to hold a benefit auction at our national convention in Minneapolis. With your support, this can be a fun way to raise funds for ACB. We hope to get items from affiliates and local chapters, as well as from individuals. We can provide you with a sample solicitation letter. Items should be new, valued at a minimum of $25 and, when applicable, have an expiration date of Dec. 31, 2007 or later. Suggestions for donation categories include, but are not limited to: vacation packages with lodging, airfare, dining and entertainment; theme baskets -- all chocolate items, relaxation with CDs, scented candles, bubble bath, wine, one with talking gadgets, etc.; hand-made items such as woodworking, crocheted items, or baked goods; sports memorabilia; autographed celebrity items; gift certificates to stores, restaurants, catalog companies, etc.; adaptive technology items; collectibles; cruises; large and small appliances. Use your imagination and creativity and come up with other exciting options! It is not too soon to begin thinking of places to call upon for donations for this auction, as some companies make commitments regarding contributions early in their fiscal year. You will be hearing more about this great event, but don't delay, spread the word now and let's get to work collecting some terrific items for our ACB Benefit Auction! If you have questions, contact Brenda Dillon, chair of the auction committee, at (615) 874-1223 or e-mail brendan0@bellsouth.net. Show your support for ACB and help generate those much-needed dollars which will enable ACB to continue and expand the vital work it is doing! ***** IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN ... by Nola McKinney It's difficult to believe that the calendar has rolled around to that time of year when I begin to bug you for those wonderful letters of nomination to the awards committee. I am sure that when you sat in convention and heard me giving out those prestigious awards, you said to yourself, "Why didn't I write that award for that special person I admire?" You sit in the audience and recall all the things they've accomplished and put off the actual letter writing. Well, I have news for you. NOW is the time. Don't delay; get that letter written! My great awards committee, consisting of Lynne Koral, Edwin Newell, Dawn Flewwellin, Patrick Sheehan, Billie Jean Keith and myself, needs lots of nominations to consider. Come on, make our job more exciting and interesting! Give us lots of nominations to consider! Remember, there are several different awards to choose from; each has different criteria. Please read carefully all the awards below and then fit the individual to the award. Send your letters to the awards committee, in care of the national office; the address is 1155 15th St. NW, Suite 1004, Washington, DC 20005. Won't it be fun to watch that person you nominated receive that award? 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 2006-2007 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. The awards committee eagerly awaits your letters of nomination. Please send them soon, or I'll be bugging you again. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS Central Maryland Council Cookbook The members of the Central Maryland Council of the Blind have compiled a cookbook of their favorite recipes. Included are recipes for every meal and all occasions. You'll find casseroles, main dishes, side dishes, soups, salads and lots of cakes, pies and cookies! The price of the cookbook, which is available in braille, print or large print, is $20. To purchase a copy, be sure to specify the format you want and make your check or money order payable to the Central Maryland Council of the Blind. Mail it to: Ruth Hairsine, 2518 Edgewood Ave., Baltimore, MD 21234. If you have questions or need additional information, call Ruth Hairsine at (410) 916- 8840. Join the Party! Come join the party! Damar Travel and the California Council of the Blind have scheduled a cruise for May 11-14, 2007, from Long Beach, Calif. to Ensenada, Mexico. See old friends and make new ones, and help support CCB at the same time. For each cabin booked on the cruise, Damar Travel and Carnival Cruise Lines will make a donation totaling $90 to CCB. We will depart on Friday, May 11, from Long Beach and travel to the wonderful city of Ensenada, Mexico where we will have a full day to enjoy Mexico. Prices start at $525 for an inside cabin and $565 for an ocean view. Prices include three-day cruise, port charges, government fees and gratuities. An initial deposit of $50 is required; final payment is due on or before Feb. 1, 2007. Everyone is welcome. Tell everyone you know about it. We'd love to see your family, friends, and potential friends. For reservations and additional information, please call Dave Kronk with Damar Travel and Cruise at 1-800-999-6101 x422. RSVA Presents Awards at Convention At this summer's RSVA convention, awards committee chairman Rick Petersen presented three awards. The Vendor of the Year Award is given to a person who has been an active vendor for at least five years. This summer's winner has been a vendor for over 30 years and has been active at the state, local and national levels, helping vendors with their issues. He currently serves on the RSVA board and on the legislative committee. He has worked hard developing a newsletter for their state affiliate, has been actively seeking new members and encourages the vendors to join the state affiliate, the California Council of the Blind, which gives them a stronger voice in the California legislature. The Vendor of the Year Award went to David Hanlon from California. The Jennings Randolph Service Award is presented to someone who has given his or her time and energy to the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, but who is not an active vendor. This person has truly lived up to the meaning of long-time dedication. He is a hard-working individual who is always willing to help answer questions and is personally committed to the Randolph-Sheppard program. He worked very closely with Durward McDaniel, RSVA's legal counsel for many years, protecting the rights of blind vendors. He was the special counsel to the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare as well as Rehabilitation Services Commissioner. This year the Jennings Randolph Award was presented to Robert Humphreys from Washington, D.C. The Don Cameron Award was named for Don Cameron, who did an outstanding job of advocating for his fellow blind and visually impaired peers. This award has three criteria that must be met: 1. The nominee must be either a current or a former member of RSVA; 2. The nominee must have been a vendor for at least 20 years; and 3. The nominee should be a vendor who is seeking to improve the goals of RSVA as well as promoting awareness of the blind in his or her community, state and nation. This person has truly lived up to the meaning of advocacy as well as service and dedication. This person is always willing to listen as well as lend advice and be a mentor to any new person in the organization. He has enormous patience, a big heart and truly loves blind vendors and the Randolph-Sheppard program. He serves on the board of Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America as well as on numerous RSVA committees. He has been a vendor for over 23 years, and for most of those years has given of himself to better the program in Illinois. This year the Don Cameron Award was presented to John Gordon from Illinois. If you wish to join RSVA and receive our publication, "The Vendorscope," and learn more about our events and issues, please call our national office at 1-800-467-5299. ***** DON'T BE INTIMIDATED -- BE ACTIVATED! by Billie Jean Keith, President, ACB Government Employees Government employees who are blind and use computers for essential functions of their jobs are losing ground. State and local government employees don't even have Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act to depend on, at least not yet. A few state and local governments are developing regulations based on Section 508, but this is a beginning process. Section 508, in my opinion, has no teeth. And it will have no teeth until blind and visually impaired computer users covered by this statute let the government know. I don't mean your supervisor in your office; I mean the person in Washington, D.C. who is responsible for Section 508 compliance. They are not hearing from us, therefore they assume 508 is working. We know it isn't. At the annual meeting of ACB Government Employees (which includes state and local government employees), 25 percent of those who attended our meeting and luncheon said they had serious computer access problems at work. "We are being blamed for the software not being usable for blind people," said one Social Security Administration employee, who has worked there for 30 years. Contractors who develop software applications assure the procurement officers that their software is "508 compliant." We know that it usually is not. And who has the responsibility to figure out how our screen readers and/or magnifying software will work with the unproven technology management has purchased? Supervisors put the pressure on the individual disabled employee, not those well-paid contractors. ACBGE is gathering the names and stories of people who are having problems because of inaccessible technology they are required to use. ACB member Margie Donovan has filed two Section 508 complaints. She explained that her local office does not have anything to do with her complaint since it goes straight to Washington, D.C. to the person responsible for 508 compliance. Margie has never felt intimidated because of filing the complaints. One was resolved quickly and the other may be headed for a legal remedy. She is willing to communicate with any ACB member who is having similar problems, but emphasizes that a formal complaint must be filed if we are to expect government compliance officers to take notice. A good way to learn more about this issue is to join the ACBGE Yahoo group by sending a blank e-mail message to acbge-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Upon receiving a reply, simply return the message and that should be all that's necessary. Depending on the number of people affected, a strong civil rights attorney may be interested in helping us to take legal action. An organization like ACBGE can multiply the efforts of an individual in remedying this situation. Stay tuned. If you wish to become an ACBGE member for 2007, send a check or money order for $15 to ACBGE Treasurer Kathy Brockman, 2735 S. 61 St., Milwaukee, WI 53219-3002. ***** HOW TO FILE A SECTION 508 COMPLAINT by Margie Donovan There is nothing to fear about filing a Section 508 complaint. It is your right as a federal employee, and unless we do file complaints, nothing will happen to make this non-access situation change. So here goes. 1. Find out the name of the national officer for Section 508 compliance in your branch of government. Usually, compliance officers are in Washington, D.C. 2. Write a letter explaining exactly how a certain software application (or other technology or equipment in your office) is non- accessible to you, but is accessible to non-disabled co-workers. Be sure to state in your letter that this a "formal" 508 complaint. A sample letter is provided below. 3. Send your letter or any communication by certified mail, return receipt requested, and send a copy to your Regional Office of Resolutions Management (ORM) Director. This sample letter refers to specific software used in the Department of Veterans Affairs, but software developed for other government departments must meet the same standards which are stated. Dear Section 508 Coordinator: For employees who are blind and who use speech access technology, the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) is not at all accessible for required forms, such as encounter forms. Other aspects of CPRS are purported to be accessible, but I hereby state that a blind employee is NOT provided with comparable access to certain software functions in CPRS that are available to non-disabled co-workers. For this reason, I am filing a formal Section 508 complaint under the Rehabilitation Act. My complaint concerns electronic and information technology procured and developed by the VA in 2001. In this formal complaint, I assert that CPRS is NOT accessible to me as a blind person who uses CPRS on a daily basis to provide service to veterans. Information and data that are accessed by non-disabled co-workers are not available to me, even though I am required to use it on a daily basis. The CPRS was designed to be mouse- driven, not keyboard usable. Developers have attempted to make some features accessible, but they have fallen short in doing so. It takes a blind CPRS user at least twice the time to enter information as it takes the sighted CPRS user. Following are the standards that have been violated in Section 508, thus prompting Margie Donovan's complaint. 1. When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually. 2. A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that assistive technology can track focus and focus changes. 3. Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to assistive technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text. 4. Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is: text content, text input, caret location, and text attributes. Remember, there is absolutely nothing to fear. You are exercising your rights as a federal employee. ***** COURTESY TO DEAF-BLIND TRAVELERS by Rita Kersh I am blind and hard of hearing in one ear, in which I wear a hearing aid, and totally deaf in the other ear. When traveling by plane, I go by myself, setting it up in advance so that I have assistance in all the airports I'll be in. The special assistance has primarily been someone taking me from the check-in counter to the gate, from my arrival gate to my next connection and meeting me when I arrive at my destination and assisting me with finding my luggage and transportation. Recently, I was flying to Tampa to attend a conference and had a layover in Atlanta. My experiences in the Atlanta airport were disturbing. I hope that we as ACB members can make a change where courtesy toward deaf- blind passengers is concerned. I left Jackson, Miss. on time, but had a two-and-a-half-hour layover in Atlanta until my 12:10 flight to Tampa. When the airport person rolled me to the gate, I asked him if someone could check on me in an hour or so in case I wanted a bite to eat. He said he'd take care of that for me. More than an hour and a half elapsed, and no one came to check on me. I knew where the counter was; the original man told me that it was directly in front of me. I walked up to the desk and stood, hoping someone would notice me and ask what I needed. No one said anything. I decided to find my way back to my seat. A male passenger walked over to me and told me no one was working the desk. He asked if I needed to talk to the agent. I said yes, and that I wanted to arrange for some assistance. He said he'd watch for the agent and let her know that I wanted to see her. It wasn't too long before the agent came over. I asked if someone could guide me to the restroom and to get a sandwich somewhere. She called for assistance and here came another wheelchair. I don't fuss too much about riding in a wheelchair anymore since I know airports have their liabilities. I made it to the restroom and to get lunch and went back to the gate area to eat. The flight to Tampa was late arriving in Atlanta and was delayed four times that I'm aware of. It was about two hours after the original departure time when we finally left. I occasionally caught snatches of what other passengers were saying about the flight being delayed, but didn't get all the information because of all the background noise. During the entire time I was in the gate area, no airline personnel checked on me or told me what was going on. Once on the plane everything was fine. I had good assistance in Tampa and got to the hotel without any trouble. The return trip was just about as bad. I found out that part of the problem for all the delays and such was due to a runway being renovated in Atlanta. But, even though I was sitting in a wheelchair near the counter, the agent(s) did not inform me personally about the delay and of the gate change. I stood up with my cane out and the female agent came over to me after announcing the gate change and told me just to have a seat and she'd take care of me. I tried to tell her that no one had told me what was going on and she never acknowledged that she heard me. A passenger offered to roll me to the new gate and I told him that I didn't think the agent knew what I was talking about. While sitting at the new gate, a different agent came over to check on me. I asked her how long it would be until we boarded the plane, and if she could get someone to guide me to the restroom before we leave. She took me herself and as we were walking, I asked her whose responsibility it is to check on passengers with special needs to make sure they know what's happening with flights, if they need anything, etc. She said it was the agent's responsibility. I explained what had happened on my layovers in Atlanta and she apologized. The problem of being deaf-blind (or blind and hard of hearing in my case) is that it tends to interfere with access to many things when you're sitting in an airport for hours. No one from the airline checks on you or informs you of delays, cancellations and/or changes in flight information. For me, it is hard enough to get access to information in my everyday life, so why not make my trips a little more enjoyable and make sure I am taken care of? I think it's time to do some sensitivity training with airline personnel who work for all airlines. Sure, they have learned sighted guide and have braille safety manuals, but what about the lack of accessibility in the gate area? We can't see the screens that tell that our flights have been delayed. We don't have a clue where the restrooms and restaurants are located. We're entitled to this information and assistance. I hope ACB can make a difference for those of us who travel in the future. I plan on making my needs known as much as I can from now on. ***** LIVING SKILLS WAY: WHEN THE RULES CHANGE by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega One of the hardest adjustments to vision loss is the reaction of friends and family. You are naturally frightened, frustrated and yes, even angry. The people around you don't know how to respond and may begin treating you as if you are a helpless small child. They may snatch tasks away from you or show their concern by smothering you with extra solicitude. Their desire to help can actually delay or make your adjustment harder. Even perfect strangers will sometimes react to your vision loss in surprising and irritating ways. It isn't easy learning to overcome your reluctance to make mistakes in front of others. When you are uncertain of your newly acquired skills, it's difficult to state firmly, "No thank you, I can do this." For hardheaded types like myself, the toughest thing is to overcome a reluctance to ask for help when you really need it. The interplay between yourself and others adds a layer of complexity to your adjustment to decreasing vision. At first the new techniques you are learning will seem awkward and they will take more time to perform, but it is important to persist. Like any new skill, you will get better with practice. If you surrender to the pressure of loved ones to allow them to do things for you that you can do for yourself, you will only sink deeper into depression and a feeling of helplessness. With casual acquaintances, a smile and a "no thank you" are sufficient, but close friends and family are harder to convince. They too are feeling a sense of panic and a fear for your safety. The first step for you is to take charge of your life and vision loss. Find out as much as you can about what services and resources are available to you. Decide how much you want to deal with independently and find solutions that work for you. I might choose to walk a long way and catch a couple of buses to get to a meeting while you ask a friend for a lift or sign up for door-to-door paratransit service or take a cab. There is no right way to deal with our mutual inability to drive, only the way that works for us individually and allows us to live full, interesting, independent lives. It's OK to ask for help dealing with tasks that overwhelm you. Everyone needs help once in a while. Here are a few points to use when dealing with family members. First of all, you will be safer and get more enjoyment out of life if you are allowed to learn and practice independent living skills. Loved ones won't always be there when you need to do something. You are still the same person you were before vision loss. Your eyes may not work as well as they used to, but your mind and character haven't changed. As you master each new skill, your sense of well-being and satisfaction will increase with your competence. If they truly care for you, your friends and family will want you to regain your independence. They can best show their love by helping you grow in proficiency even if it is hard for them to stand back and allow you to make mistakes. It may not seem possible in the beginning, but as you master each new task, you will come closer to the goal of accepting vision loss as just a small part of the package that represents who you are as a person and not the overwhelming disaster it seems at first. Forge ahead, because the quality of your life is in your hands. You will only get out of it what you put into living it. ***** PUTTING MY BEST FACE FORWARD by Donna Smith How we appear to others is a powerful thing. I've recently had the opportunity to relearn this seemingly simplistic concept and I want to share with you how it changed my life. My appearance has always been important to me. I pay close attention to personal hygiene and grooming, make sure that I dress fashionably and appropriately, eat right and exercise to stay fit, and don't mind spending money on accessories that help to round out my public image. This attention to appearance extends to the accoutrements of being a person who is blind, too. When I use a cane, I make sure it is not scratched up or bent. I keep my guide dog well groomed and make sure that her harness is polished and not scuffed. And when I wear shades, they are attractive, contemporary and fit well. In fact, it was this attention to my appearance that prompted me to wear shades for almost 37 years. My blindness was caused by retinoblastoma, and part of the treatment I received prior to age 3 included radiation to my left eye. Way back then (about 44 years ago), the science of delivering radiation to the affected spot was not as refined as it is today, and the "splatter" effect caused damage to my facial structure immediately around my eye. It took a while for the full effects of this to manifest, but by age 9, I could no longer wear a regular prosthetic eye on the left side due to damage to my eyelids and shrinkage of the eye cavity. Several plastic surgeries were attempted to try to fix this, with no positive outcome, and in the end I had to start wearing shades to cover the fact that I did not have a left eye. When I was 17, my parents learned of a clinic in Iowa where they were making prosthetic eyes that would suit my purpose. In addition to making the eye, they also used a hard plastic substance to re-create eyelids and a rim around the eye that would then fit against my face. I was so excited! Maybe I wouldn't have to wear shades any more and worry about having Joe Public discover inadvertently that I had no left eye. Granted, the resulting prosthesis was better than nothing at all, but it was just not attractive enough to give up wearing shades. It looked too much like a piece of plastic stuck to my face with an eye in the middle of it. People actually asked me if I'd just had surgery because it looked so different. So I went back to wearing shades, this time to cover this less than attractive prosthesis. About 15 years ago, I found another clinic that made a valiant effort to make me a new and improved facial prosthesis, and while it was better than the first one, it still was not very good. What's worse, it deteriorated with time to look even less appealing. So I continued to buy the latest and greatest in shades and wear them whenever I went out in public. I need to interject here that I am very comfortable with the fact that blindness is a part of who I am, including its impact on my appearance. Although I am all too aware of how society tends to react to it, I do not think of blindness as being a particularly negative thing. I believe that I live, work and play as an equal to my peers even though not all of them accept me as being equal. I am confident that my appearance has always fallen well within the norm of acceptability and it has not hindered my progress personally or professionally. As a trainer for a national training and technical assistance project, I have felt absolutely confident to be square in the public eye without apology for either being blind or for wearing shades under all conditions. At the same time, I am not unaware that the general public approaches me with reserve if at all, that they have trouble initially accepting that I am the lead trainer or even a co-trainer of a significant project, that people in general are uncomfortable when they can't make eye contact. I'm equally aware of the role that shades play as a barrier to interaction, even knowing that it is a better role than would be played by a disfigured or not-too-attractive left eye. My approach has been to minimize the shock value and make the best of the resulting situation. Early in 2005 I decided to do a web search to learn what is being done with facial prosthetics these days, and was surprised to find someone almost in my own backyard who is an expert in the field. Robert Barron formerly worked for the CIA where his job was to create disguises for agents that would alter their facial features significantly enough for them to go undetected in dangerous circumstances. He used a process that was also used in Hollywood to create masks for actors, and he honed his talent to a fine art because the lives of his co-workers depended on how realistic he could make them look. Upon retiring from the government, Barron established Custom Prosthetics in Ashburn, Va., where he makes prosthetic ears, noses, and eyes for people who have disfigurement due to birth defects, burns, surgery or other treatment such as radiation. I got really interested as I looked through his web site when I discovered that he makes the kind of facial prosthetic that I wear, only much, much better! I sent the link to his web site to my mother, sister, daughter and close friends, and the response was unanimous: "Make an appointment now!" I made the initial contact, we exchanged e-mails and I sent pictures of myself both with and without the prosthesis I was wearing at the time, and we scheduled an initial appointment. After seeing me in person, Barron said that he was sure he could make me a much better prosthesis -- one that I could wear without covering it up with shades if I chose. We discussed both the process and the price and I agreed to go forward with it. In the first sitting, he made a plaster mold of my face from just above my brow ridge to the tip of my nose. I had to sit very still, and most importantly, not move any part of my face during this procedure. He first painted on a thick layer of paste which hardened and dried very much like the masks used in facials. Then he put the plaster on top of this primary layer. The chemical properties of this substance caused it to get quite warm while it solidified into a mask of my face. It was not extremely uncomfortable, but it felt heavy and definitely warm. Once the plaster had set, he then gently peeled this mask from my face. He had a perfect mold of my face from which to begin forming the prosthesis. He took a lot of pictures from every angle, measured the distance from the pupil of my right eye to the center of my nose, and was very meticulous at gathering all the information he needed to make me a very realistic-looking left eye with eyelids. The next two sittings were all about getting the color and texture just right. This is where Barron's talent as an artist was most noticeable. He fitted the newly formed facial piece to my face and then with tiny brushes and infinite patience, painted in the lines and shading to match my right eye and make this prosthesis begin to blend into my face. The last part of the process involved putting in the prosthetic eye (the same kind of prosthetic eye that anyone might use, only cut down to fit the space available within the facial piece) and putting on the eyelashes. I was then shown how to use an adhesive to put it on my face and more pictures were taken. The transformation was immediate! For the first time in 37 years I walked out without shades. I am told that if someone stands about a foot away from me and stares specifically at my face, they can see the line where the prosthesis meets my skin, but that any farther away than that the distinction is not discernable. When people look at me now, they see my whole face, including two very realistic-looking blue eyes, and the difference this makes is phenomenal. Family members laugh out loud with pleasure and tell me how good I look. Friends tell me how good it is to look over and really see my whole face. Strangers are much more likely to engage me in conversation than ever before. In general, people are much more comfortable with at least the simulation of making eye contact that couldn't be achieved through the barrier of shades, and they read and react to my facial expressions much more now than ever before. I feel more open, more attractive, much less like I have something to hide behind dark glasses. Is there a down side? Well of course, there's always a trade-off. People are much more likely to point at things or ask if I can see something. Guide dog notwithstanding, people just have much more difficulty believing that I'm really totally blind. When I'm walking with a friend or colleague using sighted guide technique, it takes longer for other pedestrians to realize that I'm blind and not able to make the alterations sighted people make when walking in a crowd. But all these things are minor and usually rather humorous when compared to the overwhelmingly improved sense of self-esteem that is the product of my changed appearance. Does it really change how people accept me as a person who is blind? Well, yes, and it gets the door open sooner so I have the opportunity to effect that change through interaction. I'm sharing this experience because I know that there are others out there who have some disfigurement due to whatever caused blindness. I want people to know that facial prosthetics are available and possibly an option, and it can really make a difference in your life. Yes, it's costly and it may be necessary to save toward having one made or seek sources for financial assistance. In some cases medical insurance will provide some reimbursement. For me, it was well worth the expense. For more information on Custom Prosthetics, visit www.prosthesis.com. ***** LIVING SKILLS WAY: LOOKING GOOD WITHOUT ACCESS TO A MIRROR by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega Choose a couple of basic color themes and build your wardrobe around them. Wear a favorite skirt, slacks or jacket when shopping for new items so you can solicit sales personnel input on color matching. If you can't tell the difference between two close colors like dark navy and black, avoid buying two identical items in those colors. Or, if you just can't avoid it, mark one with a safety pin on the label. For example, if you mark all of the black items with a pin, then you will know the one without the pin is the navy one. Shop regularly at the same stores so you can develop a relationship with the sales staff, and they can learn your tastes. If you buy something on advice from a sales clerk and don't get a single compliment on it, take your business elsewhere. Some large stores offer personal shopper service. You phone for an appointment and give them your sizes and color suggestions and describe what you have in mind and they pull items for you to look at and try. They know their stock and can pull together an outfit with all accessories, such as shoes, etc. This is especially helpful for special events like job hunting, a wedding or other important occasion. Smaller stores are often a good choice because their staffs are used to providing personal service. If your budget doesn't stretch to the higher prices of specialty dress shops or upscale stores with personal shopper service, you can inquire at larger discount-type stores for the best times to shop when they are not as crowded and arrange for someone from customer service to assist you. Best of all, shop with a friend whose judgment you trust and make a day of it with lunch out. If you offer to pay for gas and treat your friend to lunch, it isn't hard to find someone to shop with. Once a year, you should have a sighted friend evaluate your closet with you to eliminate clothing that has become stained, frayed, or is just no longer at its best. Such items could be put aside for charity or for performing grubby chores. Although you can't see you, others can and it is worthwhile for you to look your best. ***** RETURN OF THE UNSIGHTLY WATCHMAN by Ken Stewart Some time ago I wrote in "The Braille Forum" about an incident at a bus shelter at the terminus of a public transit commuter line. Another traveler asked me to watch his bag while he stepped away briefly, probably to use the nearby Burger King's men's room. During his absence I couldn't see his luggage, but I did notice what appeared to be a little old lady arrive, and then soon shuffle off again as if burdened by a heavy suitcase. Only from the returning fellow traveler's cheerful "Thank you" did I conclude that nothing was stolen. After that incident I resolved to prepare a scripted caveat to recite if that situation ever recurred. So I did, and it did. I prepared a clear, concise statement to warn a seeker of help that I would be quite limited in my ability to guard luggage. I would be agreeable but not misleading. The circumstance did indeed repeat itself. As before, I was the only other person at the bus shelter, wearing no sunglasses, and with my long white cane already folded up in my backpack. A man, probably with a very full bladder, about to embark on a two-hour bus ride, had luggage with him. I responded to his friendly request with my prepared and rehearsed friendly disclaimer. His perfunctory response and hurried departure suggested that what I had said did not sink in. So, in those few minutes that I was alone with his who-knows-how-valuable personal possessions, I thought about how to break the news to him that he had entrusted his worldly goods to a blind guy. I wanted to inform, with my broadest smile, in a way that would minimize his likely embarrassment. Like in the previous incident, his exuberant expressions of gratitude upon his return assured me that no criminal activity had transpired during his absence. I followed my new script, and casually noted that my very limited vision did not equip me to faithfully execute his wishes. Despite my efforts to prevent it, he profusely apologized, concluding his mea culpa with, "I am so sorry. I couldn't tell you were blind." What a great straight line for me! I replied, "The main thing is, potential thieves couldn't tell either." Now I have one more reason to keep my long white cane on display as I wait for my bus. ***** GRAND SOFTBALL FOR THE BLIND IN JAPAN -- POPULAR DEMONSTRATION IN LOUISVILLE by Oral O. Miller Early in 2006 an official with the Japanese government informed me that the Grand Softball Overseas Exchange Commission was interested in demonstrating its game of softball in the USA. After verifying that the Japanese game is significantly different from beep baseball, with which we are familiar, a coalition of organizations in Louisville, Ky., extended an invitation for the sport to be demonstrated in that city. The principal organizations in the coalition were the Louisville Downtown Lions Club, Louisville East Lions Club, Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation and the Kentucky Council of the Blind, although individuals from several other organizations ultimately took part in the project. Organizations such as the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes and the National Beep Baseball Association endorsed the project but were unable to devote time and resources to it due to prior programmatic commitments. "Grand softball" was developed in Japan in the 1990s as a sport to be played by teams made up of blind and sighted members. Currently more than 10,000 people are playing it in Japan. The Overseas Exchange Commission was established to publicize the "high-level capability of blind people and the pleasure of playing grand softball" and to encourage its acceptance as an official sport of the Paralympics. The host coalition decided early that it would also introduce the Japanese visitors to several popular sports for the blind in the USA -- beep baseball, goalball and ten-pin bowling -- all served up with delicious helpings of "down-home" cooking and friendly hospitality, plus an educational tour of the world-famous American Printing House for the Blind. The Japanese delegation consisted of 53 people ranging in vision from fully sighted to totally blind. The demonstration was publicized beforehand by the Louisville media and as a result the demonstration, which lasted several hours and took place on the campus of Bellarmine University, attracted many spectators from the blindness community and the public at large. Bellarmine coach James Vargo, who also volunteers as the track and field coach for the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, and his colleagues made outstanding arrangements for the spectators and players -- complimentary snacks and cold drinks on a very hot July day -- shade tents for protection from the sun, and volunteer guides. The Greater Louisville Japan Center provided beautiful and very useful hand fans along with braille and inkprint information sheets partially describing the game. Between the two demonstration games many spectators took advantage of the opportunity to try to hit the ball and run the bases as done during the games, which were followed by a superb picnic catered by one of the best-known catering firms in the city. There is not space to describe grand softball and summarize all its interesting rules, but a few comments will help the reader understand a little more about the philosophy and intent of the game. For example, four of the ten members per team must be totally blind and must wear eyeshades and red arm bands; players with reduced vision must wear yellow arm bands; only totally blind infielders or the visually impaired shortstop may field balls hit by totally blind batters; sighted guides stationed at each base are to guide totally blind base runners; the totally blind pitcher must deliver the ball so it bounces at least three times before passing over home plate; play stops the instant a fielder with the fielded ball in hand catches a "stop circle" and a ground ball that is fielded by a totally blind fielder is treated the same as a fly ball that is caught. The air-filled ball, which has no sounding device in it, is slightly larger than a softball and essentially skips along on the ground in order to meet the minimum three-bounce requirement and to provide enough sound for audible tracking. Consequently, the swing of most batters must be very low if the ball is to be hit in the air. Yes, the game is very different from beep baseball! Many hours were spent on the campus of the Kentucky School for the Blind introducing the Japanese visitors to beep baseball, goalball and ten- pin bowling -- thanks to the efforts of helpers such as former Paralympic goalballer Renee Jackson, beep baller Tom Oaks, ten-pin bowler Larry Skutchan and service manager Rick Ricks. And, yes, to the delight of the visitors, the very filling meals which they enjoyed while on campus included lots of Kentucky fried chicken and apple pie, among other things. Indeed, Adam Ruschival of the Louisville Downtown Lions Club, Allan Steinberg of the KSB Charitable Foundation and many others are to be commended for the outstanding jobs they did and the many hours spent doing them. A few of the other interesting things which the Japanese visitors did included touring the Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat Factory and Museum (where they bought dozens of personalized bats), My Old Kentucky Home (after which they enjoyed many Steven Foster songs played over their bus PA system), and the Jim Beam Distilling Company (from which they left carrying many boxes of complimentary bourbon chocolates). Anyone who wants additional information regarding grand softball may contact the Greater Louisville Japan Center, telephone (812) 941-2683. ***** THE WAR CAME TO CAMP by Morton Schlein One of the most important pieces of equipment at a camp for blind kids is the public address system. Notices on the bulletin board were not practical, so all of the general announcements were made over the PA system. The wife of the camp director, Mrs. Downs, appointed herself to make these announcements. Her delivery was rather unique. We would be called for supper in this manner: "First call for supper! First call for supper! First call for supper!" The emphasis would be put on a different word each time. It is interesting how one remembers the little nuances. I remember charging toward the dining hall for supper that particular evening with a couple of my buddies. Every day before breakfast there would be a flag-raising ceremony and each night the flag would be lowered. It seems that we were invariably late for these events. As we passed the kitchen, the aroma of food filled our nostrils. We knew that we were going to have ice cream for dessert because Arthur Torgesen was turning the crank on the ice cream freezer. It seems that we were always famished and couldn't wait for meals. We never dreamed what was in store for us that hot summer night. The most coveted award you could win at camp was the all-around-camper award. I never came close. My greatest claim to fame was being able to stand on my head longer than anyone else. What I cherish more than any award I could have won are the events that are related below. It seems that there are certain things in one's life that are indelibly printed on the mind. This is one of those memorable events. When you're 12 years old, and the year is 1945, a big part of your life was the Second World War. It was July and the war in Europe was over. We didn't know it at the time, but the war in Japan would soon be over as well. Even though we were blind, we were aware of the war planes on both sides and the insignia on the uniforms. This was the seventh straight year I spent the month of July at Camp Wapanacki. The camp was about 365 miles from New York and about 40 miles from the Canadian border in the northeast kingdom of Vermont. It was a very rugged place and there were no special adaptive features for blind kids. The paths were strewn with rocks and ruts and we had to do the best we could. As a matter of fact, there wasn't a paved road within three miles of the property. The object was to survive. The facilities were quite rustic and were at the top of a hill which was quite a jaunt from the tents and cabins. No hot water, and as a matter of fact, the bath water came directly from the lake, which at that time of the year was freezing cold. Outside each cabin was a water spout which gave us cold, clean drinking water from a spring. There were no sheets, pillows, or mattresses, just blankets on a canvas bunk. We had a very inspired camp director. He was the physical education teacher and the wrestling coach at the school for the blind which owned and ran the camp. Mr. Downs and the rest of the camp staff treated the campers as ordinary kids. Blindness was not an excuse for anything. The activities at Camp Wapanacki paralleled most other camps. Swimming, boating, and hiking were some of the many programs that we participated in. We would go on a lantern hike and the counselors would lie down on the path, so that we would trip over them. They made us feel like normal kids. It gave us something to talk about in the months to come. We all thought it was a lot of fun. This year was special and gave me a memory that has lasted well over half a century. My cabin counselor was Lincoln Adair, who regaled us with stories from his experiences in the Royal Air Force. He was from New Zealand and served for three years. Each night just before taps he would tell us about a different experience. As you can imagine, for a bunch of 12-year-olds, this was pretty exciting. We would ask him all kinds of questions and wouldn't get to sleep for hours. I remember standing facing the flag pole with my hand over my heart, listening to the strains of Louis Wilson's bugle echoing over Lake Wapanacki. Each night two of us were chosen to fold the flag. It was quite difficult to fold it so that the three stars and only the three stars would show. I was thinking about what we were going to have for supper when two trucks rolled into camp. We discovered they were military vehicles with the insignia of the RAF. Two men in uniform got out and huddled with the camp director. We were curious about this chain of events, but no more was said until after the meal was over. After every meal at camp, the campers were encouraged to sing camp songs. On this night there was no singing. Mr. Downs stood up and told us that he had some very sad news to tell us. It seems that Lincoln Adair was accused of being a deserter from the military. What a shock! A buzz went around the dining hall which lasted for about two minutes. He asked each of us to come forward and talk to the officers and tell them how important Lincoln was to the program. We all got up and made our statements. I remember thinking I better not make a mistake and say something inappropriate. We sat there and waited to see what would happen next. Mr. Downs got up and further told us that he had a long talk with the officers, and that he had explained that Lincoln was an integral part of the program and that we could not get along without him. He informed us that the officers agreed to wait until morning to make their decision. It never occurred to us that that didn't make any sense at all. The evening program would be canceled. We were ordered back to our cabins to await further developments. We couldn't believe what we heard. Lincoln couldn't be a deserter. That was not in the realm of possibility. We huddled in our cabin waiting to hear more. Imagine our surprise when in walked the man himself. He told us that he was allowed to come back to the cabin to say good-bye. At that point we never realized how absurd that was. We still believed every word. We all gathered around Lincoln to listen to what he had to say. He informed us that he didn't think that they would let him remain at camp, and that he would be arrested in the morning. He was pretty excited and he was going to make a run for it. He wanted to know if there was anyone that would go with him. All 10 of us agreed to make the plunge. He suggested that we all go to bed as usual, and that he would come for us at midnight. Imagine our excitement. What could we do to help him? Someone decided that we should have weapons. The only weapons that were available were brooms and rakes. We got into our pajamas and waited for Lincoln to come back for us. Taps sounded at the usual time, but nobody went to sleep. We were all holding our collective breath waiting for the man of the hour. He showed up on the dot at midnight. He warned that this would be rough and that some of us might get hurt. He showed us a revolver, which we all handled. He said that there might be gun play. That was when I started to sweat. There was a truck parked just outside the cabin door. We all piled into it. In Vermont in those days, most of the roads were rutted. We bounced around and thought we were going 100 miles per hour when in reality, we were moving quite slowly. Lincoln was giving us a running description of what was happening. He informed us that we were being followed and that we would have to get out of the truck and duck into the woods. We heard gunshots; it seems that we were in the middle of a war zone. I remember that Albert took off his pajama top and put it on his broom handle and waved it as a flag of truce. We were all really scared and tried to dig fox holes. We were rolling around in the dirt for about five minutes when we were told that this was a big practical joke and that we could go back to camp and have doughnuts and cider. It is amazing that no one was hurt. The fact was that there were counselors all over watching to make sure that nothing went wrong. It is something that has been talked about for the last six decades. What made this event more satisfying was the fact that I visited Mr. Downs in his nursing home. I was able to tell him how much we appreciated that practical joke, and that he gave us something we would never forget. A few weeks later he died at the age of 90, and his daughter told me how much he enjoyed hearing about that marvelous event. He really left us a wonderful legacy which would be passed on for generations. I don't know how much they enjoy it, but I delight in telling my grandkids about some of the events that I participated in when I was their age. ***** THE WINTER YEARS Life slows ... or sleeps ... or dies. The winter years quietly evolve And then prevail. Their mysteries yet to be revealed. We may ponder the coming transformation, We may wonder on the final incarnation And still the winter years offer only silent solace. -- Teddie-Joy Remhild ***** HERE AND THERE by Susan Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its staff, or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or call ACB at 1-800-424-8666 and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please remember that postal regulations prohibit us from including advertisements, and that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates. HOLIDAY CD RAISES FUNDS FOR ACB ACB member and glass harmonica artist Carolinn Skyler has a holiday CD available. The CD, which is all Christmas carols, has a playing time of 30 minutes and was recorded in the studio of Gordon Kent. Selections include: "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," "Angels We Have Heard on High" and "Jingle Bells." The CD sells for $15. When you mention ACB, Carolinn will donate 10 percent of your order to the American Council of the Blind. To place orders, call (215) 848-5079 or e-mail cskyler@ucwphilly.rr.com. ACCESSIBLE TOYS AblePlay.org has released its top five picks for the holidays. The web site includes free, independent ratings and expert advice on all kinds of toys for children with disabilities. DIALOGUE SUBSCRIPTION RATES TO INCREASE JANUARY 1 Now is the time to buy or renew your subscription to "Dialogue" magazine. Subscription rates will increase on Jan. 1, 2007. The new rate will be $42 for one year for all subscribers. "Dialogue" is available in large print, braille, four-track cassette and e-mail. The diskette edition will be discontinued. To order, or to renew your subscription, write to Blindskills, Inc., P.O. Box 5181, Salem, OR 97304-0181; call 1-800-860-4224; or visit www.blindskills.com. 2007 MEDICARE HANDBOOK The Medicare & You 2007 handbook contains important information about what's new, health plans, prescription drug plans, and rights for people with Medicare. You can find 48 geographic-specific versions of the handbook on the Medicare web site, with drug and health plan comparison charts for particular states or regions. The handbook is available at www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10050.pdf. AUTOBIOGRAPHY Lois Dingess Howard enjoyed an almost perfect childhood. But when she was in the fifth grade, she was suddenly confronted with the shocking realization that she was gradually losing her vision. Want to read more of the story? Order "Loving in the Dark, An Incredible Journey," available in print. To get your copy, send an $8 check or money order to Lois Howard at 61951 High Hill Road, Cambridge, OH 43725. AFB PUBLIC POLICY INTERNSHIPS The American Foundation for the Blind Public Policy Center is inviting applications for the summer and fall sessions of the 2007 AFB Policy and Research Internship program. Candidates for these six-week internships must possess a bachelor's degree and be pursuing a graduate or professional course of study relating to special education, rehabilitation, law, public health, or related human services discipline. Candidates must also possess a demonstrable commitment to people with vision loss or other disabilities. For application guidelines and questions, e-mail Mark Richert at mrichert@afb.net, call (202) 408-8175, or visit www.afb.org. MOREHEAD SCHOOL ALUMNI SOUGHT The alumni committee of the Governor Morehead School is seeking all alumni. You do not have to have graduated from the school; if you attended at any time, either campus, you are considered an alumnus. Please send your former and current name, along with your address and telephone number (and e-mail address if you have one) to: Joyce H. Kemp, 3009 Whiting Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205. TALKING BIBLE Talking Bibles International offers the new digital Talking Bible. It includes the entire NIV New Testament and crystal clear fidelity. Holiday pricing is $69.95 and includes shipping. Visit www.talkingbible.org or e- mail info@talkingbible.org for additional information. LARGE PRINT PRAYER CDS The Large-Print Ministry is offering two CDs that can help the visually impaired in their devotions and worship. "Prayers & Psalms For Today" is a large-print CD that includes selections from Prayers and Thanksgivings, Prayers for the Sick, Prayers for Use by a Sick Person, and the entire Book of Psalms from the "Book of Common Prayer" of The Episcopal Church. "The Large-Print Book of Common Prayer" CD includes the entire "Book of Common Prayer." Material is in 18-point type and is laid out for 8.5 x 11-inch pages that can be printed for worship. To order one of these CDs, send a self-addressed, stamped 6" x 9" padded envelope with four 39 cent stamps attached to: Ann Dahlen, 1900 6th Avenue, Apt. 513, Rock Island, IL 61201. While the CDs are free, donations are welcome. ONLINE WORSHIP Friday Study Ministries is an online worship opportunity that welcomes people who are disabled. It currently offers in-depth Bible studies, biblically based sermons and e-mail questions. To take part in worship, visit www.fridaystudyministries.org. BRAILLE DIABETES JOURNAL Pocket Reference Journals, a medical publisher, now offers a braille edition of its newly written "My Pocket Doctor," a reference guide and journal. It's written by an endocrinologist, a certified diabetes educator, and a registered dietitian. It is designed to answer any questions that a newly diagnosed diabetic would ask, including sections on travel, diet, fitness, medications, illness complications, resources, and much more. To acquire the braille edition, contact Pocket Reference Journals at www.pocketreferencejournals.com, or call (714) 965-4570. T-SHIRTS & COOKBOOKS AVAILABLE R. David New offers braille T-shirts and cookbooks. At www.blind-art.com, he sells T-shirts that say "Touch Me" in puffy braille. And at www.grandmomgrode.com, you can get a copy of a CD cookbook that includes dozens of his Jewish grandmother's dishes. The cookbook is also available by calling 1-800-294-7180. LARGE PRINT KEYBOARD AVAILABLE Ai Squared has released the ZoomText (R) Large-Print Keyboard, featuring easy-to-read keycaps and "one-touch" access to ZoomText 9.0. It features 36-point lettering and a high-contrast black on yellow color scheme for easy reading. The keyboard also offers 16 dedicated feature keys that allow users to instantly access their favorite ZoomText commands. For further information, go to www.aisquared.com/Products/Keyboard.cfm, or call 1-800-859-0270. TECHNICAL SUPPORT LINE The Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind offers an assistive technology support line for individuals around the country free of charge. For support on all types of assistive technology, call toll-free, 1-888-825-0080. SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED The Jewish Guild for the Blind recently named the winners of its 2007 GuildScholar Program scholarships. They are: Maida Avdic, Omaha, Neb.; Alyssa Bates, Fairborn, Ohio; Christine Bouchard, Starkville, Miss.; Casey Burkhardt, Toms River, N.J.; Mindy Cook, Celina, Ohio; Mandi Curtis, Massena, N.Y.; Colin A. Dalrymple, Midlothian, Va.; Blair Douglass, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Carly Eglander, Wantagh, N.Y.; Corey Grandstaff, Marengo, Ohio; Elizabeth Haro, San Antonio, Tex.; Maria Kristic, Rhinebeck, N.Y.; Casey Joshua Lakritz, Bridgewater, N.J.; Adlee Faith Manion, Leitchfield, Ky.; Sarah Katherina Meyer, Kokomo, Ind.; and Lauren Sullivan, Cumming, Ga. For information on the GuildScholar Program's scholarships for 2008, contact Gordon Rovins at (212) 769-7801 or e-mail guildscholar@jgb.org. NEW MAGAZINE Bob Branco is launching a new magazine called "The Consumer Vision." This semi-monthly publication will feature topics of human interest, reports from consumer organizations, sports, trivia, editorials, and more. He seeks article submissions and advertisers. Contact him directly at branco182@worldnet.att.net or (508) 994-4972. EUROPEAN TOURS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED Vision Outdoor organizes tours to Europe for people who are visually impaired. This spring they will offer two tours, April 13-22 to Greece and April 28-May 11 to eastern Germany. Each tour costs 1150 euros and includes one sighted guide per two visually impaired travelers. For additional details on these trips, call 011-0049-521-1640020 or e-mail info@visionoutdoor.de. LIBRARY SEEKS DONATIONS The Louis Braille Memorial Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of Bangladesh is seeking donations of new or used braille and large-print books, magazines, religious matter, and educational materials. They would like equipment including white canes, braille and talking watches, braille writers, embossers and paper. Send all items "Free Matter for the Blind" to Mirpur P.O. Box 8157, Plot #11/1, Road #06, Block # E, Mirpur -12, Dhaka - 1216, Bangladesh. ***** FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE: ARE WE LEARNING THE RIGHT LESSONS FROM BLIND ATHLETES? by Karla Westjohn (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.) Besides physical fitness, sports have long been credited with developing civility, self-discipline and self-confidence, and with bridging barriers between people. The accomplishments of blind athletes have long been touted as a means of opening the minds of the sighted to the capabilities of the blind. The goals are laudable, but whether they are actually being achieved is debatable. Certainly, everyone, blind or sighted, can benefit from physical fitness. Sportsmanship, discipline, and confidence transcend sports. The blind person who skis, swims, bikes, runs, or is a martial arts black belt dispels stereotypes. Blind wrestlers from residential schools have competed successfully against sighted wrestlers. Playing a sport can be a means for a blind child to demonstrate to sighted peers that he or she is "one of the gang." Athletics, however, are not a panacea. Stressing sports above all else can be catastrophic. About five years ago The Seeing Eye Guide, the newsletter of The Seeing Eye, featured an article about a young graduate who had briefly held an entry-level job at the school. She quit because the job interfered with playing goalball. The article's tone was laudatory! Imagine a young sighted woman quitting a job with a nationally known organization because working interfered with her softball league. No complimentary article would have been written. Discussion of the matter would have constituted the conversation she had with her parents. After telling her to stop acting like a bum, they would have informed her of her options: "Get the job back or find another one -- because you're not moving home." Responsible commentators decry the overselling of sports to poor, inner-city kids. They point out that few outstanding high school athletes become outstanding college athletes, and even fewer of these turn professional. Professional sports careers are short. Without an education and job skills, the athlete quickly becomes a sad has-been. The prospects are even bleaker for blind athletes. Now blind athletes occasionally receive sponsorships, and the Paralympics have received some exposure on ESPN, but blind people still have no real hope for careers as professional athletes. Preoccupation with sports, to the exclusion of everything else, leads to unemployability. Unlike her sighted counterpart, a blind athlete would even have trouble getting hired to flip burgers -- partly because of employer prejudice, but also because, without blindness skills, she may not even qualify for a menial job. More troubling is the duality surrounding some blind athletes. On the one hand, they are allegedly inspiring because of their extraordinary sports feats, feats implicitly impossible for most blind people. On the other hand, they supposedly prove that they (and all blind people) are exactly like everyone else, and sight is irrelevant. The exploits of Erik Weihenmayer and Rachael Scdoris exemplify this phenomenon. Both endeavors (mountain climbing and running in the Iditarod) cost thousands of dollars. Both would have been impossible without massive sighted assistance and, in Scdoris's case, a major modification of race rules applicable only to her. Of the 18 people in Weihenmayer's Everest expedition, he was the only blind climber, and the entire undertaking revolved around him. In his subsequent climbing exploits, some done with students from a residential school for the blind in Tibet, the parties have been equally divided between blind and sighted climbers. The Iditarod is supposed to be a solo race, with mushers relying upon themselves and the power of their dogs -- no assistance in negotiating the trail from mechanized equipment, GPS technology, other mushers, or anyone else. This year another "competitor," Tim Osmar, a 20-time Iditarod veteran who generally finishes in the top quarter of the race, guided Scdoris along the trail by remaining with her and giving directions via two-way radio, another prohibited device for other race participants. She finished 57th out of 72, days behind racers completing the course "in the money." Osmar finished 56th, a position wholly unrepresentative of his real ability. Finishing the Iditarod is an accomplishment, but finishing under those circumstances is hardly inspirational. Scdoris bills herself as a champion dog sled racer. Lynda Plentner, a grandmother who makes no particular effort to finish in the front of the pack, finished ahead of her, and Plentner followed all race rules to the letter. The problem with such exploits is not the activities themselves, but the false picture they present. Blind people can and should be expected to participate equally in society, enjoying the same rights and assuming the same responsibilities as everyone else. Employment, education, and yes, even sports, usually are not inordinately expensive. To be reasonable, and thus legally required, an accommodation must be cost-effective and must not fundamentally alter the activity or facility. The sighted assistance Weihenmayer and Scdoris received in their sports endeavors differs greatly from the sighted assistance most blind people receive. Most of life's activities do not require constant sighted assistance. No employer is required to hire two comparably qualified people to do one job. Reading and driving assistance on the job is either minimal or is performed by people with lesser qualifications than the blind worker and for less money than the blind worker receives. Ironically, Weihenmayer and Scdoris reinforce the misconception that the blind require copious assistance while everyone pretends that the help is negligible. This misconception all too often leads to the fallacy that, whatever the activity, whatever the individual attributes of the two, between a blind person and a sighted person, the blind person can never really be the best. Paradoxically, most successful blind people readily admit that sometimes sight, per se, is necessary. Far from being defeatist, considering a problem objectively is the first step toward its solution and ultimately leads to real excellence. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: One Juliet interpoint braille embosser with cables and software. In excellent condition; has full service warranty through Enabling Technologies. Asking $2,500 or best offer. If interested, e-mail Dennis Shepard at dshepard52@earthlink.net or call him at (510) 594-9468. FOR SALE: Talking calculator, $250. Contact Rosemir Rodriguez at (925) 768-9480. FOR SALE: Portable CCTV with battery pack and carrying case, used less than 6 times. This Olympia by Telesensory has 3 viewing modes: positive, negative and color, with magnification of 3.3X to 26X. Also includes writing stand. Asking $1,200, which includes shipping to buyer. Call Billie Jean at (703) 528-4455, or e-mail billiejean1@comcast.net. FOR SALE OR TRADE: PAC Mate BX400; would like to trade it for a PAC Mate QX400. Call Jessie Lorenz at (510) 388-3903 or e-mail jessie.lorenz@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Duxbury 10.5 with original packaging and manuals. Asking $400. Double Talk LT. Asking $100. Sigma-Martin five-string banjo, clear top, beautiful wood, with hard case. Asking $550. Purchaser pays all shipping fees on above products. Contact Laura Ann Grymes at (979) 680- 0022, or e-mail her, agapepetsitting@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Braille Lite Millennium 20, approximately 4 years old. Includes external disk drive and carrying case. In good condition. Has current update. Asking $800. Andromeda transportable video magnifier CCTV, 6 months old, in excellent condition. Still under warranty. 15-inch flat- panel desktop CCTV. Compact, collapsible, with a durable roller case for transporting and foot pedal for switching from CCTV to PC monitor views. Asking $2,900. Call or e-mail Sila Miller at (850) 894-9203 or silam@earthlink.net. FOR SALE: PAC Mate QWERTY 20-cell notetaker with leather carrying case. In excellent condition. Asking $2,400. Call or e-mail Robert Miller at (850) 906-9821 or easytalk@earthlink.net. WANTED: Fully functional Juliet Classic embosser with all necessary cables and setup software, if any. Price negotiable. Please contact Laura at either (316) 619-4750 or mustangsally999@hotmail.com. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT M.J. SCHMITT 119 SHELL EDGE DR ROCHESTER, NY 14623 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 SECRETARY DONNA SELIGER 3912 SE 5TH ST DES MOINES, IA 50315 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 20330 NE 20TH CT. MIAMI, FL 33179 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ed Bradley, Houston, TX Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Brenda Dillon, Hermitage, TN Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Oral Miller, Washington, DC Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Naomi Soule, St. Louis, MO Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Ex Officio: Charles Hodge, Arlington, VA BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Mike Duke, Chairman, Jackson, MS Charles Hodge, Arlington, VA DeAnna Noriega, Fulton, MO Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Cindy Van Winkle, Bremerton, WA Ex Officios: Ralph Sanders, Las Vegas, NV Janelle Edwards, Springfield, MO