The ACB Braille Forum Volume LVII July 2018 No. 1 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, 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 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. Listen to ACB Reports by downloading the MP3 file from www.acb.org, or call (605) 475-8154 and choose option 3. Tune in to ACB Radio at www.acbradio.org or by calling (712) 775-4808. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2018 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311 ***** Table of Contents In Memoriam: Marlaina Lieberg, Oct. 2, 1949-May 11, 2018, by Denise Colley Readers’ Memories of Marlaina Lieberg President’s Message: Introducing the 2018 Leadership Fellows, by Kim Charlson and Kenneth Semien Sr. Strategic Action Planning Teams Report, by Eric Bridges ACB Establishes The Legacy Fund, by Tom Tobin Staying Connected in St. Louis, by Janet Dickelman Focus on Membership, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Passings Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski High Tech Swap Shop ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** 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 make the changes for you. Keep up with the most important ACB news and announcements without any other chatter. Subscribe to the ACB Announce listserv. Send a blank e-mail to announce-subscribe@acblists.org, or visit www.ablists.org/mailman/listinfo/announce and type your e-mail address and name where indicated. ACB Radio, the place to be with people in the know! www.acbradio.org ACB Radio brings old-time radio drama to you 24/7 at www.acbradio.org/trove. To hear the ACB national convention via ACB Radio, go to www.acbradio.org/live. ***** In Memoriam: Marlaina Lieberg Oct. 2, 1949 – May 11, 2018 by Denise Colley Marlaina Lieberg, former ACB secretary and second vice president, passed away in the early hours of May 11, 2018. She was 68. She was born Donna Veno on Oct. 2, 1949 in Boston, and traveled around the country before retiring to Burien, Wash. with her husband and soul mate, Gary Lieberg. Marlaina leaves behind husband Gary Lieberg, brother Joseph Veno, and sister Sandy Smith. Marlaina was born premature and blind. She was not expected to live, but persevered in making an impact on everyone she met and far beyond. Raised by a mother who believed in Marlaina’s capacity to do anything a sighted child could do, she attended public schools, rode bicycles, tap danced and went to summer camp to ride horses. At age 14, Marlaina became the youngest person at that time to obtain a guide dog. Hubert Humphrey helped outfit her with clothes for the training, and they remained friends until his passing in 1978. Marlaina has been a guide dog user for more than 60 years and has had 9 dogs. In junior high school, Marlaina was told she was not allowed to participate in gym class. After writing an impassioned letter to President Kennedy, the school was directed not to discriminate because of her blindness, and she went to gym class. These experiences ignited a fiery passion in Marlaina and as a young adult, Marlaina became a fierce advocate and champion for rights for the disabled. Fighting for the rights of disabled people became her lifelong mission, one which she embraced and excelled at beyond what anyone could have expected. Marlaina held many jobs over the years, including contract work with the National Park Service and the National Forest Service, and also owned her own company. Marlaina was instrumental in the passing of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), testifying before the House and Senate to ensure all people with all disabilities were included in the laws. Marlaina lobbied Congress every year with the American Council of the Blind (ACB) to continue awareness and improve laws. In 2008 as the secretary of the ACB she represented the organization at the World Blind Union Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Marlaina was a force to be reckoned with. She worked tirelessly to educate and improve the lives of all people with disabilities and discriminated against none. She is widely known and renowned in the blind and disabled communities as a fearless fighter and true champion. Gary and Marlaina met, fell in love and married in Alexandria, Va. in 1997. In 2012 they moved to the Seattle area where Marlaina continued her work at a record pace. She worked with Wells Fargo to create accessible ATMs, Albertson’s to create an accessible website for online grocery ordering, Starbucks in creating braille gift cards, Trader Joe’s for accessible PIN pads, Apple to improve their VoiceOver, to consulting with Microsoft and the Accessibility Team instructing them on what to focus on when creating accessible software. These are just a few examples. Perhaps one of her most noted and accomplishments, one that would become key in helping her manage her life in the last years, is the advocacy work she and partner Sue Ammeter did to create accessible pill bottles so she could remain independent in dispensing the medications she needed. Marlaina was active in too many organizations to list. From the Lions Club to becoming an honored member of UW Delta Gamma Fraternity, she always found time for important causes. Marlaina obtained her ham radio license, and Gary built a radio station studio in their house. She had her own show on ACB Radio, and every Sunday night she would discuss issues important to the blind community and interview others. For 10 years Marlaina and her audience enjoyed such interviews with great people like Ronnie Milsap, Dave Neihaus and Erik Weihenmayer – the first blind man to climb Everest. Marlaina flew a plane, she drove a car, she hiked on trails, she took subways, went to her beloved Mariners games, attended inaugurations, concerts, and sang on stage with Stevie Wonder. Marlaina loved to sing! She spoke to thousands, she spoke to one. She loved sitting in the sun sipping wine and telling stories. She loved dressing up and had a huge shoe collection. Marlaina was as classy as they come, inside and out. In 2012 Gary and Marlaina moved to Burien Town Square. This vibrant community embraced them both and gave Marlaina the independence she had been craving her entire adult life. After petitioning the city to install accessible crosswalks and wheelchair-friendly sidewalks, Marlaina was now finally free to walk to any restaurant, nail salon or pet store when she pleased. The entire community recognized Marlaina and her guide dog. She was somewhat of a local celebrity and greeted everyone with a hug and smile. She never forgot a voice and would shock people by remembering their names. She educated everyone she met on the importance of her guide dog to her independence. She taught so many so much. Her love and light was bright and fierce until the last days. Marlaina leaves behind a huge number of friends who feel the loss of her presence daily. A memorial service was held at St. Francis of Assisi in Burien at on May 15th. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Marlaina’s name to Guide Dogs for the Blind, www.guidedogs.com/support-gdb/donate/honor-memorial-giving. ***** Readers’ Memories of Marlaina Lieberg It’s been so difficult to read all of the heartfelt comments from everyone on the passing of Marlaina. I was aware of how ill Marlaina was, but she has been such a fighter for so long … I had hoped there would be one more miracle for her. When I learned of her passing, I was truly sad, but then what I was happy about is that she isn’t in pain or struggling for her next breath anymore. I am imagining her with her strong, clear, beautiful voice, organizing all of the guide dogs and other advocates that left us previously, to make everything wonderful for everyone in heaven. She just had such a way of making things happen, and wanting to be there when change happened. Marlaina and I shared many guide dog moments as early leaders in GDUI. People in Massachusetts always speak most highly of Marlaina, as she was a vital part of forming the Bay State Council of the Blind. Since 2007, I really had the opportunity to work with her and get to know her even better as we each served ACB as first vice president and secretary respectively. When I was elected president in 2013, Marlaina was right there serving as second vice president. We worked on many projects together and made many decisions for ACB. She will truly be missed by so many. What a legacy she will have! I am honored to have called her my friend. Rest in peace Marlaina, good friend! — Kim Charlson Marlaina and I met back in the early ‘80s and became close friends even though for most of that time we lived on different coasts. We enjoyed folk music and good food and we would get together whenever possible for both. We spoke two weeks ago, and Marlaina told me then that she was going to enter hospice care the following Monday. When Marlaina moved in with Gary when he lived in Huntsville, Ala., they took in a close friend of the two of us, a gentleman by the name of Scott Johnson, who was dying of lung cancer. They provided care for Scott during his final months. That’s who Marlaina Lieberg was and how I’ll always remember her. She was unique. — Mitch Pomerantz Wow, what a loss. It’s certainly been a rough couple of months for WCB. I was very happy to see Marlaina at Sue Ammeter’s funeral and take some time to visit with her. I had no doubt her time left with us was pretty short. Even so, she spoke with eloquence and feeling at the funeral. It was a real sacrifice for her to attend at all because it’s a fair distance from Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula. Marlaina was a tremendous advocate for the blind, and truly made a mark in the field of blindness technology in her work with Traico. From her days acting as a receptionist for ACB, her involvement in the Bay State Council, and her most recent involvement in the Washington Council of the Blind, Marlaina has been a strong and committed leader. She will definitely be sorely missed. — Chris Gray I join the thoughts of so many of you about Marlaina. I will only add a humorous memory that she never let me live down. When I was resolutions chair, I had a BrailleNote issue and they dragged Marlaina out of the swimming pool to solve my problem. She walked into the committee dripping wet, but of course handled things effortlessly, and never let me forget how I had deprived her of swimming time. — Jeff Thom My heart is broken by the news of Marlaina’s passing. Karyn’s and my heartfelt sympathy go out to Gary and to Marlaina’s family. There are certain people you meet in life who are genuinely one of a kind. Marlaina was one of them. She truly cared about other people in a special way. Like many of you, I have tons of Marlaina memories; I’ll just share a few here. One of my favorite ACB Radio shows of all time was the Marlaina Show, which used to run Sunday evenings at 10 Eastern. She made everyone feel special, especially those who called her show. She always asked how you were and she really wanted to know. She always had a kind word to say about each caller after she hung up. Marlaina and I shared a passion for wanting to do everything we could to make sure people with other disabilities in addition to blindness could fully participate in ACB. I remember one time on the convention floor she brought up something about that subject. She got some blowback, and I took the microphone to support Marlaina. She told me later she wanted to run right up there and give me a big kiss. If there was a more tenacious bidder at ACB auctions than Marlaina, I don’t know who. When Marlaina saw something she wanted, look out, she probably was going to get it. If it weren’t for Marlaina, I may have never become ACB’s first male secretary. In 2013, I actually was considering another office, but wanted to talk with some of the officers serving at that time to get their thoughts and advice. Marlaina encouraged me to run for secretary, and a couple of times when she couldn’t attend a board meeting during her tenure as secretary, she asked me to take minutes. When I made the decision to run, she was the first person I told, and she said she’d been praying I’d make that decision. Marlaina was a huge help to me in my first year as secretary, giving me good advice and encouragement. Finally, a lot of us talk the talk about wanting to bring younger people into ACB. Marlaina walked the walk, bringing several younger members in, mentoring them and helping make sure they found their way in ACB. Marlaina, rest in peace after a life well lived. I love you and I will miss you greatly! — Ray Campbell Marlaina was one of those remarkable people who touched many hearts and lives, not just in one way, but in many ways. She made a difference in multiple areas and was a tireless advocate, dedicated guide dog handler, technology enthusiast and broadcaster. And that just scratches the surface of Marlaina’s impressive legacy. It was my great privilege to work with Marlaina in two key areas, the early days of ACB Radio when I was its founding director, and at Pulse Data/Humanware when I was Blindness Product Manager. — Jonathan Mosen I wanted to share with my ACB friends an audible memory of Marlaina. Eric Bridges and I got shanghaied by Marlaina late on a Tuesday night at convention in 2008 to appear with her during general session the next morning to talk about the legislation that would ultimately become the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. Anyhow, it turned out to be a blast, and it was a lot of fun to share an improv stage with my buddies Eric and Marlaina, and it is a happy memory of mine that I want to share with you all. You’ll especially enjoy Marlaina’s improvised commercials she performs for this mock talk show format. God bless you, Marlaina, and thank you so much for calling us your friends and for giving us so many reasons to smile. Hope this Dropbox link works for folks: https://www.dropbox.com/s/16vodf0wsk98ddf/fun%20Marlaina%202008%20ACB%20convention%20clips.wav?dl=0 — Mark Richert Marlaina’s death is such a loss to the blindness community, and, of course, for all of us who knew and loved her. I met Marlaina shortly after I came to work for ACB in the late 1990s. I was drawn to her upbeat demeanor, zest for living, and kindness immediately. Marlaina and I had many friends in common, people who had grown up with her and had known her forever. They all shared so many — nearly all really funny — stories with me that, in some ways, I felt like I had known her forever. Over the years, we stayed in touch. Every time we connected, we enjoyed one another’s company. Marlaina was passionate about guide dogs and contributed so much enthusiasm and hard work on the national level as well as locally to the guide dog community. Who else would have “1GuideDog” as her e-mail address? I think we should retire that address in the way that we retire the jerseys of famous sports heroes! All of us will miss Marlaina. All of us who loved her radio presence. All of us who called her up when we couldn’t remember a BrailleNote hotkey. All of us who shared a drink, or a book, or a book review, or a joke, or just a friendly hello. Rest in peace, Marlaina. — Penny Reeder ** Caption: Marlaina Lieberg, sporting a bluish-purple shirt printed with several multicolored fish, stands up, smiling, as Robert Spangler, left, taps her on the shoulder to acknowledge her bid on an item at the 2013 auction. ***** President’s Message: Introducing the 2018 Leadership Fellows by Kim Charlson and Kenneth Semien Sr. As ACB approaches its 57th annual conference and convention, we continue to place more emphasis as an organization on investing in the development of new leadership talent for the future. A special grant from JPMorgan Chase (JPMC) permits ACB to continue to offer a program which will bring five ACB members with recognized leadership potential to this year’s convention in St. Louis, Mo. These individuals needed to satisfy three basic criteria — be 18 years of age or older; be blind or visually impaired; and be members in good standing of ACB. Each applicant had to be recommended by the president of their respective affiliate. Factors considered in the selection process included the applicant’s reasons for applying for the leadership award; a brief summary of the applicant’s education and relevant experience; number of years of membership in ACB, as well as previous conventions attended, if any; a description of one’s role as a leader; and an assessment of what he/she feels they bring to ACB. All award recipients receive round-trip transportation; hotel accommodation (double occupancy), per diem stipend for meals and incidentals, convention registration fee and reception and banquet tickets. Recipients are expected to attend the convention from the opening session Saturday evening, June 30, through the Thursday evening banquet, July 5, and to participate actively in all convention activities including the daily general sessions, special-interest presentations, seminars and workshops. The 2018 JPMorgan Chase/ACB Leadership Fellows are: Marie Brinas of Fairfax, Va. has served as president of ACB of Virginia for several years, and also as treasurer and immediate past president of the local chapter, NOVA Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired. She has demonstrated her commitment even while experiencing vision loss and other health complications by actively serving in a number of positions on the local and state levels. She has worked for the Virginia Industries for the Blind and the Virginia Department of Taxation. Marie’s community involvement includes being co-chair of the Fairfax Access Services Advisory Board and volunteering for the Equal Rights Center. Darian Slayton Fleming resides in Gresham, Ore., and is a longtime member of ACB of Oregon. She has held several leadership roles, including president of the Multnomah chapter for several terms, a founding member of the Metro PDX Chapter in Portland, and service as program coordinator and president of ACB Human Service Professionals. She attended Western Oregon University and worked as a resident assistant in the dormitory system, then moved on to Oregon State University to earn a bachelor of science in child development and family life. She obtained her master’s degree in social work from the University of Washington School of Social Work, earned her certification as a vocational rehabilitation counselor (CRC), and later acquired her license as a clinical social worker (LCSW). Darian is committed to being part of the future of ACB and ACB of Oregon. Debra “Debbie” Rozear of Allentown, Pa. has been legally blind for most of her life; however, she has not allowed that to keep her from moving forward. She earned a degree in applied science as an early childhood education teacher. She returned to school to become a licensed massage therapist. Her work experience includes teaching in a large daycare center, working as a licensed massage therapist, and serving as a community support coordinator at Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living. In 2002, she joined the Lehigh Valley Council of the Blind and shortly thereafter began working on fund-raising and membership development. She served as vice president, and then advanced to president. As a member of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind, Debbie has served as a conference/convention presenter, has served on the PCB board, and on various committees. In the community she is active with the Lions Club and the Ladies’ Auxiliary. Michael Talley of Bessemer, Ala. currently serves as first vice president of the Alabama Council of the Blind. Upon graduating from the Alabama School for the Blind, he served in leadership roles in the alumni association. He studied at the University of Montevallo. Michael is licensed in the Business Enterprise Program, and he joined the Elected Committee of Blind Vendors and was elected as vice chair and then chairman. Mike has also been a very active member of RSVA, and for several years, served on the Sagebrush Conference Planning Committee. He sings in his church’s choir, serves on the Leadership Council, and is a Sunday School teacher. He is determined to learn, share and grow. Debra “Deb” Trevino of Newark, Del. recently relocated from Kentucky, where she served the Kentucky Council of the Blind as first and second vice president, and has been vice president of Guide Dog Users of Kentuckiana. She also served on the board of the Greater Louisville Council of the Blind and the board of the Kentucky School for the Blind Alumni Association. Deb has participated in several of the Crossroads Leadership Conferences. She earned a bachelor of arts from Washington Bible College, and a master of divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She continues to provide pastoral services in Delaware. Deb has also completed several courses from the Hadley Institute for the Blind, including instruction in English grammar and conversational Spanish. She has 15 years of experience in medical transcription. Her volunteer work includes needlework for charities, arts and crafts instructor for a senior center, administrating and knitting for two prayer shawl ministries, and creating and leading chapel services for the seminary community. ***** Strategic Action Planning Teams Report by Eric Bridges In late January 2017, the ACB board, staff and several state and affiliate leaders met in the Washington, D.C. area to develop a new plan for the organization. What came out of those meetings was ACB’s Strategic Action Plan. What does this plan do? It guides the organization in five critical focus areas: advocacy, policy and legislation; affiliates and membership; convention and meetings; development; and marketing and communications. Each focus area has a set of goals, associated action steps, timeframes, and accountable leaders to help drive change and ensure completion of the objectives. Toward that end, to facilitate accountability and transparency, each team submits periodic updates to me. I have decided to share these updates with you. ** Advocacy, Policy and Legislation Team: Tony Stephens Advocacy rests at the heart of ACB’s mission, and it plays a significant role in ACB’s strategic plan. The strategic planning process allows for ACB to more effectively manage its daily resources, and identify issues that yield the greatest progress toward fulfilling our mission. One of the greatest action items to come out of ACB’s strategic advocacy planning is the creation of a new position dedicated to direct advocacy outreach and engagement. This new position has already helped to significantly expand ACB’s bandwidth and capabilities toward more immediate response to the many issues addressed in the plan that come across ACB’s plate daily. ACB’s board of directors has set up three primary advocacy platforms for the organization: 1) immediate and ongoing civil rights and equal access issues impacting our community; 2) expanding ACB’s influence within the tech sector, from web accessibility to home appliances; 3) moving ACB’s long-term agenda toward securing accessible currency. The immediate and ongoing issues take in a host of concerns, from voting rights and full inclusion in our society to rehabilitation, special education, and infrastructure reform. The second goal addresses particular access barriers tied to technology, such as website accessibility, but also includes new and emerging technologies that make up the “Internet of Things,” thanks in part to the rise of smart devices like Google Home and Amazon Alexa. This area has offered exciting growth for ACB as we continue to build relationships with leading technology and accessibility driven companies. We look forward to continuing to lead the way in advocating for technology that enhances our independence and opportunity for full inclusion in society. ACB remains committed to seeing the 2008 court case ACB v. Paulson brought to its final implementation. Even though the court ruled in our favor almost a decade ago, the Department of the Treasury continues to delay rolling out the first accessible currency note. While we remain hopeful, we know we still have a long road ahead of us. ** Convention and Meetings Team: Janet Dickelman The convention and meetings team has been hard at work with all things convention-related. Beginning with this year’s convention, ACB, in conjunction with the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP), will offer continuing education credits to rehabilitation teachers and counselors, teachers of the visually impaired, low-vision therapists, orientation and mobility instructors, and other professionals. This is a wonderful opportunity for vision professionals to attend the convention and obtain CEUs while enhancing their careers and interacting with convention attendees. For more information, visit www.acb.org, or refer to the article “Continuing Education Opportunities with ACB” in the March issue of the Forum. To ensure that individuals who are attending the convention as awardees have the best experience possible, we have set up one point of contact for these individuals for convention registration. We are also expanding the number of workshops and seminars ACB will cover for these attendees. This will provide more direction and enhance their convention experience. And the better the experience, the more likely our awardees will be to attend future conventions! Other convention and meeting initiatives are in the formative stage; stay tuned to future issues of the Forum for more information. ** Development Team: Tom Tobin Since I started with ACB in February 2013, ACB’s development program has evolved into a well-run, effective program, starting with an annual development strategy and plan, with improved structure and accountability. We’ve accomplished much over the years. Our top two accomplishments are: 1. The establishment of The Legacy Endowment Fund and accompanying policy around how bequests are handled offers structure and a formula for growth. (For more information, see “ACB Establishes The Legacy Fund” elsewhere in this issue.) 2. Adding structure and focus to ACB’s grants program, including the development of a targeted grants pipeline that includes smaller family foundation prospects as well as larger corporate prospects. This produced ACB’s first gift from the Dr. Scholl Foundation, the first gift from the Delta Gamma Foundation, a gift that was doubled in 2018, and ongoing support from the Aid Association for the Blind of Washington, D.C. and the Dreyfus Foundation beyond the typical three-year grant cycle. ** Marketing and Communications Team: Katie Frederick Over the past year, the marketing and communications team has led the development of core organizational values, a new tagline, and new logo for ACB. The tagline “Together for a Bright Future,” core values of integrity, advocacy, collaboration and belief in democratic principles (IACB), and the newly redesigned logo provide clearer, more consistent messaging when communicating, both within the organization and with external stakeholders. The new logo has the letters “ACB” in all caps above braille letters reading ACB. To the right of that is a divider line, straight from the top of the logo to the bottom; to its right it reads “American Council of the Blind” and, below that, “Together for a bright future.” All of this is just the beginning for the marketing and communications team, however. For ACB to communicate in the most effective manner to targeted audiences, it is necessary to examine the various communication channels within the organization and determine how the channels are used to convey information to members and others interested in ACB. To this end, the members of the marketing and communications group have compiled a list of ACB’s communication channels and assigned staff responsibility for each channel. The next step the group undertook was writing down a list of the programs and services ACB provides and points of contact within the major program and service areas. Examples include the convention, ACB Radio, the Audio Description Project, etc. The purpose of this exercise was to determine, from those responsible for the particular program or service, the communication channel(s) they use when promoting, whether there are more effective ways communication can be delivered about the particular program or service, and how ACB can ensure the most effective channel(s) are used when communication occurs. This process takes significant time, but it is necessary for ACB to look at and understand the strengths and areas for improvement concerning communications and marketing. The marketing and communication team is also working on developing a marketing and communications plan, a monumental task. We are thrilled to be sailing in unchartered waters to ensure that ACB glides into a bright future. ***** ACB Establishes The Legacy Fund by Tom Tobin Over the past two years, through lots of hard work by both staff and volunteers, ACB has balanced its budget and even produced a small surplus! As a result, ACB has stabilized its revenue streams, putting ACB in a position to establish an endowment fund. An endowment policy was written and presented at ACB’s board meeting in February and, after some discussion and debate, the board unanimously adopted the policy. Bequests received from this point forward will be used to make sure adequate reserves are in place to cover annual operating expenses, and then the residual assets will be added to ACB’s Legacy Fund. Over time, The Legacy Fund will grow, both through investment growth and through new bequests coming to ACB. At some point, to be determined in the future, ACB will begin to draw from this endowment to help with annual operations. But, perhaps most importantly, The Legacy Fund will ensure ACB’s financial future and help to perpetuate ACB’s important work for many years to come. To date, ACB has received three bequests and, using the formula above, will insure board reserves and then add residual assets to The Legacy Fund. In short order, ACB’s endowment has gone from being non-existent to over $1,000,000! One bequest we received is from a longtime supporter of ACB’s work, Rhoades Schroeder, someone I had the privilege of knowing and a man who deeply cared about ACB’s work. Another is from Louis Wagner, a career firefighter with no family; he left ACB a seven-figure bequest. What is truly amazing about this bequest is that ACB did not have a previous relationship with Mr. Wagner. Other bequests are pending. ***** Staying Connected in St. Louis by Janet Dickelman The ACB conference and convention is fast approaching. Many of you will be reading this article as you are packing for Missouri. Convention dates are June 29th through July 6th. Read on for information for convention attendees and those of you who will be staying connected from home. ** New This Year! This year, in addition to large print and braille, you can ask for the program on NLS cartridge (deposit required), have it emailed directly to you, or download it in two ways. To download it from the web, go to http://acbradio.org/acb-convention. For the podcast feed, go to http://acbradio.org/acb-convention.xml. The program will also be available for download from our website or at the information desk. For those of you who are still thinking about attending the convention, it isn’t too late! Don’t miss out on the outstanding general sessions, informative seminars and programming, the fabulous tours and the excitement of the exhibit hall! On-site convention registration is just $25, or if you are in the St. Louis area and plan to come for just one day, you can purchase a one-day pass for $5. ** Staying in Touch from Home For those of you who will be unable to attend this year, there are many ways to be a part of all the action! With ACB Radio, you can stay connected with everything that is going on from the comfort of your home or office. Note: All times shown are Central time. Be a part of the excitement of opening session, listen to all the speakers and follow ACB business and elections. General sessions begin Saturday evening, June 30th at 7 p.m.; Sunday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will be streamed live on ACB Radio. Also on ACB Radio Live Event, hear what the candidates for ACB office have to say as they answer questions at the ACB Candidates Town Hall Meeting, Wednesday, July 4th at 7:15 p.m. Hear all the great performances from the Friends-in-Art Showcase on Monday evening at 7:30 on ACB Café. ACB’s banquet, including the banquet presentation and musical offering by Michael Cleveland and Brian Allen, will be streamed on ACB Radio Mainstream and Live Event on Thursday, July 6th at 7 p.m. Once again this year, ACB Radio will be broadcasting one afternoon session as a live broadcast. All live broadcasts will be on ACB Radio Live Event. Other ACB committee sessions will be recorded and broadcast later in the day on ACB Radio Live Event. No computer? No problem! You can listen to ACB Radio over the telephone by calling (712) 775-4808; please keep in mind that long-distance charges apply for these calls. You can also listen to ACB Radio using Alexa; just tell her “ACB Radio from TuneIn,” and the name of the menu you are looking for such as Mainstream, Café or Live Event. ** Convention Announce Email List To subscribe to the convention announce list, just send a blank email to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org. ** Convention Newspaper Keep up with what’s going on at the convention with “The Gateway Gazette,” our convention newspaper. It will be published Friday, June 29th through Wednesday, July 4th. The newspaper will be posted to the convention announce list. ** Social Media Follow the latest goings-on at the convention on Facebook and Twitter! To follow us on Twitter, go to www.twitter.com/acbnational. Or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. Follow the convention via ACB Link on your iPhone; download and install ACB Link from the iOS app store. We will be sending out information and updates pertaining to the convention (for example, room changes). In addition, direct access to the ACB convention calendar and ACB Radio can be obtained from within ACB Link. For those of you who will be at the convention, make sure to visit the ACB Information Desk, where you will find material in braille, large print and computer downloads. Hotel orientation, local business information, and the convention newspaper are just some of the items that will be waiting for you. All information will be available in large print, braille and downloadable formats. Whether you are in St. Louis or staying connected with us from home, I hope you have a wonderful convention experience. Feel free to contact me any time during the convention by phone, (651) 428-5059, or via email, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. I look forward to seeing you in Missouri. ***** Focus on Membership compiled by Ardis Bazyn ACB’s membership committee held a call recently that dealt with the questions all state and special-interest affiliate presidents receive about membership. The first question for participants to answer was: What do you consider to be your affiliate’s strongest attribute for attracting and retaining members? Participants’ responses included advocacy, having chapters, legislative updates, supporting one another, tech grants, identifiable access to libraries, conferences where information is shared, a first-timers seminar, first-timers breakfast, having a registration desk available to members at conventions, meet and greet time, the newsletter, the website, using different cities for convention, summer camps, adding new programs, giving tech help, express news in email, having audio-described show/movie list, new content for the website, a toll-free hotline, state phone number, and having social gatherings. The second question was: What do you consider the biggest challenge for your affiliate in the area of membership development and retention? The number-one issue was transportation. Other responses were: getting the word out about meetings, getting youth involved in the affiliate, too many leaders have other commitments, members paying dues but not attending, people with other disabilities, finding willing leadership, and mentoring new people. Participants then tackled a final question: If you could learn one thing to help your affiliate grow and strengthen its membership, what would it be? Responses included increasing passion in members, communicating better and more often with members and friends, learning statistics and how to communicate them, how to find and get in touch with those losing sight, visiting senior centers, fundraising tools, city volunteer network, developing a referral list, giving new chairs/officers/board members assistance when requested, and having an affiliate phone number. The membership committee holds quarterly focus calls. Please let us know what topics you’d like to have in the future. Our next focus call will be Aug. 27th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern/5:30 p.m. Pacific. The information will come out via the leadership and membership listservs. ***** Passings We honor here members, friends and supporters of the American Council of the Blind who have impacted our lives in many wonderful ways. If you would like to submit a notice for this column, please include as much of the following information as possible. Name (first, last, maiden if appropriate) City of residence (upon passing) State/province of residence (upon passing) Other cities/states/countries of residence (places where other blind people may have known this person) Occupation Date of death (day if known, month, year) Age ACB affiliation (local/state/special-interest affiliates or national committees) Deaths that occurred more than six months ago cannot be reported in this column. ** Annie Inez Reid Dilley April 18, 1959-Feb. 8, 2018 Annie Inez Reid Dilley, 58, one of the three original founding members of the East Georgia chapter of the Georgia Council of the Blind, died Feb. 8, 2018 of complications of cancer. She married Don Dilley in November 2002. Together they wrote two books of poetry, “Wordweavers” and “Reflections in the Life of a Poet,” available on lulu.com. A perpetual caregiver, she cared for her grandparents and her parents until they passed through the golden gates. She cared for cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews over the years. She picked up the nickname “Ayah” — meaning “caregiver” — over the years. In accordance with her wishes, Annie’s body will be cremated. A service will be held at Decatur City Cemetery at a later date. ** Ann Sims Aug. 31, 1938-April 16, 2018 Ann Stephens Sims, 79, of Hapeville, Ga., died April 16, 2018. Ann was a retired library clerk with the Georgia Department of Education, and a member of Jonesboro First Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Donna Sims Roper, and her brother, Otis Stephens. Surviving are her husband, John M. Sims; children, A.J. Sims, J.D. & Terrie Sims, Anthony & Faith Sims, Johnathon Sims, Stephen Whitfield, Rebecca Sims, and Susan Randall; 10 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held April 19th in the Chapel of Jonesboro First Baptist Church. Interment at College Park Cemetery followed. ***** Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski 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. ** CVS Talking Label Program To read this announcement online, go to http://acb.org/access-a-med-launch. As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance accessibility and usability of prescription medications, CVS’s local pharmacies now have the ability to dispense controlled substance medications with the Access-A-Med talking prescription labels. Patients seeking Access-A-Med labels for controlled substances should contact their local CVS pharmacist, who will work to obtain the Access-A-Med device and get it to the patient. This may take a day or more, depending on availability. CVS will continue to dispense non-controlled prescription medications with ScripTalk talking labels through cvs.com. CVS patients can sign up for ScripTalk labels for non-controlled substances by calling 1-888-861-4363. Patients who prefer to have non-controlled prescription medications with the ScripTalk labels sent to their local CVS stores for pick-up can make that request through cvs.com. As with any new effort, there may be bumps along the road. Please share your experiences, both good and bad, by emailing Kim Charlson at Kim.Charlson@perkins.org or Lainey Feingold at lf@lflegal.com. If you don’t have email, you can leave a message for Lainey at (510) 548-5062. When writing, please be sure to include the location of your local CVS store. Thank you for using these new services and for sharing your experiences as we continue to monitor the implementation of this program. ** The Senses Exhibit “The Senses: Design Beyond Vision” launched in April at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, to explore how multi-sensory design amplifies everyone’s ability to learn, explore and satisfy essential human needs and experiences. This exhibition, which runs through Oct. 28, explores design through all the senses with interactive installations, created in collaboration with more than 65 contemporary designers in the fields of product, interior, graphic, and interaction design, data visualization, scent design. You’ll be able to wander through a scented snowstorm, play a furry instrument in a Tactile Orchestra, investigate the sonic properties of glass, and much more. The exhibition features labels with key elements in braille and a custom smartphone app that will connect visitors to exhibition content via text or audio. Additional accessibility features include audio descriptions explaining the visual content of videos. ** Dallas Lighthouse to Merge with Envision Envision recently announced that it is welcoming the Dallas, Texas-based Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind into the Envision family. Operations will continue as normal in Dallas, and the Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind name will be retained. Spirit Donates to Envision’s Child Development Center Envision has received a $15,000 gift through Spirit AeroSystems’ Good Neighbor Fund to sponsor a pre-K classroom at the Cathy G. Hudson Envision Child Development Center (ECDC). The donation will support tuition assistance for low-income families as well as meals, rehabilitation fees and field trips for the integrated classroom, which includes children who are sighted, blind and visually impaired. ** New from National Braille Press Just in time for the Fourth of July, National Braille Press is making copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States available in braille and downloadable BRF. Limit one per customer. For more information on any of these books, contact National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen St., Boston, MA 02115-4302; phone 1-800-548-7323, or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. ** Unique Braille Gifts Loving Touch Connection offers hand-painted glassware and decorative items with raised braille. Kathy Keck, the artist and owner, has been customizing her art with raised braille messages on wine glasses, martini glasses, coffee mugs, salt and pepper shakers, beer mugs, pilsner glasses, canisters, spice jars, and more for over five years. Each message is brailled in grade 1 English. French and Spanish options may be special ordered. Designs include butterflies, grapevines, sunflowers, rainbows, or smiley faces. The paint is slightly raised so the designs can be felt. All items are hand-painted using non-toxic paint. Products include: “Love My Dog” mug, $15 Palm Trees “5 o’clock Somewhere” 16 oz. pub glass, $20 “World’s Best Grandma” coffee mug, $15 Butterfly Wishes “Live Laugh Love” martini glass, $20 Vineyard “Cheers!” wine glass, $25 Rainbow Love “S” and “P” salt & pepper shakers, $20 Smiley Face “S” and “P” salt & pepper shakers, $15 Cardinal and Bluebird “S” and “P” salt & pepper shakers, $15 “Cinnamon” spice jar with green leaves and vines, $10 The company also welcomes custom orders. Visit http://lovingtouchconnection.com or email lovingtouchconnection@gmail.com for more information. ** Seeking Avon Products? Alice Crespo is an Avon representative. If you’re looking for Skin So Soft, Bug Guard, and other products to help get you through the summer, visit her store at www.youravon.com/AliceCrespo or call (917) 696-8115. ***** High Tech Swap Shop ** For Sale: Optelec Compact 7 HD visual aid, rarely used. Comes with carrying case and all cables. Asking $250. Contact Nancy Dexter via email, nancydexter70@gmail.com, or via phone, (203) 426-0583. ** Wanted to Buy: iPhone 6, 7 or 8 with Verizon. Would like a braille Bluetooth keyboard or Google capability with it. Contact Tonya Smith at (734) 767-6423. ** Wanted to Buy: Aicom Accent synthesizer. Will pay reasonable price for working unit. Call Larry at (276) 646-8228. ***** ACB Officers ** President Kim Charlson (3rd term, 2019) 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** First Vice President Dan Spoone (1st term, 2019) 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817-1554 ** Second Vice President John McCann (2nd term, 2019) 8761 E. Placita Bolivar Tucson, AZ 85715-5650 ** Secretary Ray Campbell (3rd term, 2019) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ** Treasurer David Trott (1st term, 2019) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 ** Immediate Past President Mitch Pomerantz 1115 Cordova St. #402 Pasadena, CA 91106 ** ACB Board of Directors Jeff Bishop, Kirkland, WA (1st term, 2020) Denise Colley, Lacey, WA (1st term, 2020) Sara Conrad, Madison, WI (final term, 2020) Dan Dillon, Hermitage, TN (1st term, 2020) Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2018) George Holliday, Philadelphia, PA (final term, 2018) Allan Peterson, Horace, ND (final term, 2018) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (partial term, 2020) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2018) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (partial term, 2018) Ex Officio: Debbie Lewis, Seattle, WA ** ACB Board of Publications Ron Brooks, Chairman, Phoenix, AZ (2nd term, 2019) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (1st term, 2019) Paul Edwards, Miami, FL (1st term, 2018) Susan Glass, Saratoga, CA (2nd term, 2019) Debbie Lewis, Seattle, WA (1st term, 2018) Ex Officios: Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH Bob Hachey, Waltham, MA Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY ***** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by email, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (605) 475-8154. To subscribe to the email version, visit the ACB email lists page at www.acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (605) 475-8154. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from http://www.acb.org/bf/.