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In This Issue

Presidents Message

We also passed a resolution that would allow UCB to send a group of individuals to learn how to script screen reading software. We would then hire these individuals to go to job sites and script Jaws and/or Window Eyes to become more compatible with programs that companies have, therefore, making it possible for blind and visually impaired individuals to become employed!

As President of UCB, I would like to express my deepest thanks, appreciation and gratitude to the Poulson Family Scholarship Foundation and the John Freebairn Scholarship fund for making it possible for UCB to provide a $1,500 scholarship for each recipient. Receiving a scholarship is a great honor! It takes great skill, time, and commitment to work towards such an achievement. I humbly congratulate the following recipients:
Aimee Tubbs, who is working on a master's degree in psychology;
Brandon Stubbs, who is working towards completing a graduate degree in electrical engineering;
Michelle Martin, who is currently working on completing a degree in music therapy;
Mohammed Dirshe, who is interested in working to complete a degree in international law;
Monica Borg, who is working on an undergraduate degree in psychology, and
Phuong Nguyen, who is seeking a degree in counseling and teaching math.
I sincerely hope that all recipients know how much we as UCB care about you and your success! We are very proud of you and cheer you on! Going to college can have many ups and downs along with other life challenges, so, please feel free to let us know what’s happening. We can laugh with you, or even provide a shoulder to cry on. We’re here for you, and want you to stay in touch with us!

I would like to also express my appreciation to Tammie Hansen and Michael Smith for their years of service on the Board. I would like to thank those members who voted for giving me another chance as President. I would like to express a warm welcome and congratulations to Aunilie Hathaway, who will now fill the position as secretary; as well as Tara Briggs, who will serve as a member of the Board of Trustees.

I would like to thank our existing Board, our executive Director, our Vista workers, and other committees who unselfishly continue to put forth their precious time and unending efforts to meet the goals of this organization. I would also like to thank all those who ran for positions on the Board. I hope you will stay involved with the UCB and participate on committees.

We have many more issues out there that should concern all of us, such as quiet cars, the level of education blind children are receiving from the School for the Blind; and the constant need of advocating for programs to better the lives of blind and visually impaired children and adults, as well as other people with disabilities in the state of Utah.

It will soon be time to assign people to work on committees. We are a grass-roots organization. To me, that’s people helping other people, and everyone contributing a little time, skills, and experiences they have gained through life. I know all of you have talent, you all have a nitch at doing something; why not consider sharing a little bit of your time and skills with UCB by serving on a committee? Each and every one of you is of value and has something to contribute! If every member does a little something, that will make UCB a much better organization for everyone! Please feel free to contact us.

Calling All Members

Please package your items appropriately and send them to:
Utah Council of the Blind
1301 W 500 S
Woods Cross, UT 84087-2224

Enclosed is a letter of introduction that you can use when you make your contacts. Thanks to each of you for your support and help in making the UCB a strong and influential organization.

ACB Online Auction

1. Register, This can be done by clicking on or going to the register button located under the banner at the top of the homepage on the ACB’s cMarket site. The screen that will appear will be a registration screen where you have to complete a form with your personal information such as name and address. You must create a user name and password. The username must be between 4 and 32 characters and the password must be 7 to 32 letters and numbers. The box I agree to cMarket's terms must be checked and the submit button must be clicked. You will get another screen confirming that you have been registered and you will be automatically in the system. You can then logout and log back in with your username and password that you created when you registered.

2. Another way to register is to simply click on the sign in to bid button which takes you to the registration form to complete. This registration form has personal information and credit card information that is to be completed. After that you can start bidding. Remember to sign out after bidding.

Note: Whenever you return to the site your username will appear. Once you find the username and click in the box, just tab to get to the password box and type in your password and tab to sign in box and hit your enter key.

How to place a Bid. Bids can be made by clicking on view all items. Next, you click or tab to the item on which you wish to place a bid. The screen that will appear is the screen with the item on which you wish to bid. Click on or tab to the sign in to bid button and press enter. The screen that will appear is the screen where you enter your username and password, if you have not entered prior to signing in to bid. If you have signed in with your username and password, you just need to click or tab to the item on which you wish to bid. Then enter the amount for your bid. Click or tab to the place a bid button and press enter. If you have not added your credit card information, you will need to do so at this time. Your credit card information can be done at this time by clicking on or tabbing to the Add New Credit Card link that will take you to the credit card form to complete. All fields must be filled out on the credit card form. When complete, tab to save and press enter.
Thank you,
Dena Wilson,
Director of Development,
2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 650,
Arlington, VA 22201
Main phone number: (202)467-5081
Direct phone number: (202) 559-2045
Or email: dwilson@acb.org

Disability Law Center Survey

To take the survey, go to:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=knXnvay2mZ8kLTFAaN0UUA_3d_3d

The Buddy Program

For additional information, email Troy Roper at: troyroper@xmission.com

Power Wheelchair Repairs

Contact Lyle at:
Cell phone 801-604-6876.
Home phone: 801-266-1504.

Happenings Books The UCB will once again be selling Happenings Books. Sales will begin in August.  The books will sell for $20.00. If you want the books shipped to you, add $3.50.

Happenings books, as you may know, are a compilation of coupons for reduced or buy-one-get-one free, services and meals.  There’s fine dining and fast foods, as well as many other eating establishments located in the middle.  The hotels and travel savings are excellent and extend to some out of state attractions. 

During this time of escalating costs, and with less money to go around, these books are great to use for the occasional night out.  The Utah State Fair is usually included in the book, as well as movies, dry cleaning, ski resorts, swimming and water slide activities as well as much more.

To order a book, call 801-292-1156 to reserve your copy or leave your order on the Utah Connection. The funds raised from the sale of these books are used to help provide the UCB programs available to you.

Simply Fun Games

August Activity

The Bean Museum is at BYU and displays many kinds of animals which have been killed and stuffed.  There is no entrance fee.

At 1:30 p.m. there will be a show about reptiles.  Arrangements are being made for some hands on experience.  There are many displays at this museum contained on several floors of the building. We’ll remain here until 3:30 p.m. to allow the group enough time to experience all they can.

3:30 p.m. is the time we will load the bus for our return trip to Salt Lake City. We will follow a reverse course of delivery locations.  People may want to arrange for cabs to take them home in case of time differences in travel.  With the traffic, one never knows about travel times. 

Everyone is expected to send $8 per person for the bus ride and the carriage ride by July 29th.  An additional $5 must be included if you wish to order a two piece chicken dinner at KFC.  In the interest of time, we will order the food in advance. If you wish something other than a two piece white chicken meal you must indicate and send the appropriate money with your reservation.  If interest is too limited, this event may be cancelled.  Listen to the connection for further information.  Send your money and reservations to 1301 W. 500 S. Woods Cross, UT 84087.

Media Swap and Sale

If you have items of the above mentioned you’re not interested in selling yourself and would like to donate for our fund raising efforts, we encourage your donations and will sell them at our table. Please contact Sandy England at 801-282-1905 at home or on her cell phone at 801-634-8002. The public is encouraged to come and share. We welcome their involvement and encourage their participation always.

Lunch will be available at a reasonable price and a bake sale will be a part of the fund raiser. If you have items you would be willing to donate for the bake sale, again, please contact Sandy England. 

Please, items donated to this fund raising effort should be in good condition, i.e., all page s in books or tapes in working condition.

Thank you, and we hope to see everyone there.

Let’s Go Four-Wheeling

White Cane Safety Day

Creating Holiday Gifts

UCB Christmas Party

Reader Program

It is important that you select someone you trust to read and help complete your paperwork. 

The UCB has sponsored this program for more than ten years.  The hope is that you can deal with your individual business in an independent manner with this small amount of help.  From time to time the UCB receives requests from individuals wanting to assist, that we can refer, but for the most part, we hope you can locate your own. We don’t run background checks and cannot be responsible for those that offer their services. This is important when you are dealing with private personal matters and need someone you can trust. 

If you wish to sign up for this service, call 801-292-1156 and we will give you more information to get you started.  You can also send the appropriate amount of money to 1301 W. 500 S., Woods Cross, UT 84087 and we will send you the hourly coupons and the form for your reader to fill out and return to request reimbursement of their time. 

UCB Credit Union

Save the Date

The Passing of a Past President

  Pat told me that she lost her sight in 1987. For a while she was totally blind, but later some of her sight returned.  She was so determined to get back to living, she had her mother drop her off at the Center for the Blind to begin training on her way home from the hospital.  Later as other medical problems arose she maintained the same attitude of "I will overcome".  In the last years of her life she survived heart surgery, eye surgery, two amputations, and numerous infections because of diabetes.  Pat believed she was one of the longest living diabetics, having been diagnosed with the disease at age five.  She was nearly 63 when she died.

  Shortly after Pat completed her training at the Center for the Blind, she contacted me and asked if she could use her secretarial skills to help the organization.  I was delighted.  Pat soon became a scribe for writing grants and composing correspondence. This continued until computers became more accessible and then she branched out in other directions, including starting her own business.   Pat was a good friend and a tremendous support whether acting in an official capacity or as a friend.  She was a strong advocate for all disabilities as well as for her friends.  The really great thing is that she was not afraid to risk her own feelings to protect those of others. Her sympathy was boundless, but she would not tolerate a "give up" attitude.  Her motto was kick but in a nice way first and then in a forceful way if that did not work.

    Pat was extremely proud of her Irish heritage.  She had a brother and Sister of whom she was proud even when they were at odds. Her two children, who are now grown were, always in her thoughts and have been always loved above all things.    Her care for them, and later for her grandsons, was always first in her life. Family was of the most importance and then came her larger family of friends and the community of the blind.

    For me, Pat will always represent the indomitable spirit of mankind.  She was also a perfect example of enduring to the end and doing it well.  During the last year Pat was forced to make her residence in an assistive care unit.  This was never supposed to happen to her. She loved her independence too well.  The really frustrating thing about this center was that it was not easily accessed by transportation.  Instead of whining and bemoaning her situation, or even withdrawing into herself, Pat began organizing the other people living there.  She helped plan activities and offered her vast knowledge of services to help others. She continued to act as Loan committee chair by telephone and she offered her skills at networking to everyone right up to the end.  Pat will always be a shining example of how to live life in spite of the hard knocks which face us all, no matter who we are.  Thank you, Pat for sharing your life with us and thank you Pat's family for sharing your mom and sister with us.

DVD, “The Miracle Worker”

THE MIRACLE WORKER on DVD with closed captioning and audio description produced by the American Council of the Blind's Audio Description Project. This 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION, 1ST TIME ON DVD, Honoring Helen Keller's 129th birthday-June 27, 2009, THE MIRACLE WORKER, STARRING MELISSA GILBERT AND EMMY-WINNING ACTRESS PATTY DUKE as "Annie Sullivan". Based on the 1962 classic starring Patty Duke (as "Helen Keller"), this 1979 television remake stars Melissa Gilbert as "Helen Keller" and Patty Duke as her tutor, "Annie Sullivan", Winner of 3 Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Lead Actress for Patty Duke.
Helen Keller was the young girl who was blind, deaf, and mute since infancy. She was in danger of being sent to an institution, that is, until a persistent and outspoken teacher named Annie Sullivan came into her life. Together they taught one another the values of patience, tolerance and compassion. Together they made the name Helen Keller synonymous with the education of people who are blind and deaf around the world.

Go to:  www.adinternational.org and click on "The Miracle Worker" links to purchase your copy today. A significant portion of each purchase made via this link benefits the American Council of the Blind!

St George Cab Information

There are two cab companies in St. George. Both are regulated by the city council. There is a minimum drop rate of $1.30 or close to that, but they both charge a minimum ride fee. If you want to go across the street the fee would be the minimum ride fee of $6.00.  This is regulated by the fair practices according to the city council. All the taxis are metered so none are charging a flat fee and the rate is the same as Salt Lake about $2.50 a mile depending on traffic and waiting time. This means a 7-8 mile trip will cost approximately $20 dollars. Once the six dollar minimum is reached on any trip the meter kicks in and the regular metered fee is charged.

  Quality Cab has 4 cars working at all times with one dispatcher. They claim their response time to be between 15 and 20 minutes. Taxi USA is a one man business. It can work one and sometimes two cars. The owner is the dispatcher and often the driver as well.

Jury Duty Scam

Utah Connection/Listening Ear

Symphony Thanks

COMMUNITY INTERESTS

FYI

Ogden Association of the Blind

USDB Advisory Council Positions

1. Parent of a Blind or Visually Impaired Student Being Served at USDB.

2.  Parent of a Deaf/blind Student Being Served at USDB or a Deaf/blind Individual.

Contact information is listed to obtain nomination forms to be completed and returned no later than Friday July 17, 2009.  Be sure if you are nominating someone that you have their permission to do so.  In addition, the candidate must attach background information relating to their individual interest in and knowledge of the needs and education of those in their area of interest.   Please make this information available to anyone you know that might be interested.
 Many thanks, Betty Hall CPS, Executive Assistant, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, 742 Harrison Blvd., Ogden, UT  84404, Phone  (801) 629-4712, Fax      (801) 649-4896, bettyh@usdb.org

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