THE WHITE CANE BULLETIN Florida Council of The Blind, Inc. March – April 2019 Articles for the White Cane Bulletin must be submitted to Greg Lindberg no later than the 15th of the month before it is published. Greg’s email is: glindberg@gmail.com If you do not have access to a computer and email, please find someone in your chapter to help you. We want to hear from anyone who wants to contribute to our newsletter, so if you cannot find a way to submit your article, call Greg and he will be glad to assist 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. Those much-needed contributions, which are Tax-deductible, can be sent to the Florida Council of the Blind Treasurer, Mark Lear, at 708 Kristina Court, Port Orange, FL 32127. To remember the Florida Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose in your Will or Trust. If your wishes are complex, please contact the FCB at 800-267-4448. The FCB is a 501(c)(3) organization. For other ways to support the Florida Council of the Blind, visit our Fundraising page found at www.fcb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? – 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 who would like to receive the White Cane Bulletin and the Braille Forum, please contact me at: (850) 980-0205 or E-mail: salbenjamin@comcast.net TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Message by Sheila Young … 4 2019 FCB Convention Information by Kati Lear … 5 GOCB Update by Martha James … 5 Sarasota Council Updates by Karen Christie … 6 The Good Old Days at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind by Jasmyn Polite … 7 Big Diamond or a Cruise? by Sila Miller … 10 Tech Corner by John Richards … 13 Poetry Corner by Shelley Sawyer … 14 This and That by Greg Lindberg … 15 FCB Officers, 2018 – 2020 … 16 2018-2020 FCB Chapter and Special Affiliate Officer Liaisons … 17 Handy Telephone Number References … 19 *** President’s Message March-April 2019 By Sheila Young? Dear FCB members, I am sitting here thinking of how blessed I am to live in the world today – and how things have improved tremendously for blind and visually impaired individuals during my lifetime. There was a time when we had to have someone assist us by filling out our ballot to vote at the polls or fill out our absentee ballot. Now, thanks to the advocacy of others, we have the right to cast our ballots independently. Of course, now, the legislature is deciding whether we keep that right or not. We must continue to fight for the freedom to vote independently and confidentially – and to continue to have access to the equipment that allows us to do so. Please, I beg of you, as an individual or a chapter, contact your legislators and request that they cast their vote to help in maintaining our rights to accessible voting machines. Thank you to Jim Kracht, Carl McCoy, Nancy Folsom, Elizabeth Bowden, Jennifer Connelly, and others who have gone to meetings and spoken on our behalf to keep our voting rights. I apologize if I have missed someone, and it is only because I am not aware that you have spoken up. I am excited about our upcoming trip to Washington, D. C. to observe and take part in visiting our elected officials. Thank you to those who are going – and especially to Debbie Grub who has worked tirelessly to arrange these meetings. It takes much time and effort to organize these appointments, and it is very much appreciated that we have members who are willing to take on this task. Once again, I would like to congratulate Greg Lindberg and Nicholas McNeil for being chosen through ACB leadership to attend this educational seminar. Your convention committee is also hard at work getting all of the details together for our upcoming convention. It is going to be an amazing meeting this year, and I certainly hope most of you will be able to take part in this event. Since I became a member of FCB in 2005, my dream has been to have a talking book narrator come to speak to us. This year, we not only have one, but we are lucky enough to have two narrators (Jack and Jill Fox) coming! How much better can you get! Please consider attending our annual gathering this year as we have so many exciting programs planned. Please remember to reach out to others in our FCB community just to let them know how important they are to our organization. Without you, the members, there would be no organization to support. I am very proud to be part of FCB! And lastly, a quote to remember: “People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Sincerely, Sheila Young, FCB president *** 2019 FCB Convention Information By Kati Lear The 66th annual state convention of the Florida Council of the Blind will be held at the Avanti Palms Resort and Conference Center from Thursday, May 16 through noon on Sunday, May 19. Room rates are $84.99 plus tax. Breakfast is included in our room rate. To make a reservation, call (866) 994-3157. The address for the Avanti Palms is 6515 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at (800) 267-4448. See you in May! *** GOCB Update By Martha James GOCB returned once again to its annual tradition of having a bake sale in February. As always, our members baked and brought some wonderful goodies for all to enjoy. Our chapter has several busy months coming up. Our March meeting will be March 2, followed by our participation in the Sight and Soul Walk fest to raise money for Lighthouse Central Florida. The walk will take place at Crane’s Roost, from 4 to 7 p.m.  Sheila Young is captain of our team, The GOCB forever Young. We are looking forward to a good time while participating in a good cause. Dine and Donate will take place on March 27 at Tijuana Flats located at 7608 University Boulevard, Winter Park, 32792. We will be preparing to host another trivia night on April 27, 2019. Once again, it will be held at the VFW at 3500 South Goldenrod Road, Orlando. The cost is $25 per person or $150 for a table of six players. The cost includes one free drink. Come one, come all to a night filled with fun, laughter, and good times. The silent auction, which is always popular, will be part of this year’s event as well.  A portion of the proceeds go to FCB. In addition, for those with computer access, GOCB is on Facebook. You can find us on Facebook by typing in “GOCB” in the search box. *** Sarasota Council Update By Karen Christie As promised, I will quickly fill you in on our annual Christmas party, which was held at the Lakehouse West. We had our party on the fifteenth of December, eating a wonderful Italian meal that included chicken Parmesan, salad, rolls, and last but not least, we each got a wonderful piece of tiramisu for dessert. A sincere thank you goes out to Ruth Book for making the arrangements and seeing to it that we would have a fun get-together before Christmas. As always, it truly was a wonderful time getting to have this fellowship and mingle with each other while enjoying a nice lunch. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to our Christmas parties every year. The dining hall was nicely decorated, and the parties never disappoint when it comes to getting us all into the holiday spirit! Our first meeting of the new year was held January 12 at Denny’s. After the reading and approval of the minutes for November’s meeting, our guest speaker was introduced to our group. Michelle Mendez works for OrCam. If you are not familiar with OrCam, this is a small, light-weight camera that has some small magnets on it. The magnets make it easy for one to clip it to the side of their glasses, and it has the latest in OCR technology. This tiny device can read barcodes and can identify cash bills, but I found it most intriguing when I heard that it even has facial recognition. For instance, there’s a small button on the side that you press when you’d want it to read a page of a book, and once you press the button, it takes a picture of the text so it can read you what’s on the paper. As far as recognizing faces is concerned, once you take a picture of someone’s face and you program their name into the device, the OrCam has that information stored so that if you’re at a place and you turn it on, and that person is standing in front of you, it will tell you who is standing there since their name and picture are programmed into the device. I guess one reason why I found this particular device so interesting is because it’s so small, but it can really enhance the lives of those who are blind or visually impaired. I’m thinking of eventually buying one for myself. On another note, I recently ordered an Orbit Reader 2.0 Braille display. I’ll admit I’m not real sure how it works, but I feel like this device will definitely come in handy once I learn how to use it. I should eventually be able to read and write where I can read what I write in Braille as opposed to just relying on Voiceover on the iPad as I am doing as we speak. January’s meeting ended quite early, and I left feeling inspired after our speaker’s demonstration of the OrCam device. Our February meeting was held on the ninth at Denny’s. Following the readings and approval of last month’s minutes and Treasurer’s report, president Randy Reed informed our members that he would need to know who is interested in attending the state convention from May 16 to 19. He told us how each convention is filled with information, and from what I have heard, there are all kinds of workshops, seminars, and meetings ranging from discussions regarding such topics as legislation and transportation, as well as exhibits where you can learn and hear demonstrations of the latest in technology for helping the blind and visually impaired. After this, we heard from Tom Hanson, our guest speaker. Tom is from the South Sarasota County Council of the Blind, and he was there to tell us about the Equipment Loan Fund. The Equipment Loan Fund, or the ELF, is where someone who is blind or visually impaired can buy a device interest-free. This is mainly for those who have no way to buy a device otherwise; for instance, it’s geared toward people who aren’t clients of DBS or other agencies. For instance, if they feel like a device such as an OrCam could help them, then maybe the ELF can help them purchase one, as Tom gave the example of today. You must, however, be able to reimburse them and you have up to two years to do so, otherwise you won’t be able to purchase a product from them. If you are interested in learning more about the ELF, or would like to fill out an application, see the March-April 2018 White Cane Bulletin for more information since that was when this fund was first introduced in this newsletter. I think this is a wonderful idea so that people can get useful technology in order to better their daily lives that they otherwise may not be able to receive. After our speaker talked with us, we hung around and mingled some more before we adjourned almost an hour early. To me, our 2019 meetings have been off to a great start thus far, and I look forward to reporting all of our other updates in the months to come. *** The Good Old Days at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (FSDB) By Jasmyn Polite I will never forget the great memories I had while I attended the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (FSDB). Being a Teacher’s Aide I was inspired to become an early intervention specialist for the blind and visually impaired when I was a teacher’s aide in 10th and 11th grade. I worked with the first grade children for my parenting and on-the-job training classes. My job was to help the children out with their schoolwork while the teacher completed her tasks. One experience I really enjoyed was creating a lesson plan involving Florida for their geography lesson. I had a picture of Florida for each of them and there were Wikki Stix for the children to feel the borders of the state. They were also given shaving cream to fill in the state of Florida! They received raised markers to put on the model to represent locations around the state, such as St. Augustine, Jacksonville, and their homes. I loved helping the children with their reading assignments if they had trouble. The hardest part of my work experience was the fact that I did not know Braille very well at the time. I remember when the first grade teacher asked me to help one of the students who was totally blind. I felt uneasy because I had no clue how to read braille to correct the child’s schoolwork, and it really broke my heart that I was unable to help them. A lesson I took away from this as a future educator of the blind and visually impaired is to be proficient in Braille and other skills so you can assist the child as best as you can. Things I Learned There Assistive Technology Besides Braille and mobility skills, I also had the chance to learn other things at FSDB. One of the things I discovered there was how to use different types of technology, including Victor Reader Stream, ZoomText, the Ruby Magnifier from Freedom Scientific, and other devices for the blind and visually impaired. The Victor Reader is a talking device that can hold a lot of books and record notes to listen to. I currently have my very own that the Division of Blind Services bought me to use in college as an accommodation. ZoomText is a magnification program that can go on your laptop to enlarge the screen. The other features with this program are a screen reader that can read things to you if your eyes are tired, and you can change the contrast! The Ruby is a portable magnifier that you can take with you anywhere you go – work, school, the store, etc. FSDB will definitely help your blind or visually impaired child select the best technology, depending on their visual or multiple needs! Independent Living Skills I also learned how to cook, clean, and manage my money. I was able to make my own breakfast casserole in the dorm after my adult living teacher taught me how to make it in class. I felt like I was becoming independent on my road to adulthood! Once you learn how to do something and challenge yourself, you feel like an achiever. Never let your visual impairment stop you from living the life you want! Orientation and Mobility In mobility, I was able to take the bus to various places in St. Augustine, such as Winn-Dixie and Wendy’s. My favorite moment in mobility class at FSDB was helping the little children with their scavenger hunt. The children were asked to find certain clues on their mobility lesson and read them. They received treats after finding the hints and had a fun time. Another thing I enjoyed was when I went to a cupcake place known as Luli's and St. George Street. I always liked using my cane to travel those places! Vocational Training In 12th grade, I had a job through my vending class. I worked on Tuesday nights taking orders from students and eating food from there. I received a pretty good paycheck from working at the Cobra Corner Café, and I also learned some pretty great employment skills through that job! Fun Things I Did There I did a lot of fun stuff at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, such as going to Young Life, Bible Study, ASL, Drama Club, Clay Club, working at Cobra Corner, being a zookeeper, cheerleading, and going on field trips. I loved going to Young Life camp to have fun. I enjoyed being outdoors and doing fun activities, such as swimming, going on the swing, and interacting with my friends. Young Life, which is a Christian youth club for teens, held meetings every Wednesday. Those were a lot of fun, and I still have some of my Young Life shirts. ASL (American Sign Language) was another fun club that I enjoyed at FSDB. I learned how to sign different songs and phrases. Along with Braille, sign language is also important for me to learn in case I work with a child who is deafblind as an early intervention specialist. In middle school, I really enjoyed caring for my science teacher’s animals as a zookeeper. I still have my three zookeeping t-shirts with me! I also loved going to field day and going on the waterslides with my field day shirt on! Being in pageant two times was a great event that I achieved in my 11th and 12th grade years of high school. I will always treasure the trophy I won after playing the autoharp! I have an FSDB t-shirt with my name in Braille, along with the school mascot. I’ve enjoyed all my moments and fun times at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind! I would recommend that school to any child who is blind, deaf, visually impaired, or deafblind. My Friends I Made There Through my years at FSDB, I’ve made so many friends that I love talking to and hanging out with. My friends have always been there to support me. For example, my friends have helped me by giving me advice on learning Braille and giving me encouragement to keep focusing on my studies with Braille. Another friend taught me sign language when we were roommates in the dorm together, so I know a little bit about communicating with individuals who are deafblind. There is nothing better than having support from good friends to cheer you on! My Graduation from FSDB My graduation from the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind was one of the best moments of my life, and I will never forget it! I received a standard diploma, along with five scholarships: Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision, Board of Realtors, Young Life award, the Board of Trusties FSDB Scholarship, and the Elks of St. Augustine. Along with my excitement, I was also a bit sad because I knew that I was going to miss my second home where I had spent 10 years! FSDB helped raise me, along with my own mother. They taught me all the things I needed for the real world, and I made many friends that I will never forget. The key for me to receive all these scholarships and my diploma was that I worked really hard in school, and I never gave up when it got challenging for me. Yes, I faced taking standardized tests and completing things I had struggled with, but I didn’t throw in the towel and call it quits! Just because you are blind, visually impaired, or something is challenging, it doesn’t mean you can’t overcome these obstacles in life. There are great resources today for people who are blind or visually impaired to assist them in any task! If it wasn’t for FSDB teaching me all these great skills, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. My motto is for anyone who is blind, visually impaired, or has other disabilities: “If I can do it, then you can too!” Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on www.pathstoliteracy.org on November 29, 2018. *** Big Diamond or a Cruise By: Sila Miller It began with a half-joking declaration to "The Robster" on the back porch—one of our happy places. "Number 30 is coming up. It's either a big diamond or a cruise!”, Imagine my surprise when one day, outa the blue, Robert asked, "How does a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise sound?" I think I asked. "Are you for real? Then I confess, I squealed just like a girl and maybe hopped up and down a little! We determined which Port of Call was best, with transportation in mind, and booked that cruise before we could change our minds. Look out, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Belize and Mahogany Bay, here the Millers come! Totally jazzed, I began to research everything CRUISE, specifically, Carnival. I found diagrams of our ship, The Miracle, including her decks and rooms. I read blogs, Dos and Don'ts, even a "Slavery statement" and took copious notes. I price-compared, bookmarked interesting excursion information, watched YouTube videos, and talked to people about their cruise experiences. I overwhelmed poor Robert with all my information sharing--water slide specifics, ship passenger capacity, dimensions, weight, recycling and conservation rules, dress codes, and on and on. I know he was thinking, “OMG! Enough already!” Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! Would we take Sherman, Robert's aging guide dog? You wouldn't believe the paperwork for one of the ports of call, and would the trip be too much for him? Would we purchase excursion packages or strike out on our own? Would we purchase the "CHEERS" (drink package costing $51.95 plus 15% gratuity per person, per day with everyone in the stateroom required to purchase for the entire trip) or buy individual cocktails and specialty coffees? Budget or "Live a little"? After considering variables, weighing pros and cons, and a bit of compromising, we made our decisions. We arranged with a reputable and trustworthy friend/babysitter for Sherm, booked and paid for the excursions we'd been considering, and decided to take a couple bottles of red for the "special times" and forego the pricy CHEERS package! Being a planner, I began packing well in advance, making my list and checking it twice! Now, if you are owned by a cat or have had any experience with a feline, you know my dilemma. I'd slip in and out of the guest bedroom while Petita Louisa wasn't looking but all too soon, she caught me. And she began to make her own PLANS and noises! If all this cat drama wasn't enough, as cruise day approached, so did the distant threat of one of our famous Floridian hurricanes. Thankfully for us, it changed its mind and wreaked havoc with poor North Carolina residents instead. To help ease the transportation stress of getting to the ship, we chose Red Coach, a luxury bus line offering Wi-Fi, reclining seats, and an almost straight shot there--only one shuttle to connect with... The bus was scheduled to leave at 6 a.m., giving us plenty of time to make it to the ship in Tampa for a sail time of 3:30. Our friend, Tony, who'd endured all the cruise plans, decisions, and talks, insisted on fetching us for the early-morning bus boarding. Not wanting to disrupt his coffee and paper morning routine any more than we already had, we assured Tony we'd be fine and to go on home since we arrived over a half-hour early. As boarding time approached, there was no sign of a bus driver. Not wanting to leave things to chance, off we struck, two fairly bulky suit cases, two carry-ons, and two blind people with canes in the dark. Too bad we hadn't yet discovered "the cane train"! Lest you be left wondering what a "Cane Train" is, its where the more sighted of the pair holds one end of the white cane and the less sighted one holds the other end and follows. It's great for narrow pathways and crowded places. Sadly, we can't take credit for discovering this nifty trick, and even more sadly, we only recently discovered it. All was fine except which bus was ours? I left Robert with the luggage and bebopped down the sidewalk to check out a distant bus. Discovering it was dark—no driver there either, I retraced my steps. Almost back, I stepped on a container full of cold liquid. It spurted up, drenching me from the knees down. Fearing it was something vile—sticky soda, beer, or worse...I uttered a few unladylike words and tentatively gave it a sniff, tremendously relieved to find no smell or sticky feeling in my shoes! A little less confident, I returned inside the hotel to ask about the driver and schedule. There, I connected with Louis a huge, very broken English speaking, sweet guy--our driver. Finally getting ourselves and that bulky luggage settled, I discovered that in the rush, we'd left the bus snacks. Ah well, we were on our way, wet legs and feet and all! Right on time, Louis dropped us off at a bus stop on the University of South Florida campus and indicated as best he could—with the language barrier-- this is where the shuttle would come to get us. Meanwhile, I'd received a confirmation text from the shuttle company saying what time and what type of vehicle we should expect. And so, we waited. And waited. As cold as it had been on the bus, it was now hot, and time continued to pass...Getting concerned, I called the Red Coach Customer Service and Robert tried the Shuttle Company. It seemed as if we'd entered another country—English wasn't the first language of anyone we spoke with. The question of the hour seemed to be "Where are you?” We gave them the address that was on our itinerary, tried explaining we weren't from Tampa, couldn't see, and were where the Red Coach operator had dropped us off. The shuttle driver first said he had gotten lost but would be there shortly. Then he claimed he was there, but we weren't. After an hour of this, long past frustration, I struck out with Robert's phone in my face—GPS app engaged, my phone in my ear—clueless Red Coach customer service rep yammering but, no cane. I was hoping that maybe, with the help of technology, I might get coordinates, a street name, something? What I got was a broken toe. I was totally not looking where I was going and kicked a bike rack, hard! Uttering another even more unladylike word and groaning, I limped along, finally getting some cross-street information I relayed to the customer service rep. Hurting, hot, and frantic to get to the "Miracle"—at this point it would be a miracle, I determinedly demanded that they abandon the shuttle idea and send an Uber. Something in my voice must have convinced them because they agreed and soon, a delightful young man from Cape Town South Africa arrived. His calm, friendly manner brought Robert and I down "off the ledge" and we were soon charmed by his accent and carrying on a great conversation. Sum two hours late, we finally make it through customs and onto that Miracle, connect with our friends and find a place to sit! My toe hurts enough for five people, and I'm trying hard to "buck up". Of course, since I'm the "guide dog" now, Robert can feel the pronounced limp with every step. So, I submit to ice plus elevation plus alcohol equals a less painful and swollen toe-toe! We totally missed the miracle of going under the Sunshine Skyway bridge that boasts a clearance of 193 feet but managed to make it on deck for the safety muster drill. Dinner was enjoyable, but further ship exploration would just have to wait. We called it a night and vowed tomorrow would be a new and better day! Our stateroom steward, Made, (pronounced Ma`dee) endeared himself to me early on, providing plenty of ice and a sympathetic pat or two. Sleep does wonders and the next morning found us raring to go! The coffee we located well, let’s just say it was hot liquid. We explored, ordered room service and since life’s all about learning, reconsidered that CHEERS package—it included coffee! Plus, by the time one ordered a drink—decent coffee, smoothie, cocktail, wine with dinner, or milkshake at an average of $7 a pop, you’d soon get your money’s worth. It is amazing all that is on a ship—pools, there were three, hot tubs, nail and massage salons, many retail therapy stores, acres of restaurants, and a whole city of one-armed bandits, just to name a few. And those one-armed bandits, well they captured my husband and that hussy, Lady Luck led him totally on! He enjoyed flirting with her way too much! The first stop on the itinerary was Cozumel where we’d prearranged to take a high-speed Twister boat excursion to a secluded island, Isla Pasion, for swimming, a Mayan lunch, drinks, and chilling! How could my inconsiderate, dare-devil self have forgotten “The Robster” doesn’t do circles within circles? What a great sport, that man! After refreshing with terra firma and a coke, he was right as rain, despite his dread of the return trip. Friendly and helpful folks, blue sky, unique shells, a swinging hammock, great local fair, and a green coconut are my take-away memories from there. Returning to the mainland of Cozumel that afternoon was yet another real “trip”. We’d planned to shop for a few specific things – a belt, sun hat, wallet, and so forth. Friends had counseled that many vendors expect and even like to haggle over the price—totally intimidating to me. Also, after a day at the beach—wind-blown from the wild Twister boat ride, with sandy feet and hair a mess—I was a reluctant shopper. But somehow, I found myself in Diamonds International—kicking and screaming all the way—NOT. I’ve long wanted a ring called a past-present-future. The three stones symbolize the love a couple has shared, the love they share now, and the unique love they will always have for each other. Telling myself and Robert I just wanted to look, I soon had the attention of a nice salesman. As you’d imagine, the quoted price for the beauty I wanted was way out of reach. I politely thanked him and began to turn away. Now, I had the full attention of the store manager, saying, “Not so fast. You act like you’re going to miss your ship or something.” Enter my Superman, Robert Miller. Oh my, could it be that today I’m proudly wearing that ring on my left hand! Wow! “Big diamond or a cruise?” Sweet as it is, the story could end right here! However, it’s only the second day of our 30th anniversary celebration. And you “betta Belize” the fun has just begun! Editor’s Note: This is Part 1 of this article. Part 2 will run in the May-June 2019 issue of the WCB. *** Tech Corner Smart TVs: Shop for Accessibility Features!! By John Richards If you are in the market for a new television, then maybe you should consider purchasing a smart TV. A smart TV connects to the Internet, as well as to a digital antenna, cable, or satellite service; making available to the user streaming content from familiar providers such as Amazon, Apple, Google, and Roku. Furthermore, streaming from other popular apps, including Netflix, Hulu, and many more that offer similar streaming content, are available. When shopping, whether it be on the Internet or from a local store, make sure you thoroughly read the manufacturer's description of the unit and make note of the accessibility features offered. If the description does not provide an adequate overview of the accessibility features, then call the support line of the manufacturer for more detailed information. Accessibility features should include some type of voice guide and magnification. Voice guide will allow the user to access the onscreen menus using synthesized speech while navigating the menus as well as echoing volume and channel selection. Also, source input selections are echoed. Some TV sets, while turned on, even say "off” when the power button on the remote is pressed. In addition, units like the latest models of the Samsung nU7100 series provide a selection in the accessibility features, allowing the user to access a spoken description of the buttons on the remote. Also, this model provides a feature, granting the user the option to enable voice guide at setup. Therefore, users can then use voice guide to navigate through the initial setup process. All you have to do is hold down the "mute" key to bring up the speech. This feature is not available in all brands or models of smart TVs. Accessibility features for low vision users enable them to magnify and change contrast of the on-screen menus. Brands and models will differ as to the low vision features available. I suggest you go to your local electronics store in your area and look at what they have to offer. Try out the accessibility features for yourself. Don't be afraid to ask questions. *** Poetry Corner By Shelley Sawyer Dear readers, With spring right around the corner, here is a nice poem for this new season. A Light Exists In Spring By Emily Dickinson A light exists in spring Not present on the year At any other period. When March is scarcely here A color stands abroad On solitary hills That science cannot overtake, But human nature feels. It waits upon the lawn; It shows the furthest tree Upon the furthest slope we know; It almost speaks to me. Then, as horizons step, Or noons report away, Without the formula of sound, It passes, and we stay: A quality of loss Affecting our content, As trade had suddenly encroached Upon a sacrament. *** This and That By Greg Lindberg I must thank Patricia Lipovsky of the Halifax Council for suggesting this new section of the WCB. “This and That” will be a regular feature that will consist of various tips, tricks, recipes, and a potpourri of other items of interest. If you come across anything like this or have an original idea you’d like to share, feel free to send it to me for consideration in this section. Moving Tips to Save Time and Money Most people assume that moving to a new apartment is inherently difficult and time-consuming. But it doesn't have to be if you have the right plan in place. Following a few simple tips can make the process of moving to your new home easy, and it can also save a surprising amount of money and time. One of the easiest ways to save time and money on your move is to request your change of address early. When you visit the post office to request a change of address, they'll often send you coupons for moving businesses and related companies in your area. You can use these coupons to save big money on your moving costs. Additionally, you can also save time since you won't need to search around for deals once you have these coupons in hand. Moving on a random day of the week is another way to make your move easier and much more affordable. Moving companies tend to be in high demand in the middle and the end of the month. If you move during one of these times, you can expect to spend a lot more money. Choosing a random day that's not during one of these periods will usually result in a lower quote, since there will be less demand. Finally, you can cut costs by using a strategy known as a hybrid move. Basically, this means you will hire a moving company for part of the project, and then handle the rest yourself. For example, you could use professional movers to transport large items such as your furniture, and then move the rest of your possessions on your own. With a hybrid move, your costs will be a lot more affordable. Reducing the amount of time and money required to move into a new home is easier than you might think. As long as you keep these tips in mind, your next move should be quick, easy, and budget-friendly. Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Apartment Therapy website at www.apartmenttherapy.com. *** FCB OFFICERS, 2018 – 2020 President, Sheila Young 2304 Amherst Ave., Orlando, FL 32804 sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 1st Vice-President, Mikey Wiseman 591 E. 15th St., Hialeah, FL 33010 wisemanmikey@gmail.com (305) 331-4870 2nd Vice President, Cassandra Jessie 408 White St., Daytona Beach, FL 32114 cassandrajessie@gmail.com (850) 980-0177 Treasurer, Mark Lear 708 Kristina Court, Port Orange, FL 32127 learm52@icloud.com (386) 788-0463 Membership Secretary, Sally Benjamin 1009 Concord Road, Apt. 106, Tallahassee, FL 32308 salbenjamin@comcast.net (850) 980-0205 Recording Secretary, Mary Tyson 291 Eddie Ave., Holly Hill, FL 32117 mtyson541@bellsouth.net (386) 212-9496 Immediate Past President, James Kracht 9901 SW 138th Street, Miami, FL 33176 jkk48@bellsouth.net (305) 251-6983 or (407) 378-3477 Editor of White Cane Bulletin, Greg Lindberg 3145 Meadow View Ln., Palm Harbor, FL  34683 glindberg@gmail.com (727) 543-9807 FCB Administrative Assistant, Kati Lear (800) 267-4448 (386) 763-3836     floridacouncil@comcast.net *** 2018-2020 FCB CHAPTER & SPECIAL AFFILIATE OFFICER LIAISONS Please contact your officer liaison if we can be of assistance or if you need anything from the Executive Committee. Broward Council of the Blind: James Kracht jkk48@bellsouth.net (305) 251-6983 Clay Council of the Blind: Mark Lear learm52@icloud.com (386) 788-0463 Greater Miami Council of the Blind: Sheila Young sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 Greater Orlando Council of the Blind: Mark Lear learm52@icloud.com (386) 788-0463 Halifax Council of the Blind: Sheila Young sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 Jacksonville Council of the Blind: Cassandra Jessie cassandrajessie@gmail.com (850) 980-0177 Manatee County Council of the Blind: Sally Benjamin salbenjamin@comcast.net (850) 980-0205 Miami Beach Council of the Blind: Sheila Young sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 Miami Metro Council of the Blind: James Kracht jkk48@bellsouth.net (305) 251-6983 Northwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Council of the Blind: Mikey Wiseman wisemanmikey@gmail.com (305) 331-4870 Palm Beach Council of the Blind: Sally Benjamin salbenjamin@comcast.net (850) 980-0205 Pinellas Council of the Blind: Sheila Young sheilayoung125@att.net (407) 425-9200 Sarasota Council of the Blind: Mary Tyson mtyson541@bellsouth.net (386) 212-9496 South Sarasota County Council of the Blind: Mikey Wiseman wisemanmikey@gmail.com (305) 331-4870 Southwest Florida Council of the Blind: Mary Tyson mtyson541@bellsouth.net (386) 212-9496 Tallahassee Council of the Blind: Cassandra Jessie cassandrajessie@gmail.com (850) 980-0177 Tampa Council of the Blind: Sally Benjamin salbenjamin@comcast.net (850) 980-0205 Braille Revival League of Florida: Mikey Wiseman wisemanmikey@gmail.com (305) 331-4870 Coalition for the Concerns of the Totally Blind: Mark Lear learm52@icloud.com (386) 788-0463 Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision: Cassandra Jessie cassandrajessie@gmail.com (850) 980-0177 Guide Dog Users of Florida: Mary Tyson mtyson541@bellsouth.net (386) 212-9496 Randolph Shepherd Vendors of Florida: James Kracht jkk48@bellsouth.net (305) 251-6983 *** Handy Telephone Number References Project Insight: (800) 267-4448 Bureau of Braille & Talking Book Library: (800) 226-6075 Division of Blind Services, State Office: (800) 342-1828 American Council of The Blind: (800) 424-8666 (Available 3:00 to 5:30 P.M. EST Monday-Friday only) ACB Legislative Hotline: (800) 424-8666 (Available evenings 8:00 P.M. to 12:00 Midnight EST and weekends 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. only) AT&T Disability Services: (800)872-3883 Press 00 and speak with your long distance carrier, or Florida only: (800)982-2891 BellSouth Disability Services: (800)982-2891 (From anywhere) Social Security: (800) 772-1213 (24-hour voice and touch tone accessible - THE END- FLORIDA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND 1009 Concord Road, Apt. 106 Tallahassee, FL 32308 21 1