To promote independence and opportunities for people with vision impairments.
To continue to be recognized as the leading advocacy organization for people with vision impairments in Pennsylvania.
The aim of all of our efforts is to encourage and assist people in achieving
their potential as valued members of society.
PCB assistance, advocacy, and encouragement will be carried out in such areas as, but not limited to, all aspects of accessibility, transportation, education, and employment.
Articles in this publication reflect the views of the individual writers. They do not necessarily represent the views and policy of the PCB.
Sue Lichtenfels, Content Editor
Jeanette Schmoyer, Copy Editor
Carol Swartz, Layout Editor
If you wish to submit articles for consideration, submission deadlines are:
| March | 1 | June | 1 |
| September | 1 | December | 1 |
Send articles to: ADVOCATE, c/o Sue Lichtenfels : 96 Robb Hollow Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15243 or Email advocate@pcb1.org.
The PCB Advocate is available in large print, Braille, digital cartridge and Email. Send changes of address or format preference to the PCB office.
By George Holliday, PCB President
Summer is here. That means many of us will be taking vacations, heading to the beach or mountains, planning barbecues, and preparing to head to Reno for the ACB National Convention. These are all great, but let's don't forget what PCB is all about. Advocacy is our first and main goal. Let's take some time over the summer months to make either a visit or telephone call to our U.S. representatives.
Currently the House of Representatives is reviewing H.R. 860, which deals with amending the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to promote charitable donations of qualified vehicles. This bill was sponsored by Representative John D. Larson of Connecticut. There are currently 71 sponsors. Of this number only three of them are from Pennsylvania. That tells me that we, the members of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind, have several visits and calls to make. Let's don't wait to hear that just one, five, or a dozen members from around the state contacted their Representative. Let's all join as a group and take the time to reach out to your representatives.
During the past year several individuals have commented that they didn't know their representatives. If you are not sure who your representatives are, contact a member of the PCB Governmental Affairs Committee. Remember, those representatives were put in office with your votes, so they are there to listen to what you have to say.
There are other proposed bills and issues that should concern each of us. The PCB Governmental Affairs Committee will be addressing them and other issues at the PCB Legislative Seminar in October, if not before. Stay tuned, and have a fantastic and safe summer, but remember: "ADVOCACY FIRST."
By John Horst, PCB Executive Director
As we approach the summer months, it is easy to have our minds occupied with thoughts of vacations, picnics, cookouts, etc. However, let's remember that the issues for which we are advocating on behalf of low vision and blind people do not take a vacation. As a result it is important that PCB chapters and individuals remain active during these months. Congress and our state representatives are usually in their home offices during these months, so this is a good time for a personal visit or at least a telephone call. Transportation funding, coverage through Medicare for low vision aids and other devices for persons who are vision impaired, medical prescriptions labeled in large print or braille, and funding for services are key issues.
Another concern that PCB has and is working to have changed is the limitation placed on service delivery that nongovernmental agencies face because of a stipulation in the Pennsylvania Social Services Union Contract to which all BBVS service workers belong. Such skills as mobility instruction, rehabilitation teaching, and other blindness skills training must be taught by BBVS staff unless it can be shown that BBVS does not have the staff or that there will be undue delay. As a result an individual applying to a community agency which has qualified staff cannot receive the service. Referral must be made to BBVS.
Orders for "The True No Measure Cookbook" have come to the PCB office from all over the US and are forwarded to Susan Lichtenfels for delivery. If you have not ordered your copy in your preferred format, what are you waiting for? People are thrilled with this edition.
The five regional meetings were great. We congratulate the host chapters for their excellent programs. Now it is time to look forward and plan your attendance at the state convention. Read on for detailed convention information in this issue.
The office is in the process of notifying chapters concerning the PCB members at large and others who have not paid dues in 2011, so that these persons can be contacted and invited to join their local chapter. Chapters should have a working plan to accomplish this.
The PCB office is at your service. Please contact us for information and to ask any Questions.
Seeking Nominations for 2011 PCB Awards
By Sue Lichtenfels, Chair, Awards Committee
PCB believes that individuals and companies who make a difference in the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired need to be recognized for their commitment. Each year at the PCB Conference and Convention we celebrate the work of these advocates by bestowing the Distinguished Service Award, Honorary Service Awards, and the Corporate Service Award. This year's award winners will be recognized on Saturday, October 22, 2011, during the convention banquet at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Hershey, located in Camp Hill. The criteria for these awards follow:
PCB Distinguished Service Award:
PCB Honorary Service Award:
PCB Corporate Service Award:
Nominations for any of these awards can be made by any individual or organization who supports the work of PCB. Nominated individuals may be but do not have to be PCB members. When making a nomination, please include the name of the person being nominated, his/her address, phone, and Email, as well as the category in which you are nominating him/her. Please also include your name and contact information. In 100 words or less please explain your reason for nominating this individual/company and include any supporting material such as articles, brochures, testimonials, etc. Submit your nominations in your preferred format by August 20, 2011, to Sue Lichtenfels, 96 Robb Hollow Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15243, or via Email to susan@lichtenfels.us.
The Braille Committee is in the process of planning the activities we will be conducting for the upcoming convention. We will be presenting a "Beginning Braille" workshop on Friday afternoon. On Saturday during the "Tips and Tricks" session we'll be talking about all kinds of labeling strategies. We'll also be presenting ways in which even a little bit of braille can be a big help.
You'll be hearing more about each of these activities as our plans become established. If you have thoughts or ideas about something you would like us to include, please don't hesitate to send me an Email with "Braille" in the subject. My Email address is louc01@verizon.net.
It's probably stating the obvious, but we have all faced some form of change in our lives; vision loss being that which we share as members of this organization.
Accepting the change is not a response, but rather a process. Speaking from my own experience, PCB has so much to offer anyone striving to reach their full potential as a person who happens to be blind or visually impaired. Whether impacted by vision loss as a child, or adult, or as the spouse or parent, PCB recognizes the importance of providing the necessary tools to help move through the adjustment process.
I was fortunate enough to have the exposure to all that PCB offers early in my own personal development. Access to information and the opportunity to learn from others are two major factors that I credit to aiding my progress. I'm personally looking forward to all that PCB has to offer in this year's 2011 convention taking place October 21-23 at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Hershey in Camp Hill, PA.
After an absence of seven years, our convention and conference returns to Harrisburg. What immediately comes to mind at the mention of the city is that it is our state capital. Unfortunately the city receives little regard beyond that, so let's take a moment to recognize a few essential facts about this year's convention host city.
First settled in 1719 by an English trader, John Harris, Sr., along the east bank of the Susquehanna River, the future Harrisburg remained a small western wilderness outpost for decades. In 1785 John Harris, Jr. developed plans to lay out a town on his father's land, which he named Harrisburg. In the spring of 1785 the town was formally surveyed, and in 1791 Harrisburg was incorporated. In October of 1812 it was named the Pennsylvania state capital and has remained so since. During the 19th century the building of the Pennsylvania Canal and the Pennsylvania Railroad, the development of the steel industry and the fertile agricultural lands south and east of the city spurred Harrisburg's growth into one of the most industrialized cities in the northeastern United States.
Its population steadily increased through the late 19th into the mid 20th century, reaching a zenith of nearly ninety thousand in the 1950 census. But like so many other northeast American industrial urban centers, with the flight to the suburbs, from mid century its population rapidly waned. In the mid-to-late 20th century the city's economic fortunes fluctuated, and the 1970's proved an economic low point. Beginning in the early 1980's Harrisburg experienced an economic resurgence. Elected mayor in 1981 and remaining in office through 2009, the city's longest serving mayor, Stephen R. Reed, immediately began projects which would attract both businesses and tourists. Several museums and hotels such as Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, the National Civil War Museum, and the Hilton Harrisburg and Towers were built during his term, along with many office buildings and residences.
In 2010 Forbes rated Harrisburg as the second best place to raise a family. Also in 2010 with the financial stability of the region supported by the high concentration of state and federal government agencies, The Daily Beast website in ranking metropolitan areas across the country as being recession-proof, rated the Harrisburg region number seven. In support of the city's resurgence our convention returns to Harrisburg.
A Friday morning tour has been planned for a visit to Hershey's Chocolate World. This state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to celebrating the life and legacy of Milton Hershey and his inspiring journey from failure to fortune. After locating his new chocolate factory on the farmland near his place of birth, Hershey, who viewed his employees as more than a source of labor, established a town to accommodate his workers. Among his many life's further accomplishments was the creation of a school for disadvantaged children.
The tour will include an indoor accessible train ride which passes by and through exhibits from which we'll learn the chocolate making process from bean to finished product. The tour will also include a chocolate tasting session and lunch at the facility's cafeteria.
The cost of the tour including transportation and lunch is $20.00. Several options for lunch will be offered, so if you are interested in joining the tour, be certain to check off your lunch preference on the convention registration form.
This year's theme is "Embracing Change." With that in mind the Convention Planning Committee is putting together a variety of topics to empower attendees. Among several great discussions, this conference will include a presentation on relationships and a first time opportunity for us all to share our stories.
The specific dynamics that are introduced into relationships following vision loss can prove to be quite difficult. These dynamics involve spouses, significant others, parents and peers. Two workshops will address this subject and offer specific strategies to improve these relationships.
In addition to hearing from Elaine Welch, Director of the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind, on Saturday we will also hear
One very important aspect of convention is creating an environment allowing individuals to effectively network with one another. Hearing from others who share similar experiences can benefit as much if not more than lessons from the experts.
During prior conventions the post banquet entertainment originated from individuals outside of our membership such as keynote presenters, live entertainment, and even guest auctioneers for our highly exciting and fun filled auction. This year we are relying on each other and the wealth of experiences that we all possess. We are going to participate in an evening of storytelling.
The following quote is from the Wikipedia entry on Oral Storytelling:
"The storyteller reveals, and thus shares, him/her self through his/her telling and the listeners reveal and share themselves through their reception of the story. The intimacy and connection is deepened by the flexibility of oral storytelling which allows the tale to be molded according to the needs of the audience and/or the location or environment of the telling. Listeners also experience the immediacy of a creative process taking place in their presence and, even more than that, they experience the empowerment of being a part of that creative process."
Add the life lessons, motivation, and inspiration obtained from stories of success directly from our peers and it's clear that this event is a match for our convention.
Here is what you need to know:
If you wish to participate with a story for the "Sharing Our Stories" event, please indicate such on the convention registration form.
I'm sure many of you are already thinking of a great story to share. If you would like to hear an example, please check out the June/July episode of PCB Reports.
Change is a process that you shouldn't endure alone. Join us this year for the 2011 PCB State Convention and Conference where we will continue to support and learn from one another.
Now stop what you are doing and make your reservation by calling the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg Hershey in Camp Hill directly at 717-763-7117. The room rate is $94 per night, for up to four occupants. (Taxes are not included.)
The 2011 PCB Convention and Conference is just a few months away. The Convention Program Committee has been hard at work putting together another great weekend. Several additional committees, including the Nominating Committee, will host different segments.
The Candidates Forum will be held Friday evening. At that time, you will hear from fellow PCB members about why they are seeking the positions of President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, four two-year Directors' positions and one one-year Director's position. The elections will be held during the Saturday afternoon session.
In previous years Past President, Joseph Perry, chaired the Nominating Committee. Upon his request he is relinquishing the position due to illness and computer problems. I will assume that position since I am reaching the end of my term. I wish to thank Joe for all his hard work, dedication, and support to PCB.
If you are interested in one of these positions, submit your name to the Nominating Committee by September 15, 2011, along with a bio and why you would like to hold the position. All bios should be sent via Email to george.holliday1@verizon.net or communicated to me via phone at 215-748-3556.
Remember, these are the potential 2012 future leaders of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind. Come to the Candidates Forum, hear what they have to say, and be prepared to ask questions. They are looking for your vote of confidence and support.
It is Memorial Day as I write this article and it's hard to believe that 2011 is almost half-gone! The Employment Committee is already busy making plans for the PCB State Convention which will be here before you know it.
In the past the Employment Committee has conducted pre-convention employment seminars and job fairs which took place on Friday of convention weekend. This year we are taking a different approach. Our employment activities will take place during the convention, which will give everyone who is attending the convention the opportunity to take advantage of what we have to offer. The theme of this year's PCB convention is "Embracing Change." This concept is especially relevant to the employment sector.
There have been many changes in job search and employment options in the past few years. With the proliferation of budget cuts and corporate down-sizing, many people are working from home whether it is by telecommuting to save corporate expenses or by starting their own home-based businesses. There are other trends which are changing the job search and employment landscape. For example, Schedule A is a government initiative which allows people with disabilities to fill out a form which will put them at the head of the line to be considered for government jobs along with veterans. (For more information about this and other initiatives, see Lynne Maleeff's employment article in the last issue of The PCB Advocate.) Considering all of these factors, the committee decided that the theme for the employment presentation at this year's convention will be "Working from Home and Other Timely Trends."
The Employment Committee will participate in two aspects of the upcoming convention. First, the committee plans to sponsor an expanded exhibit which will run in conjunction with the regular PCB exhibits on Friday afternoon and Saturday. We are encouraging companies that have work-at-home opportunities, business owners who are blind or visually impaired, and companies and organizations which offer employment-related services to consider having a booth in the exhibit hall where they can market their products and services, recruit potential employees, and answer questions. Anyone who is interested in participating in this exhibit opportunity should call me at 724-941-8184.
The second component of our employment program will be a panel presentation titled, "Working from Home and Other Timely Trends." It will take place on Saturday morning during the general session of the convention, making it possible for all convention attendees to participate. The presentation will consist of three parts: a panel discussion among individuals who work from home, a brief summary of timely employment trends, and a time for questions and answers.
As you can see, we have an exciting employment program planned for this year's convention! In addition, the employment articles in this year's issues of The PCB Advocate are designed to supplement our convention employment program. We began with Lynne Maleeff's employment article which was published in the spring issue. The next issue will feature an article by Terri Winaught dealing with the advantages and disadvantages of working from home and telecommuting as a reasonable accommodation. Finally, the winter issue of the Advocate will feature a summary of our convention employment program. Please stay tuned for further details as they become available.
Congratulations to each chapter that participated in the Six Month Calendar Raffle joint project with PCB. Together we sold 751 tickets; a few more than last year. We plan to once again distribute the individual chapter checks at the annual convention. The break-down of how many tickets each chapter sold follows.
| Beaver | 45 | Capital City | 45 |
| Care-Share | 75 | Carl Shoemaker | 6 |
| Golden Triangle | 84 | Lehigh Valley | 94 |
| Luzerne | 38 | Monroe County | 110 |
| Oil Valley | 19 | PCB | 15 |
| Philadelphia Regional | 69 | Red Rose | 20 |
| Washington County | 81 | York County | 50 |
This summer our committee will be fundraising at the ACB Convention. We will have a table in the exhibit hall to sell our True No Measure Cookbook along with other items to be determined. We are seeking assistance from PCB members attending the ACB Convention to help man the exhibit table in their free time. If you think you may have some availability during convention week, please contact Sue Lichtenfels on her cell phone at 412-480-9696.
Our committee is also making plans for this year's PCB Live Auction. This year the auction returns to Friday night immediately following the opening session. Convention attendees seem to have more energy on the first night of convention than they do after the long Saturday of seminars and evening banquet. Another change for this year is that auctioneers will come directly from within the PCB membership. We are also strongly considering a silent auction or chance auction for some items in order to cut down on the length of the live auction.
We hope once again to have many fabulous prizes to auction. Please help us gather prizes from small businesses, large corporations, sports teams, entertainment venues, and restaurants in your area. We especially hope that members from the Capital City Chapter will reach out to their business community. The letter to request prizes for this year's auction is online at www.pcb1.org on the convention page. Letters can also be sent to your Email address or postal mail address by requesting them from Sue Lichtenfels at 412-429-1727.
As has been the case at previous conventions, our committee again will be sponsoring the Used Media Sale. The donations we are requesting to make this annual event successful are books on CD, music on CD, braille books, large print books, computer games, software, and DVD'S. Please send your generous donations to the PCB Office: 931 North Front Street, Harrisburg PA 17102. If donating your time is possible, we are looking for people to staff the media sale table in shifts of 2-3 hours.
For additional information about any of the Fundraising Committee's activities, to request the auction prize letter, or to volunteer to assist with any fundraising endeavor, please contact the chair, Sue Lichtenfels, at home at 412-429-1727, on her cell phone at 412-480-9696, or via Email to susan@lichtenfels.us. Thank you for your support of PCB fundraising activities.
For those of you who listen to the audio clip known as "Talking Advocacy and Government" (TAG), produced by the Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC), you will have heard and will be hearing much more about our educational system as it relates to accessibility and usability to the nation's students who are blind or visually impaired.
For now, I wanted to briefly delve into the comparison of growing up as a blind student in the 60's, 70's and 80's to today's students who are blind or visually impaired. I say briefly because this is a topic that could take up pages and pages of writing. The issues at hand concern technology, daily living skills, independence outside the home, whether or not educators expect performance from their visually impaired students, how much should parents be involved, and the list of issues marches on. If you are a TAG fan, you'll undoubtedly hear much more about this in months to come.
Perhaps one of the most significant improvements for people who are blind has been the advancement in technology. Through the use of assistive devices, students who have a vision impairment or print handicap from grade school through post secondary school and beyond have the tools to gain and maintain learning equality with their peers.
I can vividly recall my fourth grade self trudging through the halls of Columbus School with a "portable" Smith Corona typewriter or my Perkins Brailler and volumes of braille books from class to class. I can also vividly recall the racket that I made using these devices and how very conspicuous I felt. The typewriter was to take tests in a format that my teacher could read and the Perkins Brailler was to take notes that I could read. What a juggling act! My books were sent to me in braille, which while cumbersome, was far preferable to my college texts which were only available on cassette tape and prone to tangling and breaking at the most inconvenient times.
So, where are we now? Now a fourth grader can easily move from class to class with his or her notetaker or netbook. She can use this one small, light-weight device for taking both notes and tests. Now this fourth grader is probably the cool kid in the class, using a computer efficiently and one that might even speak. Through use of such a portable device with a headphone, the young elementary school aged child need not suffer the embarrassment of the clickedy clack of a typewriter or brailler and can be nearly inconspicuous.
Secondary and post secondary students can now perform the kind of research to remain competitive with their peers in producing research papers, essays, doctoral theses, etc. While the digital age has leveled many of the playing fields for individuals who are print impaired, make no mistake that advocacy is still required. Because of ever emerging technology, to a great degree, students who are visually impaired have equal opportunity to become proficient in the tasks set before them by educators. The question to ask now is, "Are learning institutions complying with the laws governing equal access to tools which are implemented in learning institutions?" As always, advocates need to insure that these laws, namely Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, are complied with at all times. There are still devices which are not at all accessible to the print impaired individual and many of us in the blindness community are having our voices heard to assure that use of these devices is not required in the classroom to the exclusion of the blind or visually impaired student.
To learn more about this topic and what is being done on the federal level, go to the Office of Civil Right's website at www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html.
Now for PCB news related to the GAC. As you are all aware by now, the GAC will be presenting the Seminar on "Advocacy, Legislation and Leadership" to be held October 19-20, prior to our annual state Convention in Camp Hill, PA. Chapter Presidents will all be receiving a letter, fact sheet, and registration form for possible attendees. Please be sure that these forms are returned to the PCB office no later than August 15, 2011. Should you have any questions regarding the seminar, the form, or information received thus far, please do not hesitate to contact Mary Ann Alexander at 570-807-1276; Bob Lichtenfels at 412-429-1727; or Harry Epstein at 954-557-0639.
I leave you with this pertinent thought: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has," said Margaret Mead.
Over the past few years there has been an increasing focus on the willingness of organizations and agencies of the blind to recognize the importance of reaching out to persons with low vision. The Low Vision Committee is pleased to report that PCB and its chapters are making great progress in being a part of this movement. Since 2007 PCB has conducted low vision seminars and included low vision program presentations as part of its annual state conventions. In addition PCB for many years has lined up a variety of vendors of low vision products to be a part of our conventions. Several of our chapters have conducted low vision seminars, expos and support groups. We are encouraged by the willingness of all chapters to look at ways in which they can become involved with educating their communities about the needs of persons experiencing low vision. All this having been said, there is still a lot of work to be done. For whatever reason, we have not been able to convince a significant number of persons with low vision that they would benefit greatly from becoming a part of our organization.
This is where all chapters of PCB and anyone else who reads this article come in. This committee is in the process of collecting materials for two lists. The first list will include local, state, and national low vision resources such as agencies, organizations, equipment providers, low vision training resources etc. The second is a list of low vision materials such as templates for conducting low vision seminars, articles on adjusting to and maximizing low vision, audio and video recordings of low vision seminars or training sessions by low vision professionals, ideas on starting a low vision support group, strategies for persons with low vision related to employment access and employment retention etc.
Our purpose for compiling these two lists is to share the information with PCB chapters or with anyone else who wishes to reach out to persons with low vision. We know there is a lot of valuable information out there. The more knowledge we have pertaining to this area, the more help we can be to those who are struggling with vision loss and who feel like they have no where to turn. Some chapters are already engaged in developing low vision outreach and projects to a greater extent than others. Sharing their experiences would be of tremendous help to chapters who want to expand their efforts to provide help and support to persons who are experiencing loss of sight.
As we receive materials we can make them available to chapters or others by providing them directly. Information will also be posted on the low vision page of the PCB web site except in the event that there are copyright issues.
If you wish to help, please contact Edgar Facemyer, Chair of the PCB Low Vision Committee, by phone at 610-647-3365; by Email via efacem@verizon.net; or by postal mail at 103 Richmond Road, Paoli PA 19301.
We are pleased to welcome the new chair of this committee, Yvonne Garris. Yvonne, who is a member of the Red Rose Chapter, graduated from Millersville University in 2009 with a BA in social work.
In 2005 the Membership Committee set up incentives for chapters to increase membership through the PCB Leroy and Mary Price Membership Awards. The incentives worked for a while, but then seemed to lose their effect. So, now the committee has begun a new discussion in order to help chapters retain their members and bring in new members.
As we brainstormed reasons why chapters lose members, we came up with the following list:
The above discussion led to the following suggestions:
We hope these lists will help you. Try having a discussion in your chapter about how you are doing in retaining and recruiting members.
As you might expect, the main objective of the Publicity Committee is to promote the work of PCB and its committees. While it is important to publicize the various activities of PCB, we believe it is just as important that you and your chapter emphasize what it is that YOU do in your community. After all, who knows more about that local newspaper, radio or television station, and cable outlet in your area than you do? Thanks to Dick Schmoyer and Ed Facemyer, we have put together a tool which we hope will help you reach out to those who are losing vision and tell your community about your chapter and PCB.
If you haven't already received an example form and cover letter explaining our objectives from the PCB office by the time you read this article, it should be coming to you shortly. You can fill in the blanks of the form with specific information about your chapter as well as information for any event you may be publicizing. The cover letter will give you some idea as to how to complete the information. If your chapter hasn't done so already, it is to your advantage as well as PCB's to use this material to begin putting together a brochure that you can be proud of and hand out at major events in your community.
Those chapters who have made inroads in their area have brochures which are distributed at such events as bowl-a-thons, legislative functions, etc. The PCB office also has brochures from those chapters which you can use as an example to put together material. You can also find information about chapters and what they use to publicize their activities by visiting the individual chapter links on our website at www.pcb1.org.
If you would like help in preparing promotional material such as a press release or a brochure, or if you have questions about this or any material you received from this committee, don't hesitate to contact either Ed Facemyer at 610-647-3365 or efacem@verizon.net; or Bill Newland at 412-487-4995 or bnewland1@verizon.net. We will have someone from the Publicity Committee contact you to provide assistance.
Remember, without you PCB could not exist. We encourage you to promote the outstanding work of your chapter as well as that of PCB.
This committee has been very busy in compiling information on bus transportation in the state. We are interested in how the lack of funding is affecting bus companies. Are bus routes being cut back or eliminated? Are bus companies having trouble staying open for business? Where are the problem areas in our state? These questions and many more are being asked and, hopefully, answered. We are contacting officials at bus companies and asking for their input. This information will be used in this fall's legislative seminar.
On May 7, 2011, members of the four northeast chapters of PCB gathered in the Broad and Stroud Conference Room of the Pocono Medical Center for the annual regional meeting. While the day was overcast with showers, the mood inside was bright and energetic.
As the host of this year's Northeast Regional, Monroe County Council of the Blind (MCCB) was excited to welcome all of those who were able to attend. This year we were especially please to meet members of the reactivated Lackawanna Chapter. Members of the Luzerne Chapter demonstrated their resilience following the loss of two Chapter Presidents, Tom Walsh and Paul View. Also it's always a joy to get together with our friends in the Lehigh Valley Chapter.
Following a continental breakfast, our event coordinator and meeting facilitator, Caroline McFarlane, welcomed everyone and introduced PCB Executive Director, John Horst, who provided an update from the PCB office. Tony Swartz, PCB 1st Vice President, provided details on the upcoming "Seminar on Advocacy Legislation and Leadership" (SOALL), being planned by the PCB Governmental Affairs Committee. Tony also urged all to listen to the committee's audio program, "Talking Advocacy and Government," (TAG). I had a chance to share the details of the 2011 PCB Convention and Conference to be held on October 21, 2011, in Camp Hill, PA.
Following reports from each of our regional chapters, we heard from Dr. Willis of Pocono Eye Associates. He discussed general eye health for people with vision loss and provided great insight into cataracts and macular degeneration. Dr. Willis dedicated a good portion of his presentation time to responding to many questions from attendees.
MCCB Treasurer, Michael Bryant, then shared his experience working as a technology specialist for the Veteran's Administration. He discussed the specific programs and services available for U.S. veterans with vision loss. Lunch followed with a time for fellowship and purchasing of low vision items such as 20/20 pens and talking watches.
The afternoon presentations focused on physical activity. Tamara Lutz, Fitness Director of the Pocono YMCA, led the group through a fitness routine that could be done at home. Everyone in the room made an effort to learn the exercises. With moves including squats, lunges, and various stretches, this presenter made sure we would remember her presentation the next day. Lehigh Valley member, Joanne Rath, then shared her personal experience with beginning a fitness and weight loss program. She talked about the need to stay motivated, the concept of lifestyle change, and her belief that members in the group can support one another to achieve their individual goals.
During the final presentation, instructors Kevin Cormier and Tom Hill, along with their student, Steve Washington, joined us from the Shudokan Dojo for a demonstration in Tai Chi and some self defense techniques. After a brief discussion of Tai Chi and its health benefits, attendees were paired together to begin learning and practicing some movements. One of the introduction exercises is geared to help the practitioner become aware of his or her own movements as well as those of their partner. We then were shown how some of these same movements can aid in self defense. The presenters showed how we could use some basic movements to escape from different wrist grabs.
MCCB would like to thank all for attending. We truly hope everyone enjoyed the information, conversation and the opportunity to actively participate. We hope no one was too sore after the workout!
This year the Southwest Regional was hosted by the Beaver County Chapter at the Beaver County Lighthouse for the Blind on May 7. It began at 9:00 a.m. with coffee and doughnuts. The presentations started at 10:00 with Terry Lukes from the Beaver County Blind Association, followed by Nancy Werme, who currently serves as the Beaver County Prothonotary. Mike Nichol represented the Keystone Blind Association with an informative discussion of various technologies. A wonderful lunch was served. Folks chose either fried chicken or roast beef as their main course. We had a mini auction, where three roast beef dinners were sold bringing in $25 for the local chapter. After lunch, James Ivell from the Harrisville Lions Club spoke about Leader Dogs as well as guide dog schools in general. Susan and mark stopped by from the Carnegie Library to discuss a variety of issues, most notably the new digital players and their ease of use. PCB President, George Holliday, spoke regarding advocacy efforts going on at the state level. Both the Beaver Chapter and the Washington Chapter held 50/50 drawings. The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m. The efforts of the Beaver County affiliate, most notably Bernie and Pat Joyce, were very much appreciated.
The PCB southeast Regional was held on Saturday, May 14, 2011, at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel in downtown Philadelphia. The theme was "The World at Your Fingertips - Going Digital in the Informational Age." Refreshments were served from 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. Philadelphia Regional Chapter (PRC) President Shirley Brotman called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. with a report on the chapter activities since the previous regional meeting. She thanked the Regional Meeting Planning Committee: Chair Jule Ann Lieberman and members Lynne Maleeff, Bette Homer, and Ethel Siegel.
PCB President George Holliday brought us up to date on the legislative seminar to be held on October 19 and 20 of this year. He said the Long Range Planning Committee is working on goals for the next five years. The committees continue to be productive. Those who receive the Advocate and PCB Reports on cassette will be getting this material on digital cartridges in the near future.
PCB Executive Director, John Horst, announced that Sheila Foster is the new Office Assistant. He said that Sue Lichtenfels, Jeanette Schmoyer, and Carol Swartz, the PCB Advocate editors, are doing well. PCB's True No Measure Cookbook is now available in your choice of format. Legislation is being worked on to fine owners of dogs that attack guide or service animals. The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act was passed.Our keynote speaker was Joel Snyder, President of Audio Description Associates and Director of the ACB's Audio Description Project. He spoke about some of his experiences teaching audio description to persons in 25 foreign countries during 18 years of his career. He pointed out that audio description benefits not only persons who are blind or visually impaired, but also people with sight, both adults and children. He expressed that audio description is a literary art form. Words can create images. He demonstrated the value of audio description by playing an audio clip from the movie "The Color of Paradise" without description. He then played the clip with description added, bringing the action to life. Joel believes museums, movie theaters, live theater, and television will become more accessible to visually impaired persons as a result of the passage of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. There is an audio description of the White House in the works with Eddy Walker, a well known blind radio personality, as a possible narrator. Joel Snyder's contact information is phone: 301-920-0218, or Email: jsnyder@audiodescribe.com.
Our second keynote speaker was Jamie Prioli, Assistive Technology Specialist for the Pennsylvania Initiative on Assistive Technology (PIAT). We learned that persons with disabilities can borrow a wide variety of equipment for two to six weeks from PIAT. This allows them to "try it before you buy it." They also conduct demonstrations of adaptive devices. Students in higher education programs can request extended loans of up to six months. They operate the Reused and Exchanged Equipment Partnership program. Most of these services are free to disabled residents of Pennsylvania. PIAT offers information and referral services. There can be an income eligibility needs test for certain equipment such as the iPhone. The PIAT website is http://disabilities.temple.edu/tech/. There you can browse the equipment lending library.
Following lunch, Pat Russell, Chair of the PRC Awards Committee, conducted the presentation of the chapter's two annual awards. Vaughn Stubb received the Mae Davidow Community Service Award. Vaughn has been an art instructor for blind persons at the Philadelphia Art Museum for many years. Linda Gaffney received the Francis Williams Community Service Award. Linda is Coordinator of Volunteer Services at Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Lakethe Geilston won honorable mention. She is an employee of Liberty Resources, and she also gives some of her free time to do volunteer work for our chapter.
John Luttenberger, attired in a black tuxedo, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the day. His tuxedo was audio described by Joel Snyder during our lunch. John not only conducted the meeting with precision and aplomb, but also entertained us throughout the program with his unique brand of wit and humor.
Door prizes, which were arranged by Harry Epstein, were given out throughout the program. A 50/50 raffle was also held. More than 50 people were in attendance for the 2011 Southeast Regional.
The regional meetings are always interesting, informative, entertaining, and enjoyable. The presentations encourage and inspire people to do whatever they can to work to improve the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired.
The Central Regional was held on Saturday, April 30, 2011, at Hoss's Restaurant. The Capital City Chapter hosted the event. Between 35 and 40 members and guests were in attendance.
PCB President George Holliday updated us on issues related to PCB, and John Horst, Executive Director, also spoke about relevant issues. Happily, Sheila Foster, Administrative Assistant of PCB, was in attendance. It was very nice to meet her. Note: Sheila's attendance was not a job requirement; she wanted to get to meet some of our members.
After George and John spoke, we enjoyed lunch. We ordered from the menu, so everyone was able to get what they wanted. The wait staff were plentiful and assisted those who needed help at the salad bar.
Following lunch, Dr. Jeffrey Brent from Premier Eye Care Group spoke about diseases of the eye and took questions. His presentation was both informal and informative.
Chapter reports followed. We seem to be status quo.
Last on the agenda was a white elephant auction with proceeds going to PCB. The various items up for bid raised $151. It was a lot of fun. Sandy Marsiglia did a good job as the auctioneer.
All in all, it was a good meeting. Next year Cumberland County Care and Share will host the event.
The Golden Triangle Council of the Blind has been active this spring. Prior to our April membership meeting, our own Doug Hunsinger gave a presentation regarding the many facets of the iPhone. Other options regarding cell phones were discussed as well.
Our bowl-a-thon took place on April 30, and it was a success, thanks to the hard work of our fundraising committee. We are having our Drinks ‘n Dogs fundraiser this year as well, and it is set to take place July 22-24 outside an area Sam's Club.
Joe Wassermann represented GTCB at the legislative breakfast on May 6 at the Three Rivers Center for Independent Living. With over 15 representatives from various legislative offices, and more than 100 people in total, there were excellent opportunities for dialog.
On May 7 several of us went straight from the Southwest Regional to PNC Park for the Pittsburgh Pirates Disability Awareness Night. Before the game we shared an informational table with the Carnegie Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. While the weather was threatening, all the rain stopped just in time for a terrific evening, including an actual Pirates victory.
Our big project at the moment is ambitious. We are actively seeking used working computers that we will make accessible and redistribute to individuals who are blind or visually impaired and cannot afford to purchase their own. We are installing a relatively new build of the Linux Operating System onto the hard drives. This new build of Linux is called Vinux, Linux for the Visually Impaired. The operating system is free as are the accessible software packages. Linux has counterpart software to rival other operating systems such as speech output, optical character recognition, word processing, and more. Our plans and hopes are to begin a pilot project which any affiliate of the ACB could undertake. Our goal is to get accessible computers into the hands of as many users who are vision impaired as possible.
To date, we have received five computers from Penelec, a division of FirstEnergy. Penelec's Information Technicians erased the hard drives of all files and the original Operating System, and a supervisor from Clearfield hand delivered them to us. The processors came with only keyboards and mice; there were no monitors, speakers or other hardware.
Of the first five machines received, Vinux is working beautifully on three. The other two processors will need additional reconditioning. One of the newly refurbished machines is going to be sent to a member of the Red Rose Chapter near Lancaster, while the remaining two will be given to two of our chapter members who do not have computers.
Many businesses and organizations regularly replace their computers in order to lower maintenance costs. These computers are normally erased of all files and programs for simple security reasons. These blank computers are perfect stock for this project. You can also collect computers from the general public, but try to be sure that the donor has taken the computer to someone knowledgeable in erasing files so that they cannot be retrieved. Any hardware not included with the donations can be purchased by the recipient, as well as any special hardware such as Braille displays. This project brings the cost of a fully accessible computer down to a much more affordable range.
On another note, we are hoping to partner with one of the local Lions Clubs to sponsor a picnic in the dark event this summer. The DuBois Lions Club has a lodge on 27 acres near DuBois. We are going to work on plans to have at least a half day affair of blindfolded games followed with a blindfolded picnic meal. We plan to offer both indoor and outdoor games such as wheelbarrow races with the driver blindfolded and the rider directing, ring-toss, washer-toss, beanbag-toss,. feeling through boxes of sawdust to find and identify objects, three legged races with at least one runner blindfolded, and the classic blindfolded game Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
We're collecting ideas and offers for games for adults or children. Skits to present to the public showing actual situations that blind and low vision people have encountered in public are being considered. We are going to contact and hopefully get help from local scouts and church youth groups for the skits, as possible guides during the day, game planners and directors, and of course to join in on the fun.
We have sad news to share. Our chapter treasurer, Adam Shive, died on April 26, the Tuesday after Easter. The evening of Easter day he had a severe seizure and never recovered.
Adam was our third treasurer, preceded by Leroy Price and Jonathan Benfield. Adam was 35, and is survived by his mother, step father, a sister, grandparents and aunts and uncles. He was dearly loved by our chapter. He was dedicated to calling many of our members on a regular basis, and was always ready with a joke. In spite of a number of obstacles, he was always cheerful, never complaining. As members recalled Adam's devotion to LVCB on our chapter's listserv, some of their comments were: "He was a good friend and helped many people to find LVCB;" " He never sought to do anyone harm. He was gentle and caring;" "We miss you, Adam."
At our regular May meeting we held a memorial service for Adam at which a former LVCB President, the Rev. Wilhelmina (Billie) Wright presided. Hattie Tyson, a relatively new member, gave a solo rendition of a lovely hymn; and Jameel Memon, our corresponding secretary, read a passage from the Quran. Billie delivered a meditation, and members were invited to share their memories of Adam. We gave thanks for Adam's mother who was always there for Adam and always ready to bring him to our meetings.
On June 4 LVCB had its second LVCB granola bar baking session. We set up an assembly line to combine the ingredients, cook the syrup, mix the batter, pat the batter into the pans, and bake the batter. Another assembly line cut the baked result into bars, packaged the bars into their sleeves, and attached the labels which sealed the sleeves. We sold these bars at our hot dog sale the following weekend.
Our advocacy work with the local paratransit company to have them provide trips to our meetings has been successful. A member of LVCB has volunteered to take reservations each month from our members and then call in all the trips at once. The transit company has agreed to pick up only our members on a vehicle to get them to our meetings in a timely way. This partnership has encouraged some of our members who had not renewed with LVCB this year to come back, pay their dues, and rejoin us at meetings. We began this partnership in January and it has proven beneficial to both parties.
After the deaths of our President Thomas Walsh and Vice President Paul View, we are finally off to a good start. Presently we have fifteen members. As a way to build our membership, we have asked each member to bring a potential member to our next meeting. We have plans for fund-raisers to be voted on at our next meeting. We are also working on increasing the number of members who will attend the convention in Harrisburg this fall. For our June meeting, LCCB member Theresa Miller has invited us to her home for the meeting followed by a cookout.
In May we began holding a social/lunch outing at an area restaurant. Our hope is that members will invite guests to learn about the group who might eventually join the Oil Valley Chapter.
Our chapter held its annual recognition picnic on June 10 in Franklin. Those recognized included former PCB Advocate editors, John and June Horst; Linda Hazlett from the Venango County Blind Association; Ed Turner, who helps our group each year during our Applefest fundraiser; Judy Shingledecker, who helps with two of our fundraising efforts; and Jim Joyce, a mobility instructor for the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services. Each recipient received a plaque thanking them for all they do for the visually impaired community. At the picnic we had refreshments, of course, as well as entertainment by the Barrett Brothers Band, the family of OVC member Robin Barrett. Speaking at the function were PCB Executive Director John Horst and State Representative Scott Hutchinson. Many local officials, staff from BBVS, and guests from Community Resources for Independence also attended.
The picnic is our big event until we start gathering items over the summer for the Chinese auction that we hold every October during Applefest in Franklin. On behalf of the Oil Valley Chapter, we wish everyone in PCB a wonderful summer!
When we stepped into our new gallery in 1991, there was blue plush carpeting on the floor, pristine white walls, and a wide range of beautiful art work. These works of many styles (Western, Folk art etc.) represented over 100 local artists; old tried and true masters that everyone knew and loved.
It all evolved from requests of the artists I worked with while serving as Executive Director of our local Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. Typical charity art auction fundraisers drew donations from artists, but buyers rarely followed up to purchase more valuable pieces later.
An event called the "Art Accord" was established and set up by MS volunteers to incite the artists to celebrate with a wonderful dinner each year highlighting different ethnic cuisine, decor, and speakers. Tickets were sold for $100. Artists attended at no cost giving them an opportunity for close-up encounters with future clients looking for top-notch art.
On Mother's Day we purchased wholesale carnations and sold them at Park City mall for $1 each. I can still remember how quickly they were snapped up by eager shoppers.
Then there was the "Chocolate Affair." Lancaster's top vendors were invited to bring free samples to the Iris Club to show off their yummy cakes, ice cream, candy, etc. A band played while patrons, who had paid $10 a ticket, ate all they could eat and danced away any added pounds.
But the most Inventive idea was the MS READ-A-Thon. The schools and teachers loved it as we awarded prizes for each level of books read. I had appeared as SUNSHINE CORNERS with a puppet named the Mystery Sleuth, who was asking the kids to read books to help solve the mystery of MS. It was one of the biggest fund raisers for the MS National Society.
We also used creativity in our gallery to help promote art in Lancaster. D&J Scott gallery continued to grow. We expanded into antiques when clients started confiding they were moving to an apartment and asked us to sell their antiques. The nurses from LGH who came shopping during their noon lunch asked if we would handle cards so they could catch up on their special day mailings. Hence, we began selling greeting cards. Then we heard, "How about a few little gifts?" That's how our inventory grew. We were learning about fascinating possibilities and gaining new customers.
One day I had a strange experience while hanging up laundry. I asked myself, "What were all those little birds flying around?" I soon realized these were not little birds but little spots floating around in my eye.
Yes, this was my introduction to macular degeneration.
It did not become a serious disability for many years. However, about 5 years ago my vision began declining until it became increasingly difficult to read. Now I must use a more powerful magnifier and hold both it and the paper up to my eye.
Even though my husband has passed away, and I do not drive, I've discovered a whole new network of wonderful volunteers who allow me to continue at the gallery. Red Rose ACCESS takes me to the gallery in the morning. Different artists bring me home at night. A wonderful organization called LOVE INC (LOVE in the Name of Christ) is truly the love of Christ working in the many churches where members volunteer to provide transportation to doctor appointments.
One of the best contacts came when Ed and Stephanie Hersh came into the gallery during a First Friday event. They invited me to join the local Red Rose Council of the Blind Chapter. On the first Friday of each month, forty plus galleries in Lancaster City open their doors for the night. Stephanie so kindly fills in with transportation when one of my regular drivers is unable to help. Ed and Stephanie have introduced me to their wonderful family, and best of all, Stephanie helps on First Fridays, standing beside me and welcoming the crowds who love the fun and excitement. Stephanie writes up the sales and wields the calculators with precision in the hectic hub-bub of what could otherwise be a nerve-racking effort with my difficult vision.
Despite the numerous difficulties we all experience as we grow older, at age 90 I continue to be at the gallery on Market Days. It is a continuing challenge of meeting new and regular clients, scheduling a new artist for each month's exhibit, writing the publicity for the media and so on. Keeping the daily routine is really thrilling and wonderful therapy in itself.
I thank God every day for opening a wonderful experience in fulfilling my creative talents. This year marks our twentieth anniversary of being in business at the Keppel Candy factory building located at 323 N. Queen Street in Lancaster.I can be reached at 717-397-5360.
On Saturday, May 21 members of our chapter took a walk in downtown York to check the accessible pedestrian signal lights. We do this once a year. We met at the bus transfer center and started our walk. There were nine lights to be checked that day. A person with normal vision checks the physical condition of each light fixture. The rest of us listen for problems with the sound. Using this information, we write a letter to the Public Works Department with our results. Over the years, this has proven to be a successful project. Many of our concerns have been addressed. After all that walking we ended the morning with lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in the downtown area. If you have lights to check in your area, this is a project to consider.
This past fall, on a bit of a whim, Joe Wassermann submitted a proposal to have PCB conduct a presentation at the Penn-Del AER's 2011 Spring Vision Conference. Upon learning that our concept had been accepted, Sue Lichtenfels, Tony Swartz, and Joe spent the winter months hammering out the details of the presentation. The three of us felt that something had to be said concerning the poor unemployment rate for blind and vision impaired people and how it relates to the public education system. The alarming unemployment rate among people who are blind has not changed over the last fifty years despite advancements in technology, passage of civil rights legislation such as the ADA, and community awareness efforts by groups like ACB. So, what seems to be wrong?
In our presentation we shared our joint belief that today's educational environment leaves students who are vision impaired ill prepared for the work world specifically, and for independent adult life in general. We began by sharing a synopsis of our own experiences in the educational system because, although we three traveled different educational paths, we all became successful, self-reliant individuals. We tried to point out, as tactfully as we could, the shortcomings and "abuses" that we believe exist in the present education era. Some of the shortcomings that we discussed include: limited instruction in and use of braille; the deprivation of nonacademic classes such as shop, cooking, and physical education; and the delay in accessing blindness specific resources and trained personnel. Relating to "abuse" we spoke of situations where students are either over protected, under motivated, or both. We expressed our concern that the full-time aids that accompany students all-day, every day, unintentionally serve as a barrier between the student and his/her classmates. With the over reliance on these paraprofessionals, it seems that there are minimal opportunities for students to learn self-advocacy, problem solving, self-esteem/self-confidence, and all those necessary "soft skills" vital for professional success.
The presentation attendees, who included IU supervisors, parents, and itinerant teachers, were wholeheartedly in agreement with our theses. We left them with a full assurance that PCB was available and willing to begin a positive dialogue on whatever grassroots level we thought could make a difference. A resolution is forthcoming, and it's our hope that PCB can begin some kind of positive contribution toward the educational/social improvement of our students in order that their employment situation sees a definite reversal in the terrible unemployment statistics which we all abhor.
At the January 12th meeting of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind, President and CEO of the PAB, Elaine Welch, proposed a funding strategy to members of the PAB Board. It was proposed that the PAB, with the support of its twenty- nine member agencies, approach the Pennsylvania legislature to secure for itself the portion of non-federal funding previously granted to the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services for the provision of social and rehabilitation services to children and the aged.
Our original understanding was that Ms. Welch proposed the strategy believing that there was the strong possibility that BBVS might choose not to award the PAB the Special Services contract for the next contract period to take affect July 1, 2011. The loss of the apportioned funds would prove a significant economic hardship to a good number of member agencies already dealing with deficits, a result of the downturn in the economy. Another possibility might be that the Bureau could instead award individual contracts to member agencies, thereby weakening PAB's future influence and overall effectiveness as a service provider.
PCB's Executive Director, John Horst, our organization's representative to the PAB Board, informed the PCB Executive Committee of the PAB's strategy. The PCB leadership's first concern was to determine the likelihood of the Special Services contract being awarded to an entity other than the PAB, an action our organization would strongly oppose. In a private telephone meeting requested by our leadership, President Holliday and 1st Vice President Tony Swartz learned from Mr. DeNotaris, Director of BBVS, that the process for the consideration of any award must follow a state prescribed process, and that this process would, of course, be strictly observed. No entity could be eliminated based on a director's opinion or preference. Therefore, there could be no basis for believing that BBVS would oppose awarding the contract to PAB or any other qualified entity. As for the award of individual contracts to member agencies, Mr. DeNotaris commented that such an administrative arrangement would prove extremely inefficient with nothing gained by it. Mr. Holliday and Mr. Swartz could only conclude that the strategy PAB had embarked on was, at best, misguided.
It was then decided by President Holliday to call a special meeting of the PCB Board of Directors to consider a response to PAB's impending action. The Board, meeting on February 9 requested that PCB's Executive Director write to Ms. Welch expressing PCB's opposition to the PAB action and to detail our objections. The content of the letter follows:
February 17, 2011
Elaine R. Welch, Executive Director
Pennsylvania Association for the Blind
555 Gettysburg Pike, Suite A-300
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-5206
Dear Elaine,
At the meeting of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind [PCB] the attempt by the Pennsylvania Association for the Blind [PAB] to have funds for blind and low vision services normally provided to the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services [BBVS] assigned to PAB was reviewed. After considerable discussion a vote was taken. The result was a unanimous decision that PCB does not approve of this action by PAB. The PCB board felt strongly that BBVS service programs should remain with that Bureau and funding for them to be supported. The services which BBVS has provided through an agreement with community agencies should continue to be contracted out, but that PAB should not seek to take additional service programs from BBVS or engage in activities to have funds for these services, transferred to PAB now assigned to BBVS.
PCB is aware that there is an issue concerning the Social Services Union in which many professional workers on BBVS staff hold membership. The restriction that some services can only be provided by BBVS staff is in error and must come to an end, since it limits services to blind and low vision people. PCB shares PAB's concern on this issue, opposes the restriction, and will continue the effort to have it canceled. However, PCB does not believe that this union provision should be used to justify removing programs or funding from BBVS
The reasons for the PCB board's decision are as follows:
- PCB believes a strong agency for the blind at the state level must be maintained. Professionals in the blindness field at both state and federal levels, along with the majority of blind and low vision people, have always vigorously supported this. Removing services programs from BBVS will weaken the agency considerably and may result in putting it out of business.
- It is doubtful that many of the workers on PAB branch staffs have sufficient training and qualifications to provide these services effectively
- There appears to be a lack of standardization on the part of PAB branch staff.
- Currently PAB does not have a sufficient number of staff to take on these programs.
- If service programs and funding for them are removed from BBVS, it will give those in state government who do not have insight into the critical need for services to put an end to both the agency and its programs. This would be a dangerous action in the light of the current political atmosphere.
Conclusion: PCB is interested in strengthening services for blind and low vision people. We would like to have PAB and BBVS working together to reach more people. We are disappointed that all PAB members present at the last meeting voted to engage in political action to bring this change about. We do not believe this is the wish of all PAB staff. We would hope that PAB would develop strategies with BBVS that will protect and defend services for blind and low vision persons at this critical time in state government.
John Horst
Executive DirectorGeorge Holliday
President
In an effort to better convey our organization's opposition and to dissuade the PAB from embarking on a course of action which could, in our view, seriously undermine services to those with vision loss throughout the state, the PCB leadership requested a meeting with Ms. Welch. Ms. Welch agreed and the meeting took place on Friday June 3rd at the PCB state office. The meeting opened with President Holliday's review of our understanding of the situation and a statement of our opposition to the PAB action. Ms. Welch responded that it was her belief that the intent of her statement to the board had been perhaps misunderstood. "What I had hoped to do during the meeting, when I brought this up, was to get some input and approval from the Board to pursue it, to gather the information that we would need in order to determine whether or not it was something that we should proceed with. The board did give me permission to look in to that. We have looked into it, but it's not something we're going to be pursuing at this point." "The core intent of our pursuing this was to look to see if we might be able to provide services for blind people in a more timely way given the resources we have."
"What we're looking at now as an alternative would be to encourage BBVS to open up the array of services that we're allowed to provide under the contract."
It was PCB's understanding that PAB had organized a June 15th lobbying day at the State Capital and we questioned Ms. Welch about its purpose. Ms. Welch responded, "Our reason for having our day on the hill is simply to encourage that the fiscal code language remain exactly the way it is now and that we be level funded."
In conclusion: Based on Ms. Welch's statements PCB's initial concern regarding the PAB action has been allayed in that PAB will not at this present time engage in a lobbying effort to have BBVS service programs assigned to PAB. In addition to the day's topic of concern, our discussions with Ms. Welch touched on a good number of issues of mutual interest. While it is not the purpose of this article to review these issues, President Holliday, Executive Director Horst, and I did reach several conclusions which will be addressed in future issues of the PCB Advocate. In brief, PCB does believe that there is a serious need for more constructive communication between Ms. Welch and Mr. DeNotaris. Ms. Welch expressed her willingness to meet, and we suspect that Mr. DeNotaris would be agreeable as well. PCB believes that we can play a role in ensuring that lines of communication remain open. It is also our belief that the entire blindness system, including consumers, must work in concert to change the paradigm under which blindness services are presently funded; a charity based funding structure, for as we have all seen, the current funding model creates stresses that often force those who should be collaborators into competitors.
In addition to being blind, I also have a mental-health disability.
While spending some time recently at a mental-health agency, a fellow consumer asked me how someone in my "condition" manages. I began my response by explaining that it is okay to say "blind" or "visually-impaired," but the young man insisted on talking about my "condition." Though I cringed over the use of that nondescript phrase, I said nothing more about it since I felt that it would do no good.
This young man then went on to say that blind people shouldn't be allowed in the kitchen because we could burn the food we were preparing or ourselves. I said that, with proper training which includes adaptive techniques specific to blindness, persons with limited vision are as capable as anyone else of cooking successfully and staying safe. I also made the point that even a fully sighted person can burn food or self.
Though my nerves were getting more frayed the longer the conversation lasted, I tried to remain pleasant and informative in the interest of educating someone who so obviously needed it. I wanted to present a positive image of people who are blind or visually impaired. I think the most valuable lesson I learned from this encounter was how important cross-disability education is.
Just as mental-health consumers and advocates are striving to get rid of stigmas and stereotypes through grassroots organizations like Mental Health America and National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, so, too, groups like ACB, and affiliates like PCB would do well to dialog with other disability groups to help them better understand blindness. One way to do this could be to contact organizations that serve other disability groups for the purpose of offering to do presentations about blindness and varying degrees of visual impairment. Yet another thought is to host a Dining in the Dark event and invite a large cross-section of people, especially those with other disabilities. I believe that it is through such outreach and education that disability groups can facilitate productive dialogue. Specific to blindness: more people will know what we can do, have already achieved, and will continue to accomplish, well into the 21st century and beyond.
When losing one or more of your senses, how do you enjoy anything? I am asked questions like this many times. I hear, "Why would you want to go to the movies? How can you understand what is going on if you can't see what they are doing?" I am sure someone with a hearing loss is asked similar questions because they can't hear what is being said.
People believe that when someone loses one of their senses, all of the other senses are heightened. Not true! When someone lacks in one of these areas, one just learns to use other abilities to their fullest extent. Just because I lost my sight over the years, that doesn't mean my hearing increased. I pay closer attention to things in my environment in order to know what is going on.
A few years ago, Philadelphia established accessibility in the arts for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, visually impaired or blind. Since that time there have been other accessible arts established in Pittsburgh, Lancaster/York, and now in Lehigh, Northampton, and Monroe counties. Within the past several months there have been a select number of people who have gathered in order to create accessibility for the arts in Lehigh, Northampton, and Monroe counties. Many new and exciting things are about to happen in this area Which will open up a whole new world to some who may have never experienced the joy of attending a play or other art related presentation.
The information for the upcoming accessible event is as follows:
Date: Sunday, July 17, 2011
Time: 12:30 (Tour/Reception;) 2:00 (Performance)
This production of Godspell will take place at Baker Theatre in the Trexler Pavilion of Theatre and Dance at Muhlenberg College. The admission price is $10 for vision/hearing impaired, $10 for one escort, and $38 for regular admission. To purchase tickets, call Jess at Muhlenberg at 484-664-3087 or Email boxoffice@muhlenberg.edu. The number of headsets for the audio description is limited, so make your reservations early!
| George Holliday, President | 215-748-3556 |
| Anthony Swartz, 1st VP | 610-799-4565 |
| William Newland, 2nd VP | 412-487-4995 |
| Cathy Long, Secretary | 717-737-1979 |
| Anthony Evancic, Treasurer | 412-621-4046 |
| John Horst, Exec. Director | 717-367-6346 |
| Joseph Perry, Past President | 717-766-4351 |
| Mary Ann Alexander | 570-807-1276 |
| Harry Epstein | 954-557-0639 |
| Bob Lichtenfels | 412-429-1727 |
| Sue Lichtenfels | 412-429-1727 |
| Thomas Reid | 570-421-2543 |
| Jeanette Schmoyer | 215-703-4072 |
| Joseph Wassermann | 412-687-5166 |
| Michael Zaken | 412-655-1234 |
CONTRIBUTIONS are tax deductible and can be sent to Anthony Evancic c/o the PCB office or made online at www.pcb1.org.
MEMORIAL GIFTS may be made in memory of an individual or on your behalf as a paragraph in your Last Will and Testament. For more information, please call the office.
| Beaver County | Ken Sheets |
| Capitol City | Raymond Bogardus |
| Carl Shoemaker | Geraldine Zeigler |
| Cumberland Care & Share | Catherine Kingsborough |
| Delaware Valley CCLVI | Joyce Kleiber |
| Erie | Ernest Wright |
| Golden Triangle | Robert Lichtenfels |
| Hank Bloomberg | Jacqueline Wissinger |
| J. F. K. | David Lee Shaw |
| Lackawanna County | Wendy McDonnell |
| Lancaster Red Rose | Edward Hersh |
| Lehigh Valley | Rita Lang |
| Luzerne County | Dorothy Ostrowski |
| Monroe County | Thomas Reid |
| Newcastle Region | Mark Pappas |
| Oil Valley | Scott Roberts |
| Philadelphia Region | Shirley Brotman |
| Washington County | Carla Hayes |
| York County | Rodger Simmons |
Name:_______________________Phone:__________
Address:______________________________________
City/State/Zip:________________________________
County:______________Email:__________________
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Adult membership dues $10.00______
Junior membership dues $ 5.00______
Agency/Non Profit mem. dues $20.00______
Corporate/for profit mem. dues $60.00______
Contributions ______
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $______
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Make checks payable to PCB c/o
Pennsylvania Council of the Blind
931 N. Front St. Harrisburg, PA. 17102
Free Matter for the Blind
Or Handicapped
(Handle as 1st class mail)
Domestic Mail Manual Sec. 135.7
RETURN TO:
PA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
931 N FRONT STREET
HARRISBURG, PA 17102
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