The ACB E-Forum Volume LIX October 2020 No. 4 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** ** Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. ** Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6200 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 155, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. ** Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the “Washington Connection” 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Listen to ACB Reports by downloading the MP3 file from www.acb.org, or call (518) 906-1820 and choose option 8. Tune in to ACB Radio at www.acbradio.org or by calling (518) 906-1820. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial. © 2020 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311 ***** Table of Contents President’s Message: White Cane Travel with Masks, Goggles and Disinfectant Wipes, by Dan Spoone Summary of ACB’s Pre-Convention Board Meeting, by Deb Cook Lewis Mega News from the Mini Mall, by Carla Ruschival How Involving Special-Interest Affiliates Could Increase Your State Affiliate Membership, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Affiliate News Remembering Jeanne Sanders, by Greg Lindberg Passings The Americans with Disabilities Act Turns 30!, by Anthony Corona On the ADA at Thirty, by Peter Altschul Vision Loss, Therapy, and Weight Lifting, by Patrick Raymond Ever Wanted to Do a Triathlon? Dare2tri Can Help, by Tim Paul DARE2TRI: A Triathlon Club for People with Disabilities, by Tim Paul Perseverance and Practice Pay Off in Martial Arts, by Sharon Lovering Swimming Blind and Free, by Bill Henderson Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins High Tech Swap Shop ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she’ll make the changes for you. * ACB Radio, the place to be with people in the know! www.acbradio.org * Got a request? Tune in to ACB Radio Interactive and ask the DJ on duty to play it for you at www.acbradio.org. ***** President’s Message: White Cane Travel with Masks, Goggles and Disinfectant Wipes by Dan Spoone October 15 is White Cane Safety Day and an opportunity for the blind and visually impaired community to celebrate our accomplishments and increase awareness of our capabilities to the broader population. This year presents unique challenges with the COVID-19 virus and the constraints on social distancing with the risk of congregating in large groups for community events. So, how do we advocate and continue to demonstrate our value and capabilities in the middle of a pandemic? The solution might be fairly simple. Leslie and I feel very blessed. We had a chance to take a trip after the ACB convention to our favorite place. Key West is a 4- by 2-mile island at the end of the Florida Keys. It is 160 miles southwest of Miami and only 90 miles from Cuba. Key West is the second oldest city in the United States. It was first settled in 1553, when Florida was part of the Spanish Empire. The city has been destroyed several times by hurricanes and fires. Old Town Key West features over 150 historic homes. The island is adjacent to a large barrier reef that is the home to amazing aquatic life and the Dry Tortugas National Park, which houses Fort Jefferson. Key West has a vibrant art community with live music, galleries, museums and countless open-air restaurants. However, what we find so appealing is the pedestrian-friendly environment. You can walk everywhere you want to go. How perfect for a blind couple! It provides Leslie and I an amount of freedom we have not found anywhere else. We can start our day with a wonderful breakfast only 50 feet from the Gulf of Mexico with live New Orleans jazz piano music. We walk back to our bed and breakfast for a quick look at our ACB emails and then it’s a two-block walk to the gym for a morning workout. After the gym, it’s a short one-block walk to our favorite key lime shop for a smoothie. We spend time at the pool and try to find something new each day to explore. Several years ago, we were asked to speak at the local Lions Club. We talked about accessible voting, audio description and quiet cars. Two weeks later, we received a package from the City of Key West, proclaiming October 15 Dan and Leslie Spoone White Cane Safety Day in Key West. This was really cool, but it really caught us by surprise. What it pointed out to me is that the best way to promote independence, awareness and our capabilities is to live our lives to the fullest. If nothing else, we are conspicuous. People are observing us wherever we go. People see us working out in the gym. They see us navigating the streets to enjoy a meal or listen to music. They see us touring a museum, watching a movie or taking a walk to the beach. In short, they see us as an integrated member of the community. We belong and we are accepted for who we are. This trip was different with the virus. We wore our goggles and masks through the airport and on the plane. There were gallons of hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes at the ready. The music bars were closed, and the city ordinance required all restaurants to close at 11 p.m. The tables were six feet apart, and it was interesting to do the sighted guide dance without making physical skin contact. However, we still had that wonderful sense of freedom, independence and belonging. Leslie and I kept receiving comments on how great it was to see us back in town. It made us feel alive after four months of barely leaving our house. It was such a sense of community! We are now living in a new world. It used to be that you had to check your pocket for your keys and phone before you left the house. Now, you need your keys, phone, mask, goggles, hand wipes, disinfectant spray, gloves and rabbit’s foot to take a vacation, but it’s worth it. We hope you had a good summer. Remember that it is the simple act of living our lives to the fullest that makes the biggest impression. ***** Summary of ACB’s Pre-Convention Board Meeting by Deb Cook Lewis The pre-convention meeting of the ACB board of directors was called to order by president Dan Spoone on July 3, 2020 at 10 a.m. Eastern on the Zoom conferencing platform and ACB Radio. He announced the passing of former board member Berl Colley, and that Denise would not be present. Ray Campbell acted as secretary for this meeting. All board members and staff were present except Denise Colley, who was excused. Janet Dickelman, Debbie Hazelton, Jo Lynn Bailey-Page and Rick Morin were also present. The proposed agenda, the minutes for the April 23 meeting, and the written reports were approved. Mission Moment: Dan Spoone and Eric Bridges thanked the ACB Radio team, the convention committee, ACB staff and countless volunteers who prepared for this virtual convention. Convention Report: Janet Dickelman said there will be a significant number of attendees who have never attended an ACB convention. Janet reviewed the convention schedule through 2023. Jacksonville is under consideration for 2024. The fall board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 13-14. After discussion, it was voted to make the fall board meeting virtual because of challenges to travel and uncertainty about the status of the virus. Jim Kracht moved and Sara Conrad seconded that the board ask the convention committee to look into the circumstances surrounding a program error which resulted in omission of 3 exhibitors, and to consider appropriate action to assist those exhibitors including possible refund. Discussion was that this is within the scope of the convention committee and does not require board action. The motion was defeated, with Jim casting the only “yes” vote. Board of Publications: Deb Cook Lewis reported the BOP will record the newspaper to be aired on ACB Radio mainstream each morning. Thanks to everyone who registered for the newspaper to help the students. There will be no BOP meeting, but there is a program session on accessing ACB and a social event prior to the banquet on the 10th. The BOP received helpful feedback from the Forum on the Forum held in June and will continued our themed issues. This would be an election year for the BOP, so next year members will be elected for a one-year term. The BOP will prepare a convention summary, as required, for the Forum. President’s Report: Dan Spoone explained the EOS organizational methodology training under way with the leadership team, commonly referred to as Traction. There are six elements: visioning and strategic plan; people; data score card; issue resolution; processes; feedback and evaluation. They hope over time to deploy this strategy throughout the organization. Key objectives for this quarter included: preparing for the virtual convention; replatforming the server; management of community calls; financial and development impacts of the coronavirus; establish and launch a communications plan. ACB released a Statement of Solidarity in response to recent community events. Dan emphasized the need to continually work on inclusion as an integral expectation within ACB and discussed organizational demographics on the board, local leadership and on committees. Dan appointed Ray Campbell to chair the ad hoc resolutions process committee established by resolution in 2019. Executive Director’s Report: Eric Bridges reported that server migration is now completed despite many challenges. Thanks to Jeff Bishop and Jason Castonguay for their work with the Louisville Web Group. This reduces the cost for running various cloud services such as web sites and ACB Radio by half and also reduces risk of data loss for the organization. The Alexandria office build-out was completed in June. The Advisory Board will meet in October to come on board with the EOS process. Eric noted that they are individually available to consult in addition to the formal meetings. In May, Eric participated in the Microsoft Ability Summit as a panelist. Anthony Corona joined ACB as a communications intern funded by New York’s vocational rehab services until September. He is developing the ACB Voices blog, conducted interviews for convention, and is integrally involved in ACB’s communications planning. Advocacy Services: Clark Rachfal reported that staff interacted with more than 20 states regarding accessible voting, including assistance with filing complaints and legal action. ACB took the lead on a sign-on letter effort with 75 organizations that went to all members of Congress regarding funding for accessible ballots. A Voting Tool Kit with information about laws and resources will be released soon. ACB is collaborating with Procter and Gamble and with 6 NIB agencies to distribute household cleaning products to blind people identified as being in need during the pandemic. ACB recently negotiated improved access to Patreon, a platform for online communities and content creators. Technical assistance has also been provided to Peloton Interactive to increase accessibility of their exercise bikes, treadmills and streaming content. Claire Stanley said an FAQ of 20 most asked questions has been completed. Affiliates are asked to identify a connection point for peer support referrals. Other expertise is also being identified as referral points. The new resolutions process for 2020 allows draft resolutions to be filed through convention, consideration and ranking by the committee and staff, with final debate, ranking and voting by the board in August. Web and Social Media: Kelly Gasque reported that ACB established a coronavirus response and resources on the website which are regularly updated. Constant Contact is used to disseminate targeted information by email. ACB is now a partner on the Be My Eyes platform and answers I&R calls for 3 hours each day. The ACB Community group was established on Facebook and a blog called ACB Voices will launch after convention. Facebook Live has also been used via Zoom to stream video content. ACB Link has been updated along with updates to the Alexa ACB Radio skills. A communications consultant is developing a strategic communications plan for ACB. Resource Development: Tony Stephens noted that ACB has been fortunate to maintain high levels of financial and resource support despite challenging times. It is important that donors continue to see value for their contributions. How we sell our value is therefore important. A major donor campaign will be conducted in November and December. The grant pipeline is being revised to be more in line with our current needs and ACB’s responses to the pandemic. Dan Dillon spoke about some of the specific efforts undertaken by RDC particularly during convention such as the auction, MMS, the Forum raffle, the walk, Mini Mall, etc. Membership Services: Cindy Hollis talked about the impact of community calls and the teamwork to make it happen. The Community Facebook group is an extension of these calls. Financial Services: The Minneapolis office will move across the parking lot to a more spacious suite after convention. The 2019 audit was conducted with no findings and the Form 990 was filed. ACB’s investments are down for the year but the decrease is less than the overall market drop. The thrift stores were closed in March and April but reopened in May. Unfortunately, an employee has tested positive for the virus, so the Lubbock store is closed for 14 days. ACB expects the Payroll Protection loan to be forgiven because it was used for employees and related expenses as required. David Trott followed with the financial narrative year to date. NELDS Distribution for Florida Council of the Blind: Jeff Thom explained that Florida has actively sought alternatives for accessible independent voting and determined this year that litigation was necessary. Jeff moved and Kim Charlson seconded that the maximum allowable amount of $5,600 be allocated to cover legal expenses associated with the litigation on behalf of the Florida Council of the Blind. The motion passed. ACB Radio: Debbie Hazelton reported that the production team has grown in both number of people producing materials and in momentum since April and in preparation for the convention. Many community calls are being broadcast over ACB Radio, and a new channel has been designated for community events. Main Menu has returned to live format and Tuesday Topics will become a two-hour program after convention. Alexa skills and ACB Link have been updated. Audio Description: Kim Charlson reviewed highlights from the annual report and the agenda for ADP at the convention which includes breakout sessions, prime time events, awards, and audio described events. The meeting adjourned at 4 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 27 via Zoom and ACB Radio. ***** Mega News from the Mini Mall by Carla Ruschival The Mini Mall was bigger than ever at the 2020 ACB virtual conference and convention. So many customers – record-setting sales throughout the convention season. Thanks to all who shopped, and thanks for your patience as the Mini Mall and the ACB Minnesota office worked to replenish inventory and ship all those orders to their new owners. Huge thanks also to Patti Cox and Debbie Persons who, along with me, answered phones and took orders 12 hours each day during the convention; they also spent many hours before and after the convention handling tasks related to the placing and processing of orders. Thanks to Tony Stephens, Debbie Hazelton and the entire ACB Radio team, Sharon Lovering, Janet Dickelman, Cindy Hollis and the ACB Minneapolis office staff – you made this year one to remember. The Mini Mall is filled with useful and fun products such as Path to the Future mugs, magnets, keepsake boxes and T-shirts; techie items like ACB chargers and power banks, wireless earbuds and Bluetooth speakers; totes and bags and organizers; even ACB jackets. New items introduced during convention season include masks in many colors, a weekend duffel bag, designer genuine leather purse, deluxe executive padfolio, roomy backpack, stemless wine tumbler, blanket, fidget cube, tangle puzzle, 5-port USB charger and a Path to the Future latte mug - all with the ACB logo. Our new October catalog is now available in braille and large print upon request; it is included on the November “ACB Braille Forum” cartridge. Digital copies are posted to our email list (see below). For more information, join our email list by sending a blank message to mall-subscribe@acblists.org. You may also email the Mini Mall at mall@acb.org, or call us at 1-877-630-7190. ***** How Involving Special-Interest Affiliates Could Increase Your State Affiliate Membership compiled by Ardis Bazyn Membership and involvement are two common topics in ACB. This summer, ACB’s membership committee held a “Special-Interest Affiliate Showcase” at the virtual convention. Its goal was to familiarize members about the purpose of each special-interest affiliate. When members of state affiliates learn about the type of members these affiliates are recruiting, they can more easily recommend that their members check them out. Some of the ways to have both the special-interest affiliate members and the state affiliate members understand each other is to know how each might help the other in recruiting, in finding programming for both types of members, and in widening the base pool of possible members. When your state affiliate holds its convention, consider asking members of special-interest affiliates in your state to participate. You might ask a special-interest affiliate to create a presentation relating to their affiliate. Someone from the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America could tell members about the Randolph-Sheppard program and how blind or visually impaired people have been able to own their own business or work for a vendor or state agency in the area. A person from the Braille Revival League could give the history of braille and its importance today. Other affiliates such as the American Association of Blind Teachers, Blind Information Technology Specialists, Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs, or the American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys could give a presentation on specific professions. Endless ideas are available for including all special-interest affiliates. Your convention coordinator could offer a time slot for a break-out session. In this way, both special-interest affiliates who wish to increase membership and state affiliates can benefit. Consider putting information about special-interest affiliates in your state affiliate newsletter, on your website, and in your email discussion list. You could ask members from each special-interest affiliate to start a statewide chapter. You could contact the president of each of the special-interest affiliates and ask for information about them. As the membership committee asked for participants for the summer showcase, we requested information from each special-interest affiliate: member requirements, purpose, and what offerings or benefits each had. These could include a quarterly or occasional newsletter, email discussion list or announce list, educational website, or regular conference calls. For a copy of the handout, contact Ardis Bazyn, abazyn@bazyncommunications.com. It is available as an email attachment, large print, and braille. ***** Affiliate News ** Georgia Convention Goes Virtual The Georgia Council of the Blind board met on Aug. 1 and voted to cancel our 2020 in-person conference due to the coronavirus. We will still be holding our conference, but it will be virtual! The dates are Nov. 6-7, 2020. You will be able to take part in the conference by computer, mobile phone, landline phone, or listen on ACB Radio. We are excited and hope you will join us for this history-making event. ** ACB Families: Information, Fun, and Chances to Win ACB Families presented five exciting programs at the ACB virtual convention in July. We visited Hawaii before it became a part of the United States; traveled on the ill-fated Sultana steamboat as Union soldiers returned home from the Civil War; met Helen Keller and the collection of her papers and artifacts now housed at American Printing House for the Blind; learned how braille or audio instructions for LEGO sets came to be; and sat around a virtual campfire and listened to stories told by well-known Talking Book narrator Jack Fox. After the convention, door prizes were awarded to 25 lucky people who registered for ACB Families at the convention. Now fall is here and winter’s on its way. We’re beginning to think about gift-giving during the holiday season. It’s time for our annual ACB Families membership drive; we’re ready to hand out more prizes. Join ACB Families for 2021 by Nov. 30 and have a chance to win a $75 ACB Mini Mall gift card, one of two $50 Visa cards, or a $25 Visa card - just in time to help with holiday shopping. Winners will be drawn at our ACB Families community support group call on Sunday, Dec. 6. No matter who you are or where you live, you can participate in ACB Families. We hold two conference calls each month. On the first Sunday we invite a speaker or discuss a timely topic; past subjects include stretching the family dollar, making wise investments, dealing with the new normal, holiday gift ideas, and fun and educational Amazon Alexa skills. ACB Families holds a membership meeting on the third Sunday of the month. Help plan upcoming virtual activities and Families events at the ACB national convention. Both calls are at 9 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. Pacific), and they are as close as your telephone. We share information through our Families email list; join by sending a blank message to families-subscribe@acblists.org. Join ACB Families now. Dues are just $8 a year. Pay by credit card by calling (502) 897-1472. Or make check payable to ACB Families and mail by Nov. 10 to 148 Vernon Ave., Louisville, KY 40206. You can also send $8 by PayPal to allacbfamilies@gmail.com. Welcome to our ACB family. ** Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America® Virtual Convention Since this year’s conference was virtual, RSVA® decided to have a drawing. Each person registering for RSVA was entered into a drawing. We ran an ad in the daily newspaper so anyone attending the ACB convention could participate, too. For every donation of $20, another drawing ticket was added to the pot. The drawing winner was Jennifer Wright from Kentucky. On Saturday, July 4, RSVA held four different sessions on Zoom. All sessions were streamed and recorded. The first session topic was “Building business and personal relationships in a changing world.” Mark Richert, ACB’s first vice president, shared his experiences in several nonprofit organizations and some positive outcomes. Visit http://acbradio.org/content/rsva-Session-1 to listen to the session. Chris Prentice of the American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys and RSVA’s own Jeff Thom led the second session, “A Legal Update on RS Vendor Cases.” Check it out at http://acbradio.org/content/rsva-Session-2. Karen Blachowicz of New York and Linda Allison of Tennessee spearheaded the third session, “The impact of COVID-19 on Randolph-Sheppard Vendors.” Listen in at http://acbradio.org/content/rsva-Session-3. The fourth session had two sections. Part 1 focused on “Tips and tricks on vending.” The moderator was Karen Blachowicz. Part 2 answered the question “Randolph-Sheppard Program- what is it?” To listen to this session, visit http://acbradio.org/content/rsva-Session-4. You might also enjoy listening to the IVIE session on keeping your business open when you are told to close. To listen to that session, visit http://acbradio.org/content/ivie-keeping-your-business-open. I hope you were able to listen to many of the virtual convention sessions as well. If you haven’t paid your RSVA dues, please go to www.randolph-sheppard.org. Then go to the “join” link, fill out the application and submit your dues. If you have problems with the form or payment process, email rsva@randolph-sheppard.org. To sign up for either the rsva-announce list or the rsva-l email discussion list, send an email to rsva@randolph-sheppard.org. The announce list sends the latest information on RSVA and business-related updates, while the other list can be used to ask questions and share information. ***** Remembering Jeanne Sanders by Greg Lindberg Jeannette Farquhar Sanders, born Jan. 4, 1931 in Philadelphia, Pa., went home to be with the Lord on June 14, 2020 in Clearwater, Fla. Survived by her husband, Donald Sr., she passed away just days before their 53rd wedding anniversary. Don and Jeanne have two children, Maria (married to Chris) Anderson and Don Jr. (married to Donna) Sanders. They also have five grandchildren – Jessica and Erika Anderson, and Kelsey, Carlee, and Travis Sanders. Jeanne spent her early years in Camden, N.J., where she attended several schools as well as sight-saving classes. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and began working in a bookbindery. Eventually, she moved to a career as a house mother at several children’s homes, including the Overbrook School for the Blind. Jeanne met her future husband at Camp Marcella, a camp in New Jersey for blind children, where she had a summer job and Don was a camper. They met, became friends, kept in touch over the years, reconnected as adults, and were married June 25, 1967. The couple bought their first home in Trenton, N.J. in 1968. In 1976, they moved to Bordentown, N.J., where they lived until retirement. Jeanne’s children have fond memories of the Mercer County Association of the Blind and Handicapped meetings and the many summer weeks and winter weekends spent at the Spring Valley Camp for the Blind in New York. She was a member of the New Jersey Council of the Blind and served as its president for several years. She was the head of the Consumer Advisory Board for the New Jersey Commission for the Blind for several years and served on multiple committees for that agency. Jeanne boldly testified for handicapped access when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was being drafted in New York City. She also served on the New Jersey Governor’s Commodity and Services Council. Jeanne became active with the American Council of the Blind in the 1980s and attended several national conventions. In 1988, she convinced Don to accompany her to the ACB conventions. Together, they enjoyed many years of activism and travel. Also around 1988, after years of volunteering, Jeanne accepted a position as a client services representative at the Johnstone Training and Research Center in Bordentown, N.J. She was able to be a voice for the voiceless as she served the mentally handicapped resident population of Johnstone. In 1993, Jeanne and Don retired and moved to Clearwater, Fla. After relocating, the couple joined both the Pinellas and Florida Councils of the Blind and relished the friendships from those associations. The Sanders family would like to thank the members of the Florida and Pinellas Councils of the Blind who shared stories and helped us memorialize her at the virtual meeting of the Pinellas Council of the Blind on June 20, 2020. She was remembered as friendly to visitors and new members, as she wanted everyone to feel welcome and comfortable at meetings. Jeanne was also remembered as a fierce advocate, unafraid to share a minority opinion and willing to step up to the microphone, regardless of the size of an audience. She is greatly missed. ***** 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. ** Tamara Kearney Oct. 5, 1958-Aug. 8, 2020 Tamara Kearney passed away on Aug. 8, 2020 from injuries sustained in a pedestrian/car accident in Lawrence, Kansas. She was born Oct. 5, 1958 in Rock Island, Illinois to Sandra Schmacht and Raymond Johnson. She was a 1976 graduate of Lawrence High School, and a graduate of the Challenger Institute of Technology in Fremantle, Western Australia. Tamara was an active and engaged member of the community, employed by the Lawrence Recreation Department as a yoga instructor and by San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind as a braille proofreader. She also ran her own business as a clinical massage therapist. Tamara was active in both the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind, where she served as state president in Wyoming. During that time, she acted as a lobbyist for those organizations in Washington, D.C. For several years she was the Children’s Library Officer for the Association for the Blind of Western Australia in Perth, where she helped develop tactile early learning materials for blind children. Tamara loved to travel and live in new and interesting places, and was an avid cyclist. She was always willing to help other blind and disabled people to better their lives. Tamara is survived by her husband, Gregory Kearney of Lawrence and by her three children, Shawn and Laura Kearney of Minneapolis, Minn., Shannon and Aaron Kuluk of Nashville, Tenn. and Nathaniel Kearney of Lawrence, as well as five grandchildren. She is also survived by her father, Raymond Johnson, and stepmother, Jan Johnson of Yuma, Ariz., and stepfather, Courtney Hanson of Perry, Kan. In addition, she is survived by her beloved guide dog Rex, her faithful companion and guide for eight years. She was preceded in death by her mother. Tamara met every challenge in this life with grace, good humor and courage. She never once let her blindness define or limit her but rather used it to enlarge and improve the lives of all she came in contact with. Services will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to: Tamara Kearney Technology Fund, c/o Lawrence Lions Foundation, 2101 E. 29th St., Lawrence, KS 66046. They may also be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St., Lawrence, KS 66044. For more information, or to post a condolence, go to https://warrenmcelwain.com/obituary/tamara-lucille-kearney/. ***** The Americans with Disabilities Act Turns 30! by Anthony Corona 1990: It was a year that changed the world in so many ways. The Soviet Union began to fall, East and West Germany re-united, Iraq invaded Kuwait, Margaret Thatcher stepped down as British Prime Minister and Madonna dominated the globe on her Blonde Ambition tour and was banned from MTV for “Justifying Her Love.” That is not all that changed the world in the first year of the last decade of the millennium. In the United States, a movement that had been building for years finally took legislative shape: the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26th! It was monumental in scope and the promise it made to Americans who were living with a disability. There are five titles to this sweeping legislation that aimed to level the playing field for people who until this point had little in legal precedent to act on or demand rights that should have been a given. In this article I strive to celebrate the promises achieved from the ADA as well as the areas still requiring a high level of advocacy. Here I look at three areas before the ADA and where we are now. In the mid-’90s, ACB’s executive director Eric Bridges was making his way through high school with rapidly diminishing vision. He was a hard-working student who was then faced with the challenges of learning skills that would allow him to continue living in the world and finish his education. The school district where he went to school, however, decided it would be better for him (or so they said) to be placed in a school for the blind. Lawyers and many mediations later, he and his parents would emerge victorious in the efforts to display that Eric would not only be able to learn the skills he needed while receiving traditional education but that he could thrive. The ADA was not a signed act yet and there weren’t any protections for him and his parents to call on. Those types of decisions were left up to each individual school district to determine. Fast forward a few years later to an esteemed university and a newly passed ADA and Eric found himself advocating for himself again when the large university’s two braille embossers were both on the fritz. Eric states that because of protections guaranteeing equal access to information, services, activities, and facilities, his efforts were significantly reduced this time around. So in just a few short years the ADA was already having a significant change in the arena of education. Good news, right? He thought so. Thirty years later, as he recounts his first real interactions with the ADA, Eric cannot help but to feel the full circle feeling as he currently is calling on provisions within the ADA in a new education situation. Months ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic swept into the U.S., schools rapidly closed and a virtual learning model was quickly adopted in many school districts, including his son Tyler’s school. Parents who just days or weeks before were comfortable in the knowledge that their child was receiving a rich and structured robust education in a physical classroom setting were now thrust into the role of teacher! Eric and his wife are both highly educated professionals who should not have a problem taking on the roles of temporary teachers, right? Not so fast; the online education portals used in their district aren’t accessible to blind parents. So almost 30 years later he finds himself reaching back into his advocacy vault to require digital accessibility for the materials he needs to be able to use to teach his son. In the education arena the ADA has served our community well in many ways. But any student or parent with a visual impairment will tell you there is still so much more to accomplish. The protections in place allow students to advocate for the accommodations needed to facilitate their learning. However, after 30 years, shouldn’t many more of these easy accommodations already be built into the systems? We are still in a place where accommodations are an afterthought rather than being incorporated into the building of the systems from inception, a theme I have found a lot surrounding the ADA. When the pandemic hit in full force, these glaring inequities were highlighted in ways never before experienced. The beauty of the ADA is that its protections now ensure that there will be a favorable accommodation afforded. But after 30 years, shouldn’t those accommodations already be in place? The titles of the ADA offer regulations, suggestions and guidelines for the inclusion and accessibility for Americans who are living with a disability. Education is just one piece of a very large puzzle whose landscape is ever shifting. In the early 1970s there was legislation in a few areas meant to bridge the accessibility in areas of education, transportation and public access that began a new wave of advocacy. In the area of public access, the ADA made the strongest impact, some in the community would argue. All public buildings built after 1990 were required to be fully accessible and any existing buildings were also required to bring their accessibility up to standards with some provisions. Today you would be hard-pressed to find a building or public space that does not conform to access standards. A movement to build access in from the planning stages rather than retrofitting took shape and for the most part is the industry standard. In the late 1980s a young visually impaired woman graduated from college and went to work in New York City in the hospitality industry. She was hired by a global hotel company and was excited to begin her career. At that time there were far fewer considerations in place for Americans who were disabled, and she speaks of the procedures in place at the time for access for guests who were visually impaired or physically disabled as being archaic. Entry to the hotel lobby was elevated and required guests to climb several steps before reaching the entrance doors. Before the ADA there was no ramp or secondary access, and at the time it was hotel policy for two porters to lift and carry an individual in a wheelchair from street level to the entrance. Additionally, there was no braille signage anywhere in the hotel, so visually impaired guests and the one visually impaired employee had to rely on memory or sighted assistance to navigate the large building. After the ADA was enacted, she recounts the many ways in which the company put off making changes that would bring the hotel to accessible standards. Her direct supervisors were understanding and very progressive in thinking, and she states that is the only reason she stayed with the company as long as she did. However, the years after the ADA was passed and the lengths the company went to in order to bypass making the changes that would make allowances for all took their toll, and in 1997 she left the company to move into a position with a competitor who had made access for all one of its highest priorities. There have been a lot of changes since the signing of this monumental act and, although we aren’t always happy with accommodations, there are measures in place to make sure we can and will be heard. Transportation is another widely debated area in matters of how far we have come and how far there is still to go. The rapid growth in the industry and the technology that is ever expanding and changing makes the area of advocacy in this area challenging. The 1970s saw the beginning of considerations in the transit arena shift focus to more accessible ideas if not so much in practice. Rapidly changing models of transport systems and the growing voices of Americans with disabilities who were more and more vocal about the need for transportation to be accessible were already being implemented in some places. I spoke with Ron Brooks about the changes and challenges in transportation; he told of times when before the ADA the transportation systems were often difficult if not impossible for some people who were visually impaired to use. Bus drivers wouldn’t announce stops and would even mislead riders as to where they were being dropped off as well as older transportation methods that had no ramps or lifts for wheelchair users. There was a growing need for the paratransit system to be able to fill in the gaps where public transportation could not meet the needs of all riders. Today, the systems are still growing, changing and incorporating technology that has the ability to make using public transportation so much more reliable and easier to use for all people, especially ones with mobility challenges. Paratransit is ever in a state of trying to streamline services to best meet the needs of its users while staying in sometimes ridiculous budgets. What the ADA does for transportation is to ensure that whatever existing systems or new additions to systems that are added have accommodations either built in or that paratransit equalizes the use factor to bridge the gaps. So has the ADA lived up to the promises it made? Has it advanced the lives of the people it was enacted for? Is the language of the laws in place defined enough or broad enough to continue to be an effective set of laws for our changing world and population? Those questions have been asked along with so many others since its inception and we are still asking them today. The answers vary depending on whom you ask. What I have learned is a drop in the bucket as far as history and implementation is concerned, and I have a lot more to learn. What I do know with certainty is that, technology or not, I would have had a much harder time managing losing my sight 31 years ago. I would not have had protections I often take for granted 31 years ago. Without the ADA it is hard to say how much progress the communities of disability would have achieved the last 30 years. It’s often said that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. In the case of the ADA, for advancements to be made, the ADA gives the structure for squeaky wheels to be heard, and like most social or civil rights, to advance and change. The more voices and the louder the chorus, the more effective the song. In conclusion, I celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act today and renew my vow to advocate for myself and my community because, at the heart of a nation like ours, I believe that laws don’t always cover the territory they originally intended. But if gaps and injustices are shown and advocated for in the right way, our country is still the best place in the world to have a voice in. Here’s to the next 30 years of advocating and showing the world exactly what we can do! ***** On the ADA at Thirty by Peter Altschul While running a strategic planning session at the University of Michigan in the early 1990s, I became disoriented as I wandered from room to room monitoring the discussions of two groups. I stood there, my hand absently grazing the wall, when I happened to find the name of the room in braille about five feet up on the wall to the left of the door. “This braille label wouldn’t be here pre-ADA,” I thought to myself. “Now I won’t have to ask for help.” Other benefits connected with the Americans with Disabilities Act gradually appeared. Braille labels on ATMs and hotel room doors. Brailled menus at some restaurants. Signage in braille next to elevator buttons, with sound cues to indicate at what floor the elevator was stopping. As time passed, the phrase “I need an accommodation” resulted in successfully negotiating ways for organizations to meet my blindness-related needs. More and more products — most notably iGadgets — incorporated software into their designs, making it possible for us to use them. The most dramatic benefit, however, became clear in 2008, when I took a course at the University of Missouri. Pre-ADA, I spent almost as much time working with sometimes uncooperative professors to try to get the materials ahead of time and then getting these materials put into braille or recorded onto cassettes than I did attending classes and doing homework. Post-ADA, I alerted the university’s Disability Services Office of the course I was taking and poof! All of the materials were made available in a format that I could use. The biggest failure of the ADA has been in the employment arena. Unemployment rates of the visually impaired and others with disabilities continue to hover in the neighborhood of 65 percent, according to the Social Security Administration. The reasons for this unemployment problem are complex and interconnected: unavailable, unreliable, or overcrowded public transportation; an overworked network of state vocational rehabilitation agencies set up to assist us in finding jobs; work disincentives of government programs; job-seeker foibles; career-related websites and software programs impenetrable to the software that helps us light-independent people read information on the screens of computers and iGadgets; and the sense that most non-disabled people, while well-meaning, don’t believe in our abilities. On July 26, 2020, the ADA turned 30 in the midst of pandemic struggles where, like others, many of us disabled people have lost our jobs while the COVID-19 virus has hit us hard. Change is rippling across the workplace. Contract or gig work replacing full-time jobs. Working from home. Flattening hierarchies. An increased focus on inclusion. Technology disrupting work patterns. These changes could benefit us disabled people. Working from home might encourage others to focus on our skills instead of being emotionally disabled by our disabilities while saving us from the wear and tear of the commute. An increased focus on diversity’s benefits might influence employers to be more flexible in providing adjustments that meet our needs. Creators of tech software might incorporate accessibility into their products a la Microsoft, Google, and Apple, especially when they discover that some non-disabled people appreciate these features. Too few information technology specialists might encourage employers to work with organizations serving us so that talented people with disabilities can connect with available opportunities. Maybe state and federal governments will find ways to address the work disincentives of programs aimed at supporting us. Those of us assisting our disabled peers to find work must also think and act in new ways. While literacy skills, technological adeptness, mobility competence, and emotional intelligence are still important, we need to support potential workers to explore how best to use, build on, and sell their strengths in an increasingly fragmented marketplace. Let’s form alliances with businesses to prepare people with disabilities to meet their needs. Let’s work with politicians to tailor Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs to this new world. Let’s think about universal basic income and portable healthcare, ideas with some support among conservative and progressive policy wonks. And we can all do a better job of focusing on the strengths of others. Happy birthday, ADA! May you continue to build on your successes and adapt to the changes around you. **** Vision Loss, Therapy, and Weight Lifting by Patrick Raymond I vividly remember the incessant hammering of the MRI machine, the seven vials of blood drawn on two separate occasions, the car rides to and from the appointments, preliminary testing by an ophthalmologist that seemed right out of a sci-fi novel, and my parents leaving the pediatrician’s office in tears after hearing the initial findings and dire possibilities of disease. We weren’t prepared for the psychological fallout that would ensue after I was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia at the age of 9. I began to suffer psychologically during my sophomore year of high school, with comparisons being at the core. Unfortunately, I would rate without having all the facts, through a temporarily irrational and vulnerable mind, and through impaired eyes, which only acted to fulfill a confirmation bias that was often grossly inaccurate. At the end of my sophomore year I was experiencing anxiety attacks at regular intervals — every day. The very first panic attack snuck up and devoured me whole, like an invisible monster ravaging its prey. After a decade of suffering, medication adjustments, and ineffective talk therapy, I found myself in a crisis that required immediate and dramatic intervention. Once treated and stabilized, I was introduced to a therapy that was based upon mindfulness, acceptance, crisis survival, and emotional regulation. After graduating from therapy, I discovered the saying: “You either run your day, or your day will run you.” I realized that I, as well as everyone else, had a choice to make when difficult and uncomfortable situations or circumstances are present: allow emotions to dictate a reaction (often ineffective), or simply notice any thoughts, emotions, or urges and choose to act effectively. I’ve entitled my Facebook, Instagram, and Wordpress accounts Run Your Day to share both fitness-related information as well as good-intentioned wisdom on how to navigate certain parts of life. I now accept the fact when I encounter tasks I can no longer perform as well as I had in the past due to my visual decline. I’ll also tell myself, “Play your cards, Superman” if I’m starting to harshly self-judge my inabilities, or simply notice any self-judgment and bring my mind back to the present. While the Serenity Prayer was not associated with the therapy, I would silently recite the prayer to supplement treatment-specific skills to help tap into my wisdom and differentiate what I could realistically change, as opposed to what I could not — my vision. I’ve fallen in love with weightlifting as both a therapy and hobby because weights don’t discriminate against my impairment. For the past 12 years I’ve been helping others on their fitness journey as a fitness coach. I have amassed a great deal of knowledge and experience with training, nutrition, and the behaviors associated with each. I can see well enough to navigate a gym floor as well as see my client’s silhouettes to adjust form. My visual future is unknown, with the possibility of periodic declines in acuity happening without warning, but I’m emotionally prepared with a strong support system. ***** Ever Wanted to Do a Triathlon? Dare2tri Can Help by Tim Paul For my whole life, I have been active in sports and recreation. I like all three of the triathlon sports: running, biking and swimming. I have been doing all three since I was a kid. I used to play both beep baseball and goalball, which are sports for the blind. I met Keri Serota while she was working at GLASA, an adaptive sports organization in Chicago’s northern suburbs. She was my guide for a half-marathon in Chicago. I had already run marathons and half-marathons. My friend Allen West, who works for the park district, knew Dan Tun, who used to work there. Allen knew about the launch party and invited me. Dare2tri was hosting an International Triathlon Competition, the ITU, in September of 2015. Dare2tri athletes were asked to be a part of triathlon relays. I signed up to do the swim part of the triathlon. A couple of days before the event, it was uncertain who would be my guide. Jarret Hubert and Chris McClendon were in town for the ITU. They were about to launch their own adaptive sports organization in Houston, Team Catapult. Chris McClendon offered to be my guide in the swim. Jarret and Chris invited me to come down and run in the Houston Marathon in January 2016. Chris guided me the whole way for that marathon, and Jarret ran the last half with me. I qualified for the Boston Marathon with a time of around 4:35. As a blind runner, you need to run a marathon in less than 5 hours. It was too late to register for the 2016 Boston Marathon, but Chris also guided me in the Boston Marathon in both 2017 and 2018. I have run the Houston Marathon five straight times, 2016-2020. Team Catapult arranges a wonderful weekend of fun for those in town for the marathon, including a gala fund-raising event on Friday night, and a home stay with friends of Team Catapult who are very kind and supportive. In the summer of 2015, Dare2tri offered open water swimming sessions at the Ohio Street Beach on Tuesday nights. The organization also partnered with Achilles Club Chicago so that athletes could run after swimming. That’s where I got to know Achilles Club. Most of my running guides are from Achilles Club. They have done a lot to help me train for the races that I have run in since then. So Dare2tri has played a significant role in getting me connected to other adaptive sports organizations that are very important to me. I have had a great time with Dare2tri as well as with Team Catapult and Achilles Club. I have done six triathlons, including five sprints and one Olympic distance. My last triathlon was the Chicago Triathlon last August, which ended up being a duathlon because of high waves on Lake Michigan. I participated in the sprint distance, which was a mile run, 12.4 mile bike and 3.1 mile run. Dare2tri had a tent where we hung out after the race. Then we went to the award ceremony, where I got a second place award for male blind paratriathlete. What a blast that day was thanks to Dare2tri and my guide that day, Jake. Now that we can’t have workouts at the park, I have really enjoyed the virtual sessions, the strength sessions on Tuesday and Thursday and yoga on Friday. These are very valuable. I am looking forward to when we can go back outside and run and bike, and when we can swim in the lake or in the pool. I am also looking forward to more virtual classes. Dare2tri is a wonderful organization, and I encourage you to join us. For more information on Dare2tri, visit their website at Dare2tri.org, or email me at tjpaul80@gmail.com. ***** DARE2TRI: A Triathlon Club for People with Disabilities by Tim Paul Dare2tri is an organization with the mission to develop the skills of athletes with both physical disabilities, visual impairment and blindness in the sport of triathlon. Triathlons are races that consist of three sports: swimming, biking and running. Triathlon events consist of different lengths such as supersprint, sprint, Olympic half Ironman, and Ironman. I have been in Dare2tri since its launch in 2011. The founders of Dare2tri are Melissa Stockwell, who is a veteran and a Paralympian in triathlon; Keri Serota, who used to work for Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association and is now the executive director; and Dan Tun, who used to work for the Chicago Park District and is now on staff. They saw the need for triathlon in the adaptive sport community and had a passion for the sport, so they banded together to start Dare2tri in 2011. The organization gives athletes opportunities to reach goals and compete in triathlons. They support a number of triathlons throughout the summer where they provide equipment such as tandem bikes and volunteer guides for blind athletes. They also have a volunteer handler who helps each athlete in other ways, such as in the transition area. Before the race starts, you meet in the transition area. This is where you go after the swim and get ready for the bike portion and then start biking. Then you come back through transition to drop off your bike and go for the run portion. There are a number of things you need to have ready in transition other than the bike, including your helmet, biking gloves, shoes and socks, nutrition, water, etc. For the blind, you are using a swim tether, so you drop that off at transition and get on a tandem bike. When you come back to transition, you get ready to run by dropping off your biking gear and pick up your running tether. Dare2tri works with athletes of all ability levels. It gives people with disabilities opportunities to be physically active and training opportunities. During the school year, there are workouts on Tuesday nights at Fosco Park in Chicago which consist of an hour of gym workout and then an hour of swim workout. We call it Gym and Swim. In the summer, there are both open water swimming and biking workouts. Now during the pandemic, there are strength training and biking workouts through Zoom. They have talked about offering these after the pandemic as well. To be part of Dare2tri, you do not have to participate in all three sports. You also can just come and participate in training events. If you want to train and participate in an event that just includes one or two of those events, you will be supported with a guide if one is available. If you want to learn how to swim or become a better swimmer, you can work on that in the training sessions. Being a swimmer all my life, my swim workouts with Dare2tri have made me a better swimmer. My friend Maureen Heneghan is also active in Dare2tri and has been joining the Zoom workouts. She loves the pool workouts. Both of us are looking forward to getting back to the pool. Dare2tri has a network of volunteers who can serve as running guides who will run with a blind runner on training workouts or during races. This is a resource I use to find guides when I am training for a race such as a half marathon or marathon. I have done six triathlons, including five sprints and one Olympic distance. My last triathlon was the Chicago Triathlon last August, which ended up being a duathlon because of high waves on Lake Michigan. I participated in the sprint distance, which was a mile run, 12.4 mile bike and 3.1 mile run. Dare2tri had a tent where we hung out after the race. Then we went to the award ceremony, where I got a second place award for male blind paratriathlete. What a blast that day was thanks to Dare2tri and my guide that day, Jake. For a copy of my sports resource list, send an email message to info@acb.org. ***** Perseverance and Practice Pay Off in Martial Arts by Sharon Lovering I was never much for team sports. I tried gymnastics, both as a little girl and a preteen. I enjoyed it, but I could never manage the back walkovers and back bends. I swam on the junior high swim team for a year. The following year I joined the county swim team, and got a fifth place ribbon in the 50-yard freestyle once. The next year I joined the high school band. When I went off to James Madison University, I went as much for the marching band as for the journalism program. After graduation, and finding a job, I discovered that I missed group activities. A few days later, the local YMCA’s class catalog arrived. I pored through the catalog. A couple of pages in, something caught my eye: the Y was offering a tae kwon do class two days a week, for all ages. I checked the cost, and even with the Y’s program member fee, it was in my budget. So I joined the class. When I showed up at the first class, I was surprised by the sheer number of people – there were about half a dozen long lines of people from the back to the front of the room. Some other new people were there, too, most wearing sweatpants and T-shirts. I was close to the back of the room, wearing shorts and a T-shirt. (I purchased a uniform from the instructors after class.) We began with warm-ups and lots of stretching. Then the instructors broke us into groups by rank; one worked with the beginners on basic stances, blocks and kicks. I had a lot to learn! I worked hard, learning the forms and one-steps required to earn each rank, and made friends with my classmates. As we got closer to our black belt test, we practiced on our own and together, sometimes in someone’s backyard, basement or rec room. We sweated, swatted the mosquitoes, and kept practicing. On test day we were ready. When our turn came, we went up as a group and demonstrated our forms, one-step defense moves, sparring one on one, then board breaking. The testing panel watched intently. Afterward there were a number of speeches, followed by a celebration that included a huge cake. A few weeks later, we learned the results: we passed! We were thrilled to receive both our black belts and uniforms with black trim. A few years later, I was the only one of my group still training. The club had moved to a smaller studio elsewhere in Arlington. The forms I needed to learn for second degree black belt were harder than the ones I’d learned up to then. Fortunately, I was able to get some help from the other black belts and the instructors. I worked hard and was ready when test time came that June. The testing panel called participants up by rank order, starting with the white belts. I tested solo. When it came time for board breaking, they again called us up by rank. I chose to do a flying side kick for my break. The instructors had everyone who was not testing sit along the walls to give the person breaking as much room as possible. The instructor holding my board was standing in the front left corner of the room; I started my run from the rear right to build up speed. And – CRACK! That board went flying! I passed that test, too. As time went on, classmates moved away – some for family reasons, some for new jobs. New students came; some stayed, some left. And then one night everything changed. We received notice that the strip mall was about to be torn down, and we had to leave the little studio. That last class, we had to pack up everything into the chief instructor’s van, and make sure we took all of our stuff with us. The instructors would contact us with information about the new location for our classes. A few days later, the chief instructor called and gave me an address. On class night I went over to check it out – and it was a hair salon! As I looked at the place, I thought, “There’s no way we could fit a tae kwon do class in there.” I waited a few minutes, but nobody showed up. It was the same the following week. After a few weeks, I stopped checking. I felt lost without an activity I’d put 8 years into. I fell into a pattern that even Olympians are guilty of – eating like I was still in training. I began to gain weight, and my health took a downward turn. My doctor repeatedly urged me to join a health club. It took me four years to follow her advice. One weekend I checked out the Sport & Health Club at Ballston. I liked what I saw – a big room for classes, a smaller room for cycling classes, and a medium-sized room for yoga and Pilates. I signed up that day. The staffer showing me around suggested I try a few different classes. She also set up an appointment for me with a trainer. I tried a class that focused on increasing strength and endurance levels, held on Tuesday evenings. The instructor guided the class through a gauntlet of activities for different muscle groups, from biceps and triceps to hamstrings and quads and everything in between. One night, on my way out of class, I spotted a woman in a black belt uniform waiting outside the door. I’d seen the information on the martial arts class on the schedule and was curious. I approached her, bowed, and exclaimed, “Ma’am, I’ve been trying to reach you, but my emails kept bouncing. I’m interested in the class – could you tell me about it, please?” So she did, and then she gave me her name, phone number and correct email address. I explained that I had to leave right then for a church board meeting, but I planned on coming to class Thursday. Remembering how out of place I’d felt the first time I went to tae kwon do, I pulled out my old uniform. Master Mack, the head instructor, told me I would have to start over at white belt since it had been so long since I’d trained. The class was smaller than my old club, all adults of various ranks. We started with warmups; the leader encouraged me to do what I could. After warm-ups, the group broke into smaller groups to work on rank-specific requirements. One of the higher-ranking students worked with me, checking to see how much I knew and working on basics. She was surprised to see that I still remembered the basic kicks, blocks, and punches, and was able to start me on the first form that evening. I’ve been with Capitol Tang Soo Do since 2006. I worked my way up the ranks and earned my first degree black belt in 2012. Has it been easy? No. I’ve learned how do to a proper push-up (no, I never learned that in school; they didn’t teach us girls pushups), a dozen increasingly more difficult forms, 90 different one-step defenses (30 each for hands, feet, and self-defense), how to work with a wooden staff – and the three staff forms that go with it, how to break boards with my hands (never did that in tae kwon do) as well as my feet, competition sparring, how to do break falls and rolls, and I’m learning to work with a sword and a knife. I’ve sweated a lot, gotten a variety of injuries and worked my way back from them, and kept training. I’m currently preparing to test for second degree black belt. I was hoping it would be this fall, but then the coronavirus pandemic hit, so I don’t know when it will be. Stay tuned! ***** Swimming Blind and Free by Bill Henderson (Editor’s Note: Bill Henderson was an educator in the Boston Public Schools for 36 years. His book, “The Blind Advantage: How going blind made me a stronger principal” is available from Amazon in print, on BARD as DBC011362 from NLS, or from Bookshare. Bill can be reached at whenderson50@comcast.net.) I love to swim and have been doing this regularly all my life. When it is cold, I swim indoors in pools. When it is warm, I prefer to venture outside in the ocean and lakes. Losing my vision in my 40s posed some swimming challenges. In pools, I was no longer able to see lane markers or walls, and in ocean and lakes, I was no longer able to see the shore. Fortunately, some friends, family, and swimmers (both blind and sighted) have offered helpful suggestions. I now utilize a variety of adaptations described below which allow me to continue swimming blind and free. ** Swimming in Oceans or Lakes When I first lost my vision, I started recruiting sighted guides to swim alongside me or to direct me while standing on shore or in water. These accommodations worked relatively well, and I still use guides occasionally. However, this way makes me dependent on the availability and willingness of others, and I must check in frequently to ensure that I can hear their directions. Recently I learned about another technique which allows me to be more independent. I tie one end of a rope to a small anchor and the other end to a loop which fits snugly around my waist. When entering the water, and this is the only assistance that I need, I ask a sighted friend to direct me to a spot in the lake or ocean that is at least 3 feet deep (so my arms do not scrape the bottom) and which is at least the length of the rope (25 feet works well for me) from any buoy, boat, or person. After securing the anchor in the right spot (usually I bury it a bit into the sand), I start swimming away from the anchor feeling the tension of the rope. It does not matter if I venture a bit to either side, nor do I worry about having to listen to directions from a guide. I can swim the crawl or the breaststroke with the knot of the rope on my back or the backstroke by switching the knot around to my stomach. If there are any waves, I usually find it easier to swim into them, but I can go wherever I want. With this technique, I swim to my heart’s content without worrying about bumping into something or heading out to sea. It is like running on a treadmill or using a stationary bicycle – great exercise and liberating. ** Swimming Laps in a Pool When I first lost my vision, I tried to swim either next to a wall or lane divider. I would constantly have to feel for the wall or divider, and I would count my strokes so as not to crash at the end of the lane. This worked relatively well. However, I was often preoccupied about touching the side and wall, so my swimming was more cautious and tentative than when I was sighted. After some years, I learned another technique which allows me to swim more rapidly and freely. First, I request or wait for my own lane with lane dividers on both the left and the right. I find this works best if I go to the pool when it is relatively empty or if I call and notify the lifeguards in advance. Next, I tie a rope between the lane dividers about 3 feet (my arm length) from each end of the pool. This way I can swim as rapidly as I want and do not have to slow down until my hand or head hit the rope. Once at the rope, I can reach over it and touch the wall before pushing off with my feet. If interested in doing flip turns, a flotation device or sound signal might work better. However, since I am no longer racing, this rope system works fine for me. Swimming is a wonderful exercise, and blindness need not be a barrier. With some creativity, there are many ways of swimming blind. Basically, blind swimmers should try out different adaptations, and then select the ones that best suit them. For me, the techniques describe above have been truly liberating, allowing me to swim blind and free. ***** Here and There edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. “The ACB 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. ** SAS Launches Free Resources to Create and Share Non-Visual Digital Maps A new resource from analytics company SAS and Perkins School for the Blind: free, digital, non-visual campus maps to help college students and visitors navigate campus confidently and safely. With SAS Graphics Accelerator, a free browser extension that transforms graphs and charts into sound, users create non-visual digital maps that contain points of interest such as intersections, bus stops, buildings and other landmarks. Completed maps will be housed on Perkins’ Paths to Technology website. To learn more, visit https://tinyurl.com/yxfr9rp9. ** Newsreel Magazine Established in 1958, NEWSREEL Magazine is a monthly audio publication for and by individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Each three-hour issue includes a variety of articles. To request a three-month free trial subscription of NEWSREEL in one of several formats (including NLS-type cartridge), send a message to info@newsreelmag.org or call 1-888-723-8737. Clinical Trial for People with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) jCyte Inc., a biotech company dedicated to preserving and restoring vision in patients with RP, recently announced promising results from a Phase 2b clinical trial of jCell in RP. Based on these results, the company plans to initiate a pivotal study in 2021. For more information, visit www.jcyte.com. ** ANATAD Podcast ANATAD stands for Android News, Apps, Talk, And Deals. The ANATAD Podcast seeks to bridge the gap for blind and visually impaired users of Android and iPhone technology. Hear past episodes at www.anatadpodcast.com. To subscribe to the podcast, visit https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1163732.rss. ** New from National Braille Press “Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style” by Benjamin Dreyer is now available in braille (5 volumes). The author was Random House’s copy chief for more than two decades. This book offers lessons on punctuation; the rules and non-rules of grammar; language to avoid, and more. Over in the children’s department is “SUN! One in a Billion” by Stacy McAnulty and Stevie Lewis. It’s available as a print-and-braille (UEB) book for ages 4 to 8. For more information, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323, or visit online at http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. ***** High Tech Swap Shop To submit items for this column, send your “for sale,” “looking for” or “free to good home” announcements to Sharon Lovering, info@acb.org, or call her at (202) 467-5081. ** Free to Good Home: Jennie is offering 2 books in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, total 16 volumes of paperback, grade 2 braille (National Braille Press produced). The 2 books are: “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (6 volumes), and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (10 volumes). Books are free of charge, assuming I can ship via free matter for the blind. Contact Jennie Emery by email at dolphinmusic@gmail.com, or phone (815) 295-2739. ** For Sale: Accessible computer and related equipment. ACEPC AK1HD mini PC (new in Nov. 2017) includes: Windows 10 operating system, JAWS for Windows version 18 plus maintenance for next 2 versions, Open Book version 8, Dragon Naturally Speaking Professional version 15 Nuance, Canon Maxify MB5120 printer/copier, Epson Perfection 1640SU lift-top scanner, LG GP65NS60 DVD writer, Logitech keyboard, optical cordless mouse, and 3 pairs of CyberAcoustics CA-2014 speakers. Asking $600. Contact Verne at Verne.Sanford@valpo.edu or Colleen at (574) 349-1746 ** Looking For: I am looking for a corded phone, tabletop style. It doesn’t have to have caller ID. Must be in good working order. Contact Tonya Smith at 1632 Paree St., Newport, MI 48166; phone (734) 586-0417. ***** ACB Officers ** President Dan Spoone (1st term, 2021) 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817-1554 ** First Vice President Mark Richert (1st term, 2021) 1515 Jefferson Davis Hwy. Apt. 622 Arlington, VA 22202-3309 ** Second Vice President Ray Campbell (1st term, 2021) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 ** Secretary Denise Colley (1st term, 2021) 1401 Northwest Ln. SE Lacey, WA 98503 ** Treasurer David Trott (2nd term, 2021) 1018 East St. S. Talladega, AL 35160 ** Immediate Past President Kim Charlson 57 Grandview Ave. Watertown, MA 02472 ** ACB Board of Directors Jeff Bishop, Kirkland, WA (1st term, 2021) Donna Brown, Romney, WV (partial term, 2021) Sara Conrad, Madison, WI (2nd term, 2021) Dan Dillon, Hermitage, TN (1st term, 2021) Katie Frederick, Worthington, OH (2nd term, 2022) James Kracht, Miami, FL (1st term, 2022) Doug Powell, Falls Church, VA (1st term, 2021) Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD (2nd term, 2022) Michael Talley, Hueytown, AL (1st term, 2022) Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA (1st term, 2022) ** ACB Board of Publications Debbie Lewis, Chair, Clarkston, WA (2nd term, 2021) Paul Edwards, Miami, FL (2nd term, 2021) Zelda Gebhard, Edgeley, ND (partial term, 2021) Susan Glass, Saratoga, CA (2nd term, 2021) Penny Reeder, Montgomery Village, MD (1st term, 2021) ***** Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums The ACB E-Forum may be accessed by email, on the ACB web site, via download from the web page (in Word, plain text, or braille-ready file), or by phone at (518) 906-1820. To subscribe to the email version, visit the ACB email lists page at www.acb.org. The ACB Braille Forum is available by mail in braille, large print, NLS-style digital cartridge, and via email. It is also available to read or download from ACB’s web page, and by phone, (518) 906-1820. Subscribe to the podcast versions from your 2nd generation Victor Reader Stream or from http://www.acb.org/bf/.