The Braille Forum Vol. XXVIII November-December 1989 No. 3 Published Monthly by the American Council of the Blind Mary T. Ballard, Editor ***** Promoting Independence and Effective Participation in Society National Office: Oral O. Miller 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W. Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20005 1-800-424-8666 THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large-type and cassette tape (15/16 ips). Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to: American Council of the Blind, 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to Brian Charlson, Treasurer, 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. You may wish to remember a relative or friend by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The ACB National Office has available special printed cards to acknowledge to loved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons. Anyone wishing to remember the American Council of the Blind in his/her Last Will and Testament may do so by including a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you may contact the ACB National Office. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the Washington Connection at (202) 393-3664 eastern time, 24 hours a day; or toll-free, (800) 424-8666, 9:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. Copyright 1989 American Council of the Blind ***** ** Contents President's Message, by LeRoy Saunders Moments with Mary, Our Salute to a Dedicated Lady News Briefs from the National Office, by Oral O. Miller ACB Announces Official Travel Agency "Eighty-B Seabee" Rocky Mountain High, by Robert Acosta ADA Makes Slow Progress in the House of Representatives ACB Scholarships Available to Blind Students Back in Stride Michigan Attorney-General Rules as Invalid Michigan Commission Action Against Agencies Accredited by NAC Save-A-Tree Skiing and Winter Recreation for Everyone — Noncompetitors and Competitors High Tech Swap Shop Here and There, by Elizabeth Lennon ACB Special-Interest Affiliated Organizations ACB Officers and Directors Board of Publications Braille Forum Contributing Editors ***** ** President's Message By LeRoy Saunders Since I wrote my September/October message for The Braille Forum, I have had the opportunity to attend several ACB state affiliate conventions and to meet with two newly appointed officials working in Washington, DC in the disability field. Attending these state affiliate meetings has given me an opportunity to meet face-to-face with active members and to learn more about the programs and services of ACB on the local level. Before I became President I sensed that ACB's strength was derived from the commitment and involvement of its members throughout the country. Now, after visiting with these members and experiencing first-hand how active and involved our affiliates are on the state level I can report that this core of strength is, in fact, ACB's most vital resource. At the time of this writing I have attended four (4) state affiliate meetings and will leave tomorrow to attend the annual meeting of our newest state affiliate, Alaska Independent Blind, Inc. Just as each meeting has been unique so are the activities and outreach programs that each of these affiliates sponsors. Yet, not surprisingly, their common bond is the outstanding work they are accomplishing in behalf of blind and visually impaired people in their communities and states. On October 11, I had the opportunity, accompanied by Oral Miller, ACB's National Representative, to visit with Nell Carney, the new Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). Before becoming the Commissioner of RSA, Ms. Carney was the acting Commissioner of the Virginia Department for the Visually Handicapped, the state agency serving the blind in Virginia. Since I, too, spent many years working for that particular agency before moving to Oklahoma, she and I reminisced a bit about things in Virginia. To my knowledge, Nell Carney is the first Commissioner of RSA who has first-hand experience with services provided by the rehabilitation system in this country. In my opinion, this is a real asset and I feel confident that the disabled people of this nation will benefit greatly from the expertise and commitment that she brings to this office. The following day, I met with Ms. Beverly Milkman who is the Executive Director of the Committee for the Purchase from the Blind and Severely Handicapped. For those of you who may not be familiar with this particular Committee, it is the one that is appointed by the President of the United States to implement and oversee the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. The Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act was enacted to make it possible for workshops to manufacture and sell products to the Federal Government. At the present time, approximately 6,500 blind individuals are employed in the 106 workshops which are operated as a result of this legislation. Ms. Milkman came to this position from the Department of Commerce where she worked very closely with the Economic Development Administration. Her experience working with public works programs and helping communities increase their economic base will certainly enhance the activities of this Committee. As you may probably recall, Beverly Milkman and Nell Carney both spoke on the ACB national convention program in Richmond, VA, this past July. I feel sure that both of these outstanding women will do everything in their power to advance the well-being of disabled people in this country. Hopefully, by the time the next issue of The Braille Forum is published ACB will have selected the new editor of this national magazine. It has taken a little longer than I had hoped or anticipated to go through the selection process for this very important position. However, at this time, I would like to thank Chris Gray, Chairman of the Board of Publications, all those people who have written articles for the most recent issues of The Braille Forum, and especially, Roberta Douglas, who has coordinated and prepared the manuscript for the various publishers during this interim period when we have been without an editor. By the time you receive this issue we will be in the midst of the holiday season. I hope each of you have a happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year. ***** ** Moments with Mary Our Salute to a Dedicated Lady To tell the story of Mary Ballard and her history as Editor of The Braille Forum, was far too big a task for just one person. Logic suggested that tapping the memories of the people most closely involved with that history would be the best approach. What follows are a few of those remembered moments: M.J. SCHMITT ... I have been privileged to experience many moments with Mary. When we were about nine and before I came to my senses, we rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals together. I remember when, during one of her pre-teen years, Mary obtained her first amateur radio license. There were many times when school food "got to us" and we cooked in the kitchenette in our dorm; those times were special. I was there when she received the track medal for winning the athletic competition for girls and I was there when she delivered her valedictory address at graduation. There were many moments at my home when we partied, when she would entertain one of my small children while I did whatever was necessary for the others, and there was the time when she and her sister Pat came to dinner and Pat had to eat her spaghetti from the serving platter! I remember well a 32-page letter she thoughtfully wrote to me while studying during that very special year in Spain. And, of course, there was the time when my guide dog and I arrived at her home and sent her cat scurrying to basement where he stayed for the remainder of our visit. I'm very proud to have been a member of the Board of Publications and have suggested Mary Torpey Ballard as a possible editor for The Braille Forum. The growth and development that takes place in most of us throughout our lives evokes change. Of all the people I know, Mary has changed the least while growing, maturing, and proving that she can rise to whatever occasion life brings to her. Despite growth and change, she has always shown herself to be a hardworking, competent, and unassuming person. Her sense of humor, though tried at times by ACB's financial struggles, late articles and the many headaches that go along with editing a magazine, has remained intact. DURWARD McDANIEL ... I did not know Mary well when she came to the ACB office in Washington on the last day of 1972. She came there to pickup file material and to talk about editing The Braille Forum. She was working full-time as a legal secretary in a Rochester law firm. We had been searching several months for a new volunteer editor after Earl Scharry's serious illness earlier in the year. ACB had experienced remarkably good fortune in attracting outstanding volunteer editors: Marie Boring, Ned Freeman, Alma Murphey, and Earl Scharry. We believed, and soon learned, that Mary would extend that record of dedication and excellence. After four years as a volunteer she became a full-time paid staff member when we began publishing monthly. Others will be commenting on our appreciation and respect for her personal qualities. It is not enough to say that she went far beyond the call of duty. Her work as a volunteer and staff member has been a monumental contribution to the progress and success of ACB. In her retirement, I join with other close friends to recognize her outstanding career as our editor and to wish her well. M. HELEN VARGO ... "Mary Ballard?" "Who is she?" I asked these questions at the ACB 1973 Knoxville Convention when I chaired the Board of Publications. We urgently needed to fill the editor's position of The Braille Forum. Mary Jane (M.J.) Schmitt, member of the Board of Publications, presented Mary's name as a candidate. M.J. extolled Mary's skills, competency and experience in such glowing terms that I was disbelieving. I could not imagine that we would be lucky enough to secure her services; and I wondered why anyone with her capabilities, and in such a prestigious position would dare take her chance with ACB's financial shakiness. After considering her qualifications and our needs, Mary was contacted that very night. Indeed, she indicated her interest and you know "the rest of the story." Through the years it has been my privilege to know Mary better as Braille Forum editor, at the podium during conventions, at ACB Board meetings, and in social settings. Despite her heavy responsibilities as editor, she always appeared cool with everything under control, with time to giggle and visit, and astonishingly, never said "no" when an extra request came her way. I have always taken great pride in every issue of The Braille Forum under her command as though I had something to do with it, but it was she from the first who orchestrated the continuity and consistency of high quality productions, always done with integrity, dignity and aplomb. Announcement of her leaving editorship of the Forum flooded my memory with warm feelings of our relationship, and how enriched my life has been because of this relationship. HAROLD DACHTLER ... Perfection, perseverance and dedication are three immediate impressions I had of Mary when I first met her in 1974. When Floyd Qualls appointed me chairman of the Board of Publications, I was new to ACB and to the Board of Publications. With Mary's guidance, instruction and information, I was able to successfully fulfill my duties for the six-year term. Mary was always tolerant of criticism, evaluative of new suggestions, and contributed many improvements beneficial to publications. It was a pleasure working for, and with, Mary. HARRIET A. FIELDING ... The trials and tribulations of chairperson of the ACB Board of Publications are minor when one compares them to the multiple trials and tribulations of the editor of the ACB Braille Forum. As an appointee to the Board of Publications by Floyd Qualls, I met Mary when Harold Dachtler was the chairperson. What a joy it was to work with Mary. I had many "Moments with Mary" when I was appointed as chairperson by Grant Mack. Mary's advice in somewhat delicate situations was always sensible and sound. I wondered sometimes what might have happened I not sought Mary's help. The success and reputation gained by the ACB Braille Forum have been due to Mary's constant vigilance in adhering to the policy of openness and fair play. A toast to Mary with wishes for her happiness through the years from a past chairperson of the ACB Board of Publications. CHRISTOPHER GRAY ... My first 'moments with Mary' were telemoments. We met complements of Ma Bell. Our conversations were easy-going and friendly. They inspired me to want to begin contributing to The Braille Forum. Mary really made me feel that my opinions could matter, and that people would be interested to read them. Our first in-person moment was the Hot Springs, Arkansas convention in 1976. I -- a mere student member -- was excited and not a little surprised to be invited by Mary to her hotel room where we got better acquainted as various important people about whom I had read for several years dropped in and out to visit. I particularly remember one ACB celebrity who popped in and proceeded to lobby for Washington State's vote for one of the candidates running for office that year. The lobbyist was Otis Stephens, and his efforts were successful in my case. In this small, and in so many large ways, Mary has been the connector (the catalyst) for ACB; she has continually provided the glue, the sealing wax and the environmental conditions that have bound us together with one another. Mary has brought this to us through her calm, interpersonal dynamics as well as her professional skill as our unfailing editor of The Braille Forum. The next moment that jumps into my mind is in the early winter of 1979 in Rochester, New York. During this weekend trip, my series of articles "From the Archives" was born and ACB's archives were thoroughly examined for the first time by the two of us. We spent the whole weekend sorting through tapes and magazines, only stopping occasionally to eat something quick or to pet a certain cat who wasn't about to be completely forgotten despite this fury of activity throughout the house. I remember best the feeling of accomplishment we were able to share over a disgracefully huge and decadent Sunday brunch as I departed for the airport. When thinking of Mary's overall contributions to ACB, I cannot help but focus on the many accomplishments and the 'can do' attitude that she has always brought to her work for ACB. On a lighter note, I remember several moments -- always after 5 p.m. -- when two filled, twelve­ounce bottles of amber, frothing nectar would appear at ACB Board of Directors meetings. I guess this memory encompasses more than just one "moment with Mary" but I'll never disclose the precise number of those moments of conspiratorial toasting, shared in a silence of thirst-quenching glee! Since 1973, Mary has sat as a quiet and effective guarantor of ACB's democratic processes on our Board of Directors. She has never missed a meeting, and has stood for editorial and personal accountability within our organization in this crucial capacity. And finally, we have shared so many moments during our work together on The Braille Forum! The simple truth is that Mary has done most of the work. In the normal course of ACB business, this is how things are intended to run. But now that Mary is not working as ACB's editor, let me tell you! ... Some fast learning is taking place throughout ACB and within the Board of Publications, too! In order to highlight some of the things we are learning, let me end my section of this article with a couple of "Thank you's" to Mary for things that many of us may have taken for granted over the years. First, thanks for being consistent where matters of style and grammar are concerned. Whenever there is more than one writer and, as is the case right now in ACB, more than one editor, this can be a problem. Thanks for getting issues out on a timely basis. We're struggling with this now, and we hope that ACB members and friends understand why this is difficult at the present time. Thank you two, three or even more times for having full and varied issues of the Forum. It's amazing how few articles just flow into the magazine; they have to be sucked in through a variety of techniques including bribes, threats, demands and pleadings that most ACB members surely don't even want to contemplate. Finally, and mostly, thanks Mary for still being at the other end of that telephone line when I need your help, your insightful advice and your personal support. I hope that we may return from ACB the commitment to you as a member that you have given so unstintingly to us as our editor, duplicator, recorder and often times as our after-hours volunteer in the past sixteen years. PHYLLIS STERN ... As my thoughts wandered back over the years, I smiled, remembering when I sat in as an observer at the meeting of the Board of Publications when M.J. Schmitt submitted the name of Mary Ballard as a possible new editor for the Braille Forum. M.J.'s enthusiasm as she discussed Mary's background and abilities seemed to be contagious. All in attendance seemed to agree, and the contact was made. The rest, as they say, is history. It was during that meeting that I determined that the Board of Publications was the direction I would take in the future. Mary's warm friendly nature, coupled with her logical practical approach to problems, made it truly a pleasure to work with her. Equally important, she steadfastly maintained her neutrality concerning the political life of ACB. Speaking for all the members of the Board of Publications, past and present, we wish Mary all the best that life has to offer as she embarks on an exciting new experience as Mrs. Otis Stephens. ***** ** News Briefs from the ACB National Office By Oral O. Miller National Representative Vocational training specialists, rehabilitation counselors and educators, among others, are constantly attempting to determine which concerns are most important to blind workers and job seekers. As another way of shedding additional light on this always important subject, the American Council of the Blind is co-operating with the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities and the University of Arkansas in preparing and disseminating a questionnaire which asks the recipients to rate numerically the importance of fifty concerns which have been selected by a panel of successful blind workers. The questionnaires probably will have been distributed by the time this article is published, and we encourage those who receive it to complete it and return it to the University as promptly as possible. We frequently decline to assist with surveys seeking information on a variety of subjects for various research projects and we suspect that many blind people are tired of being surveyed, diagnosed or analyzed, but we believe this survey is important because it seeks information on very practical and useful subjects. Some of the factors to be evaluated include transportation, technological accommodations, job restructuring, upward mobility and formal or on-the-job training. The first of the two ACB state affiliate conventions which it was my pleasure to attend during the past fall was that of the Michigan Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired. Not surprisingly, the convention focused on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which had just been passed overwhelmingly by the Senate and about which I had testified before the Surface Transportation Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives a few days before. I want to commend the Michigan affiliate for focusing on this lengthy and complex but very important piece of legislation. Although the ADA is not going to be acted upon by Congress before it adjourns this year, it is extremely important for all handicapped people to be familiar with it so they can support it even more effectively during 1990. Tape recorded versions of the bill as approved by the Senate may be obtained by contacting the ACB national office at 1-800-424-8666. We again commend Justin Dart Jr. on his appointment as Chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (PCEPD). It was my pleasure to attend his swearing in at the Executive Office Building and to hear his stirring commitment to advancing employment opportunities for all disabled people. It was also my pleasure, along with ACB President LeRoy Saunders, to meet with Rehabilitation Services Administration Commissioner Nell Carney to discuss in general terms some of the concerns of the American Council of the Blind and to learn more about her objectives in her new position. Soon thereafter she met with representatives of the disabled community to discuss further her objectives, to focus on a few little-known programs within RSA and to learn of the concerns of the organizations represented. In our discussions with Commissioner Carney both ACB President Saunders and I emphasized the importance of services to meet the unique needs of blind people while at the same time the necessity of working with other disabilities on broad issues. Although Hurricane Hugo, after devastating Charleston, S.C., made an unexpected turn and delivered unbelievably ferocious lick to Charlotte, N.C., the North Carolina Council of the Blind proceeded with its plans to hold its 1989 state convention in Charlotte only a few days after Hugo had hit the city. At the time I arrived in the city to take part in the convention, Charlotte was still recovering from the storm, evidence of which was visible everywhere —especially in the form of fallen trees. In fact, North Carolina Council Vice-President Allen Moore said that he had to climb over the trunk of a fallen tree in his front yard every day as he went to and from work. North Carolina Council President David Alexander reminded the conventioners that the crowded conditions in the hotel were not caused by another convention but by the countless emergency workers brought into the city by the utility and construction companies to repair the damage caused by Hugo. A familiar and humorous question that was frequently heard throughout the weekend when discussing the fallen trees was, "Want to buy some firewood cheap?" In spite of these adverse conditions the North Carolina Council presented a very informative, varied and spirited program. The NC Council continued its friendly competition with the Alabama Council of the Blind by agreeing to co-sponsor with the Alabama Council of the Blind the production of ACB Reports for one year. ACB national office staff members are often asked to advise government as well as private agencies on a variety of subjects of importance to blind people. However, many of the subjects are not especially interesting and, therefore, little is reported about them. In this case though I would like to commend the U.S. Forest Service (which is quite different from the National Park Service) for its interest in designing its proposed information and visitors center so it will be interesting and meaningful to blind and visually impaired visitors. In fact, following the first meeting of several disabled advisors brought together to give input on the project, the Forest Service scrapped its original design and "went back to the drawing board" to incorporate some of the recommendations made. The substance of several of my recommendations related to, among other things, simplifying the physical design, allowing blind visitors to touch appropriate exhibit items and adding sufficiently descriptive sound tracks to visual displays. By this time all readers of the Braille Forum should have received their 1989 entry forms for the 1990 "Wonderful Weekend in Washington" sweepstakes. Since you can't win if you don't enter, we encourage you to enter and at the same time make your contribution to ACB. Remember also that pledging to give even a small amount each quarter during 1990 will be very helpful to ACB, which, after all, is made up of members. Remember what the 1989 sweepstakes winners asked their envious friends who wondered why they, the Hills of Wichita, KS, had been so lucky — "We returned our entry form, did you?" I would like to take this opportunity to wish all readers of the Braille Forum a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year! ***** ** ACB Announces Official Travel Agency The American Council of the Blind is pleased to announce the selection of Wilson Travel Agency of Louisville, Kentucky as the official travel agency for ACB during 1989-1990. As in past years, using the ACB designated travel agency is an easy, yet significant, way for ACB members and friends to help the ACB organization financially. Keep in mind that for each ticket purchased by an ACB member or friend, for any reason, ACB receives credit towards tickets for travel both by ACB convention staff as well as by other members and officials on specific ACB business. So a ticket purchased by you through Wilson Travel Agency, at no additional expense to you, saves ACB considerable necessary travel dollars. Wilson Travel Agency is available to you via toll free (800) service. Hours of business are: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. E.S.T. The toll-free number outside Kentucky is (800) 523-2742. Kentucky residents 945-2517. Indiana residents, call (800) 331-6917. ***** ** "Eighty-B Seabee" What Does That Mean? One of our readers noticed in a pamphlet that the ATBCB was identified in a list of resources as the "Architectural and Transportation Barriers Complicity Board." Knowing that many people have trouble with our agency's full name and its acronym, we conducted an informal man-and-woman-in-the-street survey with the question, "What do you think ATBCB stands for?" Here are some answers: • Atomic Testing and Ballistics Control Board • American Taxpayers Bailout Central Bureau • Aeronautic Training & Bombardiers College of Bayonne • Arthur Treacher's Big Clam Bake • American Top Brass Concert Band • Architectural & Transportation Barriers Compliance Board • Atchison, Topeka, & Baltimore Canal Boat • Artichoke, Turnip & Baloney Cook Book • Astro Terrestrial Bureau of Celestial Beings Can you identify the right answer? (Clearly, there must have been a board member caught in the net of our survey.) As you may have noticed, we are now answering our phone with "The Access Board." We're doing this because of the length and supposed difficulty of our formal appellation. We believe the shorter, more informal name is one way of indicating our accessibility. (Reprinted with permission from Access America, Summer 1989, an official quarterly publication of the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.) ***** ** Rocky Mountain High Denver, 1990 By Robert Acosta By now you should be making plans for the 29th annual convention of the American Council of the Blind. This convention will be held from Friday, June 29, through Saturday, July 7, 1990 at the Sheraton Denver Tech and the Hyatt Tech Center, Denver, CO. Both of these ultramodern hotels are prepared now to take your convention reservations. The Sheraton Denver Tech Center can be reached at (800) 552-7030. ACB has reserved 500 rooms in this hotel. The Sheraton Denver Tech is a resort hotel in the suburbs of Denver and will serve as the headquarters hotel for the convention. Room rates are $45 for singles, doubles, triples and quads in the Sheraton and Hyatt hotels. The Hyatt Denver Tech Center, our second convention hotel, and just two minutes away from the Sheraton by convention shuttle, is an equally fine hotel. To make a Convention reservation in this hotel, telephone (800) 233-1234. ACB has reserved 300 rooms at the Hyatt. Both hotels are located in suburban Denver, and are about a twenty minute drive from the airport. Shuttle service will be provided between hotels. Also, shuttles will transport ACB conventioners to shopping malls in the nearby vicinity. Both hotels feature plenty of lawn area for the use and enjoyment of the over 200 dog guides who will be attending the summer fun, too. As in the past several years, the ACB Board of Directors will hold its mid-year Board meeting January 12-14 at the main convention hotel; the Sheraton Denver Tech. Many other ACB special interest groups will hold meetings in conjunction with this Board meeting. This provides an opportunity for many ACB members to thoroughly examine both of the excellent convention hotels. Our tour committee is hard at work developing some outstanding tours for the convention week under the capable leadership of ACB Board member Pat Beattie. The week begins with an overnight tour to Colorado Springs. This interesting and informative tour leaves the Sheraton early on the morning of Friday, June 29. First stop is the U.S. Air Force Academy where we will visit numerous chapels and tour the Visitor's Center. After a luncheon at the Officer's Club, we're off to the Garden of the Gods which features balanced, gigantic rocks which hold their positions in defiance of the earth's gravitational forces. In addition to these and other natural marvels, ACBers will be presented with dancing and music by Indian cliff dwellers of the region. After checking into a local hotel, shopping, dinner at the Flying W Ranch, and a Western show put on by the Suns of the Pioneers will top off the day's events. After breakfast on Saturday morning, the tour continues to the Michael Garman Studios to examine many types of Western sculptures. From there, we ride the cog railroad to the top of Pike’s Peak — about a three-hour trip. The tour concludes with a lunch at Joseppi's Italian Restaurant. The price for this incredible package is only $140.00, which includes hotel, all admission tickets, dinner, the Suns of the Pioneers show, railroad tickets and lunch. The only item not covered by the above price is the Saturday morning breakfast. The tour ends at 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening back at the convention hotels. Advanced reservations are required for this tour and can be made with Jim Olsen, ACB Convention Registration Chairman, either by phone ((612) 332-3242) or in writing (310 4th Ave. South, Suite 822, Minneapolis, MN 55415). Reservations will be accepted beginning March 15 and will only be accepted and confirmed with full payment either by Mastercard/Visa or check made payable to 1990 ACB National Convention. For those who cannot attend this tour a less comprehensive version will be offered later in the convention week. After much consideration, the Convention Committee has decided to cancel the Convention supplement that has appeared in the Braille Forum the past several years. Many special interest groups are unable to provide meaningful program information on March 1 which is the date this information must be available for timely publication. Other very important information is unavailable at this time as well that can change your plans and unintentionally create problems for ACB members during the convention. Instead of the convention supplement, we will provide the ACB convention registration package on cassette tape as an informational aid when requested by you. We believe that this will give you more accurate and up-to-date, accessible information. Providing the material in braille is also under consideration, but this will not be possible for the 1990 convention. To receive a cassette copy, you must phone or write the ACB national office in Washington, DC. Anybody signing up for the cassette version of the convention registration form on or before April 15 is guaranteed to receive a cassette registration form in plenty of time to use the information contained in it to register for the convention. As in past years, you must use the print form for your actual registration. One print form per convention registrant is to be submitted. Tape or braille forms will not be accepted. The National Convention Committee has also decided that a full-time convention nurse will not be provided on the convention premises this year. Instead, a telephone number will be printed in the convention program as well as information about several emergency facilities near the two hotels. Whenever possible, use the Wilson Travel Service. Your patronage of this travel service leads to free tickets for use by ACB convention staff and elected/appointed representatives. If you live in Indiana, call them at (800) 331-6917. From all other states, call (800) 523-2742. If you live in Kentuckiana, call 945-2517. Tell the travel agent that you are a member or friend of the American Council of the Blind. By the time you read this article, the agent with whom you speak can tell you the name of the official airline for ACB. This may save you and ACB additional money. As you can see, the National Convention Committee is hard at work in order to guarantee all ACB members an excellent 29th convention in Denver, Colorado! Make your plans now and come join us. ***** ** ADA Makes Slow Progress in the House of Representatives By Kathleen Megivern Well, for months now I have been reporting to you on the progress of the Americans Disabilities Act. And one of my major messages each time has been the importance of getting this legislation passed before the end of 1989. Unfortunately, we now have to admit that the goal of passage in 1989 is no longer a possibility. Congressional leaders insisted that they would adjourn before Thanksgiving and not return until late in January. For weeks, none of the Washington advocates really believed this would happen because there was so much work to be finished before they could adjourn. But, nothing motivates Congressional activity more than an impending adjournment and, sure enough, they have stuck by their resolve to finish before Thanksgiving. That was particularly bad news for ADA because, as I have reported previously, the House version of the bill had been referred to four different Committees, each of which had to hold hearings, "mark up" their version of the bill (add amendments, make deletions, etc.), and report the bill out of the committee so that it could come to the floor of the House for a vote. Only one Committee, the House Committee on Education and Labor, managed to complete its mark-up process prior to adjournment. Since Education and Labor is the Committee which traditionally has jurisdiction over programs relating to people with disabilities, it was considered the "lead" committee on this bill and none of the other committees wanted to proceed until Education and Labor had completed its work. This "easiest" of the four committees turned out to be quite an ordeal as advocates negotiated with Committee members who had various weakening amendments which they wanted to propose. Finally, a substitute version was negotiated, containing primarily the language of the Senate bill with a few additional "clarifications." This version was introduced at the Committee mark-up by Rep. Major Owens (D, NY) and supported by Rep. Steve Bartlett (R, TX). In addition, there were numerous other amendments offered during mark-up. All of them were defeated, most on a party-line vote (Republicans voting for the various amendments, Democrats voting against). After all of the amendments were disposed of, the Committee then approved the substitute bill by a unanimous vote of 35 to 0. This final vote is further illustration of the fact that no one wants to "oppose" ADA, they'd just like to "fix it" with weakening amendments. The coalition of organizations supporting ADA is planning its strategy for the coming weeks. There will be a postcard campaign aimed especially at the members of the three remaining committees: Energy & Commerce, Judiciary, and Public Works & Transportation. In addition, a special effort will be aimed at the members of the Public Works and Transportation Committee. That Committee will be receiving a lot of pressure from Greyhound, Amtrak, the American Public Transit Association and others who wish to weaken the bill's provisions concerning transportation. In one campaign, disabled people and advocates are mailing old keys to members of that Committee with a message that "transportation is the key to independence and integration." As I stated earlier in this article, we have spent months stressing the importance of quick action on this bill. Now that we know we have to deal with a two-month recess, it will be up to each and every one of us to "keep those cards and letters coming." We hope for quick action by the remaining three committees early next year and, hopefully, a vote by the entire House of Representatives no later than March, 1990. The holiday recess is a perfect time to visit your representative in his or her local office. Let them know that support of the Americans with Disabilities Act -- WITH NO WEAKENING AMENDMENTS -- is the most important New Year's Resolution they can make! (Reprinted, in part, from AER Report, December 1989) ***** ** ACB Scholarships Available to Blind Students The American Council of the Blind will award thirteen scholarships to outstanding blind and visually impaired students in 1990. All legally blind persons admitted to academic, vocational, technical, and professional programs at the postsecondary level for the 1990/91 school year are encouraged to apply for one of these scholarships. One $1,500 and one $1,000 award will be given to the top students in each of the following categories: entering freshmen in academic programs, undergraduates (sophomores, juniors, seniors) in academic programs, graduate students in academic programs, and vocational/technical school students. Applicants will be compared with other applicants in each category, which means that entering freshmen in academic programs will be competing for funds with other first-year students, etc. The $1,800 Melva T. Owen Memorial Scholarship, provided by the Tarver Memorial Fund, will be granted to an outstanding student at the undergraduate level. The $1,000 TSI/VTEK Scholarship, provided by Telesensory, Mountain View, CA, will be awarded to an outstanding student in the vocational/technical category. This year three scholarships will be made available in the amount of $1,500 to Pennsylvania residents. We encourage all qualified Pennsylvania residents to apply. Applications are available from the ACB National Office, 1010 Vermont Ave., N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. Tel. (202) 393-3666. All completed applications and supporting documents must be postmarked no later than April 1, 1990. Leading scholarship candidates will be interviewed by telephone in May and early June. The ACB scholars will be notified no later than June 15, 1990. The scholarships will be announced at the 29th national convention of the American Council of the Blind to be held June 30-July 7 in Denver, CO. Efforts will be made to enable many of the winning scholars to be present at the ceremonies. Among the criteria to be considered in selecting the scholars will be demonstrated academic record, involvement in extracurricular/civic activities and academic objectives. The severity of the applicant's visual impairment and his/her study methods will also be taken into account in the selection process. ***** ** Back In Stride * Blind Runner Tim Willis Ran His Personal Best Cross Country Time, 19:40, and Helped Shamrock High School Win in His First Meet Back! Tim Willis couldn't have picked a better time to run the best cross-country race of his life. The blind high school senior was running Thursday as a member of the Shamrock varsity for the first time since the Georgia High School Association gave its OK for him to use a tether and a non-student guide. His unbeaten team was facing its toughest competition of the season. Everyone was watching him. He was nervous. And he was tired. So he went out in the meadow behind Pantherville Stadium that DeKalb County teams call home and covered the 5K course in a career-best 19:40, shaving seconds off his previous best. His was the fifth-best Shamrock time, qualifying him to score. And Shamrock won again, but barely, 40-39 over Lakeside. Willis, 18, made the difference. Among 60 varsity runners on six teams, his 13th place finish was four spots better than teammate Scott Boyd, meaning if Willis were still an exhibition runner — as he had been the last two weeks, while running times of 20:40 and 20:39 -- Shamrock would have lost its first regular season meet in three years. "We wouldn't have won if Tim wasn't there," said Shamrock coach Kent Sanderson, whose team finished second in last year's Class AAA meet. On Sept. 5, Bill Fordham, executive secretary of the Georgia High School Association, had ruled that no runner could compete with a tether and a non-student guide, as Willis had while running junior varsity for years. But Monday, after meeting Sanderson and Shamrock principal Fay Smith, Fordham reversed his ruling, saying Willis could run if his tether and guide met certain standards. Guide runner Sherman Eller, a 27-year-old former cross-country athlete at the University of South Carolina at Spartanburg, took a newly required physical Wednesday. He also furnished proof of insurance prior to the competition, and checked with Willis to make sure their shoestring tether was no more than the newly mandated 36 inches. Then they ran. "I was more nervous than I've ever been for a guide run," said Eller, five-year guide-running veteran, who helped the U.S. team in the 1988 Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. "For Tim to do it [set his career-record] under these conditions is great. He really grew up today." Willis followed what he called the runner's routine Wednesday night. He ate pizza and went to bed early. But after the race was over, Willis said he was looking forward to next Thursday's meet. "I hope that this opens the door for other blind people in Georgia and the country," he said. "It just goes to show that if you want something, you've gotta do what you've gotta do." (Reprinted from the Atlanta Constitution, 1989) Note from editor: This runner's case underscores the importance of timely, knowledgeable advocacy by consumers and professionals working together. At the time the American Council of the Blind was contacted about this matter, the position of the Georgia High School Assn. seemed to be firmly against allowing Tim to compete in a meaningful manner, but subsequent communication involving the American Council of the Blind and other interested organizations led to a reversal of that position. ***** ** Michigan Attorney-General Rules as Invalid Michigan Commission Action Against Agencies Accredited by National Accreditation Council The July/August, 1989, issue of the Braille Forum in "News Briefs from the ACB National Office" summarized actions taken last spring by the Michigan Commission for the Blind in adopting a resolution which, at the urging of e National Federation of the Blind of Michigan, banned generally the purchase of equipment and services from agencies accredited by the National Accreditation Council. The actions of the Michigan Commission were reviewed by the Michigan Attorney-General and in an opinion dated August 31, 1989, the Department of the Attorney-General ruled that the original actions and subsequent amendment thereof were invalid. Note in the opinion, the full text of which is printed below, that the Department of the Attorney-General used terms such as invalid, unsupportable and totally arbitrary in discussing the actions of the Commission. The memorandum was sent by Christine A. Derdarian, Assistant in Charge, Labor Division, to Delia Vorhauer, Chairperson of the Michigan Commission. "In response to recent written and verbal inquiries, I have reviewed the actions of the Michigan Commission for the Blind with regard to the resolution it adopted at its April 14 meeting and the subsequent amendment to the resolution adopted at the June 9 meeting. The resolution and amendment read as follows: "Resolution 88-03 "Whereas, the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC) has, from the moment of its founding, sought to justify the inadequate services provided by the very agencies who created it, and "Whereas, NAC has accredited agencies which harm and exploit blind people for their own profits, by operating lucrative businesses through so-called Sheltered Workshops which pay blind people subminimum wages, and "Whereas, blind people in the state of Michigan have overwhelmingly expressed our hostility and distrust of NAC, NAC-accredited agencies, and those who support and cooperate with them, and "Whereas, the Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) Board has often expressed its commitment to act on the basis of the actual experience of blind people and the interest of the blind citizens of Michigan; "Now Therefore, Be it resolved by the National Federation of Blind of Michigan in convention assembled on this twenty-third day of October, 1988, in the city of Flint that we call upon the MCB Board to instruct its director and staff to take all necessary action to insure that the agency will neither enter into or renew any contracts for services with agencies which seek or maintain NAC accreditation; "Be it further resolved that we the MCB Board to instruct its director and staff to make no referrals to, or endorsement of such agencies." "Motion #2. "Amendment to the April 14 Policy: "Mr. Harris moved, supported Mr. Young, that the April 14 policy be amended as follows: "This policy will not affect NAC accredited agencies in Michigan including the visually impaired center in Flint, the Greater Detroit Society for the Blind, the Vision Enrichment Center in Grand Rapids and referrals, contracts or purchase of services may be continued. "In addition, those NAC accredited agencies previously utilized by the Commission for the Blind outside the State of Michigan such as, the Arkansas Enterprises for the Blind and the Hadley School in Illinois as well as those agencies having sole propriety in provision of services or products such as, the Howe Press at Perkins School for the Blind in New Jersey [sic] will also not be affected by the policy. "The Michigan Commission for the Blind will continue to seek the finest services for blind people within the State of Michigan and throughout the United States. "A roll call vote was taken as follows: "Dr. Ponchillia - Abstained. Ms. Dees - Yes. Mr. Harris - Yes. Mr. Young - Yes. "Motion carried 3 Yes and One Abstention." In addition, on June 9, the Commission also acted to promulgate written standards for rehabilitation services. This action was taken in conjunction with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which provides in Section 101 in pertinent part as follows: "(a) In order to be eligible to participate in programs under this title, a state shall submit to the Commissioner a State plan for vocational rehabilitation services for a three-year period and, upon request of the Commissioner, shall make such annual revisions in the plan as may be necessary." Also, the Commission complied with 34 CFR 111 Section 361.45 which states in part: "(a) General provisions. The State plan must assure that the designated State unit adopts and maintains written minimum standards for the various types of facilities and providers of services utilized by the State unit in providing vocational rehabilitation services. The State unit must make these standards readily available to unit personnel and to the public." A question now remains as to the legality of both the original resolution and the amendment. My review of the materials leads me to the conclusion that the original resolution is not valid. The resolution was adopted prior to the promulgation of standards for rehabilitation facilities to be included in the State Plan. These standards were required by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Code of Federal Regulations and reflect the Commission's current position on the subject of rehabilitation services. In issuing the original resolution, the Commission voted to adopt the language of a private agency without any independent or impartial evaluation of the services being offered to blind clients by NAC accredited agencies. Thus, the action could be characterized as totally arbitrary. As the original resolution is invalid, I am advising you that the amendment is unsupportable, as well. An amendment cannot stand alone. If the original action is invalid for the reasons outlined above, so too is the amendment. I would offer, further, that both the original resolution and the amendment have been superseded by the Standards adopted at the June 9 meeting. As you are aware, these standards which have been written for rehabilitation facilities used in vocational rehabilitation services include NAC as an acceptable accrediting body. Thus, by taking this action, the Commission, has, in effect, negated, entirely, the original resolution and any amendments thereto. It is also to be noted that the Commission in adopting the resolution and subsequent amendment failed to comply with its own enabling statute, 1978 PA 260; MCL 393.351 et seq and with the Administrative Procedures Act, 1969 PA 306; MCL 24.201 et seq. The Commission must utilize rule-making process to adopts standards and procedures. This is required by the enabling statute and the Administrative Procedures Act. Thus, the original resolution and subsequent amendment are wholly without any legal authority and are untenable. In closing, I would add that the Commission should move to comply with its enabling statute and the Administrative Procedures Act as they pertain to the State Plan. While in compliance with federal requirements, the Commission should move to implement the State Plan by rule-making procedure, so that all state statutes are adhered to, as well. Finally, it must recognize the constraints on its authority which have been outlined by the courts again and again. Arbitrary actions taken by administrative boards, however well intended, which impact the rights of others, will not be endorsed by the courts. Should you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. ***** ** Save-A-Tree WANTED -- Your surplus braille and large print materials for a new SAVE-A-TREE ecology program sponsored by VOICEs for Blind Inc. in Bethel, Maine. VOICEs reuse, reduce and recycle braille and large print materials you no longer can use or wish to store. VOICEs will accept incomplete and obsolete books (and journals, magazines), damaged and defective materials. The primary goal of SAVE-A­TREE is to recycle waste materials back into the manufacturing process to save live trees from destruction to enhance cleaner air. The secondary goal of SAT is to heIp aid literacy development programs for blind people and to promote international goodwill. Suitable braille and large print materials are processed by subject matter and grade level, and then shipped to the blind in foreign countries and American Indian missions as GIFTS of KNOWLEDGE. Only incomplete, obsolete or damaged braille materials are recycled for their pulp and fiber content. The U.S. Forest Service and conservation groups are concerned with the rapid depletion of our unprotected woodlands. Time magazine reports that only 15% of our country's old-growth forests are left. At the current cutting rate, they project that unprotected woodlands could be destroyed in 15 years. Henry David Thoreau wrote in the 19th century that "In wildness is the preservation of the world." The significance of recycling braille materials is that 300 tons of braille paper will save about 5,000 trees from destruction and will help preserve our natural resources for cleaner air. VOICEs estimate that 300 tons of braille paper will make enough wood pulp that would require 12 acres of woodland to be harvested. Recycling braille paper minimizes solid waste disposal expenses, reduces the need for landfilling, and increases value of waste materials. One braille magazine complete in three volumes weighs about a total of four and one-half pounds. A single large print association magazine weighs about 4 ounces. Recycling of 1 million surplus braille volumes will save about 12,500 live trees or 30 acres of unprotected woodlands from being harvested. A public service announcement on TV advertises that "If you're not recycling it, you are throwing it away." Many states have enacted recycling laws for the disposal of surplus waste materials; these will change our habits. VOICEs invites you to jump on our recycling bandwagon to help SAVE TREES and simultaneously promote literacy development programs for the blind. VOICEs is a non-profit organization with no state or federal funds to support their work and efforts to serve the blind and education communities. Income generated from recycling helps support the Overseas Literacy Project for Blind, the Save-a-Tree program and the audio tape lending library services for the blind in all 50 United States and many foreign countries. Your surplus material can be shipped to VOICEs as FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND. Please include name of donor so your Gifts of Knowledge can be acknowledged. Mail to: VOICEs for Blind, Inc., P.O. Box 837, Bethel, ME 04217. (Other acceptable materials: cassettes, discs, miscellaneous language development tools.) ***** ** Skiing and Winter Recreation for Everyone Noncompetitors and Competitors The 1989-90 schedule of winter activities sponsored or sanctioned by the United States Association for Blind Athletes (USABA) includes something for everyone — an opportunity to learn to ski, to improve existing skills, to sample ski racing, to observe world class racing or to compete against some of the best blind skiers in the world. Since there are many good regional programs in the United States that teach blind people to ski, this article should be read by beginners especially as an invitation to try skiing and ice skating for the first time and, if necessary, to contact the USABA for the address of the best teaching program. The USABA is the official sanctioning and rule-making body for competitive blind skiing in this country and it is the organization which selects blind athletes to represent the United States in international competition sanctioned by the International Blind Sports Association. Since many of the events listed below provide opportunities for blind people to receive instruction in cross-country skiing, downhill skiing or ice skating, financial assistance or partial scholarships may be available in connection with those events. People who are interested should contact the USABA national office as soon as possible. The following list contains the appropriate dates, places and registration or other information about each event. Jan 2-7, 1990: Winter Sports Festival of the USABA and other disabled sports governing bodies; Winter Park, CO: This event is specifically for beginners or inexperienced skiers. Financial assistance is available and prices reflect subsidies already applied. Jan. 7-14, 1990: USABA Midwestern Alpine Regional Games; Dubuque, IA: This event is for people who already know how to ski but have not necessarily raced before. Financial assistance is available and prices reflect subsidies already applied. Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, 1990: USABA Western Alpine Regional Games; Tahoe City, CA: This event is for people who already know how to ski but have not necessarily raced before. Financial assistance is available and many prices reflect subsidies already applied. Jan. 28 to Feb. 7, 1990: World Nordic Skiing Championships for the Disabled: Jackson, NH: This event is for blind athletes who have been previously selected for this competition, which will attract athletes from many different countries. Feb. 23 to March 6, 1990: World Alpine Skiing Championships for the Disabled; Winter Park, CO: This event is for athletes previously selected to take part in this competition, which is expected to attract disabled competitors from as many as twenty­five different countries. April 1-7, 1990: USABA Northwestern Regional Winter Games and USABA Winter National Championships; Bend, Oregon: The regional segment of this event is for people who already know how to ski but have not necessarily raced before. Financial assistance will be available to regional participants. The national championship segment of the event is for people who have raced before. The championship segment is one of the best opportunities for racers to be evaluated by the coaches for possible placement on developmental or world class racing teams that compete in international competition in both the USA and abroad. Any skiers, experienced skiing guides or coaches who may be interested in obtaining additional information or in taking part in any of the above-mentioned events should contact the USABA National Office at 33 N. Institute St., Brown Hall Suite 015, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Tel., (719) 630-0422. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * FOR SALE: Optacon Model RIB. $700 or best off er. Call anytime. Elizabeth at (412) 364-2470. * FOR SALE: Small Talk lap computer. It contains Wordtalk (a word processing program), Kale talk, a scientific calculator with ten separate memories, Term Talk, a program that allows you to run a modem, built-in speech, and a 24 column printer. Interfaces easily with Apple and IBM systems and standard printers. Cassette manual, carrying case, AC adapter, and shipping included. $1050. Contact Betsy Palmer, 2724 Elvyra Way, #36, Sacramento, CA 95821 or call (916) 485-5662. * FOR SALE: Low vision closed circuit TV reader — Voyager, Imager Model 200. 19" sere magnifies books 45X. $2650 new — will sell for $1400. Call (718) 471-0972 evenings. * FOR SALE: Portable Visualtek, used, good condition. $400 or best offer. Call Loren Faibisch (617) 577-8254 or write 60 Wadsworth St., #13G, Cambridge, MA 02142. ***** ** Here and There By Elizabeth Lennon From The Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind: Through March 30, 1990, pocket-sized braille calendars will be available for $2.00 each from the Mile High Chapter, Red Cross Braille Services, 170 Steele Street, Denver, CO 80204. Orders are welcome in print or braille. Please send payment by check or money order with your request. *** The Braille Mirror can now accommodate two hundred additional subscribers. This free magazine, issued 10 times a year, features humor, recipes, informative articles about world affairs, economics, poetry, science, culture, medicine, travel and personalities. To be placed on the subscription list, send a postcard to Douglas Menville, Braille Institute, 741 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029. *** "Just In Case - Parental Guidelines in Case You Need a Babysitter" is available in braille at no charge from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Write to Publications Department, NCMEC, 1835 K Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006 or call toll-free, 1-800-943-5678. The American Foundation for the Blind is inviting nominations for the 1990 Alexander Scourby Narrator of the Year Award. The award, established in 1986 by AFB in memory of its most popular talking book narrator, will be presented in April, 1990 at the Library and Museum of the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center in New York City. For the first time three Alexander Scourby Awards will be presented, representing outstanding narration in the fields of fiction, nonfiction and children's literature. All Talking Book readers are eligible to nominate a Talking Book narrator in each category. To cast your vote send a letter or post card with your choice (one per category) to the American Foundation for the Blind, Department PR, 15 W. 16th Street, New York, NY 10011. Submissions may be made in print or braille and must be postmarked no later than February 1, 1990. You may also vote by calling AFB's Hot Line toll-free 1-800-232- 5463. A Sunset cookbook called "Light Cuisine" has recently been brailled by Multiple Services Media Technology. The cost of the 385-page, two volume, spiral-bound cookbook is $39.00. This is cooking for healthy living and each recipe contains calories per serving. Send to M.S.M.T., 3917 Manette Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95405. "Caring for Your Breasts," a guide to breast self-examination, has been made available to the visually impaired in braille, on computer disk (brailled on Apple Ile using the Ed-It program), on cassette tape and in regular print. Copies of the book are being donated to women with visual impairments by the Susan B. Komen Foundation, 6820 LBJ Freeway, Suite 130, Dallas, Texas 75350. Indicate preferred medium. A tactile weather thermometer, leather organizer wallet, United States puzzle map with braille, tactile food/letter scale, ice treads, TV Magnifier, large digit calculator, pet supplies and a collection of music boxes are just a few of the new products featured in Volume IV of the Ann Morris Enterprises, Inc. catalog. Write for a free copy in large print, 15/16 ips cassette or IBM or Apple disk. The braille edition is $5.00. Send to Ann Morris Enterprises, Inc., 36 Horseshoe Lane, Levittown, NY 11756, The National Braille Association announces the distribution of a new computer program, POKA­DOT, for IBM and most compatible systems with one disk drive and 356K of RAM. Program features include: six-key brailled numbered line entry; braille dot screen display, direct ASCII keyboard input; ASCII review; help screens; manual on disk; tab settings; delete, insert and search file length capability; input files directly from ASCII; file including Duxbury for editing; word wrap easy single page or entire file embossing; and compatibility with most embossers. The program, which sells for $5.00 prepaid, is distributed by National Braille Assn. Inc., 1390 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607. Have you ever wanted to discuss a problem of blindness with other blind persons, but you didn't know any in your community? Or, have you ever needed a particular adaptive device but didn't know where to look for it or whom to ask for help? The Newsreel Magazine can put you in touch with nearly one thousand blind persons in the United States and in several foreign countries. Each month's issue contains three hours of articles, news, and personal experiences, recorded by subscribers. The subscription cost is $3.00 month through June, 1990, and a sample copy may be ordered for $1.00. Make checks payable to the Newsreel, Inc., and mail to The Newsreel, 5 East Long St., Columbus, OH 43215. Blind visitors to Britain will be able to take tours designed for them in four northern cities, according to the New York Times. A special-interest tour company, British Heritage Tours, is adding programs in Manchester, Liverpool and Stoke-on-Trent to the ones it operates in Chester. The three-day, two-night weekends will include room and board and a tour of each city. In Chester, blind persons handle exhibits in the Roman Stones Gallery and take a cruise on the Dee River. Prices start at about $80 per person. For more information, contact British Heritage Tours, Richmond Place 125 Boughton, Chester, England CH33 5BJ. From Talking Book Topics: A free low-calorie recipe book is available on cassette and in large print. Appetizers, beverages, salads, entrees and desserts are featured, and caloric information is included for each recipe. For further information, write Equal Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 830, Deerfield, IL 60015. Al-Anon Family Groups has prepared a listing of specially formatted materials on alcoholism available from Al-Anon and agencies serving blind persons in the US and Canada. For a free large-print bibliography, write Al­Anon Family Groups, Inc., P.O. Box 862, Midtown Station, New York, NY 10018. The Ottawa (Canada) Carleton Regional Transit Commission and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind are providing bus hailing kits to visually impaired persons, according to an item in the newsletter of the Blue Grass Council of the Blind. The kits will allow the Commission's visually impaired customers to hail a bus by route number. Each user is supplied with a plastic holder marked with OC Transpo's name and a set of brailled number cards. By changing the number cards, the user can hail any bus route in OC Transpo's service. Drivers spotting one of the cards will pull up to the stop and announce the route. From the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness: Snakewalk, the first novel by Charles Wheeler, a blind ex-biker and graduate of the University of California, Davis, is the story of Patrick Todd, a substance abuser, who attends the Orientation Center for Newly Blinded Adults in Berkeley. Todd learns how to get around and takes the "snakewalk" (the School's winding path) to the nearest highway and across the Golden Gate Bridge - all by white cane. Wheeler says he began the novel as "therapy" using word processor and voice transcriber. Snakewalk is $18.95 in hard cover and published by Harmond Books, a division of Crown Publishers, Inc., 225 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10003. The National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has implemented an internship program providing paid work experience in industry for legally blind college graduates. Candidates with degrees in the following areas will be considered: engineering, (mechanical, industrial and rehabilitation), marketing, communications/public relations, business administration, production/manufacturing management and finance/accounting. For information, contact Robert K. Hanye, Director, Rehabilitation Services, NIB, 524 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 07407. The latest edition of the Option Central catalog is now available in all formats. The large print edition is free, braille and cassette editions cost $1.00, or, if a C-60 cassette is sent, that edition is free. The catalog includes greeting cards, housewares, cassettes, braille paper, writing products, cribbage boards, and talking products. For a copy, write Option Central, Fred Sanderson, Proprietor, 160-4 Carroll Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54304. Hospital Audiences, Inc. (HAI) plans to expand its audio description theater program to reach visually impaired persons who are not affiliated with a day program, job training program or residence, that is, persons who are employed, who can buy their own tickets and who want to "see the hit shows." Last year, HAI, with a grant from the New York Community Trust, was able to purchase equipment, train audio describers and pilot test (with audio description) a large variety of productions in New York theaters for visually impaired audience groups served by the HAI Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) program, including clients from the Queens and Manhattan Lighthouses, the Jewish Guild for the Blind, Helen Keller Services, and the Catholic Guild for the Blind. A wide variety of plays were "described" during the pilot project season. If you enjoy the theater and are interested in this new program, contact: Tricia Hennessey, Hospital Audiences, Inc. 220 West 42nd St., 13th Floor, New York, NY 10036. Tel. (212) 575-7672. Fun in the Rockies! Spring Skiing! Off season rates in beautiful Snowmass Village, Colorado. Shopping, restaurants, relaxation. Fun group of people! Only $300, including hotel, equipment and meals. For more information, call before January 1 either Naomi Soule (314) 821-9131 or Julie (303) 220-7009. Thomas W. Hancock of St. George, UT announces the availability of a new print-to-braille service for blind individuals in the United States and Canada. This w service also offers a large print publication service for people who wish to have regular print material enlarged. Mr. Hancock is equipped to translate manuals, short articles, documents, and magazine excerpts into braille or large print. For additional information, contact Thomas W. Hancock, 47 South 400 East, St. George, UT 84770 Tel. (801) 628-7153. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT VISUALLY HANDICAPPED PROGRAM! During the 1989-90 school year, the LA Unified School District will be observing 7 5 years of educating visually impaired students in Los Angeles. They will be celebrating their 75th Anniversary with a gala Dinner/Dance on March 17, 1990. All former staff and student alumni of Frances Blend School and/or the Visually Handicapped Program of the Los Angeles Unified School District are invited! They would also greatly appreciate any assistance in locating their student alumni and former staff members. In addition, they are compiling a history of the Visually Handicapped Program and need historical information or interesting personal anecdotes. Please send information to Jane Lim as soon as possible if you would like to help celebrate with them. Jane can be contacted at: Frances Blend School, 5210 Clinton St., Los Angeles, CA 90004, Tel. (213) 464-6840. Wichita, Kansas: The Scherer'N Place Computer Bulletin Board has established a section on the board to provide information of interest to the visually impaired. The section titled, "VISION IMPAIRED" has four different sections: text games, helpful programs that work with speech and braille output, news, information and resource database and a message base for sharing information and discussion of a wide variety of topics. The Scherer'N Place BBS, a multi-line system, may be accessed 24 hours a day, at 300, 1200 or 2400 baud, 8,N,1 or 7,E,1, by dialing (316) 529- 2213. Mailereens: New Address - Service expanded; offers mailers for back-and-forth braille or cassette correspondence, braille paper, top-quality bargain gifts and other office supplies as needed. New brochure in print or braille available from Peggy Walsh, 200 Holmes Pl., Apt. 3, Pittsburg PA 15213. Corrections: In the March/April, 1989 Braille Forum, a zip code was printed incorrectly in an article on computerized books for the blind. A reader found this article very informative. The correct address and zip is: Christy Hom, University of Nebraska, 132 Administration Building, Lincoln, NE 68583-0437. Thanks Jeanne! It has come to our attention that the number for the Vision Foundation in Watertown, MA was given incorrectly in the September/October article in the Here and There Column. Please note that the correct number is: (617) 926-4232. ***** ** ACB Special-Interest Affiliated Organizations American Blind Lawyers Association, Steve Speicher, President, 825 M St., Suite 412, Lincoln, NE 68508 ACB Federal Employees, Charles Hodge, President, 1131 S. Forest Drive, Arlington, VA 22204 American Council of Blind Lions, Clarence James, President, 1614 Exchange, Oklahoma City, OK 73108 ACB Parents, Nola Webb, President, 1440 Cedar, #108, University Heights, OH 44121 ACB Radio Amateurs, John McCann, President, 600 W. 33, St., Richmond, VA 23225-3446 ACB Social Service Providers, Joyce Driben, President, 4628 Bayard St., #209, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Braille Revival League, John diFrancesco, President, 1030 Trestle Glen Rd., Oakland, CA 94610 Council of Citizens with Low Vision, Ira Bossert, President. CCLVI National Office: Riley Tower 2, Suite 22102, 600 North Alabama St., Indianapolis, IN 46204 Council of Rehabilitation Specialists, Tom Stout, President, 8270 E. Vicksburg, Tucson, AZ 85710 Friends-in-Art of ACB, Inc., Camille Caffarelli, President, 7400 N. Francisco, Chicago, IL 60645 Guide Dog Users, Inc., Kim Charlson, President, 57 Grandview Avenue, Watertown, MA 02172 Independent Visually Impaired Enterprisers, Arnold Austin, President, Route 4, Box 241, Butler, MO 64730 International Friendly Circle of the Blind, Maria Lopez, 3925 E. Sixth St., Los Angeles, CA 90023 Library Users of America, Ruth Ann Acosta, President, 20734-C Devonshire, Chatsworth, CA 91311 National Alliance of Blind Students, Sylvia Nemmers, President, 511 N. 14th St., Apt. 6, Manhattan, KS 66502 National Association of Blind Teachers, Harvey Miller, President, Box 1216, Brevard, NC 28712 Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, Gene Heisler, President, Rt. 4, Box 46C, Grandview, TX 76050 Visually Impaired Data Processors International, James Fleming, President, 5021 Seminary Road, # 1506, Alexandria, VA 22311 Visually Impaired Piano Tuners International, Stanley Oliver, President, 1965 E. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48234 Visually Impaired Secretarial/Transcribers Association, Milly Stokes, President, 818 Woodlawn Avenue, Apt. H4, Wilmington, DE 19805 Visually Impaired Veterans of America, Floyd Britting, President, 701 West Central, El Dorado, KS 67022 ***** ** ACB Officers and Directors President: LeRoy Saunders, P.O. Box 24020, Oklahoma City, OK 73124 First Vice President: Paul Edwards, 170 N.E. 123rd St., North Miami, FL 33161 Second Vice President: Charles Hodge, 1131 S. Forest Dr., Arlington, VA 22204 Secretary: Patricia Price, Riley Tower 2, Apt. 2102, 600 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis, IN 46204 Treasurer: Brian Charlson, 57 Grandview Ave., Watertown, MA 02172 Immediate Past President: Otis H. Stephens, 2021 Kemper Lane, S.W., Knoxville, TN 37920 Robert Acosta, 20734-C Devonshire, Chatsworth, CA 91311 Patricia Beattie, 6421 Olmi Landrith Dr., Alexandria, VA 22307 Michael Byington, 909 S.W. College, Topeka, KS 66606 Carla Franklin, 117 Coral Ave., Louisville, KY 40206 Ninetta Garner, 231 N. Grafton St., Romney, WV 26757 Grant Mack, 139 East South Temple, Suite 5000, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Jean Mann, 432 Sand Creek Rd., Apt 230, Albany, NY 12205 Durward K. McDaniel, 9468 Singing Quail Drive, Austin, TX 78758 Mary Jane Schmitt, 528 Des Plaines Ave., Apt. 2B, Forest Park, IL 60130 Dick Seifert, 1023 Scott Street, Apt. F, Little Rock, AR 72202 James R. Olsen, Asst. Treasurer, 310 4th Ave. South, Suite 822, Minneapolis, MN 55415 ** ACB Board of Publications Christopher Gray, Chairman, 549F Guiffrida Ave., San Jose, CA 95123 Billie Jean Hill, 737 N. Buchanan St., Arlington, VA 22203 Deborah Kendrick, 2819 Victoria Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45208 Carol McCarl, 735 21st Place, N.W., Salem, OR 97304 Phyllis Stern, 922 North Boulevard, Apt. 502, Oak Park, IL 60301 ** Braille Forum Contributing Editors Elizabeth Lennon, 1400 N. Drake Road, Apt. 218, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Kathleen Megivern, 203 Yoakum Pkwy., Alexandria, VA 22304 ###