THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLIII March 2005 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, Acting 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 is available in braille, large print, half-speed four- track cassette tape, computer disk 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 Ardis Bazyn 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. 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 2005 American Council of the Blind ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS RSA Commissioner Resigns Planning for the Next Four Years, by Christopher Gray In Memoriam: Sally Mangold, by Phil Hatlen Summary of the Fall Board Meeting Conference Calls, by Charles S.P. Hodge Tour Updates, by Berl Colley The Isle of Capri -- Just Four Months to the National Convention, by Cynthia Towers Affiliate News Support 'The Braille Forum' and Have a Chance to Win $5,000 The World Blind Union 20 Years Later, by Oral O. Miller The Ultimate Thrill, by Gail Selfridge No Blind Person Left Behind, by Peggy Shoel The Blind Can Be Victims of Circumstance, by Bob Branco Membership Focus, November 2004, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Visions 2004: A Personal Experience, by Verne R. Sanford Here and There, by Sarah Blake Good Grief, Mr. Taxi Driver, Where Are We Now!, by Robert Rogers High Tech Swap Shop ***** RSA COMMISSIONER RESIGNS It has been my distinct pleasure to work with all of you as the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The time has come, however, for me to submit my resignation effective March 1, 2005. I want to express my sincere gratitude for your support and commitment on behalf of our nation's citizens with disabilities. I look forward to continuing the journey to change the lives of individuals with disabilities through new avenues in the future. I feel so very fortunate to have worked with such dedicated, loyal and hardworking individuals who share my passion for the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Again, thank you for the privilege and the opportunity to work with all of you. With best regards and affection, Joanne Wilson ***** PLANNING FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS by Christopher Gray As we go to press, there are rumblings from our nation's capitol that cause many in ACB to feel concern and apprehension for key programs serving the blind and visually impaired. The potential exists for Social Security reform that leaves many fearful of what might happen to SSI, SSDI and overall retirement payments. Also, funding for senior blind seems jeopardized from what we are hearing about the administration's budget plans for 2005. Third, plans are under way that, if finalized, will remove all regional offices and oversight from the Rehabilitation Services Administration. The resignation of the commissioner of RSA highlights the problems that exist within the rehabilitation system for the blind today. Finally, the Randolph-Sheppard program is again under attack, and bills are now in Congress that would drastically alter the availability of potential vending facilities for participants in this key employment program for the blind. All in all, 2005 is shaping up to be a challenging year, fraught with possibilities whose effects are hard to understand, hard even to contemplate for many of us. It is important to remember at moments like this that the potential for change is not the same as change itself. Seldom are our worst fears realized in matters of legislation. Despite what may happen and notwithstanding some of the proposals currently getting a lot of attention from the media and on Capitol Hill, there remains a fundamental ethic in this country that has, for almost seven decades, been favorably inclined to the needs of and programs for blind and visually impaired Americans. We have no reason to think that this ethic has fundamentally changed. In addition, we are part of a movement today that includes cross-disability coalitions and advocates for civil rights that has been and will continue to be effective in its advocacy on our behalf and on behalf of all disabled people. Finally, the legislative outcome for many of the things causing great concern today can be affected by what each of us does and says during the course of the coming year. We can and will make a difference, individually and collectively as blind Americans. In many areas, the American Council of the Blind is gearing up to meet the challenges of 2005 and beyond. In January, our new Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, Day Al-Mohamed, came on board and is hard at work getting acquainted with our programs and with people on Capitol Hill and within the administration. Day's youth, enthusiasm and energy are infectious, and I have every confidence that she's going to be a major part of that difference we will make in Congress in 2005. By the time you receive this magazine, we will have held the 2005 Presidents' Meeting and Legislative Seminar in Washington, D.C. We will make our positions clear on the issues mentioned and others as well during our time on the hill, and the seminar can lay the groundwork for a new dialogue with Congress in Washington, D.C. and in your home districts throughout the year. Also, many readers may not be fully aware that there is a legislative working group that has functioned for several years in support of programs and services for the blind. This group represents every major organization of and for the blind with only one exception. I know that every member of this group is completely committed to helping us find approaches and create alternatives that are good for the blind community at large. This working group is very aware of the needs of and positions taken by ACB members, and we will continue to keep focused on all of these things. Granted, we cannot predict the future, and potential problems do exist for us. Be that as it may, it is important to focus our attention and efforts on positive solutions and alternatives that will work for our community. In other news, in early February, the ACB board of directors met and passed the 2005 budget for the organization. I am extremely pleased to let you know as well that the organization used virtually none of its reserves during 2004. I'm sure you can imagine how pleased the board and assembled audience were to hear this announcement from Jim Olsen, our chief financial officer. Many were concerned about this possibility, and I'm sure you will join me in congratulating Jim and executive director Melanie Brunson for all of their work in helping keep the organization on strong financial ground. Finally, I am pleased to let you know that our organization has a second person to assist us from April 2005 through March 2006 with programming and other work related to ACB Radio. She will be introduced more fully when she comes onboard in April. She comes to us on loan, and at no cost to the organization, from the Arts Council of England. This is real evidence of ACB's growing recognition and support, not only here, but in other parts of the world as well. In 2005, it is important to remain optimistic, critical to remain focused on programs and services we know are required for blind and visually impaired people, and absolutely critical for all to work together in trying to preserve what we have, and improve our programs when that opportunity arises. If we all continue to do these things, and are in touch with Congress and the administration, I have no doubt that what has begun as an anxious year can end on a much more positive note. Let's turn our attention to doing everything we can to help make that a reality. ***** IN MEMORIAM: SALLY MANGOLD by Phil Hatlen I received word on Saturday that Sally Mangold died. The full weight of this news is beginning to sink in, and I wanted to write a few words now. I met Sally (and her husband, Phil) in the spring of 1955. The three of us were students at San Francisco State, all wanting to be teachers of blind children. Sally and Phil were both blind themselves. For 50 years we have maintained a close friendship that only the three of us fully understood. I would do anything for them, and they for me. We loved one another in a very special way. We had not only grown old together, we had shared a passion for our profession that was deep and nurturing. A year ago I had the privilege of introducing Sally at the Migel Award ceremonies in San Francisco. Several times during this past year, Sally would call to give me news about the SAL, her very special project. Then, I was privileged (along with a lot of other people) to hear Sally keynote the APH conference last October. She and I had several conversations in Louisville, times that I now treasure more than anyone can imagine. When I heard that Sally was gravely ill, I called and talked to her. In her usual manner, she was upbeat and certain that her inclusion in a trial at the UCLA Medical Center would be the answer to her illness. And later I talked with Phil, who was also upbeat about Sally's future. And now she's gone. And I've lost another peer colleague. It's an entirely different feeling when a mentor dies -- they represent an earlier generation, and one assumes he will outlive his mentors. Now it's time that I recognize that my generation of colleagues is dying, and that is a very sobering and sad thought. My friend Karen called to give me the news of Sally's death. When we finished our conversation, Karen said, "I love you, and if I never have a chance to say it again, I'm glad I could do it now." I'm glad I told Sally that I love her the last time I talked with her. For many years, there was an office at San Francisco State University that housed Sally, Pete Wurzburger, and me. Tonight I called Pete, who already knew about Sally's death. Pete, who is 80 years old, has his aches and pains, but he sounds strong and vital. I said "Pete, I love you" before I hung up, because maybe I won't get another chance to tell him. Below are my words about Sally when she received the Migel Award from the American Foundation for the Blind. For My Friend, Sally Mangold (To the tune of "Daisy, Daisy") Sally, Sally, give me your answer, do I'm half crazy, is it Grade 1 or 2? It won't be a simple answer But I know what you say will be true Braille will prevail It will not fail And it's all because of you. There are so many dimensions of Sally Mangold that I hardly know where to begin, what to stress, and what to leave out. I think, Sally, my friend, that I'll talk for a few minutes about three aspects of you. I wonder if all of you know that Sally, her husband Phil, and I began in this profession at the same time. The three of us were among the first teachers of visually impaired children in local schools, we were a part of a tremendous evolution of services during the second half of the 20th century, and we have remained close, loyal, and loving friends for many years. Why does Sally deserve the Migel Medal? Well, first of all, she was one of the most successful, inspired teachers I have ever known. Throughout her years as a teacher in the Castro Valley Schools, Sally developed a reputation that resulted in visitors from all over the world coming to the programs that she and Phil had developed in Castro Valley. I remember talking to Sally at some point about summer school. She told me that she was going to teach living skills that summer. I asked her what she intended to teach. She said that she would be asking the parents of each child what skill in independent living they would like their child to learn, and that was what she would teach. Imagine that! Asking parents what they wanted their child to learn --educators never did that!! But Sally did, for she was always far ahead of others in her approaches to education. Sally, the true master teacher of children, I salute you!! Then there is Sally the Innovator. As a professor at SFSU, she was imaginative and creative in her approaches to providing future teachers with not only skills and knowledge, but with pride and passion. It was hard for any student in her university classes to resist the excitement Sally had for her profession, and to know that they owed it to Sally to share their skills with blind and visually impaired students. I'd venture to say that there is no one in the world who is better known for her knowledge and skill in teaching braille than Sally. In the summer of 2002, I attended her session at a world-wide conference in Holland, and watched a roomful of mesmerized teachers from dozens of countries who knew they were in the presence of a giant. That brings up something else about Sally the Innovator. I suggest to you that Sally is the most dynamic, inspirational, and knowledgeable speaker in our profession today. I have heard her give presentations several times in recent years, and I still find myself challenged, invigorated, and uplifted every time I hear her. Have any of you ever heard Sally give a dull and uninteresting speech? She is truly amazing!! A teacher, a professor, a motivator, and what else? There is not a teacher in the U.S., and maybe not one in the world, that doesn't know about Educational Teaching Aids, the company that Sally and Phil co-founded many years ago, that continues to grow and flourish. Look at the catalog of this company, and count the number of products that Sally and Phil themselves invented or developed. I especially enjoyed Phil's publication entitled "The Pleasure of Eating." So, Sally, you are or have been a teacher, a professor, a motivator, and a business owner. But wait, there's one more Sally I want you to know, the Sally that I treasure the most -- Sally the Friend. As we grew up together in our profession, Sally, Phil, and I were never very far apart, either geographically or in our fondness for one another. Sally and Phil settled into a large, comfortable house in Castro Valley, the perfect house for quiet gatherings and noisy parties with friends. I spent many evenings with a few close friends at this home, eating, drinking, and enjoying good company. I also spent many wonderful times at noisy, crowded parties at the home of Sally and Phil. Both of them are musicians, and nothing pleased them more than to arrange a small pick-up band and spend an evening making music. The only thing they let me play was the gut-bucket, and Sally kept telling me not to play too loud!! SFSU students looked forward to end-of-year parties with the Mangolds, and they were never disappointed! I looked forward to just being with them, where love and friendship enriched my life. Sally, you are being honored tonight for your many significant accomplishments in your profession. You have brought the beautiful world of literacy to countless children, and your example as a teacher has brought joy and fulfillment to many, many blind and visually impaired persons. But I also honor you, my friend, for the joy and fulfillment you have added to my life. I treasure our friendship, and my life is so much richer for knowing you and Phil. ***** SUMMARY OF THE FALL BOARD MEETING CONFERENCE CALLS by Charles S.P. Hodge (Author's Note: In order to save money, the board held its fall meeting through a series of telephone conference calls held August 11, September 1, October 6, and October 12. Adrian DeBlaey, who had been designated by the board of publications as the ex-officio member, was in attendance. Following these calls, DeBlaey submitted his resignation for personal and health-related reasons. President Gray, while expressing much appreciation for DeBlaey's years of service, accepted his resignation. DeBlaey reluctantly indicated that he would not be able to write the summary of the conference calls, thus requiring me to take up the challenge. In order to prepare this summary, I had to review the minutes of these meetings very carefully. Gray gained the consent of former BOP member Winifred Downing to serve out the remaining portion of DeBlaey's term. Downing did attend the midyear board meeting in Las Vegas, Nev. She will be responsible for writing summaries of that meeting and other board meetings through the post-convention meeting in Las Vegas.) August 11 Meeting The meeting was called to order by Chris Gray at 9:10 p.m. Eastern time. Gray stated that the board would discuss ACB staff members' salary levels, establish dates and times for future board conference calls, and other items as necessary. He then called upon Donna Seliger to call the roll. All members were present except for second vice president Mitch Pomerantz. Melanie Brunson and Jim Olsen were also present. Gray then called upon budget committee chairman Brian Charlson to present the committee's report and recommendations regarding staff salary levels. Charlson began his report by indicating that, pursuant to a resolution adopted by the membership at the 2004 convention, the committee had met and was presenting three separate options to meet the directive contained in the resolution referred to above, ranging in additional cost to ACB in the current 2004 budget year between $5,226.25 and $10,372.85. Brian Charlson moved that the board accept the budget committee's report. The motion was seconded and adopted. Ed Bradley moved that the board adopt Option Three presented by the budget committee with two amendments -- first, that the amount of discretionary funds authorized for the executive director's utilization for one-time employee performance bonuses be raised from $2,000 to $4,000, and second, that the overall cost to ACB for this modified option be raised from $5,226.25 to $7,226.25. After some discussion, the motion was adopted by a unanimous roll call vote with all board members present voting in the affirmative. The modified Option Three provides that all ACB staff members except the executive director be granted a 3.1 percent salary level increase retroactive only to July 1, 2004, and that in addition, an amount of up to $4,000 be authorized for the executive director to award one-time special performance bonuses to those staff members who, in her judgment, have been performing at a level above and beyond the level required by such staffers' job descriptions and responsibilities. Such performance award bonuses are not intended in any way to change the recipients' established basic salary levels. Gray then indicated that he wished to schedule the remaining conference calls for Sept. 1, Oct. 6, and Oct. 12. The board agreed to this schedule. A discussion then ensued regarding potential candidates to replace RSA Commissioner Joanne Wilson should Senator Kerry win the presidential election. Brian Charlson moved that the board direct the ACB president to appoint a special ad hoc search committee -- a majority of whose members should be members of the board -- which would be charged with the responsibility of seeking out highly qualified and successful career achieving individuals who in general would favor, support and advocate for the rights of people who are blind or visually impaired as potential nominees, and gaining the consent of such potential nominees to have their names submitted for possible appointment to important positions in state government or in the federal government. The motion was seconded and approved. Brian Charlson moved that the board instruct and authorize the resource development committee to, at the point in time when the committee has in hand firm written commitments for 1,500 units of the talking thermometer key chains, go forward and order the minimum order of 2,500 talking thermometer key chains. The motion was seconded and adopted. Gray then offered the board a tentative invitation to meet in San Francisco, Calif., to hold a board retreat, the dates and times of which would have to be determined at a later date. The call recessed at 11:10 p.m. Eastern time. September 1 Meeting Gray reconvened the fall meeting at 9:05 p.m. Eastern time. He began by reviewing the items remaining on the agenda. Gray then called upon Seliger to call the roll. All board members were in attendance except for Ardis Bazyn and Alan Beatty. Melanie Brunson and Terry Pacheco were also in attendance. Gray then called upon Melanie Brunson to give her report. She began by telling the board that she had earlier that day participated in a disability awareness awards ceremony coordinated by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) at the Republican Party's national convention in New York City where, as one of 17 participating disability rights organizations, ACB had presented a special appreciation award to Rep. Bill Young of Florida in recognition of his many years of efforts to promote and protect blindness-related federal programs through his work on the House Appropriations Committee. Brunson also reported that ACB had attempted to present a similar award in late July during the Democratic Party's national convention in Boston to Rep. Lane Evans of Illinois for his efforts in getting both chambers of Congress to adopt his resolution urging all state motor vehicle drivers' licensing authorities to provide training material to all driver's license applicants regarding their respective state's White Cane Safety Laws and sensitivity to the use of white canes and guide dogs by blind or visually impaired pedestrians. Evans, unfortunately, was not able to be present at the awards ceremony in Boston, so the national office staff is working with Evans' staff to present the award to him at a ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C., around Oct. 15 (White Cane Safety Day). She also mentioned that John Kelly has recently been employed by Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D). M.J. Schmitt reported that Dan Lee, who presently works at the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, has been nominated by President Bush for one of the public member seats on the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Otherwise Severely Disabled (the JWOD committee). It was also reported that former ACB president LeRoy Saunders may be interested in seeking reappointment by President Bush to his public member seat on the JWOD committee. Gray then reported that he had written a memorandum to ACB's primary staff employees regarding the budget tracking problem. The budget and accounting software program used in ACB's Minneapolis office is seriously outdated and needs to be upgraded. The most recent version of the software program currently being used in the Minneapolis office will cost ACB approximately $3,500 to purchase and install. Paul Edwards moved that the president and the chairman of the American Council of the Blind Enterprises and Services board consult with each other in an effort to develop a joint recommendation regarding the budget tracking software program issues to be brought to the ACB board at its next meeting for consideration and disposition. The motion was approved. Election of the Budget Committee Carla Ruschival nominated Brian Charlson, who was elected to the committee by acclamation. Mitch Pomerantz nominated Ruschival. Brian Charlson nominated Bazyn. On a roll call vote, Ruschival received nine votes, and Bazyn received four votes, with two members absent. Those voting for Ruschival were: Bradley, Keith, Miller, Pomerantz, Ruschival, Schmitt, Seliger, Towers, and Trott. Those voting for Bazyn were: Charlson, Edwards, Sheehan, and Soule. Oral Miller nominated Bazyn. Paul Edwards nominated Pat Sheehan. On a roll call vote, Bazyn received eight votes and Sheehan received five votes, with two members being absent. Those voting for Bazyn were: Bradley, Keith, Miller, Pomerantz, Ruschival, Seliger, Soule, and Towers. Those voting for Sheehan were: Charlson, Edwards, Schmitt, Sheehan, and Trott. Election of the Executive Committee As provided for in the constitution and bylaws, the executive committee is composed of the president as chairman, with two members to be elected from among the officers and two members elected from among the directors. Pomerantz nominated Schmitt, who accepted the nomination and was then elected by consensus among the officers. Seliger nominated Edwards. Edwards returned the favor by nominating Seliger. On a roll call vote of the officers, Edwards received three votes and Seliger received two votes, with one officer absent. Those voting for Edwards were: Pomerantz, Schmitt, and Seliger. Those voting for Seliger were Edwards and Gray. Bradley nominated Ruschival, who declined. Ruschival nominated Miller, who accepted and was elected by acclamation among the directors to serve on the executive committee. Towers nominated Trott. Charlson nominated Soule. On a roll call vote of the directors, Trott received five votes, Soule received four votes, with one director being absent. Those voting for Trott were: Bradley, Miller, Ruschival, Towers, and Trott. Those voting for Soule were: Charlson, Keith, Sheehan, and Soule. Soule reported that she has been doing some research in hopes of finding a satisfactory location in the Saint Louis vicinity for holding the board retreat. Gray and Seliger reported that a possibility for the retreat was for the board to meet with ACB members in Des Moines. Ruschival moved that the board hold a day of training as a retreat on the Friday immediately before the midyear meeting to be held in Las Vegas. The motion was seconded and adopted. Gray announced to the board that he was planning to be out of the country for about a week during the next 10 days. During his absence, M.J. Schmitt would be in charge of ACB matters requiring immediate or emergency action. Brunson reported that she is beginning to implement certain suggestions and recommendations made to her by the office review committee. She also reported the gratitude of the national office staff in Washington, D.C., for the retroactive general salary increase mandated by the resolution adopted by the membership at the 2004 convention in Birmingham, Ala. The meeting recessed at 10:53 p.m. Eastern time. October 6 Meeting Gray reconvened the meeting via telephone conference call at 9:06 p.m. Eastern time. He asked Donna Seliger to call the roll. All members were in attendance except for Naomi Soule. Melanie Brunson and Jim Olsen were also in attendance, along with Ralph Sanders. Gray began by giving background and reviewing how the direct mailing proposal had come to the board. Ralph Sanders reported that he has been very impressed by this company's past record of success in working with non- profit organizations such as ACB. Sanders then brought Wayne Modica from A.K.A. Direct onto the call. Sanders explained that because the list of recent contributors to ACB which A.K.A. Direct had hoped to use in its direct mail fund-raising campaign could not at this time be obtained, the initial proposal from A.K.A. Direct had been substantially modified, making the revised proposal less lucrative for ACB. Modica spoke about his experience in running and coordinating direct mail fund-raising campaigns for non-profit entities which had contracted for consultative services and support from A.K.A. Direct. A number of board members asked Modica questions. Then Modica and Sanders went through the revised proposal section by section. At 10:40 p.m., Modica and Sanders left the call. Charlson moved that the board go into executive session to discuss the revised direct mail fund-raising proposal from A.K.A. Direct, with Brunson and Olsen being requested to stay on the call. On a voice vote, the board adopted the motion. At 11:20 p.m., the board resumed its open session. Gray reported that during the executive session, the board had adopted two separate motions. The first of these motions was moved by Charlson, that the board should amend the previously adopted 2004 ACB budget to reflect an expenditure item of approximately $23,000 to fund an initial test mailing under the contract that we have been discussing with A.K.A. Direct, and to amend the budget to reflect a new revenue line item of approximately $23,000 of anticipated income from the A.K.A. Direct test mailing with these expenditure and revenue items to be reviewed again at the time the board considers and adopts the 2005 budget. On a roll call vote, all members present voted in the affirmative, with two members absent. The 2004 budget was amended in conformity with the first motion adopted in the executive session. The second motion considered and disposed of in executive session was a motion by Edwards that the board choose a three-person committee of board members to serve as a liaison committee to monitor and oversee the test mailing conducted by A.K.A. Direct and the resulting contributions derived by ACB from that test mailing and to jointly make their well-considered recommendations to the board prior to the midyear meeting to be held in Las Vegas, where the progress to date of the direct mail fund-raising project is scheduled to be reviewed further by the board. On a roll call vote, the motion was adopted with seven members voting in the affirmative, five members voting in the negative, and with one board member abstaining. Those voting in the affirmative were: Bazyn, Beatty, Charlson, Edwards, Schmitt, Sheehan, and Towers. Those voting in the negative were: Bradley, Miller, Pomerantz, Ruschival and Trott. Seliger abstained. The meeting recessed at 11:30 p.m. Eastern time. October 12 Meeting Gray called the final session of the meeting to order at 9:15 p.m. Eastern time. He then called upon Donna Seliger to call the roll. All members were present except for Bazyn, Beatty, and Towers. Melanie Brunson and Jim Olsen were also in attendance. Gray began by reviewing with the board the remaining items for consideration on the agenda. He also reported that the order which ACB had placed for talking thermometer keychains with a supplier in China have not yet been received, and that several affiliates are getting more than a little antsy in waiting for their keychain allotment to be delivered to them. Schmitt reported that she is organizing and coordinating a "12 days to Saint Patrick's Day" raffle fund-raising project which may well net some $2,900 in income. Tickets for the raffle are $5 apiece. Winners will be determined by the pick-three Illinois state lottery numbers, March 6-17. (See the February 2005 issue for more details.) Schmitt also reported that she'd had a personal conversation with Dan Lee, who is campaigning to win appointment by President Bush to one of the public member seats on the Committee for Purchase. She also reported that former president LeRoy Saunders has decided not to seek reappointment. The matter of the right or lack thereof of affiliates to engage in their own publicity activities during national conventions was then discussed at some length as a result of some publicity and media relations activities engaged in by one of ACB's special-interest affiliates during the 2004 convention in Birmingham, Ala. While the affiliate involved has committed itself to abide by publicity and media relations policies developed by the convention committee, the subject matter surrounding this issue is still subject to both intentional and unintentional abuse. Pomerantz moved that the board instruct the convention committee to consult with the public relations committee to come up with a joint written policy statement regarding affiliates' publicity and media relations activities during national conventions, which will be presented to the board prior to the midyear meeting in Las Vegas for consideration and disposition by the board. The board adopted the motion by a voice vote. Olsen then told the board that ACB had received a donation of an ownership interest in a time-share condominium at a resort location in Mexico. Under the terms of the donation, ACB, in return for paying the annual maintenance fee for the condominium, receives the ownership interest in the condominium from 2004 through 2025. Charlson moved that ACB accept the donation of the ownership interest in the time-share condominium. The motion was seconded and approved. Schmitt moved that ACB conduct a scholarship raffle during 2005 similar to those which ACB has conducted in past years, that this fund- raising project be assigned to the resource development committee, and that the per-ticket price for tickets in this raffle be reduced to $50. The board approved the motion on a voice vote. Bradley moved that the board meeting be recessed in order to enter an ACBES membership meeting. The board approved the motion on a voice vote. When the ACB board meeting reconvened, Brunson reported that the dates for the ACB affiliate presidents' meeting and legislative seminar to be conducted in Washington, D.C., are Feb. 19-22, 2005. Bradley reported that he has been selected as Houston, Texas' disabled advocate of the year, and that he will be honored on October 19 by the Houston City Council. Brunson reported that Dr. Elton Moore for the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for the Blind (RRTC) at Mississippi State University wants to present a pre-convention educational training session in conjunction with the national convention this summer in Las Vegas. This program is aimed at rehabilitation counselors and rehabilitation teachers who need continuing professional training in how best to serve the service needs of their clients. A special ad hoc committee will coordinate and work with Moore and his staff on how to integrate this program into convention activities. Edwards stated that the National Accreditation Council for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC) wants to send a number of representatives to the 2005 convention with the goal of recruiting and training ACB members to serve as on-site NAC evaluation team members. Pomerantz requested that he be provided with a letter in writing on ACB letterhead inviting Mayor Oscar Goodman of Las Vegas, Nev., to be a speaker on the 2005 general session program. Soule reported that the Missouri Council of the Blind has brought a lawsuit against the Missouri Division of Family Services because that agency has been in an unauthorized manner taking money out of the Missouri Blind Pension Fund and then using the money withdrawn for general operations purposes in violation of both federal and Missouri state law. The meeting adjourned at 11 p.m. Eastern time. ***** TOUR UPDATES by Berl Colley A New Tour After visiting Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and seeing what it had to offer, we have added it to our tour schedule. We will be visiting this wonderful site on Monday, July 4. Madame Tussaud's has 100 wax characters on display. There are sports figures, actors and actresses, politicians and a few other notables. We will be able to touch some of the wax figures to get some feel as to how the real person must have looked. This is a little over a two-hour tour. While there, I saw Princess Di, Marilyn Monroe and George Bush. I am not sure which of the Bushes was represented there. A Change We were unable to put together a strictly roller coaster tour, but we are working on an events tour for Monday night, July 4. This tour will visit several of the Las Vegas properties to see the special events they offer. There are things like the several-block-long light and sound show in Old Las Vegas, and the Stratosphere (which currently has three rides on its top, some 1,149 feet off of the ground; they claim that they will have a fourth ride by the time of our convention). Just riding the elevator to the top is a thrill, as it goes 21 miles an hour, which is three floors a second. Other places that may be included on this tour are the Eiffel Tower at the Paris, Star Trek exhibit at the Hilton, the fountain show at the Bellagio, the volcano at the Mirage, the forum at Caesar's, etc. We will have a person on the bus to give us a little history and description of each property that we visit. About Those Slot Machines ... On Thursday, July 7, we are putting together a tour of the Bally slot machine manufacturing plant. We haven't received clearance yet, but the company's marketing department is working on it. What has changed this gaming device from an old pull-the-handle real spinning box to a computerized interactive machine? We will learn this and a lot more while touring the Bally plant. All tours will leave the Riviera from the main convention lobby where the registration office, the information counter and the quick meals will be located. It is five or six steps down to the bus loading area after coming through the lobby doors. There is a wheelchair ramp to the left of the stairs which also leads to the loading area. The hotel is filling up, so please call and reserve your room. Call the Riviera Hotel and Casino at (702) 734-5110. Be sure to let the reservation person know that you are attending the convention of the American Council of the Blind. ***** THE ISLE OF CAPRI -- JUST FOUR MONTHS TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION by Cynthia Towers, ACB Convention Coordinator It is hard to believe that in four short months we will be in Las Vegas for what is shaping up to be one of ACB's biggest and best conventions ever. It will be held July 2-9, 2005 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. The Riviera was the first high rise on the strip when it arrived in 1955. The board of directors along with the convention committee, some members of the BOP and several guests converged on Vegas the weekend of Jan. 20-23. The weather was great and we were treated to a wonderful welcome on that Saturday evening in the president's suite by Nevada Council of the Blind President Carol Ewing and members of the Nevada Council. The board and staff were given a tour of the meeting space that ACB will be using this summer. The Capri meeting rooms are either numbers or letters -- no meeting room names. Meeting rooms 103 through 116 are located on the right as you enter the hallway past where registration and information will be. That is where 95 percent of our activities will be housed. The general session and exhibits as well as lettered meeting rooms are on the left side of the hallway. This prompted second vice president Mitch Pomerantz to call this oasis of meeting rooms the Isle of Capri!!! There are no turns in this area. Those candidates running for an office this year will not have to run to their caucuses at all because rooms are close to one another. There is a second floor of meeting rooms, called skyboxes, accessible via stairs or elevator. There are just 12 of these rooms upstairs numbered in the 200s and will mainly house some of ACB's fixtures such as the Youth Activity Center, resolutions, constitution and bylaws and the like. Some receptions and other meetings will be placed there too. Capri 101 and 102 are two large rooms located just before you arrive at the other meeting rooms. They will be great for larger meetings and luncheons. We will once again offer quick meal service for breakfast and lunch only. Breakfast items will be priced individually; boxed lunches will vary each day. In between times you can go to that area for snacks, coffee or use it as a meeting place. We plan to locate quick meals in a meeting room in the center of the Isle of Capri to make it easy to grab and go to your next session. The Riviera has many restaurants, but with so many conventioneers planning to attend and with the hotel housing several other non-ACB guests (we will have about 850 of their 2,000 rooms), the board felt it would be good to offer this service once again. I personally would not make it through the week if it weren't for quick meals. However, the Riviera is not the largest hotel in Las Vegas. The MGM Grand is one of the world's largest hotel/casinos, with more than 5,000 rooms. It would take a person 13 years and eight months to sleep in every one of them and it would take 288 years for one person to spend one night in every hotel room in Las Vegas. Speaking of sleeping, the rates for the Riviera are $77 per night for singles and doubles, $87 for triples and $97 for quads, plus a 9 percent tax. Those rates will be in effect from June 24 to July 13, 2005, so you can stay a good long while. Howard Hughes stayed at the Desert Inn so long the owners asked him to leave. He offered to buy the hotel and the owners sold, thus beginning his casino-buying spree. There will be plenty of slot machines that you will be able to use. Yes, the Riviera has converted some of its slot machines to the paperless type, but this amounts to about 30 percent. In the early days of the strip, the slot machine was initially a diversion for the women companions of male gamblers who were busy at the tables. Now slot machines typically earn 60 to 70 percent of a casino's take. There will be so much to do in the evenings. Besides the great mainstays of ACB such as DVS movie night, the Showcase and the banquet, outside the Riviera is the world at your feet. The strip is very safe at night, but just as with any city, you need to take the same steps to keep yourself safe as when you are traveling anywhere. ACB and its affiliates are in the process of setting their programming, speakers, times and events. Keep checking the web site at www.acb.org for up-to-date convention information. I am so excited about this coming convention as I am sure you are as well. I have heard from many of you with suggestions and questions. I look forward to making this convention one that will be favorably talked about for years to come. As always, if I can be of service, you can reach me at ctowers@acb.org or call me on my toll free line at 1-800-474-3029 extension 00. So, start checking those airfares and saving your quarters for the slots. I'll be seeing you soon. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS 2004 DC Council Convention Focuses on ACB History In order to draw national attention to the publication of ACB's history and the availability of the various accessible editions thereof, the D.C. Council of the Blind devoted its annual banquet to a presentation by Dr. James Megivern, co-author with Marjorie Megivern, of "People of Vision." During his remarks, Megivern summarized the varied and thorough techniques which he and his wife had used in interviewing countless individuals and researching thousands of documents. For the information of the media and possible sale following Megivern's remarks, the ACB staff had all the accessible editions on display and actually sold several copies of each edition. Megivern's remarks complemented the presentations of several other extremely informative and interesting presenters, such as Mike Duke of the ACB board of publications, John Hall of the American Bankers Association, Melanie Brunson as the new ACB executive director, and Jay Stiteley of The Seeing Eye. Following their presentations, Mike Duke and John Hall discovered they were natives of Mississippi who had attended rival colleges, so the other conventioners were treated to a very gentlemanly version of a rebel yell. Hall's presentation focused on the implementation of the newly adopted Check-21 banking regulations. And, no, this year the banquet speaker did not get stuck in an elevator between the 8th and 9th floors of the hotel while moving from the convention floor to the banquet floor as did the previous year's banquet speaker, Jay Doudna of Pennsylvania, who, along with eight or 10 other people, had to be rescued by the rescue squad. Iowa Convention Has Something for Everyone The Iowa Council of the United Blind (ICUB) will hold its annual convention in Des Moines April 22-24. Some highlights include a pizza party for youth, talent show, updates from the Iowa Department for the Blind and State Department of Education, and an opportunity to examine and purchase lots of fun gadgets from the Department for the Blind's Aids and Devices store. We'd love to have you visit! The convention will be held at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, 1000 Walnut St. in Des Moines. Room rates are $69 per night plus tax. The banquet speaker will be Doc Bradley. For more information, contact Mike Hoenig at (563) 344-8787, or via e- mail, mhoenig@earthlink.net. ***** SUPPORT 'THE BRAILLE FORUM' AND HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN $5,000 A super drawing has been organized to raise funds for "The Braille Forum." The first prize winner gets $5,000; second prize is $1,000, and there are two third prizes of $500 each. Tickets are $50, and only a limited number will be sold. If you don't think you can afford to buy a ticket yourself, why not partner with up to four friends to buy the ticket and become possible winning partners with that ticket. Local chapters as well as individuals can purchase tickets to support this worthy cause. The winning tickets will be drawn during the ACB 44th annual convention. You do not have to be present to win. Contact your state or special-interest affiliate president, or the ACB national office, to get tickets. ***** THE WORLD BLIND UNION 20 YEARS LATER by Oral O. Miller Since I had not been in the ACB loop regarding the World Blind Union (WBU) for a number of years, I was genuinely curious as to its present image and operations when I was asked last fall to serve as the representative for the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA), an international organizational member of the WBU, at the WBU quadrennial general assembly in Cape Town, South Africa, in December of 2004. In my position as national representative of ACB in 1984, I had been honored by being asked by the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind to draft the resolution which merged that organization and the International Federation of the Blind into the World Blind Union. It was also my pleasure to preside over the meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at which the resolution was adopted by the predecessor organizations. Although I had attended WBU meetings thereafter, I was not well acquainted with activities and concerns in more recent years. I was not eligible to represent ACB at the 2004 general assembly because the WBU constitution bars an international representative from also representing a national member organization such as ACB, so ACB, which did not intend to send a representative for financial reasons, gave its voting proxy to Dr. Tuck Tinsley, executive director of the American Printing House for the Blind. That meant that Dr. Tinsley cast ACB's official vote on all matters requiring a written ballot (such as elections and proposed amendments to the constitution) and, although he was not required to do so, he did discuss many issues with me and obtain my input before casting his vote. The WBU is an international advocacy and consultative organization made up primarily of international organizational members (such as the International Federation of Library Associations and Helen Keller Worldwide) and national members (such as the USA or Canada) whose number of votes is based on population, with no nation having more than six votes. National organizations of and for the blind (such as ACB and the American Foundation for the Blind in the USA) are national members within each country and all of the countries are arranged in loose regional organizations (such as the European region or the North America-Caribbean region). One of the basic purposes of the WBU is to serve as the worldwide voice of and on blindness and low vision when dealing with other worldwide organizations such as the United Nations, World Health Organization and International Labor Organization. Its international assembly takes place every four years, although its national and regional affiliates meet much more often to discuss timely issues and concerns. Many committees also function during each four-year period researching and preparing positions, reports and/or proposed resolutions on a wide range of important issues (such as the rights of women, youth, employment training, voting rights, transportation, etc.). At the assembly in Cape Town there were approximately 350 official delegates present plus many official and unofficial observers from approximately 85 nations. Most of the proceedings were broadcast worldwide by ACB Radio, whose director and volunteer assistant conducted many timely interviews and were otherwise very visible to the attendees. Proceedings were conducted primarily in English with simultaneous translation made available via earphones in several languages (such as French and Spanish). Business was conducted slowly (by American standards, anyway) in order to give all listeners an opportunity to hear the translations and to respond. Many committee reports were given and discussed at length, and in some cases served as the basis for resolutions that were adopted by the assembly. In this article I shall not attempt to summarize or even mention all of the issues that were discussed other than to comment that many related to basic issues we take for granted in the USA -- such as the importance of braille and the World Braille Council, the inclusion of braille in the action program of UNESCO, the needs of blind children, international copyrights and publishers, the birthplace of Louis Braille as a world heritage site and the right of blind women to marry and bear children. One full day was used (or wasted, in the opinion of many), discussing a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the WBU president to serve more than one four-year term. The proposal failed in the first of several issues decided by highly structured and secure secret ballots. During the elections, Dr. William Rowland of South Africa was elected president, Ms. Maryanne Diamond of Australia as first vice president, Mr. Enrique Perez of Spain as secretary general, and Dr. Susan Spungin of the USA as treasurer (after a spirited campaign). The assembly was covered widely by the South African media and was inspired by an address by the Honorable Thabo Mbike, president of the Republic of South Africa. The assembly was conducted in a modern convention center, was well served by many dedicated volunteers, and was itself an outstanding opportunity for the world blindness community to exchange information and agree upon objectives. Outgoing president Ms. Kicki Nordstrom of Sweden began her statutory duties as immediate past president upon conclusion of the assembly. During the coming quadrennium the executive committee will decide whether the 2008 assembly will be in Bangkok, Thailand, Glasgow, Scotland, or Geneva, Switzerland. ***** THE ULTIMATE THRILL by Gail Selfridge And what might that be? To me it was jumping out of an airplane and falling at the rate of 140 miles per hour. I did this in tandem with someone who knew what he was doing but there was still an element of fear for a split second when we let go of the plane. Some people say that the fear wouldn't be so great for me because I'm blind and can't see the ground rushing up at me, but they don't realize two things. For 20 years of my life I had some sight, so I could imagine the ground rushing up, and I put all my concentration into the motion of falling so it was at least as vivid to me as it would be to anyone else. I dreamed of doing this for at least 30 years when I heard that a man who is blind had done it using a two-way radio in contact with someone on the ground. When I found out that I could do it in tandem with someone who'd done it thousands of times, I knew I had to try it at least once. I contacted the Mile-Hi Skydiving Center in Longmont, Colo. and they said they had no problem with my doing it. The man who was my partner said he'd taken a number of blind people on jumps. He showed me the mechanics of it, including how to pull the rip cord. I asked how I'd know when to do that and he said he'd tell me. It was very windy when we were falling but we could hear each other. I had a video taken of my jump and while we were falling, before I pulled the rip cord, the photographer grabbed my hand. That sounds impossible, but it can be done. After that initial split second of fear, I relaxed and enjoyed the fantastic feeling of speed. My partner told me when to pull the rip cord. Then he showed me the complete control one can have over speed and position. That was really surprising! He let me steer until we were about 250 feet from the ground. Then he took over. We landed right in the center of our target and very lightly in a sitting position. The experience was so exhilarating that I intend to do it again next summer. ***** NO BLIND PERSON LEFT BEHIND by Peggy Shoel (Reprinted with permission from the Washington Council of the Blind "Newsline," December 2004.) When I was a kindergartner, if someone spoke the word "mouse" I thought "Mickey." Say the word "mouse" to a kindergartner now, and the child will think "computer." I remember a political statement made many moons ago a chicken in every pot, a car in every garage. Do we now add to that a computer in every home? Not necessarily. There are a number of reasons why an individual may not have a computer. It can simply be the desire not to have one, or the feeling of being overwhelmed by the necessary training, or the existence of one or more medical conditions that make operating a keyboard not an option. I retired six years ago from a job where I earned my bread and butter productively and competitively operating a computer. I fully intended, upon retirement, to dip my feet into the pool of non-work-related computership. When I discovered that medical problems affecting my fingers would not permit this, I determined that I would not be left behind. If a computer is not a part of your life, either temporarily or permanently, you can access information, enjoy interaction, and maintain communication through systems using your telephone keypad. Here are just some of the many opportunities that are out there. AOL by Phone 1-800-466-5463. Several years ago, America Online established this service as an accommodation to its regular customers who wanted to access e-mail when they were not near a computer, but were near a phone. This is a receive-only system, with a 60-second audio response feature. I use mine to receive personal e-mails, to receive confirmation and shipping information for mail orders and with a one-time-only assist from a computer user, and with the permission of list owners, I am subscribed to several group distribution lists, including WCB and BlindCook. AOL has been providing a 30-day free trial period for this phone service. By the way, a feature offered to subscribers is a wake-up call. I know this is not unique, but it does come in handy, and it is nice to answer your ringing phone and hear your own voice telling you, "Get up!" FYI my AOL e-mail address is Pshoel@aol.com. Philmore Productions Voice Mailbox 1-877-638-2974. Based in Chicago, Ill., this is a voice mail system that provides subscribers a mailbox where messages up to 20 minutes can be left and received and to participate in group distribution boxes with other subscribers who share your areas of interest such as cooking, books, radios of yesteryear, sports, technology, the arts, guide dog users, blindness issues, and much more. A directory of groups is provided. Caveat you can subscribe via the above toll-free number; however, the system access line is not free. Therefore, this is a good opportunity for individuals who have flat-rate long distance. I use Qwest, which offers unlimited toll and long-distance calling for $20 a month. Net By Phone 1-877-638-2974. This is an Internet access program offered by Philmore Productions, which allows subscribers to be Internet users. It is my understanding that at this time, all five Washington state area codes have a local access number. NetEcho/Internet Speech 1-877-312-4638. Based in San Jose, Calif., this is another system offering Internet access. Laser Voice Mail (206) 376-5000. Based in Seattle, this is a free service that gives subscribers a box number where a 90-minute message can be left and then accessed by others. It can be useful to individuals who live in or have free access to the 206 area code. It is used by groups to post and update relevant information regarding events and activities, and can be a good tool for chapters and committees to disseminate information. American Council of the Blind, 1-800-424-8666. ACB holds monthly free access open participation topical discussions. It is an opportunity to hear and be heard. For more information, call the above toll-free number weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. Eastern, or call (202) 467-5081. Tell Me 1-800-555-8355. This is a free information access source that provides callers with updates about weather, sports, entertainment, stock quotes and travel. It also has a feature called driving directions; the caller speaks a departure and a destination address in or out of the same city or state, and is given precise driving directions and mileage distances for each segment. Since it took me from my front door in Seattle to my old home in Los Angeles, Calif. correctly, I can vouch for its accuracy. These are just a few of the doors which open to communication, information and interaction that are available to those of us who want to remain in the loop using our telephone keypad. I offer a caution when inquiring into these services, please be sure you ask all possible questions, and be certain that the service, usage, limitations and costs are completely clear to you before you decide to subscribe. We are at the beginning of a new year, and we belong to an organization that is growing in energy, enthusiasm and participation. I would like to end with the following comment I recently heard. If nothing in your life lights your fire ... then your wood must be wet. Happy new year, everybody! ***** THE BLIND CAN BE VICTIMS OF CIRCUMSTANCE by Bob Branco One year ago, I was hired by a car dealership to order car parts and handle customer inquiries on the computer. Throughout the past year, computer engineers appeared at the work site to determine whether it could be adapted properly for a blind person. Several days ago while I was sitting behind my desk at my job, I received a visit from my vocational counselor from the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. She received a written report of a meeting that took place on May 19 with the regional engineer from MCB, a contracted engineering consultant and one of my bosses. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss adaptations for my job. The report wasn't very positive. Apparently, there is nothing that can be done to adapt a speech system with Quick Books or All Data, programs used by car dealerships. Regarding the job itself, I was told to think positive despite MCB's findings. There may be some manual steps to be taken which may require my boss to talk into a dictating machine, but my ability to use the billing programs may not be utilized. Before there is any misunderstanding, let me clearly state that I don't blame anyone at MCB for this problem. If there isn't any way to adapt Quick Books or All Data for a blind person, then I can't hold any one person or agency responsible for that fact. I have called several computer software companies across the country, and they have pretty much confirmed MCB's findings. I know that the blind are encouraged to call software companies if the agencies can't help. However, while talking to these companies, I almost have to be a computer engineer myself in order to speak their language. I can honestly say that I know nothing about the mechanics of high-tech software. I'm just a consumer. When I'm on the phone with these companies, they ask questions that require a certain knowledge of these mechanics. It's almost like my going to a brain surgeon for help while he asks me if my cerebrum and my medulla oblongata are functioning properly. Having said all that, there is still the issue of my keeping busy all day while I'm working. As a blind employee, I know I can't speak for all sighted people, but I'm sure that most of them would like to be busy throughout their work day instead of listening to a radio waiting for the phone to ring. The blind population feels the same way. My bosses would like me to keep busy, not only because it makes me feel better spiritually, but because I'm an employee. Employees are supposed to give their bosses productivity. When a boss hires someone, sighted or blind, he is making a financial investment, hoping that the returns are favorable for the business. Even though my bosses understand my situation and have been close friends of mine for nearly 15 years, I'm sure they hired me with a certain degree of expectation, otherwise they would have hired someone else. I suppose if my bosses wanted to have me sweep floors or wash cars, I might be a bit more productive than I am now. However, they know that I am over-qualified for that. When I was hired over a year ago, I was given three titles: receptionist, parts manager and office manager. As a result of my current situation, I feel that I am more of an expert on local politics, Boston sports, radio talk shows, rap music and soap operas than I am about car parts. What would you do, starting tomorrow, if you were faced with these problems? Write to me at 359 Coggeshall St., New Bedford, MA 02746, call (508) 994-4972, or e-mail me, branco182@worldnet.att.net. ***** MEMBERSHIP FOCUS, NOVEMBER 2004 compiled by Ardis Bazyn The quarterly membership focus call held in November again generated many good comments. We are looking forward to more ideas from the next scheduled call on the second Monday evening in April. After Sue Ammeter invited all participants to introduce themselves, she opened the conversation by asking what type of events different affiliates have arranged to gain publicity and members. Dolly Sowder from Indiana told about two activities this past fall. They were both eye screenings. General Motors had an outdoor car show. Another event was a craft and health fair. Prevent Blindness of Indiana sent their van down and trained members of the local Lions Clubs to do eye screenings. The Lions Clubs did the same type of screening. The adults stood 20 feet and the children 10 feet from the chart. For the little ones who did not know letters, they had a chart with animal pictures. They also had two machines there to check visual acuity and depth perception. One-fourth of those screened were given a paper with their results and were recommended to see their eye doctors. There was no charge at either event. The Indiana affiliate gave out mints and brochures on ACB of Indiana along with information about local chapters and a resource list with information on the state library talking book program, the local libraries, the school for the blind, vocational rehabilitation offices, the license branch for ID and handicapped parking permit, the auditor's office for mortgage exemption, free matter mailing, guide dog info, how to apply for free telephone information (411), free Bible on tape, DVS info, audio description for plays, listing of catalogs for the blind and visually impaired, stores that sell toys for blind and visually impaired children, listing of eye care centers for folks with low vision, list of places to buy magnification devices, listing of places that sell software and computers with speech, the American Diabetes Association, Hadley School for the Blind, American Printing House for the Blind, Books Aloud for the Lions International newsletter and other books in special formats, AFB, ACB, and contact information to receive more details from us regarding membership. Several members discussed holding walk-a-thons to get media attention and publicity. The New Mexico affiliate and a Georgia chapter both had successful walks. Tennessee had a well-attended health fair. This affiliate also had an awards event, which included recognition awards for educator of the year, legislator of the year, volunteer of the year, and employer of the year. These were in conjunction with disability month in October. Pennsylvania increased publicity this year for White Cane Safety Day. There was TV and radio coverage on speakers for pedestrians with white canes and guide dogs. The Lions and the Pennsylvania affiliate worked together at various grocery stores. M.J. Schmitt said Illinois is working on getting white cane legislation enacted. PSAs are set to run on White Cane Safety Day. Michigan has Lions Clubs getting attention on White Cane Day. White Cane pins are being sold. Police are now charging drivers for breaking the white cane law. The Indiana affiliate has been working on disaster drills and advocacy for people with white canes and guide dogs. The focus then turned to helping affiliates to get their dues in on time. Affiliates are encouraged to send notices to members as soon as possible. Catching members at the annual Christmas parties to pay dues would help. Affiliates are also urged to arrange different forms of transportation to get more members to attend state conventions. Mentoring more members should be encouraged to create new chapters and elect officers and write bylaws. Washington state gives new chapters $100 for a beginning treasury. Members should work with local colleges to find blind students. We need to continue to lobby for necessary services. National parks have a gold pass for disabled people that includes discounts for camping. Many states have free fishing licenses for blind people. We need to educate our members on services that are already available. This is a membership benefit. Our quarterly membership focus was again very inspiring and we welcome all participants. We truly enjoy hearing about your membership activities! ***** VISIONS 2004: A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE by Verne R. Sanford It was Aug. 19, 2004, late morning. My wife and a friend had escorted me from our home in Valparaiso, Ind., to the Chicago Marriott Downtown to help me get settled in for the Foundation Fighting Blindness VISIONS 2004 conference. The foundation had held another conference there two years ago, but VISIONS 2004 was my first national conference of any sponsorship. We walked into the hotel on a red carpet, flanked on either side by hotel staffers. We wondered what celebrity was about to arrive. Surely not us?! After I registered, found my room, and the ladies left for home, an employee gave me a very helpful tour of the hotel. I now could locate the conference registration and information desk, the exhibit hall and most of the session rooms. As I walked around the hotel, 16th floor (room), 7th floor (vendors, registration and grand ballroom), 5th floor (session rooms), anticipating the opening session, I was amazed. I had never seen so many guide dogs and white canes assembled in one place before. My wife was unable to contain a smile when she saw a poodle guide dog. When I accidentally hooked white canes with another conference attendee, I challenged, "En garde!" and we squared off as if to duel. We laughed and went on about our business. For two and a half days we heard all about eyes from some of the world's leading physicians, scientists and clinicians, sharing details about current research, clinical trials, treatment options and the future of retinal degenerative disease research. In addition, we had the opportunity to attend coping seminars, visit the exhibit hall, have our most complicated questions expertly answered in "The Doctor Is In" sessions and meet new friends in various networking sessions. I felt rather alone with my choroideremia until I was invited to the "first annual choroideremia pizza party!" In the exhibit hall, vendors displayed all of the latest electronic, optical and mechanical low vision equipment. When I mentioned to them the high cost of such devices, all they could do was agree. I use an old black- and-white closed-circuit television enlarger. Newer models feature full color and automatic focusing. (Very impressive!) I was excited to see the new portable enlargers, too. Some have very small screens, but one prototype had a much larger screen and folded flat like a laptop. There were also many talking devices for the totally blind. In one of the sessions, it was announced that in the year 2001, gene therapy had successfully restored vision to a Briard dog, Lancelot, who was born blind from an inherited retinal degenerative disease called congenital stationary night blindness. Lancelot can now catch a ball! Since then, gene therapy has given sight to many dogs, and this research may hold hope of sight restoration for humans with Leber's congenital amaurosis and possibly a host of other retinal degenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Stem cells are being grown in the laboratory and transplanted into the retina to replace defective photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelial cells. Yes, I did say replace! Drugs are now being developed to inhibit angiogenesis (choroidal neovascularization), the forming of new, abnormal blood vessels in the choroid. These drugs are used as alternatives to laser surgeries for the treatment of wet macular degeneration. Angiogenesis drugs are administered to the back of the retina using a curved needle. Dietary supplements have been shown to slow the progression of age- related macular degeneration in some cases. They do not do the same for RP. One session on driving with low vision gave all the details about bioptic driving, but mainly for the state of Illinois. I believe that an acuity of 20/40 was acceptable for night driving and 20/70 for daytime. Via a phone call to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (317-233-6000) in Indianapolis, I found out that a low vision specialist must certify a low vision candidate for a special driver training program using the bioptic telescope. There are five or six Indiana sites for such training. When training is complete, all materials are sent to the state bureau for its approval. What are bioptics? They are telescopes fitted into the upper lens portion of a pair of eyeglasses. Bend your head slightly downward in order to view enlarged images. I imagine by now there are bioptic driving programs in nearly all states. I must mention the positive attitudes of everyone attending this conference. These people have extremely serious eye diseases; many of them were totally blind. Others have family members, sometimes infants or small children, with devastating eye conditions. Yet they were at the conference to gather the latest information about research, new treatments, etc., not to complain. I came away exhilarated, ready to continue facing the daily realism of my own low vision, and ready to attend another conference. Since I am on SSDI, the Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities paid for my conference registration and hotel. I want to thank them for making my attendance possible. I would also like to thank the Hank Hofstetter Opportunity Grant Fund for additional money for food and gas mileage. In the past, the high costs of conferences have kept me away. Other states probably offer financial assistance for conference attendance. I strongly recommend people investigate such funding sources. ***** HERE AND THERE by Sarah Blake 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, you may e-mail Sarah Blake at sblake@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. ** PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Had enough of winter? Easter Seals Project ACTION is holding several "People on the Move: Using All Transportation Options (ADA and Beyond...)" events in cities across the United States. These train-the-trainer sessions will consist of two days of instruction for travel trainers, teachers, job coaches, bus operators, transportation coordinators, independent living specialists and others who assist people with disabilities in their use of public and private transportation to get to school, jobs and other community destinations. The 2005 schedule is as follows: June 8-9, Salt Lake City, Utah; Sept. 7-8, Boston, Mass.; and Nov. 14-15 in New Orleans, La. The deadline for Salt Lake City applications is May 27; for Boston, Aug. 3; and New Orleans, Oct. 3. To attend, fill out an application and return it by the deadline listed above, along with the $75 fee, to Stan Tibbs, Easter Seals Project ACTION, 700 13th Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005. The form appears online at www.projectaction.com. You may also call the ESPA office at (202) 347-3066 or 1-800-659-6428 to obtain an application. Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. ** WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS The United States Association of Blind Athletes will be hosting the 2005 International Blind Sports Association World Youth Championships in Colorado Springs August 4-10, 2005. There will be competitions in track and field, swimming, judo, powerlifting and goalball. Competitors must be between the ages of 13 and 19. More than 100 countries have been invited to participate; delegations from Europe, Asia, South America and Africa have already committed to send competitors. Any athlete interested in competing must send a written letter of intent to the USABA office by April 15 that includes his or her 2004 sports accomplishments, previous meets competed in, the name of your team or club, scores, weekly training schedule and other athletic and personal achievements. Volunteers are also needed to assist at the games. For more information, contact the USABA office, (719) 630-0422, or send e-mail to mlucas@usaba.org. Or write to Mark Lucas, U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, 33 N. Institute St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. ** SUMMER MUSIC INSTITUTE The National Resource Center for Blind Musicians is accepting applications for its seminar for blind college-bound musicians, which will be held July 17-23 at the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, Pa. Designed for the serious student, the program tailors instruction to each person's need to develop braille music and theory skills, and the use of technology to submit written music assignments. Applicants must have already studied some music theory, be willing to put effort into braille music study, and demonstrate a commitment to use the braille music and computer skills they will learn at the Institute when they return to school. Applicants must also show that they have the independence skills, social readiness and maturity to be a contributing part of a close-knit group. Space is available for six students. Please contact the center at (203) 366- 3300, extension 229 for information on tuition, scholarship availability, and the application procedure. The deadline for requesting applications is April 15; completed applications must be submitted by May 1. ** TRAC CREATIVE MUSIC & JAZZ CAMP Scholarships are available for all blind and visually impaired teen musicians who are accepted for the 2005 TRAC Creative Music and Jazz Camp, a summer residential program, August 4-14, 2005, in New Orleans. Applications are available at www.unotrac.org/jazzcamp. The camp was created for blind and visually impaired students, ages 13-19, with at least two years of musical experience, an acceptable grade point average and basic computer skills. Students do not need to have prior experience in playing jazz. Applicants must also submit an audition tape and have a recommendation from a music teacher. Up to 18 students will be accepted based on musical skills and experience. The scholarships cover the costs of all classes, dorm housing, meals, support materials and extracurricular activities. Students must supply their own transportation to New Orleans. For more information, contact Rose Angelocci at rangeloc@uno.edu or call (504) 280-5700. ** GET AWAY THIS SUMMER The Oral Hull Foundation recently announced its summer camp dates. Adult camp will be held July 16-23. Youth camp will be from August 20-27. A week at camp costs $350. Camperships are available for both camps. For more information, or an application, write to: Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind, PO Box 157, Sandy, OR 97055, or call (503) 668-6195. You may also send e-mail to oralhull@teleport.com. ** TRAINING OPPORTUNITY A National Technology Conference for Rehabilitation Teachers will take place this summer in Las Vegas. This event will be offered by Mississippi State University's Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision in cooperation with ACB and the National Association of Blind Teachers. It will be held July 5 through 7 at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. Attendees will be able to take advantage of the technology on display in the convention exhibit hall. Registration for this conference will be $150 per person. To learn more, contact B.T. Kimbrough, Director of Training, RRTC on Blindness and Low Vision, PO Box 6189, Mississippi State, MS 39762; phone (662) 325-2001, or e-mail bkimbrough@colled.msstate.edu. ** NEW ADDRESS Shadows in the Dark has a new address: 3001 Branch Ave. # 132, Temple Hills, MD 20748, (318) 349-9539, www.shadowsinthedark.com. Shadows in the Dark offers braille greeting cards and specialty gift items. The company has braille cards for all occasions: birthday, Christmas, thank you, thinking of you, graduation, wedding, retirement, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Easter, new baby, get well, sympathy, friendship and teacher. Single cards cost $2.50 each; a dozen cards cost $15. Two dozen cost $25. Foreign language cards are also available for $5 each; available languages are French, German, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, and Dutch. ** NEW VIDEO MAGNIFIER The MonoMouse is a device shaped similarly to a computer mouse that connects to your household TV and magnifies text for reading. Just scroll the MonoMouse over the text you wish to read and it will be clearly magnified on your TV. MonoMouse costs $185. To order, call (408) 224-8188 or visit www.bierley.com. ** WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS Shel Silverstein's popular book of poems is now available from National Braille Press. The book includes braille and large print on the same page with line drawings. To order, send payment to National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115-4302, or call (800) 548-7323. ** COURSE ON MACULAR DEGENERATION Have you or has someone you know been recently diagnosed with age- related macular degeneration (AMD)? You may wonder how AMD will impact your life or that of your loved one. The Hadley School for the Blind's new distance education course "Macular Degeneration" explains the diagnosis and shows how people with AMD can continue everyday activities with limited vision. The course covers various aspects of AMD. It not only compares 20/20 vision with AMD's symptoms and progression, but also lists risk factors for the condition. The course also suggests ways to maximize vision and discusses the emotional impact of AMD. For more information, contact the Hadley School for the Blind at 1-800-526-9909. ** NEW E-MAIL LIST Blindinterpreters is an e-mail group for interpreters who are blind or visually impaired. The primary language is not important, but people must be fluent enough in English to communicate easily and effectively to the group. To subscribe, send mail to blindinterpreters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. ** NEW VICTOR READER VisuAide is pleased to announce the launch of the Victor Reader Classic Plus with recording, an advanced new DAISY player with a recording function, so users can take vocal notes simply and efficiently. The Classic Plus with recording can be obtained from VisuAide distributors. In the United States, contact Beyond Sight Inc., 5650 S. Windermere St., Littleton, CO 80120; phone (303) 795-6455. For a complete list of distributors, visit www.visuaide.com/distributors.html. ** RFB&D INSTALLMENTS ON CD RFB&D members can now order completed portions of RFB&D's AudioPlus (R) digitally recorded textbooks on CD without having to wait for the remainder of the book to be recorded. Installments on CD include the same navigation features as RFB&D's AudioPlus (R) digitally recorded textbooks, and will play on all DAISY equipment and software. Installments are available through the online catalog and ordering center on the web site, www.rfbd.org, or by calling a member service representative at 1-800-221- 4792. Installments will be mailed approximately every two weeks until the book is recorded in its entirety, at which time members will be sent the title in its completed form. ** REDUCED PRICES Both Freedom Scientific and Optelec have reduced the prices of braille displays. Freedom Scientific has also reduced the prices of the PAC Mate QX440 and BX440. For information about the PAC Mate line of products, visit www.freedomscientific.com or call 1-800-444- 4443. For more information about Voyager braille displays, visit www.optelec.com or call 1-800-828- 1056. ** NEW VERSION OF WINDOW-EYES Window-Eyes 5.0, released on January 19, offers thorough, stable support of Microsoft Word. It also offers a complete color dictionary and a lease-to-own program that allows a user to buy a full copy of Window-Eyes over several months. The new version supports every text feature within Microsoft Word, including reading tables, columns, and fields. Users can find and fix spelling and grammar errors quickly, and take advantage of features like renaming form fields, reading comments, and tracking changes. Other features include support for Microsoft Works and the Mozilla web browser. For more information, write to GW Micro, Inc., 725 Airport North Office Park, Fort Wayne, IN 46825, phone (260) 489-3671, or visit www.gwmicro.com. ** PULSE DATA, VISUAIDE MERGE Pulse Data International and VisuAide merged recently. The merged entity will be known as the HumanWare Group. Gilles Pepin is the president and CEO of HumanWare's Canadian subsidiary, and will join the group's board of directors. ** TALKING PILL BOTTLE KITS The Starter Kit, formerly known as the Home Kit, allows the patient or caregiver to record customized, verbal medication instructions. The Starter Kit, which is attractively packaged for retail shelves, contains easy-to- follow instructions, power supply, 3 bottles and a microphone that makes the recording possible by simply pressing a button and speaking. A caregiver could record instructions for over-the-counter or prescription medications as well as refill reminders and medication warnings. The instructions can then be heard at any time by pressing a button on the side of the bottle. More information regarding Starter Kits (Home Kits) as well as the Pharmacy Software Solution, which allows the pharmacist to rapidly and accurately fill audio labeled prescriptions in the pharmacy fulfillment process, is available at www.rxtalks.com. ** CUSTOMIZED LARGE PRINT BOOKS Huge Print Press can provide any book (from Bibles to novels, textbooks and dictionaries to cookbooks) in any font size, ranging from 16- point to 50-point in convenient 8.5" by 11" format. Most orders can be shipped in as little as two weeks. For more information, call 1-866-484-3774 or e-mail info@hugeprint.com. ** SOFTWARE REVIEWS Do you sometimes wish you knew whether that really popular mainstream program worked with speech before you laid down the money for it? Perhaps you'd just like some tips and tricks for making a favorite program work even better. Now you can read software reviews from other blind computer users who have already blazed the trail for you! After you've read several reviews of a particular program, submit one yourself. Don't see a particular program in the list? You can add the program to our database and be the first to write a review. Review guidelines are self-explanatory, so read carefully before you submit. Visit the software review page at www.accesswatch.info/review.php. ** BRAILLER REPAIR For the best in Perkins brailler repair, contact Braillerman Alan Ackley. He has a complete inventory of factory parts, charges competitive prices, and offers a personal touch. For more information, visit www.braillerman.com, or call (515) 288-3931. Braillers may be shipped to Alan Ackley, 4301 Park Avenue, #540, Des Moines, IA 50321-3452. ** MEXICO SCHOOL NEEDS HELP Do you have books and/or textbooks in braille in Spanish? Or do you have adaptive technology that you're not using? Donate them to the school for the blind in Mexico. Sharon Stroesenreuther is taking up a collection of supplies; she and her students recently visited the school and were dismayed to find that the students there have no books or technology. Send them to: Sharon Stroesenreuther, Patriota Bustamante 173, Morelia, Michoacan 58190, Mexico. If you have questions, e-mail sharonlynnestro@hotmail.com. ** AUDIO BOOK AVAILABLE Larry Johnson's book, "Mexico by Touch: True Life Experiences of a Blind American Deejay," is a fascinating personal narrative of the people, places and customs which so deeply touched and moved him as a teenage tourist, college student and professional radio deejay for more than 20 years. Relive with him his first trip to Mexico alone at the age of 18, his harrowing experience in a rowboat in the Pacific Ocean, his daring adventure of driving a car in Mexico City and how he became the first blind newscaster on Mexican television. To order, contact Larry P. Johnson, 10863 Lake Path Dr., San Antonio, TX 78217. ***** GOOD GRIEF, MR. TAXI DRIVER, WHERE ARE WE NOW! by Robert Rogers I had an uneventful flight from Birmingham to Cincinnati on July 10 in a 50-passenger Canada Air jet. Once on the ground, I thought I was home free. Wrong! After a very pleasant Delta employee helped me to ground transportation (I am a totally blind frequent flyer), I settled into the taxi to what was normally a 25-minute ride home. I soon became aware of the driver talking on his cell phone in some language other than English. I leaned forward and gave the driver the somewhat involved directions for the route to my house, but I got no response. It dawned on me that maybe he didn't understand a word I said. Recently, we have had a large influx of foreign taxi drivers from another nearby city, some of those drivers reputed to know little English and even less about Cincinnati streets. Oh boy, maybe he was one of those drivers. Again, I tried giving him directions, hoping I was mistaken in my assessment, but my fears were confirmed when he handed me his cell phone. I heard his dispatcher at the other end speaking in broken English. I gave him very detailed directions to my home, having to repeat myself from time to time. Meanwhile, we continued to zoom down the road to I knew not where. After about 40 minutes on the normally 25-minute trip, I asked him in slow, deliberate tones, "Sir, where are we?" Again, he conversed with his dispatcher. In the meantime, he slowed not even a tad, continuing lickety- split down the road at a high rate of speed. We could end up in Dayton 50 miles north or Columbus, 100 miles northeast, before I could stop him. Maybe we could even end up back in Birmingham. After several minutes more, in desperation and hoping he would understand, I told him, "Stop." He turned onto a side street and got out. I wondered what was going to happen now. When he started talking to someone on the street, I realized this was my chance to determine where we were. I jumped out and asked for information. Someone, not my driver, reassured me in broken English that he knew exactly where I wanted to go so I should get back in the car. I recognized the voice of the dispatcher who must have raced to overtake us. We started back up in a procession of the dispatcher's leading in one car and my taxi following him. Soon, it seemed to me that we had turned on to a street just two minutes from my home. But we kept moving for another 15 or 20 minutes! Fearfully, I asked again where we were. The procession came to a sudden halt, and the dispatcher walked back to our car to confer. It was just as I had feared. We had gone miles too far, so we got back into our respective cars and resumed our little parade back the other way. Finally, an hour and 20 minutes after starting from the airport, we pulled up in front of my house. As I heard my wife beckon to me from our porch, I knew I had truly arrived home. The ordeal was at an end. I could still hear the voices of the dispatcher and driver engaged in an earnest argument in a language of their own as I closed our front door. Postscript: As I look back, the situation was pretty funny. After all, I did survive the ordeal. However, on the Monday morning following my little adventure, I called the authorities at the airport hoping I could help others avoid repeating my experience. A manager with somewhat limited authority over the taxi pool had the driver removed. That pool is known as the bullpen. That order lasted only three hours. However, his company manager overrode the order and put that driver back in, so it could happen all over again. I do believe that people should have the opportunity to earn a living, but, really, shouldn't a taxi driver know enough English to be able to communicate with customers? ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: PowerBraille 80 braille display. Asking $2,000 plus $35 for shipping. Call (772) 219-4479, or e-mail davidfee@bellsouth.net. Write to David John Fee, 1081 SE Monterey Road, Apt. C-5, Stuart, FL 34994. FOR SALE: BrailleNote 32 for $2,950. PowerBraille 80 braille display for $2,700. Also selling a Juliet double-sided embosser for $1,100 and a Blazer for $750. Call CJ Sampson anytime at (801) 367-2559 or e-mail cj@byu.net. FOR SALE: JAWS for Windows training cassettes: Eudora Pro (JFW); Outlook 2000 (JFW); Excel 2000 (JFW); Powerpoint 2000 (JFW); Word 2000 (JFW); Internet Explorer 5.x (JFW); Sound Forge 4.5 (JFW); Word XP (JFW); Excel XP (JFW); and Internet Explorer (JFW). Asking $55 each, $500 for all 10, or best offer. Price includes shipping. MAGic 8.0 professional version, asking $500 or best offer. Contact Monty Cassellius, 4500 Grove Ave. #11, Richmond, VA 23221; phone (804) 213-0751, e-mail isuredbirds@cavtel.net. FOR SALE: Two Braille 'n Speaks; one is a BNS 640, the other is a BNS II. Both are under warranty. Make reasonable offer. Contact Elaine at ksandbox@aol.com, or call (305) 821-4827. FOR SALE: APH tape recorder model 3-5194A, needs repair. Asking $50. I still have the Perkins brailler with hard hinged case, $450, and the Insul-gauges and Medi-coolers, $125 for the lot or $5 per gauge. Contact Robert Ziegler at (763) 537-8000 or via e-mail, jemob@earthlink.net. FOR SALE: Braille n' Speak 2000 with portable disk drive and accompanying documentation. Asking $900 (negotiable). Contact Michael at metriplett@ualr.edu or (501) 219-9293 (no collect calls, please, and no later than 9 p.m. Central time). FOR SALE: Braille Star 40 braille display/note taker. Hardly used. Comes complete with all original packing and manuals. This unit has a 40- cell display, four user-exchangeable batteries for up to 20 hours of independent use, ergonomic braille cells, a scratchpad which stores up to 4,000 pages of text, and serial or USB connection to your PC. Asking $4,400, including shipping. Contact Steve Bauer at (316) 640-4343 or steve@jazznotes.net. FOR SALE: PowerBraille 40 refreshable braille display in good condition. Comes with user's manual in braille. Asking $1,900 (negotiable). Contact David Nelson at (716) 877-5620. FOR SALE: JAWS for Windows version 6. Included in this package are versions 4.5, 5.0 and 6.0 (which has never been opened), braille and print manuals, the authorization disk with four tokens remaining, and training tapes. Also included is a Sound Blaster Live sound card with CD. Buyer will be responsible for paying re-license fee to Freedom Scientific. Asking $425, which includes shipping and insurance to you anywhere in the USA. I will only accept a U.S. postal money order. Contact Johnny Blackwell at (803) 377-7913 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern time. FOR SALE: Two Perkins braillers, asking $350. In good condition. Contact Roger at (510) 849-3537. WANTED: Manual for JAWS for Windows 3.2, braille or cassette. Can't afford price. Contact Valerie Morris at (413) 562-8814. WANTED: JAWS for Windows XP, version 5.0 or later, as donation. Notebook computer with XP and wireless card as donation. Contact Shawn at (601) 466-1529, or e-mail jlg61463@hotmail.com. WANTED: Used shortwave radio in good condition, as donation or for low price. Must have all shortwave bands, including AM/FM, TV and weather. Contact Bob Groff Jr. at (501) 589-2886. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT M.J. SCHMITT 7320 DIXON UNIT 204 FOREST PARK, IL 60130 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 SECRETARY DONNA SELIGER 3912 SE 5TH ST DES MOINES, IA 50315 TREASURER ARDIS BAZYN 500 S. 3RD ST. #H BURBANK, CA 91502 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 20330 NE 20TH CT. MIAMI, FL 33179 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Alan Beatty, Fort Collins, CO Ed Bradley, Houston, TX Brian Charlson, Watertown, MA Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Oral Miller, Washington, DC Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Naomi Soule, St. Louis, MO Cynthia Towers, Seattle, WA David Trott, Talladega, AL BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Charles Hodge, Chairperson, Arlington, VA Cindy Burgett, Bremerton, WA Winifred Downing, San Francisco, CA Mike Duke, Jackson, MS DeAnna Noriega, Colorado Springs, CO Ex Officios: Ralph Sanders, Vancouver, WA Janelle Edwards, Manhattan, KS