Convention Updates: Travel Agency
This year’s travel agency is Carrano Travel, Inc. of North Miami. Our travel agent is Donna Balaban. To make travel reservations, call (800) 327-3736 extension 129; local (305) 893- 8771 extension 129. Please note that the telephone is answered by the operator as CSM, The Super Show, Medical Business; ask for Carrano Travel or Donna.
Dog Food
If you are interested in ordering dog food for your guide during the 2001 ACB convention in Iowa, the following information may be important to you.
GDUI has made arrangements with Petco to deliver 8- or 20- pound bags of the following foods if ordered by Monday, June 25, 2001, and prepaid with either MasterCard, Visa or American Express. The phone number to call is (515) 223-7785. Ask for the manager on duty, and explain that you are with the Guide Dog Users, Inc. annual convention.
The food will be delivered to the GDUI room located in the convention center on Sunday, July 1, and will be available for pick-up by you from 2 to 4 p.m. We suggest you order only 8-pound bags whenever possible, as your hotel may be located some distance from the convention center and carrying the smaller size bags may be easier for you.
The foods available for ordering are: Eukanuba, Iams, Science Diet, Nutro Sensible, Choice Natural Blend, Pro-Plan, Bil-Jac, Wysong, Diamond and Nature’s Recipe. Remember, you must prepay with a credit card by calling the number listed above and asking to speak with the manager on duty.
We hope you find this service of GDUI to be useful, and we express our appreciation to Petco for its willingness to work with us in this endeavor. See you in Des Moines!
Talking ATM
Bank of America will have a live talking ATM at the 40th annual ACB convention in Des Moines. The machine will be in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel and will be available 24 hours a day during the convention. You will be able to use your debit or credit cards in this machine, even if you are not a Bank of America customer. We do not know yet if earphones will be made available, so it may be a good idea to bring a set with you. Bank of America employees will provide instruction in the use of the machine during convention week.
Raffle for ACB Quilt
Many ACB affiliates are represented in the ACB quilt designed and crafted by the Tennessee Council of the Blind. Again this year at the ACB 40th convention in Des Moines, the right to display the quilt for whichever affiliate the winner chooses will be the grand prize in a raffle to raise money for ACB, TCB and the affiliate whose member holds the winning ticket. Raffle tickets cost $1 apiece, and will be sold in the exhibit hall and on the convention floor. The quilt will be on display in the exhibit hall until Wednesday of convention week, and thereafter on the convention floor until the winning ticket is drawn at the banquet.
Don’t Miss RSVA’s Casino Night!
Why? Because if you do, you’ll miss an evening of fun, Las Vegas-style gaming, and some fabulous prizes. Besides that, RSVA will be splitting the proceeds from this popular event with ACB. So, check your convention program for the location, and make plans to join RSVA at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 3, at their casino in Des Moines.
Youth Activity Center Features Interesting Diversions for Children, 7-14
A Youth Activity Center will offer games, crafts, and other interesting diversions for children whose parents register them, every morning from 8:15 until 12:15, at the Marriott Hotel. Come take a break from the official business of ACB, play a game, meet new friends, try out a new craft at this center which will be staffed by ACB volunteers.
Other family-friendly activities which are being planned for the 2001 convention include a pizza party and a movie night, as well as the tour of Iowa’s Living History Farms on Tuesday, and a trip to the Blank Park Zoo on Friday afternoon.
Friends-in-Art Adds a New Dimension
by Bernice Kandarian
Friends in Art is all about singing and playing and telling stories. Right? No, it’s also about writing poetry and painting and sculpting. But that’s still not all. Now there is Soft Fiber Art!
At the 2000 ACB convention in Louisville, a workshop on Soft Fiber Art was held. More than 25 people heard a presentation about yarns, the different qualities, fibers and sizes. Milly Lillibridge discussed crochet and Kathryn Johnson shared some of the “gadgets” she uses for knitting. Arlene Sylvestri told the group about accessible patterns available from Marjorie Arnott and Josephine Price passed around the jacket she had knit that she was wearing.
Suggestions from workshop attendees were used to develop the program for Des Moines. Several beginning knitting and crochet classes as well as an intermediate knitting class will be offered with limited space. And on Thursday afternoon a workshop will focus on beads and crocheting with beads, care of today’s yarns and an open forum discussion of knitting and crochet techniques.
Elsie Monthei has expanded the scope of the FIA Art Parlor to include crocheted or knitted items that are original, not from a printed pattern.
So if you want to learn to knit or crochet, register as soon as you get the pre-registration materials before the classes fill up. And if you have something original that’s made with yarn or other fiber, consider exhibiting it in FIA’s Art Parlor.
McDaniel Raffle
The Durward K. McDaniel Raffle will be held again this year at the convention. The drawing will take place on Saturday, July 7. If you can help sell tickets, please call toll-free (800) 249-1414. Tickets cost $1 each or 6 for $5. First prize is $200; second prize, $125; and third prize, $50. Honor Durward’s memory and benefit the First-Timers’ Fund at a special breakfast, which will take place on Wednesday, July 4, at 7:00 a.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to break bread with ACB friends and benefit a worthy cause at the same time.
Accessible Signal Makes A Difference
by Al Pietrolungo
For the first time in my life, on April 13 I used an accessible traffic signal in Baltimore. The device is at the corner of Calvert and Pratt Streets in downtown Baltimore across from the development called Harbor Place, about two miles from 1800 Johnson Street.
Our committee worked very hard to convince city officials to go forward with accessible signals. While thanking them for their work, I want to say a special thank you to the 13 members of the Central Maryland Council of the Blind who were willing to demonstrate in front of city hall on a cold December day.
The mayor was willing to listen to the NFB, but the efforts of this small but stubborn group convinced the city to stop listening to the NFB and start installing the devices. We know, however, that they are stubborn down on Johnson Street, so you can be sure the Maryland Federationists will continue to work hard to stop additional APS installations. We in ACB of Maryland are also stubborn, so you can expect to see more announcements about the installation of accessible traffic signals at lots of Maryland locations. We won’t let others put up roadblocks to the safety of blind and visually impaired pedestrians in our state.
Low Country Chapter of VIVA Growing, Expanding Programs
The South Carolina Low Country Chapter of Visually Impaired Veterans of America is growing! This chapter has 11 members at this writing, and is in the process of incorporation and acquiring non-profit status. One of our goals is to establish a volunteer visitor program for the Ralph H. Johnson Memorial Medical Center. In addition, there is an ongoing program to make kits for homeless veterans in the community; about one-third of homeless men are veterans. Long-range plans include establishing a program of renovating old computers and setting them up for use by blind and visually impaired people; sending some members to classes to learn about veterans’ issues and how to help people find their way through the maze of paperwork and red tape. SCLC-VIVA also participates in sports and recreation activities in the area. If you live in South Carolina and are interested in getting involved, call Don Kopp at (843) 763-0785.
The chapter recently held a low vision fair at St. Andrews Parish United Methodist Church in Charleston. More than 60 people attended the event which had been planned for a maximum of 30. Extra chairs were brought in, and people had an opportunity to meet one another and learn about coping with low vision at the same time. Dr. Kenneth A. Sharpe was the guest speaker, addressing the topic of eye diseases causing vision loss.
There were a number of demonstrations featuring computer displays with accessibility software, accessible diabetes management tools; magnification and reading aids, telephone accessories and enhancement devices; and life-enhancing equipment and services for daily living.