CONTENTS
Page Two: A Tough Decision
Message From The President
Legislative Report, Winter
2007
Herberger’s Community Days
Fundraiser
Card of Thanks
Members Make A Difference
NDAB Walkathon 2007\
Vision
Mailing Free Matter for the
Blind
Obituaries
Candy’s Corner
Donations and Memorials
NDAB Family News
News about Witch Hazel
2007 NDAB Summer Camp
2007 NDAB Summer
Sporting Chance Fishing
Event
Due Date for the Next
Promoter
PAGE
TWO: A TOUGH DECISION
I begin this issue of the Promoter, and this
particular edition of Page Two, with a difficult topic. In fact, there was a
side of me that didn’t want to write these remarks.
But, part of being an adult
and being fully human is coming to grips with making decisions that may not
make everybody happy.
Such is the case with a decision I made
recently. I have decided to resign as Promoter editor when my term expires and
I do not wish to continue for a sixth year.
I am reminded somewhat of a remark made by
Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891). After the Civil War,
there were people who thought he should run for President. But
First of all, let me say that I enjoyed editing
the Promoter very much. It was a lot of work but sometimes it was fun, too. It
was fun watching each issue take shape seemingly out of thin air as each
article came in and I put them into place.
The decision to resign wasn’t easy. It
wasn’t made because of a mere unwillingness to do the work anymore. The reasons
are completely personal, and I don’t know if any explanation makes any sense.
Nevertheless, there were some real
accomplishments during my term. Though it took a few issues before I felt “up
to speed,” I tried my best to get everything out in a timely manner. And I
never envisioned the taped edition being distributed by the State Library! I’m
glad to have that cumbersome task off my back! The new editor, whoever that may
be, will have the advantage of plenty of supplies carried over from my term. I
also plan to put together an editor’s manual as a guide for the new editor to
follow. I just wish this position wasn’t such an unwanted stepchild by this
organization.
NDAB has much to look forward to this year.
In this issue there’s information about the NDAB Convention in
This brings me to a topic of concern:
Recently in
However, the driver who took us from our
hotel near the Mall of America to the Amtrak depot the next evening took the
long way, and charged us what we thought was an outrageous amount.
The next time we go to the Twin Cities, we
hope to take advantage of different transportation. There must be some way to get across town without
being taken for a ride!
Doug Stip, Editor
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
By Rick Feldman
Happy New Year, my fellow NDABers:
I hope everybody got through the holidays
without any trouble. This was my first
black Christmas that I can remember. The
weather has been phenomenal, although as
I write this on the evening of January 11th, it is bitterly
cold outside. I’m hoping it will be a
short blast.
There isn’t too much to
report this time. Ski for Light in
Deadwood, SD takes place January 21st through the 26th. It sounds like it will be a full bus again.
The second weekend in June is not far
away. The cold wind doesn’t detract me
from thinking and planning for convention.
It will be in
There will be a board meeting sometime in
late March or early April. Board members
stay tuned.
I pray you stay warm and healthy this
year. One more thing, our editor Doug
Stip has informed me that he will not be running for editor this June. I want to thank Doug for the great job he has
done with the Promoter. Thanks Doug!
Take care and God Bless!
LEGISLATIVE
REPORT, WINTER 2007
By: Allan Peterson
Wow! So much has happened since the last installment of the Promoter was
issued, it seems like it was ages ago! Since then, we've had an election, the
power base in Congress has changed hands, then came Christmas and New Years and
now both Congress and our State legislature are back in session. From that
introduction, you just may be able to deduce where my thoughts have been
focused these past three months!
All the fun times with this version of The North Dakota Legislature
began when it went into session on January 3rd! This does mark a milestone for
the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, since it is the 60th session. It is
quite likely that the legislators will not finish their business until the latter
days of April or the first days of May. By latest count, there have been in the
neighborhood of 976 bills introduced for their consideration.
The really big issues that will likely garner the most attention during
this session will be the tax bills that propose to reduce property, income or
sales taxes. All the tax reduction bills are now in vogue because the state has
a surplus of over 555 million in its treasury. It’s my guess that there will be
some modest tax reductions made in the areas of property and income taxes and
the legislators will try as much as possible to keep a lid on any spending,
particularly when it comes to the area of human services. That’s my opinion,
given the tone of what has happened so far.
For
many years, I have participated in a legislative study group that meets weekly
here in
It was through our legislative working group that I first became aware
of a bill that had been introduced by State Senator John Andrist from
The
testimony that I gave was given in opposition to this bill. Besides Senator
Andrist, two other legislators and Dr. Wayne Sanstead, the Superintendent of
Public Instruction, spoke in favor of the bill. The bill called on the
Department of Public Instruction to do all of the preparatory work necessary to
conclude the merger of the two institutions before the beginning of the next
legislative session in 2009. If Senate Bill 2173 had passed, the next
legislative assembly would have had the authority to endorse the merger and it
would have happened.
Three legislators spoke in opposition to
Senate Bill 2173, plus a number of others with ties to NDVS/SB. There are a
number of reasons why this legislation is not in the best interests of children
and adults who are blind or have significant sight loss. Among the prime
reasons is the proximity and ties that NDVS/SB has with the vision
rehabilitation-teaching program at the University of North Dakota.
All who testified on this bill,
regardless of what side they favored, agreed that NDVS/SB is operated in a very
efficient manner. The same accolades were not given about the fiscal operations
of the School for the Deaf in
I’m
pleased to be able to report that the merger bill failed! The Senate Education
Committee, which heard the bill, voted 3 to 2 for a “do not pass”
recommendation to the full Senate. On January 22nd, the full Senate voted 40 to
5 in opposition to the bill. Because the vote came out the way it did, it’s
probably a safe bet that this issue won’t be revisited during this legislative
session. What it does mean is that the fiscal operations of the School for the
Deaf will continue to be under close scrutiny. There is always some inherent
long-term danger, because many policy makers like to merge things under one
institutional operation. They are attracted to the notion that merging things,
whenever possible, will bring out efficiencies.
On
January 18th, I returned to the Capitol to give testimony in support of the
Budget for North Dakota Vision Services / School for the Blind before the
Senate Appropriations Committee. In particular, I proposed that the Senate
Appropriations Committee consider amending the School’s budget to add two
additional employees to the NDVS/SB’s staff for the purpose of expanding
comprehensive blindness rehabilitation skills training that is offered to
adults. The focus of the comprehensive skills training would include mobility
and orientation training with the use of the white cane and teaching of skills
in the area of blindness assistive technology. The outcome of this proposal
will not be known for some time, perhaps not until the conclusion of the
session.
The
proposal to add staff at North Dakota Vision Services / School for the Blind to
provide comprehensive blindness skills training is in keeping with the
resolution that NDAB adopted at our Convention that was held last June at the
International Inn in Williston. There will be a need to advocate for this
proposal throughout the remainder of the session! If you have an interest in
supporting this proposal in some way please contact me by phone or E-mail. My
phone number is (701) 282-4644 and my E-mail address is
allan.peterson@ndsu.edu.
There
are a number of other legislative bills that either have a direct or indirect
effect on people with disabilities. In many of these cases, Jim Moench, who is
the Executive Director of the North Dakota Disability Advocacy Consortium, has
offered testimony in support of legislation that will advance the independence
and will being of people with disabilities.
And
speaking of the North Dakota Disability Advocacy Consortium, the Consortium is
planning to host a “Disability Awareness Day” in the Great Hall of the
Turning to an issue on the national scene, which I know that caught a
lot of media attention, was the ruling made by District Judge Robertson
regarding access to paper currency for people who are blind.
Judge
Robertson’s ruling favored the case that had been brought by the American
Council of the Blind against the
I’ve copied the following article that was sent from the ACB office, in
which Judge Robertson’s gives some of his statement as he speaks to the issue
of access to paper currency:
From Judge Robertson’s Memorandum (
In response to the government’s suggestion that any changes to the
currency would “significantly complicate any effort to add a tactile feature to
And in response to the argument that any “drastic or sudden” changes to
the currency could undermine international recognition and acceptance of
I share the opinion that this ruling is a wonderful victory, not just
for ACB, but also for all blind and visually impaired people! I hope that many
of you agree with this opinion!
The
defendants in the case, which is the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and has
been referred to a Court of Appeals, have challenged Judge Robertson’s ruling.
Also, the National Federation of the Blind has saw fit to oppose the Judge’s
ruling, saying that access to paper currency is unnecessary for equal access by
the blind.
There
is a lot more that could be added to my report, but it’s time to bid you adieu
and leave the rest for another time and place! The next report will come out
near the close of this State legislative session. I hope that I’ll be able to
share some good news with you at that time!
Herbergers’ Community Day
Fund Raiser
Many
thanks to everyone who bought and sold Herbergers' coupons for the fall
Community Day fundraiser held on
Kathy Larson, Financial
Chairperson
Card of Thanks
By Mary Stip
A special thank you to all my helpers for
making the Herbergers’ Community Day a great success. The names include: Connie
Potts, Ernie Yuzicapi. Linda Patterson and her daughter Polly, Doral Haaland
and her sister, Helen; Evelyn Hildebrand, Tammy Winn, Sharon Johnson, Dolores
Lendboy, Delores Stenvold, Carol Schmitt, Dianne Giessinger, Shannon Olson, and
of course, my husband Doug! Together, we raised in the vicinity of $575.00. A
great job done, everybody!
Members Make a Difference
By Rom Thielman
I've been realizing more and more since my
husband and I have become NDAB members 5 years ago that members do make
a difference. We have met many, many gifted, determined, sharing people through
our organization. It all began at the Family Adjustment Seminar but continued
through conventions, camps, and other activities. These people have made a
difference in our lives giving us a purpose to continue living life as fully as
possible. I do believe that each of us, as committed NDAB members, can make a
difference in another's life We can encourage one another whenever we can. We
can invite and welcome others to become members so that they may benefit from
our programs we have to offer as well as what we have to give personally. It is
true that "The life of any organization is the membership." We can
build up our membership while we build up one another. Individually and
collectively, we can make a difference!
NDAB Walkathon 2007
The date for our 9th annual NDAB
Walkathon is Saturday, April 21st. I can
hardly believe that it’s already time to be making plans for this event! Packets will be put together and sent to the
chairpersons across the state with pledge sheets and Public Service
Messages. I want to say “THANKS” to
those of you who have agreed to chair this event in your area. Get involved in this fundraiser for
NDAB. Plan to collect donations and
pledges and “walk for NDAB”. Thanks in
advance for your involvement and support.
Kathy Larson
Financial Chairperson
VISION
By
Char Feldman
It is a cold January day as I write
this. I close my eyes; let my mind
wander and am taken back to July 2005.
Rick and I were attending the ACB convention in hot, very hot,
At one of the meetings, we were privileged
to watch an impressive award ceremony.
Scholarships were being issued to high school graduates and college
graduates. This is a brief list of the
careers:
Social
work
Human
services
Business
management/administration
International law
Elementary
education
Premed
at Notre Dame
Biomedical
engineering, mechanical engineering
Industrial
engineering at Purdue
PhD
– NASA – math software
Information
systems
Environmental
studies
It was a great variety of careers – just
like the students that graduated this spring all over the country. I was so impressed with these students. Not just because they were all were blind or
visually impaired. I was impressed
because they had “vision”.
One of the students said in her acceptance
speech, “Open my eyes Lord that I might see”.
She wasn’t talking about physical sight, but about – vision.
“Not
he who lacks sight, but he who lacks vision is blind”. This is the motto and creed of NDAB. It is exactly what that young graduate was
talking about. Having vision – and being
able to see – those are very different things.
It was hard for these students, but they
were successful anyway. One of the tools
they used and continue to use is Braille.
All during the convention, every time the
president spoke, I could see he was reading, with his fingertips. He never missed a beat, never missed a
word. The secretary was taking minutes,
with his stylus, punching the Braille dots.
When he would have to read
back a section, he was able to fluently and quickly. I was very impressed.
At another meeting, they gave an award to a
man, the warden at Folsom Prison. In
1989, four inmates began reading books to be recorded on tape for blind
children. Because of this effort, there
are over 1000 books on tape available to schoolchildren in the state of
Let me tell you more about the reading of
the books for school children. There was
a nine-year-old blind girl named Amelia.
She had one inmate who was her favorite when he read, she loved his
voice. He was in prison for robbery and
kidnapping. She wrote him a thank you
note in Braille.
He got an idea. He wanted to write back to her, in
Braille. He asked the warden if he, as
an inmate, could learn Braille. The
warden said, “Yes”. The inmate, William
Cloud, began learning Braille. He became
the first certified Braille transcriber in
The inmates were given 2nd grade
reading books as a trial project.
Initially they were turned down.
“Inmates can’t Braille”, they were told. The warden said, “Give them a
chance, they’re good”.
When the inmates heard the warden say they
‘were good’, it meant, they had potential.
They knew they needed to work as team, which is unusual for
inmates. They usually work alone.
Today, Folsom Prison is one of the major
providers of Braille in
Let’s talk a little about Braille. When you first look at something written in
Braille, all you see (or feel) is a jumble of dots. However, like any other code, Braille is
based on a logical system. Braille is
not a language, it's just another way to read and write English.
Every character in the Braille code is based
on an arrangement of one to six raised dots. Each dot has a numbered position
in the Braille cell. These characters make up the letters of the alphabet, punctuation
marks, numbers, and everything else you can do in print.
Braille does not have a separate alphabet of
capital letters as there is in print. Placing a dot six in front of the letter
to be capitalized indicates capital letters. Two capital signs mean the whole
word is capitalized. 
Braille numbers are made using the
first ten letters of the alphabet, "a" through "j", and a
special number sign, dots 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Larger numbers only need one number sign. The
comma in Braille is dot 2. Braille uses special characters called contractions
to make words shorter. We use contractions like "don't" as a short
way of writing two words, such as "do" and "not." In
Braille there are many additional contractions, 189 in all!
Using these contractions saves space, which
is very important because Braille books are much larger and longer than print
books. Some contractions stand for a whole word. In addition to contractions,
the Braille code includes short-form words, which are abbreviated spellings of
common longer words. For example, "tomorrow" is spelled
"tm", "friend" is spelled "fr", and
"little" is spelled "ll". You might think that because
short-form words are so easy to spell that children who write Braille get a
break on their spelling tests. Actually, Braille readers also learn regular
spelling for typing on a computer.
The Braille code used for writing
regular text in books, magazines, school reports, and letters is known as
"literary Braille." There are other codes, though, that let people
who are blind write just about anything, from math problems to music notes to
computer notation.
I watched folks read Braille, and I wondered
how fast I could read print. I tested
myself and it was roughly 300 words a minute.
People who read Braille can read 100-200
words a minute. That, my friends, is
pretty fast with your fingers.
When you
read Braille, you read from left to right.
When you write it, you write from right to left so when you turn the
page over, you can read from left to right
Fellow NDAB’ers: to be successful, in any career, do you need
to be a good reader? I think so. Do you need to be able to see? Not necessarily. But you do need VISION!
Mailing
Free Matter for Blind And Visually Handicapped Persons
Questions
and Answers Publication 347 March 1998
This pamphlet has been produced by the Consumer
Advocate, U. S. Postal Service. It is designed to answer the most often asked
questions about free matter for the blind and other visually handicapped
persons. The information contained in this publication is based on E040 of the
Domestic Mail Manual and United States Code, title 39, sections 3403-3405.
Question: Who may qualify to mail items free of postage?
Answer: Persons who are blind or who cannot use or read
conventionally printed material due to a physical handicap. Other handicaps
that can prevent normal reading include disabling paralysis, muscle or nerve
deterioration affecting coordination and control, and confinement in iron lungs
or other mechanical devices. Among the causes of such conditions are cerebral
palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, infantile paralysis,
myasthenia gravis, and diplegia.
Question: What must a person do to be eligible to mail items
free of postage?
Answer: The person must have a competent authority certify in
writing that he or she is unable to read conventional reading material. A
competent authority includes a licensed medical doctor, ophthalmologist,
optometrist, registered nurse, or professional staff member of a hospital or
other institution or agency. The statement is to be submitted to the post
office where postage free mailings will be made or received by the blind or
visually handicapped person. The person is then considered eligible to use the
free mailing privilege.
Question: Which material may be mailed free of postage?
Answer: Under the conditions specified below, the following
material is eligible:
1. Books, magazines, musical
scores, and other reading matter, or pages or parts thereof, in raised
characters (Braille), large print, or recorded form.
2. Paper, records, tapes, and
other matter for the production of reading matter, musical scores, or sound
reproductions for eligible persons.
3. Equipment and parts for
equipment used for writing by eligible persons or for educational purposes.
4. Sound playback equipment
specially designed or adapted for the use of visually handicapped persons.
5. Equipment or parts for equipment
specifically designed or adapted for use by visually handicapped persons, such
as Braille watches, white canes, and similar equipment.
Question: Are there restrictions on this material?
Answer: The material may not contain any advertising. Musical
or other sound recordings not specifically designed for use by visually
handicapped persons are not eligible for free mailing. The mail is subject to
inspection by the Postal Service. 4 Mailing Free Matter for Blind and Visually
Handicapped Persons
Question: Who can mail eligible material postage- free and to
whom can it be mailed?
Answer: Individuals, libraries, and other noncommercial
organizations serving eligible persons may mail the above material free of
postage to eligible persons and to organizations serving eligible persons.
Eligible persons may return materials to the lenders free of postage. Eligible
persons may exchange the above material among themselves free of postage.
Libraries and other noncommercial organizations may exchange such material
among themselves free of postage. Commercial producers of the above material
may mail such material free of postage to an eligible person on the additional
condition that whatever charge, fee, or rental required does not exceed the
cost of the material.
Question: Can letters be mailed free of postage?
Answer: Letters in raised characters (Braille), in 14- point
or larger sight saving type, or in the form of sound recordings may be mailed
free of postage from an eligible person. Handwritten or typewritten letters,
however, are subject to the applicable rate of postage when mailed to or from
an eligible person. Also subject to applicable postage are bills paid by mail
by eligible persons and letters in any form when mailed to eligible persons
from ineligible persons.
Question: Why must letters be mailed unsealed?
Answer: To allow inspection by postal authorities to ensure
that the materials qualify for mailing free of postage.
Question: Are special services available for free mail for
eligible persons?
Answer: A mailer may insure a postage- free parcel by paying
only the required insurance fee. All matter sent by all special services, such
as Express Mail, certified mail, or registered mail, requires payment of
postage plus the full fees charged for the special postal services.
Question: What must be marked on mail to show that it is
qualified for mailing free of postage?
Answer: In the upper right corner of the address side of the
envelope or parcel where the postage would normally be placed, the words “FREE
MATTER FOR THE BLIND OR HANDICAPPED” must be placed. The words may be printed,
rubber stamped, or handwritten.
Question: Are special arrangements possible for delivery or
pickup of free mail for eligible persons?
Answer: Eligibility for free mailing for the blind or other
visually handicapped persons does not encompass such special arrangements. Post
offices may be able to make special arrangements depending on the local
circumstances. Customers should contact their local post office to request special
arrangements. Such requests will be handled in accordance with the postal
regulations concerning requests for special arrangements by handicapped
persons.
Question: Is international service available for blind and
other visually handicapped persons?
Answer: Yes, the same general rules apply, except that the
articles that may be mailed are limited to:
1. Books, periodicals, and
other matter (including unsealed letters) impressed in Braille or other special
type for the use of the blind.
2. Plates for embossing
literature for the blind.
3. Discs, tapes, or
wires bearing voice recordings and special paper intended solely for the use of
blind or visually handicapped persons, provided that they are sent by or
addressed to an officially recognized institute for the blind.
4. Sound recordings or tapes
that are mailed by blind or other visually handicapped persons.
Question: Where might an individual turn for help if problems
occur while using the procedures for free mailing for the blind and
handicapped?
Answer: Most problems can be resolved at your local post
office. Customers may make inquiries or express concerns by telephone or
letter, in person, or by using our convenient consumer service cards. These
postage- paid cards are available at all post offices. If a problem cannot be
resolved satisfactorily at your local post office, you may write to: CONSUMER
ADVOCATE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
475 L’ENFANT PLZ SW RM 5821
OBITUARIES
Mabel Dever
Mabel
Dever, 81, entered the
Mabel
was born Febuary 14, 1925, in Flats,
On
In
1960, Mabel suffered from terminal cancer. The cancer advanced to within hours
of her death. The pastor and Elden knelt by her bed and prayed. She would later
say that she could plainly see a picture of Jesus on the wall that transformed
to a full body and stood at the foot of her bed. She not only survived, but the
cancer miraculously and completely disappeared. As a result of that experience,
she dedicated her life to sharing her faith and instilling that faith in the lives
of her family and others.
Mabel
had a deep commitment to small communities and for civic involvement. She
carried that commitment out as the owner of the Flaxton hotel, cafe and grocery
store, in Flaxton. She later owned the E & M Cowboy Kitchen and gas station
in
After
she began losing her eyesight in the mid-1980s, Mabel taught herself Braille
and how to type. She was instrumental in getting the state to start providing
services to older adult blind people. On her death, her eyes were donated to
the Lions Eye Bank for research.
Mabel
was involved in several organizations including the Boy Scouts, the North
Dakota Association of the Blind, and the North Dakota Board for Aging Services,
She
is survived by four sons, Chet (Colleen), Helena, Mont., Les (Marian), Fargo,
Dick (Pam), Bismarck, and Glen (Kyra), Houston; nine grandchildren; seven
great-grandchildren; and three sisters/cousins, Joyce (Larry) Wassmer, Paola,
Kan., Shirley (Bruce) Confer, Edmond, Okla., and Anita (Glen) Hibberd, Grand
Junction, Colo.
She
was preceded in death by her husband, Elden; her parents; two brothers, James
and Charles; and her Aunt and Uncle, Lola and Charlie.
Lydia
Lydia Dieber, 91,
Lydia Flemmer was born
In September 1983,
Lydia is survived by her
daughter, Sally Kreller, Bismarck; her stepchildren, Gloria Hook, Greenwood,
Ind., Carol Hill, Las Vegas, and Eddie Dieber Jr., Waynesville, Mo.; her
brother, Albert (Lois) Flemmer, Alexandria, Minn.; her sisters, Marie (Ted)
Gibsen, San Mateo, Calif., and Violet Steller, Bismarck; and numerous nieces
and nephews.
Memorials can be sent to
Go to www.eastgatefuneral.com to share
memories of
Her daughter Sally Kreller
died seven days later on November 12.
Candy’s
Corner
By Candy Lien
In this issue I would like to
share with you information about some new products I have learned about, as
well as a tip for keeping your skin silky smooth during these cold winter
months!
First, REX, THE TALKING
BOTTLE. Ever wish your prescription medication bottle could tell you the
directions for taking the medicine inside? Wish no more! Rex, the Talking
Bottle, verbally identifies bottle contents through the simple push of a button
and allows you to hear information about your medication. To get one, contact
MedivoxRx Technologies, Inc., at 1-866-RX-TALKS (798-2557), or write the
company at
Many of us wish we could have
access to the Bible at our fingertips. Here are two products that make this
possible. BibleCourier is an electronic pocket Bible designed especially for a
person who is blind or visually impaired. It weighs only 4 ounces and it’s
about the size of a small print New Testament (4 and a half by 2 and a half by
1 inches), small enough to fit in a shirt pocket or a purse. It is powered by 2
double-A alkaline batteries, which will run BibleCourier for about 40 hours of
continuous reading. The BibleCourier memory contains the full text of the
sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments plus a user’s guide in a digital
format (the user’s guide is also provided on a cassette tape). In addition to
the full text of the Bible LBEA will also include as study aids with most of
the Bible versions (not available with NIV, NJB or NRSV) a Bible Glossary,
Bible Book Summaries, or Luther's Small Catechism.
A page is available to help
you Compare Bible Versions.
BibleCourier has twelve
buttons on its face that are arranged like a telephone keypad with a raised dot
above the five key. These keys allow the user to swiftly navigate through the
books, chapters and verses of the talking digital Bible. Each key also has
built in help for its functions when depressed until two beeps are heard.
The Bible text is not a
recording. BibleCourier uses the DoubleTalk speech synthesizer computer chip to
generate its synthetic voice to read the text of the Bible. There are five
voices to pick from, and the speed, volume and pitch of the selected voice may
be adjusted to your preference. You listen through a set of stereo earbuds,
which are provided with the Bible, or you may use an external amplified speaker
(available from electronic retailers) for small group or personal listening.
BibleCourier has many other
features including the ability to read by sentence and set unlimited bookmarks
within the text; the ability to read individual
Words and have unclear words
spelled; the capability to power search (i.e. jump forward or back many units)
among the books, chapters, and verses of
The Bible, and more. A page
of BibleCourier key summaries Is available to help you learn these functions.
The LBEA ministry now offers BibleCourier at a
special subsidized price of $100.00 within the
• The King James Version
(KJV),
• The Revised Standard
Version (RSV),
• The New King James Version
(NKJV),
• The New International
Version (NIV),
• The New Revised Standard
Version (NRSV),
• The New Jerusalem Bible
(NJB),
• The Good News Bible (GNB),
• The New American Standard
Version (NAS),
• The English Standard
Version (ESV),
• The Contemporary English
Version (CEV),
• The Contemporary English
Version with Apocrypha (CEVA).
To order a BibleCourier, contact
Lutheran Braille Evangelism Association (LBEA),
Or go to:
http://www.users.qwest.net/~lbea/BibleCourier.htm
for more information.
Another electronic, hand-held
Bible is called the True Speech Complete NAS Bible or Completed KJV And is available through Independent Living
Aids. (Item #756606). This small bible (4.25 x 2.5 x .9 inches) speaks all the
books of the New American Standard Bible, old and New Testament, in a real
human voice. You can jump from book to book, and chapter to chapter with the
press of a button. The navigation buttons are extremely easy to use! The
solar-powered batteries are built into the unit and will last 2 or three years.
It can be powered by the sun or a light bulb or charged from a 9 volt DC
adapter (not included). Fully charged batteries will allow the unit to play for
approximately 10 hours. You can listen to the human voice reading the bible
through the Bible's excellent speaker, or through the included earphones. Cost:
$109.50. Mailing address: independent
living aids, inc., P. O. Box 9022, Hicksville, NY 11802-9022.Phone:
1-800-537-2118.
A few years ago, a pharmacist
gave me this tip for dealing with dry skin: After stepping out of the shower or
bath, apply lotion directly to your wet skin. The lotion will spread more
evenly and you will need less. Then gently pat your skin dry with a towel so as
not to wipe off the lotion. Have a great
winter, and we’ll be back in the spring!
Donations and Memorials
The following memorials were
received by NDAB for the last quarter of 2006:
In memory
of Mabel Dever from Doranna Robertson, Kathy and Stan Larson, Loris Van
Berkom, and Irene Nelson.
In memory
of Lydia Dieber from Doranna Robertson, and Irene and Lyle Nelson.
In memory of Dorothy Mickey
from Ken Reed.
Donation received from
Petersburg WELCA.
Thank you.
Renae Huseby, Treasurer
NDAB FAMILY NEWS
GRAND
FORKS—(By Olga Neal) Like many of you,
since Thanksgiving, we've been very, very busy.
Doing what? Well, Christmas
shopping, getting the annual Christmas letters out, remembering something I
forgot to buy, going off shopping again, getting packages ready for mailing,
remembering something else I forgot to do...Then Christmas parties, doctors'
appointments (which I would rather do without)--and then company, baking,
decorating the house (which wasn't work, but fun!), and more runs to the
store...The list goes on. Oh, yes! We also did running around, trying to settle
plans for the convention, which proved far more challenging than we imagined.
In the fall, David Sundeen and I talked to a vision class at
the university. Together we made up a
balanced panel, one of us speaking as a person who had perfect vision until he
was about twelve years old, and the other, having been blind since birth. Some of the students shared their experiences
with an assignment done under a blindfold, and we were able to discuss similar
experiences.
The Husebys are enjoying their new home. Renae says she is still looking for some
things that she knows are there--but where?
Renae and Rom have presented the story of NDAB's purpose, financial
needs for our projects, and so forth, to various organizations.
Rom has brought in some new members. She is doing an excellent job, making
contacts with new members and those who have fallen away for whatever reason.
We had our NDAB Christmas party in early December, with
twenty-four attending. Needless to say,
all had a great time eating, visiting, and then playing trivia with
Christmas-related questions. Our gift
exchange was tied into the trivia game.
The evening closed with a reading of "A Visit from St.
Nicholas" and a wonderful display of the Christmas spirit.
Please pay close attention to this Convention information:
Convention dates:
June 8th, 9th, and 10th, 2007
Friday, June 8th:
--Program:
Prairie Rose, a father and two daughters group.
Time and place will be announced later; transportation will be arranged.
Saturday and Sunday meetings all will be at GF Goodribs.
We have been given a decent rate of $60/night, plus
tax at the Holiday Inn, located
north across the street from GF Goodribs, close to the intersection of
Interstate 29 and Highway 2. PLEASE NOTE: This rate will only be honored
on reservations made by May 20th.
**Reservations made after May 20th will cost $99/night.** Please make your reservations by May 20th to
take advantage of the lower rate!
We
had a very difficult time finding a place available to house travelers or to
set up meeting rooms. Some plans may
need to be altered, but if that be so, you shall be notified.
Here is hoping all of you have a wonderful holiday
season! Did anyone receive a lump of
coal in his or her stocking?
May the New Year be extra good to you!
BISMARCK—(By Mavis Anderson) In 1997, Bethel Lutheran Church of
Bismarck, of which Mabel Dever was a member, began a tradition of entertaining
the low-vision/blind community. It marked the beginning of the Christmas
season. It was observed the first Friday night in December. In a sense, this
year served as a memorial to Mabel, who died in October.
The format was the same, serving their
famous wild rice soup (absolutely the best) a variety of breads and more
variety of desserts. There is a short program but the evening is mostly one of
fellowship. One year, for whatever reason, it wasn’t held and they missed us
and we certainly missed them. Our deep appreciation to Bethel Lutheran for
their mission of love and sharing.
MINOT—(By Delores Stenvold) Evelyn Aus has moved to
ManorCare but is awaiting a room at Edgewood Vista. Her address now is
ManorCare,
Evelyn and George Schumacher have moved to
the Baptist Home in Kenmare. Their address is
(Editor’s
note: There will be an open house to honor Delores Stenvold for her 80th
birthday on Saturday, February 17th from
MINOT—(By Mary Stip and Ernie Yuzicapi) On December 16th,
thirteen of us had a Christmas party hosted by Ernie Yuzicapi at the
WILLISTON—(By Loris Van Berkom) Winter greetings to all of our
NDAB friends from the Williston bunch!
We all enjoyed the holidays and are now just trying to keep warm as we
deal with January’s frigid temps and look forward to spring’s longer days and
warmer weather. Our support group
continues to meet at
I called all of our Williston
members to ask for news for this article and no one had any so what can I
say! I will share some brief news from
my family.
Janelle and Jeff were
planning to travel to