The ACB Braille Forum Volume LXIII November-December 2024 No. 4 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** ** Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind(TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. * Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6200 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 155, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. * Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Tune in to ACB Media at www.acbmedia.org or by calling (518) 906-1820. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/acbnational. Copyright 2024 American Council of the Blind Scott Thornhill, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 225 Reinekers Ln., Suite 660, Alexandria, VA 22314 ***** ** Table of Contents President's Message: The Gift That Will Soon Stop Giving, by Deb Cook Lewis Convention 2025: More about the Dallas Hotel, by Janet Dickelman Advocacy in Action, by Claire Stanley Summaries of the August and September 2024 Board Meetings, by Katie Frederick Holiday Auction Just Around the Corner, by Leslie Spoone Short Stories from Our Readers Holiday Recipes from Our Readers Affiliate News Pine Tree Guide Dog Users Publishes Brochure for Health Care Providers Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins High Tech Swap Shop Summary of the 2024 Resolutions ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille Forums ***** ** How to Submit Articles to the Forum If you wish to submit an article to "The ACB Braille Forum," please send it via email to slovering@acb.org as part of the message, or attached as a Word or ASCII text file. Articles should be between 500 and 800 words. Language should be family friendly. Longer articles may be divided into two or more parts. ** Upcoming Forum Themes and Deadlines February 2025: theme: love; deadline: December 20, 2024 March 2025: theme: spring into action; deadline: January 24, 2025 April 2025: theme: Multicultural Affairs Committee/diversity; deadline: February 21, 2025 If your committee or affiliate would like to claim an issue of the Forum, please contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@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 update the database. ***** ** President's Message: The Gift That Will Soon Stop Giving by Deb Cook Lewis I am not much for getting or giving gifts. Of course I like to do both, but it's often hard to know what to give, and my family was never really big on gifting. So my expectations are low in both departments. But at Christmas in 2014, my husband gave me a gift that I have appreciated until now, but will soon have to say good-bye. He's not much more adept than I am when it comes to gifts, so it was quite a surprise when he came trotting in from his trip to the Apple Store and presented me with the latest iPad Mini in a beautiful engraved leather case. I had never had an iPad and thoroughly enjoyed surfing the net with it and playing music. Not too exciting so far, but we're coming to it. So the iPad continued to surf the net and play music until Apple decided to drop support for it, which was in about 2019. I was reluctant to surf the web with a device that was no longer getting security updates, but didn’t want to sideline the only major gift I'd ever received from my husband. I decided that my iPad should become a chiming clock. I purchased a chiming clock app for $1.99 and placed the iPad on a high shelf in our dining room. Our house has high ceilings, and on the top shelf the iPad sounded absolutely amazing. As long as the iPad stayed on the Wi-Fi network, all would be well. But without Wi-Fi, it keeps very bad time and gets ahead of itself in just a couple of days. Well, the inevitable happened this past week or so. Apple decided that my lovely 2014 iPad should not remain in the Apple ecosystem, and I think my Internet provider decided it didn't deserve to be on the Wi-Fi any longer. The clock is drifting further and further off time, with no way to nudge it back into compliance. The reason I'm sharing this story is because many of you are totally familiar with my iPad clock. No matter how much filtering I apply in Zoom, it persistently comes chiming through in every meeting I attend. It is often declared that it is time to start the meeting because Deb's clock has started to chime. So when I finally take it off the shelf, I think many besides me will miss it. I do have three other devices with qualifying clock apps that are currently auditioning for the job, but I don't think any will replace the old iPad with its marvelous acoustics against the high ceiling in our dining room. So chime on a few more days, dear old iPad, and when I can't deal with your being further and further off time, I'll take you down and reset you for recycling. But it will indeed be a sad day at the Lewis house. ***** ** Convention 2025: More about the Dallas Hotel by Janet Dickelman As you read this, the ACB board will be holding their fall board meeting, and the convention committee will also be in Dallas, wandering the hotel, visiting potential tour venues, meeting with organizations for possible volunteer sources, and meeting with the local host committee. Convention dates are July 4th-11th. We are thrilled to be collaborating with the Blinded Veterans Association once again! Here is some information regarding the convention hotel. The lobby is on the first floor, and restaurants are on the second (or atrium) floor. The hotel features five restaurants: * Centennial, which is open 6:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 5:00-10:00 p.m., average pricing $8-$25 * Monduel's, open 5:00-10:00 p.m., average pricing $8-$25 * Parrino's Italian, Open 5:00-10:00 p.m., Average pricing $8 - $25 * Coffees Post - 24-hour market/Starbucks/Grab and Go There is also a fine dining restaurant, atop the Reunion Tower. It is currently under renovation; it should be open by July. * Hotel Details Room rates at the Hyatt, located at 300 Reunion Blvd., are $99 single or double, $124 triple or $149 quad, plus applicable state and local taxes (currently 15%). All rooms have refrigerators and K-cup coffee makers. Reservation details will be available shortly. For any convention-related questions, please contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059, or via email, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. * Staying in Touch The convention announce list will be filled with information. If you received updates for the 2024 convention, you will receive the updates for 2025. If you are not subscribed to the list, send a blank email to acbconvention+subscribe@acblists.org. May you have the best holiday ever, whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or another celebration. Wishing you a season of joy, love, good food, and time with friends and family. ***** ** Advocacy In Action by Claire Stanley In late September, Claire Stanley, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, attended the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Leadership Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. She was asked to present at the conference on a panel that discussed current advocacy on policy that impacts the lives of blind and low vision Americans. The opportunity to present enabled ACB to highlight the multitude of federal disability policies it is currently working on. Specifically, the panel explored both legislative and regulatory processes ACB has utilized to advocate at the federal level to improve the lives of people who are blind or have low vision. Both branches of the federal government -- the executive and legislative branches -- play a role in developing important policies, and ACB has utilized both branches to advocate for change. The myriad of discussed topics illustrated the vast advocacy work of ACB over the last two or so years during the 118th Congressional session. Several of the legislative activities discussed included many of the 2024 ACB D.C. Leadership Conference imperatives that advocate for access technology such as the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act and the Communications, Video and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA), among others. The panel also presented on a myriad of regulatory developments that have occurred over the last year or more, including the Title II website accessibility regulations by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Public Rights of Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) comment period put out by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). A significant amount of policy development has occurred in the last couple of years, and ACB has been active in the process. Many of the submitted comments on federal regulatory creation can be found on the ACB website on the advocacy page. The advocacy team encourages ACB members to explore the myriad of comments and letters ACB has written or signed onto that are shared on that page. The panel at the AFB conference illustrated the collaborative process ACB has engaged in to move forward such regulatory creation and legislative advocacy. The panel at the conference included representatives of AFB, the VisionServe Alliance, and ACB. This presents a microcosm of the coalitions ACB has participated in to advocate for federal policy change. ACB values the coalitions it is a part of when advocating in Washington, D.C.; voices are amplified in coalitions. Finally, the panel postulated on the presumed federal activities to come on Capitol Hill in the near future. As of the time of the AFB Leadership Conference, rumors in D.C. speculated that new regulatory procedures to develop rules on video conferencing and self-service transaction machines (SSTM) are likely to be issued by their respective federal agencies before the end of 2024. ACB will continue to submit comments to the applicable agencies to help move forward the development of necessary guidelines. ***** ** Summaries of the August and September 2024 Board Meetings by Katie Frederick * August 20, 2024 The post-convention board meeting lasted approximately five hours. The agenda was full and ample discussion took place on many topics by the board. Listen to the meeting at this link: https://pnc.st/s/acb-business/1fc0c916/20240820-acb-board-of-directors-meeting. As this was the first meeting following the ACB conference and convention, newly elected board members were present, and an important agenda item was the prioritization of the 2024 resolutions. Cindy Hollis, ACB’s manager of membership engagement, asked the board to approve new guidelines for ACB Community. Effective Sept. 15, all ACB Community events and committee meetings will take place on ACB Zoom accounts. The change will decrease work for ACB staff and enable a more streamlined process for community event facilitators, committee chairs and members. Members of the DKM Committee presented a proposal to the board. Following discussion of the process and proposed guidelines, the board voted to postpone this item until the November meeting. President Deb Cook Lewis gave her report. The fall board meeting is Nov. 1-2 in Dallas, Tex. President Lewis then briefly spoke about her committee plans and roadmap for the upcoming year. This process will necessarily take some time. ACB needs to clean up its committee process, ensure all committee chairs and members are known (documented), and make sure we have a more streamlined process for our committees and the work they do. More updates about this initiative will follow throughout the year. Members of the board next discussed a letter received by Blind Pride International (BPI) about holding a meeting for conversation following the events of the past year. President Lewis read the letter aloud, then called for discussion. The board voted not to meet with BPI. Some members expressed that they weren’t sure what such a meeting would accomplish. ACB Executive Director Scott Thornhill presented his report. He said since coming to ACB, he’s noticed some key areas where the organization can have an impact, including accessibility, healthcare and employment. He presented an outline to the board beginning to lay the groundwork for ACB to help organizations with accessibility initiatives. This could be a win-win for ACB and the companies assisted. Companies are reaching out to ACB, wanting to hear from individuals who are blind or low vision about products and services. ACB has access to many who fit that description. As a result of input on company surveys from ACB, the organization could then receive some monetary and/or in-kind support of our work from the organizations. Scott recognizes there is a lot of work to do in this space, and ACB needs to approach this work in a very strategic manner. He will keep the board updated as this work moves forward throughout the year. The board gave permission for Scott to move forward with this initiative. As budget or personnel needs come forward, Scott will bring those to the board. The board considered and passed two 2024 budget requests during the meeting, one for Louisville Web Group for website work, and the other for ACB to contract with the parliamentarian for services throughout the year, including training. The board elected Kenneth Semien, Terry Pacheco and David Trott to the 2025 budget committee. Given the hour, directors voted to elect the members of the executive committee at the November board meeting. The meeting then went into executive session. * September 23, 2024 ACB's Board of Directors held a special meeting September 23 with one item on the agenda. Find the meeting podcast at https://pnc.st/s/acb-business/c881f8a5/20240923-acb-board-of-directors-meeting. Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI), an ACB special-interest affiliate, reached out to the board and asked if ACB planned to send someone to a rally sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Following roll call and approval of the agenda, President Deb Cook Lewis read a letter the board received about supporting the rally in San Francisco October 15. Discussion ensued. David Trott made a motion that ACB send a representative to the rally, with the caveat that the individual be recognized as part of the event program. Following the seconding of David's motion, discussion followed. Some board members expressed concern that if ACB sent a representative, that individual would not be recognized as part of the event program. Some board members spoke against the motion because they did not feel ACB was invited to take part in the rally. Jeff Thom proposed an amendment for allowing the official representative an opportunity to speak at the rally. The amendment passed. Following a roll call vote, David's motion to send an ACB representative to the rally with an ask to speak, was unanimously approved. The board also moved to write a press release stating our concerns around Uber and Lyft guide dog denials and ACB's support of the NFB rally, and the motion was unanimously approved. Having concluded its one agenda item of business, the meeting adjourned. ***** ** Holiday Auction Just Around the Corner Get ready to bid at the 13th annual ACB Media Holiday Auction, which will start with the Sneak a Peek Appetizer Auction on Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30. The main auction will be on Sunday, December 1 starting at 6 p.m. Eastern. There will be jewelry, crafts, homemade baked goods, and technology. We look forward to hearing everyone bidding and having lots of laughs! Happy bidding! -- Leslie Spoone ***** ** Short Stories from Our Readers * The Christmas Clues Before Michael and I got married, we would occasionally check out the packages we had given each other. I always wanted to be surprised, so I didn't exert much effort in the shaking. One time, Michael took a turn at a package, and it began playing music. Oops! He commented rather lamely, "Well, you still don't know what kind of music box it is." He was right; it was an owl with an owlet circling around on the base. One year, we decided to give each other clues, a tradition we carried on for a long time. I very badly wanted a Blazie Engineering Braille Blazer home embosser. Michael's clue was "hungry farm implement." I never guessed the "tractor-feed" Braille Blazer! I'm not sure my clues were ever quite that creative. -- Ann Byington * Christmas Memories My earliest recollections of Christmas are happy ones. I can remember various sizes and varieties of Christmas trees, both alive and artificial. It did not matter because the feelings of love and joy mingled in the air all the way from Thanksgiving until after January 2nd. When I was younger, the reason January 2nd always signaled the end of the Christmas season was because that was my father's birthday. We always had a family celebration on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my father's birthday. We always gave gifts to one another on birthdays and Christmas. We tried to get each person exactly what he/she wanted most. Later, we drew names. Now, since we all have children and grandchildren, we just do grab bag gifts with games. When particular gifts weren't affordable, we would give them something to remind them of it. For example, my father loved cars. He was a mechanic and particularly liked GM products. One year for Christmas, we gave him a new car. We knew he had never owned a new car. Of course, it was a Matchbox car. Everyone got a laugh from dad's reaction. We would often play practical jokes with gifts. Wrapping a really large box that was quite heavy was fun. For us that meant finding some particularly large rocks and putting them inside. Other times we would tape a small empty box, wrap it, put it in another box, tape it very well, wrap it, put it in another box, tape it well, wrap it, etc. until we thought there was a sufficient number to keep the excitement building. When I first lost my sight, I would often accidentally put my fingers in the butter dish when clearing the table. My brother was six at the time, and he gave me one gag gift I will always remember. I opened the box and inside was a plastic dish. At Christmas time, people use all kinds of containers to wrap things, so I opened the lid and put my hand inside. Oops! My hand found butter. He laughed hysterically and so did the rest of us. I also am in the habit of bringing small or inexpensive gifts that I have picked up at flea markets, garage sales, or sales. We try different ways to give these away each year. Sometimes, we have an alarm clock go off different times and whoever is talking at the time gets the gift. Other times, we have put stickers or tape under dishes, chairs, etc. to give them away. We have also played cards and given gifts after each hand. If all else fails, we can give out numbers if we have too many to give out in one of the other ways. I find that the preparation before the day comes is as much fun as the day itself. Trying to conjure up the right mix of gifts is challenging, since we have a large extended family. -- Ardis Bazyn * The Christmas Pickle and Other Nostalgic Oddities The gift-giving season started in August. Leaves had barely touched upon the earth and, like magic, pumpkin spiced lattes, muffins and doughnuts appeared. I am tempted to wear my white capris once more and defy tradition to store them until the first day of summer in 2025. It’s too darned early. Speaking of traditions, I spent 20 years in the retail business. The most interesting position I held was in an acrylic furniture and design factory called Plasticworks. Our stock items and custom designed inventory could be described as quirky, minimalist and artistic. The most popular gift items were the clear toilet seats. We could suspend anything in liquid and bake it in, producing a stylish focal point to one’s bathroom. The most popular of the choices was the seat and lid embedded with barbed wire and razor blades. Another favorite was a lid and seat embedded with shredded money. The customer had to supply $100 of mixed denominations, including coins. And the third favorite was the seat with seashells, driftwood and sand. I mention the quirky toilet seats because I love to discover the unique traditions of other families. Our quirky thing is the Christmas pickle. My sister introduced it to me for our first Christmas after getting married. She explained it was a tradition she embraced from her husband's side of the family. The pickle is hidden in the highest branches of the tree. The youngest person to point it out gets a candy cane. Better than the creepy Elf on the Shelf idea. Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season. May it be full of pumpkin lattes and peppermint. -- Annie Chiappetta * Shattered Christmas The worst Christmas for me was 2005. I had received several gifts from out-of-town friends and family, and was looking forward to opening them. I was most curious about a braille paper-sized box that came from friends in another state. So on Christmas morning, when I opened the gifts, I was looking forward to seeing what was in that box. I opened a few smaller gifts first. When I opened the big box, my excitement turned to shock -- and pain. The pretty glass plates and dishes had gotten shattered somewhere along the way to my place, and I pulled out a handful of glass shards instead. I ran for the kitchen, where I had a small first aid kit handy. After plucking out the pieces that had gotten stuck in my hand, then cleaning and bandaging the wounds, I returned to the living room and proceeded a little more slowly in opening the remaining gifts. I found a couple of gifts that were intact, and a number of others that were not. When I finished opening the gifts in my living room, I walked down the street to my parents' house to open gifts with my family. Sadly, several of the gifts I opened there had gotten damaged in shipping, too. The only gifts that were in good shape were the ones from my parents and my sister. Those thank-you notes were the hardest ones I've ever had to write. -- Sharon Lovering ***** ** Holiday Recipes from Our Readers Nothing says it's the holiday season better than the food. Whether it's an old family recipe for cookies, pie, green bean casserole or whatever, it wouldn't be the holiday season without it. Below are some of our readers' favorite holiday recipes. ** Bourbon Balls Submitted by Anthony Corona As the holidays approach I wanted to share an easy and fun dessert that is a favorite of mine. I am known for my balls, whether they be bourbon, rum or meat. These fun bite-sized delights are versatile and very portable after the initial 24-hour refrigerated period. I have suggested a few toppings and presentation ideas below, but the possibilities are endless, so use some imagination and have fun creating. Ingredients: 4 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers (A 12-oz. box is about 2 1/2 half cups after crushing) 1 cup chopped nuts or rainbow sprinkles (optional) 1/2 cup Karo syrup (the clear white kind) 1/2 cup good bourbon, rum, or whiskey (fruit juice can be substituted for a non-alcoholic recipe) 2 tablespoons Nestle sweet dry cocoa 1 tablespoon strong coffee Note: You will need a small dish or bowl of confectioner's sugar to coat hands and as a potential coating. Other coatings can be: shaved coconut, crushed Oreos, ice cream sprinkles, Magic Shell, chopped nuts, crushed candy bars; the possibilities are endless. Crush wafers in food processor or Ziploc bag and use rolling pin. (Add in crushed nuts or sprinkles if a crunchier texture is desired.) Mix in the Karo syrup and the bourbon. Then add the cocoa and coffee, and stir until thoroughly blended. Begin to roll the balls. Coat your hands with the confectioner's sugar; the batter is rather sticky. Roll small- to medium-sized balls, coffee scoop sized. Form balls and roll them in chopped nuts or other coating. I usually make some with nuts and some with sprinkles or mini chocolate chips, Oreo and coconut shavings for variety. Refrigerate until serving. These can last up to a month in the refrigerator in a plastic covered bowl or pan. These make fabulous host gifts if presented in candy or bonbon cups on a cake stand or platter with a variety of coatings. These will be the hit of your holiday dessert table. Personalizing for your hostess is always a big hit as well. I usually make some with fruit juice for the kids and mark them with rainbow sprinkles. ** Corn Casserole Submitted by Scott Thornhill 1 can cream-style corn 1 can whole corn, undrained 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix 8 oz. sour cream 1 stick butter or margarine, melted 2 eggs, slightly beaten Mix all together, pour into 13" x 9" pan, and bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes (325° if using a glass pan). You can add sugar to taste, as well as cayenne pepper. If you have a big crowd coming, double the recipe. ** Ginger Chewies Submitted by Nancy Becker 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon cloves 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 1/4 cup molasses About 1/4 cup granulated sugar Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the egg and molasses; mix until blended and an even light brown color, about 1 minute. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it. Spread the granulated sugar on a large piece of wax paper or parchment paper. Roll 1/4 cup of dough between the palms of your hands into a 2-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar, and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Continue making cookies, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm but they are still soft in the center and there are several large cracks on top, about 14 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. I like them chewy, so I only bake them for about 6 or 7 minutes. ** Italian Christmas Cookies From BettyCrocker.com Ingredients Cookies: 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (from 15-ounce container) 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla Frosting: 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice Betty Crocker gel food colors, as desired Betty Crocker candy sprinkles, as desired Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat sugar, softened butter, ricotta cheese and lemon peel with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until fluffy; scrape side of bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Stir in vanilla. On low speed, beat flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Using floured fingers, shape dough into 54 (1-inch) balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. In small bowl, beat powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons lemon juice with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Using knife, spread 1/2 teaspoon frosting on each cooled cookie; immediately top with sprinkles. Let stand about 30 minutes or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature. ** Holiday Almond Cheese Log Submitted by Jo Lynn Bailey-Page Ingredients 1 3-oz. package cream cheese ½ pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup shelled almonds, very finely chopped or ground 1 whole pimiento, minced 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon grated onion Dash cayenne pepper For garnish: Paprika Finely chopped almonds Combine first four ingredients in stand mixer or large bowl. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients; beat until well-blended. Shape into two rolls about 7” long. Roll one in paprika, the other in chopped almonds. Wrap in waxed paper and chill. Serve with crackers. ** Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie Submitted by Kelly Gasque Ingredients 1 disk pie dough 3/4 stick unsalted butter 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup light corn syrup 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 2 cups pecan halves (1/2 pound) Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (for serving; optional) Preheat oven to 350°F with a baking sheet on middle rack. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under and lightly press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Lightly prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes). Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in corn syrup, vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in corn syrup mixture. Put pecans in pie shell and pour corn syrup mixture evenly over them. Bake on hot baking sheet until filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool completely. ** Peppermint Meltaways Submitted by Sharon Lovering The first time I made these cookies, I lived in a small apartment. I didn't realize there was enough peppermint in it to clog the sensor in my smoke detector -- until it started chirping in the middle of the night. If you live in a small place, open a window when you turn on the oven for pre-heating (after making the cookie dough and letting it chill). Ingredients Cookie 1 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cornstarch Glaze 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1 to 2 tablespoons milk 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract Red or green food coloring, if desired Candy canes or hard peppermint candy, crushed Combine 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour and cornstarch; beat at low speed until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate 30-60 minutes or until firm. Heat oven to 350°F. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5-10 minutes on cookie sheets; carefully remove to cooling rack. Cool completely. Combine 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, 2-3 drops of food coloring (if desired) and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in small bowl. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy. Makes about 4 dozen cookies. ** Soft Sour Cream Sugar Cookies From Recipe by Alexandra Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks or 230g) unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup (240g) sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups (480g) all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract until the mixture is well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix. Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a disk. Wrap the dough disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or until firm. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175° C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of the chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the remaining dough. Once the cookies are completely cooled, you can decorate them with frosting, sprinkles, or enjoy them as is. * Domino Sugar Buttercream Frosting 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted butter, softened 4 1/2 cups Domino(R) Powdered Sugar 3 tablespoons Whole milk 1 1/2 tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce to low speed and add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. When all ingredients are combined, increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 to 2 more minutes, until creamy. If desired, add more milk until frosting is spreading consistency. (Editor's Note: You'll need to double this recipe to decorate one batch of the Soft Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, above.) ** Turtle Cheesecake Dip Submitted by Nancy Christine Feela Prep 15 min. Total 1 hour 15 min. (including refrigerating) Makes 26 servings, 2 Tbsp. each Ingredients: 30 Kraft caramels 2 1/4 cups (about 3/4 of 8 oz. tub) thawed Cool Whip, divided 2 oz. Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped 2 packages (8 oz. each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups chopped Planters pecans Microwave caramels and 1/2 cup Cool Whip in medium microwavable bowl on high 1 minute 40 seconds, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until caramels are completely melted and sauce is well blended. Cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, microwave chocolate and 3/4 cup of the remaining Cool Whip in small microwavable bowl for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and sauce is well blended. Beat cream cheese in separate medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add 2/3 cup caramel sauce; beat until blended. Gently stir in remaining 1 cup Cool Whip. Spread cream cheese mixture onto serving plate; drizzle with chocolate sauce and remaining caramel sauce. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour. Serve with pretzel twists. ***** ** Affiliate News * ACB Families -- Prizes for the Holidays by Carla Ruschival, President The annual ACB Families membership drive is under way. Get in on the fun and have a chance to win prizes, just in time for the holidays. ACB Families is an ACB special-interest affiliate. We hold two Zoom calls each month. Our business meeting, typically on the first Sunday of the month, gives members a chance to participate in planning virtual activities and events. The call on the third Sunday of the month includes a discussion topic, a chance to share tips on a broad range of subjects, or an informative speaker. Past calls have included stretching the family dollar, tech tips, holiday gift ideas, fun and educational Amazon Alexa skills, how to get organized and de-clutter your home, and much more. ACB Families hosts exciting events at the national ACB Conference and Convention each year. Our Families traditions include our in-person Bingo, virtual campfire, and hybrid breakfast. No matter who you are or where you live, you can participate in ACB Families. Pay your dues for next year by Nov. 30 and have a chance to win a $25 Visa gift card, one of two $50 Visa cards, a $75 Visa card, and (new this year) a grand prize of a $100 Visa card. Winners will be drawn at our Zoom call on Sunday, December 15. Dues are just $8 a year. Pay by credit card by calling (502) 897-1472, or make check payable to ACB Families and mail, along with your contact information, to: ACB Families, 148 Vernon Ave., Louisville, KY 40206. Keep up with what's happening in ACB Families. Join our email list by sending a blank message to families+subscribe@acblists.org. Welcome to our ACB family. * South Dakota Association of the Blind Chose Joy The 2024 SDAB convention is now history. The theme was "Choose Joy!" We met at Joy Ranch of South Dakota. We did indeed make history, as we had not previously held our meeting at this location. Thanks to the willingness and hard work of Koni Sims, Krystal Stuwe, and several other people who stepped up to plan and arrange this weekend, the convention was a great success with 53 people registered to attend! The weather could not have been more perfect for being at such a beautiful place. The speakers were informative, and the camaraderie was inspiring. On Friday afternoon, our sessions were about technology and about orientation and mobility. Many of us enjoyed seeing the variety of cane tips that are now available. Everyone seems to have his/her preference on the type of cane tip to use. Later on Friday, it was time to go outdoors to walk around, sit in a rocking chair in front of the building, or go horseback riding. Some of those who rode a horse did so for the very first time! Several of us also enjoyed being in one of two groups who went on a wagon ride. Pizza from Marco’s Pizza in Watertown was a big hit before the auction. Thanks to Nick Pavel for being such an entertaining auctioneer, and thanks to everyone for bidding and buying. One of the last items to be auctioned was the SDAB Traveling Bear. After Seth and Koni told the bear’s story, Blaine Jemming was the lucky highest bidder at $65. He will tell us the story of the bear at our meeting next year, and someone else will bid and buy it. In total, we brought in $1,670. Saturday morning included Cary Krumwiede's inspiring story of life in a wheelchair for the past 30 years. Thanks to the Watertown Lions for grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for our noon meal. The first two hours of the afternoon were again available for being outdoors. The banquet was delicious, and Jim Hoxie & Joanna Jones demonstrated their program of spreading awareness for children in the Spearfish schools about the white cane and guide dog. Each of us was given a copy of their book, “Grandpa’s White Cane,” so we can help spread the word. One thing that made this convention unique is the fact that everyone had to travel some distance in order to attend. In South Dakota, that can be a challenge. We were able to raise funds through donations and sponsorships, to defray travel costs for those who rode in one of two vans from Sioux Falls to the ranch. The person who traveled the farthest distance to attend was SDAB member Patrick Sheehan, from Silver Spring, Md. He shared valuable information during our session on orientation and mobility, and he also talked about the building codes that help with accessibility. We thank him for his input. As for the Saturday afternoon business meeting, I believe lots of information was shared, and I hope it was helpful for those who are new to SDAB. This was an election year for officers as well as two board members for 3-year terms and one board member for a one-year term. I would like to thank the membership for electing me for a second term as president. I will do my best to serve SDAB and try to involve as many of you as possible. Other election results included: First Vice President: Virginia Miller; Second Vice President: no candidate was brought forward from the nominating committee, and no one was nominated from the floor. Since this is the fund-raising chair, we'll all have to work a bit harder to help bring in funding for SDAB. Marje Kaiser was elected Secretary, and Bob Smith was elected Treasurer. Two three-year positions were filled by Chelle Hart and Deb Ver Steeg, who had each served one full term and were eligible for a second one. Dave Miller's resignation opened up a one-year spot on the board, and Mary Carrell was elected to fill it. One of the suggestions at the business meeting was to assign mentors to new members of SDAB. I think this is a great idea. Speaking of funding, several of us wore our new South Dakota shirts, made by Blind Girl Designs. These are still available for purchase, and SDAB gets $7 from each item that we buy. Also included are tote bags, aprons, and shirts in various styles and colors. These make great gifts as well. Visit https://blindgirldesigns.com/ for more details. Now that we're home and have gotten excited about our organization, let's keep the momentum going! ***** *** Pine Tree Guide Dog Users Publishes Brochure for Health Care Providers Pine Tree Guide Dog Users recently published an educational flier for health care personnel, "What Healthcare Providers Need to Know about Patients with Guide Dogs." It is reprinted below for your convenience. You may also obtain it from their website, https://pinetreeguidedogusers.org/what-healthcare-providers-need-to-know-about-patients-with-guide-dogs/. ** What Healthcare Providers Need to Know about Patients with Guide Dogs Patients who are blind or have low vision may be accompanied by a guide dog when visiting healthcare facilities. Here are some helpful tips to ensure the experience goes smoothly for all. ** Please Ignore the Guide Dog Some patients rely on a guide dog to help them move about safely and independently. You can easily recognize a guide dog by its specialized harness with a long handle. When encountering a patient with a guide dog, please: * Resist the urge to touch, talk to, or otherwise try to interact with the guide dog. Distracting the dog from its work can be unsafe. * Avoid lengthy inquiries about the guide dog. While patients often enjoy a few quick remarks about their dog, most prefer to focus on the reason for their visit. * Notify the patient if the guide dog gets in the way. If the dog moves from its place during an exam or procedure, ignore the dog and let the patient know. * Alert the patient if you are fearful of dogs. An open discussion will help identify the best way to manage the situation. ** Escorting Patients When moving from one area to the next, some patients may prefer to grasp your left arm just above the elbow while they heel their guide dog. Others will direct their dog to "follow" behind you. When the patient chooses to follow: * Walk at your normal speed unless the patient lags behind. * Provide verbal instructions directly to the patient. Never call the dog or otherwise try to get it to follow you by making noises, clapping hands, etc. Likewise, do not grab the dog's leash or harness in an attempt to "steer" the patient. * Alert the patient before you make turns or go through doorways and other tight areas. Using terms like right and left are more helpful than "turn here" or "over there." * Maintain a conversation as you move along to provide the patient with audible clues to your location. Visit the American Foundation for the Blind to find more general guidance on best practices for low vision and blind individuals in healthcare settings. ** Other Resources about Service Animals in Healthcare Settings * Environmental Infection Control Guidelines for Service Animals Section 3 of the CDC Environmental Infection Control Guidelines for Animals in Healthcare Facilities specifically addresses the presence of service animals. It offers detailed guidance for safe practices concerning access for patients, visitors, and employees with service animals. * ADA Revised Requirements: Service Animals This publication from the U.S. Department of Justice provides general information about the access rights of disabled people with service animals and the ADA. One example specifically references hospitals, stating that "in a hospital it usually would be inappropriate to exclude a service animal from areas such as patient rooms, clinics, cafeterias, or examination rooms. However, it may be appropriate to exclude a service animal from operating rooms or burn units where the animal's presence may compromise a sterile environment." * Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA This publication from the U.S. Department of Justice provides guidance on the ADA's service animal provisions and should be read in conjunction with the publication, ADA Revised Requirements: Service Animals. Questions 14 through 16 provide specific information about the presence of service animals in healthcare settings, including whether a hospital has to allow an in-patient with a disability to keep a service animal in his or her room; what happens if a patient who uses a service animal is admitted to the hospital and is unable to care for or supervise their animal; and if a service animal must be allowed to ride in an ambulance with its handler. * Service Animals in Veterans Affairs Facilities This publication from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs outlines access requirements for individuals with service dogs in VA health facilities, Vet Centers, regional offices, and other properties owned or leased by the VA. Download the Veterans Health Administration Directive for more details about the access of animals on VHA property. ***** ** Here and There edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The ACB Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to slovering@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering's mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. * Holiday Cards Available from Hadley Braille holiday cards make unique gifts. Hadley's 2024 braille holiday card carries the interior greeting, "Wishing you peace, happiness and the spirit of the season" in both print and braille. This year's artwork features a partridge perched in a pear tree with ripe pears and green leaves. For tactile effect, the bird, pears, and branches have been embossed. This year's artwork was created by Susan Underwood. Discover more of her work at https://susanunderwoodpaintings.com/. For more information, or to order, visit https://brailleholidaycard.hadleyhelps.org/. If you have questions, call 1-800-323-4238 or email holidaycard@hadleyhelps.org. * Seeing Eye Holiday Cards & Calendar The Seeing Eye has three types of cards this year. Their Christmas card features a black Labrador puppy wearing a bright red bow. The holiday card features a collage of four puppies playing in the snow, with the saying "Happy Pawlidays" centered between the photos. The third card contains an image from The Seeing Eye's archives, and is a tribute to The Seeing Eye's co-founder, Morris Frank and his Seeing Eye dog Buddy. Also available is the 2025 Seeing Eye Puppy Calendar, featuring an adorable puppy each month. For more information, or to order, visit https://www.seeingeyeholiday.com/, or call Michelle Rhoades at (973) 539-4425 ext. 1768. * More Holiday Cards The Braille Bookstore has a variety of religious and secular holiday cards. To view the religious cards, visit http://www.braillebookstore.com/Merry-Christmas,-Bible-Verse.g. For the secular cards, visit http://www.braillebookstore.com/Happy-Holidays.g. If you need more information, or assistance in ordering, call 1-800-987-1231. * National Church Conference of the Blind In August, I really needed time to renew my faith in view of so much turmoil, both in our own country and in so many places throughout the world. I longed to find that inner peace that truly passes understanding. I am happy to say that I found such a place filled with so many gentle and kind people. I experienced a very uplifting week of worship, music, Bible study, and lots of good food and fellowship. For the first time, I attended the National Church Conference of the Blind, commonly referred to as NCCB, in Little Rock, Arkansas. For several years, my sweet friend from Hawaii, Cynthia Hirakawa, had invited me during our visits at the ACB conference. She never failed to remind me to take part in the NCCB annual conference held in August of each year. During the NCCB conference, I enjoyed tours, talent show, worship, and met so many loving friends who, like me, are students of the Bible and followers of Christ. The Fox in Socks Party featuring the book by Dr. Seuss brought laughter, and wonderful memories were made. We also recorded an opening for the Internet show "The World and Everything In It" and our recording played during the opening of a recent show. Do you need encouragement from friendly and kind individuals in these troublesome times? Please consider attending the 2025 NCCB Conference, to be held in Philadelphia, PA from August 9-15. This is a great way to refresh and renew your body, mind, and soul! For more information about National Church Conference of the Blind (NCCB), please contact President Duncan Holmes via email, duncanholmes46@gmail.com. * Touch of Genius Prize 2025 Have you developed an innovative and accessible product? National Braille Press is now accepting applications for the 2025 Louis Braille Touch of Genius Award. The project must demonstrate some aspect of tactile literacy for blind persons and promote braille literacy or access to information. Examples include: * Professional or education software and apps * Software or apps that promote tactile & braille learning * Braille or tactile-related hardware The winner of this prize will receive up to $10,000, which will help them to continue to innovate in the fields of technology and education for the blind community. The Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation is provided by the support of the Lavelle Fund for the Blind. For more information, or to apply, visit www.touchofgeniusprize.org. If you have questions, send an email message to geniusprize@nbp.org. * EZ2See Planners and More Have you heard of EZ2See(R) Products LLC? I make one-of-a-kind large-print Weekly Planner/Calendars and other items for staying organized. I'm an ACB member and started my company in 2015. As I reached my mid-60s I could no longer use the so-called large-print calendars. I realized then that it took much more than just large print to make a calendar usable for those with low vision. Out of necessity, I made a weekly-style calendar for myself. I included various unique features that made it easy to see and use. When folks saw me using it, they asked where I got it. When they heard my story, they urged me to start producing them so they and others could get one. Initially I said, "Coming out of retirement to start a business is the last thing I want to do." But as months passed and others said the same thing, I changed my mind. I decided this could be my way to give back to the low-vision community of which I am a part; so, I dove in. Long story short, since 2015, EZ2See(R) Products annually sells thousands of its annual calendar based on that original design. I've since added a second version based on the fall to summer school-year schedule that includes teacher-recommended features. Here are some features of the two calendars: * Printed on 8.5" x 11", spiral bound on heavy-weight paper covering 58 weeks * Uses only black ink * Letters are over 5 times the size of newsprint; no tiny print * Daily cells nearly equal two 3" x 5" cards * Black page edges prevent writing off the paper * Spiral bound so you can fold it in half and lay it flat • It's thin as a wooden pencil Both type of calendars are $24.99. We now offer our own no-bleed pen and bold marker now that the 20/20 pen and Bold Writer 40 are no longer made. To see our other unique products, visit EZ2SeeProducts.com, or find us on Amazon. For more information, send email to info@preventproducts.com, the exclusive distributor, or call them at 1-800-234-8291 with questions. * Texas A&M and Accessible Sports Texas A&M Rec Sports recently launched Outdoor Adventures' Adaptive Climbing Clinics, a program designed to make rock climbing accessible to all at the Student Recreation Center's Indoor Climbing Facility. Adaptive sports modify the experience of an activity to match a person's abilities through different equipment, tools, or other adjustments. Climbers already use sticky shoes and ropes to aid in climbing, and adaptive climbing introduces additional equipment or rigging to make the sport accessible to climbers who may not have thought it was possible. The two-hour clinics offer a personalized adaptive climbing experience through one-on-one sessions with staff, tailored to each participant's ability. Climbers define their own challenges and determine how they want to engage with the sport, resulting in a collaborative process to test a harness setting or rigging setup to retain the right amount of challenge. To view the fall 2024 Adaptive Climbing Clinics schedule, visit the Rec Sports Outdoor Adventures page. For questions, contact Todd Grier at tgrier@rec.tamu.edu or (979) 862-1999. * NIB Names Samuelson Award Winner Terrie Collins has been selected as National Industries for the Blind 2024 Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award Winner. Collins, who is blind, serves as a recruiter for Alphapointe in Kansas City, Mo. The award recognizes employees who are blind, low vision or visually impaired and have demonstrated career advancement at an NIB associated nonprofit agency or in the private sector. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: Smart talking brailler. Does both large print and grades 1 and 2 braille; also does braille pictures. Comes with charger and batteries. Asking $1,000. Contact Chuck via email, cunninghamchuck583@gmail.com, or by phone, (304) 203-2643. * For Sale: Index Basic-D Braille Embosser. This is a somewhat older unit, in good working condition. The embosser is capable of producing interpoint Braille and graphics. This unit does not have Wi-Fi, but it does have Bluetooth and can be used with a variety of computers and notetakers. This device has USB, serial, and parallel connectivity. Asking $1,000. Contact American Council of the Blind of Minnesota, (651) 428-5059. ***** ** Summary of the 2024 Resolutions (Editor's Note: While we would like to include the full text of the resolutions in "The ACB Braille Forum," there isn't enough space to do so and include all the articles you enjoy. Below is a summary of this year's resolutions. For a braille or large print version of the complete set of resolutions, contact the ACB national office at (202) 467-5081 or 1-800-424-8666. They are also available on www.acb.org.) Resolution 2024-03 was tabled. Resolutions 2024-04, 2024-05, 2024-07, 2024-08, and 2024-16 were withdrawn. Resolution 2024-01 reaffirms ACB's support for braille and rejects the idea that shapes or other tactile markings constitute an appropriate replacement for braille when marking products or surfaces, and calls upon ACB's leaders and staff to consult with special-interest affiliates such as the Braille Revival League before embracing systems such as that proposed by Procter & Gamble, and asks that Procter & Gamble consider working to incorporate braille as an appropriate tactile symbol in any future marking systems for its products. Resolution 2024-02 requests that ACB, in cooperation with Library Users of America, request that NLS extend the policy begun with the "New York Times Book Review" and apply it to other audio publications where there are book reviews, to include "Bookmarks," "Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine," "Analog," "Azimov's," "The Atlantic," and "The New Yorker." Resolution 2024-06 directs ACB's Board of Directors to establish a mechanism to inform the membership regarding upcoming board decisions, collect member input, and disseminate that input to the board prior to making decisions. Resolution 2024-09 directs ACB to increase its focus on employment through working collaboratively with thought leaders in the employment arena to hold a summit on employment and challenges impacting people who are blind or have low vision; using those findings to define an appropriate consumer role for ACB as a chief influencer and leading blindness organization; providing information to members on any regulatory or legislative developments related to Social Security reform that might impact work incentives or payments to blind or low vision individuals seeking employment; ensuring that the reduction of employment barriers is incorporated into communications related to advocacy initiatives whenever possible and encouraging members to stress employment while communicating with legislators and policymakers; and highlighting employment-related activities of ACB affiliates and chapters. ACB will report on these activities during its 2025 conference and convention. Resolution 2024-10 directs ACB to ask NLS to implement a process by which library patrons will be able to easily search for books by authors of specific racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, by topic, and by genre, and will also ask NLS to report progress at ACB’s 2025 national convention. Resolution 2024-11 instructs ACB and RSVA to urge the Department of Defense to work collaboratively with the Department of Education to eliminate any requirement for a lead contractor in multi-state military dining facility contracts in order to expand employment opportunities for blind and low vision individuals in the Randolph-Sheppard Program. Both organizations will take other actions as necessary to remove this barrier to employment. Resolution 2024-12 asks ACB to advocate directly with streaming video providers, broadcast and non-broadcast networks, to pass through existing audio-described content as is already done with broadcast and cable TV, so that people who are blind or have low vision are not left behind through this technological transition; to strongly encourage the FCC to use its authority to refresh the record and ensure that the definition of multi-channel video programming distributor is updated and that all video programmers are subject to the accessibility requirements of the CVAA, including the pass-through of audio-described content; and that ACB will work toward the swift passage of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act to expand the amount of audio-described content available for consumers, regardless of how they choose to consume it. Resolution 2024-13 directs ACB, in conjunction with other disability-related organizations, to advocate directly with the Advanced Television Standards Committee, the FCC, and industry stakeholders to ensure pass-through of all provided secondary audio streams regardless of technology; implementation of enhanced accessibility features according to universal design principles; and that multiple secondary audio streams be available for the concurrent transmission of translation and audio description; and extending the overall accessibility of televisions, set-top boxes, and other modern viewing platforms. Resolution 2024-14 affirms ACB's belief that the time has come to address the inequities that are embedded within the current ADA regulations and to begin the process of making a paradigm shift such that the purpose of paratransit service will be to allow people with disabilities to get where they need to go when they need to get there; directs ACB's leadership to call upon and join with other organizations of and for people with disabilities to develop proposed national standards for paratransit services and to collectively advocate for their adoption by the U.S. Department of Transportation; and that if the ACB Board of Directors concludes that circumstances justify ACB advocating primarily or solely on its own, the Board shall consider other options to carry out this resolution. The Executive Director and/or the President shall provide a report at the 2025 ACB convention. Resolution 2024-15 directs ACB to call upon GS1, and any other international standard-setting bodies, to incorporate accessibility compliance requirements into any future QR and barcode standards; and to seek the support and collaboration of the World Blind Union to move this issue forward internationally. ***** ** ACB Officers * President Deb Cook Lewis (1st term, 2025) 1131 Liberty Dr. Clarkston, WA 99403 * First Vice President David Trott (1st term, 2025) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 * Second Vice President Ray Campbell (1st term, 2025) 216 Prestwick Rd. Springfield, IL 62702-3330 * Secretary Denise Colley (final term, 2025) 26131 Travis Brook Dr. Richmond, TX 77406-3990 * Treasurer Michael Garrett (1st term, 2025) 7806 Chaseway Dr. Missouri City, TX 77489-2333 * Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Christopher Bell, Pittsboro, NC (2nd term, 2028) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (2nd term, 2028) Peter Heide, Baraboo, WI (1st term, 2028) Gabriel Lopez Kafati, Miami Lakes, FL (1st term, 2026) Cecily Laney Nipper, Covington, GA (1st term, 2028) Terry Pacheco, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2026) Rachel Schroeder, Springfield, IL (1st term, 2026) Kenneth Semien Sr., Beaumont, TX (2nd term, 2028) Koni Sims, Sioux Falls, SD (1st term, 2026) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (2nd term, 2026) ** ACB Board of Publications Katie Frederick, Chair, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2026) Jeff Bishop, Tucson, AZ (1st term, 2026) Belinda Collins, Saint Pauls, NC (1st term, 2026) Cheryl Cumings, Seattle, WA (2nd term, 2025) Zelda Gebhard, Edgeley, ND (3rd term, 2026) ***** ** Accessing Your ACB Braille Forums The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. To subscribe to the email version, contact Sharon Lovering, slovering@acb.org. It is also available on ACB’s web page, and by phone, (518) 906-1820. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-braille-forum-and-e-forum. ###