The ACB Braille Forum Vol. LIV September 2015 No. 3 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. 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Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2015 American Council of the Blind Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201 ***** Table of Contents President’s Report, Part I, by Kim Charlson Bidding ACB A Very Fond Farewell and Reflecting on the Last Seventeen Years, by Melanie Brunson Looking Back on Dallas, by Janet Dickelman ACB Stars Shine Bright in Dallas, Part I, by Ron Brooks, Judy Wilkinson, and Denise Colley Holidays in September, by Carla Ruschival Welcome Back, Students: A Message from the ACB Students President, by Tiffany Jolliff Affiliate News Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski High Tech Swap Shop ** 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. ** ACB Radio, the place to be with people in the know! www.acbradio.org ***** President’s Report, Part I by Kim Charlson (Editor’s Note: Look for parts 2 and 3 of this report in the October “E-Forum” and November “Braille Forum.”) Ladies and gentlemen, it is a true honor for me to come before you for my second report as president of the American Council of the Blind. Time just keeps flying by, and I have much to report to you since our conference in Las Vegas last year. It has continued to be a whirlwind of activity, travel, calls, committee meetings, e-mail, more calls, and decision-making in collaboration with leaders to keep our organization moving forward on so many fronts. I have come before you on this warm Sunday evening in July here in Dallas to offer my report to you, the thousands of men and women comprising our strong ACB family. Whether you are attending this, our 54th annual national conference and convention in person, or listening from across the nation and around the world on ACB Radio, you are all an important part of our dynamic and democratic organization. I want to publicly acknowledge the tremendous support and participation from so many of you at the local, state, and national levels; for your affiliates, committees or task forces, or on issues of personal importance. Without your efforts, there would be no American Council of the Blind. ACB continues to address many issues and challenges of all types since last we gathered together. I'll cover the highlights and how we are dealing with them over the next several minutes. First, I would like to deliver some well-deserved “thank-yous.” It is widely known that the everyday work of ACB is carried out by our small, yet highly dedicated professional and administrative staff. In our Minnesota office, we rely on Lori, Nancy, and Dee to keep the business wheels turning. Heading this important team is controller Lane Waters, who always knows what’s going on with everything all the time … I don’t know how he does it. In the Arlington, Va., you may have heard a new voice on our team – Kelly Gasque. She succeeds Francine Patterson, who left ACB in December. Kelly is our new administrative assistant, starting with ACB in March. She is enthusiastic, efficient, creative, and has really taken to working with ACB’s social media team with Twitter and Facebook. She is here at the convention, so please introduce yourself to her this week. Our director of external affairs and policy, Eric Bridges, and “ACB Braille Forum” editor, Sharon Lovering, work daily to make our lives and the lives of blind and visually impaired people everywhere better. Now, let me acknowledge the woman who has served ACB for the past 17 years, first as the director of advocacy, and then later as executive director, Melanie Brunson. Melanie announced in early June that she will be leaving ACB at the end of September to spend more time with family, reading books and enjoying bluegrass music. She will be on the lookout to identify other ways she can continue to work in the future for the advancement of people who are blind. We will further recognize Melanie on Wednesday morning with a special ceremony featuring five ACB presidents. As you see Melanie around the convention this week, let her know your appreciation for all of her work for ACB. Please join me now in a round of applause to recognize Melanie’s numerous contributions and years of service to the American Council of the Blind. Thanks must also go to our contract staff – Tom Tobin, director of development, and to Jo Steigerwald, our grant writer, who left ACB employment July 1st to pursue an exciting full-time fund-raising opportunity. We will truly miss Jo, who expanded ACB’s grant-writing activities to a new and successful level. She is leaving a solid foundation for our next grant writer to build upon. Joel Snyder, director of the Audio Description Project, Larry Turnbull, managing director of ACB Radio, and web site administrator, Annette Carter, all continue to work extremely hard for ACB. I extend to each of you a special thank you and commend you all for your efforts on behalf of ACB. I want to recognize and thank the 15 other members of the ACB board of directors and the members of the board of publications for their service. I think I have kept them all pretty busy this year … and Denise Colley, the BOP chair, has kept that group working very hard as well. In turn, both groups have made sure to keep me on track with the issues and on my toes. At the close of this convention, one ACB officer will be stepping down for health and other personal reasons. I want to thank Marlaina Lieberg for her service as second vice president for the past two years. She has made many valuable contributions to ACB, and I know she will continue to do what she can manage in the future. Thank you, Marlaina, and we all wish you well! In addition, I want to thank the members of the board of publications – Denise Colley, Ron Brooks, Doug Powell, Judy Wilkinson and Tom Mitchell, for their dedicated service to ACB. I can’t go on thanking people without recognizing the large group of leaders who steer and guide ACB’s more than 40 different committees and task forces. This year, in addition to this group of leaders, ACB has utilized several expert working teams to help craft regulatory comments on WIOA, the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act, Department of Justice comments on audio description in movie theaters, Section 508 comments to the Access Board, and the most recent team working on ACB’s comments on the FCC National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program. These groups help Eric Bridges tremendously, because one person just can’t get all the work done that needs to happen. We couldn’t get it done without all of you. You all have my heartfelt personal thanks! Finally, let me take just a moment to recognize the help and support I receive every day from my family. My husband, Brian, continues to be incredibly supportive. He lets me get away with not doing the laundry, or other chores, so I can be on a conference call or return phone calls or e-mail. I couldn’t do all that I need to do in this role without his support, and that of my life sister, Vicki. Thank you to both of you for making it possible for me to serve ACB! I love you both! Now, to the real nuts and bolts of my report. Much of the work of the organization isn’t the moments of success with press releases and passage of legislation, but rather the day-to-day work developing and supporting our ACB infrastructure to ensure that we have the financial resources to work on our mission. I want to acknowledge ACB’s establishment of the Annual Giving Society. Earlier this evening, we hosted the first Annual Giving Society’s reception. This year, we had 193 participants of the Annual Giving Society, who collectively contributed over $201,000 to ACB. The Annual Giving Society levels include: the Leader’s Society, Advocate’s Society, the Champion’s Society, and the President’s Society for those who donate $5,000 or more annually. I’d like to ask all of the members of the Annual Giving Societies, who are present this evening, to stand up and be recognized. Other areas where ACB has made progress in support of our work is with planned giving, grant writing, online donations, corporate and foundation grant support, the Monthly Monetary Support program, and ACB’s Mini Mall, just to name a few. ** Caption: ACB president Kim Charlson, wearing a blue-and-green floral print dress and dark sunglasses, stands on stage and speaks into the lectern mike. The blue-and-white ACB banner is just visible behind her head, hanging from the top pole of the pipe-and-drape setup. ***** Bidding ACB A Very Fond Farewell and Reflecting on the Last Seventeen Years by Melanie Brunson (Editor’s Note: To hear the audio version of Melanie’s report, visit http://acbradio.org/acbconvention2015 and choose the Wednesday general session.) Most readers of “The ACB Braille Forum” have probably heard by now that I have decided to leave my position as ACB’s executive director at the end of September. That means that this article will reach you just before I leave. I hope you will indulge me for a few minutes while I share some thoughts with you about some of the events that have stood out in my mind as highlights of our work together over the past few years. I also want to take a moment or two to thank all of the other people in our offices and our contract personnel who have worked so diligently to help me do the tasks you ask your paid staff to do. Many of these thoughts were shared with the ACB convention attendees in July during my report to the convention in Dallas, so much of what follows is taken from that report. The year since our conference and convention in Las Vegas has been a good year in the ACB offices. Before I talk about the events of the past year, I want to take a few minutes to acknowledge the outstanding people that work with me in both of ACB’s offices. First, I hope all of you have an opportunity to meet our newest employee, Kelly Gasque. Judging by the applause I just heard, I think many of you already have. She joined our staff in March and has really become a tremendous asset to ACB. Eric Bridges and I have told her she can’t leave. She is stuck with us. Thank you, Kelly. And speaking of Eric, the longer I work with Eric, the more impressed I am by his passion for advocacy, his commitment to ACB, and his intellectual agility. Eric is one of the most thoughtful and creative people I know, and we are very fortunate to have him as a member of ACB and a part of our staff. The other person who is vital to the functioning of our office and our organization is of course our editor, Sharon Lovering. Sharon is in many ways the voice of ACB, both on our telephones and through each issue of the Forum. Sharon is always upbeat and always ready to lend a hand on any project. When Francine Patterson resigned at the end of last year, it took awhile to find Kelly, our administrative staff person, and so when it came time for midyear, Sharon helped Eric and me get all of the materials ready while she was still working on membership lists and “The ACB Braille Forum.” We have a great team in the Arlington office. And we have another great team in our office in Brooklyn Center, Minn., headed by Lane Waters. Lane, Nancy Becker, Lori Sarff and Dee Theien are superb stewards of an amazing amount of detail about ACB, its members, its donors, its financial assets, and its activities. I have yet to come across a challenge these folks can’t tackle with efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness. In fact, they also took on extra work this past February to help us with the midyear meetings. Nancy Becker even took on a snowstorm so that she could join Lane in Washington and help us with registration during the midyear meetings. I’m sure all of you who attended know how much of a help that was to the rest of us because of the great way that registration was handled, and once again, at this convention, the Minnesota office staff has demonstrated the attention to detail and commitment to a professional, high-caliber performance in their operation of the convention registration office. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tremendously dedicated and talented staff who care deeply about ACB, its work and its members. Please join me in thanking them for another year of great work. There’s another group of people who contribute greatly to the success of work done by both ACB’s staff and volunteers, and don’t get acknowledged nearly as often as they should. These are people like Larry Turnbull, who directs ACB Radio and keeps all of our computer networks and servers running smoothly; Annette Carter, who administers our web site; Joel Snyder, who directs our Audio Description Project; and Fred Brack, who administers that project’s web site; Tom Tobin, our development director; and Jo Steigerwald, who has written numerous grant proposals for ACB during the past two years. All of these people have demonstrated repeatedly that their work for ACB isn’t just a job to them; it’s a labor of love. I want to thank each of them for sharing so much of their talent and themselves with ACB. One of the things that I’ve had conversations with several staff members about this past year is how frequently we leave home in the morning thinking, “The day ahead will be pretty routine and uneventful, and it’ll be a great day to catch up on all the ordinary office work” only to have that routine shattered totally by unforeseen events. One example of that happened earlier this year. Eric got a phone call from a reporter that totally changed the course of his day, to some extent mine, and even to some extent Kim Charlson’s. The reporter wanted a comment from ACB about a news story that none of us had yet heard. The story was that a blind child who was about 8 years old had been disciplined for allegedly hitting another child with his white cane while on a school bus. The discipline that the school principal had decided to impose was to take the child’s cane away and give him a pool noodle in its place. You know those long foam rubber things that are usually very brightly colored but are also pretty flexible and I would guess, as a former cane user, not particularly useful for the sort of things you would use a cane for. Later the principal said that the child only had to use the pool noodle while sitting on the bus, but was allowed to have his cane while actually walking around. But that fact, if it was true, was not evident at the time the story was broadcast all over the Internet and on morning TV news programs. When we received the call we all started reading those various accounts of the story, and Eric gave comments to the reporter, after which he and Kim and I conferred about a statement. ACB issued a press release, which was posted on our web site and social media. This was a great opportunity to tell the news media and the general public about both the purpose for which white canes are used by people with visual impairments and their value to the user, both of which had led us to the conclusion that the punishment that was issued to this particular child was greatly out of proportion to the nature of the offense that he had allegedly committed. Very few other children would be required to give up their means of independence for engaging in the conduct that he had engaged in. That does not justify the conduct; what we said was it is simply that the punishment that was issued to him should be appropriate to the offense that was committed. That afternoon, the school principal issued a statement to the press announcing that the child’s white cane had been returned to him, and that he would be able to use it during school and while traveling to and from school. I don’t know how large or small a part we had in bringing about that decision, but if we had done nothing, I do know we would have had no part. So I like to think we helped that child regain his independence and his dignity. We’ve seen many other instances throughout the past year where we have had an opportunity to influence, for good, the lives of other people in both small and large matters. Some of those opportunities are still ongoing, and the results are yet to be determined. It is that sort of occurrence that has made all of our lives so exciting and so rewarding as part of your staff, and I’ve had a lot of occasions over the last few weeks to think of similar instances that have occurred during my entire time with ACB. As most of you probably know by now, this is the last time I will stand here and report to ACB during a convention as your executive director. On June 3rd I announced that I will be leaving ACB’s staff at the end of September. I don’t have any detailed plans just yet, except that one thing I know for certain is that regardless of whatever else I do, I will continue to do something that involves advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities, and the issues that ACB in particular has been involved in. I can’t stop that. I believe in inclusion of people with all disabilities in all parts of our society. I believe in the dignity of each life. I believe that each person has a right to help shape his or her own destiny, and I believe that in order to do that we all need choices and we all need the same choices that people without disabilities have, and I want to continue to work to make that a reality. I hope to do that work by staying where I am in the Washington, D.C. area and am looking for an opportunity to do that, but if I don’t find it there, my husband and I may hit the road in our recreational vehicle, see the country a bit, and look for other opportunities to help the cause in other parts of the country. In any case, I expect to have some interesting adventures as I enter into a new chapter of my life. As I have thought about this approaching new chapter, I have also thought back over the last 17 years that I’ve worked for ACB. I recall the first time that I reported to a convention as your executive director in the summer of 2004. And I remember making reference to a famous statement that was made by Sen. Robert Kennedy when he was running for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 1968. That statement went something like, “Some men see things as they are and ask why. We dream things as they ought to be, and ask ‘why not.’” I noted that one of the things I liked about being a part of ACB was that we’re not afraid to be among those who ask “why not.” Little did I know what amazing results our willingness to ask that question would bring forth over the next 17 years. When the federal court in Washington, D.C., said the Federal Communications Commission could not mandate audio description on television, ACB asked “why not?,” and the eventual result was the passage of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. When states and local governments around the country started saying there was no way they could provide people who have visual impairments with ballots that were just as private, independent and verifiable as those cast by voters who have vision, we asked “why not?,” and we kept asking “why not?” until we saw the passage of the Help America Vote Act and its being signed into law by the President. When the Social Security Administration said they couldn’t send letters to people who can’t read print in alternate formats that they could read, we asked “why not?” and the result was a court order requiring them to do exactly that. And when the United States Department of the Treasury wouldn’t even talk to us about ways to design bank notes in a manner that would enable people with visual impairments to tell which denomination of bank note they were holding in their hand without assistance, we asked “why not?” and so did several judges of the federal court system, both at the district and appellate court levels. And now we’ve seen the first step toward provision of meaningful access to bank notes in the launch of the money reader distribution program during our convention in 2014, and we’ve just been told that we could have accessible currency by 2020. These are just a few examples of some incredible things I’ve gotten to see ACB accomplish during my time as your executive director. Sometimes we were fortunate to be a part of some tremendous coalitions that helped us make these things happen, such as the COAT coalition that wrote the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act and shepherded it through the legislative process. But sometimes we’ve gone out on limbs pretty much on our own and asked “why not?” and advocated for what was right until we got results. It is that kind of tenacity, commitment and just plain love for doing the right thing that I’ve seen demonstrated throughout this organization over and over again. I’m not just talking about staff now. I’m talking about all of you, those in this room and those listening on the radio and those who can’t be here at all. From the phone calls concerning tenants of apartment buildings who come home with their first guide dog all excited and ready to go only to find a notice from their landlord saying there will now be extra charges added to their rent because of the presence of the dog, and the help that many of you have given to those people, to the calls to Congressional offices you have made seeking support for legislation, we’ve gotten results because many of you have joined with us and been willing to help bring our message to people all over the country and around the world who needed to hear it. That’s what has kept me here for so long. As I prepare to leave my professional role in ACB, I want to thank each of you for all that you have done. Staff can only do so much. But all of you have a role to play that is just as vital to ACB’s future as anything we do in the offices. And I just want to say thank you for every bit of it. It has been a tremendous privilege to know so many people as friends and to work with so many of you as advocates. I cherish the memories, and I will always consider this an incredible experience. So thank you for every part you’ve played in making the time that I’ve spent at ACB the incredible privilege it has been for me. Thank you! ** Caption: Chris Gray presents Melanie Brunson a bottle of Vom Fass olive oil while Mitch Pomerantz, rear center, watches. ***** Looking Back on Dallas by Janet Dickelman Thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving as the 2015 conference and convention coordinator for the American Council of the Blind. The Sheraton Dallas, home to ACB in 2015, was a phenomenal venue. The staff was so welcoming and helpful. Everyone, from housekeeping and restaurant staff to the hotel general manager Mark Sanders, got involved assisting attendees find meeting rooms, elevators and restaurants. If you attended the GDUI luncheon, the fantastic woman who collected tickets and money was our convention services person Ann Renneker. Jenny Smith from sales wants to take vacation next year and volunteer in Minneapolis! Deb, Heather and Cheryl of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau worked tirelessly to prepare the city of Dallas for our arrival, conducting training with the airports, local police, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and so much more to insure that convention attendees had a great experience in Dallas. I certainly can’t coordinate this convention without the help of my convention family, the convention committee. Margarine Beaman worked her magic to make sure our accessibility needs were met and that everyone had a good experience at the airports and with the shuttle. Sally Benjamin had a great group of volunteers, which we certainly kept busy! Michael Smitherman made sure the exhibit hall and Marketplace ran smoothly from start to finish. Vicky Prahin was a great source of convention information and a huge help formatting restaurant menus prior to the convention. Lane and the registration staff made a huge endeavor look easy! Once again Michael Fulghum organized some outstanding tours. It is with much sadness that I announce he has resigned as tour coordinator due to work and family considerations. Our Dallas host committee really went the extra mile; with all the items they obtained for the goody bags and the great Texas-sized welcome party, they showed us all that everything is indeed bigger in Texas! Now it is on to Minneapolis in 2016! Our conference and convention home will be the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Convention dates are Friday, July 1st through Saturday, July 9th. Room rates at the Hyatt will be $89 plus tax. Stay tuned for reservation details. ** Staying in Touch If you were subscribed to the convention announce list in 2015, you will automatically receive 2016 convention updates. If you were not on the list, send a blank e-mail to acbconvention-subscribe@acblists.org. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments at janet.dickelman@gmail.com, or by phone, (651) 428-5059. ***** ACB Stars Shine Bright in Dallas, Part I by Ron Brooks, Judy Wilkinson, and Denise Colley (Editor’s Note: Look for part II of this article in next month’s E-Forum.) ** Sunday The opening session of the 54th annual ACB conference and convention started right at 7 p.m. The Buffalo Soldiers of the American West presented the colors. Stuart Swartz, president of the Dallas chapter of the ACB of Texas, gave everyone a Texas-sized welcome. ACB president Kim Charlson then gave her presidential address. “We are a part of a dynamic and democratic organization,” Charlson began. She spent the next 40 minutes acknowledging the work of ACB’s national staff, board of directors, board of publications, committees and affiliates, and summarizing a long list of accomplishments in which the ACB has played a part during the past year, including: • ACB provided comments on a number of critical pieces of legislation, including: the Workforce Investment Opportunities Act; a Notice of Proposed Rule-Making by the U.S. Access Board dealing with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act; comments to the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the importance of audio description; and comments regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s National Equipment Distribution Program. • ACB launched a new Annual Giving Society, through which 193 ACB members and supporters have contributed more than $201,000, and a new Legacy Society, which will encourage people to remember ACB when doing their estate planning. • In partnership with JPMorgan Chase, ACB has developed a new capacity-building initiative. This year, this new program enabled 21 individuals to attend the midyear meeting and legislative seminar. • With assistance from JPMorgan Chase, ACB produced a video documentary called “BlindAbility: Willing, Able and Seeking Opportunity,” which chronicles the workdays of four people who are blind and deaf-blind. The described video is available on ACB’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/embed/5e5payf2QMc. • ACB and Google entered into a collaboration through which Google is beginning to assist ACB by providing analytical tools which ACB will be able to use to increase our Internet presence, to improve our ranking on Google, and to increase our visibility as a resource on blindness issues. • In January 2015, ACB and CVS used structured negotiations to reach an agreement whereby customers of Caremark (CVS’s prescription delivery service) will be able to receive medications along with talking, large print and/or braille labels. • With input from ACB, Rep. Carolyn Maloney of Florida has introduced H.R. 729, the “Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Devices Act of 2015.” This bill, if passed, will establish a pilot project to demonstrate the positive impacts of Medicare coverage of low-vision technologies. Contact your Congressional representatives to urge support for this bill. • ACB worked with D.C.-area TV station WUSA to catch taxicab operators denying access to individuals who travel with guide dogs. Four D.C. cab companies are facing legal action. • Through ACB’s ongoing advocacy and legal action against the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the bureau has committed to including tactile features on the new $10 bill, slated for release in 2020. • Thanks to the efforts of ACB’s Facebook and Twitter teams, the organization’s social media presence continues to grow. ACB has more than 1,300 Facebook followers, and the number of Twitter followers continues to grow. • ACB will be launching its own app for the Apple operating system in early 2016. It will link individuals with ACB chapters and affiliates. Next, attendees heard from Tom Gibbs, senior vice president of Vanda Pharmaceuticals, who thanked ACB for its partnership with Vanda in its efforts to develop a treatment for the circadian disorder known as Non-24. He talked about the development of Hetlioz, a prescription drug which the Food and Drug Administration has approved for the treatment of Non-24. For more information, visit www.non-24.com. Following Vanda’s presentation, Charlson and Lane Waters presented ACB life memberships to Gordon Dykes of Tennessee, Linda Dykes of Tennessee, Shirley Marshall of North Carolina, Bruce Radtke of Washington, and Kim Venable of Louisiana. Then the convention viewed the “BlindAbility” video described earlier. Afterward, Allen Casey, chair of the DKM First-Timers’ Committee, introduced the two first-timers: Shirley Stivers of Kentucky and Todd Fahlstrom of Minnesota. Jean Mann, chair of the credentials committee, presented the first credentials report. She stated that two affiliates, ACB Human Service Professionals and ACB Students, were not seated because they did not provide the required membership information. Two other affiliates, Visually Impaired Veterans of America and ACB Government Employees, fell below the threshold required to retain their status as active affiliates of ACB. The session concluded with the roll call of affiliates. ** Monday Margarine Beaman, advertising and sponsorship coordinator, introduced all the jewel sponsors. She stated that convention sponsorships brought in $63,500. Jean Mann presented her final report. Three affiliates – Maine, Vermont and Virginia Association of the Blind – were not seated. The standing rules and the program were adopted. John Huffman, chair of the constitution and bylaws committee, gave his initial report. Four proposals for amendments would be considered. One would fix the procedure for counting partial terms served with regard to the three-term limit on the board of publications. A second proposal dealt with the number of officers and directors from a single state. Amendments 3 and 4 dealt with the newly adopted record date mandated by the D.C. statute under which ACB is incorporated. Jeff Thom introduced awards committee co-chairs Chelle Hart and Chip Hailey, who presented the Affiliate Growth Award to Blind Information Technology Specialists, for its growth of 117.78 percent. Honorable mention went to Delaware. The Affiliate Growth Award for the greatest number of new members (92) went to Guide Dog Users, Inc. The Affiliate Outreach Award went to the Columbus, Ohio chapter for its People Helping People project to assist residents of central Ohio in purchasing adaptive equipment. The George Card Award was presented posthumously to Walter Spillum, who died in April. Oral Miller accepted it on behalf of his family. Indonesian by birth, Spillum spent much of his life in Japan, where he founded the Echo Society to educate blind people. Denise Colley, chair of ACB’s board of publications, stepped up to present awards. The Hollis K. Liggett Award for a state affiliate or chapter newsletter produced at least semi-annually went to “The Ohio Connection,” the quarterly publication of ACB of Ohio. The Ned E. Freeman Award for an outstanding article went to Susan Glass for her article, “Best Audio Holiday Season Ever” (March 2015). A very surprised Susan made her way from the very back of the hall and spoke of the honor of sharing with and contributing to our community. Thom then introduced Dallas city councilman Adam Medrano, who read a proclamation from Dallas Mayor Michael S. Rawlings, welcoming the convention to the city. The convention then heard from Dr. Rose-Mary Rumbley, a historian and former schoolteacher, who enthralled us with stories about the Big D. Did you know that Dr. Pepper came from Dallas? Dan Roberts, director of MD Support, described the ongoing experimenting with the LowViz Guide. The concept was born at the Las Vegas convention and, thanks to funding from MDF president/director Liz Trauernicht, ACB members got to test the app in Dallas. Tracy Wright, director of content operations for Netflix, spoke of Netflix’s ongoing efforts to provide audio description. She played a sample from “House of Cards” and then informed her listeners that “Daredevil” is now described. She stated that Netflix is committed to creating more audio-described titles and to improving web site accessibility. At this moment there are 84 audio-described titles. In recognition of its efforts, Kim Charlson presented the Audio Description Project 2015 Achievement Award for Media to Netflix. One of Monday’s highlights was the report from NLS. Due to a serious leg injury, Karen Keninger, NLS director, was unable to present. Judy Dixon, NLS consumer relations officer, was an admirable substitute. Thanks to contracts with various audio producers, NLS will add approximately 3,000 titles a year. Conversion of the remaining cassette titles will be completed over the next two years. The library has contracted with several new producers for braille. BARD is adding books from network libraries, too. New features in BARD include: you can add a series to your wish list, and subscribe to know when another book in a series becomes available. The Android app was released June 10, though with no braille support; an iOS update will be released soon. NLS is working on implementation of UEB, which is mandated beginning January 2016. The convention then heard from Shubham Banerjee of Braigo Labs Inc. This young man of 13 just finished 7th grade, and is on his way to developing an affordable, lightweight, quiet braille printer for under $500. As a science fair project, he designed a printer using LEGOs. After his initial experiment went viral, the LEGO Company provided materials. He also obtained help from Intel, and from his father, who has invested his own retirement money. Banerjee commented on how noisy our press room printers were. He didn’t think it was right for people to make a lot of money helping people, especially those in the developing world. RSVA sponsored Banerjee’s appearance at the convention, and president Dan Sippl presented him with the Innovation and Inspiration Award for his tremendous innovation and spirit of social justice in developing an accessible braille printer. ** Tuesday Tuesday morning began with sponsor recognitions. Mike Godino gave the nominating committee report. Mark Richert read a resolution honoring Walt Spillum, which passed. John Huffman gave the first readings of two proposals, one dealing with the number of officers and directors from any one state, the other dealing with voting eligibility and the record date. The first program item of the morning was the awarding of ACB scholarships by Michael Garrett, ACB scholarship committee chair. A diverse group of 18 students from all over the country was awarded ACB scholarships, and it was heartwarming to hear a little about the educational direction each one was heading. (See “The 2015 ACB Scholarship Winners: Stars Shining Bright into the Future” in next month’s issue.) After the scholarship presentations, the convention heard from Stuart Ishimaru, Director of the Equal Opportunity and Fairness Division of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He discussed “The Americans with Disabilities Act 25th Anniversary: Thoughts along the Journey.” The CFPB is responsible for ensuring that consumers have timely and understandable information to make responsible decisions about financial transactions, and for protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive or abusive acts and practices, and from discrimination. One of Ishimaru’s previous jobs was working in Congress, where he worked on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it was being considered and enacted. He also worked for the Department of Justice, and was a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for nine years. He talked about the state of the disability movement at the time of the passage of the ADA and the hard work and teamwork that went into the creation and implementation of this landmark civil rights law. In enacting the ADA, Congress recognized that physical, sensory, cognitive or intellectual disabilities in no way diminish a person’s right to fully participate in all aspects of society. However, these same people are frequently precluded from doing so because of prejudice, antiquated attitudes, or the failure to remove societal or institutional barriers. The passage and success of the ADA has been about grassroots advocacy. Even as we have seen the courts narrowing the protections of the ADA that Congress had clearly laid out in 1990, limiting its effectiveness, it’s the grassroots that helped bring about the 2008 ADA Amendments Act, which brought back the fundamental protections we fought for 25 years ago. The convention next heard from Kevin Lynch, president and CEO of National Industries for the Blind, about 21st century jobs for people who are blind. While NIB still manufactures a lot of the products that the federal government needs, it has also branched out to more exciting opportunities in the areas of services. NIB has been able to take advantage of advances in access technology to open up more manufacturing jobs, as well as professional services positions. In NIB’s Contract Management Support Program, blind people are trained as contract specialists to help the government close out its backlog of contracts. Today NIB employs over 150 people in this program, and within the past 5 years these individuals have closed out over 220,000 contracts and identified more than $830,000,000 worth of de-obligated funds. NIB is getting ready to launch another program, which will train people to work in the areas of cyber security. They are also looking to launch an entrepreneurial program where they can establish opportunities for individuals who want to run and own their own businesses. The final presentation of the morning was an update on ACB’s Audio Description Project from Joel Snyder. Seven of the eight Academy Award-nominated movies for best picture this year were audio-described. The FCC established an advisory council with a video description subcommittee. ADP has written a letter to Warner Brothers, asking them to provide audio description on all their DVDs. The White House contacted Snyder, asking that its audio-described tour be updated due to some significant renovations; ADP will update that tour. Snyder’s presentation ended with the announcement of the winners of this year’s Audio Description Project awards. (See “American Council of the Blind Announces Winners of the 2015 Audio Description Awards” in next month’s issue.) ** Captions: Denise Colley, left, presents Susan Glass with the Ned E. Freeman Award. Susan, wearing a denim jacket overtop a dark green blouse and convention name badge, smiles broadly as she prepares to take the microphone. Shubham Banerjee, wearing a dark gray suit, blue shirt and red tie, talks about the braille embosser he built out of LEGOs for a science project. He’s standing on stage behind the lectern microphone; the ACB banner is visible behind his head. Stuart Ishimaru, wearing a dark gray suit with a beige shirt and a navy tie with gold and white diagonal stripes, speaks into the lectern microphone on stage. He talked about the ADA and the hard work that went into the creation and implementation of the law. ***** Holidays in September by Carla Ruschival It’s time to begin planning ACB’s fourth annual holiday auction, coming up in early December on ACB Radio. The 2014 holiday auction was a huge success. Packed with holiday treats and great gift ideas, the auction raised over $11,000 for ACB Radio, up from $5,000 in 2013. The ACB Radio staff and holiday auction committee are once again teaming up to bring you a wonderful shopping experience and the perfect opportunity to support ACB Radio! But we need your help now in order to make the 2015 auction a success. Individuals, chapters and affiliates, and businesses are invited to contribute items to the holiday auction. Some examples of popular items include candy, cookies and other holiday treats; jewelry; sports memorabilia; handcrafted items; unusual musical items; gift certificates; and holiday gift items. All items donated to the holiday auction will be displayed on our auction preview pages, available by mid-November, and all donors will be acknowledged both on the web site and on ACB Radio during the auction. Donors and winning bidders will also be spotlighted in “The ACB Braille Forum” in early 2016. Let us know that you plan to contribute item(s) to the auction by Oct. 1. Share a description of each item with us so we can begin creating information for the preview page. Then send all items, except homemade goodies, to our Minneapolis office by Nov. 1 so that we may take photos and post them to our preview pages. For more information on donating items to the ACB Radio holiday auction, contact Carla Ruschival, chair, at (502) 897-1472 or carla40206@gmail.com, or Brian Charlson, vice chair, at (617) 926-9198 or brian.charlson@carroll.org. Thanks in advance for your generous help and support for ACB Radio. ***** Welcome Back, Students: A Message from the ACB Students President by Tiffany Jolliff It is September, and students, including myself, have all begun filing back into our respective classrooms for another year. As we embark on another year of late nights and term papers, I want to ask you to take a moment and join ACB Students. We have a brand-new board this year, filled with fresh faces and energy. I will be serving as president until June of 2016. Minh Ha has joined the board for her first term as second vice president. Sarah Wiles has begun her second term as secretary, and Ty Littlefield has taken on the duties of treasurer in addition to his webmaster responsibilities. We are committed to accomplishing some big tasks this year. This year is all about building relationships, both with and outside of our affiliate. We have established two new e-mail lists to foster communication between the board and our members. Our general discussion list, located at www.acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/acbs-l, allows students to talk with each other and the board regarding any educational challenges or triumphs they might be experiencing. We have also set up an ACBS-announce list, www.acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/acbs-announce, which provides the board the opportunity to send major announcements to subscribers without added discussion. We also maintain our Twitter page, @ACBStudents. You can also find us on Facebook by searching for “ACB Students.” In addition, every board member now has an established e-mail address strictly for ACB business. Each board member’s role is followed by @acbstudents.net. For example, I can be reached at president@acbstudents.net. We want to enhance our relationships with and learn from other affiliates within ACB. You will all be hearing from us in the coming months. I feel that the students have a bright and successful year ahead, and we cannot wait to present a strong showing moving forward. If you know of students in your state and special-interest affiliates, please send them our way. We would love to invite them into our great affiliate. Here’s to the coming year, and all of its great opportunities! ***** Affiliate News ** Oklahoma Convention Come join us at the Oklahoma Council of the Blind state convention! It will be held Sept. 25-27, 2015 at The Tower Hotel, 3233 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City, Okla. Room rates are $65 per night plus tax, single through quad; make reservations by Sept. 18. Our theme this year is “LIFE, Learning Is for Everyone.” For more information, contact Vicky Golightly, vgolight@yahoo.com. ** MSCB State Convention Would you like to experience West Virginia in October? The foliage is beautiful in the mountains, and the weather is usually great! Come and be a part of the Mountain State Council of the Blind 2015 state convention, Oct. 9-11. It will be held at Alpine Lake Resort in Terra Alta, W.Va. We have an informative program planned, along with exciting social events. David Trott, an ACB board member from Alabama, will be our banquet speaker. Room rates are $55.80 per night (plus tax). To make hotel reservations, call 1-800-752-7179 or (304) 789-2481. Make your reservations before Sept. 25, and be sure to mention that you are with the Mountain State Council of the Blind to get this rate. For more information, contact Donna Brown by phone at (304) 940-0292 or by e-mail at dandmbrown@atlanticbb.net. ** Pennsylvania State Convention in the State Capital The Pennsylvania Council of the Blind (PCB) will hold its 80th annual convention Oct. 15-18 at the Harrisburg-Hershey Crowne Plaza Hotel in Harrisburg. The theme of the conference is “Independence: A Collaborative Approach.” The convention, through individual presentations and panel discussions, will support independence and emphasize the significance of others in achieving it. There will also be an audio darts tournament, a banquet whodunit dinner theater presented by a PCB chapter, and a tour to a brewery. All are welcome to join us! Rates at the Harrisburg-Hershey Crowne Plaza Hotel are $89 per night, plus tax. Harrisburg is easily accessible by plane, bus or train. To reserve a room, call (717) 234-5021. For information, or to register, call or write the PCB office at (717) 920-9999, toll-free 1-877-617-7407, e-mail pcb1@paonline.com. Our goal is to empower, educate and entertain. Set your sights for Harrisburg in October for a great convention! For the most up-to-date information and online registration, visit www.pcb1.org/state-convention/. ** D.C. Convention in October The District of Columbia Council of the Blind (DCCB) will hold its annual convention on Oct. 24 at the National Education Association’s conference center, 1527 M St. NW in Washington, D.C. Planning is well under way for the one-day event. Some of the presentations being considered include technology, transportation, legislation, and recreation. There will be exhibits as well as door prizes. For more information, contact Richard Nuanes, convention chair, at (202) 364-0159, or via e-mail, rjnuanes@gmail.com. ** Join ACB Families, Get a Chance to Win a Holiday Gift Card! ACB Families is an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. We assist families who experience blindness or vision loss by providing peer support, information, education, and friendship. Our activities include informational meetings and conference calls on family-related topics ranging from financial planning to accessible gift ideas and holiday traditions, and fun, family-friendly activities at the ACB conference and convention. We provide partial support for the Kids’ Explorers Club, which provides fun, safe and supervised activities for children attending the convention. We maintain a free e-mail list where members and friends can discuss blindness issues of special concern to parents, children, and other family members. ACB Families is having a pre-holiday 2016 membership drive. Become a member of ACB Families by Oct. 31, 2015, and you will be entered into a drawing for two free holiday celebrations. First prize is a $100 gift card, and second prize is a $50 gift card. Dues are just $8 a year. Send your 2016 dues by Oct. 31 to: ACB Families, Adam Ruschival, Treasurer, 148 Vernon Ave., Louisville, KY 40206. Join our conference call at 9 p.m. Eastern on the fourth Sunday of each month by dialing (605) 475-6333 and entering code 1711553. Subscribe to our free e-mail list by visiting www.acb.org and following the e-mail lists link, or by sending a blank message to families-subscribe@acblists.org. For more information about ACB Families, contact Ron Brooks, president, at (602) 616-1171 or acbfinfo@gmail.com. ** 2015 Joint Indiana and Ohio ACB State Convention The American Council of the Blind of Indiana (ACBI) and the American Council of the Blind of Ohio (ACBO) are coming together for a joint convention. The theme is “Together We’re Better!” The convention will take place in Cincinnati, Ohio Nov. 6-8, 2015. We are planning a convention where almost anyone will find something interesting, from concurrent sessions to vendors new and familiar, or a fun activity to an engaging speaker with every convention meal, there will be something to stimulate and delight! There will also be an auction. The convention will begin with the Friday keynote speaker, Greg Daniel. Greg gained recognition in the 1970s for being the first blind person to become a member of the Ohio State University marching band. He worked for over 35 years as a computer programmer and software tester at the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services, currently known as the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, but music has continued to play a major role in his life. The Saturday night banquet speaker will be Kathy Nimmer. She was Indiana Teacher of the Year and a national finalist for Teacher of the Year in 2015. Kathy is blind and has been teaching in the public schools for more than two decades. She currently teaches 10th grade English in West Lafayette, Ind. Kathy will also engage us in an interactive session on Sunday morning. The convention will be held at the Garfield Suites Hotel in downtown Cincinnati. The hotel is located at 2 Garfield Pl., Cincinnati, OH, 45202; phone (513) 421-3355. The deadline for room reservations is Oct. 10. This hotel offers suites instead of individual rooms. Each suite includes a living room, dining area, fully equipped kitchen, bath, and either one or two bedrooms. Those on the east side of the building include a balcony. One-bedroom suites are $89 a night plus tax; two-bedroom suites, $119 per night plus tax. The program will be available on each affiliate’s web site. Online registration will be available on ACBO’s site at www.acbohio.org. The auction list will be posted on ACBI’s site at www.acb-indiana.org in late October. If you have any questions, call 1-800-835-2226 or send e-mail to acbo.director@gmail.com or acbindiana@gmail.com. ***** 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. ** Alliance for Braille Literacy Meeting The Alliance for Braille Literacy will hold its third annual meeting Oct. 16-18, 2015 in St. Louis, Mo. The meeting will begin with a celebration in honor of Dr. Abraham Nemeth’s birthday on Friday at 7 p.m. and conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. Meeting sessions will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the offices of the Missouri Council of the Blind, 5453 Chippewa St., St. Louis, MO 63109.The meeting is open to all members of ABL and those who support braille literacy in the STEM fields. If you plan to attend or if you wish to receive meeting handouts after the event, please register at www.all4braille.org or contact Imke Durre at imke.durre@gmail.com. Registration is free. ** Amtrak Celebrates 25th Anniversary of the ADA With input from station owners and stakeholders from the disability community, and state and federal officials, Amtrak has taken many significant steps to improve the travel experience for passengers with disabilities – from trip planning, to purchasing tickets, to station access, to on-board services. Since the ADA was enacted, Amtrak has improved accessibility at many stations, including repairs and upgrades to platforms, ramps and sidewalks, and renovating entrance ways and restrooms. All trains have accessible seating and restrooms, and long-distance trains have accessible bedrooms. Amtrak is enhancing mobility by installing passenger information displays (PIDs) in audible and visual formats, installing or rebuilding station entrances, restrooms and ticket counters, as well as ensuring accessible pathways between the parking lot, station building and platform. Through the remainder of this year, Amtrak will complete accessibility projects at stations in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Prince, W.Va.; Williston, N.D.; Devils Lake, N.D.; Stanley, N.D.; Rugby, N.D.; Winona, Minn.; St. Cloud, Minn.; Red Wing, Minn.; Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Havre, Mont.; Glasgow, Mont.; and Malta, Mont. ** Envision Seeks Research Fellows Envision seeks two additional postdoctoral research fellows to design and execute research projects in conjunction with the Envision Research Institute (ERI). The new fellows will be sponsored by Bosma Enterprises of Indianapolis and LC Industries, Inc., of Durham, N.C. These research fellows will work on their respective studies for up to two years, partnering with mentors at Envision and at renowned educational, research and medical institutions around the world. Their work puts them on a fast track to independent and impactful research careers, and provides a nurturing environment in which they can strive to pinpoint solutions to improve the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired. For more information, visit www.envisionus.com/Research-Continuing-Education/Envision-Research-Institute. ** Sonar Glasses Now Available SONAR GLASSES, by G-Technology Group, are a new assistive tool designed to increase mobility independence for blind and visually impaired people. The glasses complement the white cane by providing information regarding the location of nearby objects above waist level within 6 feet of the user (e.g. tree limbs, signs, walls, etc.). The glasses work based on echolocation. The detection range of the glasses is set to 6 feet, and it can be customized. If an obstacle is detected, a subtle vibration in the temple warns the user of the nearby object. If the object is closer than 3 feet, the vibration intensity increases. Glasses are available with clear or dark lenses. The glasses have 100% UV protection. Prescription lenses and photosensitive lenses are also available. The glasses are shipped with a head strap, battery charger, and two rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The glasses are made in the USA and are backed with an unconditional 1-year warranty and satisfaction guarantee. For more information, contact Jeff Shad, G-Technology Group, at (571) 297-4756, or via e-mail, jshad@g-technologygroup.com. You may also check the web site, www.g-disabilityproducts.com. ***** High Tech Swap Shop ** For Sale: Brand-new MacBook Pro with 64 gigs of memory, 10” non-retina display, trackpad, charger, the mail application, Mac 10.5 preloaded, VoiceOver already activated, the pages application, the latest version of Safari browser, a built-in microphone and web camera, a Bluetooth headset with built-in wireless microphone, Bluetooth wireless keyboard, extended Applecare technical support for the life of the device and extended 4-year warranty. Asking $2699.99 for the device plus pre-purchased insurance. Also asking for a security deposit of $199.99, and $699.99 for express delivery. Accepting payment by Bitcoin and cashier’s check only. Contact Alexander Scott Kaiser by Twitter, e-mail, braille, phone, or Skype: Alexander Scott Kaiser, 52 Meadowbrook Rd., Brick Township, NJ 08723-7850; Skype number (732) 523-2699, home (732) 202-6795; e-mail Mister.Alexander.Scott.Kaiser@inbox.com; Twitter www.twitter.com/askaiser1990; Skype Mister.Alexander.Scott.Kaiser. ** For Sale: Three Perkins braille writers from Howe Press. Two have been overhauled, one needs repair. One has a hard case; asking $350. The other has a soft case; asking $325. Asking $175 for the one that needs repair. Victor Reader Vibe digital talking book reader; plays DAISY and MP3 files. Asking $150 or best offer. Contact Cyndie White at cyndie.ma@netzero.net, or phone (413) 684-3089. ** For Sale: Book Port DT, two and a half years old. Comes with charger. Asking $200. Contact Bob Rite at (585) 530-2267, or e-mail him, bobrite@pmpmail.com. ** For Sale: BrailleNote Apex BT 32, bought in March 2014 with the latest updates. A couple of cells are weak, but it is still under an extended warranty that expires in March. Includes Executive Products case. Asking $2,800 plus shipping or best offer. Contact Allison Fallin at a.fallin1@cox.net. ***** ACB Officers ** President Kim Charlson (2nd term, 2017) 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** First Vice President Jeff Thom (2nd term, 2017) 7414 Mooncrest Way Sacramento, CA 95831-4046 ** Second Vice President John McCann (1st term, 2017) 8761 E. Placita Bolivar Tucson, AZ 85715-5650 ** Secretary Ray Campbell (2nd term, 2017) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ** Treasurer Carla Ruschival (3rd term, 2017) 148 Vernon Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 ** Immediate Past President Mitch Pomerantz 1115 Cordova St. #402 Pasadena, CA 91106 ** ACB Board of Directors Jeff Bishop, Tucson, AZ (partial term, 2016) Berl Colley, Lacey, WA (final term, 2016) Sara Conrad, Stevensville, MI (1st term, 2016) Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH (1st term, 2018) Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX (final term, 2016) George Holliday, Philadelphia, PA (final term, 2018) Allan Peterson, Horace, ND (final term, 2018) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (1st term, 2018) Dan Spoone, Orlando, FL (1st term, 2016) David Trott, Talladega, AL (1st term, 2018) Ex Officio: Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA ** ACB Board of Publications Denise Colley, Chairman, Lacey, WA (2nd term, 2017) Ron Brooks, Phoenix, AZ (2nd term, 2017) Tom Mitchell, Salt Lake City, UT (1st term, 2016) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (1st term, 2016) Judy Wilkinson, San Leandro, CA (1st term, 2016) Ex Officios: Nolan Crabb, Columbus, OH Bob Hachey, Waltham, MA Berl Colley, Lacey, WA ***** RETURN TO: American Council of the Blind 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 ** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by e-mail, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (231) 460-1061. To subscribe to the e-mail version, visit the ACB e-mail lists page at www.acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, data CD, and via e-mail. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (231) 460-1061. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from http://www.acb.org/bf/.