The ACB E-Forum Volume LIV February 2016 No. 8 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 (605) 475-8130. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2016 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201 ***** Table of Contents President’s Message: Eating and Web Accessibility, by Kim Charlson Microsoft, American Council of the Blind Partner to Advance Accessibility Sneak Preview of Tours in Minneapolis, by Janet Dickelman Paths to Leadership: The Traditional and the New, by Allen Casey Holiday Auction Thank-You’s, by Carla Ruschival A Tribute to Ida Scotti, by Yvonne Michaud Schnitzler The Things I Do Today, Part 1: A Plethora of Possibilities, by Paul Edwards Passings Hero Dog Team Helps GDUI, by Annie Chiappetta Affiliate News Hearing in New York City Blind Hunting Report I Am Your Customer Campaign Launched in Canada, by John Rae ACB Gets Fresh with Tupperware! 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. ** The ACB Radio Café features the work of blind artists 24/7 at www.acbradio.org/café. ** ACB Radio’s Main Menu is the talk of the town when it comes to technology; check it out at acbradio.org. ***** President’s Message: Eating and Web Accessibility by Kim Charlson You might be wondering, “What does web accessibility have to do with eating?” Well, today, more and more restaurants are posting their menus online (searchable with Google), or through food review and delivery services such as Grubhub, Beyondmenu.com, or Yelp’s eat24hours.com. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like anything to get between me and my dinner, least of all an inaccessible menu on a web site. ACB continues to work with restaurant chains to ensure that their menus are posted on their web sites, and that the sites and the menu are accessible and usable. This includes the app that many chain restaurants make available to customers. Most recently, ACB has worked with Denny’s, one of the country’s largest restaurant chains, to make their web site and mobile applications accessible and easier for all customers to use. Denny’s web site and mobile application have been designed to meet accessibility standards, making them available to all patrons, including those with disabilities. Denny’s worked with ACB and blind customers on this initiative. Lisa Irving, a long-time Denny’s patron in southern California, was involved in the effort. “Denny’s is my neighborhood restaurant,” said Irving, “and I appreciate improvements the company has made to its web site and mobile applications. I wish more food establishments would follow Denny’s lead.” Denny’s new web site and its mobile application are designed to meet guidelines issued by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) (www.w3.org/wai). The guidelines, which do not affect the content or look and feel of digital content, ensure that information is accessible to people with visual and other disabilities. The guidelines are of particular benefit to blind computer and mobile app users, who use screen-reader voice output or magnification technology, and who, like others, rely on a keyboard instead of a mouse for computer navigation. For the past five years, advocates have been waiting for regulations to be released by the Department of Justice clarifying requirements for access on web sites and other online applications. Recently, ACB, along with other blindness organizations, worked with several U.S. senators, most notably Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, to urge the Office of Management and Budget to clear the regulations so the DOJ can move forward and publish them. They are long overdue. Below you will find the announcement of the letter signed by nine fellow senators and the OMB letter, too. Access to the web is one of the most vital issues ACB is working on. It means access to just about everything — not just eating, but shopping, education, employment, government services, health care, and just about every aspect of one’s life. ACB will continue to work on this critical issue! ** Senators Urge Obama Administration to Release Proposed Rules for Internet Access Under the Americans with Disabilities Act WASHINGTON (Dec. 21, 2015) – Last week, Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) led a group of eight other senators in a letter to the Obama administration calling for the prompt release of rules that would clarify and support access to information and communications technology (ICT) under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Unfortunately, because the ADA predated the information-technology revolution, the statute and its implementing regulations lack sufficient clarity on the question of ICT accessibility. This ambiguity has resulted in individuals with disabilities facing frequent and unacceptable barriers to Internet access and information and communications technology. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) also signed the letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). “Far too many entities covered by current ADA regulations are not taking appreciable actions to support ICT accessibility, exploiting the current lack of regulatory clarity,” write the senators in the letter to OMB. “By approving publication of DOJ’s proposed ICT regulations, the administration can demonstrate its commitment to the ADA and ensuring that individuals with disabilities are able to take full advantage of 21st century ICT.” … Dave Power, president and CEO of Perkins School for the Blind, stated, “Perkins School for the Blind applauds the efforts of Senators Markey, Warren, Brown, Booker, Mikulski, Blumenthal, Cardin, Durbin and Franken as they urge OMB to approve publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by DOJ that advances the promise of making digital resources accessible to all, including people with disabilities.” Kim Charlson, president of the American Council of the Blind, commented, “This proposed rulemaking is a critical step forward toward allowing equal access to information such as online job applications, distance learning and online banking. It will allow Americans with disabilities to maximize opportunities to work, learn and engage in society.” … The OMB letter is reprinted below: ** Dec. 17, 2015 Shaun Donovan, Director Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Office of Management and Budget 725 7th St. NW Washington, DC 20503 Dear Director Donovan: We are writing to urge the Office of Management and Budget to complete its review of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) more than five years ago, which clarifies the obligations of entities covered by Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to make their websites, online systems, and other forms of information and communication technology (ICT) accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. [1] Although current ADA regulations include general requirements regarding communications accessibility, they do not establish specific requirements or technical compliance standards for ICT. An update of the ADA regulations to reflect the current role that ICT plays is past due. DOJ has correctly recognized that “access to information and electronic technologies is increasingly becoming the gateway civil rights issue for individuals with disabilities” and that “we must avoid the travesty that would occur if the doors that are opening to Americans from advancing technologies were closed for individuals with disabilities because we were not vigilant.” [2] Consistent with those views, in July 2010, DOJ issued an ANPRM in which it expressly recognized the need for greater clarity in the ADA regulations regarding website accessibility: “In order to improve and accelerate web accessibility, it is important to communicate the applicability of the Americans with Disabilities Act to the web more clearly, with updated guidance.” [3] While review of the ANPRM has been pending, DOJ has entered into settlement agreements with particular institutions of higher education, state and local governments, and public accommodations (e.g., retailers and hospitality providers) requiring that their websites and online systems are accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities in accordance with internationally recognized technical compliance standards. [4] That strategy is laudable, but these settlements apply only to the parties to the agreements. Far too many entities covered by current ADA regulations are not taking appreciable actions to support ICT accessibility, exploiting the current lack of regulatory clarity. It is time for OMB swiftly to complete its review of the ANPRM and ensure that, under the proposed rules, ICT is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities in conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 AA. Additionally, the proposed rules approved by OMB should include international accessibility technical standards, and when compliance with those standards does not provide a disabled individual an effective and meaningful opportunity to benefit from the ICT, the standards should require covered entities to make reasonable modifications on a case-by-case basis, unless the modification would impose an undue burden on the covered entity. Furthermore, consistent with the ANPRM, the proposed rules should clarify that public accommodations that provide goods and services only online are covered by and subject to the ICT accessibility requirements of ADA Title III, consistent with longstanding DOJ interpretations. [5] By approving publication of DOJ’s proposed ICT regulations, the administration can demonstrate its commitment to the ADA and ensuring that individuals with disabilities are able to take full advantage of 21st century ICT. We urge you to do so promptly. Sincerely, United States Senators: Edward J. Markey Elizabeth Warren Sherrod Brown Cory A. Booker Barbara A. Mikulski Richard Blumenthal Benjamin L. Cardin Al Franken Richard J. Durbin ** Footnotes: 1) http://www.ada.gov/anprm2010/web%20anprm_2010.htm; see http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201510&RIN=1190-AA65; http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201504&RIN=1190-AA61 2) http://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/principal-deputy-assistant-attorney-general-civil-rights-samuel-r-bagenstos-testifies 3) http://www.ada.gov/anprm2010/web%20anprm_2010.htm 4) See, e.g., http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-enters-settlement-agreement-peapod-ensure-peapod-grocery-delivery-website; http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-enters-consent-decree-national-tax-preparer-hr-block-requiring 5) http://www.ada.gov/anprm2010/web%20anprm_2010.htm (citing National Federation of the Blind v. Target Corp., 452 F. Supp. 2d 946, 953 (N.D. Cal. 2006) (finding in website-access case that “[t]o limit the ADA to discrimination in the provision of services occurring on the premises of a public accommodation would contradict the plain language of the statute”). ***** Microsoft, American Council of the Blind Partner to Advance Accessibility To read this press release on our web site, visit www.acb.org/microsoft-accessibility. REDMOND, Wash. and ARLINGTON, Va. – Dec. 17, 2015 – Microsoft Corp. and the American Council of the Blind (ACB) on Thursday announced they will partner on efforts to advance the accessibility of information technologies. Through the partnership, ACB and Microsoft will work together to enable planned updates to various Microsoft products to better meet the needs of persons with visual impairments. “To deliver great solutions for people with disabilities, accessibility must be central to our culture and an integral part of how we design and build Microsoft products,” said Rob Sinclair, chief accessibility officer at Microsoft. “By working with the ACB, we will gain valuable user insights about our experiences. This will help us deliver more powerful assistive technology as well as more inclusive and empowering experiences to help every person on the planet achieve more.” The partnership will provide a more consistent flow of information and dialogue between Microsoft and ACB. It better enables Microsoft to deliver on its mission of empowering every person on the planet to do more, and responds to customer requests. The response from all those involved about the renewed partnership and future work has been incredibly positive. “Having access to information through accessible technology is critical for our members as they pursue education, employment and perform everyday tasks,” said Eric Bridges, ACB’s executive director. “We are pleased to build on the previous engagements we’ve had with Microsoft, and we look forward to working more closely with the teams to review and test new features and upgrades. We encourage interested parties to follow the progress of these efforts at ACB.org.” ***** Sneak Preview of Tours in Minneapolis by Janet Dickelman Correction: The telephone number in the November article for paratransit was incorrect. The correct phone number is (651) 602-1111. Don’t just dream about being at the ACB 2016 conference and convention; come to Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, and be a part of the excitement! The city of Minneapolis and the Hyatt Regency Hotel are getting ready for ACB’s arrival. By the time you read this article, plans will be well under way for the 2016 convention! Convention dates are Friday, July 1st through Saturday, July 9th. Opening general session is Sunday evening, July 3rd. This is always a very exciting and moving evening. Daily general sessions are held Monday through Thursday (7/4 through 7/7) and all day Friday, July 8th. We are working on obtaining an amazing speaker for our banquet Friday evening. Our exhibit hall opens on Saturday, July 2nd and will remain open through Wednesday, July 6th. This is a must-visit area filled with items of technology, health, daily living and recreation. *** Tours, Tours and More Tours! Full tour descriptions will be listed on the convention registration form and will be sent out to the convention announce list. In order to assist with your convention planning, what follows is a list of tours by day. ** Friday, July 1st 1. Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum: Whether you were a fan of the “Little House” books or just enjoy learning about life as a pioneer, this tour is for you. The museum has numerous hands-on memorabilia, you’ll learn many bits of history and you’ll love the gift shop with everything “Little House,” including Charlotte (Laura’s doll), and Jack the Ingalls dog! While we are in Walnut Grove, Minn., we will visit a sod dug-out, have a chance to walk along a prairie trail with prairie grasses and wildflowers, take a driving tour of Walnut Grove, including a stop to ring the bell that Pa donated to the church, and have lunch provided by Nellie’s Deli in authentic lunch pails. We will stop in New Ulm and have dinner at Turner Hall, the oldest bar-restaurant in Minnesota. On the way back to the hotel, we will visit Minnesota’s largest candy store in Jordan. The store features any candy you can imagine, from the old-fashioned penny candy to fudge. You can also find any type of pop, along with mustards, jams, salsas, cheeses, mixes for breads and cakes and homemade pies, and more! 2. Dinner Minnesota style: Visit a local establishment for a great dinner sure to include, among other things, Minnesota’s most popular fish, walleye. Don’t worry, meat lovers; there will be plenty of options for you, too! ** Saturday, July 2nd 1. Guthrie Theater: An audio-described performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” This tour includes lunch and a sensory tour, which will allow patrons to explore some of the props, costumes and set pieces used in the musical. 2. City bus tour: Sit back in comfort as your guide describes the sights of the city. 3. Mall of America: Shop ‘til you drop! Shuttles will be provided from the hotel to the mall. ** Sunday, July 3rd 1. Fishing experience: What could be better than fishing on a lake in the land of 10,000 lakes! The early bird catches the worm as you fish with a guide in a four-person boat on Lake Minnetonka and participate in a fishing contest. Breakfast will be provided. 2. City bus tours: Sit back in comfort as your guide describes sites of the city. 3. Canterbury Downs: Enjoy horseracing and lunch in our own private suite at the racetrack. 4. Franconia Sculpture Park: Accessible to all. This is an active artist residency where artists live, create, and exhibit three-dimensional artwork in a singular location. Explore the 43-acre sculpture exhibition of 100+ large-scale sculptures. Visit with Franconia’s artists in residence in the outdoor studio and learn about works in progress. Discover the ideas, concepts, themes, and processes of the work with behind-the-scenes information from your tour guide. ** Monday, July 4th 1. Hot air balloon tour: A sunrise hot air balloon ride where you will float along at treetop level in the Saint Croix River Valley. 2. Mall of America: More shopping! 3. Beach party: Join ACB for a late afternoon visit to a local lake and a picnic dinner. ** Tuesday, July 5th 1. Cathedral tour: Visit the Cathedral of Saint Paul and the Basilica of St. Mary’s. Both churches are over 100 years old and chock-full of history. Lots of hands-on artifacts; we may even get to hear the pipe organ played! 2. Bakken Museum of Electricity: This is a unique experience to learn about the history of electricity through many hands-on exhibits. There is even a short film depicting how Frankenstein was developed by author Mary Shelley. There is a great gift shop with lots of fun science items. 3. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: Enjoy lunch and strolls through sensory gardens, fragrance gardens and a tram ride through the arboretum. 4. Minnesota Twins game: Visit Target Field for an evening of fun when the Twins take on the Oakland A’s! Your ticket will include a $15 food voucher to use at any stadium concession stand. ** Wednesday, July 6th 1. The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting: During the 20th century, radio and television helped transform America from a collection of far-flung regions to a nation knit together with a common culture. This museum is jammed with broadcasting artifacts that tell the story. From old radios and equipment to numerous broadcasts and air checks, the museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in radio history or broadcasting! 2. Candy tour: Knoke’s Chocolate! A great way to spend an afternoon. Knoke’s is just a short drive over to Wisconsin. You can enjoy homemade chocolates, 32 flavors of ice cream, and assorted nuts and other confections. While part of the group is sampling these delights, you will be able to visit shops in the area, gift shops, dress shops, an art museum, and much more. If you are feeling adventurous, you can walk down a couple of blocks and enjoy the sights along the St. Croix River. ** Thursday, July 7th 1. Hot air balloon tour: A sunrise hot air balloon ride where you will float along at treetop level in the Saint Croix River Valley. 2. Minnesota State Academy for the Blind and Minnesota Library 3. Concert in the park: Take a stroll around Lake Harriet or just enjoy being outdoors. After supper at the lake, enjoy a musical performance at the band shell. 4. Tour to be announced. ** Saturday, July 9th 1. Brewery tour: Visit Summit Brewery for a personalized tour, including how beer is brewed, beer sampling, a special tasting of hops, malt and other beer ingredients, and wrap it up with a visit to the gift shop. This tour will also include lunch at a local diner. 2. Mississippi riverboat cruise: End your week with great food and friends while cruising down the Mississippi. ** Scheduling Events When scheduling an event at the 2016 conference and convention, please keep the following times in mind. Breakfasts begin at 7:00; lunches begin at 12:15. There are five afternoon session times: Session one (1:15 to 2:30) is reserved for special-interest affiliates. Sessions two (2:45 to 4:00) and three (4:15 to 5:30) are open to special-interest affiliates and ACB committees. Sessions four (5:45 to 7:00) and five (7:15 to 8:30) are available to affiliates, committees and others not affiliated with ACB. If you wish to schedule programs or activities in Minneapolis, including activities outside the hotel, you need to make all arrangements, including reserving meeting rooms, ordering food or audio-visual equipment, etc., by contacting me directly at (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. In order to be listed on the registration form, information must be submitted to me by April 1st. ** Stay Connected Once again this year the convention announce list will be filled with information about the convention. Subscribe to the list today by sending a blank e-mail to acbconvention-subscribe@acblists.org. If you’ve been on the list in the past, you need not subscribe again. Don’t have e-mail? No problem! Convention updates will also be featured on ACB Radio and by telephone through Audio Now at (605) 475-8130. ** Hotel Details Room rates at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis are $89 single or double. There is an additional $10 per night charge per person for up to four people in a room. Applicable state and local taxes are currently 13.4%. For reservations by telephone, call Central Reservations at 1-888-421-1442, and be sure to mention you are attending the ACB convention in order to obtain our room rate. To make reservations online, visit http://www.acb.org and follow the 2016 convention link. ** Convention Contacts 2016 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, amduo@bellsouth.net 2016 advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, oleo50@hotmail.com For any other convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, mailto:janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** Paths to Leadership: The Traditional and the New by Allen Casey As ACB approaches its 55th year, the path to leadership is expanding with an enhanced emphasis on developing new leaders for the future. A special grant will fund a one-year program bringing 10 ACB members with recognized leadership potential to the July 2016 national conference and convention in Minneapolis. Two applicants will be selected for the traditional leadership program, the Durward K. McDaniel First-Timers program, which is entering its 20th year. DKM recipients must satisfy four basic criteria — 18 years of age or older; blind or visually impaired; members in good standing of ACB; and never have attended a national conference and convention. Eligible applicants must be recommended by the president of their respective ACB state or special-interest affiliates. The application process consists of submitting two letters and participating in a telephone interview with DKM committee members. The first letter, submitted by the applicant, will include the objectives in applying to become a First-Timer, a brief summary of the applicant’s background and education, participation in affiliate activities and an assessment of how the DKM program will benefit the applicant and his or her community. The letter from the ACB state or special-interest affiliate president will describe and confirm the applicant’s participation in affiliate and community affairs as well as an evaluation of leadership potential. Telephone interviews will be scheduled with all eligible applicants in mid-April. Additionally, eight applicants will be selected for the new DKM Leadership Award. Recipients must satisfy three basic criteria — 18 years of age or older; blind or visually impaired; and members in good standing of ACB. The restriction on previous conference and convention attendance is waived. Eligible applicants must be recommended by the president of their respective affiliates. The application process for the DKM Leadership Award also consists of submitting two letters and participating in a telephone interview with DKM committee members. The applicant’s letter will include the objectives in 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; description of one’s role as a leader; and an assessment of what one brings to ACB. The affiliate president’s letter of recommendation should address the applicant’s contributions to the affiliate, ACB and community organizations; and describe the applicant’s demonstrated leadership skills and leadership potential. Telephone interviews will be scheduled for mid-April. All 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 Sunday evening, July 3, through the Friday evening banquet, July 8, and to participate actively in all convention activities including the daily general sessions, special-interest presentations, seminars and workshops. Application documents should be forwarded to Kelly Gasque in the ACB national office, kgasque@acb.org. Deadline for receipt is April 1. Questions regarding the application process and required documentation should be directed to DKM chair Allen Casey, mahatmaac@aol.com. ***** Holiday Auction Thank-You's by Carla Ruschival The fourth annual holiday auction, held Dec. 6, 2015, was full of fun and surprises. The holiday auction committee began its work in July. Articles appeared in the “Forum”; notices were posted on ACB e-mail lists requesting donations; and details were reviewed to make the event as smooth and successful as possible. From late September until early November, the phones kept ringing, telling us about great items that were coming from both individuals and affiliates for the auction. It was like Christmas every day as our Minnesota office received deliveries of wonderful items. Descriptions were written, photos taken, and items posted to the auction preview page on the ACB web site. The evening arrived. People all across country had visited the preview page and were ready to bid on their favorite items. The Twitter team was tweeting; Facebook posts had been posted; promotional e-mails were all over the ACB lists. Auction promos had been played for weeks on ACB Radio. The Minnesota office was ready to process payments and ship items to the lucky winners. The auction broadcast team was in place at the iHeartMedia studios in Louisville, Ky. It was 7 p.m. Eastern — holiday auction time on ACB Radio. People were listening on the Internet; people were listening on the phones. Kim Charlson, ACB president, was on the air, welcoming everyone to the big event. It was time for the bidding to begin. Bidding was often fast and furious. The auction was scheduled to end at 11 p.m. Eastern. Knowing that this might be difficult to accomplish, we had decided in advance that we would stay on until all items were sold. Six hours later, at 1 a.m. Eastern, we went off the air. The bidding was over; every item had sold. As we walked down the hall from the studio to catch our Uber and Lyft rides home, we speculated that we had at least equaled the 2014 total. At 2:30 a.m., my husband Adam and I finished totaling the successful bids. The final total for 2014 was $11,155. This year, we set a new record for the holiday auction: $13,540. What a great expression of support for ACB Radio! An auction must have two things to be successful — donors and bidders. Forty-five individuals, affiliates and businesses contributed a total of 67 items to the auction (an increase of 11 from 2014). A huge thanks to our generous 2015 donors: ACB Lions; ACB Students; ACB Mini Mall; ACB of Minnesota, Janet Dickelman, Marian Haslerud, Sue Olson, Steve and Bonnie Robertson, and Juliette Silvers; Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss (AAVL); Arizona Council of the Blind; Margarine Beaman; Keri Bishop; Blind Alive; Blind Pride International (BPI); Blind Information Technology Specialists (BITS); Kathy Brandt; Jason Castonguay on behalf of the All-New Main Menu on ACB Radio; Brian Charlson, Kim Charlson and Vicki Vogt; Patti Cox; Dan Dillon; Maureen Foley; Greater Louisville Council of the Blind; Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI); Debbie Hazelton on behalf of the Cooking with the Hazelnuts, Good Energy Mix, In the Quiet, and the new Affiliate Spotlight shows on ACB Radio; Mandi Holley; George Holliday; Illinois Council of the Blind; Connie Jacomini; Kentucky Council of the Blind; Library Users of America (LUA); Sharon Lovering; Marlaina’s Mediterranean Kitchen; Missouri Council of the Blind; Janet Pecorari; Tamika Polk on behalf of the North Carolina Council of the Blind; Carla Ruschival; Tami Sioux Silver Belts and Jewelry; Phyllis Sirrine; Bill Sparks; Shirley Stivers; Jeff and Leslie Thom. Many, many generous people from across the United States bid throughout the evening; 50 extremely generous folks from 20 different states and the District of Columbia won items in the 2015 auction. Those winners were: Bob Acosta, Ruth Ann Acosta, Sue Ammeter, Ann Brash, Donna Brown, Karyn Campbell, Ray Campbell, Jason Castonguay, Brian Charlson, Berl Colley, Patti Cox, Debbie Deatherage, Jim Denham, Chris Devin, Kathy Devin, Janet Dickelman, Paul Edwards, Todd Fahlstrom, Brent Ford, Cari Ford, John Glass, Debbie Grubb, Mary Haroyan, Debbie Hazelton, George Holliday, Connie Jacomini, Richard Johnson, Michael Keller, Marlaina Lieberg, Tyler Littlefield, Barbara Lombardi, Jean Mann, Scott Marshall, John McCann, Barbara McDonald, Oral Miller, Marcia Moses, Rhonda Nelson, Donna Pomerantz, Mitch Pomerantz, Helen Skarpentzos, Dan Spoone, Leslie Spoone, Sharon Strzalkowski, Randy Tedrow, Jeff Thom, Richard Villa, Elaine Weisbard, Sharlene Wills, Gary Wood. As chair of the ACB Radio Holiday Auction Committee, I thank everyone who worked so hard to make this auction a success. A huge thanks goes to committee vice chair Brian Charlson and members Keri Bishop, Patti Cox, Marlaina Lieberg, Larry Turnbull, and Paula Wiese for their help and support; to the entire Minnesota office for their tireless help with item descriptions, photos, shipping and accounting; to ACB web administrator Annette Carter for posting the auction pages; and to iHeartMedia for the use of their studio. A tremendous thank-you goes to the broadcast team, who handled six hours of on-air time and telephone bidding with only one 10-minute break: Patti Cox and Paula Wiese on the phones; Michael McCarty on air with me, keeping listeners up to date on bidding and buying; Michael McCarty, Jim Fenn, and Angie McCarty getting the live feed out of Louisville to ACB Radio; and Larry Turnbull monitoring the entire operation in Illinois. The holiday auction committee is looking forward to the 2016 extravaganza, and we hope you are, too. ***** A Tribute to Ida Scotti by Yvonne Michaud Schnitzler Ida Scotti has experienced life in ways most people only dream. Ida tells friends she was a stowaway when her parents sailed to this country in 1919. Her mother was expecting when the Dante Alighieri dropped anchor in New York Harbor. After graduating from the New York Institute for the Blind, her first job was at the New York Lighthouse, operating the braille press, printing and editing “The Searchlight” and “The Gleams,” magazines for the blind. Because Ida was photogenic as well as gifted with a vivacious personality, she was an ideal person to participate in promotional work. Ida was the “poster girl.” She greeted, entertained, and had her picture taken with many well-known personalities for national and international newspapers and magazines, such as Gene Autry, Vivien Leigh, Helen Hayes, Edgar G. Robinson, David Niven, Rex Harrison, along with countless others who benefited the Lighthouse. With her guide dog Missy, Ida stood under the 59th Street sign in Manhattan as they changed the signboard to read Lighthouse Street for a week. She posed with the owner of the Fiat Automobile Company, who donated a car each year to the Lighthouse for a raffle. Ida often appeared in publicity shots with Gov. Thomas E. Dewey and Mayor Vincent Impellitteri. She shared tea with Mrs. Ed Sullivan and others who expressed interest in the Lighthouse. Ida participated in these publicity events “. . . to show the world, differences should not exclude anyone from living a productive life.” On other occasions, Ida was portrayed sewing pillowcases for the armed forces, and donating blood to the Red Cross, her dog Missy supervising from the cot next to her. Her picture was in newspapers selling war bonds as well as filing her income tax return. She was happy to show that “the blind contributed to society, worked and paid taxes.” However, Ida did not particularly care for her three-foot portrait plastered all over subways and transit buses raising awareness about the Lighthouse and its programs. When she and her sister rode the subway, her sister made sure they never sat under Ida’s picture, even if it meant standing. Ida enjoyed life, especially as a member of a theater group, performing with Broadway stars in numerous stage plays like Tennessee Williams’ “Summer and Smoke” and “Little Women.” She received pages of publicity and accolades. As a blind actress playing sighted roles, she had to imagine herself as a “seeing” person. Reporters were eager to interview her. Ida presented Helen Keller with a corsage. When Ida told Miss Keller she was happy to meet her, Helen placed her fingers on Ida’s lips and cheekbone, and exclaimed in stilted speech, “Very young.” Patty Duke, who played Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker,” visited Ida, discussing various mannerisms of blind individuals. Adept at publicly interacting with people in the news, Ida gave informative interviews on talk shows, lifting people’s thoughts to a higher level, changing ideas and misconceptions concerning blindness. She and Missy were guests on the Steve Allen TV program. They stole the show. As Steve was leading Ida to her seat, he bumped into the desk. He said, “Here I am trying to lead you bumping into everything!” Ida quipped, “Would you like to borrow Missy?” The audience roared. Deciding to follow her parents to Missouri in 1962, she met Durward K. McDaniel, founder of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), who encouraged her to join the Missouri Council of the Blind (MCB). She held offices, influenced legislators, served on boards and committees for MCB. Ida was a representative on the St. Louis Archdiocesan Council, served on the Wolfner Library Advisory Council, and on the Governor’s Committee for Education. She is a lector for her church, visits shut-ins, hospitals, and nursing home patients, alleviating fear in those losing their sight. Ida’s forte is speaking and connecting with students. They better understand the capabilities of the blind and disabled and see them as people like themselves, deserving of respect. She encourages students to cultivate those special friendships. She touches older students on a deeper plane. Her inspiration leads them to view personal problems in a different light. A freshman boy, whose father had committed suicide, had been silent in class for three months. As Ida told her story, he raised his hand on three occasions and asked questions. At the 2003 ACB convention in Pittsburgh, the ACB honored Ida with the Distinguished Service Award “in recognition of her life-long accomplishments onstage and the community. Her work is a shining example to all.” Missouri honored Ida with a life membership at the 2011 convention in Reno. When Ida received the Ellis M. Forshee Award, the MCB’s highest honor, late MCB president Ken Emmons said, “Ida has done so much and lived a remarkable life. She has been so capable and accomplished so much, but she is modest to the point that, even though I have known her for years, I was unaware of most of the things mentioned in her nomination letter. Ida is someone who does for others without seeking glory. She is a wonderful person and a wonderful example.” Charles Crawford, former executive director of ACB, said, “What wonderful tribute to Ida from MCB! She certainly is an extraordinary woman who has done so much to make our world a better place. No wonder Missouri plays such a pivotal role in the history of our blind community. Ida has enlightened, enheartened, and influenced every person she has ever met, whether it was a president of a country, king or queen, a child, an individual on the street, or a lonely person sitting in a nursing home. Her life is one of acceptance, gratitude, and compassion and dedicated to serving, loving, and caring about people.” ***** The Things I Do Today Part 1: A Plethora of Possibilities by Paul Edwards As I write this article, I have a baseball game on in the background. I am currently using satellite radio to listen to it. Essentially, this means Sirius XM radio. It offers me a range of listening options that, for the most part, did not exist 15 years ago. My subscription allows me to listen to every major league baseball, football, basketball or hockey game. I can listen to the Cable News Network, MSNBC, Fox News, the BBC World Service, three public radio channels, 80 or 90 music channels and much, much more! I have over 200 Internet radio stations loaded on my Victor Reader Stream, second edition. I have several programs on my iPhone that allow me to choose from among thousands of listening options. I am currently downloading 15 or so podcasts automatically to my Stream or my phone, and get dozens of newspapers through NFB-Newsline both on my phone and on my Stream just as painlessly. Put simply, I can now get more information every day than I can possibly use, and it has revolutionized some of the ways I spend my time. I am going to use the next few articles to provide more information about some of the things I have talked about so that more of you may have the same problem I have. I have so many options in terms of what I can listen to that I couldn’t possibly access nearly all that I have, even if I worked at it 24 hours a day. I read books using Bookshare, BARD, Kindle, Audible, Librivox, and Ibooks, to name some of the sources I use. I have probably 25 accessible games on my phone. I have four or five GPS programs, a few scanning programs, a couple of money identifiers, a few calendars, a light detector and a whole host of other applications that I can use whenever I choose. Does this seem like information overkill? Perhaps it does to some! For me, instead, it represents diversity and choice. Oh, and did I mention that I have almost 5,000 songs on my phone and several music-playing programs? The truth is, oh best beloved reader, I can choose to read in braille, using high-quality speech synthesis through Voice Dream or listen to human readers. I am writing this article using a notetaker, and my notetaker allows me to access Facebook, Twitter, play music, listen to radio stations, download podcasts, and on and on and on. I probably spend more time with all these toys than most people do because I can! I’m retired now and I never slept much anyway. But, even though you don’t have to be a constantly connected nerd like I am, you should be able to know what’s out there, and ought to know how to do the things I do. I don’t have to depend on American news sources. I can get my news, and do, from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and a whole range of other countries that make online information available in English. When I was growing up, I did some of the same things using shortwave radio. However, reception was iffy and sunspots would often make reception questionable. While stations occasionally go silent for a few seconds, for the most part, everything I listen to is crystal clear. The quality of the books I receive is essentially “publisher” good! So, stay tuned over the next few issues for articles about podcasts, Internet radio, satellite radio, Voice Dream, and other stuff too! But don’t blame me if you get less sleep and can’t turn the stuff off. It is addictive to have access to the world, and I don’t want to kick the habit! I do not consider myself an expert on any of the subjects I am going to be writing about. I hope that one of the things that will happen is that what I write will prompt others who know more than I do to write about their experiences and their approaches. I will be telling you about the way I deal with things and will provide my understanding of how things work. I have not been a real technology guru since DOS went away, which is a very long time ago. The other issue I will deal with, to a degree, concerns platforms. My next article will be about satellite radio, so the problem will only arise to a minimal extent. For other articles, there are more devices than you can shake a stick at that can do what I will be talking about. I will try to provide some information about which they are, and talk a little about how each works. I do not intend to provide detailed instructions for most things, but I hope that the advice I give will help folks be more prepared to take the plunge! Devices change too, and so do applications. I will be writing about the current versions of both software and hardware. I will tell you what I use, but inevitably there will be changes that will invalidate some of what I will say. That is the way life is in today’s ever-changing digital world, and I have no intention of going back and correcting outdated details. So, now I have another thing to do with my day! I get immense fun out of what I do! I want more of you to try some of the things I like doing. Let me know what you like and don’t like! If I am making people mad or frustrated, I need to know it. I may not be too old to change! So come with me! Let me tell you what I know and what I think and what is good and what is bad about the things I do today! ***** 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. ** William “Bill” Acker May 1953-Aug. 23, 2015 William “Bill” Acker of Denver, Colo. died Aug. 23, 2015 due to complications of prostate cancer. He was 62. Originally from New York, Bill attended the Lavelle School for the Blind, graduating in 1972. He moved to Colorado in 1979 to take a job with Mountain Bell. Bill was profiled in “Exploding The Phone,” a book about phone phreaking, written by Phil Lapsley. He spent 27 years at Mountain Bell, and was married to Lenora for 29 years. ** Smithey Raeburn “Rae” Stubbs Ingley Mrs. Smithey Raeburn “Rae” Stubbs Ingley, age 97, died Oct. 14, 2015 at Bethany Nursing Home in Vidalia, Ga., after a brief illness. She was a native of Tampa, Fla., living most of her life in Macon, Ga., and the last 15 years in Vidalia. She was a musician and choral music instructor for the Georgia Academy for the Blind, and a former member of the Wesleyan College faculty (director of the chorus, member of the voice faculty). Rae began her musical career as a student of the late Conrad Murphree in Tampa. After two years as a student at Wesleyan Conservatory in Macon, she transferred to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., studying under Arthur Kraft and receiving her bachelor of music and master of music degrees. She was awarded the Artists’ Diploma from Eastman, the highest award presented by the school for performance. Rae was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Ingley Jr.; sisters, Valerie Stubbs McCutchen and Daisy Stubbs Mickler Dickerson; and brother, William Oscar Stubbs. She is survived by her sons, Dennis (Theresa) Ingley of Vidalia, Paul (Susan) Ingley of Rock Hill, S.C., and Alan (Dawn) Ingley of Atlanta; grandchildren, Jared (Avani) Ingley of Atlanta, Dyson Ingley of Atlanta, Lauren (Trey) Ellis of Nashville, Tenn., Cara Ingley of Dawsonville, Ga., Jon Ross Ingley of Athens, Ga., and Megan Ingley of Greenville, S.C.; and great-grandchildren, Simran Ingley and Kieran Ingley. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Methodist Home for Children and Youth, PO Box 2525, Macon, GA 31203; Georgia Academy for the Blind, 2895 Vineville Ave., Macon, GA 31204; or Sweet Onion Animal Protection Society, PO Box 210, Vidalia, GA 30475. ** George Illingworth George Skene Illingworth, age 87, passed away Oct. 19, 2015 after a brief illness. Born in Detroit, Mich., George was blind from birth. He attended the Michigan School for the Blind and the Perkins School for the Blind. He worked for American Community Mutual Insurance until his retirement. George was active in the Plymouth (Mich.) Lions Club, the Philomatheon Society of the Blind, and many other organizations advocating for the disabled. George moved to Canton in 2011 and joined the Jackson Lions Club. He was a member of John Knox Presbyterian Church and a volunteer with Walker Grade School. He loved teaching the students about blindness and overcoming disabilities. George was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Suzanne Sirak Illingworth, and his brother, Leonard Illingworth. He was the beloved uncle of Gail (Ron) Arenstein, Gary (Linda) Sirak, Jane Sirak, and Mark (Marsha) Sirak. He was the uncle and great-uncle of many nieces and nephews. ***** Hero Dog Team Helps GDUI by Annie Chiappetta True heroes are those who don’t identify with being one; they perform extraordinarily under pressure or attain great things despite tremendous odds. Many of us know not just human heroes but also canine heroes. One such canine, Shara, an elkhound, is a dog who has been nationally recognized for her efforts. This year, the American Humane Association’s Hero Dog Awards presented Shara and her partner, Chris Church-Diciccio, top honors in the National Guide and Hearing Dog Division. Thanks to them, GDUI was presented with a $2,500 donation for being chosen as the team’s charity partner. GDUI has been registered with the Hero Dog Awards since 2012, but this is the first time the affiliate has received a charity partner donation. GDUI president Penny Reeder says, “GDUI is grateful to Chris Church, and, of course her hearing dog partner, Shara, for naming our organization to receive the cash prize that accompanies the award. We expect to pay Ms. Church’s generosity forward as we use the funds she and the American Humane Association have awarded GDUI to advocate for the rights and well-being of guide dog users across the country.” According to the association, “The American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™ are an annual, national competition that searches out and recognizes America’s Hero Dogs – often ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things, whether it’s saving lives on the battlefield, lending sight or hearing to a human companion, or simply providing the tail-wagging welcome a pet owner relishes at the end of a hard day. Dogs compete in eight categories for the Hero Dog Awards: Law Enforcement Dogs, Arson Dogs, Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Military Dogs, Search and Rescue Dogs, Guide and Hearing Dogs, and Emerging Hero Dogs (the category for ‘ordinary’ dogs who do extraordinary things). The Hero Dog Awards celebrate the powerful, age-old bond between dogs and people – and give recognition to courageous acts of heroism performed by our four-legged best friends. After more than one and a half million votes by the American public nationwide, winners in each category are flown to Hollywood with their human friends to attend the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™ gala in Los Angeles. There they walk the red carpet, are recognized in video tributes, receive their Hero Dog category award statue and are in the running to become the year's top American Hero Dog.” For more information on the AHA’s Hero Dog Awards, visit www.herodogawards.org/. ***** Affiliate News ** ACB Diabetics in Action Seeks New Members Are you a diabetic? Do you know someone who is? Are you a member of ACB Diabetics in Action? No? Well, now is the time to think about joining! ACBDA’s dues are only $10 per year. When you join, you will receive the newsletter in the format you would like. To join, send your dues to treasurer Donna Seliger, 915 Ashworth Rd. Apt. 208, West Des Moines, IA 50265, and be sure to include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address, along with your format preference for our newsletter (e-mail, large print, braille or cassette). Dues need to be in Donna’s hands by Feb. 15. We are beginning to work on our schedule for the ACB annual conference in July. Keep reading the Forum to learn the details. ** GDUI’s Summer 2016 Drawing Opportunity Would you like to win a prize and help a special-interest affiliate at the same time? Guide Dog Users, Inc. is holding a drawing at the 2016 ACB convention in Minneapolis to raise funds to help GDUI members attend the 2017 national convention. What could I win, you ask? The grand prize is $1,500 cash. First prize is a $500 gift card. Second prize is a Bose Wave Radio. Third prize is a Keurig coffee machine. The updated prize list is now available on the GDUI web site, www.guidedogusersinc.org. The drawing will take place during the GDUI luncheon on July 6th. You need not be present to win! To participate, contact Guide Dog Users, Inc. at 1-866-799-8436. ** Missouri Wins Award In mid-November, the Missouri Council of the Blind received the Shine the Light Award from the Independent Living Center in Joplin, the ILC’s highest honor. Missouri president Denny Huff and executive director Chris Gray went to Springfield, where they were interviewed for a film that was presented at the award ceremony. To view the video, go to http://cp.mcafee.com/d/2DRPos92hJ5xwsqen7D6rCXCQrEFFIcec3zqdQkQS61NEVpdEThjjoosoudEThjd7bz35QPpmiLm9X4-Bo0FrUBpgFM04SJYiIEkU02rs7eI-MU_R-h79TshvWZOWtS4upsKOMUeVqWdAklrIIsG7DR8OJMddECQjtPtPpesRG9pxjA8Rm8l3-nOC5DU4PU7CzAIbf8cN3Y6VkFlKcxWtNaHsbif7FTtH4uDupfNWtNA-k41WtN8iVlpwAwutsToD6l0kHkwva2700jqrzwUS86dywq80BF-CQrCQ4_0wFCvJUFA. ***** Hearing in New York City A book, “Unsung and Unstoppable,” edited by Janine Shea, currently being marketed on the Internet, profiles about 50 people with disabilities who volunteer as tour guides for an organization calling itself Big Apple Greeter. Ken Stewart has been with the organization since its start in 1992, and was honored as its Volunteer of the Year once. Here is the entry from “Unsung and Unstoppable” about Ken. ** Experience: Exploring the Sights through Other Senses Ken Stewart was born with macular degeneration (lack of central vision). Over the years, he has experienced additional vision loss, but that hasn’t stopped him from working as a greeter for Big Apple Greeter and being a prolific writer and advocate. Ken is one of 50 Big Apple Greeter volunteers with disabilities who love to explore their favorite parts of New York City with visitors. The organization launched its Access program in 1993 to encourage travelers with disabilities to see how accessible New York City can be. Ken chooses to take other blind or low-vision people to the Times Square neighborhood so they can hear many languages. He also takes visitors to the Staten Island Ferry for the squeak of the sea gulls and the clang of the bell buoys. But his favorite neighborhood of all is the subway system. “Subways and trains are in my blood, since my parents met as employees of the New York Central Railroad,” says Ken. Educating people about disabilities is important to Ken. He has been a contributing author to “Insights into Low Vision” and has written articles for various periodicals on many disability-related subjects. In addition, he is an advocate for transportation accessibility. He strongly believes that a disability is only a minor part of who someone is. In 2004, when the Olympics were in Athens, the Olympic torch was carried around the world. When it came through New York City, Big Apple Greeter nominated Ken and he was chosen as one of the New Yorkers to carry the Olympic torch up Sixth Avenue. A feat for anyone to proud of. ***** Blind Hunting Report As a follow-up to my article in the December edition, I can report that the elk steak did, in fact, taste really good. On the afternoon of Nov. 15, with the help of my companion hunter and the NiteSite device, I harvested a very nice cow elk. We estimated that she weighed about 400 pounds. After pulling the trigger, things got pretty hectic in the hunting blind. Since I wasn’t able to see what was going on, it all seemed sort of surreal until my companion hunter took me outside to where the downed elk lay. We had made only one shot, so it was a clean kill. The whole experience was very exciting. We’re looking forward to many elk steaks, burgers, and chili in our house this winter. If you ever want to experience an assisted hunt such as this, don’t let your vision loss hold you back. I guarantee you won’t regret it. — Tom Lealos ***** I Am Your Customer Campaign Launched in Canada by John Rae (Editor’s Note: John Rae is past president of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC). He lives in Toronto, Ontario.) When we talk about changing attitudes, we are usually focusing on the general public, but, more often than we would like, one of our biggest challenges is revisiting and trying to revise the attitudes of people who make up our own family. Today, I believe that it is time for us to revisit how we perceive ourselves, and to take a look at how we approach the world based on our self-concept. Over the years, we have come to see ourselves as consumers, and this is entirely appropriate. We are consumers. We consume services – rehabilitation services, orientation and mobility services, technology training and more, and we are a part of the broader disability rights consumer movement. Seeing ourselves as consumers has led us to develop heightened expectations of the content and quality of all services that are provided to us, and that is a positive development. But we as blind people are comprised of a wide variety of other characteristics. We are also parents, students, travelers, home owners, renters, workers and would-be workers, and we are advocates. How we see ourselves often greatly affects how we see the world, what we expect from it, and what we try to do to make it more welcoming for us and those who will come after us. We are also customers, though we do not often think of ourselves in this context. We spend our disposable income purchasing a wide variety of products – television sets and audio equipment, stoves, washing machines and other household appliances, groceries, airline, theatre and concert tickets, and a wide range of other products. In each of these situations, we are customers, participating alongside our sighted counterparts in the marketplace. Do we have expectations that paper currency will be identifiable? Do we expect point-of-sale devices, including various kinds of kiosks, to be accessible and usable? Do we expect grocery and other store ads to be easily accessible and readable by us? Are we able to easily use online banking and to make purchases online? The report titled “Why accessibility is good for Ontario,” states: “Currently 1 in 7 people or 1.85 million Ontarians have a disability. By 2036, as the population ages: 1 in 5 Ontarians will have a disability and people with disabilities will represent 40% or $536 billion of the total income in Ontario. “Improved accessibility in Ontario can generate up to $9.6 billion in new retail spending and up to $1.6 billion in new tourism spending. “Getting both businesses and blind people to see us as customers can provide a win-win outcome. The idea makes good business sense, as making information and products more accessible should encourage us to use our increasing disposable income when shopping for products that are more easily usable. And for us, increasing access to regular products and accompanying services will help us integrate more fully into all aspects of regular society, and that’s one of our goals.” For more information on the AEBC’s “I Am Your Customer” campaign, visit www.blindcanadians.ca. ***** ACB Gets Fresh with Tupperware! Many of us have purchased Tupperware for use in our homes for many years. You might have purchased it when a friend hosted a Tupperware party in their home, or you might have hosted a party of your own. Did you know that Tupperware now offers a way for non-profits to earn money to support their good works? The American Council of the Blind, through ACB member Brian Charlson and his Tupperware lady, Maureen Foley, is conducting an online Tupperware party — and you can attend! From now until the end of May, you can go online and order from a select list of Tupperware items, and 40 percent of your purchase price will go to the American Council of the Blind. Your order will be sent directly to your home address, and ACB will receive a generous donation to underwrite the many programs and services it provides its members. All you need to do is follow the steps below and you will not only get a great product, but you will also be supporting the American Council of the Blind. 1. Go to www.tupperware.com/Fundraiser/b/10106844011?ie=UTF8&title=Fundraiser. 2. Move down the page to the “Products” heading and from there you can browse the many items in the catalog. You can click on each item to get a complete description of any item you are considering. 3. At the checkout screen, you will be prompted to create an account and password. All orders placed online will be shipped directly to the customer. Now it’s your turn. Take the time and go online with ACB and Tupperware. ***** 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 E-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. ** Camp Siloam 2016 The Gospel Association for the Blind (GAB) will hold its 14th Bible camping session May 21-28, 2016 at the Golden Cross Ranch in New Caney, Texas. This year’s theme is “For Such a Time as This.” Brother Bruce Coonce will be the morning Bible teacher; evening services will be conducted by Rev. George Gray and a guest preacher. Some of the activities planned for the week include a shopping trip; two Christian films; swimming; a special meeting for camp ladies; a trip to a local carnival; horseback riding and riding the zip line, just to name a few. We also look forward to two talent nights, two hayrides and a closing campfire. A $25 deposit is required. If you are a first-time camper, your remaining cost for the week of camp plus transportation will be covered by the association. Send check or money order to: The Gospel Association for the Blind, PO Box 1162, Bunnell, FL 32110. You will then receive a camp application, which you need to complete, as well as a medical form. All forms must be returned by April 8, 2016. For more information, call the GAB at (386) 586-5885 or e-mail camp director George Gray at geogray@sbcglobal.net. To view photos and information on past camp sessions, visit www.circleministries.com. ** New Low Vision and Braille Math Manipulatives Rounding numbers up to 10,000,000 has been done by students for years. Most strategies include students using paper and pencil, dry-erase board and marker, and a number line to 100. Many students have mastered the skill of accurately drawing a number line and understand the concepts of rounding and estimation. However, with the implementation of rigorous academic standards, students are expected to learn more complex standards in less time. So Jim Franklin, a special-education teacher from Rome, Ga., incorporated the base 10 system into a number line to 10,000,000 and also created strategies for adding and subtracting mixed numbers with different denominators without paper and pencil. With these manipulatives, teachers are able to differentiate instruction for all students. This also gives teachers the flexibility to group students with similar understanding of different rounding standards, maximize instructional time, and meet accommodations stated in their students’ individualized education plans. For more information about other low-vision and braille manipulatives that address the standards of elapsed time, decimals, weight, capacity, and money, visit www.slidearoundmath.com or call (706) 506-8411. ** BANA Meeting Notes The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) welcomed two new representatives to the board —Tracy Gaines and Saul Garza. During its fall meeting, the BANA board reviewed and acted on reports from its 18 committees and considered their recommendations. The board also established the 2016 budget and continued planning numerous projects, including the imminent implementation of Unified English Braille (UEB) in the United States. BANA also unanimously approved a major revision of the music braille code, which will soon be available on the web site, www.brailleauthority.org. U.S. representatives also adopted the following statement regarding braille math and technical materials as it relates to the adoption of UEB: “The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) recognizes and appreciates the genuine concerns from the braille community regarding the transition to Unified English Braille (UEB). BANA stands by our original motion to adopt UEB as a complete code as well as the implementation statement issued in 2014 in which we expressed that the Nemeth Code remains integral to braille in the United States. The Board of BANA could not reach consensus regarding the establishment of a single standard code for technical materials for braille in the United States. The decision to use UEB or the Nemeth Code within UEB context for technical materials should be made based on braille readers’ individual needs.” ** Maps of Texas The Princeton Braillists have recently released “Maps of Texas.” This is a single-volume book of tactile maps, 23 in all, 79 pages total. It includes an overview of the state, as well as individual maps showing cities, rivers, counties, highways, farm and mineral products, and climate. More detailed maps show the area around Houston and around Dallas/Fort Worth. For more information, write to The Princeton Braillists, 76 Leabrook Ln., Princeton, NJ 08540; visit www.princetonbraillists.org, or call Nancy Amick at (609) 924-5207. ** News from Hadley School Envision awarded the Hadley School for the Blind its prestigious Oculus Award. The award is presented annually to individuals or organizations whose careers or programs have had a significant impact on people who are blind or visually impaired through professional collaboration, advocacy, research or education. Hadley’s braille student of the year is ACB member Myra Brodsky of Guttenberg, N.J. Brodsky was not born blind. She developed retinitis pigmentosa later in life and did not learn braille until after she retired. Prior to her retirement, Brodsky worked as a court reporter at the New York State Court System for 35 years. The school recently announced that Chuck Young will retire in May 2016. The management committee of Hadley’s board of trustees has retained Morris & Berger, a firm specializing in non-profit executive searches, in the recruitment. ** Access for JAWS Users Bright Pattern’s cloud call center recently added support for JAWS to its cloud contact center platform. To check it out, visit www.brightpattern.com/call-center-software/for-visually-impaired/. ** Major Merger Freedom Scientific and Optelec have merged to create the world’s largest assistive technology provider for the visually impaired. The two companies have a long history of providing innovative technology solutions that enable blind and low-vision individuals to reach their full potential — to gain an education, obtain employment, succeed in professional careers, and live independently throughout their lives. Both companies were recently acquired by Vector Capital, a San Francisco-based firm that invests in market-leading global technology companies. ** New from National Braille Press National Braille Press now has a new way for you to subscribe your child(ren) to the Children’s Braille Book Club. In addition to its annual subscription, there’s now a more affordable plan: a six-month subscription! For details, contact NBP at the number or address below. NBP has new books and products coming off the press almost every day! Now available are a wide variety of books and other items. “iOS 9 Without the Eye” by Jonathan Mosen is available in braille (2 vols.), BRF, Word, and DAISY. Mosen takes you through the latest enhancements to Apple’s iDevices – for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad – with iOS 9, showing it to be a more powerful, more capable, and more open system than ever before. Learn all about its newest feature, 3D Touch, as well as peek and pop, Apple Music, built-in Apple News, what’s new with Siri, and much more! Also available is “Saturday Morning Quotations,” a spiral-bound braille booklet in UEB. This pocket-sized booklet contains 52 quotes to enjoy all year long, and features an eclectic group of luminaries, from Marilyn Monroe to Wordsworth, Dr. Seuss to Leonard Bernstein. New in kids’ books is “The Book With No Pictures” by B.J. Novak, now available in contracted UEB for ages 4 to 9. It will turn any reader into a comedian, and make any listener laugh out loud! Check out the video at www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/BC1508-NOPICS.html. Got kids or grandkids? Check out “Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes,” at www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/BC1509-PETE.html. It’s available in contracted UEB braille with picture descriptions, for ages 3 and up. Pete is a blue cat who likes moving, grooving, and school. In this book, Pete discovers the library, the lunchroom, the playground, and lots of other cool places at school. Also included are tactile mazes and maps, tips for using a cane and visiting the library, jokes, a song, games, and much more. Check out the free activities online at www.greatexpectations.pub. Each book includes the print/braille book, a free print/braille word search, and an activity checklist. Also available is a magnet in print and braille, with the words “You Rock” on it. For more information, contact National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen St., Boston, MA 02115-4302; toll-free 1-800-548-7323 or (617) 266-6160. Or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. ** Envision’s New Web Site Envision recently debuted its revamped web site, www.EnvisionUs.com. It includes improvements in accessibility as well as more vivid imagery. Improvements in accessibility include optimizing the new site to work with screen readers and magnifiers. A section labeled “Our Stories” introduces visitors to a wide variety of individuals relating how their ties to the organization have had a positive impact on their lives. Other features include quick access to a blog that highlights the people and aspects that make up the Envision community, a calendar of coming events, and a tab to access an online donation form. ***** High Tech Swap Shop ** For Sale: One Kindle reader. Rarely used. Asking $26. Contact Ken at (647) 438-1000 or (416) 900-6231. ** For Sale: PAC Mate 400 with qwerty keyboard. Seldom used. All cables included. Asking $100. Contact Stan Greenberg at (802) 862-5220, or via e-mail, greenbergtheman@gmail.com. ** For Sale: Two Perkins braille writers. One in hard case; asking $325 or best offer. One in soft case; asking $300 or best offer. Both were overhauled by Howe Press. Also selling a Victor Reader Digital Talking Book Player (DAISY/MP3), with power adapter (no directions, earphones or carrying case). Asking $75 or best offer. Contact Cyndie at (413) 684-3089, or via e-mail, 1cyndie.ma@gmail.com. ***** 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 Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY ** 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 (605) 475-8154. 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, (605) 475-8154. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from http://www.acb.org/bf/.