THE WHITE CANE BULLETIN
FLORIDA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND, INC.
September - October 2009
FCB OFFICERS, 2008 - 2010
President:
Debbie Grubb
4215 17th Ave. W
Bradenton, FL 34205
(941) 749-6178
E-mail: debbiecg@verizon.net
First Vice President:
Robert Miller
2201 Limerick Dr.
Tallahassee, FL 32309
(850) 906-9821
E-mail: easytalk@earthlink.net
Second Vice President:
John S. Richards, Jr.
939 NE 18th St.
Ocala, FL 34470
(352) 629-4530
E-mail: jsrj@embarqmail.com
Treasurer:
Patti Land
6933 Alpert Dr.
Orlando, FL 32810
(407) 521-9047
E-mail: pattianne1@cfl.rr.com
Membership Secretary:
Sally Benjamin
1531 Dempsey Mayo Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
(850) 877-1512
E-mail: floridacouncil@comcast.snet
Recording Secretary:
Sharon Youngs
237 Maple Ave.
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
(727) 937-8631
E-mail: sky11@tampabay.rr.com
Immediate Past President:
Paul Edwards
20330 NE 20th Ct.
Miami, FL 33179
(305) 692-9206
E-mail: edwpaul@bellsouth.net
Editor of White Cane Bulletin:
Sharon Youngs
237 Maple Ave.
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
(727) 937-8631
E-mail: sky11@tampabay.rr.com
Articles for the White Cane Bulletin must be submitted to Sally Benjamin no later than the 20th of the month before it is published.
Sally's E-mail is: floridacouncil@comcast.net.
If you do not have access to a computer and E-mail, please find someone in your chapter to help send it. We would like to hear from
anyone who wants to contribute to our newsletter. If you don't have a way to write an article, you can call Sharon Youngs at the number
above and she will be glad to write it for you.
Articles published in The White Cane Bulletin are in compliance with Public Law No. 104197, Copyright Law Amendment of 1996.
This law allows authorized entities to distribute copies of previously published non-dramatic literary works in specialized formats,
including Braille, audio or digital text that are exclusively for use by Blind people or those with disabilities. Any further distributing of such
articles in another than a specialized format is an infringement of copyright.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARE YOU MOVING? - by Sally Benjamin
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - by Debbie Grubb
FCB AWARD WINNERS FOR 2009 - by Debbie Drylie
AWARDS 2010 - by Linda Jacobson
SOUTH CAROLINA CONVENTION - Submitted by Debbie Grubb
2009 FLORIDA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND RAFFLE WINNERS - by Bill Freeman
LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE - by Carl McCoy
BARBARA GRILL – SUPERSTAR AND DIFFERENCE-MAKER IN THE SPOTLIGHT - by Sila Miller
DINING IN THE DARK - by Carolyn Lapp
JOB SPOTLIGHT: LOU FIORITTO, BRAILLEWORKS - FINDING A NEED, FILLING IT (by Ashley Grant, Times Correspondent) -
Submitted by Barbara Pusey
IT TAKES A JOURNEY - by Kyle Coon
FORGIVE AND LIVE - Submitted by Sila Miller
COMPUTERS (Published August 19th, 2009 02:00 AM): BRACE FOR BUMPS IN WINDOWS UPGRADE (by Paul Gilster,
Correspondent) - Submitted by Jack Varnon
TECH TIPS - by John Richards for the FCB Technology Committee
POETRY CORNER - by Shelley Justice
CHAPTER NEWS - Mid-Florida Council of the Blind, Tallahassee Council of the Blind
FCB TRADING POST
RECIPE CORNER
HANDY TELEPHONE NUMBER REFERENCES
ARE YOU MOVING? - by Sally Benjamin
If you are moving, please notify me of your new address so you will continue to receive your White Cane Bulletin. Also, if you know of
anyone interested in joining FCB and would like to receive the White Cane Bulletin and the Braille Forum, please contact me at
1-800-267-4448 or E-mail floridacouncil@comcast.net.
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - by Debbie Grubb
It is such a privilege to begin my President's Message with the words "Well done, ACB Convention Host Committee." This great
committee was ably co-chaired by Sally Benjamin and Debbie Drylie. Members of the committee were Jay Bader, Bill Freeman, Debbie
Grubb, Linda Jacobson, Shelley Justice, Patti Land, Sila Miller, Larry Turnbull and Sheila Young. These individuals worked
tirelessly for almost one year to carry out the many tasks assigned to the ACB Host Committee. Many thanks to the Host Committee
and other wonderful volunteers from the Mid-Florida Chapter for stuffing all of the goodie bags presented to those who registered
for the event. Special thanks to Sally Benjamin for coordinating all of the Convention volunteers and for spending most of her
time at Convention stationed at the volunteer desk. Thanks to Sila Miller and her committee volunteers for putting together a
great Welcome to Florida Party. Thanks to Shelley Justice and Mr. Spoone, Dan Spoone's father, for being the Convention's dynamic
Door Prize duo.
Other FCB members played a significant role in making the 2009 event one of the best ever. Robert Miller ably presided over FCB
at the ACB Convention during my absence. Larry Turnbull and Debbie Hazelton broadcast the Convention program to all of us who
listened on ACB Radio. Paul Edwards continues to chair the Board of Publications, wrote many of the resolutions brought to the
Convention floor and conducted workshops for Convention attendees. Leslie Spoone brought her expertise to those attendees who
wished to exercise a bit after spending so much time seated at meetings. William Benjamin was asked to run the ACB Store at the
last minute and performed that task admirably. Barbara Brown spent many hours at the ACB Information Desk. Carla Ruschival, the
ACB Convention Coordinator, praised the Host Committee and FCB Members for their hard work so excellently done. We have much to
be proud of when considering the fact that our affiliate has hosted two ACB Conventions in the last four years. I am proud to be
your President and proud of each and every one of you.
FCB continues its task of insuring that those of us who do not drive because of age, disability or lack of financial resources can
move about the state adequately and affordably. On a Saturday morning in September, Paul Edwards, Doug Hall, Robert Miller and I
will meet via teleconference in order to draft a paper that outlines the transportation problems we face and outlines proposed
solutions for those problems. The paper will be a useful tool for Members who wish to move forward with us as we attempt to
resolve this crucially important issue. We are aware that this will take time. There is no easy fix. However, all of us face
significant barriers to transportation around the State and nothing will be accomplished if we do not continue to strive to break
down the transportation barriers that impede our ability to move around the State that we call home.
I am very excited about a project that the Public Education Committee, chaired by Carl McCoy, an FCB Past President, is taking on.
Carl asked if we might consider drafting a paper outlining issues of importance to FCB that Members can present to their Florida
State Legislators when visiting their offices or reaching out to them via telephone during a specified week in November. Carl has
written an article outlining the project for this edition of the "White Cane Bulletin" and I urge all of you to read it and be
prepared to do your part to make this project a success by visiting or calling the offices of your Florida State Legislators in
November. Carl will also be a guest at an upcoming Presidents' Meeting during which he will outline how to most successfully play
your part in making this initiative a success.
Speaking of the Presidents' Meetings, be sure that your President attends or designates a Member to represent your Chapter. The
conversation is lively. Presidents learn what is going on in FCB and they have an opportunity to share what is going on in their
Chapters and replicate the best of what they learn in the Chapters over which they preside. The hour flies by and all of us who
participate are enriched by the experience.
We have a busy Fall before us. The final months of my presidency are flying by. You can be sure that these months will be
totally dedicated to carrying out our pledge to each of you to honor the goals and mission of this wonderful organization.
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FCB AWARD WINNERS FOR 2009 - by Debbie Drylie
R. Henry P. Johnson - Paul Kaminsky
Dolly Gamble - Rosanna Lippen
William Alfred (W.A.) Ouzts - William (Bill) Probst
William Ferrell "Just Bill" - Sharon K. Youngs
Cooke Chapter President - Barbara Grill
Mobility - Joany Orozco
President's Special - Sheila Young and Barbara Grill
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AWARDS 2010 - by Linda Jacobson
The Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for potential FCB 2010 Award recipients.
FCB purchases all the plaques with the exception of the Chapter Award. Each chapter may purchase a plaque for their Award
recipient at a cost of $32.00. Awards will be presented to their respective recipients at the Awards Ceremony to be held at the
2010 FCB Annual Convention. Please nominate that special individual who has advocated above and beyond for blind Floridians on
the state or local level.
Below are the guidelines in regard to nominations and criteria. Each nomination (with the exception of the Chapter Award) must
contain the following:
- Name of the Award
- Name of nominee (spelled as you want it to appear on the plaque)
- Name of group/person(s) making the nomination
- Reasons why the nominee meets the criteria for the Award
All nominations for awards to be presented at the Annual Convention must be received by the Awards Committee Chairperson, Linda
Jacobson, no later than January 31st, 2010. Subsequently, all nominations will be collected and organized in order for the Awards
Committee to deliberate and select the recipients. We request that all letters, nominations and other materials are e-mailed,
taped, typed or Brailed (no handwriting please) for ease in processing. Please E-mail to
jacobsli@bellsouth.net or send them to my home address:
2915 Circle Ridge Dr.
Orange Park, FL 32065
R. HENRY P. JOHNSON AWARD
R. Henry P. Johnson trained as a lawyer. He had very little formal training when it was necessary for him to adjust to substantial
visual impairment. Nevertheless, he remained active in his community and constantly sought to extend the boundaries of activities
that he and other blind persons could become involved in. The R. Henry P. Johnson Award will be presented to a legally blind person
who has, through their work and through service to their community, demonstrated the kind of pioneering spirit and exemplary
adjustment that Mr. Johnson demonstrated. Individuals who are likely to be considered for this award must succeed far beyond the
average person who is visually impaired.
DOLLY GAMBLE AWARD
Dolly Gamble, by her actions and example, was able to establish a climate in which the Miami Lighthouse could be started. Throughout
her adult life, Ms. Gamble worked tirelessly to promote the betterment of blind people in her community, state, and the nation. The
recipient of the Dolly Gamble Award must have demonstrated a commitment to and success with the extension of services for the blind
and visually-impaired people of this state. The recipient may be blind or sighted, but should, in general, represent a high level of
expertise and commitment to serving blind individuals.
W. A. OUZTS AWARD
William Albert Ouzts, known as W. A., was a Member of FCB from 1971 until the time of his death in 1992. He held state office for 20
of those years, including 12 as Treasurer and 4 years as President. For many years he had the White Cane Bulletin printed, prepared
and mailed. Whatever his official status, W. A. was always quietly working and networking with other Members behind the scenes.
Officer, consultant, advisor, supporter, worker, whatever his role, W. A. never sought recognition for what he did. While no one
could replace W. A., a recipient of this Award would display many of the superb qualities exhibited by W. A., including dedication to
FCB, responsibility and effectiveness. The individual must have taken a leadership role in numerous FCB projects and actively
participated in the organization for a minimum of 10 years. This award would only be given to an outstanding FCB Member, an
individual we all would wish to emulate.
WILLIAM (BILL) FERRELL ("JUST BILL") HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Bill was involved in visual impairment issues for much of his life. He was a Project Insight peer advisor since that program's
inception. He worked endlessly both locally, in Brevard County, and at the state level, serving as a member of several vital FCB
Committees and representing his chapter on the FCB Board of Directors for many years. The recipient of this Award may be blind or
sighted but must have gone to great lengths to better the quality of life of people, be they sighted or not. The recipient should
have demonstrated a sincere concern for his/her fellow humans, just as Bill always did. A good candidate for this award would be
one who has worked in the field of rehabilitation, i.e. mobility instructors, teachers, or rehab counselors, for example. Membership
in Florida Council of the Blind is not a prerequisite for this Award. Anyone who, over the years, has contributed their time and
caring for others, especially people who are blind or visually impaired, may be a candidate for this Award. Recipients of this
Award will be selected based upon their demonstration of humanitarian qualities, which emphasize efforts to improve the quality of
life for others, having communicated, educated, facilitated and updated to ensure equality, independence and dignity for others.
COOKE CHAPTER PRESIDENT'S AWARD
Each chapter may nominate a chapter President from the previous year to receive this Award. The following accomplishments will be
considered when selecting a recipient for this Award: regularity of meetings, effective programs, increases in membership,
cooperation in local and state projects, participation in community organizations. Overall leadership skills, including innovation
and cooperation with neighboring chapters, as well as the state organization will be considered when assessing the performance of a
nominee.
LEGISLATIVE AWARD
The purpose of this Award is to honor a Florida elected official who through his/her statewide and/or federal legislative efforts
must have made a significant and positive impact on the welfare of blind and visually-impaired people in Florida. Legislative
recipient must be a Florida elected official exhibiting outstanding legislative activities on behalf of people who are blind.
CHAPTER AWARD
Each chapter or special affiliate is encouraged to submit the name of a Member they wish to honor. The criteria for the selection
is up to the chapter/affiliate. All that is required by FCB's Awards Committee is the name of the recipient, as you wish it printed,
and the name of the chapter/affiliate submitting the name. Chapter Awards are printed on paper certificates, unless the chapter
wishes to purchase a plaque.
OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR AWARD
This Award is intended to honor a legally blind high school senior in Florida, who in academics, school and community has performed
better than all his/her peers. The Award consists of a plaque and a $50 cash award. At the time of graduation, the student will be
presented the plaque. Should the student choose to attend FCB's Annual Convention, FCB will offer to pay the student's expenses and
a $50 cash award. The name and address of the school, as well as the names of the principal and teachers must accompany the narrative
nomination. Evidence of superior scores on the SAT, ACT, College Boards or an equivalent instrument shall be presented with the
nomination.
The narrative should include details of the student's involvement in extra-curricular activities, student government and community
service. Supporting letters from teachers, employers, etc. would be helpful.
MOBILITY AWARD
This Award is intended to honor a high school senior at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind who has demonstrated the most
improvement in orientation and mobility while at the school. Two nominations have been solicited from the head of the Mobility
Department. The Award consists of a plaque to be presented to the student at graduation. FCB will pay the student's expenses and a
$50 cash award if the student chooses to attend FCB's Annual Convention.
Thanks in advance for your time and consideration. We look forward to receiving and reviewing your nominations!
**If you want your dreams to come true, you mustn't oversleep.**
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SOUTH CAROLINA CONVENTION - Submitted by Debbie Grubb
Hello to all of you,
I am sending this to you about our State Convention. Richard Brugamman ask me to send it to you all. I am Betty Jones, the State
President of South Carolina. You all have a very special invitation to come to our Convention. Here is all the information about it.
PLACE: Ramada Inn
7560 Two Notch Road
Columbia, SC
DATE: October 16th, 17th and 18th of 2009
PRICE OF ROOMS: $79.00 plus tax.
Total: $87.69
This will be for two in a room. This will include a buffet breakfast.
PHONE NUMBER TO HOTEL: 1-803-736-3000
Be sure when you call to make reservations to tell them you are with the American Council of the Blind. This will assure you will get
the low rate.
Banquet & Registration: $30.00
You will need to pay this before September 21st. We need to get a count on who will be at the Banquet for the food. Please mail this to:
Nia Green
7930 St. Ives Road, Apt 2-C
North Charleston, SC 29406
The cutoff date for getting rooms is September 16th, 2009. Be sure to get your reservation in before this date in order to get the low
rate.
Here is a short run down on what will be happening each day:
Friday around 6:00 PM, we will have a Meet and Greet time. After that, we will be playing Bingo just for fun with small prizes to be
given away. Food will be there.
Saturday at 9:00 AM, we will begin the meeting. This will include speakers until around 1:00 PM. Around 6:30 PM, we will start our
Annual Banquet, which will include a Speaker. At around 9:00 PM, we will have an Auction.
SUNDAY: Starting at 9:00 AM, we will have our Business Meeting, ending around 12:00 PM. Then we will adjourn until next year.
If you have any further questions please feel free to e-mail me at:
mrsbettyjno1@hotmail.com or call my phone number: 1-864-543-2993.
We invite all of you to come and join us on this special occasion: Our Annual State Convention. We will make you welcome and I'm sure
you will enjoy every minute of it. Hope to see all of you then.
Sincerely,
Betty Jones
State President
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2009 FLORIDA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND RAFFLE WINNERS - by Bill Freeman
Fifth Prize of $100.00
J. Howe
Fourth Prize of $200.00
Ms. Bernice Lazerow
Sarasota, FL
Third Prize of $300.00
Arial Taylor
Orange Park, FL
Second Prize of $400.00
Ms. Loretta Brophy
Largo, FL
First Prize of $500.00
Gladys Brown
Miami, FL
Grand Prize of $1,000.00
Bonnie King
Middleburg, FL
CHAPTER DONATED PRIZES
Gift Bag from Polk County
Elvin Clement
Miami, FL
$50.00 WalMart Card from Pinellas County
Michelle Blanca
Orange Park, FL
$50.00 Cash from Tallahassee Chapter
Robert Miller
Tallahassee, FL
$50.00 Cash from Mid-Florida Chapter
Classey McCullough
Miami, FL
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LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE - by Carl McCoy
The FCB Executive Board has agreed to implement a new Legislative Initiative emphasizing local leadership to get our issues
before the state legislature. Our major effort will be to make contact with our local legislators. We are trying to begin
this in the Fall before the legislators come back to Tallahassee. Although this initiative will be overseen by the Public
Education Committee, its success will depend on local chapters and their successes in contacting and getting to know their
state senators and representatives. The committee will be meeting soon to agree on specific issues.
If you have ideas or suggestions, please get them to Carl McCoy at (850) 553-9490 or put them on FCB List. Once the issues
are agreed upon, a brief description of the problem and recommended solutions will be prepared and made available to local
chapters. It would then be your responsibility to take them to your representatives and senators and present them with an
explanation as to how they affect local blind citizens.
It is hoped you will get to know your legislators and they will learn how issues like transportation, and pedestrian safety
relate to the citizens they represent. Once you make this connection you can follow the progress of any legislation by phone
or e-mail. The point is to let the movers and shakers understand how these issues relate to citizens in his or her district.
This is an opportunity to really make a difference in our advocacy. It will be much more effective than any one person can
do in Tallahassee and much more convenient. To find out who your representative and senator is, call your public library and
get ready to meet with them.
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BARBARA GRILL – SUPERSTAR AND DIFFERENCE-MAKER IN THE SPOTLIGHT - by Sila Miller
Barbara Helen Swartz Grill was born on September 27th, 1938. She grew up in Chicago along with two brothers and a sister. Barbara
is the eldest child of Helen and Peter Swartz. Peter worked for Campbell's Soup Company in their maintenance department as a
mechanic and Helen kept the home and raised children.
While recovering from whooping cough, Barbara, at age 4, took her first train trip to Florida to stay with her grandparents in
Wauchula. This was only the beginning of a long history of riding the rails.
Barbara's working life began in her early teens at a 5 & 10-cent store. She has done everything from retail to waitressing to
clerical/office work to owning her own business.
Barbara was diagnosed with Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an eye condition which results in progressive vision loss at the young age
of 11. Both her mother and brother were diagnosed with the disease as well. RP is the name given to a group of inherited eye
diseases that affect the retina. Retinitis pigmentosa causes the degeneration of both rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the
retina. Photoreceptor cells capture and process light to the brain helping us to see. As these cells degenerate and die, people
experience progressive vision loss.
Despite flagging vision, Barbara drove for a few years but never liked it. "I hated driving," she says. "There was always something
wrong. Back then there wasn't a lot known about RP and its impacts on the lives of people who suffered from it. My hand-eye
coordination was never that good, and driving was very difficult for me," she explains. "I turned over a house trailer on the
Pennsylvania Turnpike in 1959. Thankfully, no one was hurt but I made the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer with that one,"
Barbara laughingly recalls.
Barbara met her husband, William (Bill) Grill, one night while she was out at a club with the girls. He was a bass player in a
rock-n-roll band in Chicago. They married in Las Vegas in 1958 when Barbara was only 19. The young couple only stayed in Vegas for
about 6 weeks, then made the long trek to Philadelphia in a 1953 Ford, packed to the gills, with their ironing board sticking out
of the window.
Bill soon quit the music business and started a small painting and sandblasting business. He and Barbara traveled all over the
country with their business for the next 3 years. The couple were wintering in Sarasota and traveling summers with their business
but wanted to start a family so they settled in Sarasota. Barbara spent her early married years raising her girls, Carle and Laura.
"I did what mothers did at that time, helping out with Girl Scouts, volunteering at their small school and playing piano for Sunday
school," Barbara says.
With their growing family and the ever-increasing cost of living, Barbara found work at a nearby retirement center as a medical
secretary. It was there, in 1976, where she first met Ed Wess, whose parents were residents at the center. Barbara worked at the
center for 5 years, but knew she wanted to start her own business. She quit her job to take a horticulture course at Sarasota
Vocational Technical School and eventually, she realized her goal and started that business, Vamo Plant Shed. "I grew what I
called the weeds of the world," Barbara reminisces. She filled hanging baskets and pots with beautiful ferns, ivy, philodendron
and other decorative trees and plants. Barbara worked out of a greenhouse at her home, supplying interior decorators and other
businesses with her products.
Barbara and Bill divorced in 1981. She was now a single parent and businesswoman. She decided to pursue further education in the
late 80s and began attending Manatee Community College in Bradenton. She was then accepted at Florida State University in Tallahassee,
where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Sociology with a minor in Statistics. Barbara then went on to earn 2 Master's Degrees
in Urban Planning and Public Administration.
Barbara is an avid reader, loves water aerobics, swimming and fishing. "I loved the outdoors. I taught myself to read music and miss
playing the piano. I also made all my children's clothes," Barbara says.
Barbara has a long history -- 20-plus years with ACB and FCB, between the Sarasota, Venice and Tallahassee Chapters. She first
learned of FCB in the mid-80s and became a Member of the Sarasota Chapter. After returning from Tallahassee to Sarasota, in 1995, she
became a Member-at-Large of ACB before joining the Venice Chapter in 2003. In 2006, Ruth Book, the then-President of the Sarasota
Chapter, visited the Venice Chapter, seeking ways to help the Sarasota Chapter build membership.
Barbara transferred her membership back to the Sarasota Chapter. "I'm halfway between the 2." she says.
While living in Bradenton for a short while, she also attended the Poka-Dots club meetings there.
While Barbara was attending FSU, she applied for a FCB scholarship. "One day, I got this $500.00 check from FCB in the mail," Barbara
says. "I called Calvert Durden and asked what I should do with the check. There was no letter of explanation or anything and I kind
of felt guilty for accepting it. Calvert told me to keep it and use it. That scholarship really meant a lot to me and I guess it was
my real introduction to FCB and the Scholarship portion of the Education and Leadership Committee."
Barbara spent 5 years in Tallahassee, attending FSU and interning and working for the Apalachee Regional Planning Council, where she
developed Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plans. "Public transportation has always meant a lot to me since I've used it from the
time I was a young kid. I've ridden transit all over this country. I knew that transit was something that really needed to be improved.
I'm not talking about just for us who are vision impaired or other disabled people. Although I was getting involved right at the
beginning when they were putting wheelchair lifts on buses, I realized that transit really needed to be taken seriously on behalf of
everyone. I could see that one of the major problems was that bus stops were not accessible for people in wheelchairs and very
difficult for blind people to find. About 7 or 8 years ago, I chaired a Task Force to get Sarasota to implement a bus stop improvement
program. When I lived in Tallahassee, it was so clear to me that this needed to be done there as well -- to get the foundation and
infrastructure in place so that we could have a good public transportation system," Barbara says.
I asked Barbara about how she first became involved with the Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee. She laughed and said "Well, that's a
good one. During a trip to San Francisco for my daughter's wedding, the train conductor challenged my claim of legal blindness. I had
received a 10-percent handicapped discount fare and I had my white cane but I wasn't in handicapped accommodations. Ed and I were in a
regular sleeping compartment which, of course, Ed had paid full price for. Thank God I was carrying my certificate of vision loss from
the State of Florida. This guy was basically a bully. During this almost 2-day trip, all the Amtrak personnel were monitoring my
movements -- I guess to verify that I indeed didn't see well. About 100 miles from the end of the trip, a person knocked on our
compartment door, asking to speak with us about what had happened. It turned out he was a Vice-President with Amtrak. I produced all my
certificates and verification about my vision and he made copies. He left the train with us, made sure we found a taxi and we went on
our way. He had told me about the Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee and Ed kept encouraging me to apply to serve so I did. After a
long period of silence, one day the phone rang. I was standing on the countertop, cleaning out my kitchen cabinets and it was the Amtrak
Customer Advisory Committee liaison, asking if I was still interested in serving on the committee. Mind you, this was a year and a half
later. I said sure, yes. She said great, there's a meeting in Jacksonville in October. This was in August 2000 and that's how it all
started."
Barbara served 6 years-plus on the committee. "I feel like we made a difference towards raising awareness," Barbara says. "We met with
employees, supervisors, the Board President and even the CEO of Amtrak. We worked hard to educate people and Amtrak understood that.
They said if we improve customer service for seniors and disabled people, we've improved service for all people."
Barbara has chaired the Education portion of the Education and Leadership Committee for 4 years. Presenting Scholarships to deserving
students is her passion. "I believe in young people. It's a thrill for me to read those applications and know that we've awarded 4
scholarships to deserving students. I think that this is one of the most important things that the Florida Council of the Blind does
and I'd like to continue in that work with the organization," Barbara says with satisfaction. She has also served on FCB's Constitution
and By-Laws, Access and Employment Committees. She is currently the President of Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision (FCCLV),
and, in addition to all this, Barbara chairs the Sarasota County Area Transit Advisory Committee, serves on her local Transportation
Disadvantaged Commission Board, on the City of Sarasota Citizens with Disabilities Advisory Committee and on the Special Needs Advisory
Committee to the Supervisor of Elections in Sarasota County.
Barbara began to give serious consideration to getting a dog guide while she was at FSU. She had decent visual acuity but her visual
field was all too quickly diminishing. "My mobility was very poor and I had trouble walking a straight line and with my balance. I knew
I needed to get something to help me," she says. Barbara's first guide dog was named Colonel. He was a big black Labrador Retriever
from Southeastern Guide Dogs. "I had him for 2 years but it was very difficult on campus. I was working and trying to finish school and
I think it was just too much. I retired Colonel and went back to using a cane. Then after about 10 years, I was seriously thinking about
getting another guide dog. I thought long and hard about this because of my experience with the first one. I knew that I had to give a
dog a lot of time and I could not be in a situation like traveling by train and on every single Committee in the whole world. And so I
had to make some choices and I did. I waited until I retired from the Amtrak Committee and resigned several other positions and went
back to Southeastern Guide Dogs and got Carey, who coincidentally is also a big black Lab. He is a dear dog and a good friend. I use a
support cane in conjunction with my dog because of balance issues. Southeastern was very good and trained Carey especially for me with
the balance problems in mind and I took support cane training at the Lighthouse of Manasota prior to getting him," Barbara explains.
When the talk turned to awards and recognition, Barbara quite modestly said, "I'm embarrassed by awards because I feel that other
people are just as deserving and I don't like the attention called to me. I don't do it for the recognition. I know people appreciate
what I've done and sometimes I feel like I have made a difference." Barbara was recently honored with the Isodene McCall Manatee
Community Advocate Award, presented to her by the Lighthouse of Manasota in recognition of 20 years of advocacy in her local area. She
is especially proud of an Amtrak Champion of the Rails Award. She, along with her committee, received the Award for their work in
developing sensitivity training for Amtrak subcontractors. In 2007, Barbara was awarded the R. Henry P. Johnson Award from FCB for
advocacy and service to her community. At our most recent Convention, earlier this summer, she took home the Cooke Chapter President's
Award, given to an outstanding chapter President as well as a special President's Award for her extraordinary work with the scholarship
program.
I asked Barbara about role models and influential people who'd touched her life. Without a moment's hesitation, she said, "Ed is
someone who gave me faith in myself to return to school. He also helped my daughters to realize the value of education. He's been a
terrific role model for my children and for me. He was a big booster and a supporter of mine. He came from a wealthy family but joined
the Military and went into just the "regular man's army" and he saw what real life was. He was discharged from the service after World
War II and he decided that he had to get an education. So he went to University of North Carolina and then to Harvard. Ed has often
said to me, "Barbara, you hid your light under a bushel. If you had had an opportunity for education earlier, you would have been a
superstar." And he said it enough that I finally believed it. The other person who was a great inspiration to me was my aunt Stella
who lived in Bowling Green, Florida, near Wauchula. She was the first one in my family to lose their vision. She was just a country
woman, a farm wife with no education. Her vision was completely gone by the age of 55 but she remained active and made repairs around
her house and sewed beautiful curtains. Anything was possible with her, it seemed. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was the kind
that would never let life get her down. She never lost her ability to try to do something and to help herself."
Barbara offered the following insight and valuable advice. "If you're young or even if you're middle-aged, think in terms of training
and further education so that you can live independently. Don't get too rigid. Be flexible and open to ideas. Do not be afraid. Try to
lose your insecurities. Insecurity was what held me back for a long time. Build on your life's experience and always be hopeful and
optimistic. I was an optimistic person all my life and that's certainly served me well. No one has a key to positivity; you have to
find people who reinforce what you want to do. Find friends who are supportive and don't be involved with something that's going to
tear you down."
What a dynamic and interesting lady is our Barbara. A superstar, difference-maker and true friend and advocate to FCB. It was my
pleasure to write this article that was supposed to have been submitted for our last edition of the WCB. Barbara, I thank you for your
willingness to give of your time and for unselfishly sharing your story. Your participation on committees and speaking out on behalf
of all blind people does not go unnoticed and is so much appreciated. I respect and admire you immensely!
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DINING IN THE DARK - by Carolyn Lapp
The Florida Outreach Center for the Blind would like to invite you to join us for our annual Thomas Hartig "Dining in the Dark" event.
This is one of the most unique public awareness and fundraising events to occur in our area. The purpose of this benefit is to educate
our community about the challenges of blindness and to raise much needed funds for programs that help those with vision loss.
The Thomas Hartig "Dining in the Dark" event will be held from 5:00-8:30 PM on Saturday, October 25th, at The Holiday Inn Airport,
located at 1301 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. Guests will enjoy live entertainment, a keynote address and a delicious meal in
total darkness. You can purchase your individual ticket for $55 or a reserved table for seven for $500 by calling (561) 640-6029 or
by mailing a check to the Center at 1280 N. Congress Avenue, Suite 108, West Palm Beach, FL 33409. Unfortunately, children 12 and
under are not permitted due to safety considerations.
The center is honoring Dr. Thomas Hartig, who brought NEWSLINE, newspapers via the telephone, to blind persons around the country. He
was visually impaired but did not let it prevent him from being an integral part of society or a leader in the blind community. He
passed away in February 2007, but lives on through his good works and in this event. An award in his name will be presented to a blind
person who is an inspiration to others. Forms for submitting a candidate may be obtained by e-mailing
info_focb@bellsouth.net or visiting
www.flblindcenter.org.
The Florida Outreach Center for the Blind is a 501(C)(3) non-profit training facility for visually impaired persons. Your support of
our unique event will help the Center to continue offering, at no charge, services to the estimated 48,000 blind individuals residing
in Palm Beach County.
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JOB SPOTLIGHT: LOU FIORITTO, BRAILLEWORKS - FINDING A NEED, FILLING IT (by Ashley Grant, Times Correspondent) -
Submitted by Barbara Pusey
What began as a business of helping the blind to gain independence became a mission of "making the world a more readable place." Lou
Fioritto, 62, who has been blind since birth, was out of a job and needed a way to make money. He wanted to help people like himself.
He and his wife, Joyce, opened Brailleworks in Cleveland in 1994. They moved the company to Seffner in 1996 and have been going strong
ever since. The company mainly handles restaurant menus, but also it prints Braille bank and credit card statements for financial
institutions as well as a few other commercial businesses.
Asked why he started Low answered, "My wife and I went to a restaurant and they gave me a Braille menu in 1993. I had never been
given one before. The menu didn't have a table of contents and there were quite a few pages of Braille, and so, if I was looking for
something, I'd have to touch every single thing on the page to find items. The first thing I thought was if I had a Braille company,
we'd do a table of contents. We were both entrepreneurial-minded, and we decided to start a Braille company at that table. I started
doing research, and in December of 1993, we locked in our first contract, although we didn't have any software or any equipment. We
got our first job out for the phone company in Cleveland, Ohio, and then we picked up Applebee's, Bob Evans, Outback Steakhouse and
other major restaurant chains."
I then asked, "What is your favorite thing about what you do?"
"Knowing that we are making a difference out there. We are a Christ-centered company, and we work at that daily, and we make sure
that our products have integrity. I can read my menu for myself, and I know that thousands of other people are able to read their
menus and credit card statements for themselves and have the privacy to do so. This gives them one more step toward their own
independence," said Lou.
My next question to Lou was, what is the income like for this kind of business?
"The company makes more than six figures annually in gross sales. We have 13 staff members now. We've grown every year since we came to
Florida," Lou is proud to say.
I asked him, "What has been the biggest challenge in your job?"
"Money. It got pretty tight there for a while. The idea for Brailleworks started with a menu that needed a table of contents. We
self-financed, and the stuff (we needed) wasn't cheap. It took everything we had. In 1994 or 1995, we took our last bit of my retirement
savings out of the bank and put it in our checking account. I went to the Small Business Administration in hopes of getting a loan and
this lady who had a master's degree in business helped me write a business plan. Finally, I walked in one day and she said the plan was
acceptable."
Why is the plan so important?
"I had a lot of people telling me we should go after certain kinds of corporations and government accounts, and I took my eyes off of
the restaurant industry and started marketing to government agencies and big business. I'd be up at three in the morning praying, saying
we're going under. As a last resort, I pulled out my bottom drawer of my desk and the whole business plan was centered on restaurants.
The next morning, I told (Joyce) we were going to be okay, and I got back on the phone and started calling restaurant after restaurant.
I went back to my plan and the deals came through. Basically, we quickly learned that sticking to the business plan would always save us
and keep us successful. When we divert from the plan, it is a risk for failure."
What are your plans for the future for yourself and the company?
"I'd like to see the company be able to get bigger clients, major bank and health care accounts as well as government accounts. For myself,
I want to be in more of an advisory role."
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IT TAKES A JOURNEY - by Kyle Coon
I feel that as human beings, it is our natural instinct to want more of a good thing. We experience something and want more of it. I
had experienced something better than any food or beverage item, better than all the money in the world. I had experienced teamwork.
And I wanted more of it.
The next day on the train heading back to Cuzco, Justin Grant and I started discussing future possible trips. We both wanted more
experiences like the one we'd had in Peru. We started thinking about Mt Kilimanjaro. Eight other people from that Peru trip agreed
that they wanted more trips together and so we bonded together and Global Explorers agreed to help us recognize our dream of climbing
Africa's tallest mountain.
Brad, Justin and I were thrilled. We wanted to climb and we wanted to climb together. We would often three-way on the telephone and
talk about our dreams. We wanted to stand on top of Kili together, and we wanted to stand on the top of many more mountains together.
So in June of 2007, those dreams started to come true.
We climbed upward for five days before getting in place for our summit attempt. Justin and I had always agreed to summit together, but
on summit night Justin told me that he just couldn't see anything and that he was scared he might screw up in his guiding. I
understood. I clapped him on the back and told him that we'd take a picture on top together. After five or six hours of climbing up
to Gilman's Point, three people from our Team had already turned around (two students and our team leader and mentor, Eric Alexander,
who had summitted Kili twice and had guided Erik Weihenmayer on Mt. Everest). We were all consumed with summit fever. We wanted the
summit and we wanted it badly. I took the lead from Gilman's. Our head guide, Elias, guided me all the way up to the very top. Just
below the summit, he took my arm and the two of us walked across a large flat expanse of snowy ground. Then Elias took my hand and
placed it on a wooden sign that read "Welcome to Uhuru Peak, 5895 meters, the highest point in Africa." Then Elias said, "Welcome to
the top of Africa." I'm not ashamed to admit that tears started sliding down my face. Justin, and Brad pulled up right behind Elias
and me and the three of us all shared a quiet moment on top. We'd done it. Slowly, everyone else arrived and finally we all stood
there with our arms around each other and smiles so bright that they nearly broke the cameras as we took photos of each other.
On the way back down Kili, Brad Justin and I discussed the possibility of even more trips. We all were still so inspired by what we
were doing. We wanted to show the world that blindness was not an option. You can accomplish anything if you just put your mind to
it. We decided that we wanted to climb Mt McKinley.
The tallest mountain in North America is no Ankascocha Trail, and no Kilimanjaro. It's a beautiful mountain that has taken its share
of climbers. Denali is an obstacle that I respect and that Brad, Justin and I will one day climb. Are we ready? Not yet. We
needed to build a strong team that could endure on a mountainside together, that could help each other out, and that could work
together as a team to get everyone to the top.
Not long after returning from Kilimanjaro, I started writing my autobiography. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to call
it. I finally settled on the title "It Takes A Journey." I had just recently finished reading a book in which magic is a way to get
almost everything you needed. A wise person in that book decided that she did not want to use magic for everything she needed. What
pleasure could she gain in life if she did not do things the mundane way? I thought long and hard about her reasoning and started
realizing some similarities to my own life. If I wanted to go to the summit of a mountain and just look at the view, all I would
need to do would be to hire a bunch of people to carry me up there and spike me on top like a football. If I wanted to just go to
Machu Picchu, I could just buy a train ticket and spend three hours traveling with a full complementary beverage service from Cuzco
to Machu Picchu, instead of suffer through blisters, thirst, and hunger on a five or six-day trek. I could do all this and still
claim to have been to those historic places, but it wouldn't feel right. I felt, and still feel, that the experiences I had with my
teammates were more fun than actually reaching the top of a mountain, or reaching Machu Picchu.
When I returned from Peru my whole family wanted to know what Machu Picchu had been like. I couldn’t find the words to explain to
them that Machu Picchu paled in comparison to the experiences I had on the trail going to there. If all people care about is the
summit, then why do they take the journey? I think that we need to stop and smell the roses and experience the middle. Whenever I
am reading my History Textbook, I always see the dates of birth and death of people. Why? When people die they inscribe on their
tombstones their dates of birth and death. Are those dates the beginning and end all that people care about? World War II,
1941-1945 - all we see here is the start and end dates, but what about the middle? What about that dash? That's where the adventure
lies. We read books not for the beginning and the ending, but for the middle. Whenever I read a book that someone else has read
already, I tell them, "Go ahead and tell me how it ended. Because all I care about is what happens in the middle and I want that to
be a surprise." Call me crazy, but I think that living and experiencing the middle is more exciting than the end.
For the past year and a half, Brad Justin and I have all worked tirelessly to try and raise money and find teammates to climb Denali.
We were joined by two fellow Mountaineers, Peter Green and Joeseph Mayfield, and together we are all working together to reach Denali's
summit. Whether we succeed or fail, doesn't matter to me. All I care about is that we become closer friends and brothers. Do I want
to reach the summit of Denali? Of course I do. But I want to climb Denali (and many other mountains) with my Team. The Team is more
important, than I am myself. We call ourselves Team Sight Unseen and we intend to shatter the perceptions that the general public has
about blindness.
Lance Armstrong once said that cancer was the greatest thing that ever happened to him. I understand why. Because blindness was the
greatest thing that ever happened to me. I learned to use my blindness not as a crutch to say I couldn't do something, but as a
vaulting pole to tell me that I could do something. I learned valuable lessons from being blind, and I'm continuously learning
lessons from it. I'm learning how to be an effective teammate, and I'm learning how to turn the adversity that faces us into
advantages that we can seize and take hold of.
I've often heard people complain about adversity and challenge. I say, "Bring it on!" Hit me with your best shot! Blindness can't
beat me! I'll beat blindness! And Team Sight Unseen wants to bring that message to blind and sighted people across the world. Just
because you have a challenge, doesn't mean you can't do anything. Look at life as a challenge, and make up your mind to overcome
that challenge. Relish in the journey that you take on the way to defeating that challenge. And when you defeat that first
challenge, go to the next and thwart it too.
Please visit Team Sight Unseen's website at: www.teamsightunseen.com.
Any donations given to Team Sight Unseen and its cause is Tax-Deductible through the C-Different Organization.
To contact Team Sight Unseen about possibly having one of their members speak at your event, please e-mail
info@teamsightunseen.com.
Thank you,
Team Sight Unseen
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FORGIVE AND LIVE - Submitted by Sila Miller
I often receive e-mails from an outfit called "Family Minute," authored by a man named Mark Merrill. Some are pretty thought-provoking.
I liked this one so much I thought others might too. Hope you enjoy and benefit!
Is there someone you need to forgive?
In his book, "Forgive to Live," Dr. Dick Tibbits explores the negative health consequences of unforgiveness. Clinical evidence now
suggests that holding on to anger, fear and hostility over past hurts can result in an increased risk of diseases, social isolation and
even a shorter lifespan. But learning to forgive can lead to freedom and peace. "Forgiveness isn't a feeling, it's a choice." When you
make a conscious decision to release an offense and forgive the person who hurt you, you are no longer in emotional bondage. That's a
giant step toward better health. Forgive and live.
For more information about "Family Minute," visit
http://familyminute.com/famminute/index.php.
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COMPUTERS (Published August 19th, 2009 02:00 AM): BRACE FOR BUMPS IN WINDOWS UPGRADE (by Paul Gilster,
Correspondent) - Submitted by Jack Varnon
It's amazing how many people are still using Windows XP.
We need to talk about this because Windows 7 is scheduled for release in late October. In between the two, we've had Microsoft Vista,
which has been something less than a success. From the oversold Aero interface, which taxed PC performance for a small payoff in
looks, to the misleading "Vista Capable" sticker that implied a computer was ready to go when it could handle only the basic Vista
version, the interim operating system has been a frustration all around.
No wonder so many businesses and individuals have continued to run XP while hoping to bypass Vista and go straight to Windows 7. And
no wonder Microsoft is hoping for great things from Windows 7 -- its Windows revenues have, for the first time, dropped year over
year.
But we XP holdouts are now going to pay the price. For if an upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 is a relatively painless process, the
cut-through from XP to Windows 7 is fraught with challenges. It turns out that XP users can't exactly upgrade. What they have to do
is back up all their data and run a clean install of Windows 7, thus eliminating their programs, their associated drivers, and
anything else they've left on the disk. Good luck finding all those old installation disks when you're hoping to reinstall the
programs you use daily.
Windows 7 will wipe out your hard disk data for you during the installation phase, so whatever file folder organization you've
established will be eliminated in the process. Transferring your personal data is eased somewhat by Microsoft's "Easy Transfer"
program, which can move your information to an external hard disk and restore it to the newly established Windows 7 environment on
your PC. Even so, moving data is a chore, and any long-time XP user with a disk stuffed with files will wish for a cleaner way to
proceed.
You might think I'm about to trash Windows 7 after having spoken well of it in the past, but I'm actually of two minds about all this.
Over the years, I've made it a practice to periodically back up all my data and do a clean Windows install every eighteen months or
so. Performance is much snappier when you do such a reset, for reasons that doubtless have to do with mangled registry settings and
all the digital detritus that builds up after installing program after program. It's time-consuming, but a clean install offers
serious performance benefits if you're confident of your data backups.
Just be aware of what Windows 7 will ask of you if you're currently running XP. If a new computer is on the horizon anytime soon,
consider simply waiting until the manufacturers are selling machines with Windows 7 preinstalled. You'll avoid the hassles of the
"upgrade" and will have a fair assurance that Windows 7 will have the right drivers for your hardware, something that at present may
not be the case for older equipment. And again, if you're running Vista, the regular upgrade process seems to be relatively quick
and painless.
Be sure to check your current system to make sure it has the requirements for running Windows 7. A complete list is posted at
windows.microsoft.com/systemrequirements, and bear in mind that these
are minimums. Many will wait and see.
Meanwhile, the rollout of Windows 7 may not be as easy as Microsoft would like. Two recent reports have noted that about 60 percent
of businesses will not buy Windows 7 at launch, while a study from PCMag Digital Network found that 32 percent of consumers will buy
Windows 7 in the six months after it becomes available.
Those numbers surprise me a bit because Microsoft is pitching Windows 7 as a cleaned up version of Vista, one in which performance
is made paramount and tuneups to the user interface make it easier to use. With the underlying engine being much the same, then, the
need to wait for the first service pack release -- many businesses do this when new operating systems appear -- seems to be negated.
Judging from the "release candidate" software many reviewers have seen, Windows 7 is already robust and a significant improvement
over Vista.
Things would have run so much better if the transition from XP to Vista had been seamless, but Vista's problems have kept millions
using the older system, and that has complicated the Windows 7 picture immeasurably. So have the legions of netbooks still being
sold with XP as their primary system. Having skipped Vista on my main machine, I'll do the "clean install" from XP whenever possible,
looking forward to a new operating system while remaining dismayed at how exasperating Microsoft system upgrades always turn out to
be.
Paul A. Gilster, the author of several books on technology, lives in Raleigh. Reach him at
gilster@mindspring.com.
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TECH TIPS - by John Richards for the FCB Technology Committee
The Importance of your Recovery Discs
You just arrived home with your new personal computer system. While checking the contents of the container, you notice no recovery
discs came with your system. The literature states that you must create your own recovery discs when you get your system up and
running. Manufacturers no longer provide you with a set of operating system discs. Recovery discs contain the operating system on
your computer, plus hardware drivers and other important software that will allow you to recover your system in case of a fatal
crash.
Some manufacturers provide a "drivers" folder located on the hard disc which contain the drivers for your particular system. At
this point, you should purchase a pack of blank DVD's or use some blank discs you already have. Some systems will display a nag
screen prompting you to create the recovery discs, while others will not. Your literature will either have a short blurb on where
you should navigate in order to create the recovery discs or it will refer you to an existing file provided by the manufacturer
for you on your hard drive.
When you start the process of creating your recovery discs, follow through with the procedure. In most cases, you only have one
chance to create your discs. I suggest that you perform this task as soon as possible. Make this the first thing you do after you
are up and running. If you have to load screen reading or screen magnification software, do so. Then create your recovery discs.
If for some reason you are not comfortable with performing this procedure, ask an individual who is more experienced to help you
perform this task. Your other option is to contact the manufacturer and purchase a set of recovery discs for your system. Either
way, it is important to have this valuable set of discs. It may save you from disaster in the future.
The Technology Committee urges everyone to use the FCB chat rooms that are linked to:
http://www.fcb.org.
Click on the "Voice Chat for FCB" link. When the page loads, you can either click on the "Florida Council of the Blind General Chat Room"
link or the "Florida Council of the Blind Board & Committee Chat Room" link. When the page loads, First time users should click the
"download here button" to install the plugin called tcConference. tcConference is a little piece of software that lets you talk with others,
anywhere in the world. When you click the "Download Here" button you will be prompted to download or run the tcConference software.
Select "Run" and tcConference will be installed to your system. When tcConference has been installed, click on the "Finish" button to
complete the installation process. At that point, you should return to the web page you were at before you performed the software
installation. Now, click on the link that says "Click here to enter in the room." A page will load with two edit fields, prompting you for a
username and password. Type your name in the first edit field and leave the second edit field blank. Press "Enter" and you should be
launched in to the room. You should hear a sound when you enter the room. If others are present, you may hear them talking. Press your
Control key to talk and release it to listen. If you are unable to perform any of the above tasks, feel free to contact a Member of the
Technology Committee for assistance.
If you know when you have a meeting scheduled in either of the rooms, ask for assistance a day or two in advance so someone can assist
you in a timely manner. Please feel free to contact me if you are having difficulty with either of the chat rooms. My contact information is
located in the "FCB OFFICERS, 2008 - 2010" section of this publication.
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POETRY CORNER - by Shelley Justice
GREETINGS, WCB READERS:
During my high school years, literature was a favorite subject of mine. I can remember reading some of Edna St. Vincent Millay's work,
but I don't remember ever reading the following poem. Her name came to my mind when I was trying to think of a poem to submit. I
discovered this one, which apparently is one of her best-known poems. Why I haven't read it before I do not know. It moves me, both
as a mother, and as one who believes that there is still magic in this world somewhere.
READ AND ENJOY.
THE BALLAD OF THE HARP-WEAVER
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
"Son," said my mother,
When I was knee-high,
"You've need of clothes to cover you,
And not a rag have I.
"There's nothing in the house
To make a boy breeches,
Nor shears to cut a cloth with,
Nor thread to take stitches.
"There's nothing in the house
But a loaf-end of rye,
And a harp with a woman's head
Nobody will buy,"
And she began to cry.
That was in the early fall.
When came the late fall,
"Son," she said, "the sight of you
Makes your mother's blood crawl,
"Little skinny shoulder blades
Sticking through your clothes!
And where you'll get a jacket from
God above knows.
"It's lucky for me, lad,
Your daddy's in the ground,
And can't see the way I let
His son go around!"
And she made a queer sound.
That was in the late fall.
When the winter came,
I'd not a pair of breeches
Nor a shirt to my name.
I couldn't go to school,
Or out of doors to play.
And all the other little boys
Passed our way.
"Son," said my mother,
"Come, climb into my lap,
And I'll chafe your little bones
While you take a nap."
And, oh, but we were silly
For half an hour or more,
Me with my long legs
Dragging on the floor,
A-rock-rock-rocking
To a Mother Goose rhyme!
Oh, but we were happy
For half an hour's time!
But there was I, a great boy,
And what would folks say
To hear my mother singing me
To sleep all day,
In such a daft way?
Men say the winter
Was bad that year;
Fuel was scarce,
And food was dear.
A wind with a wolf's head
Howled about our door,
And we burned up the chairs
And sat upon the floor.
All that was left us
Was a chair we couldn't break,
And the harp with a woman's head
Nobody would take,
For song or pity's sake.
The night before Christmas
I cried with the cold,
I cried myself to sleep
Like a two-year-old.
And in the deep night
I felt my mother rise,
And stare down upon me
With love in her eyes.
I saw my mother sitting
On the one good chair,
A light falling on her
From I couldn't tell where,
Looking nineteen,
And not a day older,
And the harp with a woman's head
Leaned against her shoulder.
Her thin fingers, moving
In the thin, tall strings,
Were weav-weav-weaving
Wonderful things.
Many bright threads,
From where I couldn't see,
Were running through the harp strings
Rapidly,
And gold threads whistling
Through my mother's hand.
I saw the web grow,
And the pattern expand.
She wove a child's jacket,
And when it was done
She laid it on the floor
And wove another one.
She wove a red cloak
So regal to see,
"She's made it for a king's son,"
I said, "and not for me."
But I knew it was for me.
She wove a pair of breeches
Quicker than that!
She wove a pair of boots
And a little cocked hat.
She wove a pair of mittens,
She wove a little blouse,
She wove all night
In the still, cold house.
She sang as she worked,
And the harp strings spoke;
Her voice never faltered,
And the thread never broke.
And when I awoke,
There sat my mother
With the harp against her shoulder,
Looking nineteen,
And not a day older,
A smile about her lips,
And a light about her head,
And her hands in the harp strings
Frozen dead.
And piled up beside her
And toppling to the skies,
Were the clothes of a king's son,
Just my size.
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CHAPTER NEWS - Mid-Florida Council of the Blind, Tallahassee Council of the Blind
Mid-Florida Council of the Blind - by Jay Bader
MFCB Members have been enjoying the summer, especially after Members assisted in hosting the 2009 ACB National Convention in July.
It took place at the Rosen Centre Hotel on International Drive from July 3rd through 11th. Many of the MFCB Officers participated
on the Local Host Committee, and from the feedback received especially by those who have attended many ACB Conventions, it was a
fun convention and a job well done.
MFCB especially thanks the leadership of FCB Membership Secretary Sally Benjamin, who, along with Debbie Drylie, co-chaired the
committee and did a phenomenal job. Special thanks go out to MFCB Recording Secretary Larry Turnbull and Transportation Committee
Chairperson Debbie Hazelton, who more than ably hosted coverage of the General Sessions, as well as the Friday Night Banquet, on
ACB Radio Mainstream. We hope ACB Members will spend a true vacation in Orlando and especially enjoy our area in a more relaxed
manner.
Speaking of relaxing, that's what many MFCB Members are doing as we prepare for the Annual MFCB Membership Drive. But first, at
least 20 of us got together at MFCB 1st Vice President Sheila Young's residence for another cookout on August 8th. Unfortunately,
we could not soak in the sun as the rain forced us under cover and indoors. But that did not dampen our spirits, as there was
great food, from hot dogs and hamburgers to potato and macaroni salads to cole slaw and baked beans. And we all shared plenty of
laughs as well. Sheila, thanks again for hosting, and maybe next time the canopy can be put up in sunshine and not buckle to the
water above.
MFCB Members should take note as to the next 2 General Meetings, which will mark our return to William Booth Tower in downtown
Orlando. The dates are Saturday, September 12th (the first Saturday in September is Labor Day Weekend, so we will meet on the 2nd
Saturday), and Saturday, October 3rd. The Meeting times are from 12 NOON to 2 PM, and there may be a Guest Speaker at either of
these General Meetings. Please note that at the September General Meeting, the Nominating Committee will be formed in preparation
for the November Election of Officers, so we strongly encourage Members to attend and express interest in serving on this
Committee.
As promised in the last Chapter News, our Annual MFCB Membership Drive has begun. The mailers were sent in early August, and the
drive will continue into the Fall.
Just so Members are aware, the Annual MFCB Membership Drive is done in cooperation with the Bureau of Braille and Talking Book
Library Services in Daytona Beach. Those mailers are sent with the hope that there are those who receive it interested in becoming
Members of MFCB. And renewals will be accepted as well beginning in September, with the annual dues remaining at $12.00.
There will be those who get this mailing that are already Members but please keep in mind that if you are a Talking Book subscriber
in Orange, Osceola or Seminole County, this will arrive. So MFCB Members, if you know someone who you think may be interested in
becoming a Member of MFCB, or if they would like to donate to our organization, pass it along. Just as they do on the state level,
donations are always gladly accepted.
Memberships and Renewals can be paid by check or money order; however, if you attend an MFCB General Meeting, you also have the
option of paying by cash. The deadline for dues is November 15th. If you cannot attend a General Meeting, please send check or
money order to the following address:
MFCB Membership Secretary
5611 Pecos St.
Orlando, FL 32807
And make your check or money order payable to MFCB.
More on what is happening with MFCB, especially who would be nominated to serve as an MFCB Officer, in the next Chapter News.
Tallahassee Council of the Blind - by Sally Benjamin
Each year during the summer, our chapter holds a picnic for students. This year, we reached out to the students from the
Lighthouse of the Big Bend. We wanted to make them feel special and, at the same time, let them know that blind people can be
independent and live normal lives. So, one hot day, with students, staff and some of our members we made it happen. First,
participants introduced themselves by giving a short autobiography. Then we split up to go have fun. Some went swimming, and
others went up in the tree house. Still others just wanted to sit and talk, while a few wanted to play the piano and sing.
After a while, we were ready to eat. Everyone filled his own plate and we all ate - a lot. They ate 3 packages of the hot dogs
and 32 hamburgers. We also had potato salad and chips. One of our members, Maryann Laird, made a beautiful cake with a
lighthouse on the beach on it. Everyone had a wonderful time.
Since they are our future, it is very important for us to reach out to students. So, if you have a lighthouse or live in a city
where there are visually impaired students, please try to do something for them. It is actually lots of fun. They are so young
and refreshing.
I also want to take this time to say a very big congratulations to one of our members, Cassandra Jessie. She graduated from FSU
with her BA in Rehab Counseling and Services degree. She has worked hard and we are very proud of her.
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FCB TRADING POST
Nokia 6681 Cellular Phone with Talks Software already installed, in good condition. - $300.00
BrailleSense (Original) 32 cell braille notetaker: Includes Wireless Adapter and all cables and manuals. In excellent condition -
$3,200.00
Laptop Asus Computer: 2.2 GHz Dual Core Processor, 1.5 GB Memory, 160 GB Hard Drive, DVD-RW Drive, 1 3-Cell Battery, 1 6-Cell
Battery, Carrying Case, Bluetooth and Wireless built-in Bluetooth Mouse, camera and Windows Vista Ultimate. Only weighs 3.4
pounds. Brand new. Original retail price was $2,595.00 - Asking $1,400.00
PacMate QWERTY 20-cell notetaker with Pocket Mobile operating system, leather carrying case. In excellent condition. Asking
$1,600.00 or best offer.
Call or e-mail Robert Miller at (850) 906-9821 or easytalk@earthlink.net for
further details.
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RECIPE CORNER
DIABETIC CHICKEN WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
Yield: 4 servings
Source: "Magic Menus for People with Diabetes"
via The Diabetic Gourmet Daily Recipe Mailer
INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound total), trimmed of cartilage and fat
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large shallot, minced
2/3 cup low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/8 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes,rehydrated in small bowl water
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut each chicken breast half into 6 equal parts.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté chicken in oil over moderate heat, turning, until the chicken is just opaque throughout, 4-5 minutes.
3. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon. Add shallot to the skillet and sauté, stirring until softened, about 1 minute.
4. Add broth, wine (much of the alcohol will evaporate, leaving only the flavor), marjoram, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil over moderate heat
and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Return the chicken to the skillet. Simmer, gently spooning the sauce over the chicken, until heated through. Simmer until sauce is reduced
by half.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe):
Calories: 177, Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 64 mg, Sodium: 155 mg,
Carbohydrate: 3 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 2 g, Protein: 27 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 4 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Fat
DIABETIC CROCKPOT VERY SPECIAL SPINACH
Yield: 8 servings
Source: "Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook"
via The Diabetic Gourmet Daily Recipe Mailer
INGREDIENTS:
3 (10 ounces) boxes frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups low-fat (1 percent) cottage cheese
1-1/2 cups grated fat-free Cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1/4 cup flour
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) light, soft tub margarine, melted
DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix together all ingredients. Pour into crock-pot.
2. Cook on HIGH 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW and cook 4 more hours.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/8 of recipe):
Calories: 160, Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 84 mg, Sodium: 520 mg,
Carbohydrate: 11 g, Dietary Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 19 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 2 Lean Meat
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HANDY TELEPHONE NUMBER REFERENCES
Project Insight: 1-800-267-4448
Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services: 1-800-226-6075
Division of Blind Services (Tallahassee): 1-800-342-1828
American Council of The Blind: 1-800-424-8666
(available only 3:00 to 5:30 PM EST Monday-Friday)
ACB's Legislative Hotline: 1-800-424-8666
(Evenings 8:00 PM - 12:00 Midnight EST
Weekends 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM only)
A T & T Disability Services: 1-800-872-3883
Press 00 and speak with your long distance carrier
BellSouth Disability Services: 1-800-982-2891 from anywhere
Social Security: 1-800-772-1213
24-hour voice and touch tone accessible
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