The Braille Monitor October 2005
Monitor
Miniatures
Recipes for this issue were submitted by members of
the National Federation of the Blind of Delaware. They were compiled by Doris
Blake, who has been an active member of the Central Delaware Chapter. She has
held positions in the local chapter and is a member of the state board. She
serves as a volunteer driver and often hosts dinner meetings for both the local
chapter and the state board at her home. She is a second-generation Federationist,
since her mother, the late Viola Fraser, was also an NFB member.
News from the Federation Family
Holiday and Specialty Gift Baskets, Wreaths, and Floral Arrangements
Available:
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We recently circulated the following announcement by email to Federationists around the country, but we want all of our readers to get word of this offer before planning their holiday gift-giving.
The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute is pleased to announce that the Imagination Fund has been designated one of Basket Magic's 2005 charities.
The Imagination Fund <http://www.nfb.org/nfbrti/inaugural_fund.htm> was established to support the work of the National Federation of the Blind state affiliates and local chapters across the country and the initiatives of the Jernigan Institute <http://www.nfb.org/nfbrti/enter.htm>, the nation's center of innovations in programs and services that help blind and visually impaired people live full and productive lives.
Gift basket, wreath, or floral arrangement purchases made through Basket Magic between September 1, 2005, and December 31, 2005, will result in a donation to the Imagination Fund. Just go to <www.basketmagic.com> or call (410) 719-6263 or (443) 740-4312 and place your order for a lovely customized gift basket, wreath, or floral arrangement. Mention that you heard about Basket Magic from the National Federation of the Blind, and 10 percent of your purchase (excluding shipping, delivery costs, and taxes) will be donated to the Imagination Fund.
Basket Magic customized baskets and other creations make wonderful
gifts for any occasion. Your order of a customized holiday gift basket, table
setting, or holiday wreath from Basket Magic will make a great gift and support
the Imagination Fund.
Temporarily Disabled:
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| Peggy Elliott |
In an extraordinary accident while she was sleeping, Peggy Elliott,
second vice president of the National Federation of the Blind and president
of the NFB of Iowa, fell, breaking her right wrist and right leg above the knee.
Peggy will be in a wheelchair for a couple of months, but she cajoled her physician
into allowing her as much finger motion as possible so that she can continue
to type. Her husband Doug explains to bemused neighbors and friends in Grinnell
that as a result of coping with two large casts, Peggy is temporarily disabled.
We certainly wish Peggy a speedy recovery.
Elected:
The Greater Daytona Beach Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
Florida recently conducted elections. Here are the results: president, Kathy
Davis; vice president, JD Townsend; Secretary, Bill Outman; treasurer and fundraising
chairman, Allen Bornstein; transportation board position, Peter Cerullo; membership
board position, Owen Henderson; public relations board position, Sabrina Deaton;
and legislation board position, Chad Buckins.
In Memoriam:
We are saddened to report that NFB of Idaho President Paula Achter lost her
husband Bernie on July 14, 2005. He had been in poor health for some time. She
has our sympathy.
Elected:
The North San Diego County Chapter of the NFB of California held elections recently.
Those elected were Dave Faiman, president; Karmalynne Rios, first vice president;
Denise Bravell, second vice president; Jake Salazar, secretary; Shirley Baillif,
treasurer; and Beth Kats and Raquel Montoya, board members.
Elected:
On September 10, 2005, the following officers and board members were elected
at the annual convention of the NFB of Hawaii: president, Nani Fife; vice president,
Charlene Ota; secretary, Katie Keim; treasurer, Lea Grupen; and members of the
board of directors, Brook Sexton, Milton Ota, Tammy Robar, and Dr. Floyd Matson.
Elected:
At the May 2005 meeting of the Buffalo Chapter of the NFB of New York the following
officers were elected: president, Mike Robinson; vice president, Vinnie Teglarino;
secretary, Julie Phillipson; and treasurer, Angie Robinson. Chris Minkler, Barb
Elliott, and Kathy Teglarino were elected as board members.
Contribute Online:
It�s now easier than ever to contribute to the National Federation of the Blind
online. The redesigned NFB Web site allows you to contribute to the general
fund or the Imagination Fund using your credit card, or to donate stock. Go
to <www.nfb.org> and click on �Support us.� Or you can go directly to
<www.nfb.org/imaginationgiving.htm>.
In Brief
Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor
readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we have
edited only for space and clarity.
Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network Recruits for New Research Protocol:
Those affected by Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (HPS), a rare type of albinism,
now have the opportunity to participate in a ground-breaking clinical trial
for a drug designed to treat the pulmonary fibrosis of HPS.
HPS is a serious genetic disorder that involves albinism, a bleeding tendency and bruising, and in some cases a life-threatening lung disease. Although the disorder occurs in all nationalities, it�s one of the most common genetic disorders among people of Puerto Rican descent, occurring in 1 in 2,000 people from Puerto Rico.
The clinical trial is being run by doctors at the National Institutes of Health, the foremost research institution for HPS. Patients will be treated by some of the nation�s leading experts at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. All trial-related medical care and transportation will be free to participating patients.
Those eligible must have a forced vital capacity on pulmonary function tests of below 85 percent and above 50 percent or a diffusion capacity score below 80 percent.
If you have a breathing problem related to Hermansky-Pudlak
Syndrome, or if you have albinism and asthma, and suspect you might have this
syndrome, please call (800) 789-9477.
Adoptive Families Needed for Waiting Vision-Impaired Children:
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| Xiao Min |
The World Association for Children and Parents (WACAP) is seeking loving adoptive families for beautiful children from around the world. Currently we have twenty-six children with various forms of vision impairment ranging from mild to significant. WACAP has been placing children in loving adoptive homes since 1976. WACAP has adoption programs in six countries including China, Korea, India, Russia, Thailand, and the United States.
Xiao Min, born in February of 1997, is outgoing, friendly and
full of life. He loves music, singing, and playing the drums, all of which he
does very well. He dreams of attending a music school and through his music
�bringing happiness to everyone in this world.� Xiao Min is blind, and though
this little boy may have what others consider a significant obstacle, he doesn�t
let that stop him from living life to the fullest. He has a wonderful dream;
now all he needs is a wonderful family to help him make his dreams come true.
For more information contact Debbie Sweetland, Family Finders Recruitment Specialist,
WACAP, (206) 575-4550, fax (206) 575-4148, <www.wacap.org>.
Seedlings Braille Books Catalogue:
Seedlings Braille Books for Children�s 2006 catalogue is now available. It offers
over 650 low-cost children�s books in Braille, including more than sixty new
titles to help children ages zero to fourteen get excited about reading. Seedlings�
books allow blind and sighted family members to read together.
Free Services from Seedlings:
Anna�s Book Angel Project
Register your child to win a free Braille book through the Anna�s Book Angel Project. Information is available online at <www.seedlings.org/bkangel.html>. Blind parents may also register to win a book to read to their children, and updated wish lists are being accepted from previous registrants.
The Rose Project
Seedlings provides free World Book Encyclopedia articles in Braille for children in grades one to twelve brought to you by a generous grant from Teammates for Kids Foundation. Order an article online at <http://www.seedlings.org/rose.html>.
To obtain a free catalogue in print, in Braille, or on disk
or for more information about our books and Anna�s Book Angels or the Rose Project,
contact Seedlings at P.O. Box 51924, Livonia, Michigan 48151-5924, (800) 777-8552,
email <[email protected]>. Shop twenty-four hours a day on our accessible
Website: <http://www.seedlings.org>.
Looking for Alumni:
Saint Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairments in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania,
will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary on November 19, 2005, at 2:00 p.m.
We are trying to locate former students who may wish to participate in the celebration
or who would like to receive periodic updates about the school. So, if you have
not received a personal invitation, please call the school at (610) 352-4550
to give Sister Meg your contact information. All of us here at Saint Lucy's
hope that all of our former students are doing well and will be able to join
us in our celebration.
Accessible Museum Tours:
The Jewish Museum of New York City offers specialized tours of its exhibitions
for blind or partially sighted visitors. Museum docents are trained to provide
Verbal Imaging Tours of any exhibition and Touch Tours of the permanent exhibition,
Culture and Continuity: The Jewish Journey. Touch Tours feature handling objects,
reproductions, tactile images, and fabrics and can focus on the following themes:
�Art in the Ancient World� and �The Modern Jewish Experience.� Tours are available
by appointment for individuals, adult groups, and school groups and must be
booked at least three weeks in advance. Large-print labels are also available
at the start of each temporary exhibition.
Admission fees: Specialized tours are free with museum admission: adults $10, seniors and students $7.50; Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., pay what you wish.
Upcoming tours are scheduled as follows:
Thursday, November 10, 2005, at 6:00 p.m.�Culture and Continuity:
The Jewish Journey
Wednesday, November 16, 2005, at 1:00 p.m.�The Jewish Identity Project: New
American Photography
For more information or to be placed on a mailing list for programs
and services for visitors who are blind or partially sighted, call (212) 423-3289
or email <[email protected]>. The Jewish Museum is located at 1109 Fifth
Avenue, on the corner of 92nd Street and Fifth Avenue.
A Useful Service to Know about:
The Federal Citizen Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado, wants everyone to
know how FirstGov.gov solves their problems and answers their questions about
the government. The same helpful information is also available by calling (800)
FED-INFO [333-4636].
FirstGov.gov is the official portal of the U.S. government. It's fast, easy-to-use,
and always there with federal, state, and local information that helps everyone.
People can even email questions, and FirstGov.gov will send them a personalized
answer.
With FirstGov.gov you can apply for Social Security, change
your address, renew your driver's license, apply for government jobs, find government
benefits, shop government auctions, get a passport application, contact elected
officials, get your voter registration form, and find out about small business
loans. For more information contact Nancy Tyler at (202) 501-1794 or <[email protected]>.
American Express Announces Availability of Braille and Large-Print
Card Statements:
American Express announces the availability of Braille and large-print statements
for American Express Card members with vision impairments in the United States.
This service continues American Express's tradition of offering the highest
level of service to all its customers. Card members can request the new service
by calling the American Express toll-free customer service number at (800) 528-4800,
or the customer service number listed on the back of their American Express
card. For more information visit <www.americanexpress.com>.
Third International Conference on Tactile Diagrams, Maps, and Pictures:
On December 1 and 2, 2005, in Birmingham, UK, the National Centre for Tactile
Diagrams, RNIB, will host the 2005 tactile graphics conference. This exciting
international event, which also offers an exhibition and pre-conference workshops,
covers all aspects of tactile graphics for blind and partially sighted children
and adults in education, work, and life activities, including techniques, applications,
and literacy development. The conference will be of interest to all those involved
in the design, production, procurement, use, and support of tactile graphics.
Full details can be found on the conference Website <www.nctd.org.uk/conference/>.
RNIB National Centre for Tactile Diagrams, 58-72 John Bright
Street, Birmingham B1 1BN, United Kingdom; telephone 0845 257-2587 (UK), +44
121 665 4257 (international); fax 0845 257 2588 (UK), +44 121 665 4201 (international);
email <[email protected]>; Web site <www.nctd.org.uk>.
FOFA EZ Finder:
Tired of losing your keys, remote controls, or wallet? Introducing the FOFA
EZ Finder. The EZ Finder helps you locate lost items easily. Each device can
find another with the press of a button. Just attach a finder to your keys,
and the second device will find them. Attach the second Finder to your TV remote,
and now your keys will find your TV remote. Press one; the second one will sound.
Use your wallet to find your keys, your keys to find the TV remote control,
or the DVD remote to find a wallet, etc. The possibilities are endless.
The EZ Finder works with a two-way RF wireless operation so that no base transmitter is needed, there are no false alarms, and no clapping or whistling is required. RF wireless operates through sofas, cushions, laundry baskets, etc. Each set comes with two EZ Finders, one key fob, and one flat unit (the flat unit comes with double-sided tape to enable attachment to your remote, etc.). Each EZ Finder has six buttons numbered in print and Braille, allowing each Finder to find six other misplaced items. The EZ Finder has a thirty-foot-radius range and a loud alarm. All batteries are included for a year of normal use (operates on commonly available coin cell). Instructions are easy, so you can get started in seconds. Attachment hardware and key rings are included.
This item is great for anyone. The cost is only $29.95 (plus
shipping and handling), so get yours now. Call (toll-free) (877) 4EZ-FIND, that�s
(877) 439-3463, or visit <www.4EZFINDER.com>.
Voice Email Support Group:
Joseph Colvin invites those interested to join his Sharing Support Group. Participants
can raise any problem for which they need support, including blindness. They
must be prepared to contribute, not just listen, and they must be members of
the Philmore Voicemail System, which costs $12.95 a month and has instant messaging
among members. To learn more about this voicemail system or to sign up, leave
a message for Phil Scopes at (773) 572-3000. To sign up for the Sharing Support
Group, leave a message at (773) 572-3059. Mr. Colvin also circulates devotions,
daily inspirational quotations, and other materials upon request.
Envision Is Hiring:
If you are legally blind and looking for work, consider Envision, a not-for-profit
agency based in Wichita, Kansas. Envision has jobs in Kansas as well as other
states in the Midwest and West. The job opportunities include administration,
retail, and manufacturing. At Envision you will earn competitive pay, will enjoy
a generous benefits plan, and can be provided relocation assistance.
Envision currently has job opportunities available as an accountant,
a certified vision rehabilitation therapist, and a cashier-stocker at Envisions�
Base Service Stores that are located in various states. To learn more about
these and other positions, please check the Web site at <www.envisionus.com>
or call Sandy toll-free at (888) 425-7072.
CDArticles.com Magazine Available:
A new service is available online for all blind and visually impaired people.
CDArticles.com magazine offers in-depth audio articles about today's world to
NFB members and nonmembers alike. Unlike streaming Internet radio, phone services,
or taped programs, the selection of topics and information is instantly available
in CD-quality sound to anyone with a computer.
The audio-articles can be downloaded from home or work, so blind subscribers do not need assistance from anyone, and there is no wait for tapes and CDs by mail. Members have instant access to five CD-quality articles a week, twenty per month, plus context anytime and from anywhere. Experience a new medium of information that will bring the world closer.
The National Federation of the Blind is proud to work in partnership with CDArticles.com to bring this new experience to the blind. For a special introductory price of $38 for one year, marked down from $51, you will get more than 260 articles and hours of listening on topics of interest to all Americans.
For each subscription received from a member of the National
Federation of the Blind, CDArticles.com will donate $7 to the organization.
Your subscription will help finance new scholarships and programs through the
NFB and open new areas of opportunity for all blind and visually impaired Americans.
Join us and help spread the news! Access the subscription page of the Web site
at <www.cdarticles.com/nfbform.htm>.
Free Fundraising Offer for NFB Chapters:
Blind Mice Mart extends a special invitation to local NFB chapters and state
affiliates to earn funds with our unique Coupon Code Fundraising Program. Here
is how it works:
1. Your chapter selects a coupon code word specific to your group.
2. Refer members, friends, and family to shop at Blind Mice Mart, <www.blindmicemart.com>.
3. Instruct them to type your code word into the �Coupon Code� edit field when they check out. They will also get a small discount off their purchase for participating.
It is that simple: just three easy steps.
Your chapter earns up to 15 percent of the merchandise price
when its code word is entered--no hidden fees or charges and no hassles. Contact
Dale Campbell today to sign up or to get more information: phone (713) 876 6971;
email <[email protected]>; or visit <www.BlindMiceMart.com>
and go to the fundraising link. All purchases at Blind Mice Mart benefit the
Mouse Hole Scholarship Program, which awards scholarships to visually impaired
students and sighted students of visually impaired parents.
Monitor Mart
The notices in this section have been edited for clarity, but we can
pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for the
accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the products for sale.
For Sale:
I have the Connect Outloud screenreader software for sale as well as Vterm.
If interested, call Joel at cell phone (801) 706-3343 or email <[email protected]>.
Perkins Brailler for Sale:
The Brailler was recently refurbished and is in good condition. Asking $300.
If interested, contact NFB of Massachusetts, 140 Wood Street, Somerset, Massachusetts
02726, <[email protected]>.
For Sale:
I have a Pentium 3 laptop computer running Windows XP. It has other software
programs that I am willing to throw in, an external 101 keyboard, speakers,
and an Epson scanner. I am asking $2,000 or best offer. Please contact Robert
Stigile at (818) 419-5331 or <[email protected]>.
For Sale:
This BookPort is one year old and has not been used much at all. I was just
not ready for this yet. It comes with two memory cards (128MB and 1-GB), one
set of ear buds (original), instructions (print and cassette), and carrying
case. Asking $250, money order only, free freight. You may contact Steven Kimbrough,
(281) 413-5755, email <[email protected]>.
Free to Good Homes:
Braille �n Speak Classics and Braille �n Speak Scholars (six of each) are free
to good homes (one per household, please). Also tutorial tapes, Braille reference
booklets, and battery chargers, but not enough for each Braille �n Speak. However,
these can be purchased at a reasonable price from the American Printing House
for the Blind. If you are interested, contact Ted Lennox by email at <[email protected]>.
For Sale:
My wife, who died recently, used with great satisfaction a Video Eye closed
circuit television system. I would like to sell it at a very reasonable price.
This CCTV sells today for $3,600 delivered. I am asking $1,200 or best offer.
Contact Norman E. Levan, MD, 3112 Amber Court, Bakersfield, California 93301,
(661) 322-3150, <[email protected]>.
For Sale:
BrailleNote QT32 with Keysoft 6.11, Spanish, French, and German multilingual
pre-installed. BrailleNote is in excellent condition. Asking $3,500. Alva Braille
Display for sale in excellent condition, asking $3,800. Contact Josh Kennedy
at (610) 858-5204, or email <[email protected]>.
The NFB-NEWSLINE Top Ten:
With apologies to the David Letterman Show, here are Harold Snider�s ten reasons
why reading NEWSLINE ® is better than reading the newspaper:
10.Reading NEWSLINE does not get ink on your hands.
9.NEWSLINE does not get wet when it rains.
8.Your dog can�t chew up NEWSLINE.
7.Your husband, wife, significant other, son, daughter, or friend cannot get the sections of NEWSLINE out of order.
6.NEWSLINE discourages corporal punishment since parents cannot roll the telephone up.
5.You cannot spill coffee or food on NEWSLINE.
4.If you are in Washington, D.C., you can read the Denver Post, or if you are in Denver, you can read the Washington Post, both ahead of anyone reading it in print.
3.NEWSLINE is free.
2. You never have to struggle to refold NEWSLINE correctly or experience the frustration of dealing with a badly folded paper.
1.NEWSLINE is always there, ready when you are.
NFB Pledge
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.