The Promoter
February 2009
CONTENTS:
Page
2
From The President
3
Gebhard Greetings
4
To the Editor
NDAB Walkathon
A
Reminder from the Membership Chair
NDAB
Summer Camp 2009
5
Donations and Memorials
Legislative Report
8
Testimony for House Bill 1013
9
Closed Circuit TV Proposal
10
Starbucks Aims to Please
11
6th Annual Assistive Technology Expo
Sporting Chance Fishing Event
12 NDAB
Family News
13
14
15
Williston Area News
17 Support
Groups Near You
18 Robert John
LaPage Service Award
Happy 200th Birthday Louis Braille
20 Louis Braille, Man of Brillance
22 2009 Greetings from ACB President
23 Save the Date
“Adventures
in Vision”
More
About Tom
24
A
Commentary on Canes
25
Instant
Weather
26
Meaningful Access to Currency
27
Judge
Rules Timely Change of Bills
28
Blind
Band will be Rose Parade’s First
29
Credit
Reports Now Accessible
30
Words
Don’t Overlook This Tax Credit
31
How’s
Your Vision?
32
Free
Daily Devotions
From the President
Michelle’s Meanderings
Happy New Year to all NDAB members;
Did you make a New Year’s resolution, yet? How about considering
making a resolution this year to bring one new member to NDAB? If we each
resolved to do this, our membership would double in just one year. It is time
for membership renewals and what a better time for recruiting. Make sure to
send those applications for membership (available at ndab.org) and dues to
Missy Miller as soon as possible.
We decided to tone down the holidays in 2008 and celebrate
only with the immediate family. Christmas of 2007 was filled with five days of
non-stop eating and visiting with relatives. Larry and I had a quiet
Thanksgiving together at his home making Kumla and ham. Forget any resolution
to lose weight when he has been busy in the kitchen. Jenna’s 10th
birthday went by almost unnoticed due to computer difficulties but my birthday
was celebrated grandly!
My Mother, Violet, bought tickets for my brother and me to
attend the Lori Morgan and Ronnie Milsap concert at the Spirit Lake Casino. I
prepared a Braille letter hoping someone could slip it to him when we arrived
at the concert. The note expressed my appreciation for Ronnie’s financial
contribution in 2007 toward the ACB Radio programming of the Minneapolis
Convention. The ACB website still has these meetings available in part due to
his support. Check out the convention link on the ACB website if you are
interested in listening.
Since my Braille
skills are so poor it took all afternoon to complete the note. My brother,
Mike, worked at the casino and pulled a few strings. I was able to talk to
Ronnie and hand deliver the note. Pictures were taken of us with both
entertainers. Ronnie’s trick to always have a winning smile for the
photographers is to say, “twenty-nine”. In addition, Ronnie wished me a happy
43rd birthday during the concert! My mother was rewarded for buying
the tickets by the one armed bandits. She won a cool grand!
The best kept secret in
All of the NDAB skiers and their guides have descended from
the
Well, enough of my meanderings for now. I will patiently
await the arrival of Valentine chocolates, forget any resolution to lose weight
and focus on finding at least one new NDAB member! Last year I made my parents
join since they both have macular degeneration, one wet and one dry. They can’t
seem to agree on anything but they both listen to the Promoter! Happy Birthday on April 13th, Mom.
She will be eighty-two!
Michelle
Gebhard Greetings
Once again, we have been blessed with a lot of good
information in this issue of the Promoter and I want to thank all of you who
contributed. I especially want to draw
your attention to the article about the
Spring is coming.
Really, it is! While we are
waiting for it to get here, we can dream about getting outside and walking in
the NDAB Walkathon in April, go fishing west of
Don’t forget to read the NDAB member news and catch up on
what everyone has been doing. If you
don’t just want to read about the different area activities, check out the list
of support groups and find one near you and join in the fun in person.
Lester gives us some things to think about so when we meet
in June for the State Convention we are prepared to make some decisions. Read what is happening on the national level
from the ACB president and rejoice at the progress that has been made towards
making our money more assessable. That gives you a sneak peak at what’s in
this issue. I hope you are now anxious
to, as Paul Harvey says, “hear the rest of the story”.
I can’t sign off without mentioning my family. Steven and I
are very blessed indeed with four sons, three daughters (by marriage) and five
grandchildren and they were all home for Christmas! Needless to say we had to get a bigger table!
Getting everyone ready and to church was a challenge! What fun we had! The only down side is that I have been sick a
lot this fall and winter. Seems each
time I get together with my grandbabies I get more than hugs and kisses. Nothing will deter me though, from spending
time together whenever the opportunity arises.
Enjoy the rest of the winter and be thankful we have so much
to look forward to.
Zelda Gebhard
Promoter Editor
To
the Editor:
I attended the NDAB Convention in
The second item is the amount that the NDAB gives to a
member who will attend the national ACB Convention. When this program was begun in the 80’s, the
amount was capped at $200 per member for a total of $1,000 per year. Again the cost of living has changed
substantially. The airfare would likely
be at least $500, and the hotel rooms including taxes would run about $100 per
night. In order to attract members to
attend, the amount should be capped at $400 per member with a total of $2,000
for members.
Lester Ketterling
NDAB Walkathon 2009
Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 25, 2009 and plan to
walk in our 11th annual NDAB Walkathon. I will be sending out
packets to various chairpersons across the state. Please plan to collect
pledges and donations and “walk for NDAB.” Thanks in advance for your
involvement and support.
Kathy Larson, Financial Chairperson
A Reminder from the Membership Chair
Annual dues are $15 and should have been paid by 2/1/2009. If you haven't gotten yours in yet, please do
so.
Thanks! Missy Miller
NDAB Summer Camp 2009
It is so pleasant to think about warm or even hot breezes
blowing off of
If you have any questions about camp or any suggestions for
classes, call Loris at 774-3399.
Submitted by
Donations and Memorials
Donations
received by NDAB during the past quarter are as follows:
A donation
in honor of Bob LePage from the Gateway Lions, a donation from Larry Anderson and
a donation made in honor of their parents, Cliff and Pat Phelps, from
Kristina and Norm Reich.
The
following memorial gifts were received:
In memory
of Bob LePage from Shereen Faber, and Cynthia Schreiber-Beck.
In memory
of Donna Jean Harstad from Cassel Everson, Lyle and Irene Nelson, Keith and
Gladys Harstad, Mabel Haga, and Elaine Rud.
In memory
of Art Jacobson from Loris VanBerkom, and Kathy and Stan Larson.
In memory
of Orris Anderson from Loris Van Berkom, and Kathy and Stan Larson.
Note: NDAB is a nonprofit organization which
promotes the interest of blind and visually impaired ND residents. As a nonprofit organization, we welcome
donations to help in advancing the cause of blind and visually impaired
persons.
Thank you
for your support,
Renae
Huseby, NDAB Treasurer
Legislative Report
By
Allan Peterson
Best of wishes to each of you for a very good and prosperous
New Year in this year of 2009! It is also my wish that you and yours had a very
merry and memorable Christmas! In the spirit of the upcoming holiday of the
heart, a wish for a very Happy Valentines Day to all of you!
When the last edition of the Promoter was issued, I was very
involved in a campaign to seek a seat in the North Dakota House of
Representatives. So whatever became of that adventure into the political arena?
It goes without saying that there are two possible outcomes in elections and
one is much preferable over the other!
You may either know or have guessed as to the result,
unfortunately, bottom line I didn’t win. However, I did succeed in the sense
that the election was very closely contested. I had estimated that I would need
3700 votes to win the election. I received over 3800 votes and lost by a little
over 200 votes.
Running against entrenched incumbents is never an easy task
which is what my running mates and I were facing as challengers in our district.
The other hurdle in my district, which ultimately made it harder to strategize
as to the numbers needed to win, is the fact that I live in a district that
includes much of the newly developed south side of
It is a requirement that candidates for a seat in the
Legislature, run in the district in which they live. District 22, which is
where I live, includes the suburban areas that surround
As you might guess, making a serious Run for a seat in the
Legislature requires a large commitment of time, effort and resources. I
estimate that I knocked on over 3500 doors in the eight-week period before the
election. I also attended a number of meetings, walked in a number of parades
and wrote a number of articles. The last six weeks before the election were
almost exclusively devoted to work on the campaign.
It is a fair question to ask, whether or not I enjoyed the
experience OF RUNNING for office. I can unequivocally say that I did. The only
really negative thing that took away from the experience was losing the race. I
had two running mates who shared the experience and ran on the same ticket with
me; none of us won but we gave our opponents a real challenge and raised issues
that I hope will be addressed during this session of the legislature.
I would have loved and treasured the opportunity to be a
member of the State Legislature that began its work at the State Capitol in
I did run as a candidate that was endorsed by the
Democrat-NPL party. Nationwide, Democrats ran well in this past election in
many areas of the country but not very well here in
Turning to this session of the North Dakota Legislature, I
share a common belief that the top legislative priority for those of us who
have sight loss is to help strengthen the adult rehabilitation training service
program at North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind (NDVS/SB). We well
know and appreciate the fact that the quality and quantity of blindness
rehabilitation training, that we, as persons who are blind, are able to obtain
to deal with sight loss makes all the difference in our ability to live as
independently as possible. This is the training that is our gateway to
independence. It is the message that we need to convey to the people who
represent us in the Legislature. I encourage each and every one of you who read
this article to find the names of the legislators who represent you at the
State Capitol in Bismarck and let them know that you support adding additional
professional staff to the Vision Services/School for the Blind program for the
purpose of providing more rehabilitation training to adults at NDVS/SB.
As reported in the past issue of the Promoter, North Dakota
Vision Services/ School for the Blind did request two additional professional
staff for its adult service program in the budget which they submitted to the
state office of budget and management last fall. Unfortunately, the
appropriation request for the additional staff didn’t make it into the budget
request which the Governor submitted to this session of the North Dakota Legislature
for its review and edification. This means that the only way in which staff
additions will be made is if the Legislature as a body agrees to add them to
the appropriations bill for North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind.
The reality of this situation is that our advocacy work would have been easier
had the Governor chosen to add these positions to the budget that he sent to
the State Legislature.
As a point of encouragement for our work, the NDVS/SB staff
addition that was made during the last session of the Legislature, was made
during the session and was not included in the Governors budget either. Our
success, however, will again need the strong support from people with blindness
and constituents who are willing to speak to their elected representatives in
the Legislature about the need for these positions.
Two other legislative priorities that I hope will be
addressed, during this session of the Legislature that affect many people who
have disabilities, is to increase the level of recipient liability and to
increase the level of state financial support for access to public
transportation. Both of these issues have a huge impact on the lives of people
with disabilities and people who are aged.
The term recipient liability refers to the amount of
personal income that must be spent down to in order to qualify for health care
coverage through Medical Assistance or Medicaid. The present income level that
anyone on Medicaid must spend down to is $500 a month. This then requires that
people on Medicaid have only $500 a month to cover the costs for their living
expenses. In the budget that the Governor sent to the Legislature the level of
income that can be retained under recipient liability would be increased to
$720 a month. If the Legislature agrees with this increase, people on Medicaid
could then retain $720 in personal income to cover the cost of their living
expenses.
A fact that I wasn’t aware of until recently and hasn’t been
well publicized, is that here in North Dakota, if a person who is on Medicaid
were to enroll in a program known as “Workers with Disabilities” and work, even
on a part-time basis, the spend down requirement for recipient liability goes
away. For more information about the program, one should contact their case worker
or vocational rehabilitation office.
When the subject of transportation is addressed, here in
To help create a greater awareness about people in
It is my sincerest hope that in the next issue of the
Promoter I will be able to report on the passage of many legislative
initiatives that that have the potential to improve the lives of people with
blindness and people with disabilities here in North Dakota.
Testimony for House Bill
1013
Hearing Date:
Re: Fiscal Appropriations for North Dakota Vision
Services/School for the Blind for the biennium of 2009 – 2011.
Submitted By: Allan Peterson, Legislative
Liaison,
Home Address: Allan Peterson, 7009
Horseshoe
Speaking on behalf of North Dakota
Association of the Blind, I am testifying in support of the budget that has
been submitted by the administration of North Dakota Vision Services/School for
the Blind for its operation and capital expenditures for the upcoming biennium.
In order to expand the availability of
rehabilitation training for adults at ND Vision Services/School for the Blind,
the ND Association of the Blind makes the request that the State Legislature
and the Governor support an amended NDVS/SB budget that allows the institution
to add 2 additional full time positions to its professional rehabilitation
teaching staff. A resolution that supports this request was unanimously adopted
at the Associations most recent Convention that was held in
The core curriculum of training that helps
people make the most successful adjustment to deal with the loss of eyesight
includes:) 1) mobility and orientation skills training on the use of the white
cane; (2) operating a computer equipped with speech output, (3) learning the
use of Braille, (4) using technical aids and appliances that help deal with
sight loss, (5) daily living skills training that helps one learn techniques to
live life independently, (6) counseling - among others. Learning these skills takes time in order to
gain some mastery on their use. In addition, those who have a progressive loss
of eyesight often will need to refresh their skills to help them better deal
with the loss of more eyesight or get an update on new techniques that become
available.
Learning the skills of blindness adjustment
is best done at a teaching facility that is equipped and has the professional
staff needed to instruct their students, whether they are children or adults
that experience sight loss later in life. The only teaching institution in
Adult student clients that have received
instruction and training at NDVS/SB have found it to be an excellent help in
making their adjustments to deal with the loss of eyesight. Some who have
received training elsewhere have felt the training at NDVS/SB to be as good as
or even better than that which they had received earlier. The only limitation
they have found in the training program is that it didn't provide them with the
time necessary to gain mastery on the use of the skills to deal with blindness
to which they had just been introduced.
Closed Circuit TV Proposal
By
Lester Ketterling
Last spring an older friend lamented that her vision had
deteriorated to a level that required her to use a closed circuit TV, (CCTV),
and that she couldn't afford one. I
tried to get the local Lions Club to raise funds to purchase one, but they
declined stating that there was a CCTV at the local Senior Citizen’s
Center. At that point I had no further
options to help her. Then I chanced to
have a conversation with a staff member at a local nursing home about my
frustration. She told me that her
employer had four CCTV's in storage. She
talked to her administrator who agreed to let the units be used by others until
such time as a resident may need one. I
talked to Stan Moser and Carol Schmitt about these units. In cooperation with the nursing facility,
three of the units were placed with individuals and a resident of the nursing
home is using the fourth. Stan checked
the units to be sure they were in working order. Carol contacted the individuals and
determined that they needed the units and could not afford to pay for
them. Any one receiving one could make a
contribution toward the purchase of other units. When I was talking to Carol and Stan, I
learned that there are a number of individuals in the local area who need the
units and cannot afford to purchase them.
When I heard about this need, I thought of a project for the NDAB.
The project would have two parts. The first is for the membership to canvas
their area to see if there might be unused CCTV’s that may be donated or
purchased by the NDAB to be used by individuals and returned when not being
used by that person. This would be
similar to a program being done in the Williston area. The NDAB could be a statewide organization to
implement the project.
The second part would be more challenging.
I realize this may be a substantial outlay, but it would be
a onetime outlay. However I believe it
would be beneficial to the particular individuals receiving the CCTV’s and the
NDAB. It would give the NDAB good
publicity. The program would show that
we are willing to work with other charitable organizations to help individuals
who are visually impaired. We would have
contact with local providers such as Carol Schmitt and Stan Moser in placing
the units. With this program we may
increase our membership.
I realize this will be a substantial investment. However, I would anticipate the funds not
being paid out in one year. It would
also take some effort to accomplish the goal. I would be interested in helping,
and I hope the officers, directors and members would also be interested in this
type of a project.
Starbucks Aims to Please
Did you know that there are over 87,000 beverage
combinations at
Starbucks? To help you order, Starbucks has made their popular
brochure, "Make It Your Drink," available in both Braille and Large
Print. Ask your barista for it the next time you visit your local Starbucks.
The input from customers, partners (employees), and disability
organizations helped guide this effort. Starbucks would specifically
like to thank the American Council of the Blind, the American
Association of the Deaf-Blind and the Seattle Lighthouse for their
input. Thank you also to Easy to Read Documents for producing the
Braille and large print.
6th Annual
Assistive Technology Expo
Do you or does someone you know
have difficulty hearing, seeing, speaking, learning, working, remembering, or
performing everyday tasks? Assistive technology
(AT) can help and the 6th Annual Assistive Technology Expo is the
place to learn about it. Make plans to
attend on April 30, 2009, at the Ramada Plaza Suites in
Assistive technology (AT) helps people do many things
such as: remembering to take medication,
hearing on the phone, reading, communicating, accessing the computer, and
controlling their environment. This Expo
offers presentations and exhibits on all types of AT devices and services for
people of any age and ability to help them live, learn, work, and play. This event is for anyone interested in AT for
themselves, a friend, family member, student, or client. Whether you have a
child with a learning disability, a parent with memory loss or you need help
staying in your own home and getting back to work, this Expo is for you!
The day includes a morning of presentations by AT providers. There is a registration fee of $25 for these
sessions and lunch. Scholarships are
available to individuals with disabilities on a first-come, first serve basis.
From 11:00am – 6:00pm the AT EXPO Exhibit Hall will be FREE AND OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC. We are expecting over 60 vendors
and service organizations to be represented.
POPCORN
& A MOVIE
The award
winning short film, “Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy” will be shown several
times throughout the afternoon of the Expo at no cost. This movie
profiles Diana Braun, who has Down Syndrome, and Kathy Conour, who has cerebral
palsy and she shows how they use various assistive technologies to help them
advocate for themselves and to live independently in their own home.
More information on
presentations, vendors and how to register for this event can be found at www.atexpo.org
or by contacting Daphne Meyers at 1-877-760-2939 (701-235-2330) or email daphne@atexpo.org.
Come for
the morning, the afternoon, or stay for the whole day; any way you choose, you
will learn a lot about assistive technology!
Special note: The North Dakota
Association of the Blind will have a display booth at the AT Expo. Come and
join the activities. You never know who you may meet. This is the exact type of
event that brought the current NDAB President to the Association.
Sporting Chance Fishing Event
By
Bob Westemeyer
Once again people with disabilities will have an opportunity
to go fishing at the 2009 Sporting Chance Fishing Event to be held on June 6th.
If you are interested in fishing at Sweet Briar Dam west of
NDAB
Family News:
By
Ruth Phalen
One of the best
things about Christmas and the holiday season is the opportunity it gives us to
see family and friends. Both NDAB and
the Senior Support group had Christmas parties.
Vision Services/School for the Blind gave a coffee at Christmas time for
all current and former employees. Olga
Neal attended and said it was a great time since there were several there she
hadn’t seen in some time.
Twenty two of
us gathered at the Speedway restaurant December 6 for dinner, games and a gift
exchange. Renee Huseby, Olga Neal and
Rom Thielman did a fine job of arranging and hosting the party. Renee had an interesting reading which
directed the gift exchange and there was a contest of Christmas trivia. It was great to visit with friends we seldom
see and get updates on what everyone is doing.
Some of the other NDAB members attending were Dave Sundeen, Shawn
Gunderson, Lee Thielman, Connie and Larry Osowski, Donovan and Rosella
Sebenaler, Janet Sowkinos, Neal Cambrun, Krista Doubek, and Angie
Marciniak. (I apologize if I’ve
forgotten someone.)
The Support group meets on the second
Tuesday of each month. In November we
played turkey bingo with a mixture of Thanksgiving dinner standard foods and
turkey breasts as prizes. Our December
meeting was a gift exchange and lots of food!
For the gift exchange we played a dice game and when it ended we got to
keep what we had then.
In January our guest speaker was Paul Olson, Mobility
Specialist from School for the Blind. He
spoke mainly about the use of canes for better mobility, gave a demonstration
on how to lead a blind person, and gave helpful hints and answered
questions. Those of us who attended got
some very interesting and useful information.
Attendance was down (it was the coldest day of the year - -37) but 10 of
us hardy ones made it.
Angie Marciniak
came to the Christmas party with a cast on her leg. She is now able to put weight on the leg and
is back to her usual activities and doing well.
She has talked to Jenny Blinsmon who is still in
Janice Sowkinos
keeps busy remodeling her kitchen and quilting.
Her husband has a business trip coming up this spring to
Renee and Gary
Huseby are not going south this winter - they are staying here to enjoy this
weather with the rest of us!
For most of us
the biggest thing going is staying warm and not shoveling too much snow. It is so cold and there is so much snow it is
difficult to be motivated and feel safe to go out and do things.
I am doing fine now and look forward to a
good 2009. I made several calls to get
some news but I need to have those of you in the
By
Mavis
It is January 8th today. It is snowing….again. When we moved here in January of 2001, I was
sure we brought a canopy along that covered
The ‘Meetin and Eatin’ group have been doing just that at
various places including the China Star, Pizza Ranch and a Christmas gathering
at the Golden Corral.
For the Senior group, it’s been a quiet three months at
And that’s all the news from
A MESSAGE OF THANKS FROM ROM AND LEE
Since Lee and I
became members of NDAB six years ago, we surely have felt the caring of so many
members. About a year ago I developed
health issues (diagnosed at Mayo as Parkinsonism) and this past summer Lee had
cancer of the lung surgery. The caring
and concern of many NDAB friends gave us even more courage and strength at
those critical times. We received many
calls and cards – including group cards from Ski for Light and
Thank you
for “being there”! We hope to gradually
get back to becoming more involved in NDAB activities again. We will be working on the Walkathon in April
and, just maybe, I’ll get back to camp this summer.
We sure do treasure our NDAB friends!
God bless!
Rom and Lee Thielman
By
Connie Springsted
“GOOD GRIEF”, as my mother used to say when she was fed up
with a situation, wasn’t December something?
We sure got jolted awake after our mild early fall.
Some of the
In
Now, in January we are experiencing a slow down but enjoying
the many great memories of 2008. You
know it is resolution time but do we keep them?
Maybe we should just live each day as if it would be our last and be
satisfied with that.
Happy and healthy 2009 to you all from
Update on Ernie Yuzicappi
Two months ago my oncologist told me the cancerous mass was
75% destroyed. A month ago, a quarter of
the 25% of the cancerous mass was now dissolved. I will be going in for chemo treatment on
January 7th again and once a week from there on until the cancer is
completely destroyed. The additive they
use for treatment is very aggressive and it is increased by doses. Every so often, they will follow up with a CT
scan. As a result of how much better I
was feeling in December, I decided to go ahead and let well wishers join me in
celebrating my good health. Many prayers
and well wishes were said and a prayer quilt was given to me. All the thought behind this get together
touched my heart, and I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone. Whatever happens in the future, I know that
my Lord Jesus Christ is with me always.
He is with all of us.
Respectfully submitted, Ernie Yuzicappi
By
Shereen Faber
Greetings to all! I think we are all definitely walking in a
winter wonderland. WOW!
Let’s
switch to something warmer and wonderful - the camp banquet theme.
For
anyone who is thinking of attending the 2009 ACB Convention in July, I just
wanted to pass some flight information to you.
I
want to mention that on November 12th Michelle Zentz spoke about NDAB on Prairie
Public Radio. She covered a bit of the history, Summer Camp and Family Adjustment
Seminar. She did a great job!
This
Christmas season we took in "Miracle on
Plan to attend the 2009 State NDAB Convention in
In
closing, remember if you have any questions about the ACB Convention give us a
call. Hope that everyone stays warm and safe for the rest of the winter.
Williston Area News
By
Loris Van Berkom
Happy 2009 to all of our NDAB friends! It is hard to believe that 2008 is over and
we have started another year!
Our vision support group is trying a new meeting date, time
and location. We held our December and
January meetings at noon, the second Saturday of the month in the banquet room
of a local restaurant, Gramma Sharon’s.
Now that our public transit runs on Saturdays, we thought that a weekend
meeting would allow those who work during the week to attend. We enjoyed a no host luncheon along with
visiting and a sharing time. After the
January meeting, we were all invited over to Audrey Anderson’s home for pie and
coffee. We will continue to meet the
second Saturday of each month in the same location and see if this change will
be a permanent one.
Our sympathy goes out to Audrey Anderson on the death of her
husband of 57 years, Orris Anderson. He
passed away at the age of 90 on December 5, 2008. A memorial service was held December 27 in
We also extend our sympathy to Dan Mimnaugh on the death of
his mother Margaret, age 95. She died
December 27 in
Dan and Sheryl Gerhardt spent the holidays with their
daughter and her family in their home in Crary which is near
Janelle and
Kathy and
Carol Scallon has decided that it is time to learn
Braille. I am such a firm believer in
the value of Braille and always ready, willing and able to share my Braille
knowledge so she will be coming to my house for lessons.
Helen Howard just celebrated her 86th birthday in
January. She sings in a choral group at
the
I continue to keep busy but never seem to accomplish
anything! I enjoyed having my daughter
and family home for Christmas and both of my kids and two grandsons home the
middle of January for their Grandma Sinness’s 80th birthday.
Until next time, keep warm and stay safe!
Support Groups Near You
The Senior Low Vision Support Group - Meetings are held the first
Thursday of each month at 1:00 PM at the
The second group meets on the third Monday of each month at various
eating establishments at 6:30 PM. Contact persons LaVonne Tank
224-8306 or Richard Thadness 222-2274
Dickenson:
Vision Loss Support Group for Seniors -
Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month from 1:00 PM until
3:00 PM at the Greater Grand Forks Senior Citizen Center at
The Braille Support Group meets on alternating Fridays at 2:00 PM until 3:30
PM, September through May in the New Horizon Manor 2525 North Broadway. Contact person: Candy Lien 252-5936 or 800-421-1181
Insight Low Vision Support Group - Meetings are held the
second Saturday of each month at 2:00 PM at the New Horizon Manor at 2525 North
Broadway. Contact Allan Peterson
282-4644 or 231-6040
Bowling for the Blind sponsored by the Gateway Lions - This activity begins in late
September through May ending with an awards banquet and
trophies. The Group meets at the NDSU Memorial Union Bowling
Alley.
and ride arrangements.
Jamestown:
Low Vision Support Group - Meetings are held the third Monday of each
month at 2:00 PM in The James River Community Center at 502 10th
Ave. S.E. Contact Jerry Kleinknecht 253-6352 or 800-639-6292
Minot:
The Minot Vision Support Group -
Meetings are held the third Thursday of
each month from 11:30 AM until 1:30 PM at the Senior Parker Center at 21
1st Ave SE. Contact Connie Springsted 838-3909 or Deloris Stenvold
839-3632
Williston: Low Vision Support
Group - Meetings are held the 2nd Saturday of each month at the
banquet room of Gramma Sharon’s. Contact Loris
Van Berkom 774-3399
Hettinger:
The Hettinger Vision Support Group meetings are held the 3rd
Thursday of each month at 1:30 PM in the
The Newtown Visually Impaired Support Group meetings are
held the 1st Monday of each month from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Lunch is served afterward at the Evadene Gillette
Social Services Bldg at
701-627-7925
Robert John LePage Service Award
During the NDAB 2008 State Convention held in
Bob did not seek nor want recognition, but nonetheless was
given numerous awards by the Lions and was named a Melvin Jones Fellow
recipient in 2002. Only three months after receiving the Service Award at
In memory of Bob’s
service, The NDAB Executive Board has asked each Lions Club across
Michelle Zentz
phone:
701-298-9105
E-mail: michellez@samobile.net
Happy 200th Birthday Louis Braille
By
Evelyn Hildebrand
Louis
Braille, the inventor of the Braille code, was born two hundred years ago on
January 4,1809 in
Braille was
just 3 years old when he lost an eye due to an accident that happened in his father's
workshop. An infection set in after the accident, which led to the loss
of sight in the other eye. As a young child, he attended school in his
hometown and although he had no sight, he proved to be an outstanding student
in school and was usually at the head of his class.
At the age
of 10 arrangements were made to continue his schooling at the Royal Institute
for youth who were blind in
When
Braille was a student at the school, he heard an army captain describe a communication
system that he had developed that was based on a 12 dot code with dashes.
The motivation to develop the system sprung from the desire to have a means to
send messages to troupes who were in the field in nighttime that would avoid
using light. Using light at night on a battlefield exposes army positions
to the enemy. This technique gave young Louis Braille the initial idea of
developing a dot system for students
who are
blind.
By the age
of 15, he had developed the initial version of the 6-dot cell that is based
upon normal spelling, which we know today as Braille. Initially, instructors
and school administrators did not accept Braille's system but he worked
diligently to improve and expand the use of the code. Because he had a
great love of music, he was motivated to expand the use of the code to use it
to write music as well.
Word about
this new system wasn't widely known until Braille was 20 years old and he published
a book called "A Method of Writing Words, Music and Plain Song by Means of
Dots for Use by people who are Blind". It literally explained to the
whole world how people could read and write using the Braille system.
As an adult
he was employed as an instructor at the Institute and was very, busy playing
organ, tutoring, and teaching. He continued to improve the use of Braille
so more uses and more people could use it. He designed a stylus to punch
a series of dots in patterns so that they could write their thoughts to other
students, teachers, their families and the world.
He
continued to support and teach students even when he was very ill with tuberculosis. He dedicated his life to the Institute and
the students. He died on Jan 6,1852 at the age of 43. He was buried in his
hometown of
After his
death in 1854,
Louis
Braille's 200 birthday will be celebrated around the world. The Braille
Authority of North America (BANA) has a web site where new events and
celebrations will be listed. There are
many web sites --voiceprintcanada.com/component/option,com - mtree/task,
listcats/cat
- id,252Tt has a Braille Documentary (4-1 hour films) on their online audio archive.
There are many more sites that celebrate the commemoration of Louis Braille's birthday'
A personal
note - at the National ACB conventions I have seen the pressroom where the daily
updates are created in Braille and large print. It is a fantastic group of
workers that are dedicated and knowledgeable in preparing the Braille daily
news updates for the
Convention
attendees. A friend, Lynn Koral from
How very
grateful we can be for the fortitude and the tenacity of Louis Braille to
invent, use and promote the use of the Braille code for the worlds community of
people who are blind.
Louis Braille, Man of Brilliance
By
Candy Lien
Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809, in the
Louis lived at the school, which was housed in a derelict
building near the River Seine, year round, going home for a few weeks during
the summer and on holidays. The students were expected to create revenue for
the school by making articles that were sold to the public. Louis learned to make fur-lined slippers and
by the age of 14 he became the foreman of the slipper-making shop. He also
earned top honors in several subjects and learned to play the cello, piano and
organ. He eventually played the organ for a number of churches in the area.
Amazingly, Louis learned to write very legibly with a pencil (he could not use
ink because it would smear). Several of his hand-written letters are extant and
can be seen at the museum. He was a star pupil at the Institute, and upon
graduation he was hired as a teacher there.
At this time, the only way the blind students were able to
read was by means of embossed print letters. These books were very large and
heavy and costly to produce. The school owned very few of these books. Learning
to read embossed letters was so difficult that few students ever became
proficient at it. For these reasons, most teaching and learning was done
orally. When Louis was a teenager, a man named Charles Barbier came to the
school to demonstrate a method that he had devised to allow soldiers in the
field to communicate with each other at night by means of raised dots. Louis
was intrigued with this idea and spent many hours adapting the idea to suit the
needs of the blind. He came up with the concept of a cell containing six dots,
two across and three down, which exactly fit the human fingertip. (Barbier’s
“cell” had consisted of two columns of six dots.) Whereas Barbier’s system had
been based on sounds, Braille assigned a different configuration of dots to
each letter of the alphabet, which allowed for direct transcription from print.
He also provided a way of writing punctuation and numbers.
Since Louis Braille was himself an accomplished musician, he
was particularly interested in devising a way that music could be written for
the blind. He adapted his code so that music notation could be read by touch as
well. He also modified Barbier’s writing
tools (called the slate and stylus) for use with his new six-dot system.
Louis published a booklet presenting his new way of writing
when he was only twenty years old. One would think that his discovery would
have been greeted with great delight, but he actually met with much skepticism
at first. The “powers that be” resisted
this new idea of dot writing; they continued to cling to the belief that the
use of embossed print letters was the best means of literacy for the blind. The
use of the Braille Code was actually forbidden at the Institute for Blind Youth
for a time. The students learned and used the code in secret. They found it to
be much more efficient and easier to use than embossed print. It took up less
space and could be read faster. The Braille code could also be written easily
with a simple slate and stylus.
The Braille Code was finally accepted and begun to be taught
at the Institute in 1844, and in 1854, two years after Braille’s untimely
death, it was acknowledged throughout the country of
Louis Braille died of tuberculosis two days after his
forty-third birthday in 1852. During his final years, he was too weak to carry
on with his normal teaching duties and was allowed to remain at the Institute,
which had become his home, out of kindness and respect, teaching as much as he
was able. At his death, he was
eulogized as a kind, generous, and dedicated educator who devoted his life to
making life better for people with sight loss. In addition to developing the
Literary Braille Code and the Music Braille Code, he and a collaborator had
devised a machine by which blind persons could write to sighted individuals
called the raphigraphe. It is regarded as the forerunner of the typewriter or
dot-matrix printer.
What more could
Braille have accomplished had his life not been cut so short? Of course we will
never know, but what he did achieve during his abbreviated lifetime has
radically impacted the quality of life for generations of visually impaired
persons around the world. No one has yet
been able to improve upon this simple six dot system. Louis Braille, you are
truly a man of brilliance, and you have made life brighter, or more brilliant,
for countless others.
2009 Greetings from ACB President
Colleagues:
The year 2009 is nearly here and so, Donna and I want to wish everyone
the happiest and healthiest of New Year's. Wherever you live, you are a
member of the ACB family. We know, as our sighted colleagues are
learning through our efforts, that we are capable of, and ready to take
our place in the larger community.
2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, the
inventor of the code which serves as the written language of the blind.
In the
reasons. We cannot allow this trend to continue; we must and will
strive to see that Braille literacy rates increase, not just here but
throughout the world.
ACB experienced a tremendously successful year with our victory in
Federal Court which will require
to blind and visually impaired persons, just as it is for blind and
visually impaired persons in 180 nations around the world. We continue
to make other aspects of life more accessible for blind people through
our advocacy efforts including the use of structured negotiations,
promoting accessibility on the internet and in all aspects of
telecommunications, and the numerous other arenas in which ACB makes
our influence felt.
As we enter into the bicentennial of Louis Braille's birth, my
commitment as ACB President is to build on the momentum of our
successes to even greater efforts to promote our positive belief in the
abilities and capabilities of blind and visually impaired people
throughout this Nation and worldwide. However, I need to acknowledge
that I cannot do any of this without the support and commitment of you,
the members of the American Council of the Blind. For everything you've
done in 2008 and previously, as well as for what you will do in 2009
and beyond, my sincerest appreciation and thanks for your efforts.
Again, Donna and I want to wish everyone an outstanding 2009; a year in
which we honor the memory of the father of Braille, not just in words,
but in positive actions toward enhanced Braille literacy and
opportunities for all blind and visually impaired men, women and children.
Sincerely,
Mitch Pomerantz, President
American Council of the Blind
Save the Date!
The well-known author, musician and actor, Tom Sullivan,
will be
appearing at the South High School Theater in
The show starts at 7:00 p.m. His performance is sponsored by Allergan
Pharmaceuticals and will be held in conjunction with the Dakota Chapter
AER annual convention.
Mr. Sullivan is the author of several books on his life as a blind man
living successfully in a sighted world.
He recently appeared in
“Adventures in Vision”
The 2009 AER Convention will be held at the Country Inn
Suites in
More about Tom
Doranna Robertson sent the name of a book she recommends for
good reading. It is Seeing Lessons by Tom Sullivan. It is available from the State Library (RCY3861)
on tape. You can request it by calling
the library at 1-800-843-9948.
Other Tom Sullivan tapes available through the library
are: Together, If You Could See What I Hear, and Adventures
in Darkness.
A Commentary on Canes
by: Paul Olson
In the years that I have been working as an orientation
& mobility specialist, I have met many people with varying degrees of
visual impairment. Some of those people had the opportunity to receive ample
instruction in the art of traveling and others have had only minimal
training. The ability and goals of these people vary greatly. For most of
these folks the orientation aspect of travel is by far the most challenging.
Through experience and coaching most people can become confident in their
orientation skills. This leaves walking about one's environment as the other
major part of successful travel.
The actual process of walking around without colliding with obstacles and
finding unexpected drop-offs is best handled by one of the most simple, yet
effective tools ever invented for people who are blind. No one can deny that
the white cane can provide for safe and efficient movement through many
environments when properly used. Again, skills and gracefulness can vary
greatly, but the bottom line is that the traditional cane techniques that have
been around for over 60 years still work very well. New techniques and
technology have evolved, but centering the cane, adequate arc width and staying
in-step while using two-point touch continue to be vital skills for most
travelers who are visually impaired. I believe this will still be the case in
the decades to come. The cane is a tool that is simple yet sophisticated. There
is both an art and science in the use of the cane. Even cane users who have not
received extensive instruction can develop an approach to cane use that is both
functional and beautiful.
In the world of visual impairment and blindness there are many strong opinions
on a variety of issues. It seems that that there are many practices within the
professional body of knowledge and the knowledge base of consumers who are
blind that are considered appropriate. Ironically, some of these well accepted
practices are very contradictory. The use or non-use of the blindfold during
training is just one example. As ambiguous as these practices are, they the
result of living a democratic society where diverse ideas are allowed and even
encouraged.
It is ironic then to observe the great controversy that exists among consumers
and professionals regarding the types of white canes on the market. Let me be
very direct in my bias in this discussion. One size does not fit all! The cane
is a tool that comes in many styles and with many characteristics. The needs
and wants of each individual are so different, that it is entirely unrealistic
to expect that everyone use the same kind of cane. Mobility specialists
typically have their favorite brands of canes and the criteria for selecting particular
canes are rooted in well established principles. The trouble is that these
principles are not universal. The preferences for rigidity and receptivity of
tactile sensation transmitted through the cane shaft vary from one person to
another. The weight and length of the cane are also critical considerations,
but in the end it is very much a personal decision that each traveler has the
right to make. The argument may also be made that different canes and tips are
suitable for different conditions. Perhaps an individual may even choose to use
more than one kind of cane based on their anticipated needs.
The controversy is somewhat fueled by either real or perceived debate between
consumer groups. I would be the last one to say that I am not influenced on
certain subjects based on my affiliations, but when it comes to cane choice for
people who are visually impaired, it is ludicrous to choose a tool by falling
into a group think mentality. The experience and advice of other people is
certainly important, but in what other area of life do we allow others to
influence us to this degree. Should people choose a model of automobile based
on what everyone in their family, church or neighborhood chooses? I do not
think any of us would agree with or accept this type of influence which may
certainly be perceived as coercive. Many people feel that they have to choose a
particular cane to fit in with their peer group for fear that they will be
directly or indirectly judged and confronted. This is unfortunate in this day
and age.
For years people with disabilities have fought for specific rights. The
Americans with Disabilities Act was passed because people banded
together. Unification on issues of great importance is essential and
helps a group remain cohesive. When it comes to personal choices in strategies,
devices, etc, however, it is also important to support each others choices.
Whether a person uses a lightweight identification cane, a rigid aluminum cane,
a support cane, a folding graphite cane, a long rigid fiberglass cane or a
combination of canes-- only one person is holding it in his/her hand. It is an
intensely personal matter and it is a disservice to pass judgment when instead
we should applaud the person for making an independent choice based on their
own needs.
Tradition and philosophy are probably just as important as scientifically based
practices in this field. As consumers sort through all of the information and
sincere advice from professionals and fellow consumers, they must realize that
there are very few if any absolute truths. It is most important that they make
an informed choice and feel confident in moving forward with the device that
works best for them.
Instant Weather
Here are instructions for getting the weather for your city
with just a
keystroke.
1. Go to http://www.simpleweather.com
2. An edit box will appear where you can type in your zip
code. Type it in
and press enter.
3. Once the city you have chosen appears, do an alt d to
highlight the address bar.
4. Do a control c to copy that web address to the clipboard.
5. Go to your desk top, windows key d or m.
6. Make sure nothing is highlighted. If it is, do a
control space to
unselect.
7. Press your application key and arrow up to, new and press
enter.
8. Arrow down to, shortcut and press enter.
9. An edit box will appear asking you to type in and
address. Just do a
control v to paste the web address in your clipboard in the edit box and
then press enter.
10. Another edit box will appear asking you to type in a
name. You can type
anything that will identify this web address. I just use, Weather.
After
you type in the name, tab to finish and press enter.
11. Go back to your desk top and type the first letter of
the name you just
typed in the last edit box. If you have several icons that begin with
that
same letter, you may have to type the letter several times until you hear
the name you are looking for is highlighted.
12. Once you find that name, do an alt enter to bring up the
properties.
13. Tab to, shortcut key, hotkey.
14. Here you can assign a shortcut key of your choosing.
I use, control
shift w, but you can use any character or number along with the control
shift or alt control combination. Just make sure you don’t duplicate
another hotkey you may already have assigned.
15. Once you put in your key combination, tab to OK and
press enter.
16. Now if you did everything correctly, you can use that
key combination to
bring up the weather for the city you selected.
Denny Huff
Gateway FT Blind LLC.
Blind Will Have Meaningful Access to Currency
The American Council of the Blind is pleased to report that
District Court Judge James Robertson has told lawyers representing both sides
in the case American Council of the Blind v. Paulson that the Department of the
Treasury must make U.S. currency accessible to people who are blind and
visually impaired as quickly as possible.
In its decision on May 20, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
The court intends to impose a schedule on the government for making future
generations of currency accessible and to ensure that it is complied with. Mitch Pomerantz, president of the American
Council of the Blind, said, "It is apparent that this judge expects the
Treasury to expeditiously comply with his earlier ruling in favor of accessible
currency. Our outstanding attorney, Jeffrey Lovitky, is continuing to
hold Treasury's feet to the fire and it is gratifying to know that the judge is
likewise requiring accountability and transparency from the manufacturer of our
legal tender.
ACB and Mr. Lovitky shall stand firm on behalf of blind and
visually
impaired individuals in our demand that we have the same opportunity to
independently determine what each bill is without the need for outside
assistance, either human or electronic."
The American Council of the Blind is the largest consumer-based
organization of blind and visually impaired Americans advocating for the rights
of blind Americans. Comprised of more than 70 affiliates across the
Judge Rules Timely Change of Bills
U.S. District Judge James Robertson said he would not allow
the Treasury Department to go at its own pace as it complies with a May ruling
that
Treasury officials have hired a contractor to investigate ways to help the
blind differentiate between bills, perhaps by printing different sizes or
including raised numbers. Government attorneys urged the judge to let that
process play out and not interfere with anti-counterfeiting redesigns that are
already in process.
Robertson was not persuaded. "The Treasury Department
is not going to just conduct this on its own schedule and its own terms. Let
that be clear," he said. Robertson
ordered attorneys for the government to meet with the American Council of the
Blind, which brought the lawsuit, and come up with a schedule that requires
changes in the next generation of bills.
The next $100 design could be printed as early as this fall
and Robertson said those bills won't be affected. But subsequent designs should
be able to solve the problem, the judge said.
Government lawyers said they plan to argue that Robertson does not have
the authority to interfere with the Treasury's printing responsibilities.
The judge said he'd consider the argument but quipped that, if he didn't have
authority to require changes, how was he supposed to enforce the ruling? What
should the court order say, he asked, "Go out and have a good time? We'll
see you when it's all over?"
Blind Band will be Rose Parade's First
By Jennifer Smith Richards
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Tuesday,
October 21, 2008
Members of the
react to news that their band has been invited to the 2010 Tournament of Roses
Parade. The entire student body was in the gym when the surprise announcement
was heard.
The band's trip to
person. Donations can be sent to the
Parent-Teacher-Staff Organization,
Star-Spangled Banner, which was video- recorded for a school
project. That was pretty cool, in itself
-- several of the roughly 120
students at the
wasn't your average school-choir rendition.
What happened next was even cooler: Music director Carol
Agler's
cell phone rang and the crowd went quiet. She held the microphone to the
phone's earpiece as a man, calling from
marching band to join the 2010 Rose Parade.
You'd have thought Paris Hilton or the Jonas Brothers had
just
walked in -- that's how loud the screaming was.
"Congratulations, and we look forward to seeing you all," said
Gary Di-Sano, the parade's president in 2010.
The Rose Parade, which features flowers-only floats and
takes
place in
marching band. In fact, Agler said she doesn't know of another one in the
country.
Right now, there are only 17 band members, plus about as
many
sighted marching assistants who help them stay in formation.
"I think this will generate more kids in the band," said Agler,
who co-directs the band with another teacher, Dan Kelley. They've got
a year to whip the band into shape and to raise money for the cross-country
trip.
Band members likely will practice marching on the school's
campus
and even on one of the gym's treadmills. The parade route is about 6 miles
and will take about two hours to march, a grind the band isn't used to.
"I'm nervous, but I'm excited, too. It's gonna be hard, but we're
gonna get through it," said Bria Goshay, a 15-year-old snare drummer from
The band was formed in 2005 and played its first full season with
about 20 members in 2006. Its uniforms are castoffs from another high
school that got new ones. During a
regular season, the band plays for an audience a handful of times: at deaf-school football games, at a Dublin
high-school pregame show, at the Ohio State University Skull Session in St.
John Arena. The band recently marched in a Circleville Pumpkin Show parade. Twenty-one bands from across the country have
been booked for the Rose Parade, said music committee chairwoman Stacy Houser.
Two others,
said. "We're hoping it'll be an inspiration throughout the country."
Bands are chosen using several criteria, including marching
and
musical ability, uniqueness and overall talent.
Macy McClain, who plays the flute and piccolo in the band, likened the
honor to being on American Idol.
"Except you don't have to stand in line," she said.
By:
Marilyn Nelson
I
just do not know what to do with them,
The words that scatter in my mind.
I have an urge to write them down ~
But have no clue to whom I am to send.
I'm trying to share what my mind told me to,
But the world has put walls all around;
Discouragement comes to me in waves
That knock me onto the cold hard ground.
I fail to understand the ways
These words all come to the place;
Where all the waves are on the airways
That bring them right into your face.
I'll set those words upon the wind
The ones my mind tells me to set forth;
I know not where to set the goal
I will send them for what they are worth.
I must trust in some grand plan
That someone who is off a long way,
Reads them and gets my message
Upon the waves that go out today.
I never know who may have read,
But I don't need to really know
That I obeyed my mind's command
And do let these words go.
Don't Overlook This Tax Credit
Many disabled taxpayers may be overlooking a valuable tax
credit that
could increase their federal income tax refunds by as much as $4,824.
The IRS estimates that up to one in four taxpayers who qualify for the
Earned Income Tax Credit - or EITC - fail to claim the credit. Are you
one of them?
You may qualify if your income was under $41,646 last year and you, or
your spouse, worked or received disability retirement benefits under an
employer plan and were under the minimum retirement age. The amount of
your EITC depends on several factors, such as the amount of your earned
income, your filing status, whether you have children and how many,
etc. Special rules apply if you have a child who is permanently and
totally disabled.
To get the credit you earned, you must 1) file a federal income tax
return and 2) claim the credit. Many communities have volunteer income
tax assistance sites or local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers, which
will compute your EITC and prepare your return without charge. To
locate a volunteer site, call your community's 211 or 311 number for
local services or call the IRS at 1-800-906-9887.
Some states have a similar tax credit, increasing the dollars due
eligible EITC recipients.
Find more information about EITC in alternative formats for people with
print disabilities at <http://www.irs.gov/> www.irs.gov. Follow the
homepage link to "Accessibility", then the link to "Accessible
IRS Tax
Products" and select the appropriate link to download accessible forms
or publications. The IRS web site provides accessible electronic files
in formats including: ASCII Text (.txt), Braille Ready Format (.BRF),
and Talking Tax forms in PDF that work with MSAA compliant screen
reading software and Braille display devices.
How’s Your Vision?
By
Steve Goodier
One woman laughs about the time she took her 14-year-old
daughter and
her daughter's best friend to a Peter, Paul and Mary
concert. They
were all fans of "oldies" music from the 60's and
70's and felt lucky
to get front row seats. When they returned home, her
daughter said,
"During the show, we looked back and saw hundreds of
little lights
swaying to the music. At first we thought the people were
holding up
cigarette lighters. Then we realized that the lights were
the
reflections off all the eyeglasses in the audience."
(Thanks to
"Reader's Digest")
My eyesight isn't what it used to be, either. But as Helen
Keller (who
could neither hear nor see) said, "The greatest tragedy
in life is
people who have sight but no vision." Maybe I should be
more concerned
with my vision than with my eyesight.
There are numerous stories of people who lacked vision. A
Orville and Wilbur Wright felt excited. On
had finally succeeded in keeping their homemade airplane in
the air
for 59 seconds. Immediately, they rushed a telegram to their
sister
in
read, "First sustained flight today fifty-nine seconds.
Hope to be
home by Christmas."
Upon receiving the news of the successful flight, their
sister was so
excited that she rushed to the newspaper office and gave the
telegram
to the editor. The next morning the newspaper headed the
story:
"Popular Local Bicycle Merchants To Be Home For
Holidays." The hapless
editor saw what was obvious, but missed the real story.
Vision is never about seeing the obvious. It's about looking
ahead; about seeing what is not there -- YET. It's often about seeing the
potential behind the obvious.
Like the potential in people. Spotting the potential for
success in a student who, as is obvious to everyone else, will likely fail.
Or recognizing the potential for something good to come from
a situation others are writing off as lost.
If we want to see what is really going on, we will need to
learn to spot what is not there, then act on it.
So... your eyesight may be perfect, but how's your vision?
Submitted by Kathy Larson
Free Daily Devotions
Would you like to receive a daily devotional guide? A Braille edition is available without
charge through Upper Room Fellowship.
For information about receiving this guide call 1-800-925-6847 or write
Upper Room,