THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume L April 2012 No. 8 Published by the American Council of the Blind The American Council of the Blind strives to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve quality of life for all blind and visually impaired people. Mitch Pomerantz, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 (202) 467-5081 fax: (703) 465-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, data CD, 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. 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 the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6300 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 195, 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 via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or read it online. Copyright 2012 American Council of the Blind All content made available in publications, in any media on any web site domains administered by ACB, or as a broadcast or podcast on ACB Radio, archived or not, is considered to be the property of the American Council of the Blind. Those responsible for creative content may allow their materials to appear elsewhere with prior notification to the ACB national office and with appropriate attribution. TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: Employment of the Blind Today and Tomorrow, Part II, by Mitch Pomerantz Congress to Consider Accessible Prescription Drug Labeling, by Melanie Brunson The Supreme Court's Health Care Ruling Will Affect All of Us, by Ron Pollack ACB Conference and Convention 2012: Full Steam Ahead!, by Janet Dickelman Exciting New Feature at This Year's Conference! Walk A Mile in Her Shoes, by Leonard A. McHugh Affiliate News A Tribute to Glenwood Romelle Floyd, by Herbert E. Brown and Rosetta Brown Getting "At-Large" Members Involved, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Here and There, edited by Sue Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop ** FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, go to www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/brailleforum-L. ** ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: Employment of the Blind Today and Tomorrow, Part II by Mitch Pomerantz This President's Column will be the second installment of my thoughts regarding current and future employment challenges facing blind and visually impaired people, and what job seekers, along with the American Council of the Blind, can and should consider doing to address those challenges. Last month I focused on three areas that blind people looking for work over the next several years should seriously think about: learning to read and write braille effectively; becoming proficient with access technology and the software programs typically used by employers; and being flexible insofar as considering relocating in order to expand your job options. This month I want to suggest some things which ACB needs to do to assure that there will be sufficient employment opportunities for blind and visually impaired people. A couple of these ideas reflect longstanding ACB policy directives, but the other two I'll mention may be unfamiliar to most members. So, here goes! ACB must re-emphasize its support for the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Program with the understanding that some modest modifications may be necessary in order to streamline and modernize this most valuable employment option. With only a handful of exceptions in a very few states, the number of vending facilities and blind vendors themselves have dropped precipitously. Here in California, the Business Enterprise Program (as it is known here) has suffered from benign neglect for more years than I can recall. Rehab administrators don't aggressively pursue viable new locations and counselors don't "talk up" the program to prospective candidates. This absolutely has to change; otherwise, there may not be a vending program in a decade. ACB will continue supporting the activities and facilities overseen by National Industries for the Blind (NIB) under the federal Ability One Program. As I mentioned last month, tens of thousands of manufacturing and call-center jobs have gone abroad, most likely forever. NIB is developing and offering minimum wage-plus jobs throughout the country. Critics argue that those jobs are "segregated" - that only blind people work in NIB facilities - and the private sector will somehow hire all blind workers currently employed by NIB. My response to the first argument is to ask if staying home collecting SSI is more acceptable and less stigmatizing than working at a so-called segregated workshop. My response to the second argument is to inquire in what alternate reality are you residing. Personally, I'd rather work! Around 1983, several of us in the California Council of the Blind (CCB) had the notion that we should be assisting blind people who needed equipment in order to obtain or retain employment. One couldn't go to the bank and tell the loan officer that you needed a personal $5,000 loan to purchase a VersaBraille, at least not without risking the old "bum's rush." I drafted the policies and procedures for the Committee on Employment Assistance Equipment Revolving Loan Fund. I also wrote three successful grant applications totaling approximately $35,000 and the program was launched. Time passes and the fund has been successful in helping perhaps two score blind and visually impaired Californians achieve employment. Nearly 30 years later I agreed to once again oversee the work of the committee. The CCB president can be most persuasive when she puts her mind to it. I believe it's now time to seriously look into establishing such a fund nationally, perhaps under the auspices of ACB's Employment Issues Committee. The California fund no longer charges interest and a national loan program might well adopt a similar policy. Regardless of program specifics, I believe ACB should provide more direct assistance to blind people in need of equipment in order to work competitively. As someone who spent many years as a disability-awareness trainer, I am acutely aware of the fact that public attitudes toward people who are blind or visually impaired are predicated on the age-old myths and stereotypes with which we're all too familiar. Naturally, employers being members of the public hold those same stereotypic notions about blindness. ACB should give serious consideration to developing blindness-specific training materials to make available to employers. For example, the issue of accommodating blind and visually impaired people is one which continues to baffle human resource professionals and line supervisors: the overall cost and who is responsible for it; potential problems interfacing access technology with the existing I.T. infrastructure; the need to adapt proprietary software; all are valid concerns that are uppermost in the minds of today's cost-conscious, performance-driven corporate professionals. We need a high-quality, no-nonsense video with accompanying study materials which can be readily accessed via the Internet. Perhaps more work for our employment committee. There you have it; my current thoughts and ideas about our employment prospects for the near-term and what our organization might do to improve those prospects. You may agree, you may not. The point is that the American Council of the Blind must do far more in this area if we are to have any chance for a reduction in our unconscionably high rate of unemployment. We must certainly give it ACB's best effort! ***** CONGRESS TO CONSIDER ACCESSIBLE PRESCRIPTION DRUG LABELING by Melanie Brunson I am writing this article two days after the conclusion of the 2012 ACB midyear meetings and legislative seminar. As events over the course of the weekend transpired, it is a good thing that I waited to write, because I now have the opportunity to share with you some exciting legislative news. We now have a piece of legislation that puts in place the means by which people who are blind or visually impaired can have access to information about their prescription medications. The bill was introduced by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) on Feb. 28, 2012. Shortly after the introduction of the bill, Markey's office issued a press release, which I will quote in full below. It summarizes the legislation's provisions and provides some background information on the issue that I think you will find helpful. First, however, let me publicly thank Rep. Markey for his continuing support of issues of vital importance to our community. I also encourage you to contact your representatives and urge them to co-sponsor this legislation, or to sponsor a similar bill in the Senate. Please see below for the exciting details. For Immediate Release February 28, 2012 http://markey.house.gov/ Contact: Giselle Barry, (202) 225-2836 ** Markey Introduces Legislation to Improve Prescription Drug Labeling for the Blind Advocates for blind and visually impaired visit Capitol Hill to call on lawmakers to support H.R. 4087, the Accessible Prescription Drug Labeling Promotion Act of 2012 WASHINGTON, D.C. – With hundreds of advocates visiting Capitol Hill today to call on lawmakers to support his new legislation, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) introduced H.R. 4087, the Accessible Prescription Drug Labeling Promotion Act of 2012, to ensure that people who are blind or visually impaired have full access to the information included on their prescription drug labels. The legislation convenes a working group of pharmacy representatives, patient and consumer advocates, and federal regulators to develop guidance for pharmacists to ensure that the blind or visually impaired have safe, independent, and comprehensive access to their prescription drug information. The guidelines will provide pharmacies a range of options that could address the needs of their blind and visually impaired customers, taking into account the challenges faced by smaller pharmacies. "No one should have to sacrifice their independence or safety to take their medication," said Rep. Markey, senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and author of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. "Being unable to read prescription labels can lead to unnecessary illness and added emergency room visits. The Accessible Prescription Drug Labeling Promotion Act helps turn pharmacies into partners for empowering all Americans to take full control of their health. It is another important step to ensure that individuals who are blind can fully participate in 21st century society." A copy of the legislation can be found at http://markey.house.gov/sites/markey.house.gov/files/documents/Rx%20Labeling%20for%20the%20Blind%20bill%20text.pdf. Examples of best practices that the working group convened by Rep. Markey's legislation could consider include: enhanced visual aids such as large-print font, sans-serif font, and high-contrast printing for prescription labels; non-visual aids such as braille; and auditory aids such as digital voice recorders attached to pill bottles. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will review the degree to which pharmacies are in compliance, including determining whether individuals who are blind or visually impaired still lack safe and independent access to prescription drug labeling. The GAO will issue a report to Congress on the remaining gaps and the scope of the problem. More than 25 million Americans experience vision loss that renders them unable to read prescription drug labels or other medication information independently. With the incidence of vision loss expected to increase with the rapidly aging American population, the consequences of being unable to read prescription information pose a significant public health challenge. People who are blind or visually impaired can mistakenly consume the wrong medication, the incorrect dose, or an expired drug because they are unable to read the label or to distinguish between medicine containers. Some patients have reported being victims of pharmacy errors due to the inability to verify the accuracy of a prescription label. Many with vision loss are forced to become dependent either on sighted companions, pharmacists, or even complete strangers to read them their prescription information. With Americans taking an average of a dozen prescriptions, those who are blind and visually impaired deserve options that ensure they can take their medications – or help a child take their medications – safely and accurately. "Knowing what medication you are taking and the quantity is something that most individuals without vision loss take for granted," said Mitch Pomerantz, president of the American Council of the Blind. "We are grateful that Representative Markey has introduced legislation that will allow for a greater level of privacy and independence for blind and visually impaired Americans of all ages who take prescription medications." "For millions of people living with vision loss, being able to properly identify and take prescription medications is risky business just because container labels aren't readable," said Mark Richert, Policy Director for the American Foundation for the Blind. "We're so grateful for Mr. Markey's leadership to help us get the attention this serious public health challenge deserves." "Blind people and those who are losing vision must have access to the critical information contained on prescription labels," said Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind. "We thank Congressman Markey for introducing this legislation and look forward to participating in discussions to formulate best practices for making this information accessible." The legislation is endorsed by the American Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, the National Federation of the Blind, and the Perkins School for the Blind. ***** THE SUPREME COURT'S HEALTH CARE RULING WILL AFFECT ALL OF US by Ron Pollack (Editor's Note: Ron Pollack is the executive director of Families USA, the national organization for health care consumers. Families USA advocates for universal, affordable, quality health care.) At the end of March, the Supreme Court will review the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (the 2010 health care law), and the rhetoric has been flowing fast and furious. I happen to think the law is constitutional -- but I'm going to leave the legal analysis for another time and place. Instead, I want to focus on some facts: what the law does for older Americans and what might happen if those challenging the law get their way. The opponents of the law say the court should toss out the whole thing, even sections of the law that are already in effect and working. And that's where it gets very interesting for older Americans, especially for those who rely on Medicare. Under the law, the infamous gap in the Medicare prescription drug benefit (known as the "doughnut hole") is gradually closing. In 2011, about 3.6 million Medicare beneficiaries with substantial prescription drug costs saved a total of $2.1 billion on drugs compared to what they would have paid without the law. The average Medicare beneficiary is on track to save almost $4,200 by 2021. But if the court strikes down the law, the doughnut hole will re-open. That will increase seniors' prescription drug costs, hitting people with high drug costs the hardest. Medicare's preventive benefits are also better thanks to the law. Medicare now covers most preventive services without a deductible or coinsurance. This is part of the broader shift to use Medicare to help keep people well, not just cover care when they get sick. Potentially life-saving services, like mammograms, prostate cancer screenings, cholesterol testing, and now obesity counseling are covered free of charge. Without the law, Medicare's coverage for many of these services will be reduced and out-of-pocket costs will go up. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Medicare's other out-of-pocket costs (premiums and coinsurance) are also lower than they would be otherwise. The law slows down the growth in payments to hospitals and other health care providers. It also encourages doctors and hospitals to work together better, to cut down on unnecessary tests and avoid unnecessary readmissions. These kinds of changes will save Medicare billions over the coming years, and those savings are passed on to seniors through smaller increases in premiums and coinsurance. Getting rid of the law will halt progress just as it gets started. Beyond Medicare, many other improvements that matter to older Americans are at risk if the court strikes down the law. If you need long-term care through Medicaid, changes in the law make it easier to get help in your home, rather than having to move to a nursing home. And if you (or your loved one) someday do need care at a nursing home, the law helps make sure you're safe by expanding background checks for nursing home employees and making better information about nursing home quality available to everyone. All those protections will be gone if the court strikes down the law. And of course, for those of us who don't have Medicare coverage yet, as well as for our children and grandchildren, the law provides a host of much-needed protections, like making health care coverage more affordable and prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions. Those protections are very much in jeopardy at the Supreme Court. There's no way to know what the Supreme Court will decide when it takes up the Affordable Care Act case. But one thing's for sure -- we all have a stake in the outcome. ***** ACB CONFERENCE AND CONVENTION 2012: FULL STEAM AHEAD! by Janet Dickelman Louisville is built on the banks of the Ohio River, and steamboats were integral to its development. The program committee selected "ACB: Full Steam Ahead" as the theme for the 2012 conference and convention. As we move into our next 50 years, this is a very appropriate theme. We expect this convention to be bigger and better than ever! If the calls and e-mails I've received are any indication, we should have a banner year in Louisville. Here are the answers to the questions I have been receiving. ** Convention Registration A card will be sent in mid-May to "The Braille Forum" list, announcing that registration is about to begin; the information will also be posted on the ACBconvention, leadership, and ACB-L e-mail lists. The announcement will contain an estimated date that registration will be live on-line and a toll-free number for those who wish to register by phone. We WILL NOT send paper forms to the entire mailing list. If you would like a paper form, contact Sharon Lovering at the ACB national office before May 1. Forms will be sent via first-class mail when pre-registration opens at the end of May. ** Conference and Convention Programs Programs are not mailed out prior to the convention. You may pick up the program, in the format of your choice, at the convention. The program will be available on ACB's web site in late June. A message will be sent to the ACB lists advising you when the program is available for download. *** CONVENTION ACTIVITIES ** Tours Our first tour will be Friday morning, July 6th. You must have your tickets to attend any tours, so be sure to allow enough time to pick up your registration packet at the Galt House Thursday evening. Registration closes at 9 p.m. Thursday evening. The Thursday, July 5th registration is open only for pre-registration pick-up. Our final tour will be Saturday, July 14th. Full tour descriptions will be shown on the registration form. Here is the tour schedule. ** Friday, July 6, 2012 1. Churchill Downs Backstretch Breakfast & Behind the Scenes Tour 2. Kentucky Bourbon Trail w/ lunch 3. Waverly Hills Sanatorium (ghost tour) 4. Stephen Foster, the musical ** Saturday, July 7, 2012 1. Kentucky Horse Park & Ride For Hope, lunch included 2. City Bus Tour 3. My Old Kentucky Lunch Train ** Sunday, July 8, 2012 1. City Bus Tours (morning and afternoon) 2. Joe Huber Family Farm (lunch included) ** Monday, July 9, 2012 1. Schimpff's Confectionery 2. Glassworks 3. American Printing House ** Tuesday, July 10, 2012 1. Schimpff's Confectionery and Bussmann's Bakery 2. American Printing House 3. Louisville Mega Caverns ** Wednesday, July 11, 2012 1. Schimpff's Confectionery and Bussmann's Bakery 2. American Printing House 3. Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum ** Thursday, July 12, 2012 1. Canoe Kentucky (a 3-mile canoe trip) 2. Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History 3. Toyota Plant Tour 4. Louisville Bats Game (Join president Mitch Pomerantz as he throws out the first pitch) ** Saturday, July 14, 2012 1. Amish Country Tour, lunch included 2. Spirit of Jefferson Dinner Cruise Yes, candy lovers, you have three opportunities this year to visit Schimpff's to buy their delicious candy. There are also several chances to visit the American Printing House. ** Youth Activities Children ages 6 to 17 are invited to come and join the fun Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. until 5 p.m. While the adults are busy attending meetings and seminars, you can have a great time going on field trips and enjoying fun projects in the YAC room. You must register each child and indicate on the registration form that they plan to attend YAC. ** Conference and Convention Programming Beginning Saturday, July 7th through Thursday, July 12th, there are a myriad of workshops, meetings, and speakers. ACB affiliates, special-interest groups and tech sessions are held each afternoon and evening. Speakers and presenters for break-out meetings are published in the conference program. ** General Sessions Our opening session is Sunday evening, July 8th. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Tuck Tinsley III, the president of APH. Monday through Thursday (morning) and all day Friday, attend general sessions brimming with ACB business and speakers regarding various topics of interest. The full schedule will be printed in the program. All I can say right now is there are some very exciting presentations! ** Banquet Friday evening, July 13th, join us at the 51st annual banquet. Our banquet speaker will be Micheal Hudson, director of the APH museum. *** CONVENTION PARTICIPATION ** Sponsorships: Many outstanding opportunities are available to let attendees and folks at home know about your products and services. Color and black-and-white program pages, newspaper advertising, and ACB Radio spots and features are great ways to get the word out to potential customers. Conference sponsors (our gems) have a unique opportunity to add their logos and names to workshops, seminars, educational and leisure activities, youth programs, and convention services. High visibility; lots of extras such as program and newspaper ads, listings on the official convention T-shirt and sponsor board in general session, and features on ACB Radio. Great for businesses and affiliates; pearls ($1,000) to diamonds ($20,000), and all gems in between. ** Heroes: Every state and every affiliate have special people who have played significant roles in the lives of blind and visually impaired people. Often these outstanding individuals go unheralded on the national scene. Now you can share the accomplishments of these special people by participating in the ACB Heroes section of the 2012 conference and convention program. Heroes pages will be printed on high-quality paper; pages can include a photograph of your special person and a short caption about his or her accomplishments. What a wonderful way to honor or memorialize that special person! Heroes pages must be reserved by May. For more information on advertising and sponsorship opportunities, visit our web site at www.acb.org, or contact Margarine Beaman (advertising and sponsorships) at (512) 921-1625. ** Exhibits The exhibit hall opens Saturday afternoon, July 8th, and is open for six days, closing Thursday, July 12th at 1 p.m. Are you a company that sells adaptive equipment for the blind or visually impaired? Are you an agency or entity with resources or information of particular interest to ACB members? Do you represent a guide dog school? Do you operate a business that sells items that would be of interest to our members? Are you an ACB affiliate or special-interest group with items to sell? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, consider being a vendor at the 2012 ACB Conference and Convention at the Galt House in Louisville, Ky. The exhibit hall will be one of the most popular places at the conference and convention. As an exhibitor, you will give people from across the United States and from many foreign countries the opportunity to learn about your products and services. Turn browsers into buyers as attendees give technology a trial run, check out new tutorials or crafts, or shop for products for home, school, work and play. Premium booths, tabletop booths, and limited three-day booth packages are available. There are also discounted booth options for visually impaired entrepreneurs and ACB affiliates as well as rebates for vendors who exhibit the entire time the exhibit hall is open. Visit our web site to register, or contact Michael Smitherman, exhibit coordinator, by e-mail, amduo@bellsouth.net, or by phone at (601) 331-7740. ** Scheduling Events Breakfasts begin at 7:00, lunches at 12:15. There are four afternoon sessions (1:15 to 2:30; reserved exclusively for special-interest groups); the next two sessions, 2:45 to 4:00 and 4:15 to 5:30, are open to special-interest affiliates and ACB committees. The fourth session, 5:45 to 7:00, is available to affiliates, committees and others not affiliated with ACB. Anyone wishing to schedule programs or activities in Louisville needs to submit all information for the pre-registration form by April 15. Program details must be received by May 1. Make all arrangements related to conference and convention events (reserve meeting rooms, order food or A/V equipment, etc.) through me via phone, (651) 428-5059, or e-mail janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ** Attending the 2012 Conference and Convention Reservations for the 2012 convention can be made via phone or online. To make your reservations via phone, call 1-800-843-4258. Be sure to mention you are with the ACB convention. If you'd like to make your reservations online, go to https://resweb.passkey.com/go/acbl0712. Standard rooms in the west tower are $85; suites in the east tower are $105. These prices do not include applicable taxes. When you make a reservation, the Galt House will charge one night's stay to your credit card as a deposit. Sandollar shuttle has agreed to provide ACB with a round-trip fare of $20 from the airport to the hotel. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance at their web site, www.sandollarlimo.com. You may also call them at (502) 561-4022. It is only necessary to make your inbound flight reservation. Sandollar has assured me that they have vehicles that can transport individuals with wheelchairs, including lift-equipped buses. When making a reservation, indicate that you are with ACB. If you use a wheelchair, also indicate that on the reservation, and let me know directly. For up-to-date information pertaining to the ACB conference and convention, subscribe to the convention list by sending a blank e-mail to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org. ***** EXCITING NEW FEATURE AT THIS YEAR'S CONFERENCE! New this year at the ACB conference and convention is Marketplace! Are you an entertainer or author with CDs or books to sell? Do you sell crafts, cosmetics, toys, etc.? Is your affiliate looking for a fundraiser? Do you have information to distribute before a specific general session? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, but you just can't handle the long hours in the exhibit hall, or you will only be at the convention for one or two days, ACB's new Marketplace is just for you! Located near the ACB Café and general session, Marketplace is in one of the highest traffic areas in the conference and convention. Open before each general session begins, Marketplace will be filled with something new and exciting every day. Space is limited and tables will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Tables are $25 each, and you may reserve space for one or two days only. Sorry, but no food items may be sold at Marketplace. To register for Marketplace, contact Michael Smitherman, amduo@bellsouth.net, or (601) 331-7740. ***** WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES by Leonard A. McHugh Before I became a guide dog user, I thought that it was impractical to participate in a charity walk as a cane traveler. After receiving my first guide dog, I thought it would be nice to participate in a charity fund-raising walk. But I usually learned about them after the fact or could not make arrangements to attend. Then I read a news article about an interesting charity walk that would take place on April 28, 2011. It was to support the the Sexual Assault Resource & Counseling Center (SARCC) of Schuylkill County. The program was named Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, where men would wear women's high heels. Since it was to be held downtown, in Pottsville, and wouldn't be a very long walk, I was sure it would be an event in which I would be able to participate using a guide dog. Before I contacted SARCC, I went to the experts. I sent an e-mail to the "friends" mailing list for Guide Dog Users, Inc. with the subject line, "a question for the ladies." My question was, "Do you ever wear high heels while working a guide dog?" And I explained the event. The responses were equally split. Half of the ladies told me no and gave several reasons why one should not wear high heels while walking with a guide dog; the other group gave me a lot of tips. The one that really got my attention was "No! No! No! spike heels." Other advice included "nothing over two inches high." High heels were described as evil and detriments to safety. One other valuable piece of advice was to wear high heels while working the dog before the event. Since my gait would be different, Toga had to learn how to walk with me in my new clicking shoes. After walking in the house for a few days to learn how to balance with these very noisy shoes, I migrated to the back alley late at night when no one was around. My wife walked with me and could not stop laughing. It was amazing how loud they were. I felt like an unsuccessful cat prowler in high heels. I visited several shoe stores while trying to find a pair of women's shoes. I can only imagine the looks I got. Before I hit the shoe stores, I had posted a message on a local Freecycle list looking for ladies' size 9 medium shoes -- not spikes and no more than two-inch heels! I even explained why I wanted them. I did not receive any offer of shoes. However, I did receive this very touching note: "Hi Lenny, how are you? I don't have any women's shoes for you, but I want to say how much I appreciate your participating in the walk. … Years ago, my daughters and I were helped by a similar organization in another state. It was transformative and saved us. We marched in an event to raise awareness of the epidemic of violence against women, and one of the speakers said something that made my spirit sink. She said that, until men of goodwill speak out, this trend will continue. I thought at the time, 'Then we are forever preaching to the choir. It will never change. Men stick together. They cover for each other and never talk about this. The good guys are too mild-mannered to confront this.' My girls were 5 and 6 at the time, and my hope for their future was dimmed. I looked at the little boys in their classes and wondered who among them would be the next generation of abusive men. Now, more than 20 years later, the day has come where real men are not just taking that stand, but are doing it in a very public, creative and positive way. That is amazing! And it's happening right here! I hope I get to meet you. I'm proud of you and very grateful." Later, when I contacted the staff at the local SARCC office and told them of my interest in the program, they were very pleased. I made a few friends out there. I decided that I would have to raise a minimum of $100 to make my personal humiliation worthwhile. The first day, I raised $45 and I heard one real horror story. A woman whom I have known for only a few months thanked me for doing this. She then told me her story. About 15 years ago, while she was at home with her young kids, someone broke into her home, and she was raped. I came out with watering eyes and decided then and there to do it no matter what I collected. Then I met another woman with another horrifying story who is currently using the local SARCC services. After that, I was even more motivated. I decided that not only would I participate, but I would be the highest fund-raiser. I ended up raising $1,354 in a little over three weeks. The walk was more fun than I could have ever imagined. There were a total of 95 registered walkers. Before the walk actually began, there were a few speakers. They mentioned the top fund-raisers. I did not even know if I had met my goal. So many people that I contacted told me that George Moyer, an old friend, was already there. I kept doing my best to get pledges. They announced my friend as receiving $806 in pledges. That is when I knew that I met my goal. The crowd of walkers and family supporters went wild when they said my name with a total of $1,344. I collected another $10 after the event. George and I were positioned right up front near the bagpipe player. Toga was a little uncomfortable with the pipes and did not hear all of my commands so I backed off, missing the chance to get my picture in the paper with George. There was a party at Maroon's Sports Bar after the walk. Each registered walker received a ticket for a drink. There was a lot of food provided for everyone who walked, including for family members and supporters. Then they gave three awards: one for the best poised, one for the ugliest shoes and the grand prize. I had no idea that I would win for the best poised! The prize was a beautiful Pandora bracelet with a charm of a woman's high heel. (Karen let me wear it for about an hour so I could show people!) That bracelet is now hers and I know that she will always treasure it. I credit my Freedom Guide Dogs trainer and Toga for my poise while walking. When working Toga I am very aware of my posture. During training with my first guide, my posture was corrected several times. My shoes were yellow peep-toe pumps with a one-and-a-half-inch heel and a cute bow. My wife, Karen, did a fantastic job of dressing them up. She carefully stuck iridescent rhinestones around the shoe and on the yellow bow across the front. They looked so professional that some girls later asked me where I purchased them. Karen also took some yellow ribbon that matched Toga's bow, tied it carefully around my ankle and secured more iridescent rhinestones to it. I got a lot of compliments. For Toga, I placed a nice yellow bow on her harness and a sign that I made on the computer. The first line read "SARCC" in large red letters. The next line, written in a little smaller black type, read "WALK A MILE." The third line, written in pink, said "IN HER SHOES." Since Toga was all decked out, she had to have her toenails painted. And since I was wearing open-toe shoes, I needed to match her. Karen's hairdresser loaned me some polish. It was a bright pink-red, and then we added a top coat of gold shimmer. I will forever be grateful to my friends who donated to the cause. Sheila Styron sent a very generous $50 donation when she read what I was doing on the list. Another friend, Rev. Marianne Unger, wanted to see some pictures. When we e-mailed her the photos, she laughed and told me that she would send $100 for SARCC. She went on to say that when she sees a video, she will send another $100 to Freedom Guide Dogs. My physician, Dr. Phillip Tobash, laughed so hard when I told him about the project; then he wrote a check for $100 just for seeing me walk in high heels. Krista Klinger sent me this message: "Hi Lenny, What a great cause. I admire you and every man that takes on the challenge. You can count me in for $50. …" Talking to some of the SARCC staff members on my way out of Maroon's, I said that, if I were to do this next year, I could never reach that dollar amount again. I was promptly corrected with, "'If' is not part of that statement!" Well, now I know that they are correct. While writing this, I contacted George to make sure I could use his name. He told me that there are people who team up together to do the walk. We agree: What would make a better team than two old friends who were the top fund-raisers for the first annual walk? I believe that most women would not wear the same outfit to repeating events. Karen just may have to make room in her closet for my next pair of sexy shoes. All joking aside, I am grateful to everyone who made a pledge. Any thoughts of embarrassment or humiliation very quickly changed to a wonderful sense of pride. I sure hope that the little part Toga and I played will help to make a difference. Here is one final thought which Krista Klinger sent to me: "Isn't it amazing how one act (i.e., your intention to try to raise $100 for the cause) has such a ripple effect? These two quotes come to mind ... 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.'--Margaret Mead "'Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope ... and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.'--Robert F. Kennedy" To see photographs and videos of the SARCC event, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ywF39uuds. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS ** Mississippi Convention The Mississippi Council of the Blind convention will be held April 20-22 at the Regency Hotel and Convention Center located at 400 Greymont Ave. in Jackson. Please note: Anyone under the age of 21 will NOT be allowed in the wet hospitality room. Registration received after April 1 costs $75 per person. For more information, call the Mississippi Council of the Blind office at (601) 982-1718, or e-mail mcb@netdoor.com. ** FIA Calls for Art Friends-in-Art will host a visual arts contest and exhibition at the ACB national convention in Louisville, Ky., a cultural center supportive of blind artists. Do you have artwork ready for exhibit? The exhibit will run July 7-14. You can contact Amy Monthei, amymonthei@yahoo.com, or Elsie Monthei, (515) 277-0442 or 1304 39th St., Des Moines, IA 50311, for more details and an application to participate. We hope to see many of you in July. ** News from ACB Diabetics in Action This short note is to inform you all that Carol Edwards has resigned from the presidency of the Diabetics in Action group due to personal reasons. I, as vice president, am now the president; Dee Clayton is my appointed vice president. As the new president, I want to continue our work to not only enlarge our membership, but to continue our work encouraging the American Diabetes Association (ADA) to make their print materials more accessible. Also, we will continue to push for accessibility with the glucose meter companies, pump companies and the newer continuous monitoring of glucose meters' companies. Our listserv will continue, as will our quarterly newsletter. We encourage all diabetics, type 1 and 2, to join our group. The dues are only $10 per year and can be paid at any time to: Alice Ritchhart, 139 Altama Connector #188, Brunswick, GA 31525. If you have further questions, please contact Pat Wolf at either (626) 279-2954 or via e-mail, plawolf@earthlink.net. ** Celebrating 100 Years of Service to the Blind (Editor's Note: The history excerpted below was originally written by Xena Johnson. It has been updated by John Weidlich and Beverly Shockley.) The United Workers for the Blind of Missouri will gather in St. Louis on May 5 to celebrate 100 years of service. The United Workers for the Blind of Missouri was formally organized in 1912 and received its state charter in 1914. The charter stated that the purpose of the organization was "improving the condition of the blind, by interesting and educating the public in the needs and welfare of the blind as a class; by the organization and association of blind persons for their mutual protection, and education and training in useful arts and sciences; by acquiring and holding such property as may be necessary and incidental for the accomplishment of the purposes above set forth." The primary objective of this small, dedicated group of blind people was to secure a pension for the blind of Missouri. After many years of intense effort, they finally succeeded. Twice they had to campaign throughout the state before gaining the adoption of the constitutional amendment which levied a special tax to pay for the pension. In order to do this, a lobbyist had to be maintained in Jefferson City and money had to be raised to defray his expenses. The first funds were raised by conducting a raffle; each member did his share in selling tickets. As time went by, the organization grew, and its treasury grew, too, by gifts, concerts given by its members and a minstrel show given by blind people. A blind person was sent to each session of the legislature to present our program and to talk individually and personally to each member of the legislature. Eventually a bill was passed to grant a pension of $25 per month to the blind of the state. But the governor vetoed this bill, as there were no funds available with which to pay the pension. The group then launched a campaign to amend the state constitution to levy a special property tax to provide specific funds for our goal. This required hard work, great expense and much individual effort. Then the amendment failed. Undaunted, the UWB set out to do a bigger and better job, and the bill passed, was signed by the governor and put into effect in 1921. That bill was amended in 1923. The original pension of $25 per month was paid quarterly; slow increases over the years have brought it to its present level of $707 per month. In 1962, under the guidance of Sen. Tom Eagleton, the dual system (Blind Pension and Aid to the Blind) was enacted into law by Congress. UWB has many other accomplishments of which it is proud. It was the first organization of the blind in Missouri. In 1940, we sent representatives to Pennsylvania to help form the National Federation of the Blind. We were also the dominant force in organizing the Missouri Federation of the Blind, now known as the Missouri Council of the Blind. Another project dear to the hearts of our founders was housing for the blind. After years of hard work, UWB purchased an apartment building in 1974, which it maintained for the next 30 years. Education of the blind has also been important to our members, and we have provided scholarships and Christmas gifts to needy blind students. Over the years, members have taken part in projects to promote braille instruction. ***** A TRIBUTE TO GLENWOOD ROMELLE FLOYD by Herbert E. Brown and Rosetta Brown Glenwood Romelle Floyd, 60, of Richmond, departed this life on Dec. 29, 2011. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl Washington and Ethel Jearlean Floyd. Our friend Glen was a wonderful guy who was larger than life. He was so giving and loved around the world. His word was his bond. I have known Glen 3 decades. He was an intellectual genius who earned a master's in computer science, and was an exceptional computer programmer. He was an avid Ziegler magazine reader. His passion was advocating for the rights of people who were blind/disadvantaged. He was a long-time devoted member of the American Council of the Blind. Glen served as president of ACB's Old Dominion Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired and of the local Richmond chapter. He received many prestigious awards and accolades, and was the recipient of a letter from Gov. L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia, commending him for outstanding services rendered. So long, my old friend. -- Herbert E. Brown I first met Glenwood Floyd in the summer of 1974. Glen was always ready, willing, and able to assist me with problems I had with my studies. He was so mild-mannered, clear-thinking, and patient with me that we became best friends. We often discussed our jobs, families, and issues in the blindness community. Glen was absolutely one of the most intelligent, level-headed, and compassionate people that I've ever had the privilege to know, and this world will definitely be a much poorer and sadder place without him. So long, my good friend. I hope to see you again in that celestial place where we will never grow old, where sickness will have no power to cause suffering, and death no dominion. We thank Loretta Lynn Michaud and Jackie Higgins, caretakers for Glen during his final illness. Loretta Lynn said, "Mr. Floyd was a wonderful person." She told us that his last words were, "It's OK. I see my mama." A Tribute of Love and Honor Glen, if only I had known your time was near, I would have been there to bring you comfort and cheer. To all of us your life and times are so dear Which causes me to stop to shed a tear. I know you are at peace Now that all pain and suffering has ceased. You stepped into the heavenly dimension No more to be burdened by life's tension. I gotta let you go Home with Jesus, I know, Now I release your spirit and soul To walk streets of shimmering gold. -- Rosetta and Carl Brown ***** GETTING AT-LARGE MEMBERS INVOLVED compiled by Ardis Bazyn The January 2012 membership focus call tackled the topic of getting at-large members involved. Participants on the call first compiled a list of reasons why members would join state affiliates or special-interest affiliates as at-large members instead of local chapters or affiliates. The main reason was because they live too far from the nearest chapter. Some knew there were members who were dissatisfied with the chapter nearest them – either leadership or the meetings. Some had visited the national ACB conference and convention and decided to join and were either unaware of local chapters or were interested in limited involvement and wanted to go to other national activities. Other at-large members joined special-interest affiliates that did not have local or state chapters. Some may be younger people who are in school or don't feel comfortable with the older members in a group. We then discussed ways we could get at-large members more involved in ACB either through state affiliates and local chapters and/or special-interest affiliate chapters. One suggestion was to invite them to state conventions or special-interest state chapters/affiliates at state conventions. Another idea was to have quarterly conference calls for at-large members. Some state and special-interest affiliates, such as California, have web sites with all their chapters listed, complete with contact information so newer members or those hearing about a state or special-interest affiliate can find the nearest chapter to them. Local chapters could also have their own web sites to market to their local community. This discussion led to what state and special-interest affiliates should have on their web site. Participants asked if there could be another conference on the topic of web sites and what should be on them. It would be a good joint "focus call" for the membership committee and the public relations committee. We will explore this possibility. Another concept we explored was inviting at-large special-interest affiliate members to visit statewide chapters/affiliates if they are available in their state. These members could also be invited to attend local chapters of their state affiliate. The national office has the membership list of all affiliates; presidents could ask for "at-large" members or special-interest affiliate members in their state, so they can contact them about the benefits of the state affiliates. Another discussion dealt with what topics could be discussed on quarterly calls with at-large members. Since these might be members who want news about ACB or state affiliates but don't have the time or don't want further involvement, a seminar could be planned just to talk about the benefits of affiliates and ACB in general. Sometimes these members may not be aware of local chapters and just need to know about them. Others may be happy as is but still want to know about your work, advocacy, legislative activities, etc. Some younger people in school or people who don't feel comfortable with the older members in a group may want to participate in a call. Possible topics could be everything "i", just younger group talking together, state or special-interest conference topics, talking about "The Braille Forum," presidents' meetings and legislative seminar participation, and members can ask for assistance from at-large members on what might be more relevant to them. Some ways to keep in touch with at-large members or find more are to: send convention info to all on your database, send flyers to all blind patrons of your state library system; have an affiliate office phone number for callers to be able to ask for information -- toll-free number would be best, and linking your phone number with other organizations and on the 200 number in your county if it is available in your area. Many have categories of listing types for non-profits. Your local library may have listings as well; most won't charge your organization a fee. Other listings would be through United Way, 211 state listing, special-interest directories, pink pages, women's pages, Christian Yellow Pages, and resource directories for people with disabilities. ACB has a membership e-mail listserv; we encourage each ACB state and special-interest affiliate to have at least two members assigned to be on this list. Please contact the national office or Ardis Bazyn if you wish to learn more. Each president should designate the appropriate membership contacts for this list. ***** HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering's mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. ** NEW NLS DIRECTOR NAMED Karen A. Keninger, former head of the Iowa Department for the Blind, has been appointed as the new director of the National Library Service. She has been active on the national level for several years, including serving on the Digital Long-Term Planning Group and its successor Digital Transition Advisory Committee; chairing the Consortium of User Libraries for six years; and being elected 2012 president of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind. ** NIB NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS The Fellowship for Leadership Development, sponsored by NIB, is a salaried program that combines business-focused, on-the-job experience with professional development activities. Legally blind individuals who have an undergraduate degree, work experience and passion for business are invited to apply. Fellows are selected based on experience, academic achievement and personal interviews. For additional information and an application, go to the NIB web site and visit the Business Leaders Program pages. For a direct link to the Fellowship page, go to www.nib.org/content/business-leaders-program-fellowship. Make sure you read the FAQs before applying. If you have questions, contact Karen Pal, NIB Business Leaders Program, at fellowship@nib.org or (703) 310-0515. ** BLIND WOMEN'S CONFERENCE Just Us Blind Girls will hold its 12th annual Blind Women's Conference on Saturday, May 19, in West Palm Beach, Fla. This year's theme is I'm Every Woman -- Mind, Body, and Soul. The conference will include information, networking, vendors, and social opportunities. Registration includes conference materials, T-shirt, Saturday lunch and banquet, and two breakfasts. Room reservations ($69 per night for up to four occupants) can be made at the Holiday Inn Palm Beach Airport Hotel & Conference Center by calling (561) 659-3880. For more information, e-mail justusblindgirlspbc@yahoo.com, or call the live chat line on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Eastern at (218) 548-2869 and use pass code 151515#. ** VISIONS 2012 CONFERENCE The Foundation Fighting Blindness will hold its national conference, Visions 2012, June 28-July 1 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. The weekend will include discussion with research experts, coping sessions for dealing with low vision, a vendor area, and a keynote presentation by Eric Weihenmayer. Additional details are available at www.fightblindness.org/visions. ** GUILD AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS The Jewish Guild for the Blind recently announced the winners of its scholarships. They are: Tomas R. Cacicedo, Coral Gables, Fla.; Reid Robert Creviston, Brentwood, Tenn.; Joseph Andrew Esposito, Armonk, N.Y.; Daniel Gillen, New York, N.Y.; Thomas Kozlowski, Hillsborough, N.J.; Zachary Robert McCormick, Tulsa, Okla.; Mary Margaret McLaughlin, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.; Chelsea Marks, Seaford, N.Y.; Christina Murdoch, North Wales, Pa.; Emily Pennington, Cincinnati, Ohio; Siobhan Rigby, Richmond, Va.; and Daniel James Solomon, Belle Harbor, N.Y. ** BRAILLER REPAIRS Bring your brailler back to life! The Selective Doctor, Inc. specializes in the repair of Perkins braillers. Repairs cost $60 for labor, plus the cost of the parts. You can send your brailler to: The Selective Doctor, Inc., PO Box 571, Manchester, MD 21102 via U.S. mail. Free matter shipping is accepted. You should insure your brailler, too. The company will add the cost of insurance to your invoice. For more information, call (410) 668-1143 or e-mail braillerrepair@yahoo.com. Or you may visit the web site, www.selectivedoctor.com. ** BRAILLE MUSIC COURSE The Hadley School for the Blind offers a new course for sighted or partially sighted individuals who want to learn about braille music via large print instruction. "Braille Music Basics" is designed for those who want to transcribe print music into braille, teach braille music to students, or simply support a braille music learner. The prerequisite for this five-lesson course is completion of the class, "Braille Music Diagnostic," which assesses the student's ability to read print music at an elementary level, as well as visually read and produce uncontracted braille. The new course was written by Ruth Rozen, a musician and braille music transcriber. For more information, visit www.hadley.edu; call 1-800-526-9909; or e-mail student_services@hadley.edu. ** MAGNIFIER FOR NEAR TASKS Tech Optics International offers a new magnification product. The Task Vision 2.5x Loupe Near Telescope is worn like a pair of glasses. Each telescope has a fine focus that can be adjusted for distances from 10-17 inches. The lenses are distortion-free and color-chromatic. For more information, call 1-800-678-4277 or visit www.techopticsinternational.com. ** NEW BRAILLE LABELING TOOL The 6dot Braille Labeler is a new tool for embossing braille onto 1/2-inch Dymo tape. The labeler is handheld, works on four AA batteries and uses the six-key set-up for inputting the information to be embossed. Other features include a built-in cutter for separating the label, 1-pound ergonomic design, and USB port for using it with a qwerty keyboard. For more information, call 1-877-507-6368 or visit www.6dot.com. EMERGENCY KEY TAG ID CARD MyInfo911 now offers an Emergency Key Tag ID Card to make sure individuals with special medical needs get the appropriate medical attention if involved in a car accident. The key tag includes the Quick Response (QR) code specific to that individual. First responders need only to scan the QR into a smart phone to gain access to the tag holder's medical history. The next of kin of the cardholder is also alerted when the code is scanned. Learn more about this and other products at https://www.myinfo911.com. ** ZOOMTEXT UPDATE ZoomText 10.0.1 has recently been released with a number of improvements. It now works in the following languages: Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Slovak, Spanish and Swedish. The camera features have been modified for easier use, the support for iTunes and Java has been improved, and many bugs have been fixed. For more information, contact Ai Squared at 1-800-859-0270 or visit www.aisquared.com. ** BOOK FROM PUPPY RAISERS "How Can You Give Up That Adorable Puppy?" is the title of a new book by long-time puppy raiser Ray Rebmann. Ray's family is currently raising its ninth puppy for The Seeing Eye. The book tells of the family's many experiences with puppy-raising and shares how they have developed as trainers and people by way of those experiences. For more information, visit www.unlimitedpublishing.com/rebmann/. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP ** FOR SALE: Clearview Optelec with 22" monitor. In excellent condition. Asking $2,400. Vantage Telesensory CCTV with 13" monitor. Asking $600. Handheld Optelec Clearview, about a year and a half old. Asking $350. Optelec Spectrum SVGA that connects with your computer. Asking $1,000. PAC Mate, used once, four years old. Asking $400. Contact Bonnie Lyon at (707) 748-2111. ** FOR SALE: Sanyo flip phone, less than a year old. Asking $100. Jitterbug phone, less than six months old, rarely used. Asking $100. Smartview 5000 CCTV, like new, used less than 100 hours. Asking $2,500 or best offer. Two brand-new talking watches, still in the box. Asking $25 each. Contact Steven Brown at (614) 604-7260. ** FOR SALE: BrailleNote mPOWER BT, 32 cells, version 7.5 build 28. Comes with AC adapter. Has faint braille display. Asking $1,800 or best offer. ScannaR Reading Machine (needs repair). Comes with power cable. Asking $500 or best offer. Kurzweil speech software version 10 (needs upgrading). Asking $350 or best offer. JAWS version 9 (needs upgrading). Asking $300 or best offer. Jot-a-Dot pocket braille writer (comes with manuals in print and on CD-ROM). Asking $150 or best offer. Ultracane collapsible white cane that uses two AA batteries. Comes with shoulder bag. Asking $200 or best offer. For further information, call Ibrahim Umar Abdulkarim at 011-234-803-214-6802, or send a letter in braille or on 2-track audio cassette tape to P.O. Box 5426, Kano, Kano State 700001, Nigeria. ** WANTED: Looking for a pre-Omni PAC Mate. Can't pay very much, but willing to pay in installments. Would prefer to see and test the unit before making first payment. Contact James Congdon at (414) 727-0855. ** SEEKING TO BORROW: Open Book 7 and Speaks SAPI 4 synthesizer software to repair my Open Book 7 software. Contact Bob Groff Jr. at (501) 589-2886. *** ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT Mitch Pomerantz (final term, 2013) 1115 Cordova St. #402 Pasadena, CA 91106 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Kim Charlson (final term, 2013) 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Brenda Dillon (final term, 2013) 313 Overridge Cove Hermitage, TN 37076 SECRETARY Marlaina Lieberg (final term, 2013) 632 S. 189th St. Burien, WA 98148 TREASURER Carla Ruschival (1st term, 2013) 148 Vernon Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Christopher Gray (final term, 2013) 94 Ramona Ave. San Francisco, CA 94103 ** ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL (final term, 2014) Berl Colley, Lacey, WA (1st term, 2012) Janet Dickelman, St. Paul, MN (1st term, 2014) Marsha Farrow, Summerville, GA (1st term, 2012) Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX (1st term, 2012) George Holliday, Philadelphia, PA (1st term, 2014) Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA (final term, 2012) Allan Peterson, Horace, ND (1st term, 2014) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (final term, 2014) David Trott, Talladega, AL (final term, 2012) Ex Officio: Judy Jackson, Austin, TX ** ACB BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Edwards, Chairman, Miami, FL (final term, 2013) Nolan Crabb, Hilliard, OH (1st term, 2013) Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA (2nd term, 2012) Judy Jackson, Austin, TX (2nd term, 2012) Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY (final term, 2012) Ex Officios: Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY Bob Hachey, Waltham, MA