The ACB E-Forum Volume LXI December 2022 No. 6 Published by the American Council of the Blind ***** * Be A Part of ACB The American Council of the Blind™ is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, contact the national office at 1-800-424-8666. * Contribute to Our Work Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Attn: Treasurer, ACB, 6200 Shingle Creek Pkwy., Suite 155, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office has printed cards available for this purpose. Consider including a gift to ACB in your Last Will and Testament. If your wishes are complex, call the national office. To make a contribution to ACB by the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. * Check in with ACB For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" 24/7 at 1-800-424-8666, or read it online. Listen to ACB Reports by downloading the MP3 file from www.acb.org, or call (518) 906-1820 and choose option 8. Tune in to ACB Media at www.acbmedia.org or by calling (518) 906-1820. Learn more about us at www.acb.org. Follow us on Twitter at @acbnational, or like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/acbnational. © 2022 American Council of the Blind Eric Bridges, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor 1703 N. Beauregard St., Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22311 ***** ** Table of Contents President's Message: Happy Holidays and ACB Reflections!, by Dan Spoone A Preview of the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, by Janet Dickelman Glimpses of Croatia, by Maria Kristic Furry Travels, by Maria Kristic and Gabriel Lopez Kafati How I've Visited Over 100 Countries, and You Can, Too, by Tony Giles Posh Gabriel Barcelona, by Gabriel Lopez Kafati My Velvet Adventure – A Coming of Age Story, by Sandra Sermons My International Adventure through Israel, by Meryl Shecter Passings Here and There, edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins High Tech Swap Shop ACB Officers ACB Board of Directors ACB Board of Publications Accessing Your ACB Braille and E-Forums ** Upcoming Forum Themes and Deadlines February 2023: ACB Diabetics in Action, part 2; deadline: January 3, 2023 March 2023: Women's History Month; deadline: January 25, 2023 ** Are You Moving? Do You Want to Change Your Subscription? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll make the changes for you. ***** ** President's Message: Happy Holidays and ACB Reflections! by Dan Spoone Happy Holidays to all our ACB members and friends! Wow, what a year! The year started for our family with the passing of my dad, Bill Spoone, a man I looked up to for my entire life. Dad, we really miss you. We celebrated Thanksgiving, and it was difficult not hearing your voice at the head of the dinner table. I've given it my best to make you proud of me through a tumultuous 12 months. Mom's assisted living facility was severely damaged by Hurricane Ian, and she had to spend three weeks with Leslie and me before we found her a new home. She's doing well and adjusting to her new place. She really misses you and has your picture on the nightstand next to her bed. You must be up there cheering for your Tennessee Vols that finally beat the hated Alabama Crimson Tide. There have been lots of "hip, hip, hooray"s for all the accomplishments for our family and ACB. I'm still taking your advice to always celebrate our victories. Your grandson Sam was promoted to supervisor at Valencia College, and he is studying for his master's. Your grandson Ben just purchased his first home with his new wife Anna. Who knows, there may be new Spoones coming soon. Your daughter, Cathy, sure has her fingers crossed. Yes, our blind group is doing good. ACB had our first-ever hybrid convention in Omaha. We had a big scream to start the convention, so everyone could get out their frustrations. Leslie had an excellent auction and she's really enjoying teaching her exercise classes on the Internet. We were remembering the other day about all the times you took her to those early morning classes at the YMCA. You were always her biggest fan! You would be so proud of her. She's really a ball of energy. By the way, our "Blind Bats" fantasy football team finished in first place last year. We still have that Bill Spoone magic! ACB also had our second virtual election for board members, resolutions and constitution and bylaws amendments. Dad, you always taught me to treat everyone the same and be fair. We really did it this year with our elections, and it was wonderful to hear all the positive comments about our democratic process. It was a great team accomplishment. Dad, we are keeping a positive attitude and continuing to dream big. I used your favorite quote the other day in my banquet speeches to the Michigan and North Carolina affiliates. You know, the one from Bobby Kennedy, "Some people see things as they are and ask 'why?' I dream of things that never were and ask, 'why not?'" It always reminds me of you. Dad, I miss you. Thanks for being my father. Happy Holidays from our family to yours! Please take time to remember those that have meant so much to us and the American Council of the Blind. ***** ** A Preview of the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel by Janet Dickelman Our October visit to the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill. went very well. We visited numerous potential tour venues and are working on a great tour line-up. If you are interested in tours, watch the January ACB Braille Forum for ACB's 2023 tours. The hotel staff at the Renaissance is wonderful. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. They are anxious for our visit this summer and are working diligently to make the hotel accessible and welcoming for convention attendees. All hotel rooms have refrigerators, safes and coffee makers. For those of you who will ask this next question, the coffee makers are not Keurig; however, I’ve been told they make an excellent cup of coffee! There are microwaves located with the ice and vending machines on each floor. When you enter the hotel, you are on what is called the main level. There are meeting rooms on this level. The second floor, referred to as the lobby floor, contains the front desk, the restaurants and bars in addition to other meeting rooms. Schaumburg Public House restaurant serves breakfast (including a breakfast buffet), in addition to lunch and dinner. There is also a bar connected to the restaurant. Gather Bar is the lobby bar serving a limited food menu. Starbucks coffee serves breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads and pastries. In-person convention dates are June 30th through July 7th. Whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, or just enjoying the season, may your holidays be full of warmth and cheer. * Staying in Touch The conference and convention announce list will be filled with information. To subscribe to the list, send a blank e-mail to acbconvention+subscribe@acblists.org. If you received updates for the 2022 convention, you do not need to subscribe to the list. * Hotel Details Room rates at the Renaissance are $98 per night double occupancy (with an additional $10 charge for up to four people), plus tax, which is currently 15%.To make reservations online, visit https://book.passkey.com/go/AmericanCounciloftheBlind2023. For telephone reservations, call 1-800-468-3571. This is a central reservations number, so please indicate you are with the American Council of the Blind 2023 conference and convention at the Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill. * Convention Contacts 2023 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, exhibitors@acb.org 2023 sponsorship opportunities: Eric Bridges, ebridges@acb.org, or Clark Rachfal, crachfal@acb.org; phone (202) 467-5081. For any other convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, janet.dickelman@gmail.com. ***** ** Glimpses of Croatia by Maria Kristic Chair, ACB International Relations Committee "Reach up with your right hand," my mom said as we exited the apartment. I stopped and did what she suggested, feeling a tree and the long pod which grew on it. I didn't think it was a pea plant, but had no idea what else it could be. "What is it?" "Carob," she replied. "Carob!" I practically squealed in surprise and delight - this ingredient which I had been using as a chocolate substitute in homemade treats for my guide dog, and which I had only seen in powder or chip form, was growing fresh literally feet from where I was staying! I immigrated to the United States with my parents and brother from Bosnia in 1993 during the war there. With the nearly identical language in neighboring Croatia and the fact that we are ethnically Croat, several of my family members had relocated there during that time. While I have made several trips, only recently, during my visits in the summers of 2016 and 2021, have I really begun to appreciate this country. My paternal aunt's property in the city of Split on the Dalmatian coast includes olive and caper groves, and the olive oil, with its strong, sharp, fresh taste is just divine! Speaking of Split, Diocletian's Palace, a complex built in the 4th century CE for the Roman emperor, was a standout for me. The complex is a bustling hive of activity today with restaurants, shops, and residents going about their day on its narrow, waterfront streets. The sounds of music from the restaurants and the chatter of people fill the air. However, walking the empty basements of the palace structure itself, where one entrance came straight from the harbor to facilitate the unloading and storage of goods, was such a haunting experience. As my footsteps echoed, I felt awe knowing that I was walking a path which has existed for thousands of years, and I pictured servants manually carrying in barrels of wine and oils. I have spent much time in Makarska, a town also on the Dalmatian coast and located about 40 miles south of Split, as my parents recently purchased an apartment there - the apartment near the carob trees. Those are not the only trees around town; olive, fig, and pomegranate trees, along with their blooming fruits, can also be touched as one walks around. My most recent trip in 2021 was my first time staying in the apartment. Having our own place to stay instead of moving between different family members' homes, as we had done before, meant I could explore with my family in a more leisurely way. I swam in the Adriatic Sea, usually in the mornings or afternoons when the sun was not as strong, marveling at how clean the water felt! I am told the cleanliness produces beautiful colors visually and allows viewers to see the bottom of the sea. Even my guide dog, a Lab who loves to swim, got to take a couple of happy dips, though I only allowed it because there was an outdoor shower mere feet away with which I could clean the salt off her immediately afterward. Various beach activities are offered, from diving to kayaking to jet skiing to water activities for children and beyond. While the waves are usually gentle, sudden winds are known to come - the northern bura and southern jugo (pronounced yugo) - and indeed, a jugo derailed my brother's and my plan to try paragliding one morning. On most evenings, we would walk along the Riva, or waterfront promenade, the smell of sea salt and seafood in the air. On one side would be the sound of gentle waves, while music from the myriad outdoor cafes on the shore could be heard on the other. Sometimes, music could also be heard from boats on the sea side, as these vessels, which offered excursions to Croatian islands during the day, became docked "restaurants" for seafood dinners in the evening. I have eaten a delicious fish called skuša (pronounced skoosha), a type of mackerel native to Croatia, on one such evening dinner, to the sounds of classic Croatian music hits and seagulls circling and crying out overhead, waiting for a tasty morsel to drop in the water. This being the coast, there were plenty of seafood dishes to try. I had a shrimp buzara (meaning sautéed in olive oil, parsley, garlic, and white wine), and I noticed that the shrimp was more meaty and chewy than what I have eaten in the United States. I also ate a lobster brudet (a stew with seafood, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, white wine, olive oil, parsley, black pepper, and saffron). I was not brave enough to try shark! Elsewhere in town, I have also traveled on some cobblestoned, pedestrian-only town streets which were so narrow that I could spread my arms wide and touch the buildings on each side! As I explored Makarska with my family, I noticed that the structure of curbs was slightly different from those in the U.S. - rather than a sharp-edged curb and curb cut ramp, they tended to be all-in-one, curb-like structures but with rounded edges, somewhere between a curb and a ramp. Also, instead of outdoor stairs being made accessible with a pure ramp, the structure tended to be a ramp overall but with intermittent, rounded protrusions, almost like small speed bumps. These took some getting used to, and between the structure change and the new environment, I did initially have to do some repetition work with my dog to ensure that she understood what these elevation changes were. I did encounter one accessible pedestrian signal. While people I encountered in businesses did not generally visually recognize the guide dog harness, I had surprisingly few access issues, and if I did, most times, explaining that she was a guide dog sparked some recognition of the term and resolved the issue. My maternal aunt, who lives there, tells me there is a guide dog user resident, so I imagine that she and the guide dog school in Croatia have done some of the advocacy to make this level of awareness possible. I did have two consecutive access denials at hotels in Split in 2016 when we unexpectedly found ourselves needing a hotel for one night, with the owners telling me they did not care about the law; realizing that I would not win those battles at that moment, I tried other hotels and finally had a wonderful experience with the third location. I visited with my dad and brother Sveti Jure (pronounced Yureh) (St. George), the second highest peak in Croatia, although counting the satellite, radar, and other observational antennas which are stationed there, it is the tallest point at 5,780 feet above sea level. As my dad drove up the narrow and twisty road, with the windows open, the sweet and woodsy aroma of trees filled my nostrils as the temperature noticeably cooled. We passed wild horses and goats grazing. We had to hike over some rocks the last few feet to the peak. Standing there, with the sounds of birds and leaves and almost no cars, I felt such serenity, peace, and connectedness with nature. I've had other experiences, too. On the island of Pag, I got to taste the deliciously salty and flavorful native cheese, made so by the bura blowing salt from the Adriatic onto the island grass on which the sheep graze. My dog was very interested in the group of swans in a small lake which we passed several times on our visit; I wished I could have pet one! I've visited Plitvice Lakes National Park, hiking with my guide dog carefully on trails with no rails or safety signs, taking a boat ride on one of its lakes, and hearing the rush of its waterfalls, though I am told they are even more active in other months of the year. A poignant moment came when we were leaving the park, and a cute stray dog, seeing mine, started following us to our car; I wished I could have taken it home! I've listened to the otherworldly sound of the Zadar Sea Organ, a musical instrument created in the sea using marble steps with tubes placed under them, such that the sea waves create music. In the historic town of Mali Ston, I heard morning church bells from a medieval era church which have been ringing every morning for the past 700 years, felt lemons on their trees, ate figs and apricots fresh from their trees, and touched one of the loaded salt wagons which bring the mineral to the town. Even with all this, I have so much more to visit on my next trips — the islands, the capital, Zagreb, Pula with its Roman amphitheater, Dubrovnik with its rich history and status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Sinjska Alka knight's tournament spectacle which has been happening since 1715 to commemorate a Croatian victory over Ottoman invaders. Have I enticed you to visit yet, or at least do some research? Croatia is only the first stop of your virtual vacation curated by ACB's International Relations Committee for this month's E-Forum. Enjoy the journey! ***** ** Furry Travels by Maria Kristic and Gabriel Lopez Kafati You're excitedly imagining your upcoming trip. Maybe it's walking around that city you've always wanted to visit. Perhaps it's time relaxing on the beach or skiing down a hill. Or maybe it's a cruise to several places you've wanted to visit for a long time. Best of all, your guide dog will be there! But wait! Before you and your trusty canine partner board that plane or ship, you'll have to do some planning. Here are some tips to make that planning go more smoothly, based on information we have gathered over the years from various sources and our own international travel experiences. We focus here on international considerations; resources mentioned at the end can help you to learn about the fundamentals of travel with your guide dog. 1. Think about whether your guide dog should travel with you. We know it may seem antithetical to talk in a guide dog-related travel article about your dog not traveling with you, but hear us out. Just as you were probably told during guide dog training that there are domestic situations where you may wish to leave your dog at home, the same can be said for certain travel scenarios. Will you be able to walk in reasonably developed infrastructure, or are sidewalks non-existent, streets filled with potholes, and traffic rules culturally only suggestions? Is the public generally fond of dogs, or are there so many strays that disgruntled individuals may put rat poison in the streets to try to cull them? Is the country you will be visiting classified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as high risk for rabies or some other illness for which your dog would need a negative test when returning to the U.S.? Will the flying experience be so long or complex as to cause your dog undue stress? Is your activity such that your dog will have to be alone in an unfamiliar house or hotel for long stretches of time? Your furry friend may prefer their own vacation with a trusted friend or family member while you're away. 2. Thoroughly research entry and return requirements. This even applies to international cruises if you leave the ship at ports of call, as you are subject to the entry requirements of each country you enter. Visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Pet Travel landing page at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel. Click on and read both the links for "Taking a pet from the U.S. to another country (Export)" for requirements for entering your travel destination and "Bringing a pet into the U.S. from another country (Import)" for returning to the United States. Pay attention to any alerts on these pages. Once you click on the Export link, you can specify the country(s) to which you will be traveling, select Dogs as the pet, and usually receive detailed requirements on the steps you must complete for entry into your chosen country. Generally, the process involves obtaining a health certificate and ensuring that your dog's microchip and rabies vaccination have been administered in the proper sequence and timeframe. A health certificate must be completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian, who will then send the certificate to APHIS for official endorsement. Countries deemed free of rabies or other parasites may require a negative test for these conditions within a certain timeframe. To find a USDA-accredited veterinarian, contact your vet. If APHIS does not have specific information for your country, contact that country's embassy. Read the requirements carefully, as they are very specific in terms of timing of each component. Some countries, particularly in Asia, may require you to register your dog with the local police, obtain a quarantine exemption certificate, and/or present a photo of your dog upon entry. On the Import page, select Dogs, and you will receive information on requirements, which include presenting a copy of your dog’s rabies vaccination certificate which has been signed by your veterinarian, but may also include other requirements based on the country from which you are returning. Many of these processes have associated fees. 3. Research the specific requirements of your airline or cruise line. They often have their own requirements in addition to the country's entry requirements. For example, you may be required to complete U.S. Department of Transportation forms, or your airline may require its own forms and an official letter from your guide dog school certifying that your guide is a working dog and indicating when you graduated from their program. Some airlines may require that you muzzle your dog while traveling, although a Gentle Leader or similar head collar may be considered sufficient. Airlines and cruise lines generally require advanced notice of your dog if you book sufficiently ahead of time of your trip. 4. Be mindful of international considerations when packing for your dog. If flying, be aware that some countries prohibit the import of bedding, so you may wish to bring something like microfiber towels to serve as bedding. Be certain to bring sufficient doses of any medication or supplements your dog is taking. Your vet may also suggest and provide additional medications as a precaution, such as medication to prevent possible seasickness on a cruise ship. On long-haul flights, where you will be required to sign a form attesting that your dog will not relieve on the plane or will do so in a sanitary manner, Maria likes to pack a couple of training/potty pads just in case. If you can pack a separate bag with your dog's supplies, you may be able to bring it as an extra carry-on; check with your airline. 5. If flying, prepare for the possibility that any dog food you bring may be confiscated, as some countries have strict prohibitions on importing feed. Carry a note from your veterinarian stating that it is necessary for your dog to have the food which you will be bringing. Also, if possible, bring unopened, smaller-sized packages of the food. If your dog's food is only packaged in large bags, this may mean temporarily and gradually transitioning them to a similar food which is available in a smaller size before you leave and then transitioning them back gradually to their regular food when you return. If you are temporarily transitioning to a new food, you may wish to use something which is available in your destination country so as to minimize the amount you must bring, and purchase what you need upon arrival. This may seem like overkill, but as one who has had her dog's food confiscated on a domestic U.S. flight and who was specifically told by a European airport animal control officer to bring sealed bags, Maria says, better safe than sorry! Packing a few meals in Ziploc bags and placing them in your carry-on is also a good idea. You never know when you will face flight delays or cancelations. Of course, you should not have such issues on a cruise, where the food will be kept on the ship. Water is another important consideration. Do some research on the quality of the tap water at your destination. When in doubt, it's better to share your bottled water with your guide dog. While this may increase your travel expenses, it's much better than having a pup with an upset tummy, or even worse, having to look for a vet abroad. A few extra bottles of water can go a long way toward making sure both you and your guide have a fun and healthy travel experience. 6. Keep in mind that your dog will measure time-zone changes in food terms. Consider feeding your pup a half portion at their normal time, and saving the other half to be served at the local equivalent of your regular schedule. This will also depend on the duration of your trip and on the number of hours' worth of time-zone difference. If you are planning a short visit or if the time change is just a few hours, perhaps it's best to make the appropriate time-zone conversion and feed your pup at the time they would normally eat at home. If your travel plans are longer or if the time-zone difference is wider, then you may want to transition your pup from one time zone to the other by splitting meals between the normal feeding hour and the local time while they get used to the new schedule. Remember that successful entry does not necessarily mean smooth sailing within the country. You may be required to notify hotels, Airbnb's, or restaurants which you will be visiting that you have a guide dog. If you don't speak the local language, write a short explanation of what a guide dog does using your favorite translation app, and save it for quick retrieval or print it out to keep with you. You may also wish to have translations of common advocacy phrases on hand, such as please do not pet my working dog, to handle curious strangers. GDUI sells a harness sign which communicates this message using a graphic. Visit https://www.gdui.org for more information. 7. Check your dog's microchip location at your vet's office and confirm its type before you go. Airport personnel or a vet in your destination country may wish to scan it. Ensure that your dog's microchip is one with a 15-digit number; if not, you will either need to have it implanted with a second microchip that meets international standards or carry your own microchip scanner. 8. Plan your flying journey with your dog in mind. While the 15-hour direct flight might be more appealing to you, your dog may not agree! It might be better to schedule flights with stops to give your dog opportunities to relieve. Ensure that your layover is long enough to exit the airport to an outdoor relief area, go back through security, and arrive at your connecting gate. Give your dog less food and water than usual on the day of travel, and give it an opportunity to relieve itself before you enter the airport. You may wish to request a bulkhead seat to give your dog more room. You may also wish to bring a towel for your dog to lay on for extra comfort during a long flight. Airport security procedures in other countries may be different from what you are used to in the U.S. Be kind yet assertive and solution-oriented. For example, while TSA personnel cannot separate you from your dog in the U.S., Maria learned that it was the opposite in Croatia, where airport personnel informed her that procedures required her and her dog to be examined separately, although they could stay near each other. Maria reiterated the importance of staying in her dog's visual field. She and her dog were examined simultaneously by two members of security staff within a few feet of each other, and her dog was brought back to her upon completion. 9. Don't be afraid to ask for help! You can join communities like the GDUI Chat email list or Friends of GDUI Facebook group via links on the GDUI web site, or your guide dog school's Facebook or email list community, to connect with others and get your questions answered. Books such as "Sites Unseen" by Wendy S. David, available on both Bookshare and NLS BARD, provide a wealth of useful information. If you decide that your trip would be suitable for your furry friend, there's nothing like exploring new locations with your dog by your side. Safe travels, and enjoy the adventure! ***** ** How I've Visited Over 100 Countries, and You Can, Too by Tony Giles Tony Giles is a totally blind and partially deaf solo world traveler and author from south-west England. To learn more about Tony, visit his Web site, www.tonythetraveller.com. Traveling is amazing. It can be experienced in many different ways. But if blind or visually impaired, it can often be more challenging or difficult. As a blind traveler of some 25 years wandering around the world, mostly by myself, I understand this very well. However, there are some practical ways to help make traveling or vacationing as a blind/visually impaired person a little easier. First, decide where you would like to go. It might be a visit to a museum, park, beach or somewhere else of interest in your own city or state. Maybe start with a day trip somewhere or a weekend away to a nearby destination. Well, how will you get there? What are the transport options, and once there, how will you find the places you wish to visit, get to your accommodation, find a place to eat? These are all the questions I need to answer when planning any trip. Therefore, I do a lot of research using my laptop with its JAWS screen-reading software. I open Google and do a search on, say, information about New York City. I might use a website (Wikitravel or Wikivoyage), or consult the Lonely Planet website for information about how to travel to NYC, and available public transport within the city, like buses or the subway. Next I would research tourist attractions and discover which places have audio guides or offer guided tours. I might even call individual attractions like the Empire State Building or the Metropolitan Museum of Art ("the Met") and learn they have an excellent audio guide with tactile buttons that I can use to listen to hours of fascinating information about their various art exhibits. When I visited the Met on one of my trips to NYC, I discovered there are several items from their Egyptian collection that blind/visually impaired people can touch. Once I've found the info about visitor attractions in a city or town or country, I then research accommodations. I might use the website Booking.com to find hotels/guest houses/hostels in the city I want to visit. Booking.com is a fairly easy website to use with screen-reading software. I enter the dates I want to stay and read through the results until I find a suitable hotel or hostel in my budget range. But as a blind individual who has never visited that place, how can I navigate an unknown city/town? Well, I would ask the staff at my accommodation directions to the museum or attraction I wish to visit, saying, "I exit the hotel and go which way, left or right?" They give me the directions and I ask, "How many blocks to walk, and how many streets do I have to cross?" If the attraction is too far to walk, or deemed too complicated, I might take a taxi or ask about getting there by bus, tram or subway. When taking a first trip, why not go with a friend or a family member? Experiencing a strange place for the first time can be daunting, so sharing it with someone you know might make it easier. If you enjoy that first experience, the next journey could be for a longer stay or to a further destination. But the main tip is to research the destination in great detail, make notes you can refer back to, and take a spare cane or any other equipment you might need: spare phone/tablet charger, raincoat, gloves if it's cold, hat, sunscreen if heading to warmer climes, towel, etc., and be prepared for things to occasionally go wrong. I always get an address card of the accommodation I'm staying at, so if I get lost, I can simply shout "taxi" in any country or city and show the address and go back to my accommodation. Planning is the key to a successful trip. Probably the biggest challenge when traveling as a blind/visually impaired person is money. In the UK and the USA, it's possible to plug headphones into an ATM machine and access the information and withdraw money independently. Many UK ATMs have speech software and issue simple commands, allowing me and other sight-impaired individuals to access money and check their bank balance. However, this is not available in most countries around the world. Therefore, I have to rely on a trusted individual I find in the hostel or hotel where I'm staying. I might also enter a bank and ask staff to assist me. Asking strangers on the street to help is not a good idea because it's often hard to know whether they are trustworthy. Although I've never been robbed when asking for help to use an ATM abroad. My first experience in a foreign city by myself was when I visited New Orleans in 2000 when studying in the USA as part of an American Studies degree. Friends helped me book a flight and accommodation, and once I landed in New Orleans, I simply took a taxi to my hostel. I asked hostel staff for directions to Bourbon Street, the main area of nightlife and music. I was instructed to descend the hostel’s steps, turn left, walk 4 blocks and take a tram to Bourbon Street. Fine, I thought, easy enough. So with my cane in my hand, I exited the hostel, descended the steps and once on the sidewalk, suddenly froze. Then it hit me - fear, as I had never experienced before. The idea of going alone, blind, to find an unknown landmark in an unfamiliar, dangerous city made me panic. I took a deep breath and said to myself, "This is what it is all about; this is the challenge you wanted; you have the ability, now get on with it or go home!" So I turned left and walked up the street to find the tram stop. With a little help, I found the tram stop and made it to Bourbon Street. This is how I've been traveling ever since: by asking people on the streets, in various countries, to help me when I need it. This is how other blind and visually impaired people can travel if they want to. It is about engaging with the public and trusting people to a certain extent. It is about going out of your comfort zone and having a go. Fighting the fear of failure and taking a step and doing something that could turn out to be amazing and exhilarating! For me, downtown Manhattan, NYC is one of the easiest to explore. Like several U.S. cities, including Philadelphia and Seattle, most of Manhattan is on a grid system, and it is simply a case of walking the blocks in a straight line and asking pedestrians what streets I am at when I reach a corner. I might be told I'm at the junction of 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. If the next cross street is 43rd, I know I'm going uptown. Likewise, when riding the New York subway, I can listen to the announcements and know if I'm traveling "uptown" or "downtown," making Manhattan one of the easiest areas of NYC to explore. I’m not suggesting traveling blind is easy. Some days it can be very challenging, especially if journeying in a country where English isn't the first language. But with modern technology, like smartphones and tablets and instant Internet to access Google Translate, communicating and traveling blind has become a lot easier. I visited Tokyo, Japan in 2017 and discovered there are tactile lines in the subway stations and on the main streets for blind people to follow to help guide them more safely. Subway staff helped me on and off subway trains and escorted me to my next train or to the exit. I was in a Japanese restaurant one evening and tried to order food. The waitress didn't speak any English and I figured it might be problematic. Suddenly, a mobile phone was placed in my hand and a lady spoke to me in English. I told her my order. She relayed my request to the waitress and told me the price. The food arrived, I had a delicious meal, paid and left. So traveling blind, despite many challenges, is possible. I travel alone because I enjoy the challenge and like my independence, but there's nothing wrong journeying with a friend or companion. Traveling with a guide dog in the U.S., the UK and in Europe seems easy enough. It would be much more difficult in Africa, South America and Asia. But I've never traveled with a guide dog, so I don't know as much about that. Like I say, it's about research and planning, but traveling blind/visually impaired to a destination of choice for a day, weekend or longer is most definitely possible and can be great fun. ***** ** Posh Gabriel Barcelona by Gabriel Lopez Kafati Since I was matched with my first guide dog, Posh, in July of 2013, we have embarked on multiple travel adventures together, from conventions to the opera, business trips to cruises, from sandy beaches to a few feet of snow. Everywhere we have been has given me an opportunity to explore with independence; to enjoy my adventures with a funny companion; and to learn how to negotiate with a furry partner who, sometimes, may have an agenda of her own. My travels to Honduras have been countless and love-filled. While planning our trips to my parents', I have received calls from nieces and nephews inquiring: "Is Posh coming for Christmas?" I have dealt with my elderly aunts who are convinced that I am starving my poor, always-hungry guide dog and decide to share a cookie or two. Then, to feel sorrow when all we leave behind are beautiful memories, the scent of my cologne, and a trail of blond doggie hairs. In March 2017 we embarked on a different kind of international travel. I decided to spend my birthday with one of my dearest childhood friends who had moved to Europe shortly after we finished high school, and was now living in Barcelona with her spouse. I was full of anticipation. This was my first trip to Europe after losing my eyesight; it was also my first trans-Atlantic adventure with Posh! Airfare happened to be surprisingly affordable, so I sought the opportunity of using some miles to upgrade. I planned a suitable spring wardrobe that would leave enough suitcase space to bring back some Cava, chocolates, cheeses, and Jamón Ibérico; my math indicated that I would have the equivalent number of pounds worth of dog food to replenish with such delicacies on the way back. Then there were all the permits for my furry companion. We discovered that Posh's microchip was not the one required by the European Union, so she got another one implanted. A couple of days prior to my birthday, we were ready to go! I know for many people, air travel is a nuisance. For me, air travel is one of the essential parts of traveling. Posh had dinner and a limited supply of water, plenty of time to get busy, and lots of encouragement leading to us boarding an American Airlines Boeing 777. Once aboard, I showed Posh our private little pod in the air for the following nine hours. As we took off, I realized that I didn't need to see in order to tell that we were flying directly east, over the Atlantic. After indulging in a five-course meal and sampling different wines, it was time to relax and sleep. I shared ice chips with Posh. We walked around for a bit; Posh made friends with passengers and crew, especially with those crew members at the galley, where she expected to find bits and crumbs. I figured out how to flatten my seat to create an improvised cubby for Posh. Sunrise came too soon for me. Though breakfast smelled nice, it also meant that we were a few hours from landing. A beautiful spring morning welcomed us in Barcelona! Navigating the airport was such a breeze; Spain is well-known for its public awareness toward people with visual impairments. As I was clearing customs and immigration, I had Posh's file ready for it to be examined. The agent looked down at her, then asked me, "Lazarillo?" (which means guide dog). I said yes; the agent thanked me and we were on our way. As soon as we were outside, Posh got a chance to take care of her business. As soon as we were at my friends' flat, she got breakfast. Barcelona has lots of dogs, but not many grassy areas in the city, so we took a walk to identify good walking routes. As we grabbed a small table in the outdoor terrace of a cute bar, I re-discovered how much I could enjoy the smells, the sounds, and, of course, the tastes of an afternoon "Clara," which is a cocktail made with local beer and a clear soda, paired with a plate of local cheeses, meats, and olives. Our first evening consisted of the birthday present my friend had for me. Before I could immerse myself in a night of food, music, and wine, I made sure Posh was well-fed. Then, we set out to Casa Fuster, the iconic hotel where Woody Allen's romantic comedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona was filmed. There, we enjoyed a famous international jazz band performing live, while we paired local delicacies with different wines, and ended the evening with a beautiful dark-chocolate dessert in the shape of a grand piano. Thinking that Posh and I were quickly adjusting to the jetlag, we went to bed close to midnight local time. After a few minutes in bed, I was awakened by a very demanding wet nose. Thinking that Posh was alerting me of an imperative need to go out, I panicked, bundled up, and took her out. Once there, she sniffed, looked around and wagged her tail as she stared at the door to go back indoors. When we got back inside, I noticed that Posh planted herself next to her designated feeding station. That's when it hit me — Posh was expressing her jetlag in food terms! Her tummy was telling her that it was five o'clock Miami time, her normal dinner time. I tried snacks, but she wanted the real deal. We worked out an amicable solution — half a portion at Miami time, and the other half at Barcelona time. My birthday was a dream come true. My friend had booked reservations at a restaurant called Mond Vinic, which is Catalan for World of Wine. We had a private dining room where we were surrounded by modern bookshelves stacked with wine encyclopedias. In trying to decipher how to pair our eight-course meal with the corresponding wines, we encountered a wine list in the form of an iPad. We figured that we could come up with our pairing menu by applying filters to our search. Oh, how wrong we were! Each filter yielded at least 2,000 different wines, which were all guaranteed to be available on site. This overwhelming sensation was a clear indication that we would go with the sommelier-recommended pairings. The following days were full of walks, visits to local markets, restaurants and bars, and even a couple of walks to some parks where Posh mingled with local canines. We experienced beautiful spring activities, as well as long walks full of bustling sounds and floral smells which both Posh and I enjoyed. Barcelona happens to be very close to Spain's Cava-producing region. Cava is the denomination of origin for sparkling wine from Spain. There it was - we were on our way to the wineries of Sant Sadurni d'Anoia! This is where Posh proved that her report card had all A-pluses in extracurricular activities. During a visit to a prestigious family-owned winery, we stopped by the de-corking station, where wine bottles are de-corked after the first fermentation to remove any residual sugar in the form of carbonation. This process causes an overflow of the sparkling content, which is captured in big receptacles. The smell that escapes from that room is absolutely enticing. No one from the public is allowed into that room due to sanitation regulations. As the group veered in the opposite direction, Posh decided to follow her nose and guided me into the de-corking room. The laughter of everyone at the winery was almost as bubbly as the Cava itself. Later, Posh would target each corner and proudly show me what she found there. I reached down to feel what she kept showing me, and discovered that in each corner was a knee-high stump in the shape of an oversized sparkling wine cork! Our Barcelona experience is now captured in a very special part of my heart and memory. I still remember the sounds of the Boeing 777 as we crossed the Atlantic Ocean. I can still feel the red velvet on the couches at Casa Fuster and the vibrations of the jazz band all around us. I can savor each cheese; each slice of serrano; each drop of olive oil; each pastry, each chocolate. The sounds of corks popping and wine being poured are vivid in my mind. I can still hear the diversity of voices and accents, between Spanish and Catalan, between different parts of the Mediterranean and other regions of Spain. The nose and the sip from each glass of Cava, each glass of wine are still present… Well, for some reason, those are fading a bit; I may need a refresher. Everything came together in the way in which Spain embraces people with visual impairments and the way in which each public venue respects guiding teams. What a good birthday trip that was. I think I already know where I want to go for my coming-of-age birthday. Cheers! ***** ** My Velvet Adventure - A Coming of Age Story by Sandra Sermons As far back as I can remember, I have had a fascination with the former Eastern Europe. I can still remember vividly President Reagan’s thunderous quote, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." So, imagine my exhilaration when I found out that I would spend the first semester of my junior year of college (fall 1993) in Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia). Of course, there were logistical issues: where would I stay? How about readers? And of course, where would I get my hair done (being that I am African American, and the Czech Republic is, well…). Interestingly enough, I ended up being hosted by a family. My host sister, Pavla Valnickova, was a gold medalist in the Paralympics. However, my initial euphoria dimmed into unadulterated fear when I found myself on a flight to Prague. The food took some getting used to. My host family and I worked out a system wherein if I liked a particular dish, I would say it was good. If I didn't, I would say that it was "interesting," and they wouldn't give it to me anymore. As time went on, it really sank in that I was there for the long haul. I mean it was me, myself and I - no family, friends or anyone who could take away my homesickness. Of course, I could have chosen to go home, particularly for the first few weeks, but I have never been a quitter, so I decided to give it my best. It was after that mind shift that I started to realize some things: First, very few people spoke English, so I had to learn Czech; after all, I was in the Czech Republic. With my mediocre language skills came my ability to get out and about. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Prague has a public transportation system to rival the one in Washington, D.C. Just like in D.C., all metro stops were announced. However, in Prague, the bus and tram stops were all announced as well. This is during the time when we were still trying to get bus drivers to announce the stops back in the States. In addition, there were audible pedestrian signals all over the city, while in the U.S. we were still arguing over the need for them. Then there was the currency. The paper bills came in different sizes, and a little piece of plastic with raised markings made it possible for a person who is blind to determine the denomination independently. By contrast, our money identifiers were heavy and inaccurate. Speaking of money, the Czech Republic is known for their Bohemian crystal. There were crystal shops on every corner. So, this one particular day, my friends and I visited a crystal shop that we hadn't previously been to. My friends were describing some of the patterns and they sounded beautiful, but I wanted to touch them. Only problem was, you guessed it, the shopkeeper didn't speak English. So, my friends and I were doing the usual gestures, and trying to think of the Czech word for blind, all to no avail. The shopkeeper just didn't get it. Finally, I pulled out my American Express. The shopkeeper said "ohhh," took me by the hand, and allowed me to touch every piece of crystal in the entire shop, including the stockroom. I purchased several sets of crystal. From that day on, I couldn't even walk down that street without the shopkeeper trying to drag me into her store. And any time I wanted to purchase something, out came the credit card and more often than not, I was then allowed to touch the item if needed. There was no shortage of things to buy, do, and see in the Czech Republic. Besides crystal, the Czech Republic is also known for its culture. The number of classical concerts happening everywhere was amazing. In fact, most of my classical CDs came from Prague. Where were the concerts held? Surprisingly enough, they were held in churches. Like most modern cities, Prague had an opera house. However, the vast majority of the concerts took place in churches. Ironically, the Czech Republic is an atheist country. Nevertheless, they have more churches than the Vatican - go figure. What I learned on my velvet adventure was this. As an American who is blind, I was able to live in a foreign country and not just exist, but actually thrive. Were there obstacles? Sure, but I overcame them, and in doing so discovered my inner strength, resilience, and resourcefulness. Also, I learned that we in the U.S. are truly blessed. However, our way is not the only way, nor is it even the best way in some instances. The moral of the story is to always try to be open-minded and willing to learn because you never know. Your next adventure may be just around the corner. ***** ** My International Adventure through Israel by Meryl Shecter Vice Chair, ACB International Relations Committee In June of 1972, I flew with two of my sighted college girlfriends, all of us Jewish, to Israel for a seven-week adventure. These two sisters, twins, were a great help to me, being that I was a blind young adult traveling abroad. We flew on El Al Airlines, an Israeli carrier; the flight lasted 13 hours, and kosher meals were provided. For those of you who do not know, the term kosher is used to define the Jewish dietary laws, where the mother's milk from the cow cannot be mixed with meat from the same animal. In addition, Orthodox Jews do not consume anything with a cloven hoof, such as a pig, since it is considered unclean. The Hebrew word is kashrut, which is the observance of keeping kosher, where separate dishes are used for meat and dairy. During our voyage we had a layover at Orly Airport, outside of Paris, giving the plane a chance to refuel and I had the opportunity to use my fluent French. Arriving on Israeli soil was a life-changing experience. This would be the trip of a lifetime, where we would be fully immersed in Israeli society. We arrived at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where we lived in a dorm with a communal kitchen. This was a joyous international experience, where young women learned about other cultures. Besides conversing in their native languages, they spoke in English when communicating with everyone. The dorm was located on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, and we took courses taught in English, by U.S. and Israeli professors alike, on Israeli Society and Talmudic thought and literature. The Talmud is Rabbinic text that governs Jewish daily life. While studying Israeli Society, the class took two excursions — one to a kibbutz and the other to a moshav. A kibbutz is an agricultural settlement organized under collectivist principles, where people live communally off the land. A moshav is a cooperative community made up of small farm settlements. As a blind person, I was welcomed with warm hospitality, and this welcoming spirit was pervasive throughout the entire trip. During these two communal visits, we drank fresh apple juice in their kitchens and observed the happy Israeli children learn. This took place over a year before the 1973 Yom Kippur War where Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack during Yom Kippur, which is the Jewish Day of Atonement. On Friday evening, many of us went to Givat Ram (pronounced Givot Rom), another satellite campus of the Hebrew University, where we had a Shabbat (Sabbath) dinner and then our synagogue services, with various rituals, prayers a sermon and songs. The Jewish Sabbath commences on Friday evening and culminates on Saturday evening at sundown. On Friday evening, the Sabbath candles are lit, and prayers are said to bless the candles, wine and challah, a traditional Jewish yeast bread enriched with eggs. The Shabbat dinner consists of kosher chicken, potato kugel, a potato-based dish made with pureed potatoes, eggs, onions, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and flour or matzoh meal. Matzoh is unleavened bread, because during biblical times, when the Jews left Egypt to escape the Pharaoh, they did not have time for the bread to rise. The Friday night festivities were sponsored by Hillel, an international organization for college and university students. The number 9 bus, which took us to Givat Ram and the supermarket, was a great ride, where the driver played '50s music and the disc jockey spoke in Hebrew, a language of which I spoke very little. Jerusalem has a few major thoroughfares: • Ben Yehuda Street, replete with cafes, shops and street vendors, was named after Eliezer Ben Yehuda, who revived the Hebrew language. In English Ben means "Son of." • King George Street, in Central Jerusalem was named after King George V. This street connects Ben Yehuda Street with Jaffa Road to the Central Triangle, which is the downtown business district. Amidst the hubbub of this area, one can go shopping, catch a bus or meet a friend. Again, the owners were friendly, and blindness was not an issue. • One of the high points of the trip was a visit to Merkaz Klita, an absorption center for Russian Jewish immigrants who stay there temporarily until they are settled. These people spoke Russian as well as Yiddish. Yiddish is a combination of high German, Hebrew, Slavic and traces of romance languages, spoken by Ashkenazic Jews, who are Central and Eastern European Jews. • Mount Masada is a mountain fortress that the Jews defended against the Romans, and it was a stronghold that was and is visited to this day. With assistance, I climbed Mount Masada, but we descended via a cable car. • Hebron is a southern Palestinian city in the West Bank. You smell various aromas of live animals, flowers, and fresh fruits and vegetables. We haggled with merchants in the Arab market for our purchases. There is definitely an art to this. My encounters with Christians as well as Muslim Arabs were very friendly, and there was no judgment as to my gender, religion or disability. Another thrilling event was riding a camel in the hot Sahara Desert. Feeling the torrid wind and burning sand on my face, I was amazed that these camels travel long distances and store voluminous amounts of water in their bodies, something you learned in school, but can never appreciate until you are there. The camel's skin is soft and elastic to the touch. To my Christian friends, I visited Bethlehem and Nazareth. To my fellow Jewish friends, I went to Rachel's Tomb as well as Joseph's Tomb. For my Muslim friends, I visited the Mosque of Omar, and I heard the call to prayer five times a day. My trip was historic, memorable and fun. I will be forever grateful for the generosity shown to myself and my friends. ***** ** Passings We honor here members, friends and supporters of the American Council of the Blind who have impacted our lives in many wonderful ways. If you would like to submit a notice for this column, please include as much of the following information as possible. Name (first, last, maiden if appropriate) City of residence (upon passing) State/province of residence (upon passing) Other cities/states/countries of residence (places where other blind people may have known this person) Occupation Date of death (day if known, month, year) Age ACB affiliation (local/state/special-interest affiliates or national committees) Deaths that occurred more than six months ago cannot be reported in this column. * Chester Pike "Chet" Avery by Joel Snyder Chester Pike (Spike) Avery, Jr. passed away on Sept. 8, 2022, at his home in Alexandria, Va. He was 85 years old. Chet was a dear friend and an important contributor to the development of audio description. His quick wit and easy-going manner are qualities that I admired. Some of you may not know that in the 1960s, Chet conceived of audio description as a formal process that could convey the visual images of theater performances to people who are blind or have low vision. I interviewed Chet for my book, "The Visual Made Verbal," published by ACB. By the age of 17, he lost all vision due to a detached retina. He told me that he had some vision as a teenager but once he had lost all vision, he felt a sense of relief — he no longer had to "spend my life concerned about my eyes.” Still, he was "really into" movies: it was 1954 and “everyone had great voices and there was a lot more storyline than today's films … but they're a visual experience principally." In 1964, he began a grants management position at what was then the United States Office of Education. The area that managed statistical information and grants for "special education" (programs for children with disabilities) was close to his office and he proposed "audio captions" on film for blind people. Here in the Washington, D.C. area, he helped Arena Stage create an access committee to advise Arena on ways to make theater accessible. Much of the focus was then on an assistive listening system designed to boost sound for people who are hard-of-hearing. Once again Chet wondered aloud if the "audio caption" idea could be employed using the same equipment - except with an individual voicing descriptions during the pauses between lines of dialogue and critical sound elements. A fellow committee member was Margaret Rockwell, a blind woman with a PhD in Education. Margaret (later Margaret Pfanstiehl) founded The Metropolitan Washington Ear, a closed-circuit radio reading service for people who are blind or for those who don’t otherwise have access to print; Chet served on its original board of directors. The Ear went on to build the world's first audio description service. Chet's "audio caption" idea became a reality, first in the performing arts. Now audio description accompanies almost all feature films produced in the United States, a wide range of television broadcasts, and increasingly in museums. Worldwide, audio description has taken root in over 70 countries. Chet's granddaughter, Kate, is a graduate of ACB’s ADP Audio Description Institute. She remembers loving grandpa's copy of "The Wizard of Oz" because it had audio description! Chet is very much missed – but his inspiration and his wise counsel remains with me. For that, I will always be grateful. More information is available at https://www.everlywheatley.com/tributes/Chester-AveryJr. * William J. Benjamin May 29, 1948-October 25, 2022 William Jess Benjamin, 74, died Oct. 25, 2022 at home in Tallahassee, Fla., after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease and dementia. Born May 29, 1948 in Kansas City, Kan. to George Stillman Benjamin and Marjorie Stockman Benjamin, he was the 5th of their 7 beloved children. After losing his sight to hereditary retinitis pigmentosa at a young age, his family moved to California in order for him to receive a better education relative to his vision. He went on to study at the Emil Fries Piano Hospital and Training Center in Vancouver, Wash., where he became a piano tuner as well as a teacher of piano tuning at the school. He attended many conventions for the blind all over the country. It was at the ACB convention in Orlando, Fla. that he met Sally Ann McEwan, whom he wed July 12, 2002 and relocated to Tallahassee later that year. He owned and operated several piano sales, repair and tuning stores through the years, his most recent being Piano Boutique in Tallahassee. A few of the professional groups William tuned for were Journey, The Eagles, Tammy Wynette, Crystal Gayle, The Pointer Sisters and Merle Haggard. William would call people with vision "sightlings." He performed many "sightling" jobs including digging up, leveling and re-laying the brick patio; assisted in taking care of the pool; raked and burned leaves and limbs, and building a tree house complete with stairs, railing and dumbwaiter. William was a member of Tallahassee Heights United Methodist Church, the Piano Technicians Guild and past president of the Lions Club of Tallahassee and American Council of Blind Lions. He and Sally became residents at Cherry Laurel Retirement Community in February 2019. He always had a joke and a story; a favorite was why God invented perfume, so even a blind man could enjoy a pretty lady. Travel was a big part of William's life – the conventions for the blind, cruises, camping and then RV trips with family. Many thanks go to the many friends and family that have supported him and Sally during his illness. William is survived by his wife, Sally Ann McEwan Benjamin; two brothers - Leo George Benjamin (Betty Jo), Harrodsburg, Ky.; Kenneth "Ken" Jay Benjamin (Rose), Stockton, Calif.; a sister, Violet Bernice Prendergast (John), Pueblo, Colo.; sisters-in-law Sylvia Gregory Kelley, Shirley McEwan Moore (DeVoe), all of Tallahassee, and many extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Angela "Angel" Benjamin; two brothers, Joseph "Joe" S. Benjamin, Walter Benjamin; a sister, Shirley Benjamin; his parents-in-law, Wilbur J. and Louie Dell Copeland McEwan; and sister-in-law Sharon McEwan Palmer. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Florida Council of the Blind, Lions Club of Tallahassee, THUMC or a charity of your choice. * Fred Scheigert Reprinted from "The Saratogian," Aug. 2, 2022. Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, Fred W. Scheigert, loving husband, stepfather, friend and grandpa, passed away after a short illness at the age of 71. Fred was born April 25, 1951 to William and Charlotte (Abramson) Scheigert. He spent his early childhood in New Jersey, later moving to Florida, where he attended Florida State University. It was there he graduated with a degree in political science. Fred had many interests outside of his family and friends, including watching Indy racing, bowling, being an active member of the Lions Club, and had a love of geography and travel, especially cruises of all lengths and destinations. It was a stop in New Zealand that brought him to one of his biggest passions: harness racing. Fred went on to own over 150 horses, and raced at nine different racetracks in five different states in just over a 20-year span. He dabbled in breeding a few mares over the years, and was known for his giant heart as an owner, even buying previous horses back to give them the retirement they deserved. He was an active donor to New Vocations Rescue and the Standardbred Retirement Foundation. He was a well-known and prominent owner at his home track in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he could be seen most race cards wearing his red stable jacket, cheering on his team and putting his $20 bet to win on all of his horses no matter their post. Another of Fred's greatest prides was his scholarship programs, where for years he has proudly awarded scholarships to visually impaired students. Kind, pure and selfless were just a few words used to describe Fred. He will be missed by many, but most of all by his loving wife Alexa Poli-Scheigert, stepdaughter Aviva Carroll, close friends Perry Pelonero and Amanda Kelley, and "granddaughters" Maci DeCarlo and Ada Pelonero. A private burial was held for him, honoring his Jewish tradition. Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com or https://www.lastingmemories.com/fred-w-scheigert. ***** ** Here and There edited by Cynthia G. Hawkins The announcement of products and services in this column does not represent an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its officers, or staff. Listings are free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The ACB E-Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of the products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to slovering@acb.org, or phone the national office at 1-800-424-8666, and leave a message in Sharon Lovering's mailbox. Information must be received at least two months ahead of publication date. * 2022 ACB Convention Podcasts Now Available ACB Media is proud to announce that the podcasts of the hybrid general sessions from the 2022 convention in Omaha, Neb. are now available. All presentations that were not heard on the live webinar and ACB Media feeds are in these recordings, including the presentation made by Marc Workman, CEO of the World Blind Union. Access the general sessions and banquet podcasts at https://www.acbmedia.org/category/convention/. For the RSS feed, visit https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-convention. Breakout sessions are available at https://www.acbmedia.org/podcasts/. Breakout sessions from the ACB business meetings on July 11 & 13 will be available soon. We will publish a searchable cross reference of all sessions after all podcasts are published. * National Braille Press Holiday Cards Now available: National Braille Press' annual holiday cards. The cards feature an illustration of four light brown or slate gray houses with snow on the roofs and smoke wafting out of their chimneys, surrounding a Christmas tree with lights and a star on top. Under the illustration is the message, "It's the most wonderful time of the year" in braille and golden print. The message inside says, "May you be surrounded by those you love!" in braille and red print. Also available are cards from 2021 and 2019. All come in packs of 10. And yes, Peanuts fans, the 2023 print-and-braille calendar is also available. It features all your favorite characters - Snoopy and Woodstock, Linus, Sally, Lucy, and Charlie Brown. The braille is included on clear plastic labels. For more information, call toll-free 1-800-548-7323 or (617) 266-6160 ext. 520; or visit www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html. * Holiday Cards Southern Style Southeastern Guide Dogs now has holiday cards available. The Christmas cards feature four Labradors – two black, two yellow – on the front, with the word "Hope" spelled out in white on red squares. The message inside reads, "May your days be filled with hope and joy. Merry Christmas!" The holiday cards feature the same four Labradors, with the word "Hope" spelled out in white on blue squares. The interior message reads, "Wishing you a holiday filled with hope and light." Both come in packs of 10. For more information, visit https://www.guidedogs.org/connect/shop/. * 2022 Holman Prize Winners The San Francisco LightHouse recently announced the names of the winners of the 2022 Holman Prize. They are: • Abby Griffith, 28 – United States • Cassie Hames, 33 – Australia • Tafadzwa Nyamuzihwa, 38 – Germany The Holman Prize awards up to $25,000 each to three blind people who have ambitious ideas that challenge misperceptions about blindness while also challenging themselves. The Holman Prize is named for James Holman, a 19th century blind explorer who was the most prolific private traveler of anyone, blind or sighted, before the era of modern transportation. * LightHouse Welcomes New CEO Sharon Giovinazzo is the LightHouse's new CEO. She brings more than two decades of experience leading organizations dedicated to advocating for and serving the needs of the blind and visually impaired. She previously served as President and CEO of World Services for the Blind. Giovinazzo will be responsible for leading the organization's dedicated team of blindness advocates, educators, and professionals while growing the value of the organization to its members, donors, sponsors, partners, and other stakeholders. She will spearhead efforts to promote the independence and equality of the community, while strengthening the organization and its programs. ***** ** High Tech Swap Shop * For Sale: Magic Chef talking microwave. Used; like new. Asking $150 (includes shipping). Will accept PayPal or Zelle, or Apple Pay. Contact Shawn Cox at (585) 404-6643 or email him, smcox76@gmail.com. * For Sale: Google Pixel 6 Android phone with the latest Android operating system v.13 installed. This phone is black in color and is a 128GB model. It will come with the following accessories: ZAGG tempered glass screen protector, black OtterBox Defender carrying case with holster and belt clip, and another black slimmer Spigen carrying case without a holster or belt clip. The phone will also come with the original USB-C cable and a 20W power adapter. Asking $600 or best reasonable offer. I'll pay shipping. Also selling an original HumanWare BrailleNote Touch 32-cell notetaker with all the latest updates. In pristine physical, cosmetic and working condition. Also included is the original micro-USB charging/data cable and a 256-gig USB flash card for extra storage. Asking $1,500 or best reasonable offer; will either pay for shipping or ship free matter for the blind (U.S. only). Will accept PayPal using don.risavy@att.net or can accept Apple Pay or Venmo. If you have any questions, send an email to djrisavyjr@att.net. ***** ** ACB Officers * President Dan Spoone (2nd term, 2023) 3924 Lake Mirage Blvd. Orlando, FL 32817-1554 * First Vice President Deb Cook Lewis (1st term, 2023) 1131 Liberty Dr. Clarkston, WA 99403 * Second Vice President Ray Campbell (2nd term, 2023) 460 Raintree Ct. #3K Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 * Secretary Denise Colley (2nd term, 2023) 26131 Travis Brook Dr. Richmond, TX 77406-3990 * Treasurer David Trott (final term, 2023) 1018 East St. S. 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