THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVIII April 2010 No. 10 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Mitch Pomerantz, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 (202) 467-5081 fax: (703) 465-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. Join the Monthly Monetary Support (MMS) Program and help improve tomorrow today in ACB. Contact Ron Milliman by e-mail, rmilliman@insightbb.com, or by phone at (270) 782-9325 and get started making tomorrow look brighter today! To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2010 American Council of the Blind ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: Musings of a Weary Traveler, by Mitch Pomerantz Announcing a Sleep Survey of Adults with No Light Perception, by Melanie Brunson In Memoriam: Patricia Dawn Mason Beattie, May 14, 1936-February 2, 2010, by Charles S.P. Hodge Readers' Remembrances of Pat Beattie By the Time You Get to Phoenix …, by Carla Ruschival Nominations Sought for 2010 ACB National Awards, by Cindy Van Winkle Let's Make a Deal!, by Ronald E. Milliman Bridging the Gap Between ACB and Your Community, by Dan Dillon Oceanfront Property for Sale in Arizona?, by Marsha Farrow ACB Radio, Beyond the Birthday Celebration!, by Debbie Hazelton Summary of the ACB Board of Directors Meeting, by Marcia Dresser Affiliate News Here and There, edited by Sue Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, go to www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/brailleforum-L. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: MUSINGS OF A WEARY TRAVELER by Mitch Pomerantz Having returned this past Wednesday from 10 days away (including flying time) -- three and a half days in Knoxville, Tenn. and six and a half in Washington, D.C. -- I'm pretty tired of airports and everything associated with traveling. My trip to eastern Tennessee was at the invitation of Dr. Otis Stephens, who asked me to address his disability law class and a law school faculty forum regarding blindness-specific issues, the ADA, and ACB's role as an advocacy organization. My sojourn to Washington, of course, was to preside at the ACB midyear board of directors meeting, as well as to participate in the affiliate presidents' meeting and our legislative seminar. In 2009, I made a total of 16 trips on ACB-related business with (so far) at least 10 more excursions scheduled and/or completed during 2010. So, you will understand that I have definite opinions on the subject. As I am far from expert in navigating airline web sites and don't always have the time or patience to engage an airline customer service representative, I will only comment that I'm nostalgic for the days when there were travel agents to whom you could give your proposed itinerary and know that he or she would get you the most direct flight at the lowest possible cost. Also, most airlines -- Southwest being an exception -- will charge a higher fare for booking over the phone than if you use their (perhaps accessible) web site. All you need to do is let the person taking the call know you are blind and you'll get the online fare. Yes, there are still a few excellent travel agents out there (welcome back, Dave Kronk), but such folks have become increasingly scarce given that hotels, airlines and cruise lines are paying miniscule commissions for the services of travel professionals. Up until a few years ago I seldom requested meet-and-assist services when departing from or arriving at an airport, familiar or otherwise. I simply asked other travelers along the way for directions or assistance, if I needed it. As I've gotten older -- and perhaps less in need of proving to myself and others how independent I am -- I typically do request such service, although not until getting to the airport from which my trip is originating. I do this even when my wife Donna, who has some usable vision, is traveling with me. Finding a security checkpoint and the proper gate with assistance makes one less thing to worry about, unless the individual helping you doesn't speak English. More on that shortly. As a matter of principle, I will do whatever it takes not to be transported in a wheelchair. I do so for two reasons: First, for me, and I want to stress that this is my personal opinion only, being transported in a wheelchair means helplessness or illness; probably a reaction to spending time in hospitals as a child having multiple eye surgeries. Second, and far more importantly, having worked in the ADA field with jurisdiction over Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), I know that frequently, the number of requests for wheelchairs far exceeds the available supply. This means that individuals who truly need a wheelchair are forced to wait long periods of time for assistance. Over the years, I received several complaints from folks who missed their flights as a result of having to wait for a wheelchair. My alternative, particularly at large modern airports such as Denver, Dallas or Atlanta, is to use the increasingly ubiquitous electric carts. Lots of travelers do, and for whatever reason, I don't feel like an invalid when riding on one. I must caution about one problem which arose a few years ago when I attempted to board a cart in Phoenix with my guide dog Scotch. The carts, which have sideways seating (shoulder to the driver), do not have sufficient room for the dog. That experience was educational, but thankfully, not harmful to the dog. Now let me take a short digression to explain a bit about meet-and-assist services. The first thing to know is that the primary function of those providing this service is to push wheelchairs for passengers with physical disabilities or medical conditions which limit or prevent walking any distance. This is why we are often asked if (or told) we need a wheelchair. That is the default setting, so to speak. Recall the prevailing societal notions about blindness and blind people. Individuals performing this service are either employed by the airlines directly or work for companies under contract to the airlines. These are minimum wage jobs (non-unionized here in L.A.) which attract workers with limited or no education. These jobs are frequently taken by those with minimal English skills, thereby creating a significant communications barrier for blind and visually impaired people. Two or three years back I tried unsuccessfully to get the union which was suing the city to organize these workers to include English testing and basic English language training as a part of the proposed settlement. I argued that English is a BFOQ (bona fide occupational qualification) for the job. That was the last meeting to which I was invited. Since 9/11, airline security has become a paramount concern. Again, Transportation Security Agency (TSA) personnel at security checkpoints are not well paid but, for the most part, have dealt with me and the dog pretty well. Only once or twice have I encountered a TSA employee who wouldn't listen when I tried explaining the most efficient method for getting me and my dog through the metal detector. In those rare instances, discretion is clearly the better part of valor. I absolutely hate to miss a flight and so far, have a spotless criminal record. My in-flight experiences are neither better nor worse than sighted travelers. I have almost-fond memories of complementary meals and not having to use a credit card to pay for a drink. But then again, so does every other veteran flyer with or without sight. When I flew with the dog I was almost always asked if I wished to sit in bulkhead; I didn't then and still don't. That's a personal preference and one which the blind traveler has the right to assert under the Air Carriers Access Act (ACAA). As I contemplate yet another flight (this time for a real vacation with Donna to celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary), I can't help remembering when getting on an airplane was fun, or at least no big deal. For us these days, flying can be an adventure, and not necessarily an enjoyable one. I wish everyone safe, stress-free travels as you make your way around this great country of ours. ***** ANNOUNCING A SLEEP SURVEY OF ADULTS WITH NO LIGHT PERCEPTION by Melanie Brunson Remember the sleep study that many ACB members took part in a few years ago? Did you get the chance to participate? No? Well, now you may have the chance to participate in another sleep study! Another effort to research the relationship between visual impairment and sleep disturbance is just getting under way, and I am hopeful that readers of "The Braille Forum" will assist the researchers. The rest of this article is devoted to a description of their project. Are you blind? Do you have problems sleeping or trouble with daytime sleepiness? You can help researchers understand non-24-hour sleep wake disorder by taking a brief phone survey and possibly participating in a future clinical study. Non-24-hour sleep wake disorder occurs in some individuals who are totally blind and lack the photic sensitivity necessary to reset the "body clock" via light exposure. This can lead to problems with sleep and/or daytime excessive sleepiness. Survey participants need to: • be over 18 years of age • be blind with no light perception • have sleep problems and/or daytime sleepiness Collected information will be kept strictly confidential. For each completed survey, a donation of $25 up to $50,000 will be made to the American Council of the Blind. If you want to participate in the survey, please call 1-877-314-5002 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern. Thank you! ***** IN MEMORIAM: PATRICIA DAWN MASON BEATTIE May 14, 1936-February 2, 2010 by Charles S.P. Hodge (Editor's Note: Pat Beattie's family is working on putting together a photographic history of her life to be shared at the memorial service, which is still in the planning stages as this issue goes to press. If anyone has any photos or video of Pat that they would like to share, please send them to Kirsten Weeks, kbjweeks@verizon.net. She will make every effort to return the materials to you, but requests that only copies be sent in order to protect your originals from accidental loss or damage.) Past ACB treasurer Patricia M. "Pat" Beattie, 73, passed away on Feb. 2, 2010 at 2:15 a.m. at INOVA Alexandria Hospital. She passed peacefully with her daughter Kirsten and son-in-law Glenn beside her. Visitation was held Feb. 4, with a graveside service Feb. 5. In addition to her daughter and son-in-law, she leaves behind two grandchildren (Isaac and Phyllis); four sisters; a host of other relatives; and many friends and colleagues who have worked with her to make this world a better place for those with low vision or who are blind. I first met Pat at ACB's 19th annual national convention in 1980 held at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Ky. Even at first impression, she came across as a charismatic, high energy, committed advocate for blind and disabled people. I was immediately drawn to her. At that time, Pat was living in Toledo, Ohio, and working at the Toledo Society for the Handicapped as a peer counselor and outreach advocate for disabled adults. Our paths intersected again in 1982, when Pat moved to northern Virginia to take a job with the Mid-Atlantic regional office of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB). Her work for AFB was to serve as a resource and consultant to state agencies --both umbrella and categorical -- serving blind individuals and to membership organizations of blind people. She took to this new career assignment as though she had been made for it. While Pat did not hide her membership in ACB, in order to work effectively with all membership organizations of the blind, Pat did not trumpet her ACB loyalties. During her AFB days, Pat was highly effective to a degree that "The Braille Monitor" paid her a backhanded compliment by indicating that Pat Beattie had swooped down upon Richmond. She was so good at what she did that she made herself into the indispensable resource and expert on a wide range of blindness-related topics and issues. In 1989, Pat left AFB and accepted a higher-paying job with the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA). This new career turned out to be a very important development for ACB and blind people generally. Pat's new job at RESNA focused on environmental access issues for blind and disabled persons. As was her pattern in earlier jobs, Pat threw herself into the minutia of accessibility issues. As either a RESNA representative or an ACB representative, Pat was appointed to a number of advisory subcommittees of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Pat's tireless work on ANSI's A117 subcommittee regarding braille and raised large print characters and numerals proved to be absolutely crucial on these signage matters for blind and low-vision people. Around the same time, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed and signed into law in late July of 1990. The ADA assigned the responsibility for developing accessibility guidelines under the new law to the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (the Access Board). The Access Board brought together an advisory committee to assist the board in promulgating the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). One of the most influential movers and shakers in shaping the ADAAG that we know today was Pat Beattie. In 1993, after her victories in shaping and developing the ANSI signage standard and the ADAAG, Pat moved from RESNA to National Industries for the Blind (NIB) to assume a high-level management position as NIB's Director of Policy and Governmental Affairs. Pat was already familiar with the Javits-Wagner-O'Day law and the government procurement program which has recently become the Ability-1 program. In her new position at NIB she worked tirelessly, both publicly and behind the scenes, prodding NIB to take more progressive positions, especially with respect to payment of wages to its single-disability blind workers. She also championed an upward mobility program within NIB designed to permit blind workers the opportunity for training that would result in blind production workers advancing into responsible management jobs at NIB or its associated agencies. Many of these victories for blind production workers came too slowly for some, but they did come, primarily because of Pat's prodding from within NIB's management team. Pat continued to work at NIB until her retirement in 2006, but because of her indispensable knowledge and expertise on so many blindness-related issues, she continued to work for NIB as a part-time consultant until late 2009 when her declining health made it impossible for her. During her years at NIB, Pat continued and furthered her expertise on accessibility issues as she chaired ACB's Environmental Access Committee, and in this position Pat informed ACB's leadership and access policies and positions. Pat served as a member of ACB's board of directors from 1988 until 1995, and from 1995 until 2001 she served as ACB's national treasurer. Throughout the almost 30 years that I have known Pat, she has been steadfast and consistently strong. In all of her professional positions, she consistently did her homework, immersing herself in the minutia of the issue or subject matter before her. She made herself through study and hard work a well-informed expert to a point that when an advisory committee on which Pat was a member actually would meet, Pat would come well prepared, and she often would be listened to by others who were not as well prepared. Inevitably Pat's informed views would be generously sprinkled throughout the advisory committee's report and recommendations. Pat was a bulldog who, once she sunk her teeth into a subject matter or issue, she just would not let go until the issue was resolved to her satisfaction. In the process, she would become recognized as the best informed expert on the matter. Particularly when asked, Pat was generous with her time, and she enjoyed mentoring ACB members. Just the other day, an ACB member asked me the width of detectable dome warning strips at intersections required under the ADAAG. I admitted that I was unsure of the answer to the question, but I thought that I would ask Pat, who would know the answer off the top of her head. Then I stopped in mid-sentence knowing that Pat, the accessibility oracle, was no longer with us to answer questions. She was a gem of a bulldog, and she was our friend and advocacy colleague. She will be sorely missed. I feel confident in predicting that we will not see another woman with the political and leadership skills possessed by Pat Beattie during our lifetimes. She will be fondly remembered. CAPTION: Pat Beattie talks about the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International during a session at the 2002 convention in Houston, Tex. (Photo copyright 2002 by Ken Nichols.) ***** READERS' REMEMBRANCES OF PAT BEATTIE Pat was one of the first national representatives of ACB I met back in the mid-'80s when I was beginning to learn what the organization was about. She served as ACB's treasurer and in numerous appointed positions including as chair (and later) co-chair of the environmental access committee. In the summer of 2008 when the Department of Justice released its Notice of Proposed Rule-Making for the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ultimately withdrawn), Pat Beattie was one of the people I asked to participate in a group which I convened in Washington to develop ACB's response. We will all miss her style, expertise and leadership throughout the American Council of the Blind. -- Mitch Pomerantz, ACB President, Pasadena, Calif. Though in my head, I had expected this news, in my heart I had hoped it would not come for some time. Now that it has, I can only say that in my opinion, the disability advocacy movement will never be the same without Pat. I met Pat shortly after I came to work for ACB in 1998. Since that time, she and I have had countless opportunities to both work and play together. She was a fount of knowledge, which she was never shy about sharing. At the same time, you could count on her to listen to some of the most tedious discussions that lasted long hours and involved minute and mind-boggling concepts. Whatever the task, Pat dove in and took it on with passion and enthusiasm. But the thing I will remember the most is that as she shared the political and advocacy work, she also became a personal friend. She cared about the people she was working with, as well as the tasks we were working on. She could advocate for her friends with the same gusto she gave to public policy advocacy. Pat will be sorely missed by many, both in ACB and throughout the entire disability community. I only hope she knows how thankful we are for her many contributions to our community, both professionally and personally. Farewell, Pat! You have been a fine advocate and a wonderful friend! -- Melanie Brunson, ACB executive director, Arlington, Va. Pat has been a presence in ACB as long as I have been around. Her contributions to our movement were larger than most people know. She and a few others were in the trenches inventing accessibility to physical facilities for people who were blind or low vision. She had the patience and the intestinal fortitude to attend innumerable meetings that most of us would have found boring in the extreme. She came away from these meetings with regulations that reflected a better understanding of the needs of people with visual impairments. The last time Pat and I spent a lot of time together was working on ACB's testimony for the new ADA regulations. She would come directly from cancer treatments to provide her input and made a difference in what we included because of her knowledge of the rules. She was a champion of change, a wonderful friend, and a lady who was wise as well as smart. Pat, I will miss you. -- Paul Edwards, Miami, Fla. The blindness field has lost a dear friend and nationally recognized advocate, Pat Beattie. Pat was extremely active in the blindness community and was instrumental in shaping legislation and public policy. She worked for AFB in the 1980s and then went on to become the Director of Governmental Relations for NIB. She also worked closely with the American Council of the Blind, where she served as an officer and board member. Pat was a great advocate and also one of the most loyal people I've ever worked with. You could always depend on Pat to speak her mind, to tell it straight without pulling punches. But you also knew that Pat was going to be the first one to bring everyone together to socialize and celebrate. She was one of the first people to really introduce me to the intricacies of blindness community politics and she helped me understand many of the policies important to our community. I'll miss her smarts and her advocacy, but most of all, I'm glad to have a part of her spirit in my life. -- Paul Schroeder, Vice President, Programs and Policy Group, American Foundation for the Blind, Washington, D.C. I'm sorry to hear of Pat's passing. I didn't know her well, but I have some very fond memories dating back to Ski for Light in Anchorage back in 2003. Pat won the raffle to ride on a dog sled for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod. Envious though I was, her joy in that experience still makes me grin some seven years later. -- Becky Barnes, Mount Kisco, N.Y. I remember our days together on the ACB board. While I remember how hard Pat worked, my favorite memories are the fun side of Pat. I remember when she worked on the convention committee and would come into the convention office when I was running it and we'd have long talks about everything. I especially remember the board meeting in Arlington, Va., when the NOVA chapter hosted a dinner for us in a room on the roof of the building where Pat lived. Somehow she and I stopped in her apartment for something, and ended up staying there for several hours, chatting, listening to music, and drinking a six-pack! My condolences to Pat's family, and her ACB family. I suspect she's already found Durward, Grant, and some of our other ACB friends and is advocating up there, if any advocating needs to be done up there! -- Jean Mann, Guilderland, N.Y. We will all miss her willingness to assist others, particularly those with vision loss. I didn't realize until a couple of years ago about her involvement in teaching people English as a second language. I had some great e-mail exchanges with her when she shared her faith as well. I had known for years about her environmental access work but was inspired when I learned about her faith when she was having more and more health issues. I shared her written words with my church prayer chain and they were truly inspired. Sometimes, it takes a tough time in someone's life before we talk about personal situations -- not just blindness-related issues with our ACB friends. -- Ardis Bazyn, Burbank, Calif. Peace be with my very dear friend, Pat Beattie, who lost a long, ugly two-year battle with breast cancer. She attended our wedding here in Columbia, Mo. as my guest of honor, and happened to fall and hurt her knee. The fall sent her to the doctor and caused the cancer to be diagnosed. She was my mentor, my friend, like a mom to me, and a spirited soul that blessed my life with immense wisdom and many great memories. She took me to Ski for Light my first time in 2005, which happened to be the last time she attended. She helped me cope with the vision loss I experienced. She taught me to be an advocate for myself, not to give up, and to be tough. I will never forget her impact on my life. She had an endless zest for life and for bettering the lives of blind people. No one knew more about disability legislation than Pat. I last talked to her on December 19, a week before she went into the hospital for the last time. She was still upbeat and encouraging to me even as she lay in a full-body back brace, as the cancer was in her spine. May God bless her soul. -- Lisa W. Altschul, Columbia, Mo. Pat was my friend and one of my most respected and appreciated mentors. She and I also shared a love for good beer and maybe just slightly off-color and out-of-the-box humor. Paul's comments made me think of one of Pat's favorite stories of one set of those innumerable meetings that most of us would have found boring in the extreme. Pat was very concerned about signage to accommodate people who are blind and low vision. We owe Pat for much of the consistency that exists concerning ADAAG and ANSI standards which deal with consistent height and placement of braille and low vision signs. One of the things Pat did was get involved on ANSI scoping panels that were determining the height of things. Once on this panel, she found out that there was a hazing process in that the first assignment that one got was not always a pleasant one, and did not necessarily deal with the part of determining heights that the person was most interested in. Her first assignment was to research and write scoping for the height of accessible men's urinals. Now, every time I encounter one of those accessible men's urinals, I think of Pat. Some people might not think of that as a compliment or as an appropriate portion of a very impressive and honorable legacy, but Pat enjoyed telling the story and appreciated the warm thoughts. We laughed about that numerous times. I was actually working on a song for the FIA Showcase about Pat's writing those standards. I am not sure how soon I will want to return to it and finish it now, so it may not get sung this year, but I had hoped to be able to honor Pat with it this summer. Pat was a friend and a mentor. I learned a lot about lobbying, about government regulation, about humor, and about how to survive life from my many conversations with Pat. -- Michael Byington, Topeka, Kan. ***** BY THE TIME YOU GET TO PHOENIX... by Carla Ruschival ... We'll be waiting. The 49th annual conference and convention of the American Council of the Blind is getting bigger and better every day, and it will be good to have you and your entire family with us in the land of sand and sun and fun. Our fantastic week of programs, exhibits, tours, and fun gets under way on Friday, July 9 with a tour of the Grand Canyon (leaving early that morning) and a delicious dinner and lots of fun at Pinnacle Peak (arrive by late afternoon and still make the tour). If you live in the Eastern or Central time zone, you can really s-t-r-e-t-c-h time and save money. Since Phoenix is three hours behind East Coast time in the summer, you can hop a flight early in the day and still arrive at the conference and convention in time for early afternoon tours and seminars. The serious side of the 2010 ACB conference and convention is packed with outstanding workshops, seminars, exhibits, and programs. If you are a teacher or rehabilitation counselor, if you are looking for a new job, if you use technology or can use new tips and ideas to improve your professional or everyday life, the 2010 ACB conference and convention is where you want to be. Begin planning your week with ACB. Below is a sketch of the week's schedule; there's much, much more to come. Pre-registration and the acbconvention e-mail list will include many more events and details. Please note: to save space, most groups are mentioned only on the first day of their programming; additional days are shown in parentheses. Saturday, July 10 * Exhibits open (through Thursday, July 15) * ACB Walk * ACB pre-convention board meeting * Information technology, seminar * City tour of Phoenix and at least one more great tour * Grant-writing seminar (repeated on Tuesday) * Keys to the Convention seminar (repeated on Sunday) * Welcome to Phoenix Party * Milly's Place Pin Swap (blind Lions) Sunday, July 11 * NABT breakfast and meeting (teachers) * Special meetings and activities for attorneys (through Tuesday), vendors (also Monday and Tuesday), information technology specialists (through Wednesday), and people with low vision (through Wednesday) * ACB Board of Publications meeting * student and scholarship winners lunch (student activities throughout the week) * Diabetes workshop, women's concerns program (all week), and ACB environmental access seminar * Diamondbacks baseball game and Phoenix city tour * Governmental employees, CCLVI, FIA, Newsreelers, and Blind LGBT Pride mixers * ACB opening keynote general session Monday, July 12 * IVIE breakfast meeting (entrepreneurs) * General session (every morning all week) * ACB Youth Activity Center (all-day fun for kids and teens - through Friday) * ACB public relations seminar * ACB Audio Description Project workshop (through Wednesday) * Multicultural lunch and program (mid-week jam on Wednesday) * Special meetings and activities for library users (also Wednesday), guide dog users (through Thursday), musicians (through Wednesday), and lesbians and gays (all week) * AAVL lunch and program (also Wednesday session) * ACB Recreation Zone (through Thursday; healthy and fun options) * Hall of Flame and rock-climbing tours Tuesday, July 13 * ACB transportation and legislative seminars * Meetings and activities for people with hearing loss * Stuffington Bear Factory tour * Special programming for braille users and supporters of braille (also on Thursday), blind veterans, and human service professionals * International reception * FIA Performing Arts Showcase Wednesday, July 14 * ACB employment seminar * Sweet Tooth candy company tour * ACB auction Thursday, July 15 * ACB membership seminar and affiliate presidents' meeting * ACB Job Fair * Lions and government employees lunches and business meetings * ACB Audio Description Project training (through Saturday) Friday, July 16 * ACB all-day business session * ACB banquet Saturday, July 17 * ACB post-convention board meeting * Late morning/afternoon casino tour * Dinner theater ("Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat") Exhibits, Advertising, and Sponsorships: The ACB conference and convention is a great chance to let people from all over the country and around the world know about your company's products and services. Let us help you customize a package that fits your budget and reaches your audience. You might select advertising in the official program, placing information or promotional items in our registration bags, targeting specific groups with conference and convention newspaper ads, meeting your audience face to face in the exhibit hall, or sponsoring a special service or event. Early-bird exhibit discounts close on May 15. Convention sponsorships and advertising must also be received by that date in order to appear in the official program. For more information on exhibit, advertising and sponsorship opportunities, visit our web site at www.acb.org; or contact Michael Smitherman (exhibits) at (601) 968-4164, or Margarine Beaman (advertising and sponsorships) at (512) 921-1625. ACB Heroes: Remember to share the accomplishments of the special people in your local chapter or state or special-interest affiliate by participating in the ACB Heroes section of the 2010 conference and convention program. Heroes pages will be printed on high-quality paper; pages can include a color photograph of your special person and a short caption about his or her accomplishments. What a wonderful way to honor or memorialize that special person! Heroes pages must be reserved by May 15. For more information, contact Margarine Beaman at (512) 921-1625, or visit www.acb.org. Scheduling Events: Special-interest groups, ACB committees, and others wishing to sponsor programs or activities at the conference and convention should submit all information for the pre-registration form IMMEDIATELY. Program details need to be submitted by May 15. Make all arrangements related to events (reserving space, ordering food or A/V equipment, etc.) with Carla Ruschival. Convention E-Mail List: Keep up with all the latest announcements. Join the acbconvention e-mail list by sending a blank message to acbconvention-subscribe@acb.org. Hotel Reservations: Room rates are $89 per night plus tax. Call the Phoenix Downtown Sheraton Hotel reservations at 1-800-325-3535. For questions or special concerns, contact Carla Ruschival, ACB conference and convention committee chair, at (502) 897-1472 or by e-mail at adamcarla@bellsouth.net, or call the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666. ***** NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR 2010 ACB NATIONAL AWARDS by Cindy Van Winkle At the upcoming ACB convention in Phoenix, Ariz., the American Council of the Blind will bestow some prestigious awards on some very special people. It is your job to inform this year's awards committee who those special people are to be considered for these awards. Below are the criteria for each award. We are seeking nominees who have made a real impact on ACB and the blind community on a national level. Most importantly, it's up to each of you to think of worthy nominees and share details about him or her that would cause the awards committee to take notice. Please e-mail nomination letters to cindy.vw@msn.com. Hard-copy letters may be sent to: ACB Awards Committee, c/o American Council of the Blind, 2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201. The deadline date for nominations is May 15, 2010. This means they should be received electronically by 11:59 p.m. on May 15 or be postmarked by that date if coming via U.S. Postal Service. The George Card Award is given to an individual who has dedicated his or her life to work with and for blind people, making a real difference and improving quality of life, for providing leadership and being a positive role model. The Robert S. Bray Award is given to a person who has made a contribution for improving library technology or communication devices. It could also be given for expanding access for blind people, or making opportunities within the mainstream media. The Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador Award is given in recognition of a blind person who may or may not be a member of a blindness organization but who has, through his or her personal characteristics and activities, unrelated to his or her employment, contributed most to the acceptance and understanding of blind people as capable and contributing members of the community. The James R. Olsen Distinguished Service Award is periodically given to individuals who have made important contributions which have advanced opportunities for the blind community. This award can be given to an individual or an organization. The Affiliate Outreach Award is based on a recommendation by an affiliate president, which recognizes a local chapter for a new outreach program. This program must have a measurable outcome. The Affiliate Growth Award is based on the greatest increase in membership, as determined by the 2009-2010 membership reports. Please do not delay; submit your nominations now! The awards committee looks forward to the challenge of selecting worthy recipients of the above awards to be presented in 2010. We need your help to learn about these special people and how they meet the prescribed criteria. ***** LET'S MAKE A DEAL! by Ronald E. Milliman I want to share with you one of the best deals on earth, a deal where you earn an almost incalculable, seemingly infinite return on your investment, and you can get in on this incredible deal for pennies a day, as little as only $10 per month. To put this amazing deal in perspective, you pay around $5.99 for a 12-pack of Pepsi or Coca-Cola, which is about 50 cents a can. No matter which soft drink you prefer, it runs about the same. Or maybe you prefer a cold beer. That will cost you from about 50 cents a can for something like Bud Lite to around $1 for a bottle of Corona or Heineken. So, if you were to give up one can of soda or one can of beer a day, you could easily and painlessly participate in this incredible deal. Here is what you get in return for your small investment: • An entire staff devoting their lives to making your life better • A team working for you, protecting your rights • Your own representative in Washington, keeping a finger on legislation that would have an impact on your life and pocketbook • A family of friends who understand your daily challenges • A network of people and connections that can answer your questions about blindness, accessible technology, or almost anything else you need to know • Countless friends who are there for you when you need someone to lean on • An online radio system devoted entirely to you • A monthly publication available in whatever format that best meets your needs that is devoted 100 percent to you Are you getting the picture? For a small investment per month in the ACB Monthly Monetary Support Program (MMS), you get all of this and more! What a deal!! Currently, our contributions run from 33 cents a day or $10 per month to up to $3.33 a day or $100 per month, with the average contribution of about $22.60 per month or a little less than 75 cents a day. I cannot think of anything else in which you can invest so little and get so much in return. Your return on your investment is almost infinite! So, if you are not participating in the MMS Program, I strongly urge you to start as soon as possible! You can even split your contributions up between the ACB national organization and an affiliate of your choice. Up to 50 percent of your net contribution can be shared with any affiliate of your choosing. You can get started by going online and filling out the form at www.acb.org/mms.html. Or you can call our Minneapolis office at (612) 332-3242 and ask for Alisha Clauson. She will help you with the form and get you enrolled as a participant. The amount can be taken automatically out of your bank account or charged to your credit card each month. You determine when your contributions begin and when they stop. You are in total control. You can make changes any time you wish. No matter the size of your contributions, we value each dollar the same as every other dollar. So, get started today and take advantage of that huge return on your invested dollars! ***** BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ACB AND YOUR COMMUNITY by Dan Dillon We as ACB members agree on a couple of fundraising issues. We agree that ACB very much needs increasing financial support to continue its great programs and services, and we also agree that ACB members only have so much money to contribute. No matter how dedicated we are to ACB, there is a limit to our individual funds. The ACB Walk allows us to reach beyond our own personal resources to "bridge the gap" between ACB and our own community. By paying just $25 for your entry fee and signing up as either an onsite or as a virtual walker for the second annual ACB Walk, and then actively contacting your connections within your community to pledge their support for your participation, you can very effectively draw in support for ACB that would otherwise never occur. This gives family, friends, co-workers, advocacy partners, and others a double blessing -- they can honor their commitment to their relationship with you and give a tax-deductible contribution to a truly worthy organization. It could be that even some of them with strong connections in the community might choose to participate as either onsite or virtual walkers themselves and bring in support from their expanded circle of community contacts. A relative or friend who is actively involved in sports, a local biking or running club, college sorority or fraternity, working for a huge corporation, officer in a service club, etc., might just get involved if you plant the seed. You are the "bridge" connecting ACB and your community and the world. Beyond seeking pledges from individuals, if you have a relationship with a company or business in your community who might be willing to consider a corporate sponsorship for the ACB Walk, this total can count toward the overall amount you raise. Medals and trophies will be awarded to individuals, teams and affiliates based on the amount raised. Please contact Brenda Dillon to get sponsorship levels and incentives for the walk. You may call her at (615) 874-1223 or e-mail her at brendan0@bellsouth.net. There are several options for signing up. You can call Alisha Clauson in the ACB Minneapolis office at (612) 332-3242 and she can assist you with your form. You can also sign up on our new web site at www.acbwalk.com. If you have any further questions, please call Dan Dillon at (615) 874-1223 or e-mail him at dan.dillon@bellsouth.net. Remember: the first 100 people to sign up will be entered into a drawing for a special prize. Let's stop talking and start walking! ***** OCEANFRONT PROPERTY FOR SALE IN ARIZONA? by Marsha Farrow "Ocean Front Property in Arizona" is more than a song! Is this one of Nashville's favorite country tunes? Not only is this a favorite country song, we will have oceanfront property for your bidding during our ACB fourth annual auction. There will be several timeshare vacation packages located on the beach. The live auction will begin with a parade -- no big bands, but an affiliate package parade will be music to your ears. You will be enticed to overspend your convention budget when you learn how creative our affiliates have been in donating their one-of-a-kind gift assortments. There will be unique handcrafted treasures which are sure to begin bidding wars, and in these friendly battles ACB always wins! So mark your calendar and plan to have an evening of great fun with your many ACB friends as well as contribute greatly to the financial well-being of ACB. The 4th live auction is scheduled for Wednesday evening, July 14, at 7 p.m. Let's all work together to top last year's sales of $25,000, and we will consider throwing the Golden Gate in for free! Please notify Brenda Dillon or Barbara McDonald by June 30th to inform them of your auction donation. Even if you bring your items with you, we must know in advance of your contribution so descriptions can be produced in braille. This deadline absolutely must be followed due to the limited time during convention to complete all of the pre-planning for the auction. If you would prefer not to travel with your donations, please mail your items valued at $25 or greater to: ACB Auction, c/o Barbara McDonald, 1727 W. Osborn Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85015-5828. Remember to mark all packages "for ACB Auction." Barbara will receive items until July 7, 2010. Hope to see you at the beach! ***** ACB RADIO, BEYOND THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION! by Debbie Hazelton There is yet more to celebrate since the ACB Radio 10th birthday celebration. Though one vendor listed previously did not participate, two more added their prizes to the list of 28 prize drawings. Carroll Tech Center has donated full tuition to one of its training classes. And Code Factory donated a copy of Mobile Speak 4 to one lucky recipient. Here are the winners whose names were drawn. We hear that some have not claimed their prizes and hope they will step up and claim their prize. Light-up arm band: Pratik Patel, Tom Shill, Elizabeth Bowden, Jim Denham, Carla Hayes, and Albert Anderson Six-month membership to Blind Adrenaline: Charles Crawford and Steve Holmes One-year membership to Blind Adrenaline: David Mitchell and Pam Quinn Debbie Hazelton's aromatherapy: Constance Griesmer and Marcia Moses Mini consulting session with Lynn Cooper: Catherine Turner and Melissa Fass Full image consulting with Lynn Cooper: Ann Mauro AM/FM clock radio from Independent Living Aids: Debbie Granger One-month membership to AllInPlay: Jessie Rayl, Kurtis Delzer and David Russell Three-month membership to AllInPlay: Bruce Toews and Debbie Downey One-year membership to AllInPlay: James Snell Fancy Pants Bakery cookie: Nancy Martin Carroll Center course: Anthony Baechler System Access with one-year membership to SAMNet: Robert Miller Mobile Speak version 4: David Dell Window-Eyes: Chris Coulter Book Sense: Patti Johnson Thank you to all of those who continue to support and spread the good word about ACB Radio! Listener figures continue to climb. New programming continues to be added to all of our five streams. We look forward to many new positive changes on the horizon. For those with questions or comments, contact the ACB Radio managing director, Larry Turnbull, via e-mail, support@acbradio.org. ***** SUMMARY OF THE ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING by Marcia Dresser The ACB board of directors met by teleconference on Dec. 15, 2009. All board members were present, as well as staff members Melanie Brunson and Lane Waters. President Mitch Pomerantz convened the meeting at 8:10 p.m. Eastern. Marlaina Lieberg moved and Kim Charlson seconded adoption of the agenda as reviewed by Pomerantz; this motion carried unanimously. A motion made by David Trott and seconded by Berl Colley to approve the minutes of the September board meeting was also unanimously adopted. In his president's report, Pomerantz stated that nine applications for the position of managing director of ACB Radio were received, and that four candidates would be interviewed in the next several days. Due to increased work commitments, Ron Brooks found it necessary to resign as chair of the transportation committee. He will remain on the committee, and Alice Ritchhart will assume the chairmanship. Treasurer Mike Godino presided over discussion of the proposed 2010 budget. On the revenue side, he stated that MMS funds have been steadily increasing each year. We have $130,000 worth of grant applications outstanding as a result of being much more active in that area. Jeff Thom made a motion, seconded by Colley, to lower the projected income from the auction from $22,000 to $20,000. Those voting in favor were Dillon, Lieberg, Colley, Farrow, Ruschival, Thom, Vloedman, Keith, and Sheehan. Those voting against were Charlson, Godino, Gray, Garrett, and Trott. The motion carried by a vote of 9 to 5. Colley made a motion, which Ray Campbell seconded, to raise the projected income from investments from $81,996 to $84,000; this was unanimously approved. Total projected revenue for 2010 was $1,369,183. Chris Gray moved and Campbell seconded adoption of the revenue side of the budget; the motion carried unanimously. On the expense side, Godino stated that several difficult cuts needed to be made because of revenue reductions. It will be necessary to cut one Floyd Qualls memorial scholarship in 2010 because these scholarships come out of general unrestricted funds; four will be presented at $2,500 each. All issues of "The Braille Forum" will be 32 pages. All committees will receive reduced appropriations. An exception will be the membership committee because of an ongoing project to translate the ACB brochure into Spanish, and outreach work regarding the Idaho affiliate needs to be completed. Total 2010 expenses were projected at $1,369,109. Lieberg moved and Thom seconded approval of the expense side of the budget; this carried unanimously. Gray moved and Lieberg seconded adoption of the 2010 budget in aggregate; this carried unanimously. Gray moved and Campbell seconded that the national office send a token of ACB's esteem to long-time member and former "Braille Forum" editor Mary Ballard Stephens. This proposal was unanimously adopted. The meeting adjourned at 10:55 p.m. The next meeting of the ACB board of directors was scheduled for Feb. 19 in Arlington, Va. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS Dreams Are Achievable at the Nebraska Convention The American Council of the Blind of Nebraska (ACBN) will hold its state convention April 23-25 at the Clarion Wilderness Lodge in Fremont, Neb. Call 1-800-743-7666 for room reservations and mention ACBN to receive the discounted room rate of $64.95 plus tax per night (one to four occupancy). Discount deadline is Friday, April 2, 2010. The convention theme is "Dreams Are Achievable." Adult registration fees are $35 per person if paid in advance, $45 at the door, and include the Fremont Dinner/Mystery Train on Friday night, a continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and the Saturday evening banquet. Children's registration fees are $10. A "white elephant" auction will follow the banquet. Please visit the ACBN web site at www.acb.org/Nebraska/ or call 1-888-218-8061 for more information. ***** HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering's mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. ** SERVICE DOG EYE EXAMS For the third year, the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists will sponsor National Service Dog Eye Exam Month throughout May 2010. More than 150 board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists in the U.S. and Canada will provide free eye exams to thousands of dog guides, handicapped assistance dogs, detection dogs, and search and rescue dogs. To be eligible, the dogs must either be certified active working dogs or dogs in training. In order to participate, dogs must be registered online at www.ACVOeyeexam.org between April 1 and May 16. Once registered, you can access the list of participating veterinary ophthalmologists to schedule an exam on a first-come, first-served basis. ** FELLOWSHIPS AT NIB The Fellowship for Leadership Development, sponsored by National Industries for the Blind (NIB), is a salaried, two-year program that combines business-focused, on-the-job experience with formal management training. Legally blind individuals who have an undergraduate degree, work experience and passion for business are invited to apply. Fellows are selected based on academic achievement, experience, motivation, references, and personal interviews. Got questions about the program? Visit www.nib.org/documents/Businessleaders/Application FAQ_feb5 10.docx. To apply, visit www.nib.org/documents/Businessleaders/Application Form_feb5 10.docx. If you have questions that were not answered by the FAQ, contact Sandy Finley, NIB Business Leaders Program, at fellowship@nib.org or (703) 310-0506. ** CALIFORNIA CELEBRATION The California School for the Blind is celebrating 150 years this year. The celebration will take place starting at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 13, 2010. Featured speakers include Phil Hatlen and Tom Sullivan. Following the program, there will be a reception on the quad, with refreshments. After the reception, there will be a sit-down dinner followed by our spring concert and a dessert extravaganza. If you are interested in attending, please e-mail your name and mailing address to James Rudder, jrudder@csb-cde.ca.gov. ** TOUCH OF GENIUS PRIZE National Braille Press invites you to apply for a $20,000 award to honor those innovating in the field of tactile literacy. This prize was developed to inspire an innovator to continue the promotion of braille literacy for blind and deaf-blind people worldwide. The Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation, provided through support from National Braille Press and The Gibney Family Foundation, will be granted to a group or individual for a new educational method, a new tactile literacy product, or a new technological advance in tactile literacy. It may be awarded for a completed project or anticipated concept that shows viability and will improve opportunities for blind people. Applications must be received by May 24, 2010. For more information, and to download the application, please visit www.touchofgeniusprize.org. ** 2010 AFB MIGEL MEDAL The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) bestowed its 2010 Migel Medal at the February conference of the Assistive Technology Industry Association in Orlando, Fla. The winner is Deane B. Blazie, the electrical engineer who developed the Braille 'n Speak as well as numerous other assistive technology products for people with vision loss. ** HELP FOR ONLINE JOB RESEARCH National Braille Press offers a new job search resource, "Internet Your Way to a New Job: How to Really Find a Job Online," by Alison Doyle. This book is a guide to navigating the complexity of job-hunting on the Internet by suggesting the most effective methods available. It offers the following topics: using social networking web sites, creating personal/professional profiles, developing contacts who can assist with your job search, marketing yourself to potential employers, and helping employers find you. This new resource is available in three formats: braille (2 volumes), CD, or download. You can read the complete table of contents or order this book by visiting www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/JOBONLINE.html. To order by phone, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323. ** SUMMER VACATION CAMPS The Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind is holding several summer vacation camps for blind and low-vision adults. Adult Adventure Camp 1 will be held July 24-30; adventure camp 2, Aug. 1-7; alumni and friends Aug. 9-15; and Modified Adventure Camp, Aug. 17-23. The camp is located 45 minutes from the Portland, Ore. airport. Average August temperatures are in the low 80s. Come and enjoy good weather, fine cookery, and participate in a variety of activities, from traditional camp programs to skydiving, bungee jumping, white-water rafting, rock climbing, hiking, swimming and more. And this year, the camp is celebrating its 48th anniversary! For more information about the camp programs, contact Jeff Lann via e-mail, oralhull@teleport.com, visit the web site, www.oralhull.org, or phone (503) 668-6195. ** FREE CANCER INFORMATION BOOKLETS The ACB Health Issues Task Force has received a generous contribution enabling it to provide two brochures from the American Cancer Society on audio cassette for FREE. To order “For Women Facing Breast Cancer” or “After Diagnosis: Prostate Cancer: Understanding Your Treatment Options,” either e-mail medicalinfo@acb.org or call 1-800-255-1147 and press 0. Be sure to include the name of the publication you want, your name, and full postal mailing address. ** HADLEY RE-ACCREDITED After a year-long extensive review, Hadley School for the Blind has been granted re-accreditation by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), the nation's premiere accrediting association for distance learning institutions. Accreditation means that Hadley has met a high standard of excellence in its programs. ** NEXT GENERATION BRAILLER The Next Generation Perkins Brailler is now available in two new colors: raspberry and midnight. The Next Generation is 25 percent lighter than the old-style brailler and has a smaller footprint. Other features include: an erase button, quieter and lighter touch keys, a reading rest, front margin guides, and an easy-grip built-in handle. For additional description, pricing, or ordering, call Perkins Products at (617) 972-7308, or visit www.perkinsbrailler.org. ** NEW MUSIC CD "Hearts in Harmony with the Lord" is the new CD from Jim and Linda Davis. This blind couple, both ACB members, has been singing together for 10 years. Their gospel CD contains 12 songs, six of which are originals. They have also recorded a country CD. Each CD is $15; a sample track is available upon request. To order, contact Linda Davis by e-mail, lindamay.davis@verizon.net. ** CELTICS HONOR HEROES AMONG US Congratulations to Janet L.LaBreck, who was honored as a "Hero Among Us" by the Boston Celtics. LaBreck is Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and a Perkins School for the Blind alumna. The Heroes Among Us program honors individuals who have made an overwhelming impact on the lives of others. Under LaBreck's guidance, the MCB's award-winning internship program accomplished an 80 percent successful employment rate, exceeding the national employment rate for individuals with disabilities. Before the Celtics game where LaBreck was honored, the Perkins Chorus sang the national anthem. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP ** FOR SALE: Used PAC Mate QX Omni 400 and accessories. Includes leather case, Ambicom wireless card, 2 GB flash card, and 2 hours of phone training. Asking $500 or best offer. Contact Don Olson at (703) 920-0922, or e-mail him, olsondo24@verizon.net. ** FOR SALE: Papenmeier Braillex EL2D80 80-cell braille display. Five years old; never been used. Serial interface, compatible with USB via latest drivers from Papenmeier. Packed inside original hard-shell case. Asking $3,000 (negotiable). Send an e-mail message to steve@dataguardian.com. ** FOR SALE: Jot-a-Dot pocket braille notetaker. Asking $150. Ultracane vibrating cane. Asking $500. Contact Ibrahim at 011-234-8191-233-194, or write to him at P.O. Box 5426, Kano, Kano State, 700-001, Nigeria. ** FOR SALE: Braille Note, 32 cells, a few years old, in perfect condition. Comes with leatherette case and an instructional tape. Asking $1,000 or best offer. Contact Bou at (240) 669-6918. ** FOR SALE: Electronic magnifier that works with laptops and desktops. Comes with all cables and software, as well as a carrying case. Will be shipped in the original box. Asking $600. Payment must be in the form of a money order in Canadian or U.S. funds. Please contact Nancy at (319) 217-8385 or owenryder@sympatico.ca. ** FOR SALE: Four-CD music collection, with 5 hours of music. Disco, old school, rock and roll, or cumbias collection. Asking $12. Toshiba laptop with 3 gigs RAM, 250-gig hard drive, Windows XP home edition, JAWS 9, and ZoomText. Asking $800, including shipping. Desktop computer with 19-inch monitor, 1.5-TB hard drive, 4 gigs RAM, Windows XP home edition, CD/DVD burner, wireless keyboard, speakers, mouse, and wi-fi. Asking $800, including shipping. Contact Jose Luis at (818) 220-6256. ** FOR SALE: Electric Perkins brailler, rarely used. Comes with felt pad and cover. Asking $600. Aladdin Rainbow CCTV, rarely used. Asking $1,200. VersaBraille II with 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, print and braille manuals, asking $200. Contact Liz at esbowden@nettally.com or call (850) 345-0822. ** FOR SALE: Braille Lite M20 with cables, manuals, and disk drive, asking $550 or best offer. Contact Nancy at nfolsom@comcast.net, or call (850) 524-5026. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA ST. #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KIM CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVE. WATERTOWN, MA 02472 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT BRENDA DILLON 313 OVERRIDGE COVE HERMITAGE, TN 37076 SECRETARY MARLAINA LIEBERG 632 S. 189TH ST. BURIEN, WA 98148 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE. MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Marsha Farrow, Summerville, GA Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Cammie Vloedman, Oklahoma City, OK Ex Officio: Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Edwards, Chairman, Miami, FL Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA Judy Jackson, San Antonio, TX Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Ex Officios: Michael Malver, Minneapolis, MN Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY