THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLV February 2007 No. 6 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. Christopher Gray, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 1155 15th St. NW Suite 1004 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085 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. Submission deadlines are the first of the month. The American Council of the Blind 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 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: 2802. 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 2007 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS Assessing Our Future, by Christopher Gray A Milestone for Money and Meaningful Access, by Melanie Brunson Currency Survey Questions A Somewhat Modest Proposal, by Mitch Pomerantz Blind-Borgs, by Michael Byington Summary of the Fall Board of Directors Meeting, by Charles S.P. Hodge On the Road to Minneapolis, by Carla Ruschival Affiliate News Letters to the Editor Here and There, by Susan Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop Happy Valentine's Day! 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, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-L-subscribe@acb.org. 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. ***** ASSESSING OUR FUTURE by Christopher Gray I'd like to take a moment as we enter into 2007 to assess the year just ended and consider what it can suggest for 2007 and beyond. 2006 could well go down as one of ACB's finest years in the past decade, although many might have predicted otherwise in January of last year. Our greatest success of the year is doubtless the ruling by Judge James Robertson in which he upheld ACB's contention that the currency as it exists today violates Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. He insists, as both blind consumer organizations have requested since the 1980s, that the Department of the Treasury sit down and consult with low vision and blind people as they alter the currency in order to create new and better means of accessibility. This is a great victory for all blind Americans, and it is my firm hope that within several months such conversations can begin. Though we prefer not to engage in direct litigation, ACB also joined forces with others in 2006 to sue the Social Security Administration (SSA) under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The purpose of this litigation is to require SSA to provide correspondence and other key materials to recipients in a format that recipients can read. For example, SSA must cease sending printed letters of request for appointments, determinations of payment, and so forth to totally blind recipients. I particularly want to acknowledge and thank the Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund for its assistance and forward-looking vision in this case. More directly related to ACB's organizational affairs, we have achieved many successes that will, in time, affect ACB's bottom line. In the fourth quarter of 2006, ACB brought on a new chief financial officer at our Minneapolis offices, Lane Waters. While Lane may not be directly responsible for all of the successes I'm about to tell you, he has had a hand in many, and he has been the primary cataloger and organizer of many more on ACB's balance sheets and on those of our Enterprises and Services business as well. I am often asked about ACB's reserve funds. This year, the board of directors is extremely proud to tell you that those reserves remained untouched. In other words, ACB adopted and maintained a budget through which we "lived within our means" and did not have to rely on taking money out of reserve funds. Better than that, we were able to place an additional $100,000 back into our reserves, which greatly strengthens the organization and guards us against unforeseen possibilities in the future. The businesses we operate within the American Council of the Blind Enterprises and Services have achieved renewed strength in 2006 as well. Unlike in 2005, ACBES met its full commitment to ACB. In addition, ACBES maintained a funding level that allowed it to begin new investing in its own infrastructure to strengthen and build the business. My belief in our thrift store business has never faltered, and I firmly believe that we are witnessing a return to prosperity of that business. And finally with regard to money, let us not forget the victories we have achieved this past year with Trader Joe's and Safeway and its several subsidiaries. These stores now join others such as Wal-Mart which offer accessible point-of-sale machines that allow blind people to enter their pin numbers independently rather than announce them to clerks, fellow customers, or companions. These negotiated settlements did not require litigation and are great successes that help all blind people. All in all, we can be quite proud of what has been achieved in 2006. Already, 2007 has shown an equally positive nature. The online petition that allows people to support the currency litigation has been a huge success. If you have not yet done so, please go and sign it at http://www.money4all.info. The ACB Radio World stream is about to begin test broadcasts and people have come forward to broadcast in Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish, Swedish and Dutch. If you can assist in broadcasting in a foreign language, please don't hesitate to be in touch with the American Council of the Blind. I wish you all the best for 2007. Keep checking "The Braille Forum" for news, stories of success, and important information. ***** A MILESTONE FOR MONEY AND MEANINGFUL ACCESS by Melanie Brunson Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006 was a historic day for ACB. On that day, U.S. District Judge James Robertson issued his decision in ACB's pending case against the United States Treasury Department. Judge Robertson found that the Department of the Treasury is violating federal law by failing to design, produce and issue paper currency that is readily distinguishable by people who are blind or visually impaired. Shortly after this decision was announced, the government announced its intention to appeal. As I write, we are awaiting a decision by the District of Columbia Circuit Court as to whether it will hear the government's appeal. In the meantime, as many of you know, Judge Robertson's decision has caused quite a stir! Discussion of the case has been widespread in both radio and television programs, as well as the print media. Interest in the case has not been limited to the U.S. media. Both Chris Gray and I were interviewed by reporters from the BBC shortly after the decision was announced and a film crew from French television visited the ACB office. While I was in Tokyo, Japan to attend a conference last month, I was informed that one of the conference organizers had just submitted an article on the American court decision to a Japanese publication for people with disabilities. We believe that continued public discussion of the accessibility of U.S. currency is beneficial and we hope that public discourse on the subject will continue. In an effort to facilitate that discussion and provide answers to some of the questions that have been raised thus far, ACB's Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, Day Al-Mohamed, put together a fact sheet entitled Accessible Paper Currency -- Myth vs. Fact. I thought it would be helpful to readers of "The Braille Forum" to have the information in this fact sheet for their own reference, so, with Day's permission, I will include it here. Please read on and, if you still have questions after you finish, feel free to contact either Day or me. We will keep you posted as this case develops. Following this article, you will find a short survey on access to paper currency. We would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to answer the questions in our brief survey and send them, in any format, to the ACB national office. We value your input on this important issue. Now, here's some additional information for your consideration. Accessible Paper Currency -- Myth vs. Fact TRUE OR FALSE? Making paper currency accessible to the blind and visually impaired is an extreme measure and an unheard-of accommodation. FALSE. Almost 200 countries issuing paper currency have made their currency accessible using various methods, leaving the United States as the only nation that prints bills that are identical in size and color in all their denominations. These include nations and groups with larger populations and currency printing needs such as Canada and the European Union, but also smaller countries such as Barbados, Namibia and Uruguay. TRUE OR FALSE? Making paper currency accessible isn't really necessary because it only affects a small group of people. FALSE. Cataracts, which result in cloudy or blurred vision, affect 20.5 million people in the United States today, but that number will rise to 30 million in 2020. Diabetes as a result of obesity is an increasing issue for millions of Americans, and for 5.3 million of them, diabetic retinopathy will cause vision loss. For seniors, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma will affect 1.6 million and 2.2 million people respectively, and those numbers are expected to grow. What those statistics mean is that roughly 1 in 250 people will have some sort of visual impairment by 2020. In addition, making paper currency accessible will impact a much larger group of individuals than just those who are blind and visually impaired. The increased ease in differentiating money will work to the benefit of seniors, individuals with cognitive disabilities and even people without disabilities in environments where there is low lighting such as restaurants, taxicabs, and bars. Curb cuts were created for individuals who use wheelchairs, yet non-disabled pedestrians such as people with strollers, wheeled luggage and moving dollies have significantly benefitted and make regular use of curb cuts. Closed captioning was initially thought of as an imposition forced on the public by the deaf community, and yet it is now widely used in places such as airports, hospitals, bars and gyms. Creating an additional means of identifying paper currency has the potential to be just as beneficial to society as a whole. TRUE OR FALSE? Making paper currency accessible makes it easier to counterfeit U.S. money. FALSE. The advent of computers, scanners and printers and other even newer technology has made counterfeiting even easier. However, tactile changes, such as a number of those proposed and utilized by other nations as a part of their accessible currency initiatives, also make it more difficult to counterfeit currency. TRUE OR FALSE? Making paper currency accessible is too expensive. FALSE. There are several ways to alter paper currency to make it accessible, such as varying sizes, raised symbols, intaglio, punched holes or even rounded edges, each of which would have a different cost estimate; therefore, there is some question as to the accuracy of any estimates proposed at this time. In addition, even if one were to accept the figures put forward by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, then in the context of the amount spent annually, accessibility alterations would be less than 5 percent of their cost, perhaps even less if changes were made over time. Considering that U.S. currency is redesigned every few years, including accessibility in the next design change would not necessarily increase the cost significantly. It is important to remember that the latest redesign is already under way -- new $10 bills, with a new $5 bill due to come out in 2008. TRUE OR FALSE? Making paper currency accessible will be exorbitantly expensive to the vending machine industry. FALSE. There are a variety of methods to making paper currency identifiable that have been successfully implemented abroad. No specific change has been determined at this time and the American Council of the Blind does not endorse any single method, so it is impossible to determine how much costs and alterations to vending, ticketing or other machines will be. In addition, currently, there are no suggested changes to the $1 bill, which is the most commonly used bill in the industry and accounts for 50 percent of the bills minted by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. TRUE OR FALSE? Portable note-reading devices are a better alternative to changing currency. FALSE. The use of a special machine that people who are blind and visually impaired would be required to use or possess is impractical and inefficient. Individuals would have to carry the machine with them everywhere. The current cost of such portable readers is around $300 per machine and they have been shown not to work well with worn, crumpled or dirty bills. Making sure the bill is in the correct orientation for the reading device can be difficult to do without vision and time-consuming. In addition, such readers are relatively slow at identifying bills; doing so one bill at a time would not be welcome in a busy line. And there is the question of the ability of such machines to continue to be effective over time for new currency design upgrades. Plus, the machines themselves wear out and break down. Also of concern is the fact that such portable devices announce the denomination out loud and require the identification of each bill singly, forcing a blind individual to more openly handle their money to identify it, a safety issue in today's crowded urban areas. Creating a requirement for a special note-reading device becomes the development of technology as a substitute for access instead of a means to achieve access. But perhaps just as important, requiring people who are blind and visually impaired to use a special note-reading device rather than making the currency itself accessible means that the potential benefit is denied to the larger population who would benefit from alternate access to paper currency such as seniors, individuals with cognitive disabilities, non-English-speaking immigrants, non-disabled individuals in low light situations and even blind or visually impaired tourists. ***** CURRENCY SURVEY QUESTIONS Please fill out this survey and return it to: Attn: Currency Survey, American Council of the Blind, 1155 15th St. NW, Suite 1004, Washington, DC 20005. 1. Which of the following best describes your eyesight, with best correction: _____ Fully sighted _____ Partially sighted _____ Totally blind 2. Do you believe that the United States government has a responsibility to make its currency independently distinguishable by people who are blind? _____ Yes _____ No _____ I don't know 3. Please describe the method(s) you currently use to determine the denomination of paper currency. 4. Have you had experience using technological devices, such as scanners and money identifiers, to determine the denomination of U.S. currency? _____ Yes _____ No 5. If you answered yes to the last question, how effective do you believe these devices to be? _____Very effective _____ Effective _____ Not very effective _____ Not effective at all 6. Have you had experience using paper currency from other countries that is identifiable by people who are blind? _____Yes _____ No 7. If you answered yes to the previous question, please describe the method of identification you have the most experience using and rate its effectiveness according to the following scale: _____Very effective _____ Effective _____ Not very effective _____ Not effective at all 8. The Treasury Department has redesigned some bills to make them readily identifiable by people with low vision. How helpful are these new features to you? _____ Very effective _____ Effective _____ Not very effective _____ Not effective at all ***** A SOMEWHAT MODEST PROPOSAL by Mitch Pomerantz It came to me like the proverbial bolt from the blue! I was on a conference call for ACB in early December when, just in passing, someone mentioned our victory in district court against the Department of the Treasury. By now, everyone knows the judge ruled that Treasury had violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act by failing to make currency accessible to blind and visually impaired people. Before describing my somewhat modest proposal, let me state for the record my belief that the NFB is losing the hearts and minds of the average blind person and has been doing so for some time. Several years ago, a series of articles in an issue of "The Braille Monitor" incensed many of that organization's guide dog users to the point where a number of them decamped for Guide Dog Users, Inc. and ACB. More recently, the Federation's opposition to descriptive video sent another wave of head-scratching consternation through rank-and-file NFBers and, most certainly, caused more members to "forget" to renew their dues. And what do you think the reaction has been from the average member to NFB's opposition to accessible pedestrian signals? Now, NFB is railing against accessible currency and several of our more astute members have commented that its opposition may be based primarily on the fact that the Federation didn't think of the idea first. As such, the typical NFB member may well be wondering in what universe their leadership is residing. Then again, maybe not. If most of our blind brothers and sisters in the other organization truly feel that they can trust everyone with whom they transact commerce involving the return of paper money, that they don't need to know the difference between a $1 and a $20 when it is handed to them, perhaps I can suggest a satisfactory alternative. What the NFB may want to consider is to propose to the Treasury Department that every coin, regardless of the amount, be minted in one size, possibly to resemble the Louis Braille coin. All pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half-dollars and dollars could be identical in size and feel. After all, blind people are independent and don't need any accommodation when it comes to figuring out our money. The properly trained and well- adjusted blind person doesn't need such assistance and providing coins in different sizes only contributes to the stereotypic notion that blind people require preferential treatment in order to function on equal terms with their sighted peers. Doubtless such a proposition would gain widespread support. Of course, since you can't fold coins -- thus allowing identification of one from another -- blind people would need to learn alternative techniques for distinguishing change. We would have to acquire compartmentalized coin purses, or keep change of different amounts in separate pockets. The former technique would clearly be good for the economy and would certainly be embraced by the manufacturers of such purses, not to mention by the vending machine industry. The latter technique wouldn't be too difficult for men since our slacks usually have four pockets. There wouldn't be a problem for us if we limited our coins to pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. I know this might be a bit of a hardship for women since their clothing doesn't typically have as many (or any) pockets. But, what the heck; having one standard coin would improve the image of blind people among the sighted public. It's a no-brainer! So, what do you think? Should I forward this idea to Baltimore? ACB is, after all, here to help blind and visually impaired people, regardless of affiliation or philosophy. We just want to be of service. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go and extract my tongue from deep inside my cheek. ***** BLIND-BORGS by Michael Byington At the recent National Federation of the Blind (NFB) conference concerning quiet cars, it is my understanding that some of the NFB personnel were advocating that a device be developed for a blind traveler to carry (presumably developed and marketed by NFB) that would let the traveler know when quiet cars are approaching. In other words, the quiet car manufacturers would have to change nothing. The solution proposed by the NFB engineer was that the blind traveler should be responsible for carrying yet one more gadget to alert them about the environment. NFB opposes the ACB position on accessible currency, and the district court decision in that case, partially because they say that technology is a major part of a viable solution. While they acknowledge that there are limitations to existing talking bill verifiers on the market, again, NFB states a willingness to develop and market a better product for money verification. What is wrong with this picture? Development of technology to improve access for people who are blind is a laudable and commendable avocation and NFB is to be praised for some of what has been developed through their efforts thus far, but there is an ethical line that has been crossed when technology is developed with a purpose of forestalling true creation of universal access rather than being developed to enhance and foster such access. It seems a clear case of NFB feathering its own nest, with no concern about what is in the best interests of the vast majority of blind and visually impaired Americans. In NFB's world, we do not need quiet cars to make noise so we can hear them coming; NFB will seek grants and development funding to design and build a gadget, which they will then be happy to sell us, thus profiting NFB, that will instead let us know about the approach of the quiet cars. We do not need a money supply which is universally accessible to all Americans, sighted or blind. We simply need to let NFB seek grants and development funding to develop more flavors of electronic, talking money identifiers, which, again, NFB will be happy to sell us so that they may profit. Now let us look at the travel issues of the typical 21st century blind person, at least as NFB and many sighted engineers seem to wish to define us. Such a person would need to carry a money reader, given that NFB does not feel that there are any accessibility problems with U.S. currency. Such a person would also have the new NFB portable reader with them because they might want to read a menu in a fancy restaurant. I think that reader might have some money-reading capabilities built into it, but when standing at a cash register, it probably would be better to have a smaller, faster, more dependable stand-alone bill reader available. Such a 21st century blind person would probably also have a braille notetaker with him, and probably global positioning software and hardware attached to his body, either functioning with that notetaker or perhaps independently. NFB has also expressed interest in blind travelers carrying devices to trigger accessible signals rather than having the industry standard be that all signals must be accessible by default with locator technology on user-activated buttons. And then there is that audible signs receiver, which would be carried to learn what buses are coming. So far, that is up to six extra gadgets that blind travelers get the pleasure of purchasing just to travel safely and get access to information that is readily available to sighted people with no special equipment. Add to that the use of a guide dog or long white cane, and that makes seven devices. Now to that, some NFB officials and the sighted engineering community would have us add our quiet car locator gadget. That brings us up to eight essential gadgets that the 21st century blind person is supposed to carry for basic access to information. Once we get all of these things hooked to our bodies, we are going to rattle like cans of coffee beans, and we better never want to hug anyone, because we are probably going to be pretty lumpy. Of course, there is the probability that some of these gadget functions will be combined. Some are already being combined, but the more functions built into one gadget, the more problems with maintenance and dependability tend to crop up. The principle here is just wrong. Why should we blind people have to carry a venerable plethora of gadgets just to get the same information everyone else can get without them? ACB has placed a lot of emphasis on environmental access, and has made commendable strides through the various sub-committees of its environmental access committee. We seem to be the only ones out there doing this kind of focused, inspired work. It seems that NFB would prefer to hook so much technology to our bodies that we all turn into the latest variety of feared robots, "blind-borgs." Granted, this issue is bigger than that of quiet cars alone. But it is a fair question to ask, and let us never plan to take quiet cars down that road. Ken Stewart and I have discussed this issue on the ACB Leadership list before, but I will list here some of the principles I want to follow in my own anticipated work on making quiet cars less quiet. 1. The sound made by a quiet car must make its sound not only when moving, but when at what would normally be considered motionless idle at any intersection, stop sign, etc. 2. The sound must be standardized so that all quiet cars sound similar to the same extent as all internal combustion engines also have sound qualities in common. 3. The sound should be at least somewhat analogous to sounds other transit vehicles make. I will elucidate the third point a bit. One of the suggestions I threw out earlier in discussions with Ken was that perhaps an external speaker could simply be required as a part of the car's sound system. My assumption was that such a large percentage of drivers listen to news or music or something when they drive so as to largely take care of the problem this way. I have changed my mind about the efficacy of this proposed solution. Not only do some people prefer to drive without a car radio or other sound production devices running in the car, hearing a loud radio at an intersection would not tell a blind traveler that this is necessarily a mobile object which is going to start to move toward them. The sound produced must be similar to that made by other cars and must be equally directionally perceived. I would suggest an electric motor sound such as is made by an electric lawn mower. Any regulations or laws requiring such a sound must also impose penalties for disconnecting the sound production device or failing to maintain it. What I am talking about here is not new technology. I remember when I was a child, back in the late '50s and early '60s, one of the most popular toys out was something called a Varoom motor. This was a small device, which appeared to be a motor, and which a youngster could attach to his bicycle. It did nothing to help propel the bicycle, but it made a sound like a motorcycle motor. If we could put this technology in toys in 1959, I fail to see why it could not be added to quiet cars in 2007. ***** SUMMARY OF THE FALL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING by Charles S.P. Hodge The fall 2006 ACB board meeting was called to order by President Chris Gray at 8:45 a.m. Central daylight time on Sept. 23, 2006, at the Comfort Suites Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. President Gray thanked the staff members from the American Foundation for the Blind who had presented a training seminar on direct mail fund-raising programs the previous afternoon. Secretary Donna Seliger called the roll; all board members were present. Gray then reviewed the agenda. Several board members suggested additional agenda items, or rearranging the timing, to better facilitate the flow of the meeting. The board approved the amended agenda. Gray then called upon Seliger to present minutes from previous board meetings. First to be considered were the minutes of the July 8, 2006 pre- convention board meeting. After board members suggested minor and technical corrections, the board approved the pre-convention meeting minutes as corrected. Seliger next presented the draft minutes of the July 15, 2006 post-convention board meeting. The board approved those minutes as well. Gray began his report by observing that the fall board meeting gave the board time to get to know each other better and work with each other to solve thorny or even controversial issues confronting ACB. He gave several examples of thorny issues: the direct mail program and the American Center on Blindness and Visual Impairment project, which present challenges but also give the board a chance to work together to forge innovative solutions. He then read a draft motion putting ACB on record as endorsing in principle the concept of a direct mail program as a useful tool for ACB to enhance many purposes and objectives discussed during Friday afternoon's AFB direct mail presentation. Donna Seliger made the motion to adopt in principle the concept of a direct mail program for ACB as outlined by President Gray. This motion led to considerable discussion. Mike Godino moved to table further discussion of the motion until the direct mail agenda item scheduled for later in the day. When a voice vote proved inconclusive, Seliger called the roll. The motion to table was defeated by a vote of 9 to 6. Those voting in favor were Ed Bradley, Brenda Dillon, Mike Godino, Billie Jean Keith, Patrick Sheehan and David Trott; those opposed were Ray Campbell, Paul Edwards, Oral Miller, Mitch Pomerantz, Carla Ruschival, M.J. Schmitt, Donna Seliger, Naomi Soule and Jeff Thom. The pending question reverted to the Seliger motion to endorse in concept the use of direct mail. Miller suggested that a proviso be added to the motion, making it clear that adoption of the motion did not commit ACB to any specific actions -- especially any action involving expenditure of ACB funds. This proviso was accepted. Edwards requested that a roll call vote be taken. The resulting vote revealed 12 in favor and 3 opposed. Those voting in favor were Bradley, Campbell, Dillon, Godino, Keith, Miller, Pomerantz, Ruschival, Schmitt, Seliger, Thom and Trott. Those opposed were Edwards, Sheehan and Soule. Gray continued his report by briefly distinguishing and contrasting the Jernigan Institute located at the National Federation of the Blind's national headquarters in Baltimore with the multi-faceted, multi-purpose and multi-functional American Center on Blindness and Visual Impairment envisioned by ACB. He informed the board that ACB's database was sorely inadequate for tracking and updating important data, which makes it much less useful to affiliates and members than should be the case. He further indicated that it would take a one-time capital expenditure of approximately $25,000 to give ACB the sort of modernized database which our affiliates and membership deserve. Gray reported that he had attended the 50th anniversary convention of the Georgia Council of the Blind in August and that he appreciated the affiliate's warm Southern hospitality which resulted in his having a wonderful time. M.J. Schmitt chimed in to say that she had also had the pleasure of attending this milestone convention. Gray reported that the vehicle donation committee consists of Carol Ewing of Nevada, Gene Barton and John Horst of Pennsylvania sharing a seat, and a representative from the Washington Council of the Blind yet to be determined, along with board members Mitch Pomerantz, Ed Bradley and Donna Seliger. Seliger has agreed to keep committee records for ease in reporting to the board. He noted that since ACB's success in having an audio description track included on DVDs of the movie "Ray" about the life and musical career of the blind performer Ray Charles, no other movies have been issued with audio description tracks on them. Gray appointed an ad hoc committee of Pat Sheehan as chairman, Jeff Thom and Ray Campbell to meet and develop action steps that ACB will be able to take to address this issue. He also designated Day Al-Mohamed to sit on this committee. He concluded his report by informing the board that within the past four months, four new programs have been added to ACB Radio's mainstream, and that 10 new broadcasters have also been added. Bradley moved that the president's report be accepted. This motion passed. Edwards then moved that this board authorize the president, executive director and other individuals who may be needed to begin development of and implementation of steps to address ACB's need for a modernized database, and that cost recommendations associated with this process be made available to the budget committee for inclusion in the 2007 budget. This motion was adopted on a voice vote. The Monthly Monetary Support program report was given by Dr. Ron Milliman, chairman of the MMS committee. He reported that the number of participating contributors was up 71 percent from this time last year, with the monthly contribution level up 101 percent from this point in time last year to $2,832 per month. Edwards moved that the board direct the budget committee to allocate at least $1,000 to the MMS committee in the 2007 budget so that the committee may develop a marketing strategy. This motion passed with one dissenting vote. Edwards moved that Milliman's report be accepted; the board approved. The board next turned its attention to the national office report given by ACB's executive director, Melanie Brunson. After inquiries from board members, Brunson began her report by stating that when contributions are received in the national office, a thank-you note is sent to the contributor within 30 days. This practice is not followed with respect to contributions received in the Minneapolis office, but it is her intent to institute the 30-day thank-you note practice in the Minneapolis office, bringing uniformity to ACB's contribution response policy. She reported that Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian are currently negotiating with the three major credit reporting companies with the goal of having these companies make available without charge credit reports in braille, audio cassette and large print to their respective blind and visually impaired customers. She also reported that she had spent the previous day in Boston working with staff at WGBH as to how best to verbalize television weather alerts and other emergency announcements. Turning to legislative matters, Brunson reported that Senate bill 2686, which would mandate audio description's inclusion in prime time television programming, has still not affirmatively moved in the U.S. Senate. She indicated that Sen. Harkin of Iowa is seriously considering introducing an ADA Restoration Act. ACB has been urging Harkin's office to include language stating that when commercial facilities maintain web sites, that those web sites be made accessible to all users, including disabled Americans, when the bill is introduced. She also reported that work is in progress to bring ACB's Form 990 into compliance with federal requirements, thus making ACB eligible for federal grants and other funding. She noted that the board handbook committee has met and outlined steps that must be taken to put the handbook together. With respect to personnel matters, Brunson reported Lane Waters, who has 30 years of experience in the financial industry, has been hired as ACB's new comptroller and to supervise the Minneapolis office. Waters will commence his employment in mid-October. She strongly recommended that a support staff position be filled immediately since Patricia Castillo will be going on maternity leave in November. She also reported that our current supply of ACB brochures is running low, and that she is mulling over whether to develop a new brochure or to simply reorder more of our current brochures. She stated that ACB will participate in upcoming meetings to develop further rules under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. She noted that ACB's intellectual property expert, attorney Leonard DuBoff, has filed for trademark registration of the name American Council of the Blind, as well as other trademarkable names and symbols. Mike Godino volunteered to contact affiliates which had agreed to send scholarship recipients to the 2006 national convention to request reimbursement from such affiliates for the transportation costs for those individuals. Edwards moved that the board request the president and the executive director work to expeditiously find and employ someone qualified to work on Randolph-Sheppard issues. The motion carried on a voice vote. M.J. Schmitt, liaison from the American Center committee, indicated that she did not have a report to make to the board. Pam Shaw, a committee member, told the board that the committee was in the midst of brainstorming about how best to move the project forward. Charlie Hodge, another committee member, reassured the board that several members will eventually be on the center's governing board. Edwards moved that this board fully support and endorse the decision made by the membership at the Jacksonville convention to make the American Center project a program of the American Council of the Blind, and that the board is keenly aware of its continuing obligation to give monitoring supervision to the American Center project. This motion carried unanimously. Edwards moved to accept the report on the American Center project. The motion carried. Miller moved to recess the board of directors meeting and to convene a corporate membership meeting of the American Council of the Blind Enterprises and Services. When the ACB board meeting reconvened at 2:30 p.m., Gray reported that during the ACBES corporate membership meeting, ACBES had voted 9 to 6 to cut its budgetary obligation in half to ACB for the current fiscal year. Those voting in favor were: Campbell, Godino, Keith, Pomerantz, Ruschival, Schmitt, Sheehan, Soule and Trott. Those opposed were: Bradley, Edwards, Gray, Miller, Seliger and Thom. Brenda Dillon abstained. Edwards moved that the board instruct the budget committee to come forward with recommendations as to how best to address the budget shortfall created by ACBES' amended budgetary commitment to ACB for decision by the board by Nov. 6, 2006. This motion passed. Edwards then moved that the board meet by telephone conference call at 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 6. The motion carried. Mike Godino presented the treasurer's report. He reviewed the most recent budget figures available, and cautioned that some of these figures will have to be adjusted slightly as more updated data becomes available. Trott moved to accept the treasurer's report. The motion passed. Godino also presented the budget committee's report. He stated that the committee recommends that ACB terminate its association with California Canes. Ed Bradley moved that until ACB can ascertain how best to conduct our dealings with California Canes in a manner designed to protect ACB's best interests, both financial and otherwise, under the contract for the glow-in-the-dark cane, ACB not order any further canes. The board agreed. Godino also stated that ACB is sorely in need of a publishing software package, and the budget committee would appreciate it if cost information for such an acquisition could be provided. Ray Campbell moved to accept the budget committee's report. This motion passed. Next on the agenda were the budget committee elections. Ed Bradley nominated Pat Sheehan, Ray Campbell nominated Carla Ruschival, and Paul Edwards nominated Mike Godino. Bradley moved that nominations cease and that the three nominees be elected by acclamation. The motion passed. David Trott reported on behalf of the resource development committee. He indicated that sales for the national raffle only stood at $3,200. He also stated that the RDC is planning to conduct a live auction on Wednesday night at the 2007 national convention with all proceeds going to ACB, and that Brenda Dillon has agreed to head up the auction subcommittee. He recommended that a walk-a-thon be held as a fund-raiser on Wednesday morning during the 2007 national convention. Paul Edwards moved that the report of the RDC be accepted. The motion carried. The board then returned to consideration of ACB's direct mail program. Paul Edwards moved that the board instruct the president and the executive director to work collaboratively to establish parameters for seeking a consultant, and for arriving at the cost, for conducting an audit of ACB's direct mail situation. The motion carried. Mitch Pomerantz moved that within 30 days, a thank-you letter be drafted and sent to all direct mail contributors. The motion passed. Carla Ruschival moved that ACB conduct only one more direct mail mailing before the end of 2006, and that this mailing be a holiday mailing directed only to our current direct mail donor list. This motion carried. Edwards moved that the direct mail report be accepted; the board agreed. The board next discussed future office leases and the possibility of consolidating the existing two offices at one location. Donna Seliger indicated that she had made inquiries regarding office space in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, and had received preliminary cost figures which she would be happy to share with the executive director and/or the board. After considerable discussion, Bradley moved that the office review and executive committees work together and bring recommendations back to the board for action at the 2007 mid-year meeting. This motion passed. Ray Campbell moved to accept the report on the office lease issue. The motion carried. The board agreed to recess and meet again the next morning at 9. Gray called the board meeting back into session at 9:15 a.m. Seliger called the roll; all board members were present except for Billie Jean Keith, who had to leave the meeting early. The board began by discussing the state of rehabilitation for the blind. Naomi Soule led the discussion about the rehabilitation center in Missouri being taken over by the National Federation of the Blind's philosophy of rehabilitation. She said that she was aware of three other midwest state agencies for the blind that were under the influence of that philosophy. Several board members related episodic evidence of similar situations in their respective states. Brunson volunteered to contact Keith to insure that the rehabilitation task force was aware of and would work on addressing the issue. Edwards moved that the rehabilitation task force be directed to prepare a white paper on the proper philosophy of rehabilitation for the blind, and that this white paper should be circulated to board members no later than Dec. 31, 2006. This motion carried. The board took time for announcements. Pam Shaw will lead a leadership presentation during the 2007 affiliate presidents' meeting. The board's 2007 mid-year meeting will be held on Feb. 17 and 18, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Minneapolis, Minn. The affiliate presidents' meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn-Rosslyn at Key Bridge Hotel in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 24 and 25, 2007. The legislative seminar will immediately follow the affiliate presidents' meeting, Feb. 25-27, 2007. Following the announcements, the board discussed the constitutional amendment adopted by the membership at the 2006 national convention stating that current affiliates or organizations seeking affiliation with ACB may not discriminate against applicants for membership or current members based solely on such individuals' holding membership in another consumer organization of the blind. Charlie Hodge gave the board of publications report. He stated that the BOP is currently in the process of seeking bids for the next two years for the production and distribution of "The Braille Forum." He stated that the BOP intends to publish 10 issues of the Forum during 2007, with eight issues being 32 large-print pages and two issues being 48 large-print pages. The BOP recommended that the board establish a new award to encourage and promote excellence in journalistic practices and quality of writing in the publications of ACB's state and special-interest affiliates. It recommends that the new award be named the Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award. The award would be a plaque presented to a representative of the winning affiliate. The basis for granting the new award would be: Does the nominated state or special-interest affiliate publication portray its affiliate -- and indirectly ACB -- in a positive light? Hodge moved that the board establish a new award to be administered by the BOP for an outstanding state or special-interest affiliate's publication which would be a plaque and which would be entitled the Hollis K. Liggett Braille Free Press Award. Miller moved to refer the award back to the BOP for further refining. This motion carried on a voice vote. Carla Ruschival announced that the convention coordinating committee will be meeting in Minneapolis Oct. 12-15, 2006. The committee would like to establish a uniform time slot from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on days during convention week for focus groups to meet. Therefore, all afternoon programming and activities would have to conclude by 4:30 p.m. in order to allow hotel staff to reset the rooms. Ruschival moved that ACB establish a uniform time from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for focus groups to meet during convention, and that all earlier afternoon sessions and programming must conclude no later than 4:30 p.m. The motion carried. At the suggestion of a number of board members, Ruschival said that she would check with the hotel regarding the availability of dates in March 2007 for holding the mid- year board meeting rather than the February dates announced earlier. With no further business to conduct, Gray adjourned the meeting around 11:30 a.m. Central daylight time. ***** ON THE ROAD TO MINNEAPOLIS by Carla Ruschival February is filled with Valentines and wintry weather, but it is time to begin making plans to attend the 2007 ACB convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Convention week (June 30 through July 7) will teem with workshops, speakers, tours and activities. The exhibit hall will be open Saturday through Thursday; from high-tech to low-tech, you'll spend many hours checking out the latest products for the blind and visually impaired. ACB, special-interest affiliates, and companies and agencies from across the country combine to offer an incredible array of educational seminars, focus groups, speakers, discussion groups and social events. Whether your interest is education, law, computers, rehabilitation or business, whether you are a student or a parent, retired or unemployed, whether you are a braille reader or a guide dog user or visually impaired or a diabetic or hearing-impaired, you will find plenty of general sessions and small group meetings to whet your appetite. There are special activities for blind Lions, library users, artists and musicians, and much, much more. But convention isn't all work and no play. There will be many fun activities at the hotels, and Minneapolis and the surrounding area are packed with interesting things to do. A great pre-convention tour (Friday, June 29) will visit Mason City, Iowa (home of the great play "Music Man" and the site of the last performance by Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper before they were killed in a plane crash in the mid-1950s). Other tours throughout the week will let you shop till you drop at the Mall of America (it has over 500 stores and restaurants), enjoy a fantastic sensory tour about milling and flour-making and ride the Flour Tower at the Mill City Museum, explore historic Fort Snelling, and try your luck at hitting the jackpot at a local casino, just to name a few. Watch for more tour details next month. There's lots of family fun planned for Minneapolis. The Youth Activity Center (YAC) has grown so much that we will offer some separate programs for teens and the younger set this year. YACsters (kids between 6 and 17) will have the opportunity to visit fabulous historic and fun sites; there will be lots of hands-on activities, so blind kids are welcome. There's so much more to tell, but I'm out of space! For now, get started on the road to Minneapolis by making your hotel reservations at the Hyatt Regency ($81 single/double, $91 triple/quad; 1-800-233-1234), or at the Millennium ($84 single/double, $94 triple/quad; 1-800-522-8856). Rates are quoted per night, and do not include tax. If you have convention questions or special concerns, contact me at (502) 897-1472 or by e-mail at adamcarla@bellsouth.net; or call the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS Diabetics in Action on the Move and Growing The Diabetics in Action affiliate is still on the move and growing! This is a reminder that dues for 2007 are due and we would love to have you rejoin or to become a new member. Dues, which are $10 a year, can be mailed to Jeff Bishop, 1631 W. Maplewood, Tucson, AZ 85746. We have a monthly conference call -- all are invited to participate -- and we will be having a great workshop at the ACB convention this July. We have an ACB list on e-mail (acb-diabetics@acb.org), which all are welcome to join. If you have any questions, please contact Pat Wolf at plawolf@earthlink.net or at (626) 279-2954. Can You Spell Hors D'Oeuvres? Well, we don't care if you can spell them. Can you TELL them? Have you ever been surprised by the very spicy taste of whatever entered your mouth on the other end of that toothpick? Or reached for a tempting cold cut only to find your fingers plunged into a creamy dip? CCLVI is planning a very unusual buffet spread at its Sunday afternoon mixer at the Minneapolis convention. We want to offer the most accessible array of snacks, morsels and munchies ever! And you are invited to help us achieve that lofty goal. We are holding a contest to find the best ways to present a most delightful and delectable variety of offerings, presented so that all of our guests who are blind and visually impaired can make their own selections as independently as hungrily possible! A distinguished panel of chow-hound judges will rank the most useful ideas submitted, and the most creative, and the funniest ones too. Winners will be awarded free admissions to the mixer. Get your most imaginative ideas to us in any form -- fried, marinated, sauteed ... uh, that is, electronic (info@cclvi.org), hard copy to Attn: CCLVI Contest Entries, American Council of the Blind, 1155 15th Street NW, Suite 1004, Washington, D.C. 20005, or via telephone, (845) 986-2955. BFLAG Talks with Daytona Beach NFB Chapter by Butch Arnold As BFLAG president, I never know what is going to appear in my e-mail or who is on the phone when I answer it. After BFLAG's very successful convention in Jacksonville where we had many Floridians join, I didn't think I would have the opportunity to go back to Florida for quite a while. Upon returning home I received an invitation to speak to the Greater Daytona Beach Area NFB and, quite frankly, I couldn't say no. In October, I had the pleasure of getting to know some of the other nice Floridians. Naturally, there was one gentleman who didn't want me there, but he was by far the exception in the group of 50-60 card-holding NFB members. I was asked to come and talk about BFLAG, so I did. I also took the opportunity to discuss such issues as pedestrian safety, accessible voting and emergency preparedness. I was pleased to find out that in the Daytona Beach area, the NFB and the local ACB work together on many common problems and even support each other. I wish all members of both of our organizations could have an opportunity like I did. I only wish it hadn't been "Biketober Week" in Daytona Beach. BFLAG always maintains an open mind toward such opportunities. Whenever a chance to educate ourselves and others occurs, we must and will strive to make the best out of it. I only hope others will do the same. ***** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, Jan. 16, 2007. Letters are limited to 300 words or fewer. All submissions must include the author's name and location. Opinions expressed are those of the authors. Regarding the Winter Issue The winter 2007 edition of "The Braille Forum" sets an example for other organizations to follow. From the lighthearted humor story of a blind man standing guard over a stranger's luggage to the commentary on blind athletes, this publication demonstrates the diverse opinions and perspectives that each of us needs to share. Far too many organizations have become one-dimensional in their approaches and create publications more representative of self-serving propaganda. I do not necessarily agree with the authors in many of the Forum articles; however, I really appreciate the sharing of their viewpoints and experiences. As for the article about blind athletes, I understand many of the points presented, yet have a differing opinion. It is true that there is not a level playing field for blind athletes; in order for many of us to compete, we need a helping hand. Even with the best of technology, no one is entirely independent. As for the athletic achievements of Erik Weihenmayer and Rachael Scdoris, what they have done goes far beyond athletics. Both dared to dream, and, in doing so, showed us how to fly over the rainbow. Erik climbed to new heights while Rachael raced across Alaska. They did so by asserting themselves and accepting a little help from their friends. So what if the rules had to be stretched or some added accommodations were needed? That is a reality check. These two were certainly no different from anyone else who pursues a dream. Sacrifices and choices have to be made. You face criticism and failure. Perhaps the logical thing would be to take that job and forget these less-than-lucrative challenges. Dreams usually don't result in huge paychecks, but there is a price to pay for losing sight of your dreams. In the case of Erik and Rachael, they have enriched their lives in ways that many of us can only dream of. -- D.J. Sullivan, Wausau, Wis. I deeply resent people who tell their offspring, "If you quit your job, get it back because you're not moving home." Not the blindness, but the lack of accommodation, may affect a person's ability to do the job. I'm tired of blind people criticizing others by stating that "the accommodation is not cost-effective, or accommodation alters the activity or facility." Only the person concerned knows for sure. Accommodations can help sighted people as well. If people don't like accommodations, then let those silent cars do their thing. One more comment here. It is because of all this name-calling and one-upmanship that takes place within both organizations that are supposed to be advocates for blind people that change is practically non-existent. I don't see this kind of in-fighting among other disability groups. This is why people like me become and are very frustrated, and very reluctant to join either organization. The other thing that I have noticed is that whenever you criticize something that you believe is contrary to what they believe, they tell you to get involved, rather than recognizing the points that one makes. The same leaders continue to hold office, and nothing really changes for the good of people who are blind. It's not about blind people, but who has the power and who controls and sets the agenda. I wish to set the record straight about this U.S. currency debate, as many blind people feel currency should be identifiable by touch (notches, raised dots, or differently textured bills). In Japan, bills are identifiable by touch. However, the unemployment situation here in the United States, unlike that in Japan, is in dire need of repair. Blind people had better wake up, unite, and then we can make progress with reference to civil rights. -- Lucia Marett, New York, N.Y. ***** HERE AND THERE by Susan Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its staff, or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or call ACB at 1-800-424-8666 and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please remember that postal regulations prohibit us from including advertisements, and that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates. LUCKY TOUCH FORTUNE COOKIES Just in time for Valentine's Day and Easter, the Lucky Touch Fortune Cookie Company at the California School for the Blind is making a variety of braille and large print fortune cookies available. Choices include small braille fortune cookies, small chocolate-dipped, giant fortune cookies (with braille and large print fortunes), and a variety of gift baskets, mugs and other items. For more information, call (510) 794-3800, fax (510) 794-3813, or write to the Lucky Touch Fortune Cookie Company, California School for the Blind, Parents and Friends Association, 500 Walnut Ave., Fremont, CA 94536. Custom orders require one month to produce. GOALBALL TOURNAMENT The United States Association of Blind Athletes is hosting the Midwest Goalball Tournament March 3-4 in Kalamazoo, Mich. For more details, contact Paul Ponchillia via e-mail, paul.ponchillia@wmich.edu. MAPS OF HAWAII Does the wicked winter weather have you dreaming of warmer climates? Check out The Princeton Braillists' new publication, "Maps of the State of Hawaii." It contains 10 maps, 55 pages total, and includes detailed maps of the eight major islands. Each island has introductory information followed by one or more key pages and a full-page map. A general view of the city of Honolulu and of Pearl Harbor are included in the maps of Oahu. "Maps of the State of Hawaii" costs $11; shipping is by free matter (where eligible). To get your copy, send check or purchase order to The Princeton Braillists, 76 Leabrook Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540, and allow four weeks for delivery. A number of other maps and atlases are also available. For more information, call Nancy Amick at (609) 924-5207, or Ruth Bogia at (215) 357- 7715. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Type 'n Speak, Braille 'n Speak, JAWS for Windows 4.0 and OpenBook 5.0. Asking $200 each. Contact Steve Hearn at (601) 885-8413. FOR SALE: Brand-new, unused Freedom Scientific Opal magnifier in original packaging with full documentation and with all items with which it shipped. Asking $595 plus shipping. I will accept a personal check, money order, PayPal, or a cashier's check. Personal check must clear before the item will be shipped. Please contact Pratik Patel at pratikp1@gmail.com for further details. FOR SALE: Type Lite 40. Comes with a QWERTY keyboard, 56K modem and POP3 e-mail support. Includes 18 hours of battery life, a compact flash slot, serial port, charger, the latest firmware revisions, a one-year warranty, and the ability to serve as both a braille terminal and a speech synthesizer. In excellent shape. Asking $1,900 or best offer. Call Don Olson at (703) 920-0922, or e-mail him, olsondo24@comcast.net. FOR SALE: Perkins brailler. Includes dust cover and 1,000 sheets of 11 x 11 « braille paper. In perfect condition; only used once. Asking $400 or best offer. Contact Michael Robles at (909) 854-0397 or by e-mail, 9098540397@um.att.com. FOR SALE: JAWS for Windows 3.209 software. Asking $200. Contact Volly Nelson at (912) 557-4182. FOR SALE: Brand-new See-More electronic magnifier, black and white as well as color; magnifies up to 25x on 14-inch screen. Asking $500 plus $50 shipping. Call or e-mail Paul Guzman, (626) 286-0897 or paulgpaul@copper.net. FOR SALE: Optelec Clearview 317XL CCTV with black-and-white 17-inch monitor, electronic controls and line or window markers. Excellent condition. Asking $575. Payment options available. UPS ground shipping within the continental United States included. Contact Bill at (847) 342- 7155 between 1 and 8 p.m. Central time, or e-mail him, 052338@comcast.net. FOR SALE: Like new Freedom Scientific Braille Lite M20 notetaker with braille display and speech output. Includes print & tape manuals, 512MB compact flash, carrying case, AC adapter & serial connector cable. Asking $2,000 or best offer, plus $15 shipping and handling. Call John Hammond at (804) 275-6676 (before 8 p.m. Eastern) or e-mail ya23111@yahoo.com. FOR SALE: Talking calculator. Asking $250. Contact Rosemir Rodriguez at (714) 267-3399. FOR SALE: Romeo braille embosser, model RB-20. Mint condition, used less than one hour, superior dot quality, includes manual. Asking $600, negotiable. Braille 'n Speak 2000, like new. Includes manuals and WinDisk 3.5 data transfer software with cable. Asking $400, negotiable. Call Pat at (512) 837-3041 or e-mail toolshopper@sbcglobal.net. WANTED: Looking to purchase working Braille Lite M20. Please contact Cheree via e-mail at cheree@dogsc4me.com, or call her at (702) 372-8267. WANTED: Double cassette recorder with built-in microphone. Contact Linda at (661) 833-3663. WANTED: A braille embosser and accompanying software at reasonable price. Can pay in installments. Contact Mark Oswald at (925) 674-1264, or via e-mail, mosw17@hotmail.com. WANTED: Notetaker with braille display like a PAC Mate or BrailleNote. Contact Kizzy at FuzzyPurpleCouch@neo.rr.com. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT M.J. SCHMITT 119 SHELL EDGE DR ROCHESTER, NY 14623 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 SECRETARY DONNA SELIGER 3912 SE 5TH ST DES MOINES, IA 50315 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 20330 NE 20TH CT. MIAMI, FL 33179 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ed Bradley, Houston, TX Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Brenda Dillon, Hermitage, TN Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Oral Miller, Washington, DC Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Naomi Soule, St. Louis, MO Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Ex Officio: Charles Hodge, Arlington, VA BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Mike Duke, Chairman, Jackson, MS Charles Hodge, Arlington, VA DeAnna Noriega, Fulton, MO Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Cindy Van Winkle, Bremerton, WA Ex Officios: Ralph Sanders, Las Vegas, NV Janelle Edwards, Springfield, MO