The PCB ADVOCATE is a quarterly news publication of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind. It is available in large print, braille, cassette, disk, and by email.
Please send change of address and other matters to the PCB office, 931 N Front St., Harrisburg, PA. 17102, or call 717-920-9999, or 1-877-617-7407. FAX 717-920-9988. Email address: pcb1@paonline.com Web site: pcb1.org
June M Horst, Editor
John A Horst, Ass't Editor
Send articles to: ADVOCATE, PCB Office, 931 N Front St., Harrisburg, PA. 17102. Email pcb1@paonline.com Articles can also be sent directly to 4the Editor at: jjkhor95@epix.net
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.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Articles in this publication reflect the views of the individual writers. They do not necessarily represent the views and policy of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind.
CONTRIBUTIONS: Contributions are tax deductible, and are always much needed. They can be sent to Anthony Evancic, Treasurer, at the PCB office address, at 931 N Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17102.
If you wish to remember a relative or friend by sharing in the Council's work, the PCB office will acknowledge contributions made by loved ones in memory of deceased persons. Anyone wishing to remember the PA Council of the Blind in his/her Last Will and Testament, may do so by including a paragraph for this purpose. If your wishes are complex, you may contact the PCB office.
SUBMITTING ARTICLES: If you wish to submit articles for consideration in the ADVOCATE, please do so. Deadlines for submission are:
| March 1 | September 1 | |
| June 1 | December 1 |
PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATES FOR SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES. At the November 2009 PCB Board meeting, the Board voted to restore the publication of the PCB ADVOCATE to 4 times a year, beginning in the year 2010. The Board felt that too much time lapses between publications 3 times a year, and that in order to keep news fresh and current, we needed to resume publication quarterly. You may send articles in any format, either to the PCB office, or email them to: jjkhor95@epix.net. Your input is always welcome.
From the Editors: This Fall-Winter issue of the ADVOCATE updates the activities, functions, and critical concerns of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind. Major contributions to this issue have been made by committee chairs and chapter presidents, keeping in mind the due date for articles. We would like to hear from more chapter members as to what you are doing and what the issues are that you discuss at your meetings.
The submission date for articles for the Spring 2010 edition of the ADVOCATE is March 1, 2010.
PCB wishes to express our heartfelt thanks to the Allegheny Power and Light Company who is graciously underwriting this issue of the ADVOCATE.
| President's Report | 8 |
| From the Director's Desk | 11 |
| Braille | 13 |
| Employment | 15 |
| Fund Raising | 17 |
| Governmental Affairs | 24 |
| Long Range Planning | 26 |
| Low Vision | 24 |
| Membership | 28 |
| Nominating | 40 |
| Publicity | 41 |
| Resolutions | 48 |
| Transportation | 48 |
| Web Site | 51 |
| Capitol City | 53 |
| Cumberland Care & Share | 54 |
| Golden Triangle | 55 |
| Lancaster Red Rose | 59 |
| Lehigh Valley | 61 |
| Oil Valley | 63 |
| Washington County | 63 |
| York | 67 |
| Audiologist Charms PCB | 68 |
| Shining a Light | 72 |
| Radio Reading Services | 74 |
| PA Regrets Loss | 76 |
| Board of Directors | 94 |
| Chapter Presidents | 94 |
| Membership Application | 95 |
The end of another year for PCB is drawing near with the conclusion of the 2009 PCB State Convention and Conference. This year it was hosted by the members of the Monroe County Council of the Blind, and held in the Pocono's. The theme was "Creating Opportunity Out of Loss." The Convention Program Committee went over and above this year with hard work and determination to bring you a great program. For those who attended the convention or listened over ACB Radio, I think you would agree that there were plenty of things to do. This year several committees held breakout sessions with lots of information to offer. I would like to personally thank everyone who participated in every aspect of the informative and lively weekend.
I would like to thank Roberta Simmons for her dedication and hard work as a PCB Board member and committee chair for the past several years. I welcome our newest elected Board member, Harry Epstein, and congratulate Jeanette Schmoyer, Susan Lichtenfels, and Thomas Reid on their re-election for another term on the PCB Board. They have brought new and innovative ideas to the table.
Over the past two years, PCB committees have worked very hard with their individual goals. I am currently in the process of accepting names for consideration for committees for the next two years. If you would like to serve on any of the committees listed below, please submit your name, along with a bio, stating why you would like to join the committee, by Monday, December 14. Contact me via telephone at: 215-748-2556, or by email at: george.holliday1@verizon.net
Most committees meet regularly on a monthly basis via conference call, for approximately one hour, and consist of approximately six to eight members. In case there is a large number of applicants wishing to serve on a designated committee, names will be compiled in a database for future consideration. Please announce this at your chapter meetings. Let's all continue to work together for the success of PCB.
I would like to thank you, the members of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind for your support and confidence in electing me for another term to serve as President of the greatest organization around. At any time over the next two years, if you have any questions, concerns or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me.
At this time, Sarita and I would like to wish everyone a joyous holiday season and all the best for 2010. We will keep everyone in our thoughts and prayers. Let us all continue to work together toward independence and increased opportunities for people who are blind or vision impaired, and to enhance their quality of life.
PCB committees follow:
Awards, Braille, Bylaws, Convention Program, Convention Site, Employment, Finance, Fund-raising, Governmental Affairs, Long Range Planning, Low Vision, Membership, Publicity, Radio Program, Resolutions, Technology, Transportation, and Web Site.
Editors Note: For our readers who are not aware, George Holliday is newly hired (September) by the Little Rock Foundation to reopen their office on the 12th floor of Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. George is in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. His phone number there is 215-825-9081. Email: gholliday@willseye.org
George has extensive experience in adaptive technologies for the blind. The main purpose of this position is to provide counseling to families with children with low vision or blindness, particularly when the diagnosis is just made, and families are struggling to envision the life ahead of them. George can assist them with everything from how to work with schools, dealing with the trauma of this new diagnosis, and accessing appropriate community and educational services. Congratulations, Mr. President!
John A Horst, Executive Director
For my report in this issue of the ADVOCATE I will list some of the recent accomplishments of PCB. Most that I have mentioned you will find more information in detail in this Fall-Winter edition. Like me, you are no doubt excited about these changes and the decisions that have been made.
You will note from the PCB Long Range Planning committee report in this issue, that goals were established without regard to finances. The thinking is that if we want to achieve these goals because they are important and necessary, we need to find resources to accomplish them. I would like to challenge PCB committee and chapter members to follow this pattern. First, decide what needs to be accomplished without considering finances. Then, once you have decided what those goals are, implement a plan to obtain the resources to do it. If we begin by saying that we don't have the funds we need, we most likely will not accomplish those goals. Examples are: How many legislative contacts is my chapter or committee going to make in 2010?, or how many persons from our chapter are we going to assist financially to attend the convention next year? Decide now what you are going to do, then look for the resources to get it done.
Louise Chuha, Chair
One of the Braille committee's most important tasks is to promote Braille literacy, especially among visually impaired students. To that end, we have held a Braille essay contest for the last 4 or 5 years. Each year there is a different theme, and the students are divided into 3 groups according to grade levels: 4 through 6, 7 through 9, and 10 through 12. We have been giving a $50 prize to the winner from each group. They receive their monetary prizes, as well as a certificate of achievement at the Blindness Awareness Day, held in Harrisburg in June.
The essays are judged by the whole committee, considering Braille accuracy, Braille formatting, spelling, and overall content. When the essays arrive, they are sent around to each committee member so that each one has an opportunity to read them. Last year we had a really difficult time choosing the winners.
We send letters to all the teachers of the blind that we can find, but this year we were fortunate to receive a list of all the Braille-reading students in Pennsylvania. So, in addition to notifying the teachers, we sent Braille letters to all 635 students. The letters went out in October 2009. The essays are due the end of December. Our theme this year is "My Favorite Book."
The Braille Committee was asked 2 years ago if we could provide a beginning Braille workshop at the 2009 State Convention, so that has been our big project for this year. The workshop focused on reading very basic and practical Braille. Each person who attended received a packet of materials to aid them in learning as much Braille as they choose after the workshop. We had several instructors, which was based on the number of participants.
I want to recognize my committee members. Without them neither of our projects could have been accomplished: May Davis, Ethel Siegel, Sandy Marsiglia, Sue Etters, Robert McClain, and Monitor, Cathy Long. Thank you all for being so dedicated to the use of Braille. Louis Braille would be proud!
--Submitted by Louise Chuha, Chair.
Carla Hayes, Chair
At the PCB State Convention in Tannersville, the Employment Committee sponsored a break-out session. The topic of this 90-minute presentation was "Employment Goals, Your Personal Commercial, and Networking." This session included useful advice, lively discussions and valuable information about several employment-related resources.
We are happy to report that this program was a success and we will be publishing more details about it in a future issue of the ADVOCATE. If you were unable to attend and are interested in these topics, the seminar handouts are available on the PCB web site.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Harry Epstein and Sarita Holliday for giving an excellent presentation. Thanks also to all the members of the Employment committee for all their hard work in planning the program and preparing the handouts. They include: Lynne Maleef, Violet Farmer, Yvonne Garris, and Employment committee Monitor Roberta Simmons. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to Convention Program Chair, Tony Swartz and PCB President, George Holliday for all they did to make this program possible.
On another topic, I received the following announcement from National Braille Press about an exciting new book, "Internet Your Way to a New Job: How to Really Find a Job Online," by Alison Doyle. In Braille (2 vols) and PortaBook (CD and downloadable), $11.95. Just a few years ago, you could upload your resume to one of the top job sites, click a few times to apply for some jobs, and consider your search well underway.
Today, that is not enough. The job market is increasingly competitive. Hiring managers are overwhelmed with applications - hiring has changed, and job seekers need to be prepared to use all the online job search tools to their advantage.
Online job searching often seems complicated, but it does not have to be. There are tips and tricks you can use to make the process run smoothly and simply. Author Alison Doyle tells you how to create your professional presence online, market yourself as a strong candidate for employers, connect with contacts who will help you with your job search, help prospective employers find you, and use sites like Facebook, Visual CV, and Linkedin to your advantage. This book will provide you with what you need to know and step you through the process of online job searching, professional branding, social and professional networking, and career building with uncomplicated advice, tips, techniques on how to effectively find a new job and grow your career. Read the table of contents for this book, or order it at:
nbp.org/ic/nbp/JOBONLINE.html
To order any books, send payment to: NBP, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115-4302, or call and use a credit card: toll free at (800) 548-7323 or (617) 266-6160 ext. 20. You may order any books online at: nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html
Thomas Reid, Chair
New PCB Raffle Equals Fundraising Opportunity for Chapters.
The Fundraising team is rolling out a new and improved raffle! Similar to raffles in the past, but it has a few exciting twists.
What is a six month calendar raffle?
Every ticket purchased has a three-digit number from 000-999. Winning tickets are based on the Pennsylvania Daily Lottery evening drawing. Every ticket is valid through the entire duration of the raffle, April 1, 2010 to September 30, 2010. Therefore, participants have an opportunity to win multiple times throughout the six-month period. Tickets are sold for only $20; that's less than 11 cents a day!
Payments are based on the following: On the 1st or 15th of the month, the payout is $75. On any of the following holidays, the payout is $125.
How will chapters benefit?
PCB appreciates the time and effort that goes into selling the raffle tickets, so we have built in an incentive that helps us say "thank you." When all 1,000 tickets are sold, $20,000 is produced in revenue for PCB. However, this does not account for the incurred expenses.
Payments for each of the 183 days of the raffle, as well as approximately $400 in administrative expenses, total $7,000. New revenue=$13,000, based on a total of 1,000 tickets sold.
50% of the revenue will be shared among the chapters. Based on 1,000 tickets sold, $6,500 will be set aside to be shared by the chapters. We're calling this the Chapter Incentive Pool.
When 1,000 tickets are sold, each ticket has a value of $6.50, based on the following formula. (Net revenue divided by 2) divided by the number of tickets sold. (13,000/2)/1,000=$6.50. If chapter X sells 100 tickets, they will receive a check for $650.
* Remember, actual payout is based on the total number of tickets sold as described above.
** Important--Chapters should be sure to indicate name on each ticket stub submitted to PCB.
*** Members-at-large can choose to write in the chapter of their choice when selling tickets.
Support System: The Fundraising team will work closely with chapter presidents or local fundraising contacts to assure that tickets and payouts are received in a timely manner. As a policy, winning checks will be cut and distributed twice monthly. Liaisons from the Fundraising Team will contact chapter presidents or a person designated by the chapter president as the chapter contact to inform them of winning tickets. Liaisons from the Fundraising Team should be contacted in lieu of the PCB office. The following are the contacts for each listed chapter:
| Mike Gravitt | 412-344-2313 | mgravitt2@comcast.net | Carl Shoemaker, Cumberland County Care and Share, Oil Valley, Washington County, York. |
| Sue Lichtenfels | 412-429-1727 | susan@lichtenfels.us | Golden Triangle, Beaver, Clearfield-Jefferson, Erie, and Members-at-large. |
| Lyle Sine | 215-879-6489 | lf.sine@verison.net | Philadelphia Regional, JFK, Red Rose, Delaware Valley Council of Citizens with Low Vision, and Capitol City. |
| Thomas Reid | 570-328-0545 | treid99@gmail.com | Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lehigh Valley, Monroe. |
Sale Strategies:
PCB has taken the time to purchase a license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission that gives all of our chapters the opportunity to openly sell tickets. This means chapters are legally allowed to sell tickets in their counties during public events. These include county fairs, bake sales, and other community gatherings. You should feel free to sell to other organizations, such as Lions, churches, and PTA's. Incorporate the sale of tickets into other chapter projects like awareness campaigns, existing fundraisers, and social events.
As an incentive for individual sales, chapters should consider awarding a prize to the top seller. Here are a few ideas for chapter-level incentives: 1 or 2 tickets to PCB 2010 banquet, gift card to a local store like Wal-Mart or Rite Aid, 1 free ticket for PCB 6 month raffle. The possibilities are endless!
I'm ready, when and where can I get my ticket?
Great, I can tell you are excited and ready to begin selling. It's simple--members-at-large, chapter presidents, or a designated chapter contact should contact Sue Lichtenfels at 412-429-1727 or by email at susan@lichtenfels.us
She will get tickets out to the designated chapter contact ASAP!
When all tickets are sold, all ticket stubs, funds, and any remaining unsold tickets should be sent to the PCB office, 931 Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102. Then, notify your liaison and you're done!
It takes each chapter committed to selling a minimum of 50 tickets. But why stop there? The more you sell, the more you make. It's a win-win! Let's go, PCB, a champion team!
Listen, can you hear that? It sounds like success. These are the sounds emanating from the Chateau in Tannersville following the Saturday night PCB Live Auction.
What does success sound like?
The 2009 Fundraising Team would like to thank all of you. All of PCB should feel proud. We did it! We worked together to make our second Live Auction an entertaining, profitable, and maybe even more important, a memorable evening. The feedback that we have received has been awesome!
Thank you PCB, and Congratulations! -- Thomas Reid for the Fundraising Team.
Rodger Simmons, Chair
This has been a busy year for this committee. We continue to support legislation concerning quiet cars. We also support legislation about digital changes, known as the 21st Century Act. This bill should make digital items accessible for the blind and visually impaired. The committee continues to support the installation of APS wherever possible.
We keep a close eye on events surrounding this year's elections, concerning the use of new voting machines. We encourage local chapters to be involved in a grass roots effort to get our message to legislators. This is time consuming, but it is important to have local chapters involved on an ongoing basis.
The committee also put together a special Governmental Affairs workshop at this year's state convention. See article elsewhere in this publication on Advocacy.
I would like to take this time to thank all the members of this committee. This has been a busy year, and all members were active. -- Rodger Simmons, Chair
Joe Wassermann, Chair
Cathy Long, Tom Burgunder, Helen Koshinsky, George Holliday, John Horst, and I comprise this committee, and have been meeting almost monthly. We have formulated a Long Range plan which needs to be carried out in the next 2-3-5- years!
--Submitted by Joseph Wassermann, Chair
Ed Hersh & Ed Facemyer, Chairs
Low Vision Workshop at PCB Convention:
Attendants at the workshop were given a copy of the program schedule, the PCB Low Vision committee statement, and a resource list. These documents are also available on the PCB web site.
Ed Facemyer opened the session by thanking the members of the PCB Low Vision committee and the Monroe County Chapter members for the hard work of putting together the Low Vision Expo.
The Friday afternoon schedule started with each vendor from the Exhibit Hall giving the audience a 2-minute introduction to what they have to offer persons with low vision. Dr. Brilliant and Dr. Crozier from the Feinbloom Institute spoke of potential devises to increase quality of life for persons with low vision. They discussed types of telescopic lens treatment strategies. Next, Sarita Holliday facilitated the panel discussion, with four panelists: Laschelle Smith, who spoke about tips and techniques for dealing with low vision; Elida Gares, who discussed mobility and traveling issues; Jule Ann Lieberman, who discussed technology assistance; and Rachel Siwoff, who discussed psycho-social issues related to low vision. Audience questions directed to the panelists addressed other topics, such as self advocacy. Ed Hersh then gave more explanation concerning what the PCB Low Vision committee is all about and encouraged audience members who were not already involved to become involved and make a difference in their world. Dr. Ronald Siwoff finished the afternoon with an inspiring message of hope for new treatments and new perspectives on making the most of a person's retaining vision. Dr. Siwoff and his wife have a practice in Danville, NJ. He mentioned a web site that contains information about current research, and up-to-date treatments for various eyesight loss conditions. lowvisionnews.com
The Saturday session, presented by Jule Ann Lieberman, featured her personal account of various aids and devices she uses on a daily basis as a visually impaired person. She talked about magnifiers, book readers, and other aids that enhance the quality of life for visually impaired persons. Participants were encouraged to visit the vendor Exhibit Hall throughout the two days, for products available. The following phone numbers were given for more information: Local to Monroe County--570-421-4118. PCB office in Harrisburg, PA -- 877-617-7407.
-- Submitted by Ed Hersh.
Jeanette Schmoyer, Chair
PCB Members Approved New Membership Category On November 8, 2009 at the convention of the PCB, the membership voted to create a new membership category, allowing businesses and "for profit" organizations to become corporate members of PCB. The membership categories prior to this vote were Individual, Junior, Agency, and Life memberships.
Thank you to the members of the 2009 Membership Committee: Michael Bryant, Harry Epstein, Mike Gravitt, Sue Lichtenfels, and Donna Williams. It has been a pleasure working with you.
--Submitted by Jeanette Schmoyer, Chair.
Editor's Note: Because of an unintentional error in the printing of the proposed changes to the PCB By-laws, (one line was inadvertently omitted) I have chosen to republish the following in its entirety.
Recommendations for Changes to the PCB By-Laws:
The Membership Committee of the PCB recommends the addition of a "corporate/for profit" category of membership, with dues being thrice the dues of agency membership. We further recommend that PCB provide such members the benefit of having a link to their business website on the PCB web site. The Membership Committee further recommends that the "agency" category of membership be changed to "agency/non-profit organization." It is also recommended that the paid Life Membership be added to the by-laws to reflect reality.
Proposed PCB Membership Policy:
Membership and dues in the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind (PCB) are defined in the PCB by-laws, Article IV, Sections 1 through 5 as follows:
End of policy.
Membershop Workshop at the 2009 Convention:
Harry Epstein, Mike Gravitt, Sue Lichtenfels, and Jeanette Schmoyer of the Membership committee presented a workshop on Friday afternoon at the convention. They began with an explanation of the workshop theme: "Where Are Your Members?" The panel was using this theme to help us ask two questions:
First, where do we look for new members? And, second, where are our members who paid dues and came a few times or even a few years, but then dropped out?
The first question refers to RECRUITMENT. The second refers to RETENTION.
Jeanette began the presentation speaking about recruitment. She suggested we should begin recruitment with the people we know. There are people out there who have lost vision who are not members of our chapters. Perhaps you know someone on the blind bowling league, or in a support group? Another source for new members is our families. Do you have relatives who might help with transportation or serving refreshments at meetings? There also are those who volunteer for other organizations, such as the Lions or Lioness Clubs. Are you employed? Perhaps a work colleague would like to come to a chapter meeting with you to learn more about your blindness skills.
Although it is easiest to begin with those you know, you need to gain the skills to reach out to strangers too. This can be done through print materials. Share your copies of the ADVOCATE magazine and the Braille FORUM. Your chapter could prepare a chapter brochure or use the PCB brochure. Be sure to include your chapter contact information. Get it distributed to eye doctor's offices, to agencies, and to individuals. Get business cards printed with chapter name and contact info, with a message on the back concerning an issue you care about.
Jeanette stated that your members are the best resource you have for getting the word out. They should have a passion for the chapter! Each one knows why they like to attend the chapter meetings. Reasons vary from the fellowship with other blind and visually impaired persons to the information that is shared at meetings, including blindness skills, accessible devices, and technology. A handful of your members should be ready and willing to go out as speakers to groups, such as the Lion's and Lioness' Clubs, into school classes, to Scouts and Senior Citizen meetings. All your members should be aware and understand the advocacy issues that PCB and ACB are working on. Use talking points, such as the handouts we have in this workshop to help train your members.
Jeanette concluded by saying that when your chapter has a guest, be sure to make the person feel welcome! Have the person say a few words during roll call. Repeat his or her name so everyone can hear and remember it. Ask each guest how they heard about your chapter. The most important thing is to have someone in your chapter responsible for follow-up with guests and with any other names of potential members. Make a phone call to the guests, asking what they thought of the meeting. Share your journey through vision loss and ask them about theirs. Your chapter should have a form letter of invitation that can be sent out to potential members when names are given by members. Encourage members to get contact information from potential members, as well as giving contact information for chapter officers.
Mike spoke about the importance of recruiting younger members. He encouraged chapter members to invite students you know to your chapter meetings and to the PCB and ACB conventions. PCB sponsors two scholarships each year to the ACB convention for Pennsylvania students, but often the students do not join PCB. Mike challenged PCB to create a packet to send to students, and also urged chapters to contact the IU offices and the departments for special needs at colleges in their area. Give them information about your meetings and the issues that are relevant to all of us. If PCB and ACB are to survive, we need to get younger members interested in our mission and work.
Mike sees three obstacles to recruiting younger members. First, students are not aware of the history of the efforts that have given them so many opportunities and rights. The ADA came into being 19 years ago, so most of the students have benefited without being part of the struggle. They do not realize the ongoing need for advocacy to keep the rights we have for access to technology and communication.
The second obstacle is that students are made fun of, bullied for being different. This causes them to try to hide their disability instead of seeking assistance.
The third obstacle is PCB's weakness in reaching parents of children who are blind or visually impaired. Because of involvement by the NFB of Pennsylvania to get students involved, they tend to attract more students in their chapters, making it more difficult for PCB. Mike challenged PCB to make youth a priority and to plan strategies for PCB and its chapters to recruit younger members. He also challenged PCB to prepare marketing designed especially for students. What do they care about? What can we do for them? Why should they get involved? We should let them know that the accessible voting machines, accessible ATM's and Accessible Pedestrian Signals they use are the result of hard won battles, and vigilance is vital in keeping the right to equal access. Technology changes so rapidly that we can be left behind unless we continue the work of advocacy. PCB and its chapters could publish a newsletter to be sent to colleges with the latest news in accessibility. Students are avid users of the Internet, so we must have a good presence there.
Another challenge is for PCB to return to the practice of paying for up to ten students to attend the PCB convention. Young blind and visually impaired persons are the future, not only for PCB, but for the ongoing advocacy that won for us so many victories that have permitted us to gain more independence and more access to the community and its resources.
Sue turned our attention to retention. Once we have recruited new members, how do we keep them interested? How do we re-energize our long-term members? We need to focus on member relationships and on making our meetings interesting. We need to value new members, find out their interests and talents, and assign them to committees. Get them involved. Take them along on visits to legislators and to meetings with transit boards. Share PCB and ACB news at your meetings. Make local resources available to them. Do they know how to get services, such as O and M training? Do they know where to go for accessible devices? Show concern for all your members. If a member misses a meeting, someone should call and check on them. Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, any milestones or achievements. Make everyone feel important. They are!
She advised chapters to add pizzazz to your meetings. Bring in speakers. Use a speaker phone to allow a speaker to join you who cannot actually attend, such as a member of the ACB staff or board, or a teacher from Hadley. Make plans to celebrate White Care Day and Blindness month. Invite an official to your festivities. Go out into the community to show your presence. Have a discussion on the advocacy issues using Talking Points. Have discussions on technology, employment, blindness skills. Borrow an idea from the Monroe County Chapter of the Blind and use Table Topics. Ask "How would you solve world hunger?" and get people talking. They will get to know each other better. Vary the committee members who give the reports so different people are talking each month. Try meetings using a conference call system so that members who often cannot get to meetings can attend on the phone. Sue concluded by urging chapters to be creative and thoughtful in meetings if you can.
Harry spoke about going conventioning! He reminded us to never underestimate the impact of a convention. Encourage all new and potential members to go to PCB or ACB convention. Tell them they will make lasting friendships and learn about new accessible technology. They will find people with whom they can share their perspective and who have had similar experiences. He noted that the pre-registration for this convention was 152, the largest ever, and in addition we had many walk-ins. They will learn about equal access to technology, communication, transportation, and employment. They will never forget their first convention and will want to return for many more!
At this point, the panel accepted questions from the floor. The first question concerned how to bridge the gap when our chapters have mostly older members and we invite students. The resulting discussion included offering our own stories of struggle and achievement. Being a role model and mentor would be valuable to the students. Ask them what their struggles are and share how you overcame similar struggles. If the student is reluctant to share at first, be patient, and share your own experiences. Encourage them to talk about their frustrations.
The second question related to the name of our organization. Should it be changed to include the words "visually impaired?" The discussion revealed two sides to the debate. If one person has some remaining vision and the other person has no usable vision, aren't their experiences much the same? Don't they both experience frustration? Don't they both find similar barriers? On the other hand, a person who has low vision does not identify himself as blind and resists being associated with that identity. The question is, would we attract more members and thus be able to assist more people if we included "visually impaired" in the names of our chapters and state organization?
The third question focused on reaching parents of blind children. If we wait until they are high school or college students, haven't we waited too long? Shouldn't we attempt to reach parents and preschool children? On the other end of the spectrum, should we consider taking the senior low vision support groups into our organization as special interest affiliates?
Jeanette concluded the session noting that we have many meaty thoughts on which to gnaw. There are challenges to PCB and to the chapters. Let's get to work in 2010 and make a difference!
Joe Perry, Chairman
The PCB Convention is now history, and it was a good one! One of the more important items of business was the elections. All four Board officers were reelected for another term: George Holliday, President; Tony Swartz, First Vice President; Bill Newland, Second Vice President; Cathy Long, Secretary; and Tony Evancic, Treasurer. The following were elected to a Board position for a second term: Susan Lichtenfels, Jeanette Schmoyer, and Thomas Reid. After a short contest, Harry Epstein was elected for the fourth Board position.
Let's all support them during their term of service.
May I take this opportunity to wish all a very happy holiday and coming new year.
-- Submitted by Joe Perry.
As always, the members of this committee are hard at work, doing whatever it takes to publicize the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind (PCB).
Thanks to Dick Schmoyer and Ed Facemyer, the PCB DVD is now a reality. It was our first effort, and is now available to you by going to PCB's web site, pcb1.org and tabbing over to "View the DVD" to learn about the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind. You may also contact the PCB office for a copy of the DVD. We plan to investigate ways to improve the use of this kind of media to promote our organization.
Cathy Long, Joe Sickora, and Bill Newland have been compiling information for a resource list. Though not on the PCB Publicity committee, Sheri Crum has also been most helpful in this area. Soon, we plan to begin putting this material on the PCB web site.
Ed Facemyer and Bill Newland are continuing to look for those of you who want to contribute material for PCB Reports. You don't need expensive equipment to do an interview. Equipment like the Victor Stream works. Don't worry about editing--Ed and Bill can handle that problem. If you have general questions about the program, would like to discuss your ideas for an interview, and/or if you have comments about PCB Reports, contact co-chairs Ed Facemyer at 610-647-3365 or email at efacem@verizon.net or Bill Newland at 412-487-4995, cell: 412-735--5550. Email: bnewland1@verizon.net We also invite constructive criticism.
This year at the convention we held our first publicity workshop. On the panel was Sue Lichtenfels, Mary Ann Alexander, and Beth Brylia. These individuals were chosen because of their part involvement in publicizing other functions, as well as dealing with the media. Also, can't forget Dick Schmoyer for his work in preparing the outline for the workshop.
Again this year, we live-streamed the PCB convention. Thanks to Doug Hunsinger for his hard work and dedication in getting the live stream up and running. Also, thanks to Ed Facemyer and Darlene Barton for their help in getting things in place for both the stream and the music for the lounge. Of course, Chris Huntsinger kept her ear to the track and listened for potential problems. Unfortunately she, like Doug and I (Bill), heard several glitches. As Chair of the Live Stream committee, I apologize for the many interruptions of the live stream during the convention. What does this mean for streaming of future events? If PCB is going to live-stream conventions, those of us on the committee must be responsible for asking questions and getting specific answers from hotels about availability of resources in order to insure a quality product.
Thanks to Dick Schmoyer, Darlene Barton, Cathy Long, and Joe Sickora for their hard work on publicity. Even though some of our members were unable to participate in all of the conference committee calls, they in some way contributed to the success of this committee. Even though we have had some successes, we know we have a long way to go in getting out the word about the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind.
-- Submitted by Bill Newland
Carla Hayes, Chair
The Resolutions committee was very busy this year! At the 2009 PCB State Convention, eight resolutions were presented. Of these, five passed, two were tabled for further work, and one was defeated. A common theme for this year's resolutions seemed to be communications. Two of them dealt with radio reading services, one addressed a well known magazine for the blind, one dealt with audio description, and two were internal resolutions dealing with the communication of information to PCB members. Even our two courtesy resolutions communicated our appreciation to those who made our convention a success. Following is a summary of the 2009 PCB resolutions.
It seems that most resolutions are written to draw attention to things that are wrong or conditions that need to be changed. However, resolutions can also be used to convey appreciation and praise. In resolution 2009-01, PCB commended the Sony Corporation for incorporating Audio Description into all its new Sony Bravia HDTV's. It also directs that a letter of commendation, along with a copy of this resolution, be sent to Sony's corporate headquarters in New York, NY. I am happy to report that this resolution passed unanimously.
The next two resolutions addressed internal matters of PCB. Resolution 2009-02 stated that the Board of Directors should, immediately after approving the final version of the minutes of each of its meetings, make a summary of these minutes available to the membership on a regular and ongoing basis, by posting them on the PCB web site, publishing it in the ADVOCATE, and by any other means which will insure its widest dissemination to the membership. This resolution passed after a lively debate.
Resolution 2009-03 asked the PCB Nominating committee to communicate the names and credentials of the recommended slate of candidates, as well as the names and credentials of nominees who were considered but not selected for the slate, to all chapter presidents, post them on the PCB-L listserv, and use any other means which would insure their widest dissemination to the membership. Since we could not come to an agreement of how or if this should be done, this resolution was tabled for further work.
The topic of the following two resolutions was radio reading services. In resolution 2009-04, the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind expressed its regret, concern, and dismay regarding the recent closure of several radio reading services. It also directed that copies of this resolution be sent to all the agencies and organizations which have closed their radio reading services, as well as to existing radio reading services in Pennsylvania, to discourage further closures. This resolution was tabled. Resolution 2009-05 contained the same Whereas clauses, and urged PCB to establish a task force to investigate approaches for insuring that local radio reading services would be made available to all Pennsylvanians who would benefit from them. This resolution was defeated.
The subject of resolution 2009-06 was the Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind. In this resolution, the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind expressed its outrage to the Board of Directors of the E. Matilda Ziegler Foundation for discontinuing the publication of the Matilda Ziegler Magazine in hardcopy formats, only making it available on the Internet, via email, and through the telephone voice email services which require a paid subscription, and changing the content from that of a general interest magazine to a blindness-related news service. The resolution urged the Board of Directors to reverse its decision and continue to publish this magazine in its present form and formats. Finally, if the E. Matilda Ziegler Foundation does not continue to publish the Matilda Ziegler Magazine in its present form and formats, PCB urges the American Council of the Blind to file a law suit against the E. Matilda Ziegler Foundation on behalf of all the blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind readers throughout the world who have come to depend on this publication. After some deliberation, this resolution passed.
Finally, our two traditional courtesy resolutions were presented. In the first of these, resolution 2009-07, PCB expressed its appreciation to the convention program committee, the host committee, and all of those who planned and implemented the 2009 PCB State Convention for all that they did to make this convention a success. Resolution 2009-08 expressed PCB's sincere gratitude to the staff and management of the Chateau Resort and Conference Center in Tannersville, PA for helping to make our convention a success. Both of these resolutions passed.
I would like to conclude by thanking the members of the Resolutions committee for all their work on these resolutions. They include John Luttenberger, Joseph Perry (Monitor), Darlene Barton, and Linda Davis. Have a blessed and happy holiday season, and when you make your New Year's resolutions for 2010, why not consider some resolutions for PCB?
Joe Perry, Chair
Time really catches up with you, doesn't it? It is almost the end of the year. It is still the goal of our committee to come up with a position on transportation that is acceptable to all members of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind (PCB). One of our committee members volunteered to develop such a position paper. However, time was not in his favor and it was never done. Thus, we are back to square one.
I have developed some transportation concerns which I have presented to the members of this committee, asking for any suggestions they might have. The remainder of the report will be devoted to reviewing some of them. Hopefully, you may have some suggestions too.
Adequate funding for all forms of transportation has been a primary concern of our committee. Funds on the federal level have been directed toward capital improvements. So far this source of money has been fairly adequate. However, funds allocated on the state and local levels have been too limited. We would like to see transportation throughout the state expanded to include evening hours and weekends. We hope to be able to coordinate advocacy efforts along these lines throughout Pennsylvania. If we are successful, it is hoped that all forms of public transportation can be improved, including shared ride.
Another concern of ours is the safety of blind and visually impaired pedestrians. As you know, audio pedestrian signals are a great help to these individuals by emitting sound cues to tell them when it is safe to cross busy intersections. Most of the advocacy for the installation of these devices is being done by our local chapters. Our state organization supports them when they need it. There are still too many busy intersections which are not covered by audio pedestrian signals (APS's). Although there is federal money available to assume part of the cost of these signals, local subdivisions do not have adequate funding. We must continue diligently to advocate for the further installation of these devices where necessary.
Finally, we are very much concerned about the "quiet car" issue. House bill 734 and Senate bill 841 in Congress both address this problem. The legislation directs the Secretary of Transportation to:
The bill provides that the standard shall apply to all "new motor vehicles." Currently there are 147 cosponsors for HR 734 and 13 cosponsors for SB841. If your representative has not yet attached his name to HR734, please contact him/her and urge him/her to do so. Senator Spector co-introduced SB841, and it is my understanding that Senator Casey is in support, but he prefers not to attach his name. However, if you have not already contacted him, it wouldn't hurt to let him know how you feel about the bill.
If you have any questions about the above information, or would like to make any comments, please contact me at 4753 Brian Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050, or by phone at 717-761-1920. Email is: joleperry@comcast.net
Michael Zaken, Chair
The Web Site committee has been active in keeping the PCB web site current and informative to all members. A link was added to access the DVD, which the PCB Publicity committee created. The ADVOCATE is always current, and we make it easier to navigate by adding links throughout the document.
The Convention committee provided 5 different documents which were posted on the web site to inform members as to what was happening with the convention. All convention workshop documents were posted on the web site. These documents were provided by the Membership, Publicity, Low Vision, Employment, and Governmental Affairs committees. Again, this year we live-streamed the PCB convention. Thanks to Doug Hunsinger for his hard work.
PayPal was activated, along with virtual terminal, to allow credit cards to be used for the convention auction. This turned out to be a great convenience for the auction bidders, as well as the Fund Raising committee. The plans for the future are to use for next year's convention registration.
Facebook was set up for PCB to engage in better communication with its members. So, members, go out and establish your Facebook account, and include PCB as your Facebook friend.
Also, try to use the merchant links, such as Good Search, Amazon, and Maxi Aids, because it will earn PCB some revenue. We should have an extensive resource list on the web site soon, thanks to the PCB Publicity committee. We are working on building a sponsor's page, a photo page, and a local chapter's page.
Any comments or contributions to the web site would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks to Co-chair Bob Lichtenfels, Bill Newland, Ed Facemyer, Blaine Clark, and Joe Fagnani for their work on the Web Site committee.
Happy web surfing!
-- Submitted by Michael Zaken.
Our chapter of PCB meets the second Tuesday of every month, with the exception of July, August, and December. We usually have from 18 to 20 members in attendance at each meeting. We are fortunate to have dedicated drivers who transport many of our members to and from meetings.
We have seven standing committees: Fundraising, Membership, Welfare, Transportation, Recreation, Legislation, and Refreshments. Currently, our fundraising activities consist of selling candy. We added another member to our role at our October meeting. We also try to keep in touch with our members who are ill.
Our annual picnic was held on Saturday, August 15 and our Christmas party will take place on Tuesday, December 15. There are two primary pieces of legislation in the congress which we hope will be enacted: The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act and the Telecommunication and Video Accessibility Act. The refreshment committee does an excellent job, making certain that we have good things to eat after each meeting. A committee has been appointed to research the effectiveness of existing audible pedestrian signals and the further need for new ones in our area.
At our November meeting, our biannual elections were held. The following were elected: President, Ray Bogardus; Vice President, Sandy Marsiglia; Secretary, Marie Search; Treasurer, Doris Suhr; Corresponding Secretary, Cathy Long; and Chaplain, Bill Suhr. We look forward to a prosperous and productive next two years.
-- Submitted by Joe Perry.
Tom Gumby, President, opened our monthly meeting with the pledge to the flag, followed by a word of prayer. Cecilia Scholly, our Chaplain, is in the hospital.
We had our pizza party, along with homemade applesauce, ginger bread, chips, cider, and Halloween candy. The Sunshine box was passed.
There were 11 present for roll call. The Secretary and Treasurer's report were both read and approved by all. No old business. Three of our group, Beverly Garman, Bill Davis, and Mary Ann Worthington attended the PCB convention in the Poconos. Transportation was provided by Walter Garman. Travel expenses were taken from the club treasury. Mary Ann provided homemade candy for the auction and also baked cookies to sell for the club.
Nell's Market will be catering our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. For entertainment, the group 3/16 provided a gospel music program. Door prizes were awarded. Meeting closed with the Lord's Prayer.
-- Submitted by Mary Ann Worthington, Secretary.
We have been very busy over the past few months. One of the areas of concern by our organization is the increasing number of people with low vision. In order to reach out to these individuals, the GTCB membership committee, chaired by Sue Lichtenfels, held two events. On Saturday, August 15, prior to our monthly meeting, a group discussion was held. Moderated by Sheri Crum, we talked about such things as dealing with day-to-day situations, from daily living to devices available. We hope to have these group discussions quarterly. This was followed by our annual pizza party.
It doesn't end there. On October 17, GTCB sponsored a low vision expo at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland. Approximately 50 people attended the event. Here was our line-up:
At our September meeting, the speaker was Brenda Loughrey, currently employed as a TDI by the Allegheny County Intermediate Unit. Her topic, "Access Technology for Reading Material and Its Future." She pointed out that there is a lot of reading material that can be obtained via the National Library Service. Unfortunately, because of their security, this is not the case for other reading sources. The reason - getting the publishers to release the material in an accessible format. She also talked about current devices, like the Victor Stream and Book Sense, which enables us to access current sources of reading material. She encouraged us to work to ensure that we have access to the same material that is available to the sighted world.
A number of our GTCB members attended a class at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) concerning universal design. This group is looking at ways to improve accessibility of appliances for blind and visually impaired.
A group of people, headed by Joe Wassermann has been meeting with officials of the city of Pittsburgh concerning accessible pedestrian signals. Several members of our chapter made a number of recommendations concerning placement of these APS in the city. We have been assured these recommendations will be reviewed, and many future installations will be equipped with these signals.
There was a meeting with Chris Roselet, an aide to Senator Casey. We discussed Senate bill 841, companion bill to House bill 734, on pedestrian safety. We also discussed House bill 3101, the 21st Century Communications Act.
Sue Etters, Darlene Barton, and Bill Newland are members of the Committee for Accessible Transportation (CAT). This committee is made up of a number of persons with disabilities and has been working with the Allegheny County Port Authority in such areas as revisions to the bus and light rail system, and making transit schedules more accessible to those with vision impairments. The committee is currently looking at a system that will call the user 10 minutes prior to his/her pick-up on the shared ride system. Still in the test phase, the call-ahead system for the most part is working.
To keep pace with the many changes which have taken place in the past few years, the Golden Triangle Council of the Blind Bylaws, and Vision and Mission statements are being reviewed by Joe Wassermann, Mike Gravitt, Anthony Evancic, Darlene Barton, Sue Lichtenfels, and Bill Newland. As a result, a number of revisions to these documents have been made and sent to the general membership for approval.
We were pleased to have 24 of our members make the trip via chartered bus to Tannersville for the PCB State Convention. Now we are looking forward to future events, such as our Christmas party at Mitchell's Restaurant, as well as hosting the PCB State Convention in 2010.
-- Submitted by Mike Zaken and Bill Newland
Our efforts continue to make Lancaster County a more pedestrian safe place for the blind and vision impaired, as well as all citizens, to travel. A major step forward was achieved on October 8, 2009, when the first talking signal in the county went live on the Millersville University campus. Another Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) is scheduled to be installed within weeks four blocks away in the center of the town of Millersville.
In July our Red Rose Council of the Blind (RRCB) was one of four disability advocacy groups recognized in a resolution passed by Lancaster City Council. These four groups joined forces to form the Lancaster Abilities Coalition (LAC). LAC organized an ADA celebration day on the 24th of July, in which RRCB participated. This event reached an estimated six to eight hundred people on Penn Square in the city of Lancaster. We participated in several other summer events in the community to promote dignity, opportunity, equal access, and empowerment for persons with blindness or low vision.
Our membership held elections at the November 14th meeting. The officers elected are the following: Ed Hersh, President; Yvonne Garris, Vice President; Nathan Roth, Treasurer; Candy Gregory, Recording Secretary; and Stephanie Hersh, Corresponding Secretary.
On November 7th at the 2009 PCB Convention, LVCB member Richard "Dick" Schmoyer was awarded the Certificate of Dedicated Service. The award states, "In recognition of your years of dedicated service to the membership of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind, for your cheerful, enthusiastic willingness to serve as a volunteer, member of PCB committees, and the high regard you regularly demonstrate toward each member of the organization expressed through your interactions and relationships." Dick wishes to thank the officers, the Board of Directors, and the members of PCB for this honor and surprise at the convention. He admits he is seldom speechless, but he had trouble finding the words to express his deep appreciation in the moment of surprise.
LVCB had 10 members at the PCB convention at the Chateau in the Poconos. All seemed to have a really good time. The Expo, workshops, seminars, speakers, banquet and auction were all well done and the planners of all the events are to be congratulated.
Other exciting news is that LVCB members David Reed and Kim Reimert were married on October 31st. They had a simple wedding ceremony in First Baptist Church in Slatington, and Kim's parents gave them a wonderful reception. They honeymooned in the Poconos. Best wishes, Kim and David!
LVCB also has sad news to report. A former member of LVCB has died. Kathy Benedix, 62, died in her apartment on Wednesday, November 11th. Kathy was always eager to serve, especially by making crafts or afghans to sell at fundraisers. She was employed for several years at the Lehigh Valley center for Independent Living and was a volunteer call-taker at Vision Impairment and Blindness Services in Northampton County. She was a member of the Lehigh Valley Saturday morning Lion's Club, where she held the office of Lion Tamer, and as such she and her dog guide, Herman, were active at numerous fundraisers. Kathy enjoyed '50's and '60's music, loved to listen to talk radio, and enjoyed outings and spending time with friends and family. We will miss Kathy.
The chapter had Craig McClellan from the Keystone Magnification Center in West Reading as our speaker in October. He brought a number of assistive items, including a stand-alone scanner and reader, made by ABISEE. He was an enthusiastic speaker and a patient demonstrator, and gave us time to view his products after his talk.
LVCB held elections on November 21st. Our officers are: President, Sherry Hancik; Vice President, Rita Lang; Treasurer, Adam Shive; Recording Secretary, Robert Hancik; and Corresponding Secretary, Jameel Memon. We will hold our Christmas party on December 12th at Sterfano's restaurant. For fundraisers we have been selling Streakless Wipes, Lehigh Valley "Enjoy the City" coupon books, and most recently, Party Lite candles.
-- Submitted by Jeanette Schmoyer.
Our chapter meets the first Monday of each month. Our big fundraiser was "Applefest", which we hold each fall. Donations are contributed by local merchants, etc., as well as baskets which our chapter makes up for sale. Another of our fundraisers is our annual pepperoni sale. A $500 scholarship was established for the present school year. One of our members also attended the PCB State Convention in the Poconos, representing the chapter. We are planning a Christmas party in December, at which time new officers will be elected for the coming year.
Our chapter is on its way to a new phase in its life, as we are six days away from electing new officers. Much has happened during these last four years as I served as president. Five of our members have passed away, one has moved away, and several have been in and out of the hospital. Nevertheless, we have managed to hold our own despite these adversities, and we are doing as well as we can for a small chapter.
The past four years have been punctuated by challenges and modest achievements. Some of our most significant challenges have included gaining and maintaining members, transportation to meetings, and fundraising.
In this age of individualism and increased demands on people's time, many people are reluctant to join any organization. But we have done all that we can to retain old members and gain new ones. One of the most important strategies for retaining members is keeping them involved. Most of our members are actively involved with chapter activities. In addition, some of them serve on PCB committees. Some attend ACB conventions and participate in council activities on the national level. We encourage participation in PCB by doing all that we can to make it possible for any member who would like to attend the PCB State convention to do so. Also, our chapter is like a close-knit family that really cares about its members. We send a card and gift certificate for a local store to any member who has been hospitalized or who has had a death in the immediate family. We try to keep in constant phone contact with one another.
One of the strategies we use to find new members is passing out PCB flyers with our contact information at community events and to local eye doctors in hopes that they will refer their patients to us. Another helpful strategy is holding some of our chapter meetings in the community rooms of apartment buildings where some of our members reside. This encourages new people to come and find out about our organization. Finally, we encourage chapter members to invite friends to our meetings in hopes of getting them interested in joining our chapter.
Transportation to meetings has always been a challenge. Some of our members are brought to meetings by friends or family members. Others use shared ride or local taxies. Finally, we are very fortunate that our local blind association provides transportation to some of our meetings. One of our biggest transportation problems is that our local First Transit system must provide transportation for senior citizens and ADA riders under two separate programs. For reasons that we cannot understand, riders in both programs cannot ride in the same cab, even if they are coming from and going to the same place. Another problem is the abbreviated hours of operation of our local transportation services. We are working to find remedies for these and other transportation problems.
Our third biggest challenge has always been fund-raising. In addition to the usual candy, 50/50's and raffles, we have participated in Bon Ton community days, in which an organization must sell $5 coupon books and the store writes us an additional check for participating. Although we get to keep all the profit from the coupon books, it is hard work. We must man a table all day at the store in order to be really successful, and we are competing with other organizations who are also selling coupon books at the store. Another fundraiser that we are doing this year is selling $5 books containing coupons for 40 area businesses. We have also had fundraisers with local restaurants. Finally, the daughter of one of our members makes jewelry for us to sell at PCB conventions.
Despite all our challenges, we have managed to achieve a lot in the past few years. Last year, we hosted a Gateway Clipper cruise for the chapters in the Southwestern Region. We make an annual donation to our local blind association to help them during these difficult economic times. Finally, I am happy to report that this year we have awarded a scholarship to an undergraduate student in vision studies at the University of Pittsburgh. (More on this in a future article).
In conclusion, although we have been plagued by many adversities during the past few years, we have been able to keep keeping on. We have learned that if we stick together, we can overcome almost any obstacle! I would like to take this opportunity to thank each member of the Washington County chapter of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind for working so hard to make our chapter the special group that it is.
-- Submitted by Carla Hayes.
It has been an active year for the chapter in York. We wrote a letter to the Board of Elections, outlining our concerns about how some of our members were treated at the polls. We also wrote a letter to the Public Works Department about the condition of APS in York.
This is an election year for us. Unfortunately, the results will not be known in time for publication in this article. However, the slate of officers as recommended by our Nominating committee are: President, Rodger Simmons; Vice President, Bill Haas; Treasurer, Tom Keasey; Recording Secretary, Missy Haas; and Corresponding Secretary, Sherry Dolheimer. Our current President, Jim Marchiano, chose not to run for election due to his ongoing battle with cancer. Of course, we all wish the best for Jim.
-- Submitted by Rodger Simmons
From the Editor: If you want your chapter represented in current issues of the ADVOCATE, the information must come from your chapter. If your chapter is not represented in the "Chapter Reports" column, it is because we have not heard from you. Chapter reports come from YOU. Let the rest of our readers know what your group is doing.--- June Horst, Editor
Audiologist, Serena Marie Ross from Scranton, spoke to the PCB Convention on Saturday, November 7. She began her presentation by acknowledging the importance of hearing to those who have lost vision. She said it was very important for our blind and visually impaired population to take good care of our ears. She also acknowledged that deciding to have a hearing evaluation takes courage for most people. Instead of realizing we might have a hearing loss, we tend to blame others for speaking too fast or too softly or mumbling, or we blame the loud background noise. If we often ask people to repeat what they said, or we can hear one-on-one, but not in a crowd, or if we hear female voices but not male voices, we probably have some degree of hearing loss.
A hearing evaluation should include all of the following:
Technology in hearing aids has greatly improved. With Blue Tooth technology, you can now hear telephone conversations, music from a stereo or IPOD, and TV directly through your hearing aids. Hearing aids also talk to one another so that you can have improved hearing on the phone, in the car, and in more difficult listening situations. No hearing aid is perfect, but the closer the hearing aid matches the patient's needs, the more access they will have.
Your audiologist or hearing instrument specialist will assist you in choosing from a variety of styles of hearing aids. These include hearing aids that fit deeply into the ear canal and are almost invisible. Other hearing aids fill the ear, and others fit over the ear with an ear mold/earpiece that inserts into the ear. Blue Tooth technology allows one to answer a phone by simply pressing a button worn around the neck. This means that you will not have to get up and run for the phone, and this can be a safety feature for an elderly person who cannot get up from a chair quickly or cannot walk quickly. Hearing aids that communicate with one another are an option and this means less fussing with each hearing aid individually and better hearing in certain environments, like on the phone and in background noise.
You may try a hearing aid for a time before you make a decision. Ask for a "no-obligation product demonstration. The Pennsylvania Department of Health requires that you receive a minimum of a 30-day trial with the option to return the hearing aids(s) at the end of that period. You may also want to ask your audiologist or dispenser if their trial period is flexible. Ask if you decide to return the aid on day 31, will they take it back? If you feel like you need more time, the audiologist or dispenser should be flexible. Most companies will give a trial of up to 60 days. The hearing aid(s) must be paid for before you take them home, but if you choose to return one or both of them, you will receive a refund minus 10% of the cost of the aid(s) and the cost of non-returnable items, such as the ear mold(s). The 10% fee cannot exceed $150.
Hearing aids can be purchased from a licensed audiologist or from a licensed hearing instrument specialist (HIS). An audiologist will hold a Master's or Doctorate of Audiology with at least 6 years of college education. He or she must also complete and pass a standardized national competency examination and meet state requirements for licensure. Audiologists work in medical/hospital, educational, industrial, clinical, and private practices. They specialize in the medical, diagnostic, and rehabilitative aspects of hearing care and treat all ages and populations.
Hearing Instrument Specialists (HIS) must have a high school diploma and pass a written and practical examination. In 15 states they must also complete a 6 to 12 month apprenticeship. After 2 years of practice, they can become board certified (BC-HIS). Generally, they work in hearing aid dispensaries/private practice and do not fit children under the age of 16.
If you purchase or wear a hearing aid, give them a chance. The audiologist's job is to make sure that you do as well as possible with your hearing aid(s). Do not be afraid to go back until the problem is solved. Discomfort from hearing aids, background noise, whistling, etc. are all problems that can be addressed and are often solved.
Thanks to a generous contribution from the Hershey Company, PCB will soon be launching a public awareness campaign that targets Pennsylvania's youngest residents. "Shining a Light" is a new effort to enlighten sighted, school-aged children about the lives and abilities of people who are blind. The Hershey donation will sponsor the printing of 10,000 fun activity sheets which can also double as place mats. The sheets will be available for all PCB chapters to use in presentations to children, and to provide for the use of local restaurants.
Although the sheets are still in the design faze, they are likely to include a Braille decoder puzzle, a word search, a picture of a guide dog to color, a true/false section, and an opportunity for the child to write their name into blank Braille cells. The activity sheets will include both the Hershey and PCB logos prominently displayed. There will also be a section aimed toward the parent which describes the work of PCB. A blank space will be available in one corner for us to include a sticker that contains the contact information for your specific chapter.
In preparation for this 2010 year-long awareness campaign, your chapter may want to start gathering some information. Where in your community might you give a blindness awareness presentation to children? You may want to consider contacting church youth groups and Sunday School classes, scouting organizations, the children's section of your library, museum, or bookstore, elementary schools, or the like. Many times these organizations are seeking speakers who can discuss diversity/disability issues. Are there local restaurants in your community that would be willing to use our activity sheets as place mats? It is good public relations for a restaurant to have an activity sheet to keep children pre-occupied while waiting for their meals. You may also want to stop in your local family doctor and dentist offices. The reception staff may be willing to distribute activity sheets to children while they await their appointments. It is not too early to begin planning your chapter's 2010 blindness awareness efforts.
The "Shining a Light" campaign is being coordinated by Sue Lichtenfels. Please contact her directly after January 1, 2010 to request activity sheets for your chapter to distribute. She can be reached at 412-429-1727 or susan@lichtenfels.us
Please do not miss out on this excellent community education opportunity for both your local chapter and PCB.
-- Submitted by Susan Lichtenfels
During the last several months six of the eight radio services in Pennsylvania have ceased operation. To my knowledge, the two that remain are those operated by Tri-county Association for the Blind in Harrisburg and the one operated by the Carl Shoemaker chapter in Juniata County. Pittsburgh, Somerset County, Lancaster, RADPRIN in Lehigh Valley, North Central Sight Services in Williamsport, and Philadelphia's RICB have all closed.
The primary reasons given are lack of funds and very few listeners to the broadcasts. Some stated that since the NFB Newsline provides access to most newspapers across the United States, radio reading services are no longer necessary.
An interesting scenario took place in Lancaster regarding the service operated by the Susquehanna Services for the Blind. This agency reported via the local newspaper that a survey was completed and there were only forty individuals that tuned in to the broadcasts. Therefore, the agency was discontinuing the service. Two persons who are blind responded to this announcement with "Letters to the Editor", expressing their disappointment that the service was closing, since they depended on it for access to the local newspaper. They also questioned the thoroughness of the survey, since they indicated that they were never contacted. The Red Rose Chapter has also received the same report from others.
The Red Rose Chapter and the PCB office felt this decision to discontinue the service by the Lancaster agency was a bit hasty. A letter was sent to the agency's Executive Director stating this. Two reasons were stated.
We felt that at least for the Lancaster County area more attention should have been given to the need for users of the service before it was closed down. -- John Horst, Executive Director, PCB
FROM THE ACB OFFICE
Eric Bridges
Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
The American Council of the Blind and 3 million Blind and Visually Impaired SSA recipients won a major legal victory when Judge William Alsup of the US District Court, Northern District of California in San Francisco, issued a judgement in October in favor of the American Council of the Blind and two classes of 3 million individuals with blindness and visual impairments. The suit challenged the Social Security Administration's (SSA) failure to provide its critical benefits communications to recipients in alternative formats that would enable people with visual impairments to have equal access to SSA programs, as required by federal disability civil rights laws.
This ruling signals a major victory for the disability rights movement, and it sets a precedent for the obligations of other federal and state agencies to accommodate people who are blind or have visual impairments. The Social Security Administration (SSA) sends out 390 million notices and forms each year. Plaintiffs won the right to receive communications in a format that is accessible to them, and Judge Alsup ruled that these formats, at a minimum, must include Braille and CD.
Not until the lawsuit was filed in 2005, did the Social Security Administration acknowledge that it was covered by anti-discrimination laws that protect people with disabilities. Judge Alsup observed in his ruling that the agency "has not given primary consideration to the requests of the blind and visually impaired for alternative formats." He also cited the hardships that the plaintiffs endured because SSA sent them critical notices in print that they could not read or respond to. Examples:
Mary Ann Alexander, of East Stroudsburg, PA, (MCCB member), received SSA notices she could not read, about reductions in her daughter's SSA benefits. She ended up losing all benefits and suffering financial hardship for the 14 months it took to resolve the agency error and restore the benefits.
Arlene Doherty, of San Francisco, who is age 74, received an application form from SSA to complete within 10 days or risk losing her benefits. The application contained circled questions to answer, check marks where she was to sign, and instructions to initial any corrections. SSA did not call to help her with this application, which she could not read or fill out. When the agency suspended her benefits, she became destitute. She was unaware that she could have applied for a hardship waver.
SSA reduced Marvelena Quesada's (ACB member), SSI benefits, due to an overpayment that came about because, being unable to access the program rules, she did not realize she had to report blind work expenses. During the several months it took to sort this out, Ms. Quesada could not buy necessities, including groceries, and had to borrow money and use credit, accumulating a significant amount of debt that was difficult to repay.
Several other blind and/or visually impaired persons also testified as to their lack of access to critical information, especially given the range of assistive technologies and aids available and in wide use today. "Blind persons across the country have been trying for years to get SSA to send notices in a format we can read, and up until this ruling, we have been resoundingly ignored," commented ACB President, Mitch Pomerantz. "This is a great civil rights victory."
Judge Alsup's ruling can be found at:
dredf.org/SSA/2009-10-20-Judgment.pdf
dredf.org/SSA/2009-10-20-Findings.pdf
Mary Ann's Experience:
Back in August of 2008, an email was posted via the PCB listserve for the ACB, who needed to find persons receiving Social Security Disability or Supplemental income for themselves or their children. The reason was that in 2006, the ACB brought suit against the Social Security Administration for failing to provide critical determination notices to blind and visually impaired recipients in formats which they could not read. This resulted in many recipients experiencing a decrease or interruption in their benefits. The failure to provide notices in alternative format is clearly a violation of rights under section 504 of the rehabilitation act.
Having had some experience with this problem first hand, it became important to me to help in some way. Initially, I contacted the number given, which, as it happens, was the direct number of the attorneys handling the case. I told them I'd try to find plaintiffs for them, and before I hung up the phone, they had taken my information and, well, I was on the front line, in with both feet.
Just to demonstrate the problem, when I was asked to produce whatever documentation I might have which could substantiate my own experience, I had to find a trustworthy sighted assistant to help me dig through all of the mountains of blank pieces of paper. Blank you ask? Well, yes, to me a piece of paper is blank until I take steps to identify it, which are far more time-consuming than simply looking at it with my eyes, like scanning with electronic equipment or waiting on someone else's schedule to read it.
The next phase was to be deposed by both the attorney for the ACB and the attorney for the Social Security Administration, an attorney from the United Stated Department of Justice. This occurred in February of this year. The attorneys flew out and met me in my office to take my deposition.
In August, I received a call from Ann Miller of the Howrey Firm to ask if I'd be willing to fly to San Francisco to be a witness in the upcoming trial. I was honored that she thought my testimony would be of value and readily agreed. Now, I need to tell you a bit about these attorneys.
First, the case was taken on by the Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF), who then sought out another firm and well, to make a long story short, that's how the Howrey firm became involved. What you need to know is that neither the attorneys from the DREDF nor those from the Howrey firm will ever be paid for their efforts, for the representation of ACB. I have to tell you, these attorneys spent countless hours on this case and as the trial neared, they were burning the midnight oil and beyond.
On October 20, 2009, the ACB had its victory over the Social Security Administration! Here is a quote from the Judge's order: "Until this litigation was underway, the agency refused to even acknowledge that it was obligated to follow Section 504, routinely denying individual requests for accommodation. In this litigation, it has been quick to find lame excuses for noncompliance, but exceedingly slow to favor accommodations. " So, you see, not only did Judge William Alsup understand the problem of needing to provide important benefit altering notices to its blind beneficiaries in alternative format, but he understands that the SSA would continue to drag its feet if left to its own devices, and he intends to retain jurisdiction over this matter, insuring that the SSA will comply in full.
Since the decision, I have received two emails, one from DREDF and one from Ann Miller of Howrey, thanking me for my participation in the trial and the process. Now, how can I explain to them, or to you who are reading this article that I feel compelled to thank all of them. Not only for their time, energy, legal expertise, expense, and most of all, the empathy which compelled them to take this case on, but for providing me with the opportunity of a lifetime?
Those of you who have read articles which I have previously written, know that I am frequently involved in advocacy efforts, but this time, well, it was just so different. It was an honor to be part of an effort which would make millions of lives just a little bit easier. All of the plaintiffs chosen to testify were awesome. Some were seasoned advocates and some were just those done wrong by the process, needing to help in their own way, to tell their own stories.
So, as I hope was conveyed by the convention session on advocacy and by this article, get involved, be your own voice. No one can possibly say it better than you! --Contributed by Mary Ann Alexander
The American Council of the Blind annually conducts a national legislative seminar in Washington, DC. The purpose of the seminar is to provide a forum for members of the Council to visit with members of the House and Senate, familiarizing them with issues and national legislation vital to our interests.
Delegations of state affiliates from throughout the nation travel to our nation's capitol, customarily on the Presidential holiday weekend. During the first day and a half of the seminar, attendees are informed of the specifics of those issues and legislative initiatives ACB has determined to promote. On the final day of the seminar, members of each state delegation travel to the Hill, paying a personal visit to each of the legislators representing their state, appointments having been made in advance. In 2010, the ACB Legislative Seminar will be held during the third weekend of February, from the 21st through the 23rd.
Earlier this year, a member petitioned PCB's Board of Directors to review the process for selection of individuals to serve as delegates to the ACB Legislative Seminar. The Board took up the matter during the Spring meeting of the Board. After a lengthy review of all aspects of the selection process, an ad hoc committee was charged with the responsibility of creating a policy to govern the selection process. At the Summer meeting of the Board, the policy for selection was presented and affirmed. The policy is presented below. Please make note of all dates within the policy, and in particular, the deadline for the submission of resumes, November 15th.
Policy for the Selection of PCB Representatives to the ACB Annual Legislative Seminar:
-- Submitted by Tony Swartz
Eric Bridges, ACB Governmental Affairs
It has been a hectic Fall, filled with meetings on the Hill and with industry, with the goal of moving HR3101, the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act forward. ACB, as a steering committee member of the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) is actively engaging in discussions with the wireless, video programming, content provider, and broadcasting industries in order to build support for this legislation. This is proving to be slow, but steady progress.
While these negotiations are on-going, I am happy to report that there are now 19 co-sponsors for this bill. Please continue to reach out to your members of Congress for support. Let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you with any questions or concerns that may arise regarding this legislation.
I am quite pleased to share the updated co-sponsorship number for the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. There are 147 co-sponsors in the House and 13 in the Senate.
If you have not done so already, please call or write your Congressman and thank him/her for signing on. For those members who have not yet climbed aboard, please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you. Rep. Towns' staff is impressed with the continued interest in this issue by other House and Senate staff. This is largely due to ACB's tireless advocacy on this issue.
"Blind Spots," a visual simulation of retinitis pigmentosa, was painted by John Lewis, a resident of Harrisburg, Pa. and former vendor in the Business Enterprise program of BBVS, also a member of PCB. The painting is the artist's rendition of what it is like to see the world with retinitis pigmentosa. Mr Lewis created this image while he still retained eight degrees of central vision.
On June 5, 2009, "Blind Spots" was selected to be the "signature piece" for the Shared Vision 2009-2010 annual Art Exhibition, Fullerton, California. To order or read a description of "Blind Spots," go to Mr Lewis' web site at jdlewiswildlifeprints.com Click on Blind Spots, A Visual Simulation of Retinitis Pignentosa. The web site is screen-reader friendly and a detailed description of all Mr. Lewis' art work and life story is provided. -- Contributed by John Horst.
Submitted by Paul Edwards
A Past President of ACB.
Be cautious about giving information to Census Workers with the US Census processers. The Better Business Bureau advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 US Census is under way, as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 US census workers will count every person in the United States, and will gather information about every person living at each address, including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data. The big question is -- how do you tell the difference between a US census worker and a con artist? Better Business Bureau offers the following advice.
If a census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.
Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the US census. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, it will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations.
Eventually, census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, they will not contact you by email, so be on the lookout for email scams impersonating the Census Bureau.
Walgreens Pharmacies are supplying blind and visually impaired customers with a free Script Talk machine that narrates preprinted information on medicine containers. The Script Talk machine reads the dosing instructions, patient information, side effects, refills, and prescribing physician's name through a sensor that the Walgreens pharmacist places on the container. Script Talk is about the size of a portable CD player. It has an adapter, but can run on double A batteries. Contact your local Walgreens for more information.
Seeking students for research study -- Students who are between the ages of 16 and 22 years of age, who are Braille readers and users of assistive technology are needed for a study.
This study will explore how you use both Braille and electronic information for classroom work, and how you learned these literacy practices.
The purpose of this research will be to add to our understanding of the current role of both hard copy Braille (paper) and the use of electronic access to information by people who are blind from ages 16-22, and your attitudes and perceptions about both Braille and technology. This information will inform you how we prepare pre-service teachers to instruct young Braille readers. If you are under 18, you must have your parents' or guardian's permission, be enrolled in school, between 16-22, a Braille reader, and a user of electronic assistive technology devices, hardware, or software. If you are interested in participating in this study, or receiving more information, please contact me via email at: fmd22@pitt.edu Phone: 412-521-5797, or by writing to me at: Frances Mary D'Andrea, 5513 Posvar Hall, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Contributor, Sherri Crum.
| George Holliday | President | 215-748-3556 |
| Anthony Swartz | 1st V President | 610-799-4565 |
| Wm Newland | 2nd V President | 412-487-4995 |
| Cathy Long | Secretary | 717-737-1979 |
| Anthony Evancic | Treasurer | 412-621-4046 |
| John A Horst | Executive Director | 717-367-6346 |
| Joe Perry | Past President | 717-761-1920 |
| Mary Ann Alexander | 570-807-1276 | |
| Joe Wassermann | 412-687-5166 | |
| Jeanette Schmoyer | 215-703-4072 | |
| Edward Hersh | 717-872-1192 | |
| Bob Lichtenfels | 412-429-1727 | |
| Sue Lichtenfels | 412-429-1727 | |
| Thomas Reid | 570-421-2543 | |
| Harry Epstein | 954-557-0639 |
| Beaver County | Ken Sheets |
| Capitol City | Joseph Perry |
| Carl Shoemaker | Geraldine Zeigler |
| Clearfield-Jefferson County | Jackie Wissinger |
| Cumberland Care & Share | Catherine Kingsborough |
| Erie | Ernest Wright |
| Golden Triangle | Mike Zaken |
| J. F. Kennedy | David Shaw |
| Lackawanna County | Janice Hargick |
| Lancaster Red Rose | Ed Hersh |
| Lehigh Valley | Sherry Hancik |
| Luzerne County | Thomas Walsh |
| Monroe County | Mary Ann Alexander |
| Oil Valley | Scott Roberts |
| Philadelphia Region | James Saylor |
| Washington County | Carla Hayes |
| York County | Jim Marchiano |
| Special Interest Group -- | |
| Delaware Valley Council of Citizens with Low Vision | Jerry Weinger |
NAME:_______________PHONE:________
ADDRESS:__________________________
_______________________ZIP:________
INDICATE:___LARGE PRINT___BRAILLE
___CASSETTE___PC DISK___EMAIL
ADVOCATE FORMAT:______________
ADULT MEMBERSHIP DUES $10.00 ______
JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP DUES $5.00 ______
AGENCY MEMBERSHIP DUES $20.00 ______
CONTRIBUTIONS $______
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $ ______
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
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED: