CONTENTS:
From the President -
Michelle’s Meanderings
Support
Groups near You
Low Cost Computers
Available
Want Ad
Gebhard Greetings
Vision Loss
Newsletters
Join the Group: The Blnd Listserv
Do You Love to Read?
NDAB Family News
Williston Area News
With Deepest Sympathy
Donations and
Memorials
In Memory – Dorothy
Regnerus
2009 ACB Legislative
Seminar Report
Legislative Report,
Spring 2009
Terry Narum to
Receive LePage Service Award
NDAB Board Meeting,
Hospital Window
25Good
Leaders Are…
Upcoming Summer Programs
Searching in the Dark
2009 NDAB Summer Camp
Summer Camp
Guidelines
30th
Annual Regional Ski for Light
From the President
Greetings to all NDAB members;
It seems as if spring has sprung. It is as if we have sprung
a leak across the state. As a precautionary measure,
Telephone calls to old friends and new members of NDAB are a
great way to keep in touch and provide support. However, it can be costly for
long distance calls and time consuming for those with active lives. Don’t
forget about letter writing and to use the free matter mailing for the Blind
and Physically Handicapped option when applicable. You could submit an article
in your preferred format in the next Promoter.
If you haven’t attended one of the local area support groups, check it
out. The times, locations and contact information are listed below for all the
meetings we know of at this printing.
Another way to connect with one another is via the computer.
Messages may be sent to one another and provide the spread of helpful
information quickly. Tracy Wicken has written an article on how to join the
list serve in this edition of the Promoter. If you have not joined in the past
or are a new member, please do contact
If you are in need of a computer or know of someone that is
visually impaired and desires to have a computer, contact information on how to
receive a low cost computer from an organization based in
Did you know the NDSU Information and Technology Department
has employed me to do part-time web accessibility testing of their web pages? I
started in February and enjoy it immensely.
There is much satisfaction in receiving a paycheck once again and
knowing the internet experience will be more enjoyable and easier to navigate.
Last, but certainly not least, is the importance of face to
face encounters and opportunities to connect with other members. Hopefully,
many of you were able to participate in the spring walkathon in your local
areas.
The next opportunity to meet statewide will be at the
convention in
Well, I guess that is enough of my meanderings for now.
There is only one more message to relay. Happy Birthday, Dad! I look forward to
celebrating it with you. Oliver’s upcoming 90th birthday is May 24th.
Michelle
Support Groups near You
Bismarck:
The Senior Low Vision Support Group - Meetings are held the first Thursday of each
month at 1:00 PM at the Bismarck Senior Center at 315 N. 20th St.
Contact Mike Beck 328-8800 or 888-862-7342
The second group meets on the third Monday of each month at
various eating establishments at
224-8306 or Richard Thadness 222-2274
888-227-7525.
Insight Low Vision Support Group - Meetings are held the second Saturday of
each month at
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.
The Braille Support Group meets on alternating Fridays at
Vision Loss Support Group for Seniors -
Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month from
Hettinger:
The Hettinger Vision Support Group meetings are held the
third Thursday of each month at
888-227-7525
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
The Minot Vision Support Group - Meetings are held the third Thursday of
each month from
839-3632
The Newtown Visually Impaired Support Group meetings are
held the first Monday of each month from
701-627-7925
Williston:
Low Vision Support Group - Meetings are held the
second Saturday of each month at the banquet room of Gramma Sharon’s. Contact
Low Cost Computers Available
This is for those of you who may have missed this helpful
notice in the March issue of the ACB, Braille Forum. Low cost refurbished
computers are available to persons with vision impairments. The
Want Ad
Wanted! We, the NDAB, are in need of two individuals with
good leadership skills to serve as the Chairperson of two committees. The
committees are the Family Adjustment Seminar and the Constitution and Bylaws
committee.
If you are unsure of what leadership skills consist; read
the following illustration. There are too many leadership qualities to list
here. However, the following illustration between a ruthless boss and a
motivating leader may be helpful. Bosses drive subordinates, leaders coach them. Bosses depend on
authority, leaders on goodwill.
Bosses say, “I”; leaders say, “We.”
Bosses fix the blame for breakdown; leaders
fix the breakdown. Bosses know how it is done; leaders show how. Bosses say “Do it!” but leaders say, “Let’s do it!” Bosses inspire fear; leaders inspire enthusiasm. Bosses say,
“This is what I think.” But leaders say,
“What do you think?” Bosses expect you to work for them; leaders expect you to work with them. Bosses want things done their way; leaders want things done the best way.
Bosses get angry and point their finger to the door; leaders are understanding and point the way. Bosses use people; leaders respect them. Bosses do what is
right for them; leaders do the right
thing. Bosses inflict pain; leaders
share pain. A boss takes more than their share of the credit; a leader takes more than their share of the
blame.
Also wanted are individual NDAB members willing to serve on
these and other committees. Your talents and skill levels may vary. This is a
good thing because all talents are valuable. You may have the ability to speak
before a group or voice your opinion and avoid group think, the patience or
physical strength to set up an event or even clerical skills or the willingness
to make phone calls. We need more member participation in the efforts of NDAB
to be successful in our efforts! Please, contact
Gebhard Greetings
First of all, I want
to extend a very sincere apology to all of you for the delayed publication of
this edition of the Promoter. As editor,
my goal is to get the Promoter to you by the 1st of the month when
the quarterly editions are published – February, May, August and November. May 2009 has been full of circumstances that
prevented me from meeting that goal. It brings to mind the saying, “When it
rains, it pours.” I survived the LONG winter in pretty good health. This spring, however, a virus caught up with
me and landed me in bed for a couple of weeks.
After that, I got sinusitis and then an ear infection that has left me
with no hearing in my left ear. I also continue
to have headaches and more eye sensitivity than usual. Though I am feeling much
better now, I am still trying to “catch up” on everything that was neglected
while I was in bed. I got back to work
only to find out that Bill, the guy who records the Promoter on tape for me,
was suffering from a case of shingles which settled on the left side of his
head affecting his hearing and his sight.
Thankfully, his symptoms have been improving though he is still having
some double vision in his left eye.
To complicate matters
more, my son, Alex, was injured in track practice on May 4th. My 6’4”, 230 lb. discus, javelin and shot put
throwing son, decided he wanted to try long jumping! The first jump went fine. On the second jump he dislocated his left
ankle rupturing tendons, ligaments and suffering a spiral fracture of the
fibula. He was taken by ambulance to
This morning my CCTV
is not working. I rely on it so
much. Don’t know how I will get this
edition finally put together without it.
My computer is still up and running and I am thankful for that.
I am pleased to point
out that there are several articles with opportunities to help us “stay
connected” and “keep informed” in this edition.
Look for a list of vision support groups, how to get on the email Blnd
Listserv, services provided by the ND State Library such as books on tape and
the newsletters in ND that are devoted to people with vision loss.
Be sure to read
Allan’s legislative report. It is very
thorough and also includes information about the Disability Awareness Day held
at the Capitol. I enjoyed working at the
NDAB booth. Besides the new display board,
we had available our NDAB brochures, Support Group List, membership
applications and a new brochure I had the privilege to work on. It is entitled “What Can I Do to Help?” What to do and what
to avoid when helping a person with sight loss. It contains information to help the sighted
be of greater assistance to people with sight loss and to help them be more at
ease while doing so. Michelle had come
across some information on this subject.
She shared it with me and then I took that information, added some more
and made it our own. Thanks to Paul
Olson, ND Vision Services/School of the Blind who graciously reviewed it and
made some suggestions. In April, I had another
opportunity to use the new brochure. I
was invited to speak to the Edgeley Lions Club about NDAB and vision loss in
general. I shared the NDAB brochure, the
new brochure and cupcakes with the Braille alphabet on them to celebrate Louis
Braille’s 200th birthday. They were
great listeners and had quite a few questions for me.
Thanks again for your
patience and understanding while waiting for this edition of the Promoter.
(701) 493-2399
E-mail: zgeb@drtel.net
Attn: Adam Emter
Public Relations
604 e. Boulevard Ave.
1-701-328-4622
Newsletter:
Flickertail
Published: 6 times a
year
Editor: Adam Emter
E-mail: aemter@nd.gov
Web Address: www.library.nd.gov
604
e. Boulevard Ave.
1-800-843-9948
News letter:
Discovery
Published: 3 times a
year
Editor: Sue
Hammerschneider
E-Mail Address: sbschneider@nd.gov
701-463-2201
Newsletter:
Publication: Monthly
Magazine
Editor: Stu Merry
E-mail: independ@restel.net
800-421-1181
701-795-2700
701-795-2727 (Fax)
Newsletter: Reaching
Out
Publication Twice a
year
Editor: Cheryl
Misialek
E-Mail:cmisiale@nd.gov
Web
Address:www.ndvisionservices.com
Join the Group: The BLND Listserv
Many of you are familiar with e-mail (electronic mail) and
communicating with others via a computer.
You address your correspondence to one or more people and with the hit
of the “send” button, they receive your message. A way to communicate to a group of people
with common interests is to become a member of a listserv. When e-mail is addressed to a listserv
mailing list, it is automatically broadcast to everyone on the list. The result
is similar to a newsgroup or forum, except that the messages are transmitted as
e-mail and are therefore available only to individuals on the list. A newsgroup is a discussion that takes place online, devoted
to a particular topic.
To be included in this information sharing/receiving
network, one must subscribe to the listserv.
To subscribe, you must have an email address. That email address needs to be communicated
to the manager of the listserv, who has the ability to add or remove people to/
from the list as well as deal with any concerns
or issues that may arise regarding subscribers or the listserv itself. There is a listserv in
Just as there is acceptable information shared among the
subscribers, there is also information that should be avoided. Offensive language, personal business
solicitation, religion and politics come to mind and could be the cause of
negative feelings and reactions of those receiving this information. This information should be avoided if
possible; although I would have to say that in my experience as the listserv
manager, there haven’t been any real big issues where that is concerned.
I am Tracy Wicken, Technology Specialist, at North Dakota
Vision Services/School for the Blind, the sdt-blnd listserv manager, and I am
the person to contact if you would like to be a member of the listserv. My email address is: trwicken@nd.gov. My telephone number is 701-795-2720 or toll
free: 1-800-421-1181. If you want to be
included in this information sharing process, contact me and let me know your
e-mail address. I will add you to the
list and you will then receive a welcome email with information about the
listserv.
When you want to share something on the listserv, all you do
is put this address into your email message: sdt-blnd@listserv.nodak.edu. Note
that it is “b l n d” not “b l i n d” (four letters, not five). When you send
the email, it will go to all the subscribers on the listserv. As stated previously, there are 48 people on
the listserv. If you would like to know
who those people are, contact me and I can share their names with you. Please be advised that “attachments” are not
allowed on a listserv, and if you try to send an email with an attachment, it
will not work. The information in your
attachment needs to be put into the body of your email so you will need to do
some “cutting” and “pasting” of your information. It is more work that way, but that is
presently the only means to get your attachment information to the
subscribers. If your email addresses
changes, you will no longer receive listserv information unless you communicate
to me your new email address. I can then
make the change and you will continue to receive listserv information. I receive email messages regarding listserv
members who are not receiving emails because their email address has
changed. If I don’t know your new email
address, I can’t get you on the list. I
ask that you please let me know when your email address changes so you can
continue to receive listserv information.
If you have specific questions about the sdt-blnd listserv,
please feel free to contact me by e-mail or by telephone.
Do You Love to Read?
Has your sight loss
made reading difficult, frustrating or impossible? Have you heard about talking books? If not, be sure to read the following
information. It may reconnect you to the
joy of reading once again!
The North Dakota
State Library Disability Services provides Talking Books and magazines to any
To become a patron of
the ND State Library Talking Book Service, you must complete an
application. Interested parties may
write or call the ND State Library Disability Services Department to request an
application form and information packet.
Write to: North Dakota State
Library, 604 East Boulevard Ave.,
When the library
receives the application, a reader/advisor will contact the applicant or their
caregiver to verify information in the application, inform how the program
works, order a talking book cassette player and start mailing you books. There is a wide variety of books
available: bestsellers, classics,
biographies, mysteries, romances, westerns, histories, poetry, children’s and
how-to books.
It is easy to apply
for and easy to use this wonderful service.
Contact the Library today and enjoy reading again!
NDAB Family News
by Mavis
So, who has
been engineering the Senior Low Vision group on the first Thursday of the
month? February found Scott Weissman
representing IPAT which has all kinds of assistive technology for persons with
disabilities.
Every so
often we have to have a discussion session (March) relative to what kind of
programs we want, how to reach more people and any new ideas. If only the mountain could go to
Mohammed!
In April,
we were visited by Patrice Thomas, an individual, marital and family
therapist. She specifically discussed
grief. As we all know, with any loss you
deal with the various stages of grief.
Mike Beck,
our facilitator, informed us of the various mini support groups that are being
developed in the assisted living facilities as well as nursing homes.
We wish to
extend our sympathy to the family of Edna Davis who passed away in March. Although Edna was not a member of NDAB she
was a very faithful member of our senior group and was one of the telephone
persons who called us every month to remind us of our meeting.
Denise Kirsch
tells me the “Meetin and Eatin” group have been doing just that at the Pizza
Ranch and the Steak Buffet. Denise also
asked me to remind everyone that she would like pictures and articles so she
can fill up the pages of the scrapbook.
You’ll find her address on the Leadership Roster on the last page of the
Promoter.
by
Hello
to all members from
I
participated in the Lions Club bowling this year and it was a lot of fun. The
Lions picked all of us up. Usually about 4 drivers, go to the NDSU Memorial
Union. First, we would have pizza and then we would bowl and socialize and just
have a fun night. We had our last bowling night in March and will look forward
again to starting up in the fall.
At
the time of this writing we are all still working on our fundraising for the
Walkathon. Hoping that everyone does well and breaks some records from last
year.
Since
the last Promoter the only play that I have to report on is "Death
Trap." which was a very good murder mystery with a little humor thrown in.
One other play that we would have already seen, but got postponed because of
the flood was "Leading Ladies", and is a definite comedy. Looking
forward to this one!
By
now everyone should have their call to convention letter and if you are
planning to attend, just a reminder to get your reservations in to the Econo
Lodge in
by
Ruth Phalen
NDAB members were
together for the Walkathon on April 25.
Because winter has been so long and cold the Support Group has cancelled
twice but we did have an April meeting.
Of course the main topic of conversation at everything has been the
weather – the cold and snow and then all the flooding. Those of us in
There were about 25 at the Walkathon. The day was cool but not so cold that the
walk was unpleasant. We were fortunate
to have the Sacred Heart girl’s softball team walk for us. NDAB members came from
David McCloud was at the Walkathon and enthusiastic about
the improvement in his vision since cataract surgery. Only one eye has been done so far but the
next one is scheduled soon. It’s good to
hear that he is regaining some vision and it will make things much easier for
him at his job for the city and his leisure time activities.
At our April Support Group meeting our speaker was Lou
Wagner, Regional Volunteer Coordinator for SMP - “empowering seniors to prevent health care
fraud”. We were warned to ask questions
and be careful of our prescriptions and health care information and
insurance. Be sure to check the billings
and Notice of Benefits to see they are correct.
These things are common sense but let us know how vulnerable we are and
the fraud schemes out there.
Neal Camburn is scheduled to undergo testing to see if he is
a candidate for a new treatment for Macular Degeneration. He will be doing this in
Olga, Renee and I are planning to attend the convention so
hope to see many of you there and also look forward to seeing you at camp. In May, I will be traveling to attend
grandchildren’s graduations in
By Connie Springsted
On March 9th,
I had a call from Ernie Yuzicapi to tell me that the medical people could find
NO MORE CANCER! What a wonderful
report! He is taking a maintenance
chemotherapy to “clean up” any pinhead-sized cells. After April 7th, he will be on a
“drug holiday”.
Shorty and Sharon
Pettit are back from
I called some other
folks from around
Showed the video to
the 3rd Thursday group and had a display of items we make in
camp. Hoping to shag some more campers
from the
Keep all the flooding
victims in your prayers! I live on a
hill with no basement – thank goodness!
Williston Area News
by
Greetings from
Williston! I’m sure that no one will
soon forget the 2008-09 winter! It was a
long one and at the time of this writing, our friends all over the state are
still dealing with ravaging flood waters.
We had our share of snow but somehow a few of the early spring blizzards
past us by. I so appreciate the dry
sidewalks and streets now that I can reclaim my mobility independence. We have greatly appreciated our expanded
public transit system this winter which has allowed us to get where we needed
to go at a very affordable fee. However,
scheduling rides and then waiting for them has greatly tested my patience.
Our vision support
group continues to meet the second Saturday of the month at Gramma Sharon’s, a
family restaurant here in Williston. A
weekend meeting has allowed those who work during the week the opportunity to
join us. We break bread together and
share “the good, the bad, and the ugly” happenings in our lives as related to
sight loss.
Dan and Sheryl
Gerhardt made a trip to
I have left the ranks
of retirement to work as a paraprofessional a couple of hours a day with two
young children who have experienced very sudden and drastic sight loss. They are delightful and I am thrilled that
they will be Braille readers. I took a
few days off over the Easter weekend to visit my son and family in
We hope to see many
of you at our 2009 convention held in
Happy spring to all
of you!
With Deepest Sympathy
We extend our deepest
sympathy to Becky and Jinks Monroe on the loss of their six month old grandson,
Carson Stokes. He died March 19 in
Donations and Memorials
During the past quarter NDAB has received a donation from
Cassel Everson; and memorials from Don and Olga Neal in remembrance of Art
Jacobson; from Terry and Candy Lien remembering Bob LePage.
Note: NDAB is a
nonprofit organization which promotes the interest of ND residents who are
blind and visually impaired. As a nonprofit organization, we welcome donations
to help in advancing the cause of persons who are blind and visually
impaired.
Thank you for your support,
In Memory
Dorothy
Regnerus, 95, of
Dorothy
Mary Rood was born on
On
After a
second bout of tuberculosis, she began taking college courses at Valley City
State College as part of her rehabilitation.
She continued taking classes and graduated in 1965, alongside her son,
Marlo
Following
her college education, she began teaching at
She was a
member of Our Savior’s
Dorothy is
survived by her husband, Menzo Regnerus of Valley City; children, Marlo
(Bonita) Byberg of New Rockford, ND, Barbara (Gary) Larson of Moorhead, MN, and
Brenda (Steve) Metcalf of Grand Forks, ND; stepchildren, Gloria (Jim) Campbell
of Grand Rapids, MI and Pam Regnerus of Seattle, WA.
Funeral
Services were held on Monday, April 6 at Our Savior’s
2009 ACB Legislative Seminar
Report
by
One of the most
important dates on the American Council of the Blind’s calendar of events is
the ACB Legislative Seminar held during the month of February or March in
A
few weeks before the Seminar is held, the ACB National Office staff finalizes
the list of its legislative priorities that are to be presented. Speakers who
are knowledgeable, (the so called experts) on these issues are invited to make
presentations at the Seminar to provide us with the necessary background
information on each of these topics.
The
highlight and real purpose of going to the Seminar is to take the information
we have learned about the legislative priorities and make our case about them
with our own legislators on Capitol Hill. In our case, that means going to
Capitol Hill to visit with Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad and
Congressman
The
visits on Capitol Hill not only include the legislators themselves, but,
invariably include meetings with staff people in the legislator’s offices who
are responsible for doing the background legwork on bills. It can be argued
that meeting with congressional staff is even more important than meeting with
the legislators themselves, because it is the knowledge of their staff people
that legislators often rely upon when they must make a decision on how to vote on
a bill.
I
would argue that there are many important reasons why we should continue to be
involved in the ACB Legislative Seminar. Perhaps the number one reason for our
continued involvement is that it is a part of the advocacy work that, we as an
organization of people with sight loss, must do to help initiate federal
legislation and regulations that have the potential to better the lives of
those of us who are either blind or have a significant degree of visual
impairment. Without question, this is an important advocacy partnership that we
share with ACB on the national stage.
Our
partnership with the Council is needed because our
A
fundamental truth is that, as
It
can be said that our advocacy work on legislative issues can be defined as
“grassroots”. We are our own best advocates because; the blindness issues that
are of concern to us have a direct affect on our lives. Also, our advocacy work
is done as volunteers and no favors or campaign contributions are exchanged for
political gain.
Another
important reason for our participation in both the ACB Legislative Seminar and
the ACB Convention is to support passage of legislation that the National
Federation of the Blind will not support. It is true, that in some instances,
the National Federation of the Blind does support the same issues as ACB; but,
in many other cases, the Federation doesn’t support issues the Council supports
and will oppose, even to the point of seeking to undermine the Council’s
position.
Among
the more notable issues that the Federation and ACB have disagreed upon over
the years are accessible paper currency, descriptive video, accessible
pedestrian signals and detectable warning strips on subway and train platforms.
Because of the merits of these issues, ACB has often prevailed in getting these
issues implemented but it has taken more effort and time because of the
Federation’s opposition.
Turning
to the topic of this year’s Seminar: It was held from Sunday, February 22nd
through Tuesday, February 24th. Our time on Sunday and Monday is
spent getting educated on the priorities and how they are to be best addressed
when we make our visits on Capitol Hill.
Attendance
at this year’s seminar was somewhat less than it has been in more recent years.
Nonetheless, this year’s Seminar was no less spirited and informative.
This
year’s Seminar was the first one that Eric Bridges was instrumental in
conducting. Eric was hired, as ACB Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Director,
shortly before the 2008 Seminar and consequently, wasn’t expected to be front
and center at that time. Eric did a great job in handling the agenda for this
year’s Seminar and served as the principal presenter for many of the Seminar’s
sessions.
The
two legislative priorities that were chosen to be at the top of this year’s ACB
seminar agenda were also ones that were at the top of last year’s as well.
There are two good reasons for this; first, they didn’t receive the
congressional action needed to be passed and second, they are still at the very
top of the list of our vital concerns.
Just
to help clarify how the legislative process works, any bill that is initiated
during one session but isn’t passed in that session, must be reintroduced in a
subsequent session of Congress, if its supporters want it to be considered
again. More often than not, this is what happens; it often takes more than one
session to get legislative action on many of the bills that are drafted. Although last year’s ACB bill priorities did
get congressional consideration they didn’t get onto the agenda for a vote in
Committee. Because they did not come up for a vote, they therefore died in the Committee
bill hopper.
Similar
to the issues presented at the Seminar last year, the 2009 ACB legislative
priorities include: First, telecommunications as it relates to access to the
visual content that is displayed on TV broadcasts and video that is sent
through the internet. Related concerns in this area are (1) an increasing
number of on screen TV menus that aren’t provided in an alternative audio
format and (2) weather and emergency announcements that are scrolled across the
bottom of TV screens that aren’t spoken to inform people who cannot read print.
The second legislative priority is to seek a legislative remedy for what are
termed “quiet” vehicles. There are an increasing number of hybrid vehicles that
emit very little operating noise on the road, and consequently pose a hazard
for people who are blind because we rely on sound to alert us to the presence
of traffic as we cross streets and intersections.
After
being reeducated on the ACB priorities, I together with the other Seminar
participants made our way to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, February 24th!
I actually did again make nine Hill visits – not only to our North Dakota
legislators but also to the South Dakota and Montana congressional delegations
because no one from those states were available to attend the Seminar. My Hill
visits with other states were cleared in advance with the
Our
first task in making our Hill visits is to make the case, as to why we are
seeking legislative action. Our second task is to offer a proposal for a
legislative remedy, if one has not yet been offered.
The
legislative action we sought for support FOR the ACB priority on
telecommunication access to visual information that is displayed on TV screens
and internet video streaming, was again to seek support for the draft
legislation which is called the 21st Century Communications and Video
Accessibility Act. This legislation was drafted last year by the House Energy
and Commerce Committee in consultation with the Coalition of Organizations for
Accessible Technology (COAT); ACB is one of the prime members of the coalition
known as COAT.
As
some of you will recall, this draft legislation was introduced during last
year’s 110th congressional session by Representative Ed Markey of
ACB
has been in communication with Representative Markey’s office to get him to
reintroduce this important piece of legislation. As of this writing this hasn’t
yet happened.
Our
advocacy efforts on this issue, while making the congressional visits, was to
make Congress very aware of how important this issue is to us and how enactment
of it could benefit and greatly improve our lives as people who cannot see a TV
screen or computer monitor. We would hope that our pleas for help are harder to
ignore when it affects real people like ourselves that people in Congress are
acquainted with.
With
regard to the second ACB priority on the hazards posed by quiet cars, at last
year’s Seminar, we asked that Congress adopt legislation that would first
research this problem and then, based on this research, request that car
manufactures and transportation governing entities institute solutions that
would provide an answer to address this concern.
We
are very pleased to report that a bill that addresses this concern has been
introduced in the U.S. House. It is identified as HR734, and has the title the
Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act. Although, the language in this bill is very
similar to that which ACB had proposed, NFB has taken credit for finding the
congressional sponsors for its introduction. We in ACB don’t care who actually
gets credit for the legislation, all we really care about is that a solution be
worked on and adopted.
Currently,
this bill has over 100 sponsors and has bipartisan support – this is an
excellent beginning! I am pleased to report too that (as he had promised),
Although
it can be demanding, I find attending the Seminar to be very stimulating – it’s
a highlight for a political junkie like me! I have gotten to know many of the
staff people that work in the Capitol Hill offices quite well. As I have said
in the past, I believe this is a valuable relationship because the staff people
in these offices are the ones that do the research and advise our legislators
on bills that their bosses vote on.
Again,
thank you so much for the privilege of representing NDAB at the ACB Legislative
Seminar! On a personal note: all the flights to D.C. were on schedule and the
weather cooperated, too, for a change!
By
the time you read this article, you should have all received your convention
packets and have sent in your registration.
Our annual convention will be held Friday and Saturday, June 12th and 13th, in Rugby at the Econo Lodge and Bob’s Pizza located at 306 Highway 2 SE.
The
Nominating Committee has reported the following:
Board
Member – Mark Kueffler
Promoter
Editor –
ACB
Convention Delegate –
We
look forward to seeing you at the convention!
Members
of the NDAB Board
Legislative
Report, Spring 2009
by
Concerns about flooding,
snow and more rain have gotten most of the attention of the media; so much so,
that it seems to have overshadowed what is taking place in the halls of the
State Capitol. Depending on your point of view, this is either a good thing or
not so good – my view is definitely the latter.
The reality is that,
despite the more immediate concerns about flooding, what is or isn’t happening
at this time during the legislative session is vitally important to the
direction that state government will take during the next biennium that begins
July 1, this year and runs until
Most of those
critical final decisions on bills on spending, taxation and policy for the next
biennium will be made in the next three weeks. To begin this process the two
political parties appoint a few of their members that have leadership in these
areas to what are called conference committees. The conference committees have
the responsibility to try to hammer out differences between the proposals on
these bills that have been made in the North Dakota House and Senate. Once an
agreement is reached, then the versions that are agreed upon in conference
committee must then pass both chambers of the legislature and be signed by the
Governor. It’s a long deliberative process that often becomes a test of wills
and political gamesmanship toward the end of the session.
It can be safely
stated that the legislation that will have the most direct affect on those of
us in the community of people who are blind, is the appropriations that are
made to provide the needed rehabilitation training that is necessary for us to
deal with the loss of sight. The other areas of vital interest to us in the
State Budget are appropriations made to support the work of the Department of Human
Services and the Department of Transportation, (particularly, that portion of
the transportation budget that is designated to support public transit
operations in the state).
At this date in time
in the legislative session, both the North Dakota House of Representatives and
Senate have acted on all the appropriation bills for the Departments and
agencies of State Government. The hurdle that is now before the lawmakers in
As an organization of
people who speak on behalf of individuals who are blind, our highest
legislative priority for this session of the legislature, is to obtain the
financial support that would add additional vision rehabilitation specialists
to the staff at North Dakota Vision Services / School for the Blind. The Senate
appropriation proposal in this area would add one and a half professional staff
positions to the NDVS/SB staff; the House proposal would add no new staff. Needless
to say, we will advocate trying to see that the Senate proposal prevails.
The appropriation
budget for the North Dakota Department of Human Services has a huge impact on
the lives of many people in the community of people with disabilities. One of the
primary areas in this budget that we would like to have changed, for people on
Medicaid, is to raise the “medically needy level” or more often referred to as
the “level of recipient liability”. The income level that people who are on Medicaid,
can retain for personal living expenses has been fixed at $520 a month; this
level hasn’t changed over the past 13 years. The Governor’s budget proposed to
increase this level to $720 a month. The Senate concurred with the Governor’s
budget in this area but the House proposal is lower.
With regard to the
State Budget for Transportation, we are advocating that the level of financial
support for operating expenses for public and non-profit transit operators in the
state be increased. In the budget the Governor submitted to the Legislature, he
proposed increasing this amount substantially.
Unfortunately, some
legislators want to reduce the amount of the financial support that is provided
to subsidize the operation budgets of transit and para transit operations in
the state. They argue that the federal money that is in the Economic Stimulus
Legislation will support the state’s public and non-profit transit operators.
This argument is erroneous because the stimulus money must be spent exclusively
on capital expenditures such as buses and equipment not to spend on operating
expenses such as salaries, fuel and insurance.
This session of the
legislature will adjourn after the week that begins on May 3rd. At
that time, we should know the final outcome of decisions that were made on the
legislative priorities that are of most concern to us.
To help with our
advocacy work on legislative priorities that are of common concern to the
broader community of people with disabilities, North Dakota Association of the
Blind has chosen to be a member organization of the North Dakota Disability
Advocacy Consortium (NDDAC). As such, we are one of 25 member organizations of
the Consortium. The Consortium provides us with the unique opportunity to
present a united voice on issues of common concern to legislators and other
decision makers. Among current legislative issues, that are of common concern,
is the level of Medicaid recipient liability and the funding that is provided
by the state to operate para transit operations in North Dakota.
To help draw
attention to our common legislative issues and to promote our united effort,
the NDDAC recently conducted what we have chosen to call “the Disability
Awareness Day” event at the State Capitol. This year’s event was the second;
the first was conducted two years ago during that session of the North Dakota
Legislature. The theme that was chosen to use to promote this event is, most
appropriately entitled, “Many Voices, One Vision”.
The “Disability
Awareness Day” event, conducted during this session of the Legislature, took
place on Thursday, April 2nd. Each of the organizations that are
members of the Consortium was offered the opportunity to have a booth at this
event to help promote their mission and the work that they are involved in.
We were joined at our
booth by Mary Verlinde; Mary is a vision teacher who is an outreach instructor,
employed by North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind. Mary serves as
an itinerant teacher for the schools located in the southwestern part of the
state. Mary brought a brailler along to demonstrate how Braille can be written
using this device.
A highlight for us
was to take the new NDAB display case on its maiden voyage to show it off at
the consortium’s Disability Awareness Day event. I am happy to report that it
was viewed very favorably, particularly by some of our members who have some
sight! Thank you to Missy Miller for all the work that she did to put the
contents of the display case together! I’m sure that it will be a great tool to
further promote the work of our organization!
Our purpose in
conducting the Disability Awareness Day event is not only to get the attention
of the legislators but also the media and through them the public at large. To
promote the event in the media, press releases are sent to media outlets and a
short briefing is conducted to help focus attention on the Consortium’s
objectives and goals.
Because I serve as
the current Chair of the Consortium, I had the opportunity to address those who
were assembled. It gave me the opportunity to talk about NDAB and our
commitment to improve and strengthen the vision rehabilitation training program
for people with sight loss here in
As a part of the
press briefing, two of the legislators read books to young children with
disabilities who live in the
Stay tuned, for this
is only a preliminary report, there’s more to come very soon!
Terry Narum to Receive LePage Service Award
by Candy Lien
The
North Dakota Association of the Blind has announced that Terry Narum,
Minot Lions Club, has been selected as the recipient of the 2009 Robert
John LePage Service Award.
In the words of Leslie Coughlin, the President of the Minot Lions Club,
of which Narum has been a member for the past twenty years, Narum has
served as Treasurer, Lion Tamer, Tail Twister and a member of the Board
of Directors. During his chairmanship of the eyeglass-recycling project,
Narum has overseen the processing of over 635,000 pairs of eyeglasses,
which have been distributed by medical missionaries to those in need on
every continent except
garage to store these glasses, but he also provides space in his office
for sorting and cleaning the donated spectacles, and houses the reading
machine used by fellow Lions in the reading process. He sees to it that
the glasses are properly sorted, sanitized, read, and packaged for
distribution. Narum has also involved many youth and other organizations
with this project.
Narum is also very active in the local community, explains Coughlin,
"serving as the 'go to guy' when services are needed right here at home."
An example of Narum's community involvement is his help with local
schools in determining which hardware and/or software would best benefit
students that present a need for technical assistance. "He has been
instrumental in advising our club on many requests for computers, Braille
readers, and programs that are most helpful for those of all ages who are
visually impaired," says Coughlin.
This service award was named after the late Robert John "Bob" LePage,
a
long-time member of the Gateway Lions of Fargo, who passed away suddenly on
Association of the Blind has instituted this award and named it after
Bob, who was its first recipient in June of 2008.
Narum will be invited to attend a luncheon at the annual state convention
of the NDAB to be held in
presented with a commemorative plaque.
NDAB BOARD MEETING,
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:
Michelle, Milissa, Karlyn, Rick,
OTHERS:
President Michelle called the board meeting to order on
Sunday, October 26th at
Michelle reviewed the meeting agenda and there were a couple
of items added. Mavis moved to approve
the agenda as reviewed. The motion was
seconded and carried.
SECRETARY’S
REPORT
Karlyn read the minutes from the 2008 Convention.
TREASURER’S
REPORT
Renae gave the Treasurer's report and it was placed on file
for audit. She recently purchased a CD
for $15,000 at Community Bank at 3.5%.
She reported that she had given membership information to Milissa in
September including new membership application forms. After receiving new applications, and after
obtaining the Board's approval, Milissa needs to inform the Treasurer of any
membership changes. Members will then be added to the data base and membership
cards and welcome letters are sent out to the new members. Membership fees are due in February with the
first notification sent out the beginning of
CORRESPONDANCE
Karlyn read thank you notes from the Nerison Family,
COMMITTEE
REPORTS
1.FINANCIAL
2.MEMBERSHIP
Milissa reported that there were no new membership
applications. She, Shereen, Michelle and
Maria participated in the Diabetes walk held October 18th. Through their participation in the fundraising
event, contacts were made and NDAB brochures were distributed to a Diabetes
Educator in the
3.
Rick didn't have anything to report.
4.CONVENTION
“STREAMLINED IN 2009” convention will be held in
5.FAMILY ADJUSTMENT SEMINAR
6.PUBLICITY
Evelyn Hildebrand is participating in a peer mentoring group
sponsored by the ACB PR Committee. It is
suggested that there should be a Public Relations Committee person in several
major cities if possible. Connie and
Marilyn are working on a statewide data base.
Press releases and Proclamations were sent out for White Cane Safety Day
and Meet the Blind Month to several media sources, with good results.
Michelle provided information regarding Statewide Vision
Support Groups to several information and referral services and
7.LEGISLATIVE
Allan will be attending the annual ACB seminar February
20-24. The group brochure that is being
worked on is in the final stages.
Milissa is the contact person in the brochure for NDAB.
8.RECREATION
Michelle reported from Dave Sundeen that there will be an
extra day at Ski for Light this next year because of the 30th
anniversary. SFL applications need to be
in by November 15th and transportation payments need to be sent in soon,
also.
9.SCHOLARSHIP
The Scholarship Manual is not yet completed by
UNFINISHED
BUSINESS
1.
TV & Radio Ad: Rick, Milissa, Allan and Michelle have
watched the DVD and some changes were made.
There is a better variety of pictures, and all the pictures relate to
the script. The narration was going to
be redone, with hopes of having it completed in a short time. It is being made compatible in different
formats.
2.
T-Shirts/Fundraiser: Shereen moved to inquire about the
availability of long sleeved t-shirts and purchase them as a fundraiser. If possible, raised Braille letters with the
slogan “Braille Me Gently” is recommended to be used. The motion was seconded and carried.
3.
Convention Guidelines:
4.
Award Manuals: Renae and Olga worked on these. The manuals will need to be updated every
year to include the names of the Scholarship winners as well as the Ed
Christianson Award Recipients.
5.
6.
NDAB Brochure: Changes were made in the brochure regarding
the Scholarship criteria.
7.
Editor's Manual: Completing this manual has been put off for
awhile.
NEW
BUSINESS
1.
2.
Walkathon: Sheryl moved that the date for the 2009
Walk-a-thon be April 25th.
The motion was seconded and carried.
3.
Dolly luggage cart: There was a discussion on purchasing a cart
for use at camp and the type of cart to purchase. Renae moved to purchase one from Northern
Tool for $139.00. The motion was
seconded and carried. Sheryl will order
one.
4.
Legislative budget: There was a request to allow two people to
attend the ACB Legislative Seminar which is held in
5.
Robert John LePage Service Award:
The meeting adjourned at
Respectfully Submitted,
Hospital Window
Two men, both
seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to
help drain the fluid from his lungs. His
bed was next to the room’s only window. The
other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke
of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the
military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in
the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his
roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for
those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all
the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with
a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their
model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a
fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this
in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes
and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the
window described a parade passing by. Although
the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as
the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring
water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window,
who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital
attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate,
the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was
happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left
him alone...
Slowly, painfully, he propped
himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He
strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.
The man asked
the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described
such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man
was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in
making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but
happiness when shared, is doubled. If
you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy. 'Today is a gift, that's why it is called the
present.'
Good Leaders Are…
By
These good leaders are...
Listeners. They take time to listen
to the suggestions and concerns
of those they endeavor to lead.
Encouragers. They don't try to do it
all themselves. Neither do they motivate by force or guilt. They encourage
others and help bring out their best.
Assertive. They say what needs to be
said without being unkind. They tell the truth as they see it, openly and
frankly.
Decisive. They know what needs to be
done and they make timely, even difficult, decisions when necessary. But they
can also take charge without running over the people in their lives.
In short, good leaders L-E-A-D!
It's said that the trouble with being a leader today is that you
can't be sure whether people are following you or chasing you. But
those who will develop these four traits are sure to find that their
authority will be valued and respected.
Upcoming Summer Programs
ND Vision
Services/School for the Blind has announced the upcoming summer programs:
Focus on Life teen
camp on
“Kidz” Camp for
grades 1-6 on
Adult Weeks June 21-
For more information,
please call 701-795-2708.
Searching in the Dark
Submitted
by
(Written by Errin Haines,
I don’t like the dark
and the closest I’ve come to being blind is taking off my glasses. But what I’m about to experience goes far
beyond my astigmatism, and I expect it will widen my myopic world view.
I’m standing at the threshold of “Dialog in the Dark” a new
exhibit making its American debut at the
To date, the show has
toured more than 20 countries and has drawn more than 5 million visitors
worldwide. At the end, I’m supposed to
be able to “see without sight” and “gain a greater appreciation of the power of
communication and the abilities of others,” according to the organizers.
Intrigued by the
concept, I’m still skeptical. Could an
hour of blindness open my eyes?
Four of us began the exhibit
holding our canes and having some reservations about what to expect. We enter a room lined with plastic cubes that
serve as both seating and the only light source. The space is meant to immerse us slowly into
total darkness. A voice overhead speaks
calmly over soothing music, reminding us of our other four senses, which we
will need for the next hour as we navigate the show. As the voice attempts to comfort us, the
cubes grow dimmer and dimmer. Within
moments, the room is pitch black and completely transformed. It’s much darker than I’m used to – much
scarier than being alone at night in an unfamiliar room or on a dark, empty
road. I am immediately aware of how dependent
I am on my eyes; though no one has left the room, I feel alone and nervous. I grip my cane and wait for
instructions.
We are directed to
black boxes to the right of our chairs.
Inside are several objects we are to identify using our other
senses. It’s a relaxing exercise. Right away, I can feel the soft petals of a
wildflower, I can smell coffee beans, and I can touch a group of fabric
swatches. Maybe my eyes don’t need to be
the crutch I thought they were.
Our guide, Liram
Frank, now enters the room and introduces himself. It’s hard to tell what his accent is.
The ground is soft,
uneven. It’s unsettling. Is it grass?
Moss? I can’t be sure, but the
guide was right: My slender, metal cane
has quickly become my best friend. Its
thin strap hangs loosely from my wrist, an extension of my body. It is how I first experience my new
environment.
I can hear the others
around me, but no one seems close enough to touch – that is, until I bump into
one of them. Soon, we are no longer,
Armeisha, Jessica, Allison and Errin.
Our names are replaced with “Excuse me”, “I’m so sorry,” “Is that your
foot?” and “Where are you?” Frank asks
us, “What do you hear?” Birds? Yes.
Crickets? Yes. Butterflies?
Yes. Wait – butterflies? We laugh nervously at the trick
question. And then our first test: crossing a bridge. Directed only by the sound
of Liram’s voice and our canes, we feel our way across the wooden planks. As I put my hand on a rail, I can feel the
water I thought I had heard earlier. A
waterfall! I smile recognizing something
familiar.
I’m seeing a lot with
my hands and feet now. A trash can. A bench.
The room is a park! Another
smile. Just as I get my bearings, we’re
off to the next room. I’m feeling my way
along the left wall when I think I touch a blanket, then a towel and then an
oven mitt. A kitchen? I feel cooking utensils, then I hear a voice
overhead, “Price check on aisle 3.” A
grocery store! I didn’t see that one
coming. Suddenly oranges! Each sensory victory is making me more
confident. I can feel my eyes stop
trying to focus. I get so caught up in
feeling my way through the aisles that I don’t notice it has been awhile since
I bumped into anyone. Someone calls my
name, “Where are you?” I’m here,” I
respond, and then realize that “here” probably doesn’t mean much. I fumble down the aisle, nervous and
frustrated that I’ve lost the group. Out
of the darkness, I feel a hand on my arm.
I am being grabbed by a stranger, and I feel safe.
Another voice pulls
me into the next room. It belongs to
Georgeo Vickers and he’s singing.
Anxiety gives way to anticipation. What new adventure awaits? I hear seagulls. Feeling my way, I touch rope. We’re on a pier, about to board a boat. One by one, we leave shore and take a seat on
deck. I am not as hesitant now, and I
pat the wooden bench to tell “Is that your foot?” to sit next to me. The boat rocks and I instinctively close my
eyes. I’m experiencing the ocean in a
new way, not transfixed by the sight of crashing waves, but enchanted by the
rhythm, the sound of seagulls flying overhead.
We merrily sing a few rounds of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” before
reaching shore.
My good mood is
interrupted at our next stop. I can hear
a bus, and my cane hits a metal pole.
We’re on a city street, and if I really were blind, I’m sure this would
be one of my fears. Our guide, Frank,
tells us we’ll have to cross on our own, without tapping on the curb or
stepping into traffic. I grip my metal
sidekick and tap the sidewalk until I hit something. A parked car.
I touch with my toe,
feeling for the curb and step down.
Atlantans can be hostile to sighted people at rush hour, so I want to get
this right. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap,
tap. I move deliberately but try not to be slow. I find the curb on the other side, step back
onto the sidewalk and exhale.
We finally reach the
last stop – a bar. I order a Diet Coke,
but I forget that I’m blind and need to gesture for the bottle. “I’m here,” I say, and tap the ground with my
cane.
Our guides are
especially interested in what we have to say.
For them, this is not just an exhibit, it’s their life. They are blind, and among the more than 5,000
people who are blind or visually impaired who have worked with “Dialog”
exhibitions around the world.
I am filled with
questions, feeling sheepish and foolish at my curiosity – or naïveté: How do you know when to wake up in the
morning without the sun? How do you make
phone calls? Can you use the computer? I can almost feel Vickers looking in my
direction as he tells me something someone once told him: “It is not blindness that is the disability,
it is fear.”
Fear of the unknown,
of what we cannot see, is indeed a scary thing, and I recognize for the first
time how right he is. We leave the room
and enter a corridor that gradually reintroduces us to the light. I emerge squinting and probably more than a
little relieved, but determined to see the world with new eyes.
2009 NDAB Summer Camp
by
The 39th
annual NDAB Summer Camp will be held August 9-16 at the Elks
The camp information
letter and application form will be mailed out towards the end of June. The application form will be due back by July
15.
Below are the camp
guidelines. If you have any questions or
have a prospective new camper in mind, contact me at (701) 774-3399 or e-mail
at loberkom@dia.net. Any prospective new campers will need to meet
the guidelines before being sent the camp information packet.
NDAB SUMMER
PURPOSE
1. To provide an opportunity for
persons who are visually impaired to come in contact with persons with similar
impairments and share a common concern.
2. To help in the process of adjusting
to blindness.
3. To provide an opportunity to learn
new skills, techniques, and leisure time activities to enhance the quality of
life.
ELIGIBILITY
1. Must be at least 18 years of age
with vision loss as the primary disability.
2. Must be capable of participating in
the program set-up for camp.
a. Must be able to care for ones personal needs including bathing,
dressing, eating, etc.
b. Must be physically able to get oneself around the camp grounds, with
the exclusion of difficulty with mobility due to vision loss.
3. Must be cooperative and demonstrate
willingness to abide by the regulations of camp.
a. Alcoholic beverages and/or unauthorized drugs are not allowed on the
camp grounds. Any violators will be
promptly sent home at their own expense.
b. All campers must remain overnight at camp.
c. Campers must attend the entire week of camp unless other arrangements
have been made with the co-camp directors, or a situation arises, such as an
illness or a family emergency.
d. Participants must notify one of the directors if leaving the campus
for any reason.
4. Must demonstrate respect for
authority.
5. Must display consideration for
fellow campers.
Geographical Eligibility Guidelines
1.
Any adult who is visually impaired and not a
2.
One member of ACB leadership will be eligible to attend the NDAB Summer Camp
annually as a camper at no cost.
3.
Any adult who is visually impaired and who lives in another state other than
4.
Camp capacity, which is set by the Elks
5.
Any member of NDAB who moved out of state but continued to pay their annual
dues would be eligible to attend camp at no cost.
30th Annual
by
Dave Sundeen and Katrina Wendel
In 1978, the national Ski for Light chose
In
In honor of the 30th Anniversary, there was an
extra day of skiing so that the event started on Sunday
The evenings were filled with a flurry of activities
starting with a Wine and Cheese reception on Saturday night while registering
for the event. Sunday night brought the traditional buffet dinner at Saloon #10
with a band for dancing afterwards. On Monday there was a slot tournament at
the
On Friday morning
To learn more about NDAB,
Visit us online at www.ndab.org
or
Call 701-298-8091