THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLIV February 2006 No. 5 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Christopher Gray, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 1155 15th St. NW Suite 1004 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large print, half-speed four- track cassette tape, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. Submission deadlines are the first of the month. The American Council of the Blind is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 2802. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2006 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: A Story of Advocacy and Education, by Christopher Gray Accessing a Lifestyle, by Melanie Brunson Farewell to a Leader: Adrian DeBlaey, by Kathy Brockman Summary of the Board's November 22 Conference Call, by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega Las Vegas in My Rearview Mirror, by Berl Colley Board of Publications Seeks Nominees for Awards McDaniel Committee Offers You the Chance to Attend Convention, by Ed Bradley Affiliate News Here and There, 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 Ipodder from the Braille Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-l-subscribe@acb.org. To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-l-unsubscribe@acb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CANCEL 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: A STORY OF ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION by Christopher Gray In the winter issue of "The Braille Forum," I told you about a situation involving an ACB member who was not allowed access to a Ronald McDonald House because she uses a guide dog. Just before Christmas, her son was to undergo serious heart surgery, and the family very much needed to take advantage of the cost savings of staying at one of these facilities rather than at a hotel. First, they were denied because of the dog; more recently, they were told no rooms were now available regardless of any issue with the dog. It seemed so very wrong to me, particularly a few short days before Christmas, for such an injustice to occur. At the time the article was written, the ACB Advocacy Committee had worked on this issue with Sue Ammeter taking a lead role. Melanie Brunson was involved, Jessie Rayl as the president of the Mountain State Council of the Blind was involved, and Gary Norman as president of the Maryland Area Guide Dog Users was involved. Also, Jeff Thom got in touch with us because his wife had made use of a house in San Francisco, and he hoped to lend a hand by providing information to us. Despite all of our work and phone calls, nothing seemed to be moving in a positive direction. The morning after writing the article, I woke up and determined that if something could conceivably be done, ACB would make every effort to do it. It was not a time to be discouraged, but rather, it was a time to appeal to people's reason and good will. Most of all, it was a time to take a stand on behalf of a family who was in no position to be pursuing advocacy, but needed to take care of their son, his surgery, and his subsequent recovery should he be fortunate enough to survive the procedure. During that and the following day, e-mails and phone calls came thick and fast. Sue, Jeff and I were each pursuing matters and coordinating our work with one another. Anyone who has taken on an advocacy challenge like this knows all too well about the many phone calls and the amount of research and time-consuming writing involved in trying to change a situation like this. By Dec. 15, we had found the people in charge, identified health- related documentation from the Department of Justice with particular relevance to this issue, and had contacted the Ronald McDonald House headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill. Day Al-Mohamed made the initial contact with them and supplied the necessary legal information to them. Later, Sue Ammeter also spoke with them in detail. We made them aware that not only was their Baltimore house acting incorrectly, but that we had contacted several other houses around the country and were receiving similar stories that indicated discrimination could easily occur if guide dog users called these houses. To our surprise, the national headquarters indicated that their official policy requires the acceptance of service dogs, and they acknowledged verbally that every center should comply with this policy. When it came to the specific issue at hand, however, they took a neutral, hands-off policy. Also, they raised several side issues, primarily distractions in our view. Perhaps a request from the hospital had not been properly received. No rooms were now available. By this time, the family was in Baltimore, the hotel bills were mounting, and heart surgery was under way. ACB could either let the process run its slow and tortuous course, or we could take action. With this in mind, I wrote the following letter and had it faxed and sent via Federal Express to Oak Brook. December 15, 2005 Dear Ellen: I am writing you as President of the American Council of the Blind. Sue Ammeter, a member of the Advocacy Services Committee which I chair, reports to me today that the dog guide issue between one of our members and the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore remains unresolved. This is most unfortunate, and as a result, I have had no choice but to submit the attached article as my Christmas "President's Message" in our national magazine, "The Braille Forum." It will be our Christmas/Winter issue. I am regretful of the need to publicize a situation that could affect any Ronald McDonald House adversely. However, the current situation is very clear to us, and it is one based in blatantly discriminatory activity by your house in Baltimore. I understand that it is now claimed by the house in Baltimore, quite belatedly, that other issues precluded our member from staying at the house, rather than her use of a guide dog. Of considerable interest to us is the fact that none of these issues were identified when the guide dog issue began to surface two weeks ago. Neither the requester of the room nor the ACB president in her state of residence reported anything about a problem with a referral from a Johns Hopkins social worker or a need to house more than four individuals in a room. Our president in West Virginia contacted the house in Baltimore so we have firm supporting evidence in addition to what we have been told by the requester herself. Our president is a licensed counselor in West Virginia, and the issues claimed to have been raised by your Baltimore house would not have gone unnoticed by her as she deals with such requirements every day as a professional. Every one of our advocates who phoned your Baltimore house were told one thing and only one thing: "We do not permit service dogs." That was their sole message. The American Council of the Blind is an advocacy and educational organization representing over 20,000 blind Americans. Our magazine, "The Braille Forum," is mailed to over 30,000 members and friends of the organization at least 10 times each year. We do informational mailings at least six times per year to targeted groups of approximately 50,000 individuals per mailing throughout the country advising them of situations regarding blindness. I want to make it very clear to you as a representative of McDonald Charities, the American Council of the Blind will not quietly tolerate discrimination against blind users of guide dogs. Clearly, that is what is happening in the present situation and it needs to be rectified immediately. Our member has suffered and continues to suffer financial injury due to the discriminatory acts of the Baltimore house. The Baltimore house has defiantly and consistently refused to take her guide dog. Others, in addition to the mother requesting a room, can and will verify this fact if necessary. Having said that, let me tell you with equal emphasis that we are an organization that prides itself on working with others to achieve positive and reasonable outcomes to situations, even those as wrong and unfortunate as this one. We try to emphasize positives over negatives whenever possible. We believe this strengthens our many local and syndicated media contacts around the country and strengthens the partnerships we have built over time with such notable corporations as Bank of America, Verizon Corp., America Online and Wal-Mart stores. It is my sincere hope that between you, our representative Sue Ammeter, our staff, and the staff at the Baltimore house, a reasonable situation can be organized for this mother and family. I must respectfully request that this be accomplished before the end of the day Friday, December 16, given the nature of this particular situation. Thank you. Christopher Gray, President American Council of the Blind Then, we waited. Would Ronald McDonald House respond? Would the response contain help for this family? A day passed with no word. Then, on the afternoon of December 16, I received a phone call from Baltimore. They asked if I would be available to receive a letter from their executive director, to which I replied that I would. Further, I agreed to respond to it during the same afternoon. The letter came as scheduled and read as follows: December 16, 2005 Mr. Chris Gray President of the Council for the Blind Dear Mr. Gray: Ronald McDonald House Charities in Oak Brook has received your letter and I want to reassure you that the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore does allow service dogs. Indeed, the philosophy of the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is to treat employees, volunteers, friends of RMHC, and families staying at the Houses fairly and without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age or physical or emotional ability. As I have personally told [your member], the statement of concern by our House Manager was, in fact, contrary to our written policy. And subsequently, our House Manager and our entire staff has been reminded of our chapter's policy. We need to receive a referral from the hospital for the family, in order to begin the admissions process. If we receive a referral, the family and their service dog will be considered for admission. We recognize that this must be a trying time during the holiday season and as I told your member, we will continue to work with the family to provide housing once the referral form has been received. Beyond our local chapter, worldwide Ronald McDonald House Charities also embrace a non-discrimination policy, and our national office will be sending out a reminder on the service dog policy in their monthly newsletter which is sent out today. I apologize for this misunderstanding and I am sorry for any confusion this may have caused for the family. Our waiting list is reviewed daily and once we have received a referral, the family will be made aware of any openings. Thank you for your interest in the Ronald McDonald House Charities and our Ronald McDonald House program. Very truly yours, Marianne Rowan-Braun Executive Director RMHC of Baltimore Inc. The letter was immediately shared with Sue Ammeter. Unquestionably, there were many positive aspects to this letter. The policy espoused by the executive director was the right one. The tone of the letter was positive and polite. And yet it offered nothing of substance to meet this family's immediate needs. After some brief consideration, the following response was sent. December 16, 2005 Dear Ms. Rowan-Braun: I am in receipt of and have read your letter of December 16, 2005 regarding the situation of our member and her family. I appreciate your attention to this matter and to your responding to my previous letter to your home office in Illinois. In rejoinder, I must point out that your response doesn't take a few things properly into account at this point in time. The need for and discussion of a Johns Hopkins referral is a matter that should have been attended to weeks ago as a joint requirement between our member and Ronald McDonald House staff. If you didn't have the referral you needed, that should have been the focus of concern. Instead, concern focused only on our member's use of a guide dog. Unfortunately, I will not allow your and my discussion to be distracted from the core issue by paperwork requirements. I will only say that it is my understanding that our member is looking into the referral. What is your social work staff doing to get the referral? The bottom line here is that someone needs your assistance, and she needs it now. Had your staff appropriately attended to the relevant details in the first place, we wouldn't be where we are on December 16. As I see it, you now have two alternatives. They are: 1. Get her in a room. 2. Support her in her hotel. I hate to lay this out so bluntly. However, it is your organization who created this difficulty. Now, it is you who must resolve it. Sincerely, Chris Gray, President American Council of the Blind In the ensuing hours, more correspondence and telephone calls were exchanged. Finally, in the early evening the Baltimore Ronald McDonald House came through for our member and her family. They volunteered to provide her reimbursement of her expenses incurred due to their error. Further, they agreed to provide the American Council of the Blind their written policies guaranteeing the civil rights of guide dog users. While not all of these commitments have been fully honored at the time we go to press, I have every expectation they will be in the near future. Both the tone and the nature of our correspondence has warmed noticeably since the material being shared with you here, and it seems genuinely possible that what began as a terrible and costly misunderstanding can turn into a respectful and fair understanding between all Ronald McDonald Houses and the American Council of the Blind. In part, perhaps the spirit of Christmas worked some magic. In part, advocacy brought forth the right results, and provided them in a relatively timely manner. This is not a situation that will have to drag on through years of discussion, litigation and eventual settlement. And finally, let us not lose track of the family in all of our discussion and concern about their civil rights and those of so many others. The young man who underwent the heart surgery survived, and at last report, he is doing well. Let this be a positive start for 2006, and let us all take hope from this success and others like it we can achieve. While they do not come without effort and commitment, successes can come. We can and will prevail when we advocate for what is right for individuals and groups of our members. As the leading organization of blind people in America, we can and do make a difference. ***** ACCESSING A LIFESTYLE by Melanie Brunson If you are one of those people who have tried recently to purchase a new appliance for your home, or to find out the time of your favorite team's next game, or find out how to use that fancy cell phone you got for Christmas or Hanukkah, then you may be one of the people we want to hear from. You have probably had to overcome at least one obstacle that initially interfered with your ability to use the particular product or service that you were trying to access, and it is quite possible that you have not yet succeeded in gaining access to that product or service as you read this article. Access, or the lack of access, to items such as home appliances, consumer electronics, web sites, DVDs and E-books, can significantly impact the ability each of us has to maintain the lifestyle we want to maintain on a day-to-day basis. That's why our efforts to improve the usability and accessibility of the products and services people use every day are an important part of ACB's advocacy agenda. Some of these efforts don't get the attention in these pages that they probably should. We write about the high-profile issues frequently, but there are a number of ongoing efforts to improve the accessibility of everyday products and services that we haven't mentioned here in quite awhile. So let's change that trend beginning now. One of the most basic aspects of any access issue involves the standards used to design the product or define the manner in which a service is delivered. It is always best when these standards can be constructed in a manner that will incorporate features into the product or service that make it accessible to and usable by people who are blind or visually impaired. Otherwise, things have to be retrofitted, and that is never as efficient as making something accessible in the first place. However, the development of standards can be a lengthy and painstaking process. ACB has had the good fortune to have members and staff who have been willing to participate in a number of standard-setting entities over the years and their persistence and tenacity have led to many of the advances in technology, products and services we have today. But, as you can probably guess, this work is far from complete. As technologies evolve, and new products hit the market, new access issues arise, requiring us to point out new barriers and recommend new standards to address them. Fortunately for ACB, our standards experts -- both staff and volunteers -- are ready and willing to accept this challenge. They are already beginning to plan for the next round of deliberations, which will take place later this year. I am hopeful that we will be able to report some significant developments to you as a result of their work, particularly in the area of accessible home appliances. One of the issues we hope to tackle in the coming months is the accessibility of appliances used in public housing facilities. It is our view that access to a home involves much more than ramps and doorways. One must be able to control the heating and air conditioning and make use of the household appliances put there for the tenant's use. Similar opportunities for us to make our case for access to home appliances have arisen on the legislative front. Numerous emergency preparedness bills are under consideration by Congress this year. S. 2124, which was introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), provides funding for mobile homes that can be used to relocate individuals at government expense whose homes are destroyed by disasters. Our governmental affairs staff is working on language which would provide that if such homes are equipped with appliances, they must be accessible to and usable by people who are blind or visually impaired. It is our belief that if we can increase the availability of accessible appliances for housing facilities provided by the federal government, this will increase the likelihood that such appliances will also be available for use in private homes. In addition to our work on standards and legislation, ACB has been working directly with business and manufacturing concerns to increase their awareness of common access issues faced by people who are blind or have low vision. I am happy to report that our discussions with a number of these entities have been very positive. In fact, I am excited about the fact that a number of them have expressed interest in having ACB members participate in focus groups during the next year. We are currently trying to arrange for a number of such focus groups to be conducted and I hope to have more information about how you might participate in them during the coming months. Our goal is to include companies across a variety of sectors including telecommunications, entertainment, banking, consumer electronics, home appliances, retail, travel, and others. If any of you have suggestions with regard to companies you would like to see us involve in this effort, or an interest in participating in the focus groups we conduct, please get in touch with me. You can contact me at the ACB national office, or send me an e-mail to mbrunson@acb.org. I will keep you posted on ACB's efforts to make products and services that affect your lifestyle more accessible and usable. But don't be surprised if someone contacts you to find out if you'd be interested in having a part in those efforts as well. After all, it's your life, so you may be just the person to let someone know what barriers inhibit and what access features could improve the quality of it! ***** FAREWELL TO A LEADER: ADRIAN DeBLAEY by Kathy Brockman There probably aren't many people who are blind or visually impaired who did not know Adrian DeBlaey. He has been a member of the Badger Association since the 1950s and served in many capacities. Adrian DeBlaey passed away in his sleep on Jan. 7, 2006 at his home in Madison. He was born on Sept. 28, 1931 in Janesville, Wis., the son of Adrian and Margaret DeBlaey. He graduated from the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped in Janesville in 1950. Later he obtained degrees in mathematics and physics from Platteville State Teachers College. He then taught at the Maryland School for the Blind for four years. In 1958 he returned to Wisconsin, where he held several positions with the State of Wisconsin Bureau for the Blind in Ashland and Madison. Adrian also held management positions at the old Wisconsin Workshop for the Blind (now Wiscraft) from 1973 until 1977, when he was employed at the Badger Association. Prior to Adrian's retirement in 1985, he served as the business manager (now known as the executive director) of the Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired. He served on the board of directors and was president from 1976 until 1983. Adrian served on other committees, including the one in charge of the association's 75th anniversary celebration. He was an active member of several local, state, and national organizations of the blind where he contributed countless hours of volunteer service. These include being a past president of the Midwest Association for the Blind and the Wisconsin Council of the Blind. Adrian was also a life member and former board member of the American Council of the Blind. He provided valuable service as a member of the board of publications for several years. Adrian was known for his storytelling and could give details word for word. He had a quick mind for facts, including an extensive history of blindness. He had a huge music collection and was an avid fan of jazz and old-time music. Many of us have heard stories about Virginia and Adrian's terrier, Duffy. In addition, Adrian developed a love for cats that included AJ, who joined their family about a year ago. Adrian is survived by his wife Virginia, sister Arlene (Vernon) Hoffman of Janesville, and niece Marie (Larry) Koch of Madison. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Leslie. A memorial service was held in Madison on Jan. 11, 2006. About 150 friends and family members attended to express their sympathy and reminisce about Adrian's life. Donna Seliger, ACB secretary, made the trip from Des Moines to express the sympathy of many ACB members. Adrian will be missed by many, and we extend our sympathy to his family and many friends. Remembering Adrian DeBlaey Adrian was a kind person and a great advocate for blind people. He will be missed by many throughout the country. -- Melanie Brunson, Executive Director, American Council of the Blind, Washington, D.C. Adrian was on the BOP for several years, though we didn't have occasion to know him very well. I think his health problems were becoming so numerous and hard to live with that this may be a merciful outcome. He will be revered for his many long years of ACB involvement. -- Winifred Downing, San Francisco, Calif. I am sad to hear about Adrian's death. I knew him when he was a member of the board of publications. Always a gentleman, and always fair- minded, he worked tirelessly to make life better for blind and visually impaired people in his state and across the country. I know that I join many who are sad to learn of his passing. -- Penny Reeder, Montgomery Village, Md. ***** SUMMARY OF THE BOARD'S NOVEMBER 22 CONFERENCE CALL by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega All board members were present except Paul Edwards, who had a conflict. Guests included three representatives of Maxi-Aids (including Elliot Zaretsky), interim comptroller Don Gardner, Melanie Brunson, and Michael Garrett. Chris Gray read his letter to Maxi-Aids explaining the decision by the board to ban their participation as exhibitors at the next three conventions. Zaretsky requested an opportunity to speak to the board, as he had not been asked for his side of the story by the committee designated to study the matter. Zaretsky stated that he has always worked for the best interests of the visually impaired and intended to do so in the future. He stated that his company had become entangled in a series of misunderstandings rooted in envy by competitors of his company's history of innovative development of products and place as a front-runner in the marketplace. He spoke about his practice of offering internships for disabled youth to get on-the-job experience and his hiring of disabled people at all levels of his company. Many questions were asked concerning whether he was banned by any state or federal agency for purchases. He said that he was not. After much discussion, Godino moved to rescind the motion to ban Maxi-Aids from participation in the next three conventions. Ruschival seconded the motion. The vote was tied with Gray casting a vote to break the tie in favor of rescinding the motion passed in October. Those in favor of allowing Maxi-Aids to exhibit were Beatty, Godino, Keith, Ruschival, Schmitt, Seliger, Towers, and Gray. Against the motion were Bradley, Charlson, Miller, Pomerantz, Sheehan, Soule, and Trott. Miller moved a one-year suspension of exhibitor privileges which was seconded by Soule. This motion was also tied and broken by Gray against the concept of ACB placing itself in the position of judging exhibitors' business practices. This time Keith voted in favor and Trott against. Pomerantz moved that a disclaimer be written by the convention committee, for inclusion in the program, stating that ACB does not take responsibility for exhibitors. Ruschival moved that a new position be created on the convention committee for an individual to take charge of seeking sponsorships and advertising. She outlined a new program for seeking sponsors for the convention. Individuals wishing to assist could begin at the bronze level with a $25 donation up to a platinum contribution of $500. Corporate sponsors could underwrite an event or choose from packages beginning at $1,000 for a pearl sponsor up to $20,000 to sponsor at the diamond level. Charlson amended the motion to adopt this new program to state that the funds would be used to put on the convention, and any surplus be put into the general fund. This was accepted and passed. There was considerable discussion of the scheduling of the midyear meeting so that both the sessions for the presidents and the board meeting be long enough to meet the needs of both groups without shortchanging anyone. It was deemed that a day and a half for each event was necessary; the logistics were left to the committee to work out. This meeting will be held in Jacksonville over Presidents' Day weekend, Feb. 17-20. As a member of the GDUI board, I asked for clarification on what was being done to replace Naomi Soule as the Guide Dog Users' liaison to the convention committee to oversee relief areas and other dog-related logistics. Gray explained his reasons for delaying the appointment of a new liaison. He felt the expense of flying someone out to evaluate the hotel was not warranted, as the layout is much simpler. He stated that Margie Donovan had agreed to handle the process of hiring a professional firm to maintain the relief areas and that the matter would be handled as expeditiously as possible. ***** LAS VEGAS IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR by Berl Colley OK, so Mack Davis might chafe some at the changing of his hit song title, but that is what this article is primarily about: looking back at ACB's Las Vegas convention and the warm and wonderful members and friends of the Nevada Council of the Blind and all that they did to make ACB's largest ever convention such a success. A great big "thanks for all your hard work" goes out to NCB President Carol Ewing. She had all kinds of good ideas for potential tour sites. She was also the person who helped arrange for transportation during my visits to look at some of our tour possibilities. Thanks to Carol's friend Jim from Georgia, who spent a day driving to Lake Havasu and Oatman, Ariz. Carol is definitely a can-do lady. NCB's Vice President, Rick Kuhlmey, is the second person that I would like to thank. He was also very helpful in providing transportation, especially to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. A third thanks goes to Richard Dortch, Dennis Melton and all the staff of the Valley Braille Center. Richard was generous in allowing employees time to assist in the visiting of possible tour sites. Dennis Melton had to tear himself away from his marketing responsibilities to drive to mundane places like Sheri's Ranch and a number of roller coaster sites. Sometimes we would walk in to an office and introduce ourselves as Melton-Berl. I know the spelling isn't right, but it was interesting to see people's reactions. Thanks to the Riviera Hotel staff and management for working with ACB tours to keep the bus loading and unloading sites clear of other vehicles. Finally, I want to thank Cynthia Towers, Carla Ruschival, Margarine Beaman, Rhonda Trott and all of our ACB tour reps and volunteers for your time and effort to make the ACB touring experience in Las Vegas the best it could be. There were a few glitches with a few of our tours this year, but those problems can be attributed to my failure to foresee what could happen when setting up tours for a very large convention. ACB tours has had a conference call to develop a better plan for upcoming conventions. There were 15 tours in Las Vegas. That was one tour less than Birmingham and three less than Pittsburgh. More than 800 ACB members and friends went on tours in Las Vegas. We used 20 buses and traveled over 1,100 miles. So, the 2005 convention in Las Vegas is a fond memory, the people and places were great. (Well, except for losing at the slots!) We thank you of the Nevada Council for all your time and effort; it is still greatly appreciated. And now it is on to Jacksonville, Fla., where we will be working with the Florida Council of the Blind, its president Paul Edwards, FCB convention committee chair Linda Jacobson and the Jacksonville chapter, to put together the 2006 ACB convention tour package. The hotel, the Hyatt Regency- Riverfront, will be ACB's home for the week of July 8-15, 2006. Room rates are $79 plus tax per night (single through quad). To make reservations, call 1-800-233-1234 or (904) 588-1234. ***** BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS SEEKS NOMINEES FOR AWARDS Each year at the national convention of the American Council of the Blind, the board of publications (affectionately known as the BOP) presents awards. The first is the Ned E. Freeman Award, instituted in 1970 and named for the first president of the American Council of the Blind who, after completing his term of office, became editor of "The Braille Forum." The board of publications accepts submissions for the Freeman Award from any writer on a topic of interest to readers of "The Braille Forum." Submissions may be published in the magazine if space allows. Articles appearing in the "Forum" between April 2005 and March 2006 are automatically eligible. Materials published by an ACB affiliate are also welcome. Send a print, braille or electronic copy of the published article accompanied by a letter of nomination. Mastery of the craft of writing is a major consideration by BOP voters. Interesting subject matter, originality in recounting an experience, or novelty of approach are also considered. A Freeman Award winner will receive a plaque and $100. The Vernon Henley Media Award was established in 1988 to honor the man who created and first produced ACB Reports, a radio presentation distributed to radio reading services around the country. At the time of his death, he was chair of the board of publications, having assisted editors by conducting writing workshops and by recording for them on audiocassette materials otherwise not available to them. The award is presented to a person, either sighted or blind, who has made a positive difference in the media -- whether in radio, TV, magazines, or daily newspapers -- which may change public attitudes to recognize the capabilities of people who are blind, rather than focusing on outdated stereotypes and misconceptions. Programs and/or articles written and produced specifically for a visually impaired audience, as well as those intended for the general public, are eligible. Multiple articles or programs submitted by one author or organization will be judged as separate entries. The Henley Award is intended to be a vehicle for publicizing ACB throughout the general media, and to encourage excellence and accuracy in electronic and print coverage of items relating to blindness. Recipients of these awards for the last five years are ineligible to enter the contests. Nor are those who are members of the ACB national office staff, members of the board of directors or board of publications during the awarding period eligible for the Freeman or the Henley awards. Freeman Award winners from 2001 through 2005 are: Lisa Mauldin, Barry Levine, Mike Godino, Rebecca Shields, and Carl Jarvis. Henley Award winners from 2001 to 2005 are: Jonathan Mosen; Carol Greenwald and Mathayu Lane; Pat Price; Mark Ashby and Potomac Talking Book Services; and Lynn Manning, Ron Eldard, Steven Bochco Productions and GW Micro. Submissions for both awards must be postmarked no later than April 1, 2006. All submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter providing details about the submission, its origin, and any other pertinent information. Include your return address in the cover letter, and, if you want your manuscript returned, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Send submissions to ACB Board of Publications Awards, 1155 15th St. NW, Suite 1004, Washington, DC 20005. ***** MCDANIEL COMMITTEE OFFERS YOU THE CHANCE TO ATTEND CONVENTION by Ed Bradley Have you ever wanted to go to the national convention of the American Council of the Blind? If you have never been to one, this is your chance of a lifetime! The 2006 convention will take place in Jacksonville, Fla., from July 8 through 15. The Durward K. McDaniel Fund Committee offers you the chance to throw your name into the hat from which two lucky winners will be selected to receive an all-expense-paid trip to the convention this summer. The McDaniel First-Timers' Contest brings two new people -- one from each side of the Mississippi -- to each national convention, where their leadership skills will have a chance to blossom and grow. Anyone who has never been to the national convention can apply for the Durward McDaniel First-Timers Awards. All you have to do is write a short letter saying why you would like to attend and how you think it will benefit you and your state chapter. Then ask your president to write a letter of recommendation for you and send it to the national office. The deadline is April 15, 2006. Send your information to the Durward McDaniel Fund Committee, c/o American Council of the Blind, 1155 15th St. NW, Suite 1004, Washington, DC 20005. The committee will be in touch with the winners and make all of the arrangements. We look forward to getting many folks wanting to be our winner, so get to work and send in your letters. ***** AFFILIATE NEWS Congratulations! Becky Floyd, president of the Mississippi Council of the Blind, married her childhood sweetheart, Buddy Collins, on Oct. 29, 2005 in Madison, Miss. Congratulations to them! Human Service Professionals Needs You! What is ACB-HSP? It is the Human Service Professionals affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Who can join? Anyone who is working in the human services fields, including but not limited to social work, mental health/chemical dependency counselors, rehabilitation counselors and workers, psychology, psychiatry, etc. Students who are pursuing these majors are also encouraged to join, as well as people who are interested in the field of human services, which actually includes a wide range of possibilities. If you are interested and have questions about this, please contact me at the phone number or e-mail address listed below. We welcome anyone who expresses an interest in working with and serving people in just about any capacity. Why should I join? I can think of many reasons, but just to name a few: it connects you with others working in the same or a similar field; you gain support; to learn ways to enhance your career through personal growth, adaptive technology and furthering your education; mentoring and resources; it could be helpful on your resume; you may find people who could be possible references while job seeking. And hopefully, you can come up with other reasons of your own when considering whether to join ACB-HSP this year. What are the benefits to me? At this time, we have an e-mail list which is low volume. It is designed for discussion and information sharing. You can subscribe to that list either on the ACB web site, www.acb.org, under "join our e-mail discussion and information lists," or by sending a blank e-mail to blind-hsp-subscribe@topica.com. Once membership picks up, I would like to have conference calls where people can connect via phone on a regular basis, and I would eventually like to begin publishing a newsletter. We will also be doing some seminars and co-hosted presentations at the 2006 convention. (More information about this will be forthcoming.) I need your help, and we need your attendance and participation. Benefits beyond that are as much as the membership makes them, as it is my belief that the membership, not the officers, determines this. When do we meet? ACB-HSP will have its annual meeting at the 2006 convention. Watch future issues of "The Braille Forum" for more information. How can I join? You may send $10 annual dues to Jessie L. Rayl, ACB-HSP President, 305 S. Maple Ave., Martinsburg, WV 25401; phone (304) 263-2996 (home) or (304) 262-8020 (work); e-mail thedogmom@verizon.net. ACB Special-Interest Group Just For Lions by Adam Ruschival A pride of Lions is proud of serving when it comes to blindness issues and activities. The American Council of Blind Lions (ACBL) is a sanctioned club of Lions Clubs International (LCI). ACBL's members are active in local clubs throughout the United States and in some foreign countries. ACBL provides a forum for spreading the word about what local clubs are doing and how blind Lions are contributing to blindness-related projects. There are usually four organizational activities during the ACB national convention: a roaring party and pin swap; a visit to a local Lions Club; a board meeting; and a luncheon and business meeting. ACBL also hopes to publish at least two newsletters before the 2006 ACB convention in Jacksonville. ACBL is currently in transition, with approximately 75 members. Immediate past president Alan Beatty was the driving force behind ACBL for several years, and obtained the LCI charter for the club. Alan is a past district governor in the Fort Collins, Colo. area, truly a distinguished position of leadership in Lionism. New officers were elected at last year's national convention in Las Vegas. Alan was elected treasurer and Adam Ruschival was elected president. For information about becoming an ACB Lion or renewing your ACBL membership, or to learn more about organization activities and how to receive the LCI Lions Magazine in an accessible format, contact Adam Ruschival, ACBL President, 148 Vernon Ave., Louisville, KY 40206; phone (502) 897-1472 (home) or (502) 303-7078 (cell); or e-mail adam3@iglou.com. Calling All Veterans! Every day our soldiers prove that the United States armed forces are by far number one in the world. They prove it in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, the Philippines, and right here in the United States. It's the United States keeping Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden on the run in Afghanistan and the rest of the world, while helping to keep terrorism in check here in the United States. Whether by land, by air, or by sea, it's the United States that sets the standard for excellence. As members of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), and veterans of the United States armed forces, we need to insure that today's young men and women serving the United States receive all the help and support they deserve. When veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan need the services of the Veterans Administration (VA), we need to make sure they are there. At the same time, we need to continue keeping an eye on services for our older veterans who are blind and visually impaired. As our population grows, so does the number of older veterans who need help because of low vision and blindness. Service-connected or not, veterans have earned the right to the excellent care that the VA provides, and with help from organizations like ACB and VIVA, it will only get better. One way we can do this is through the Visually Impaired Veterans of America (VIVA). VIVA is a special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind consisting of veterans who are blind and visually impaired, their family members and friends. VIVA also has members who are professionals in the fields of blindness and veterans' affairs. When you join VIVA, you automatically become a voting member of ACB. Dues for VIVA are $15 annually. You will receive copies of "The Braille Forum" and the VIVA News. The VIVA News is available in large print or by e-mail. You can send your dues, contact information, branch of service, and your format preference for "The Braille Forum" and the VIVA News to David L. Dowland, VIVA Secretary, 1111 E. 39th St., Tulsa, OK 74105. VIVA does its work in part through the ACB resolution process, the ACB legislative seminar, and through advocating from the national to the grassroots level. VIVA holds its general membership meeting at the ACB national convention. Our next meeting will be in Jacksonville, Fla. We plan on having an afternoon meeting on Tuesday, July 11. You need not be a member of VIVA to attend, but we encourage those interested in veterans' affairs to join and lend their support. We look forward to seeing you at the next VIVA general membership meeting in Jacksonville! ***** HERE AND THERE by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its staff, or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or call ACB at 1-800-424-8666 and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please remember that postal regulations prohibit us from including advertisements, and that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates. ** CHRISTIAN MINISTRY SURVEY Spoken Word Ministries, Inc. is currently conducting a survey of people who are blind and visually impaired to determine interests in Christian ministries and desires for participation in Christian ministry opportunities. They are seeking blind and visually impaired people to participate in the survey. Contact Tim Snyder at (919) 635-1000 or e-mail Swm@spokenwordministries.org. ** ACCESSIBLE WORLD SYMPOSIUM ON EMPLOYMENT On March 30, 2006, Talking Communities will hold a free on-line employment symposium from 1-5 p.m. Eastern. Participants will receive pointers on job-seeking skills, whether beginning or changing careers, and will have an opportunity to ask questions of presenters. For more information, contact Pat Price by e-mail, Pat@talkingcommunities.com, or by phone, (317) 254-1185. ** GOT PLANS FOR SUMMER? Entry Point!, a program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, offers 10-week paid internships and semester co-ops in major companies throughout the United States, including NASA, IBM, NOAA and Merck. The program is open to students with disabilities majoring in life sciences, physical sciences, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and other quantitatively based fields (e.g. economics and finance). Qualifying students must: be full-time undergraduate or graduate students; be a science, mathematics, engineering, business or computer science major; have a B average GPA (or higher); and be a U.S. citizen. For more information, contact Laureen Summers, Project on Science, Technology and Disability, AAAS, 1200 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20005; phone (202) 326-6649; e-mail lsummers@aaas.org, or visit www.entrypoint.org. ** CONGRATULATIONS, BRIAN! Brian Charlson, ACB board member and vice president of computer training services at the Carroll Center for the Blind, was recently honored by the northeast region of AER. He was cited for his work in helping the blind and visually impaired receive the technology training needed to become more independent and productive. Charlson is past president of ACB's Bay State Council of the Blind. He is a charter member and remains active in work of the Microsoft Accessibility Advisory Council. Charlson is also a trustee of AFB and serves on its executive committee. ** REQUEST FOR NOMINEES The American Bar Association Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law is pleased to announce that nominations for the sixth annual Paul G. Hearne Award for Disability Rights are now being accepted. Each year, an award is presented to an individual or an organization that has performed exemplary service in furthering the rights, dignity, and access to justice for people with disabilities. To request or submit nomination forms, contact Jamie Hochman Herz, American Bar Association, Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law, 321 N. Clark St., Mail Stop 19.1, Chicago, IL 60201; e-mail Herzj@staff.abanet.org; or phone (312) 988-5682. All forms must be postmarked by March 1, 2006. ** HELEN KELLER HONORED On October 14, 2005, Helen Keller was honored for her tireless service by being one of only 20 Americans honored on the "Extra Mile Point of Light Volunteer Pathway" in Washington, D.C. Each honoree is memorialized in a bronze medallion laid into a granite sidewalk. It will include a likeness of Keller, a description of her contribution, and one of her quotes. ** NEW WGBH VIDEO AVAILABLE WGBH Boston recently released the PBS special, "Rx for Survival A Global Health Challenge," on DVD and VHS. Brad Pitt narrates the six-part documentary that details the dramatic history of public health achievements and struggles. The videos include both closed captioning and audio description. To order, call (800) 949-8670 or visit www.shop.wgbh.org ** ANTHOLOGY UPDATE The anthology containing uplifting pieces portraying visually impaired people has a firm commitment from a well-known publisher. Its editors are seeking both new and previously published works of non-fiction and poetry. For instructions on submitting pieces or to schedule an interview, please send your e-mail address, mailing address, and phone to Ann Morris Bliss at annmorris@optonline.net or P.O. Box 6579, Bradenton, FL 34281. Or contact Cheri Langdell at cheril@family.net or send your information to her at 1141 S. Oakland Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106. ** MEETING VISION NEEDS During World Sight Day 2005, Special Olympics and Lions Clubs International launched a joint education effort to meet the vision needs of people with intellectual disabilities. The curriculum concentrates on a wide range of areas, including: the history of people with intellectual disabilities; global statistics on prevalence; practical and tangible "best practices" on patient relationships; treating the patient; how to garner a reliable medical history; and how to extract correct, reliable information from the patient during a vision exam. ** NEW BRAILLER WEB SITE Quantum Technology has announced the launch of a new web site devoted solely to the Mountbatten braille writer and braille literacy. You can find the site at www.mountbattenbrailler.com. ** TRAINING FOR BLOOD DONOR RECRUITERS The South Carolina Commission for the Blind has entered into a partnership with the American Red Cross to train blood donor recruiters who are blind or visually impaired. Anyone who successfully completes this program will go directly to work in one of the Red Cross' 36 recruiting centers. The six-week training program includes transportation between the hotel and training center and most meals. Applicants should have effective communication skills, type at least 20 words per minute, and be proficient with their personal accessibility software. For more information, contact Ed Bible at (803) 898-8786 or ebible@sccb.sc.gov. ** NEWS FROM SEROTEK Serotek Corp. received the 2005 da Vinci Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for its creation of the FreedomBox software, and for continued leadership in accessible technology. The da Vinci Awards recognize those in the engineering, construction and technical fields whose design innovations have exceeded legally mandated requirements to further empower people with disabilities. Serotek's Key to Freedom makes FreedomBox capability fully portable. Plugging the key into the USB port instantly converts any Windows XP system into the user's personal FreedomBox. Unplug it, and the computer instantly reverts to its original state. It self-loads instantly and leaves no residual software or files. The Pass Key is a CD that offers the flexibility to access the FreedomBox network on any computer. Users have instant access to Windows applications, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel. This key is for remote access to files stored on the user's personal computer. It is compatible with computers using Windows 98, 2000 or XP. The company has signed a distributor agreement with Freedom of Speech, Inc., a full-service provider of assistive computer technology products and services. Learn more about the Serotek products available through Freedom of Speech at www.freedomofspeech.com/freedombox or 1-877-367-4228. ** 2005 APTA AWARDS During the annual meeting of the American Public Transit Association (APTA), four public transportation providers were honored as the best transit agencies in North America. Winning the award means that they have demonstrated achievement in efficiency and effectiveness. The winners were: Laketran in Painesville, Ohio, which increased ridership by 8.2 percent; Muncie, Ind. Transit System (MITS), for its record-breaking ridership increase and ability to keep operating costs low enough to charge riders just 50 cents; Sun Tran of Tucson, Ariz., which boosted ridership 13.2 percent between 2002 and 2004 without increasing routes, hours, or fleet size; and Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) in California, for increasing bus ridership by 4.2 percent and Metrolink train ridership by 41.4 percent. ** MARTINEZ APPOINTED WID EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Kathy Martinez, a well-known disability rights and policy specialist, has been appointed executive director of the World Institute on Disability, an influential public policy and research center. Blind since birth, Martinez, 47, is an internationally recognized disability rights leader specializing in employment, asset building, independent living, international development, diversity and gender issues. ** ZOOMTEXT 9.0 RELEASED Ai Squared recently released ZoomText 9.0. This version includes Xfont, which displays high definition text, and Neospeech to read documents aloud. Other features include a text finder, the ability to change application settings on the fly, a wider magnification range and reading zones. Download a free 30-day demo at www.aisquared.com or call 1-800- 859-0270 for more information. ** MAGNIFIERS FROM ENHANCED VISION Enhanced Vision's newest additions are the Merlin LCD 19" video magnifier and the Acrobat 3-in-1 video magnifier. Some features of the Merlin include: screen pivot, tilt and swivel in all directions; 5x to 68x magnification; 24 programmable custom color combinations; optional voice recognition; and auto focus. Acrobat's features include: detachable camera, auto focus, 72x magnification, dual keypad, and the option of running on battery power. Find more information at www.enhancedvision.com, or call 1- 888-811-3161. ** NEW BOOK READER Plustek's Book Reader has both text-to-speech and optical character recognition features and can be customized to read books in several different languages. With a single one-touch button, the Book Reader transforms printed words into audio output, which can be saved in MP3 format for future access. The system uses a curved lamp to provide a clear copy of the book without distortion. To learn more about this $699 device, visit www.plustek.com. ** MAGNIFY YOUR PHONE Merlin's Window and the Phone Monocle are designed to enlarge the displays on both home and cell phones by two to four times. It is stretchy and fits around most phones. The set will also work on many small handheld objects such as iPods, insulin pumps, and MP3 players. Send an e-mail message to phonemagnifiers@yahoo.com, visit www.thephonemonocle.com, or call (818) 248-2228 for more information. ** FACEtoFACE AIDS DEAF-BLIND Freedom Scientific has released FacetoFace, a portable communication device for the deaf-blind. The deaf-blind person uses the Pac Mate's keyboard to write messages, while the sighted person types on an iPaq pocket PC. Using Bluetooth technology, the entire conversation is displayed accessibly for each party. FacetoFace costs $1,400 and includes the application, an iPaq with thumb keyboard, and a compact flash Bluetooth card. Call 1-800-444-4443 or visit www.freedomscientific.com. ** CLIMBERS SUMMIT KILIMANJARO Just a few weeks ago, Erik Weihenmayer, the blind mountain climber who conquered the seven summits, again achieved the top of Kilimanjaro. But this time he was accompanied by four other blind climbers: Douglas Sidialo, a Kenyan who was blinded in the 1998 Kenyan embassy bombing; Andy Holzer from Austria; Koichiro Kobayashi from Japan; and Carl Kroonenberg from Denver. The team is creating the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, which will be used to improve the lives and opportunities of blind children orphaned in East Africa. ** SEEKING THE FLORIDA SCHOOL HERALD Tom Fillyaw is looking for copies of the Florida School Herald from September of 1948 through and including May 1959. Anyone with copies that they would like to share, please contact Tom at 1140 SW 3rd Ave., Lake Butler, FL 32054; phone (386) 496-8189. ** MONEY TALKS Money Talks, a computer software package for money management, is designed for computer users who are visually impaired. Its many features allow users to download and use electronic banking information to reconcile accounts, provide automatic category memorization and reuse, schedule recurring transactions, and create reports on a number of aspects of the accounts in braille or print. To learn more, or download a trial version, visit http://sun1.aph.org/tech/mt_info.htm or call 1-800-223-1839. ** BOOK REVIEWERS NEEDED TCM Reviews wants to add a review section for audio books, books in braille, and large print books that will include new content every week. If you are interested in becoming a book reviewer, please contact Tami Brady at info@tcm-ca.com. ** INFO AVAILABLE ON IMPORTING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) as launched an online research clearinghouse for consumers to learn the opinions of experts on the dangers associated with importing medicines. Visit www.buysafedrugs.info. ** AWAY MAGAZINE Mobility International USA and the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) have released the second online issue of "A World Awaits You" (AWAY). This web-based journal describes the successful experiences of individuals with disabilities in overseas cultural and educational programs. "AWAY" stories answer frequently asked questions, list useful resources and share the benefits of participating in international exchanges. Find the newest issue at www.miusa.org/ncde/away. ** NEW ONLINE BRAILLE BOOKSTORE Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Philadelphia has opened an online braille bookstore. It currently includes more than 100 titles from the classics to present-day popular fiction. Most books cost $15 to $35. Visit www.asb.org/bookstore.htm. ** AWARD WINNERS U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced the winners of the New Freedom Initiative Award for outstanding support of employment for people with disabilities. They are: Jim Westall, Port Townsend, Wash.; Breaking New Ground, West Lafayette, Ind.; Center of Vocational Alternatives, Columbus, Ohio; Inspiritec Inc., Philadelphia; Computer Science Corporation Federal Sector, Falls Church, Va.; Merck and Co. Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J.; and Tec Access, Rockville, Va. ** SCDORIS RECEIVES AWARD Rachael Scdoris, the legally blind professional sled dog racer, was recently named the winner of the 2005 Casey Martin Award. The Nike-sponsored award recognizes the efforts of an athlete who, like Martin, has overcome physical, mental, societal or cultural challenges to excel in his or her sport. A $25,000 award will be given to the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes in her name. ** MSFOCUS ACCESSIBLE MSFocus, the magazine of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, is now available on CD for individuals with impaired vision and other disabilities caused by MS. To obtain an audio subscription, call 1-888-673-6287 or visit www.msfocus.org. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Braille Lite 2000. Asking $650. Braille Lite 18 with June 2003 revision. Asking $650. Call Shirley at (310) 948-8605 or e-mail Sk22@concentric.net. FOR SALE: VoiceNote BT with disk drive, cables and instructions. Asking $1,000 or best offer, plus shipping. Braille Lite 2000 with disk drive, cables, different adapters, carrying case and instructions in braille. Asking $1,000 or best offer, plus shipping. Contact Catalina Martinez at catmart60@yahoo.com. Personal checks, money orders and Paypal payments accepted. I will ship the items as soon as I receive payment and/or when checks clear. FOR SALE: JAWS software, includes all updates. Asking $400. Kurzweil 1000 software, $600. Includes all updates. Kurzweil-compatible scanner, $100. Contact Nora at (952) 884-8471. FOR SALE: Braille Lite. Recently repaired and upgraded. Asking $1,400 or best offer. Contact Philip at (703) 212-9448, or e-mail philip.ashley@gsa.gov. FOR SALE: Optelec Clearview 317XL CCTV with black-and-white 17-inch monitor, electronic controls and line or window markers. In excellent condition; still under warranty. Asking $1,500 or best offer. Contact Bill Porter at (847) 342-7155 between 1 and 8 p.m. Central time, or e-mail him at 052338@comcast.net. FOR SALE: Braille Lite with 18 cells. Type 'n Speak and Braille Basic Indexer. Please call or contact Carmen at (514) 381-0894 or e-mail csacco@sympatico.ca. FOR SALE: Trekker, the portable talking GPS/navigation system. In excellent condition. Speaks your location, helps you with walking routes and corrects any mistakes you may make. Asking $500 or best offer. Simple to use; worn over your shoulder on a special strap that holds the tiny GPS receiver and iPaq computer. Very lightweight; has long battery life. It's like having a personal guide to tell you exactly where you are at any time. Call Al at (571) 276-6085. FOR SALE: Perkins Brailler, in excellent condition. Asking $300. PayPal accepted. Contact Loy Green via e-mail, loyrg2845@gmail.com. WANTED: Donation of reading machine that can read mail, bills, and other printed material. Contact Joseph Colvin via e-mail, josephcolvin@pmpmail.com, or write him at 300 S. Wayne Ave., Apt. #621, Waynesboro, VA 22980; phone (540) 241-5233. Serious inquiries only. WANTED: Sharp talking calculator with AC adaptor, clock and timer. Urgently needed. Call Angel at (206) 208-7595. WANTED: IBM talking typewriter. Call Walter at (661) 833-3663. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT M.J. SCHMITT 119 SHELL EDGE DR ROCHESTER, NY 14623 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 SECRETARY DONNA SELIGER 3912 SE 5TH ST DES MOINES, IA 50315 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 20330 NE 20TH CT. MIAMI, FL 33179 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Alan Beatty, Fort Collins, CO Ed Bradley, Houston, TX Brian Charlson, Watertown, MA Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Oral Miller, Washington, DC Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Naomi Soule, St. Louis, MO Cynthia Towers, Seattle, WA David Trott, Talladega, AL BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Mike Duke, Chairman, Jackson, MS Cindy Burgett, Bremerton, WA Rochelle Hart, Sioux Falls, SD Charles Hodge, Arlington, VA DeAnna Noriega, Colorado Springs, CO Ex Officios: Ralph Sanders, Las Vegas, NV Janelle Edwards, Springfield, MO