THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLIX December 2010 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. Mitch Pomerantz, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650 Arlington, VA 22201 (202) 467-5081 fax: (703) 465-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four-track cassette tape, data CD, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If you wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or read it online. Copyright 2010 American Council of the Blind ***** TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: ACB and Rehabilitation: What We Stand For, by Mitch Pomerantz SSA Says Sorry, No Increases in 2011, by Melanie Brunson Convention Comfort Zone, by Teddie-Joy Remhild Riding the Rails in 2010, by Donna Rose 'Doug Powell, You Are an Ironman!', by Doug Powell All That Glitters, by Billie Jean Keith Follow ACB on Twitter In Memoriam: Milly Stokes, by Charles S.P. Hodge Passings Affiliate News Letters to the Editor Here and There, edited by Sue Lichtenfels High Tech Swap Shop FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, go to www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/brailleforum-L. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: ACB and Rehabilitation: What We Stand For by Mitch Pomerantz It's December and another year has come and gone. 2010 has proven to be an extremely successful year for the American Council of the Blind relative to both our legal and legislative advocacy efforts. As we approach 2011 and the possible reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act, I thought that this would be the appropriate time to outline ACB's current thinking regarding the issue of the provision of quality rehabilitation services. Last month as you read this, I spoke at the fall conference of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB) addressing ACB's perspective on the blind consumer's relationship to the vocational rehabilitation system and to VR professionals, including offering our recommendations for ways to enhance or improve this relationship. Most of that presentation was based on "talking points" derived from ACB's 2006 "White Paper On Rehabilitation and Training," drafted by our Rehabilitation Issues Task Force. Keep in mind that the white paper itself was drawn from previous ACB resolutions and policies. The remainder of this column will put forward those talking points (principles). 1. Services should be delivered to blind people by state agencies which are categorical, have discrete budgetary authority, and operate with a rehabilitation council which is separate from that of the general rehabilitation agency. 2. ACB affirms its belief that informed choice is a key component of the rehabilitation process. Every blind person being served by any agency has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and that such client shall always be deemed an essential partner in the rehabilitation process, with the ability -- at all stages of the process -- to make informed choices. 3. Both public and private agencies providing rehabilitation services to people who are blind must be models of accessibility. This includes insuring that their programs and services must be fully and, where possible, independently accessible, and that all information regarding the rehabilitation program, consumer rights, service options, and individual plans for employment must be made available to blind people in formats which they can access independently. 4. Individuals who have residual vision at the time of their entry into a rehabilitation program have the right to expect training that will optimize their ability to make use of what sight still remains available to them. Agencies must develop and implement low vision evaluation programs and incorporate low vision technologies and techniques into their training programs. 5. This organization believes that no agency should be permitted to implement policies which deny people with visual impairments access to programs based on the individual's refusal to enter into programs that provide training using only non-visual techniques. 6. A core component of every adjustment to blindness training program must be an exploration of the impact that blindness has on the individual adjusting to vision loss. Such training must incorporate an acceptance of partial vision, as well as acceptance of total vision loss, and must include discussion of a broad range of philosophical notions, rather than reliance on any particular set of values. 7. Any person working in a professional capacity for agencies serving the blind should be specifically trained to serve blind people. 8. Training in the use of access technology should be a key component of all adjustment to blindness training programs. 9. The use of blindfolds or sleep shades in the rehabilitation of people who are visually impaired, but not completely blind, may have value, but we categorically assert that their use must be negotiated by the agency with the client and that they should only be used after the client has been taught to optimize his or her use of residual vision. 10. The use of a guide dog as an effective mobility aid is a legitimate choice for a person who is blind or visually impaired. Training facilities run by rehabilitation agencies must be willing to remove barriers that discourage individuals who have chosen to use guide dogs from participating in their rehabilitation programs, including the stigmatizing of guide dog handlers. Except during orientation and mobility lessons that are specifically aimed at improving cane technique, the dog and handler should be trained and treated as a team. 11. Rehabilitation agencies should encourage all of their employees to participate in consumer organizations of blind people, and should require that all professionals attend meetings and conventions of consumer organizations of the blind. 12. All agencies, whether public or private, must hold meetings with the major consumer organizations of the blind at least twice per year, so that there will be a regular exchange of ideas and information between agencies and consumers. 13. Every state should develop and implement a blindness caucus which will include legislators, consumers, professionals and family members of people who are blind, the purpose of this caucus being to insure an ongoing comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of all blind people in the state, especially older people with vision loss, and blind people with additional disabilities, who are woefully underserved at this time. 14. Every state should have an early intervention program designed to serve babies and children with visual impairments. Such programs must serve children up to the point where they can be seamlessly integrated into the vocational rehabilitation program. 15. We believe that the agencies operated under the auspices of National Industries for the Blind play an invaluable role in the rehabilitation of people who are blind, and the regulations implemented by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to limit employment closures for individuals served by such agencies must be reviewed and repealed. 16. We believe that the Randolph-Sheppard program remains an effective and appropriate career option for people who are blind. The RSA, state agencies, and state rehabilitation councils should seek to expand the number of available locations throughout the country, and should encourage blind people to consider this career option. That's what ACB believes. Under the able leadership of its new chair, Charlie Crawford, the Rehab Issues Task Force is expanding upon these principles. You will be hearing much more from this task force over the next year and beyond. Donna and I wish everyone a joyous and uplifting holiday season and an even better 2011. ***** SSA SAYS SORRY, NO INCREASES IN 2011 by Melanie Brunson The Social Security Administration has announced that for the second year in a row, recipients of Social Security benefits will not receive a cost of living adjustment in their benefits. This is because such adjustments are tied to the Consumer Price Index, which indicates the "Cost of Living." SSA is required by law to increase the amount of benefits paid out to beneficiaries when the "cost of living" increases. Because of current economic conditions, that index indicates that the cost of living has not increased during the past year. Therefore, the Social Security Administration will not increase payments to beneficiaries. In the same press release, SSA also announced that earnings limits for recipients who have disabilities and are employed will also remain unchanged for the next year. People who receive Social Security Disability benefits due to blindness will be allowed to earn up to $1,640 per month, and the earnings limit for all other recipients of disability benefits will remain at $720 per month. On a related note, it has now been one year since the Social Security Administration was ordered to provide correspondence in alternate formats to beneficiaries who request it because of disabilities that prevent them from reading standard print. We are interested in feedback, positive or otherwise, from any of you who have made your requests and received correspondence from SSA since your request was granted. Have you received correspondence in the format you requested? If so, was the alternate format document helpful? Please feel free to send us your comments either by e-mail to mbrunson@acb.org or by regular mail sent to the national office address listed on your magazine. We will share your feedback with our attorneys, who are continuing to monitor the implementation of the court's order in ACB's suit against the Social Security Administration. ***** CONVENTION COMFORT ZONE by Teddie-Joy Remhild Over a lifetime, I count many experiences, both as a blind woman and otherwise, of feeling that I do not fit in. As we are molded by our society and other influences, e.g., media, parents, politics, fitting in is a primary goal of this early programming. As a child, stability, living in the best neighborhood and misunderstood shyness are important components in how one is perceived by one's contemporaries. I had normal vision as a child, but moved often, was raised by my grandmother and was quite shy as a result. These were strong influences on how I was perceived and how I came to feel that I did not fit in. I also had a legal surname change going from elementary school into junior high. That was due to a legal adoption by my grandmother and her husband. That also made my contemporaries wonder about who I really was. Because of all these early childhood changes, I came to adulthood with some degree of low self-esteem, married unwisely and gave birth to 3 children, who also had to cope with my low self-esteem. After 10 years of marriage and eventual self-worth progress, I was diagnosed with Stargardt's disease, a juvenile form of macular degeneration. That was a setback in my progress of improving my self-image. Now, there were other reasons for my feeling that I did not fit in. The point of this story is to convey how much I appreciate the convention comfort zone. I have been coming to ACB conventions since 1992 and, in addition to the information provided, new exhibits, successful advocacy and the overall camaraderie, they are definitely a comfort zone experience for me. I have a variety of friends, sighted, blind, various ethnicities and ages, and despite the fact that I have been blind for over 40 years, there are still many situations where I have to explain and explain and explain. At an ACB convention for one week a year, I do not have to explain anything for anyone. Total comfort and an always appealing respite time, where fitting in is never an issue and acceptance is an unheralded fringe benefit. ***** RIDING THE RAILS IN 2010 by Donna Rose Since childhood it has been my dream to ride the rails out west. I finally got the chance in the summer of 2010 when the American Council of the Blind held its national convention in Phoenix, Ariz. I had to start planning in February in order to coordinate my dialysis treatments in Phoenix, but this trip was worth all of the planning. My friend Gary and I, both completely blind, reserved our accessible sleeper tickets back in March, and even then it was difficult to get the days and times we wanted due to other reservations. Amtrak will only hold reservations for seven days without payment, so we paid and hoped nothing would go wrong, with the assurance they could refund our money if cancelled seven days prior to our departure. Let me tell you right now, this trip is expensive, about a third more per ticket than flying. You are paying for the experience and the included meals. I was really surprised at the number of passengers waiting for our train when I arrived at the station in East Lansing, Mich. to meet my friend Gary on the morning of July 8, 2010. I was wondering, does the government know about this? The first leg of our trip was via coach to Chicago where we would meet our sleeper to Flagstaff. About halfway there I got up to explore and found myself heading into the café car. There were plenty of vertical and horizontal bars to hold onto along the way. This was pretty liberating. I figured I'd better prepare my train legs for the three nights we would be on the train coming back home. Gary and I arrived at Chicago's Union Station around noon Central time. Amtrak staff picked us up at our train car with a Red Cap tram to take us into the station to the Metro Lounge for first-class riders. This seemed to be the only part of Union Station which was air-conditioned. Riding a train is a real adventure. Upon our departure to our next train in Chicago's Union Station, an elderly man began to get very angry at our Red Cap who was told to stop his cart by another staff member. It was a safety issue and the man was asked to go around the tram on the other side. His wife tried to stop him as he began to spout out menacingly at the Red Cap who was trying to tell him he was asked to stop there. Finally I yelled at the man, "Hey, you are starting to scare us!" The man turned around and left, still angry, but griping as he walked away. Unfortunately the Red Cap told us this happens about once per hour. Call it rail rage. Next we boarded the Southwest Chief into our private car. Our attendant who served the rooms in our cars was extremely helpful, explaining the features of our room and orienting us to areas outside the room. Soon it was time for dinner and we decided to try the dining car. When you travel this way you sit with others, that is, if you don't have four in your party. We sat with a very nice woman who was on her way to California. She was a very seasoned rider, having taken the trains for about nine years. She said she wouldn't fly ever again because the train was much nicer. I am beginning to agree with her. Only the dessert was appetizing, though; the rest of the food tasted microwaved. That was disappointing because of all the hype food gets on the Amtrak web site. When night arrived the attendant made the two bunks in our suite. I chose to sleep on the top bunk. It was difficult getting in and out of bed, despite the two steps up. A harness is available in case the train's motion dumps you out of bed. The bed was very comfortable, but I had a hard time falling asleep. I think I was a little claustrophobic. Once I pushed this out of my mind I slept pretty well. In the morning we were in Colorado. I used the shower which was just a few steps from our accessible room. It was nice and roomy with a separate place to get undressed. My breakfast sandwich and grits were as disappointing as our dinner the night before, though. We sat with some people who were Amish, but they talked about driving to the station in Chicago, so I asked them, "I thought you didn't have cars?" The man replied, "We hire a driver." I couldn't stop myself while smiling, "Isn't that cheating or something?" They did not respond, but I thought this was rather witty! In Albuquerque the conductor explained the track ahead was washed out and we would have to wait for an hour before traveling again. Once we did begin to move we had to go very slowly on the wet track. This put our arrival time behind an hour. We arrived in Flagstaff in plenty of time to get a taxi to the bus station where we caught the Greyhound bus to Phoenix which was also running an hour late. We arrived in Phoenix around 2:30 a.m. After getting into our room, I fell into bed and slept until 1:30 p.m. It was now Saturday, July 10th. Before we knew it, the convention was coming to a close. On Friday, July 16th, we took a shuttle from our hotel to the Maricopa Amtrak station, since the scheduled train to return via Flagstaff really didn't work out well. When the Sunset Limited train arrived, it took over 30 minutes to board the large number of passengers waiting. Again, I am thinking to myself, does the government know about this, or do they even care? Is the American government so committed to automobiles that officials can't see the need for expanded train travel? This leg of our trip was very rocky as we were the last car on the train. It was hard to sleep due to all of the jerking back and forth. The rails seemed to be in poor condition as we wound our way through Texas and into Arkansas, stopping along the way to drop off and pick up more passengers. This was made up by the delicious food we got on the Sunset. But someplace in Texas our car separated from the Sunset and the Texas Eagle took us on later that night. The noise from coupling the cars together woke me up. It's a sound similar to two cars colliding, and they don't always link on the first try. Gary had decided to ask to sleep in coach instead of the upper bunk. All other rooms were full. When we scheduled our trip we were left with the impression the accessible sleeper would have double bed bunks, but that was the deluxe suite on the second floor, not the accessible sleeper. The Amtrak conductor was very helpful finding Gary a more comfortable place to sleep. There are a lot of eccentric people riding the train. Once we ate lunch with an interesting man and woman who weren't related. She acted like a person addicted to pain killers or something and I argued with the man who didn't believe some people are born with perfect pitch. Of course, this discussion was in response to some incorrect assumptions he had about blindness. Eventually he got so fed up with me that he left our table. As he left he said, "Ding . . . G." I was amused by this, as was the woman who seemed high. For the most part, we were all having a great time eating and sharing our trip with ordinary strangers. I did not see one hobo on our trip, even though we constantly had to stop for freight trains. Amtrak sold the tracks to the freight industry years ago. My overall impression about the train was a good one. It is slow, but more fun than flying. The meals are good on some trains and not so good on others. It felt safe, but we locked our door at night. The attendants were very helpful, but also very busy. When you walk on a traveling train, keeping your balance can be tricky. Bumping into people is much more accepted than when you are on the street. And I caught myself with a little train lag from the three time changes. All in all, it was a really great time I would recommend to anyone looking for a bit of American adventure, and worth every penny. ***** 'DOUG POWELL, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!' by Doug Powell Yes, I completed Ironman Wisconsin in 16 hours, 7 minutes -- not as fast as I wanted, but still a tremendous accomplishment. I put in a lot of hard work, and it paid off. But it wasn't all rainbows and lollipops. As a matter of fact, I had been really frustrated the last couple of months. I joined the triathlon team with the hope that finding guides for critical workouts during my Ironman quest would be easy. The reasoning went: There are 65 or so of my teammates doing the same race, so we will be doing the same training and it should be easy to find people to run and ride the bike with. Very logical, but in reality, very wrong. Another line of thinking was that people were not riding with me because my tandem was 17 years old, kind of worn out, and far from the leading edge in technology, so if I bought a new tandem, people would be much more willing to ride with me. The new bike sat on my porch unused for over three weeks. I climbed on my old single bike mounted on a stationary trainer on my back porch, and rode from four to seven and a half hours. Thank goodness for my Victor Reader Stream! Where were my teammates? Most of the non-Ironman folks were afraid of trying to pilot a tandem and the long distances were beyond their skills and training goals. My guess about the Ironman registrants is that they were as scared of the race (and not finishing) as I was and couldn't get over their fear enough to see that they could get their training in as well on the front of my bike as they could on their own. So in the long run, their fears outweighed their hearts and the blind guy was left behind. If something similar has happened to you, raise your hand ... yeah, everyone can put their hand down now. But let's be honest: how many times have we had fears that got in the way of our reaching out to help others in a way they really needed? Getting back to me and my stationary bike, why did I do such a crazy thing week after week? Why didn't I just say, "Well, if they're not going to help, I can't/won't bother"? Because I didn't sign up for the Ironman with the condition that I have people to train with. I promised myself that when I jumped in the water the morning of Sept.12, 2010, I would have put in the preparation to be able to cross the finish line, regardless of the circumstances. If it was hot, I'd trained for it. If it rained, I'd trained for it. They may have run out of nutrition at the aid stops; I'd planned for it. And I'd done my very best to prepare for the long bike ride and run. The bottom line was that when I crossed the finish line, there would be no doubt in my mind that, when the announcer said, "Doug Powell ... You Are An Ironman!", regardless of whatever support I had needed to get me there, I deserved the title Ironman. Applying this to everyday life, when all of us can walk into our jobs (or a job interview, or a politician's office, or anywhere we are challenged) with a "you can count on me no matter what" attitude, and follow through on that promise, there will be a new reality around how society thinks of blind and visually impaired people. By the way, speaking of challenges ... probably the hardest one of all ... forgive those folks who didn't step up when it was important. It takes something extra to acknowledge all of our frailties and be able to celebrate our successful finishes together, and empathize with their hidden "disabilities" that prevented them from helping when I needed it. How can we apply these lessons to ACB as an organization? We in ACB (and I mean all of us) support each other to give everything we have to make life better for blind and visually impaired people in the world. We'll do the best we can -- and we'll be able to do more, better and easier, with your contribution to the Monthly Monetary Support program. So call the Minnesota office today at 1-800-866-3242 to enroll. What you get out of ACB is what you put into it. Become a proud sustaining member of your organization. And thank you for your support of my Ironman quest, and my quest to help ACB have a strong, continuous financial base to enrich blind people's lives in the world! ***** ALL THAT GLITTERS There's gold in them thar tickets, and someone reading this will find that gold. It could be worth $5,000, $1,000 or $500. The tickets are to fund "The Braille Forum" and the winners will be announced on July 22, 2011. Every ACB board member is participating in this effort by buying and selling tickets. You do not have to be there to win. Only a limited number of tickets are being printed. They cost $50 each. Why not get together with up to four friends and pay $10 each to be in the drawing? If you have a friend or relative who already has everything, buy them a ticket as a holiday surprise. Every ticket you purchase is tax-deductible. If your affiliate or special-interest group, or you personally can support "The Braille Forum," call ACB's financial office toll-free at 1-800-866-3242, provide your credit card information and tickets will be mailed to your home or affiliate. Alternatively, tickets will be available at the fall board meeting in Reno, the ACB mid-winter board/legislative seminar/presidents' meeting in Washington, D.C., and at ACB's golden anniversary conference and convention in Reno. Go for the gold and enhance "The Braille Forum's" ability to continue bringing nuggets of information for us! -- Billie Jean Keith ***** FOLLOW ACB ON TWITTER! Social networking opens a range of possibilities for non-profit organizations, from increasing awareness of issues to promoting membership and yes, even fund-raising. ACB is proud to join the ranks with our new Twitter page. What is Twitter? Twitter is a social networking site that allows people and organizations to send very short messages, up to 140 characters, giving updates about activities, shortened web site URLs or links, announcements and other information. These messages are not meant to replace e-mail or other types of communication. At a glance, someone who "follows" or subscribes to ACB's Twitter page can learn about legislation, go to web site links for convention registration or e-mail someone about his/her state ACB chapter project. The board of publications has put together a small task force, led by our Twitter administrator, Natalie Beyers. We are assisted in the ACB national office by Barbara LeMoine and Eric Bridges, who will be posting legislative and advocacy items. Paul Edwards and Jenine Stanley of the BOP will be communicating with our chapters, affiliates and committees to feature their news items. The wired world has spawned a whole new set of terms, and Twitter is no exception. Re-tweeting means to repost something one has seen on someone else's Twitter page. In our case, it means resending great posts from our members, chapters and affiliates with Twitter pages of their own. This helps us to cover events and share even more activities of ACB. Our Twitter page represents only the ACB national office. Contributions from state and special-interest affiliates or ACB committees are strictly voluntary. In upcoming issues of "The Braille Forum," Natalie and Jenine will talk about how to use Twitter, from the beginner level to advanced users. If you'd like to follow us, just go to www.twitter.com/acbnational. ***** IN MEMORIAM: MILLY STOKES by Charles S.P. Hodge As I began to think about writing this memorial piece for our recently departed friend and colleague, Mildred "Milly" Stokes, I decided to try to put a human face on this individual whom the vast majority of "The Braille Forum's" readership had never met in person. Milly was physically a small person, about 4'10" and weighing between 90 and 100 pounds. However, if you were ever to make a wisecrack regarding her diminutive stature, she would quickly retort that she was really big and mighty, and if you refused to accept her assertions, she could prove her point by beating you up. Milly was fiercely competitive. Milly and her first husband, Abe Brotman, were among the blind pioneers who formed and built the American Blind Bowling Association (ABBA). Milly became one of blind bowling's most decorated female blind bowlers. I first met Milly through regularly attending and participating in ABBA national tournaments in the mid-1970s. Shortly before I met her, Milly had suffered a major injury which seriously endangered the future of her bowling hobby. She had torn several muscles and tendons in her right shoulder, her bowling arm. Her doctors told Milly that the only way she could continue to bowl would be for her to learn to bowl left-handed. While this alternative posed several imposing challenges, and even though her doctors were quite skeptical that Milly could ever return to her medal-winning competitive form, she took the skepticism of some as a challenge. First she had to go down from the 14-pound ball she had used right-handed to a 10-pound ball which she could comfortably use left-handed. The next challenge was to move her approach at least a couple of feet to her right thus getting away from the guide rail which is typically set up for most blind bowlers on the left side of the alley's approach to the foul line, allowing Milly to arrive just short of the foul line with her left-handed release point at the center of the foul line. Through hard work, much experimentation and dogged determination, within a couple of years, Milly did return, even as a remade left-handed bowler, to her form as one of the best female blind bowlers in the ABBA. While she was not a clothes horse, Milly had excellent taste in clothing and accessories. Her clothes, shoes, belt, pocketbook and purse were beautifully coordinated for matching color, tone and texture. Milly also had a fine taste for jewelry, especially precious gems. When Milly went to an event such as the banquet at an ACB national convention, or to less formal social gatherings such as parties which she became legendary for hosting at ACB national conventions, she would always be dressed elegantly for the occasion, with just a hint of flirtatiousness. She loved a good party, and she hosted many of them. While her drink of choice was top-shelf brands of scotch, her fuzzy navel cocktail (made primarily of peach schnapps and orange juice) became a fixture at Milly's Place, which she hosted at national conventions. She loved having fun, even telling a ribald joke on occasion which would prompt a hearty laugh from the entire room. Without telling too many out-of-school tidbits, I hope that I have put a human face on this truly extraordinary woman and fighter and advocate for the rights of all blind people everywhere. She was born Mildred Louise Van Dorne in Bethlehem, Pa., on March 2, 1927, and she died under hospice care at her home in Arlington, Va., on the evening of Sept. 6, 2010. She graduated from the Overbrook School for the Blind in the class of 1947. Milly is survived by her son, Louis Brotman of Philadelphia, Pa.; her granddaughter, Nila Waldone-Hughes, also of Philadelphia; a great-granddaughter, Rhiannon Thomas of Jacksonville, Fla.; as well as by two married nieces who both reside in the Allentown, Pa., vicinity. Milly was a life member, and she accumulated many other ACB credits to her name that are too numerous to list separately in these pages. Her red hair and spunkiness are memories that will remain vividly etched in the hearts and minds of those who were fortunate enough to have met and worked with Milly during her long and productive lifetime. ***** PASSINGS It has come to our attention that we are rapidly losing members of our community, friends and supporters of ACB. In order to honor these people whose lives have impacted us, in large and small ways, we are publishing this column. See below for the format in which to submit information. ** HUNT, ANNA MARIE LOVEJOY Anna Marie Lovejoy Hunt died unexpectedly at her home in Scott Depot, W.Va., on the evening of July 5, 2010. She was born in Palermo, W.Va., on Aug. 15, 1925. Anna Marie is well-remembered by her many friends as a long-time member of the National Association of Blind Teachers, the American Council of the Blind, and the Mountain State Council of the Blind. After graduating from the West Virginia School for the Blind in Romney, Anna Marie attended Glenville State College in Glenville, W.Va., for two years. She then transferred to Marshall University, graduating in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in music and English. Anna Marie Hunt was one of the first blind people to hold a full-time position as a public school teacher in West Virginia. For a number of years beginning in the fall of 1950, she was high school choir director in Hamlin, W.Va. In 1966, she moved to Muskogee, Okla. as a faculty member at the Oklahoma School for the Blind, where she served as choir director and English teacher until her retirement in 1995. Anna Marie was an accomplished pianist and vocalist as well as an outstanding teacher who received a number of awards recognizing her professional achievements and those of several choirs that she directed over the years. A quiet and unassuming person, Anna Marie Hunt maintained a level of independence and self-reliance achieved by few people, blind or sighted. She will be greatly missed. ** KETTERLING, LESTER Lester Ketterling, a past president and treasurer of the North Dakota Association of the Blind, passed away on March 6, 2010. He was also an active member in the American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys. It is a privilege for me to say that Lester Ketterling was one of my best friends! He is a great example of a person who, although was blind, achieved much in life. He was a graduate of the University of North Dakota Law School and North Dakota School for the Blind. He was a practicing attorney, was city attorney for the city of West Hope for many years, served as a county justice and was elected for three terms as district judge in the Bottineau area. I will miss Lester's humor, his laugh and his intellect. These were traits that were often mentioned at his funeral at First Lutheran in Bottineau on March 13th. What was so impressive about his funeral was that all the justices of the North Dakota Supreme Court made a point to attend his funeral. To do so, they had to drive as a group from Bismarck because the fog that morning was so thick that they couldn't fly in. This alone tells me that it is quite apparent that he and the legal work he did were valued and appreciated by many in the state. What I liked so much about Lester's personality was not only his wit, humor and intellect but also his sincerity. I also knew him as a very caring and generous person. I thank God for the privilege of having known Lester. My deepest sympathies to his wife, Eunice, his son, Jeremy and the extended Ketterling family! -- Allan Peterson ** Obituary Format When submitting material for this column, please include as much of the following information as possible. Submissions must involve dates no more than six months from intended date of publication. Name (first, last, maiden if appropriate) City of residence (upon passing) State/province of residence (upon passing) Other cities/states/countries of residence (places where other blind people may have known this person) Occupation Date of death (day if known, month, year) Age ACB affiliation (local/state/special-interest affiliates or national committees) ***** AFFILIATE NEWS ** Accomplishing change for blind Minnesotans ACB of Minnesota will hold its convention Jan. 21-23, 2011, at the Holiday Inn-Minneapolis Metrodome, 1500 Washington Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. A block of rooms has been reserved for us at the rate of $99 (plus tax) for single or double occupancy. Rooms must be reserved by Dec. 15, 2010. You can call 1-800-448-3663 or (612) 333-4646 to reserve your room. Please mention ACBM when making your reservation to receive our convention rate. The complete convention package costs $50, which includes breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning and the Saturday evening banquet. The convention begins Friday evening. Come mingle and pick up your convention program between 4 and 7 p.m. At 7 p.m., activities begin. You can learn to play the piano with Shanta Hejmadi of Simply Music, or play audio darts with Sam Jasmine. Both Saturday and Sunday will begin with breakfast at 8 a.m. Speakers include: Richard Strong, director of state services for the blind; John Davis, superintendent of the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind; Lane Waters; Stuart Holland, Manager, Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network; and Nancy Prusing, visually impaired services coordinator for the Veterans Administration. In addition, we will hold an employment seminar featuring Pam Brown, director of work force development for state services for the blind, and Walter Waranka, Life Track Resources. We also plan to host a legislative roundtable so you can hear what your state legislator has to say and ask questions. And don't forget exhibits! From 4:00 until 6:00, come and visit our vendors. We'll have everything from the latest technology to jewelry, candles and dog treats. The banquet begins at 7 p.m. Meal choices are: roast turkey and dressing; grilled Atlantic salmon with mango relish; and grilled top sirloin with peppercorn sauce. All entrees include salad, rolls, potato, chef's choice vegetable, and chocolate amaretto or strawberry mousse. Our banquet entertainment will be readers from the radio reading service reading excerpts from their favorite books. On Sunday after breakfast, we will hold our January quarterly membership meeting. The convention will end by noon on Sunday. To register, send a check to our post office box. Please indicate your banquet choice when you register. Registrations or requests to register at the convention should be received no later than Jan. 10. If you have registered, or indicated that you plan to register at the convention and find you are unable to attend, contact us by Jan. 15. Payment for the convention should be sent to: ACBM, P.O. Box 7341, Minneapolis, MN 55407. For more information, contact Janet Dickelman, phone (651) 428-5059, or e-mail janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ** Mountain State Council Convention A Success The Mountain State Council of the Blind (MSCB) held its annual convention Sept. 17-18 at the Wingate Hotel in Charleston, W.Va. The convention began with an informative student seminar, which was attended by four students and two teachers of the visually impaired. Discussions included the following topics: career research; identifying and resolving conflict in school and social situations; and the benefits of exercise for maintaining good health and relieving stress. Friday afternoon and evening, convention attendees had the opportunity to browse exhibits. Exhibitors included Jack Wood from Win Tech, John Morretto from En-Vision America, and Linda Yost from the Job Accommodation Network. A talented group of musicians from the Charleston area entertained us on Friday evening by playing bluegrass and Southern gospel music. On Saturday morning four excellent speakers presented us with some valuable and timely information. Chuck Huss from WVDRS updated us on the low vision driving program. Darren Burton from AFB Tech informed us of the process used for evaluating mainstream products and working with the companies to make them more accessible. He also demonstrated some cell phones and electronic book readers. Marcia Springston, a blind potter, informed us of what is involved in making her own pottery and selling it. The final speaker of the morning was ACB president Mitch Pomerantz. He addressed the issue of "Is it discrimination, or is it just life"? During lunch Sheri Koch from WVDRS updated us on the programs offered by WVDRS for blind and visually impaired individuals; David Allen, principal of the state school for the blind, reported on the status and programs there; and Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, Md., told us about the upcoming mid-Atlantic convention. We held our business meeting Saturday afternoon. Pomerantz addressed the group during the banquet, after which we held a fun and very successful auction. ** North Carolina Holds 42nd Annual Convention The North Carolina Council of the Blind held its annual convention Sept. 24-26 at the Holiday Inn North in Raleigh. Guests for the convention were Brenda Dillon, ACB 2nd vice president, and Dan Dillon, Tennessee Council of the Blind president. Speakers in the educational sessions addressed a number of issues relating to health, personal safety and services available to the blind. Kim Hanchette, founder of Diabetes Management Solutions, discussed living with and controlling the impact of diabetes on one's daily life. Brandon Madden, North Carolina Department of Justice, reviewed efforts by the attorney general's office to counter identity theft and telephone scams. Joyce Allen, Alliance of Disability Advocates, presented an overview of the Partnership for Breast Health, a project of the North Carolina Office on Disability and Health and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Barbria Bacon, director of the Governor Morehead School for the Blind, reported on legislative decisions affecting the future of the school. Other topics dealt with understanding voting machine technology and the approaching November elections, North Carolina Radio Reading Services and the North Carolina Library for the Blind's expanding digital book program. From the national level, Brenda Dillon brought members up to date on ACB's legislative and regulatory efforts on behalf of the blind and visually impaired. The Saturday evening banquet featured keynote speakers Brenda and Dan Dillon, recognition of NCCB scholarship winners and selection of two members for life memberships in ACB. The Dillons presented an informative dialogue on marketing the organization and its mission on the local and state levels. Recipients of the Marie Boring and Theodore Bryant scholarships, respectively, were Justin Salisbury, East Carolina University, and Vanessa Lennon, Benedictine College. One of the highlights of the annual convention was the announcement of the ACB life memberships awarded by NCCB to recognize service to the chapters and the state organization. The 2010 recipients were Barbara Lacy of Raleigh and Allena Eller of Troutman. The evening ended with a musical program by Brenda and Dan Dillon, who performed traditional and country favorites as well as several of their own musical compositions. In the Sunday morning business session, Tamika Polk of Greensboro was elected as a board member-at-large. ***** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, Nov. 5, 2010. Letters are limited to 300 words or fewer. All submissions must include the author's name and location. Opinions expressed are those of the authors. ** In Response to 'President's Message: School Days: Dark Days for Blind Children?' Mitch Pomerantz's message could not have come at a better time. As a teacher at the California School for the Blind, I have seen many a student who is in our facility mainly because of the reasons that Mitch outlined. The school is the only residential school for the blind in California. It brings in blind and visually impaired children from all over California. Those students who stay with us receive a disability-specific IEP. These children often live in very small, semi-rural districts where a braille and O & M instructor are almost non-existent. Other students came to us because they were receiving itinerant vision services at the elementary level, but not at the middle school or high school level. Then there are those students who come simply because their parents and even some of the districts have only recently heard of our school. A bill passed last year automatically makes CSB part of the referral packet of a child being referred for vision services. Yet while CSB should be a place on the continuum, it should not be the only place. Educating a child at CSB is extremely expensive. Not only are we using specialized equipment and specially trained personnel to work with these children, but we are housing them, providing three meals a day, and even flying them home on weekends and holidays. While I want to see as many students as possible come to CSB, I do not want them to come just because there is nothing for them in their own districts. A residential school for the blind is not for everyone. It is a far more restrictive environment, and its main purpose is to educate blind and visually impaired children with multiple impairments. Having a mix of kids who are high functioning enough to make it in their home districts at some point and those kids who cannot is not all that easy. -- Alysa Chadow, Alameda, Calif. ** I wanted to express my concern in general agreement with the president's message in the August issue regarding mainstreaming of the blind, and lack of braille education. It is not blind children's responsibility to educate the rest of their school, nor the rest of the school's job to learn to accept blind children. They all are supposed to be getting a basic education. When I attended a blind school, I wanted to be mainstreamed. When I was mainstreamed, having the skills from the blind school allowed me to be successful. Doing that education without those skills would have been disastrous. The blind school I attended gave me so many experiences that no public mainstreamed setting will ever match that I don't think a comparison is worthwhile. When the blind schools are on the chopping block, I think the idea of separate education to gain minimum skills should be considered. It is not reasonable to expect our educators to have the skills for every situation and student, in every situation and class. Here are just a few examples of things I learned or experienced at the blind school that would not have been possible in mainstream setting. Regular mobility training allowed me to navigate most settings without stress. Once-a-week training is no substitute for daily training at a young age. Reading braille effortlessly is something to be appreciated by any who can. Once per week braille lessons won't get you there. Physical education, including bowling, swimming, archery, and wrestling, was available with instructors who expected you could do it. Home economics taught good cooking skills, made me sew on buttons, etc. This just won't get done in most mainstream settings. Band was great, but getting teachers to provide braille music is not easy -- and we all can't memorize the music. So we need to revisit the separate education concepts again without the false hopes and expectations we may have from philosophies. -- Allen Hoffman, Fredericksburg, Va. ** Regarding Social Security's Accessible Formats I am writing in regards to the decision that was made in the case ACB v. Astrue. I chose to have letters sent to me in Microsoft Word format. When I receive the CDs and read the information using my preferred screen reader, I feel very independent. Knowing the decisions Social Security is making regarding my SSI payments and the reasons behind those decisions is very empowering. In the past, I had to rely on someone to read the information. Individuals who are not knowledgeable about the rules and regulations of SSI tended to stumble and stutter their way through the letter. As a result of having the letter in a format I could independently access, I felt much more in control of the decisions that were made in my case. Thank you for all the work you do to advocate for Americans who are blind or visually impaired. -- Alexis Read, Rochester, N.Y. ***** HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering's mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. ** DREIDEL IN BRAILLE The American Council of the Blind has been named the 2010-2011 beneficiary for the Hope is Always in Season (TM) sales-based donation program featuring The Braille Dreidel (R), also known as The Braidel (R). This donation program was created by Marsha Plafkin Hurwitz, the founder and owner of Art as Responsa (R). To see the Braille Dreidel, visit www.artasresponsa.com. ** NASA INTERNSHIP PROGRAM NASA is seeking internship applications from students who are blind or disabled. Applicants must be 18 or older, be at least an incoming freshman at an accredited college or university, have a minimum GPA of 2.8, and be interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or math. A listing of available internships and the application are posted at http://intern.nasa.gov. Applications are due by Feb. 1, 2011 for the 10-week internship that will run from May 31 through Aug. 5, 2011. Since internships are available at all NASA centers nationwide, students are encouraged to specify their preferred centers. If you have questions or need assistance with the application, contact Kenneth Silberman at (301) 286-9281 or kenneth.a.silberman@nasa.gov. ** NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS RFB&D is now accepting applications for the 52nd annual national achievement awards. College seniors who are blind or visually impaired are encouraged to apply. Nine scholarships will be awarded at three financial levels: three each in the amounts of $6,000, $3,000, and $1,000. Applicants are judged on academic excellence, demonstrated leadership skills, and service to others. The application deadline is March 1, 2011. For additional details or to apply, visit www.rfbd.org/108. ** SIERRA REGIONAL SKI FOR LIGHT WEEKEND Sierra Regional Ski for Light will hold its 19th annual cross-country skiing and snow shoeing weekend March 12-14, 2011 at the Tahoe Cross Country ski area in Truckee, Calif. Lodging will be at the Truckee Best Western. Skiers from novices to advanced are welcomed. To learn more, contact Cindy Quintana, SRSFL Skier Coordinator at (530) 483-2948 or cindyq12345@sbcglobal.net. ** RESOURCE FOR DIABETES HELP Through the Maxine and John M. Bendheim Center for Diabetes Care, the Jewish Guild for the Blind in New York City offers a continuum of preventive care, treatment and education to individuals with diabetes in order to improve their quality of life, prevent or minimize the complications of diabetes and preserve remaining vision. Some of the center's services include one-on-one consultation, support groups, and classes on diabetes self-management. For more information on dealing with diabetes and vision loss, visit www.jgb.org/programs_clinical_diabetes.asp. ** NLS RECEIVES APEX AWARD The 20-page booklet "Talking Rooms: Walking Through History at the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Headquarters" has received an APEX 2010 Award of Excellence in the One-of-a-Kind Government Publication category. "Talking Rooms" portrays the history of library service to blind and physically handicapped individuals by taking readers on a tour of the NLS headquarters in Washington, D.C., and highlights the program's development from the use of phonographs to the recently released digital talking-book players. ** PROGRAM DIRECTOR HONORED Jeannine Palazza, program director for GuildCare Buffalo, was recently honored as Outstanding Member of the Year by the Adult Day Health Care Council, a New York state-wide organization. She became program director in 2006, and has served on numerous ADHCC committees. ** AER HONORS PROFESSIONALS The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) held its international conference in Little Rock, Ark. this past July. Dr. Sandra Lewis of Florida State University received the Mary K. Bauman Award. Natalie Hilzen of the American Foundation for the Blind got the C. Warren Bledsoe Award. Eileen Sifferman of Tucson won the Douglas C. MacFarland Award; Dr. Michael Bina of the Maryland School for the Blind received the Ambrose M. Shotwell Award. And Stephen Barrett received special recognition for his work. This year's outstanding chapters were Illinois, Ohio, and Penn/Del. ** 2010 MIGEL PROFESSIONAL AWARD WINNER Congratulations to Tuck Tinsley III, president of the American Printing House for the Blind, for winning the 2010 Migel Professional Award. AFB has selected Tinsley for his 20-year leadership of APH. During his tenure, he has refocused the organization's mission to provide accessible textbooks for students who are blind and opened the door to many other adaptive products for independence. ** NEW HANDHELD MAGNIFIER The Maggie is a handheld portable electronic magnifier that can be used for reading newspapers, prescriptions, price tags, instructions, brochures, or any other printed information. Its features include: 3" wide-screen LCD, true color image, 3 pre-set lighting levels, 4 levels of magnification: 4x, 6x, 8x, 11x, image freeze, 3.5 hour lithium-ion battery, and credit card sized portability. For more information, contact Bierley at 1-800-985-0535 or visit www.bierley.com. ** TALKING MONEY IDENTIFIER The iBill Talking Banknote Identifier is a pager-sized unit that identifies paper currency for people who are visually impaired or deaf-blind. Approximately one second after the bill is inserted into the key-fob device, the denomination is conveyed either by speech, a pattern of beeps, or a pattern of vibrations. It works on one AAA battery, which is included. The iBill is manufactured by Orbit Research and is available through many blindness product retailers. ** NEW OLYMPUS DIGITAL DEVICE The Olympus DM-4 digital audio recorder offers two key features that users who are visually impaired may find useful. It supports DAISY talking book files and includes voice recognition to navigate menus, set time and date, and create a schedule. Some of its other features include: 8 GB internal memory, built-in stereo microphones, and Olympus Sonority software to clean and edit audio files. The software also permits the uploading, organizing and e-mailing of audio files and direct downloading of podcasts. For more information, visit www.olympusamerica.com. ** DOG GUIDE MANUAL Shelly McMullen, a dog guide user for 30 years, has written "Pathways to Freedom." This 121-page e-book is designed to answer many questions about the process of getting and working with a dog guide. To get your copy, visit www.guidedogmanual.weebly.com. ** PAWS FOR PATRIOTS Southeastern Guide Dogs offers several services geared to meeting the needs of injured veterans. Its Paws for Patriots program trains dog guides for veterans who are visually impaired or multiply disabled. Companion dogs trained at Southeastern are placed with veterans who experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Southeastern has also placed therapy dogs at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center. In an effort to raise funds for this program, this fall Lt. Col. Kathy Champion, a graduate of the guide dog school, who is legally blind from a virus she contracted while serving in Iraq, will lead a team of puppy raisers and volunteers in the Women's Half Marathon of St. Petersburg (Florida) on Nov. 21, 2010. For more information, call (941) 729-5665 or visit www.guidedogs.org. ** RESOURCE FOR JEWISH INDIVIDUALS Yismehu is a non-profit organization that provides Jewish enrichment services for people who are blind or visually impaired. It offers distance education courses on Hebrew, Jewish identity and religious education; camps where attendees participate in liturgy, text study, music and art; and on-site educational workshops to facilitate inclusive practices in Jewish organizations. For more information, visit www.yismehu.org, call (503) 391-7754, or e-mail info@yismehu.org. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP ** FOR SALE: Voice Sense with manuals and cables. Asking $1,000 or best offer, or will trade for something comparable. Send an e-mail message to rp5137@frontiernet.net, or call (916) 834-8957. ** FOR SALE: Braille Blazer Braille embosser with power cable. Includes either serial or parallel connection to a computer. Accepts 8.5" x 11" paper. Will include both parallel and serial cables with the printer. In excellent working condition; recently refurbished. Asking $500 or best reasonable offer plus $50 shipping. For more information, contact Don Risavy by e-mail, djrisavyjr@cox.net, or by cell phone, (850) 208-1923. ** FOR SALE: MAGic screen enlargement software with speech. Asking $400. Olympus Digital Voice Recorder, model WS-110. Asking $75. MS Office Pro 2000. Asking $50. MS Office Pro 2003, asking $150. Music CDs with a variety of music, including hard rock, alternative and pop; 80 CDs. Asking $100. Medcenter your minder with personal recording alarm clock, $20. Atomic wristwatch, $5. For more information, contact Monty Cassellius at (715) 514-1619, or via e-mail, isuredbirds@charter.net. ** FOR SALE: 3-D power recorder, holds up to 500 hours. Asking $80. Call Rosemir Rodriguez at (714) 865-5555. ** FOR SALE: Perkins brailler. Includes dust cover. Dymo tape labeler with one roll of tape included. Slate and stylus. None of them have been used. Asking $550 or best offer. Contact Michael Robles at (909) 822-5884 or michaelro99@yahoo.com. ** FOR SALE: Patriot Eagle video magnification system. Comes with all cables and manuals. Asking $500. Contact Keith Miller via e-mail, ktmillerfla@hotmail.com. ** FOR SALE: Electronic scanner which hooks up to laptop or desktop computers. It comes with all cables and software, as well as a carrying case. Asking $300. Will accept money orders in U.S. or Canadian funds. Contact Nancy at (319) 217-8385 or e-mail her, owenryder@sympatico.ca. ** FOR SALE: Romeo braille embosser in good working condition. Asking $700, including shipping. Contact Tom at sportsnut1945@yahoo.com or (941) 426-2499. ** FOR SALE: Gently used Aladdin Ultra CCTV in very good condition. Comes with a 17-inch monitor, user's guide, easy-to-use lever, adjustable drag and lock margin stops, and all cables. Asking $750 for the CCTV plus $75 for shipping and handling. Prefer payments via PayPal or money order; will accept check if absolutely necessary and ship once the check clears. Please contact Chasity at (314) 956-7945 or by e-mail at chasityvanda@charter.net. ** FOR SALE: Braille 'n Speak (carrying case is worn out) in good working order, June 2003 revision, $200. Braille 'n Speak disk drive accessory in good working order; asking $125. Book Port in good working order, $50. For more information, contact Rick Boggess at rboggess54@gmail.com. ** FOR SALE: VoiceNote mPower with a QWERTY keyboard. Also includes carrying case with shoulder strap, Keysoft version 7.0 and its software CD, AC power adapter, regular print user's guide, electronic version of the user's guide, large print command summary, audio tutorial CD, headphones, 9-point serial cable, and a 9- to 25-pin adapter plug. Asking $500 or best offer. Contact Stacy at stacy.cervenka@gmail.com or (708) 359-3301. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA ST. #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT KIM CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVE. WATERTOWN, MA 02472 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT BRENDA DILLON 313 OVERRIDGE COVE HERMITAGE, TN 37076 SECRETARY MARLAINA LIEBERG 632 S. 189TH ST. BURIEN, WA 98148 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE. MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Berl Colley, Lacey, WA Janet Dickelman, St. Paul, MN Marsha Farrow, Summerville, GA Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX George Holliday, Philadelphia, PA Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Allan Peterson, Horace, ND Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Ex Officio: Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Paul Edwards, Chairman, Miami, FL Marcia Dresser, Reading, MA Judy Jackson, Austin, TX Jenine Stanley, Columbus, OH Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Ex Officio: Ron Milliman, Bowling Green, KY