BUCKEYE BULLETIN

The Revolution Is Here
by Eric Duffy

Join the Revolution in Ohio: Be a Part of the 2006 NFB-O Convention
by Mary Pool

Great News for NFB-NEWSLINE® Users
by Shelbi Johnson

Marching Together Toward Independence
by Jason Ewell

Different Drummers
by Paul Dressell

Blind JPL Student Intern Works on Mars-Bound Instrument

My First Convention
by Kathi Cassi

Convention Attractions

Buckeye Briefs

Calendar Activities

All of us in this organization hate to the very core of our beings the concept of the blind beggar with his tin cup and pencils. Our reaction is violent and visceral because we know full well that this image is fixed in the public mind as the ultimate representation of blindness. We are frequently intolerant of blind people who make their livings—sometimes a very good living indeed—by this shameless appeal to pity and primal fear. We know that we all pay a price every time this stereotype is reinforced by a blind person begging on the corner.
So it is a given that I hate begging and everything it stands for and that I struggle not to despise those who believe they have no choice but begging if they wish to survive. Yet I tell you that, if I could find no other way to raise the money we need to fund the programs of this organization, even feeling as I do about begging, I would take to the streets and beg to raise money to fund our work. That is how important I think our work is.

I found those words stunning and profoundly disturbing, but I have now lived with them for a number of years, and I have reflected on the truth they conveyed. They have forced me to examine my own personal reactions to the Federation’s efforts at fundraising.
I have noticed that I am far more willing to sell drawing tickets or small items if the cause to which the funds are going is not connected to blindness. This tells me that, when I sell chances or small items for the NFB, I have the niggling feeling that people will presume that I somehow benefit personally from their purchases. I suspect that subconsciously, at least, I feel a bit like a beggar capitalizing on the buyer’s pity for a poor blind person.
I know I am not alone in this reaction. Other blind people have told me as much when I have asked them to join me in doing such fundraising. I have gradually come to the conclusion that this reaction is misguided. I do not believe that friends and strangers see us as a sort of institutional beggar when we sell raffle tickets or Krispy Kreme doughnuts or wrapping paper. In fact, I have come to suspect that the expressed fear that such sales will be misunderstood is nothing more than a way of excusing myself for not trying harder at fundraising. That is one reason why Dr. Jernigan’s statement that he would be willing to engage in outright begging if he could find no other way to fund our movement is so disquieting to me.
Of course the Federation is in a new era. With the opening of the NFB Jernigan Institute, we are faced with the need to engage in fundraising on a scale that Dr. Jernigan could not have conceived of when he made his statement. But I do not believe that his view would be any different today. If anything, he would hold it even more passionately, because the range of projects in which we are engaged is even more ground-breaking and absolutely unique than it was in the seventies.
I am beginning to hear Federationists offer even stronger objections to the fundraising we are now doing, but I have come to the conclusion that their objections are nothing more than a twenty-first-century version of the old I-don’t-want-to-be-seen-as-a-beggar argument. The concern articulated by these folks is usually that we have lost our commitment to what the NFB has always stood for: helping individual blind people, doing Social Security cases, fighting court cases for individual blind people in trouble, assisting the newly blind. Of course we must continue to engage on all these fronts. The difference, as I see it, is that we used to be able to count on the good old national office to do the heavy lifting in these areas. Now that the programs conducted at the National Center for the Blind are so much more wide-reaching and innovative, now that we are leading the way in helping blind students to do math and science effectively, devising programs to help seniors adjust to blindness, providing the only truly objective place where people can learn about access technology, training professionals in consumer-based rehabilitation, and even helping to invent the first portable reader—now that we are engaged in projects like these—the state affiliates and local chapters are the parts of the Federation people turn to for personal help. We are closer to them anyway, so we actually are the folks who should be helping.
These changes take some getting used to. The world today is a different place. It used to be that a bunch of moderately articulate, well-informed blind volunteers could make a favorable impression on the powers that be locally or even nationally. We were the only blind people articulating our views, and even if our materials sometimes looked as if they had been assembled by—well, a bunch of blind people, they were acceptable because…. Today, if we are to be taken seriously on the national scene, we have to be professional, and our documents and literature have to look professional.
All these factors work together, requiring us to find new ways to raise the funds we need to do the work we have taken on and to prepare materials that will not be dismissed as unprofessional or second rate. We cannot assume that someone else in the organization will raise the big bucks for us. Our old patterns of selling things to each other will no longer do. We have to find new ways of reaching beyond our membership to all the friends, family members, and business and professional acquaintances that our nationwide network of member volunteers have as a reservoir of potential contributors.
Enter the Imagination Fund. Though grant writers at every level of the Federation are attempting to identify foundations that we can approach to fund projects and programs and our members are invited with ever greater eagerness to contribute to cover the costs of our activities, we have come to recognize that something more is needed. Two years ago we created the Imagination Fund, a fundraising program designed to tap funding sources beyond our membership. NFB members who raise funds from friends and family become Imaginators, as do those who actually make the gifts. A member can become an Imaginator by making a significant personal gift, but that misses the point. All of us know at least a few people who could make a significant gift to the NFB if we were to invite them to do so. The question is whether or not we will bother to do it.
The Imagination fund does not raise funds exclusively for the programs of the Jernigan Institute or even for all national programs. One quarter of the money raised in this effort is divided evenly among all the affiliates; another quarter is available to fund grant requests from affiliates and chapters; and the rest is allocated to fund national programs. Imagination Fund brochures and envelopes are available from Kristi Bowman at the national office. I hope that you will search your heart and conscience and join me as an Imaginator. People lose sight every day. Every day babies are born with little or no vision. Every hour someone decides to do something about poor vision or functional blindness. All these people need our help and can benefit from our expertise. You know about blindness. You can help if you will.
If push comes to shove, I hope I have the courage and commitment to stand on the corner and beg in order to fund our movement. I have decided to do everything I can to make certain that we never come to that extremity. I hope that you will think about these matters and join me as an Imaginator. I will be walking in the National Federation of the Blind March for Independence at the convention in Atlanta next July. To do so one must have raised at least $250. I hope that you will pledge yourself to raise that much as well. If enough of us do so, none of us will have to stand on the street corner selling pencils.

Here is what Jason Ewell has to say about the Reader: Participating as a beta tester of the Kurzweil NFB Reader has been a great opportunity. I have enjoyed being able to read material independently without being tied to a scanner at my desktop computer--including while on the plane on the way to convention. I also gave several demonstrations of the Reader to business people and service clubs in my community to show them the types of exciting projects the Federation undertakes. To me, however, the best thing about the Reader is that we are only getting started. I cannot wait to see the form that it takes five years from now.

Here is what Deborah Kendrick has to say:
The Kurzweil–National Federation of the Blind Reader is not an alternative to the Kurzweil 1000 software, used with a desktop scanner and Windows-based PC. It is also by no means a substitute for Braille. What it does, however, is make it possible for a blind person to read the constantly increasing and ubiquitous print that has long been completely unavailable to us. Never before had I read the instructions, ingredients, or nutritional information on a simple frozen food item from the grocery store. Never before had I read a restaurant receipt or the manufacturer's tags taken from a new sweater. Never before had I fished out those little mystery scraps of paper floating around in my briefcase and purse and readily identified them as a business card, a memo, a fact sheet from a conference, a flyer encouraging me to vote. People ask if the Reader is worth the high price tag. My own opinion is that independence is priceless, and the Kurzweil–NFB Reader is one more tool making our independence possible.

We dreamed of a research and training institute, and we now have a new building on the block that we own in Baltimore. The institute is alive with important programs and a capable staff. We dreamed of a portable reader, and we made that dream come true as well. This is what we do in the National Federation of the Blind. We have a machine and an organization that we can all be proud of. Universal Low Vision Aids now distributes the Reader. Anyone who purchases the Reader during our convention in November will get a free Playaway book, and shipping charges will be waived.

The revolution is here. Who can say exactly when it began, but it reached a high point in March when Kurzweil–National Federation of the Blind Reader Ambassadors were invited to the Jernigan Institute to begin beta testing the revolutionary portable reading machine. Readers were then sent to a larger group of beta testers called Reader Pioneers. Finally the revolution reached its zenith when the Kurzweil–National Federation of the Blind Reader went on sale at our national convention in Dallas. The reader was both purchased and celebrated.
The Kurzweil–National Federation of the Blind Reader was invented by Ray Kurzweil and the organized blind. Then blind people beta tested it. This incredible accomplishment has brought us closer to our goal of first-class citizenship. Our organization now has a higher status in the blindness field. Not because of the Reader itself, but because we have once again demonstrated that, not only can we dream big, we have the capacity to make our dreams come true. The Reader will be both celebrated and sold at the 2006 convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio.
This year the convention will be held at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center. Room rates are $63 plus tax per night. I urge you to make your room reservations immediately. Please be sure to make any requests for special accommodations when you reserve your room. For example, if you need a wheelchair-accessible room, be sure to make that fact known. Our block of rooms will be released on October 20. Please make your reservation before that date to be sure you have a room. Reservations made after October 20 will be honored at the convention rate as long as space is available, but who knows how long that will be? The Marriott is located in the heart of Cleveland, where the business, medical, and educational communities depend on the availability of hotel rooms. You can make your reservation before October 20 by calling (440) 542-2312.
I must warn you that restaurant charges are dismayingly high this year, but this is the price we pay for being in the center of a major city. At least the room rates are good, so let’s thank our lucky stars and pack granola bars.
The convention will take place in late November this year with a meeting of the board of directors on Thursday, November 16. As always we encourage everyone to preregister for the convention. A convention registration form is enclosed in this issue. By registering in advance, you will save five dollars on the cost of registration and a dollar or two on any meal you sign up for. It is important that we give the hotel accurate counts for all meals. Whether you preregister or register at the convention, you must register to get the NFB-O convention room rate. It has been some time since we had a convention in Cleveland, and this is a fine hotel. The quality of the hotel and its staff are, of course, never what makes a Federation convention exciting. No. We do that ourselves. The program that is now being planned for this convention has something for everyone. Amy Buresh, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska and a newly elected member of the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind, is our national representative. Amy is a brand new mom, and the Ohio convention will be her first as a national rep. She brings a great deal of energy to the Federation, and she will be bringing her husband Shane and their son Noah to Cleveland with her. The Thursday night meeting of the board of directors will be your first chance to meet Amy and the 2006 scholarship winners.
The parents are planning a full weekend of activities beginning on Friday morning. We encourage parents of blind children to plan to be there for the weekend. If you cannot stay for the whole weekend, please plan to come on Friday.
Friday morning will also include a technology workshop. This will be your first chance to get your hands on the Kurzweil–National Federation of the Blind Reader, but we will also have the newest advances in JAWS, PAC Mate, BrailleNote, and more.
Friday afternoon we will offer a seminar on practical self-defense. Those who wish to participate are encouraged to register in advance. The cost for preregistering will be $15, and those who register at the door must pay $20. This workshop is offered to those age seven and up. Participants should wear loose clothing, no jeans. For the safety of participants and instructional staff and for the peace of mind of the guide dogs, no dogs will be permitted in the room. This is the instructor’s requirement, and it makes sense to us. This course will involve extensive physical contact, and we do not want the dogs to react protectively, nor do we want this training to blunt such reactions when they are appropriate.
The course will be taught by Joel Dvorin, who is a ninth degree black belt and who owns and operates the Unified Martial Arts Academy. Mr. Dvorin is excited about working with our organization. Friday evening will feature a gospel sing and an auction. The gospel sing will include local talent and will be organized by J.W. Smith, who will also be the featured artist. The auction will not replace the Saturday night not-so-silent auction. Instead we hope to attract members of the general public to enjoy the music and support our organization.
Various committee meetings will also take place Friday evening. The Resolutions Committee will meet at 7:30 p.m. Through this committee the policies of the affiliate begin to take shape. If you have an issue you believe the affiliate should address in some way, write a resolution. The resolution should be typewritten and, if possible, accompanied by a Braille copy. If you cannot get it transcribed into Braille, do not let that discourage you. The important thing is that we have a print copy from which to work.
Resolutions must be sent to the attention of Paul Dressell no later than one week before the Resolutions Committee meeting. This year resolutions must be received in either the Oberlin or the Columbus office by Friday, November 10, 2006. Anyone wishing to submit a resolution for consideration after this date must persuade a member of the Resolutions Committee to sponsor it and bring it to the committee. Resolutions for which the committee votes recommend do not pass will not be considered by the Convention unless three chapter presidents present and voting at the Convention sign a request to bring the resolution to the floor.
The first general session of the Convention will begin at 9:00 a.m. Saturday. During this time we will receive a report from our national representative and hear from many other interesting speakers. The noon lunch break provides the opportunity for division and committee meetings as well as other activities. Once again this year we will have the extended lunch break that we have often had in recent years. As always, box lunches will be available for those who order them in advance. Mark the convention registration form to indicate if you would like to attend one of the lunch meetings.
The second general session will begin at 3:00 p.m. Again this is your chance to hear from speakers and participate in items to help you learn about and build the organization that affects the lives of all blind people. The afternoon session will adjourn at 5:00 p.m. Don't miss the social hour from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. The banquet will begin at 6:30. This is always the high point of a Federation convention. I am already looking forward to Amy's banquet address. Individual and chapter awards as well as scholarships will also be presented during the banquet.
We are once again planning our Not-So-Silent Auction. It has been a lot of fun during the last two years. I don't know what the after banquet entertainment plans are yet, but I do know this is always a good time to make new friends and renew acquaintances.
The Sunday morning session will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a memorial service. Immediately following the conclusion of the service we will move into the general business of the affiliate and elections. The convention will end no later than noon.
If all of this is not enough to entice you to start planning for the convention now, consider the following information taken from the Marriott Web site:
Located in the most prestigious part of Cleveland's business district, the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center is the perfect urban setting for business and leisure travel. Rising twenty-five stories above the city and attached to Key Tower, the hotel provides breathtaking views of Lake Erie and the skyline. With our newly renovated guest rooms, we've set the benchmark in guest accommodations. Reminiscent of an urban downtown residence, all 400 rooms feature flat-screen TV's, luxurious bedding, sleek furniture, and wireless high-speed Internet access. Known as the place to be seen, the lobby reflects a traveler's need for a place to meet friends, close business deals, or call home and stay connected. Whether you're attending a meeting or visiting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, rediscover the wonders of travel by sleeping late, savoring culinary delights, or returning to your exercise routine.
Ten million dollars in guest room renovation is completed. Upgraded bathrooms and luxurious bedding package high-speed Internet and wireless access, on-command videos, and voicemail in every room, five floors of Concierge guest rooms and a private Concierge Lounge open Monday through Friday only, fifteen suites perfect for a romantic getaway or an intimate meeting, Fit for You in-room fitness options with instructional video for private workouts.

Please complete the convention registration form and make your hotel reservation as soon as possible. I look forward to seeing you in November.

NFB-NEWSLINE has been an exciting and robust service since its beginning. As is the case with all things we do in the NFB, we didn't stop improving NFB-NEWSLINE once we knew we had a service that worked. Each time we announce improvements to NFB-NEWSLINE, I wonder where it will stop, and of course I hope it never does. I have a lot of exciting news to report, so I will begin with some changes that have occurred since our last newsletter:
1. Associated Press articles: NFB-NEWSLINE now offers Associated Press news feeds for all fifty states directly to subscribers as the news happens, twenty-four hours a day. Ohio AP articles can be accessed by selecting option three after logging into the free system. The national AP news feed can be accessed by pressing the five key followed by the one key after logging into the system.
2. Diabetes Self Management magazine is now available on NFB-NEWSLINE by pressing the seven key after logging into the system. This magazine features articles about nutrition, exercise and controlling diabetes.
3. Most newspapers on NFB-NEWSLINE can now be delivered to your email inbox each morning, including many Ohio papers. Newspapers distributed from the NFB-NEWSLINE system arrive in your email in a Daisy file format. These files can be read on your computer by a Daisy text reader or portable devices such as Book Port, BookCourier, or the PAC Mate. You control what newspapers are emailed to you each day by placing the newspapers you wish to receive in your favorites list, accessed by pressing key four after logging into the system.
In order to sign up for the NFB-NEWSLINE email delivery service, you must contact the national NFB-NEWSLINE office by calling (866) 504-7300 and request that an email delivery agreement be mailed to you. You should read this agreement carefully, sign it, then return it to the NFB at the address on the form. Basically the email delivery agreement states that you will not, under any circumstances, forward any newspaper files that you receive from NFB-NEWSLINE to anyone. Email material received from NFB-NEWSLINE is expressly for your use only. You may also request this document by sending an email request to . We added six new Ohio papers to the system at the end of June. They are the Canton Repository, Independent Ohio, Lake County News Herald, Times Reporter, Toledo Blade, and the Warren Chronicle Tribune. We hope to add additional papers as funding permits.
If you have never signed up for this valuable service that keeps you informed about the world around you, please call (866) 391-0841. You should also call this number if you need to be reminded of your codes or are having trouble making the system work.

Building and supporting the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute is the largest endeavor we have ever undertaken. In the fewer than three years since it was established, we have sustained our existing programs while broadening our horizons and initiating new programs, a feat which would have been inconceivable a mere decade ago. In order to finance our ongoing programs across the organization as well as supporting the new projects of the Jernigan Institute, we have established the Imagination Fund. Federation members, affiliates, and chapters are welcome to contribute to this fund, but our primary intention is to solicit contributions from outside the organization. Each of us should invite contributions from family members, friends, and business associates who will support our cause simply because it is our cause. These supporters can include those who have recognized the life-changing impact the Federation has had on our lives and those who have learned something about the NFB’s work through our conversation or public presentations.
This year the Imagination Fund has added a new and exciting element. On the opening morning of our 2007 national convention (July 3) in Atlanta, we will hold our first ever National Federation of the Blind March for Independence (BMI). Picture hundreds of Federationists marching through the streets of Atlanta beside members of the business community, some wearing blindfolds and using white canes. Every Federationist who pledges to raise $250 or more for the Imagination Fund is eligible to participate. We hope to have at least twenty Ohioans signed up for the March by the time of our state convention in November. This is an ambitious goal, but the Federation spirit is as strong in Ohio as it is in any other state, and I know that no one will want to miss this exciting opportunity.
Many of our members, either because they do not consider themselves good at fundraising or because they usually do not enjoy it, hesitate to get involved in it. We need to overcome these limitations in our thinking if we are to reach our full potential as an organization. Believing that you are not a good fundraiser is no reason to avoid this project, leaving the full responsibility of meeting our goal to your brothers and sisters in the movement. If you need advice about how to ask for support, I am happy to give it, and so are Barbara and J.W. If you are committed to conducting seminars for blind vendors, blind students, or parents of blind children, remember that these programs can thrive only if we have the financial resources to support them.
If you want to contact me individually about this program, email me at , or you can contact our national office at . We can send you literature about the Jernigan Institute and the Imagination Fund that you can use when inviting friends and family to help. Remember that the most important part of any invitation is your personal appeal by letter or in-person ask. We have special envelopes for you to include with any materials you give to those you are asking. Be sure to have someone fill in your name as the Imaginator in the proper blank on the flap of the envelope. Checks of course can also be sent to the national office in a standard envelope care of the Imagination Fund. Let's make Ohio proud in Atlanta in 2007. My feet will be on the street; let's march together.

Federationists are sometimes accused of not thinking for themselves or always marching in lock step with leadership. Those of us who attended the workshop on advocacy conducted on Wednesday, July 5, at the national convention in Dallas, realized that there were nine different drummers who recounted their philosophy and experiences with advocacy. All of the speakers enjoyed their advocacy work, but they approached it in various ways. Some adopted a go-slow technique, while others favored a more aggressive approach.
Jim Gashel, NFB executive director of strategic initiatives, regaled us with several advocacy cases in which he had participated during thirty-two years as director of governmental affairs. "Advocacy is fun," he told the audience as he described current and past activities he has been involved in from picketing Baltimore Light Rail to confronting the airlines about surrendering his cane and rewriting rules for the Tennessee Business Enterprise Program. Scott LaBarre, president of the National Association of Blind Lawyers as well as the NFB’s Colorado affiliate, advocated a go-slow approach. He exhorted Federationists involved in litigation to "document, document, document"; he may have declaimed that sentiment a couple of more times, but I think you get the point: save all documentation, make notes, and do not throw anything away. Ron Gardner, president of the NFB of Utah, cited the two costs of litigation: financial and emotional. He pointed out that effective advocacy can avoid these costs. Gardner encouraged Federationists to read The Freedom Revolution: Jernigan in His Words and to reread the 1976 banquet address, "Of Visions and Vultures."
Carrie Gilmer and Kristi Bowman presented advocacy from a parent's perspective and advised parents how to handle IEP meetings, especially when they receive late notices, which is often the case. Betsy Zaborowski, executive director of the Jernigan Institute, described the humane side to advocacy: be an effective communicator and know when and when not to compromise; spend time listening and be respectful of your opponent's views; restate what your opponent has just said and show interest in what the other person is saying. Greg Trapp, member of the New Mexico Commission for the blind, advised that starting lower and raising the bar sometimes achieves the best results. New Mexico agencies spend the most per capita for assistive technology and achieve the best employment outcomes.
President Maurer counseled Federationists to "Know the system and have a written plan. Don't be afraid to take short cuts in advocacy. If you're an advocate, you want to be in charge, so exude the confidence, knowledge, and personality that will place you in command of the situation." President Maurer warned that conflict is part of the advocacy process and no single strategy will achieve success. He concluded his remarks by stating that advocacy, properly managed, gets things done that otherwise would not get done.
Norma Crosby, mentoring coordinator at the Louisiana Center for the Blind, was the final drummer--I mean speaker. She advised that one should thoroughly know about the person for whom advocacy is being conducted. She said, "Ask for what is reasonable and right." So what does one make of all these drum beats, various rhythms, and differing cadences? I believe that wisdom dictates a thorough knowledge of each approach and a judicious application of the technique that will be appropriate in each situation. This was truly a worthwhile workshop, and Bernie and I felt truly privileged to have had the opportunity to attend it.

Not many teenagers can say they've worked on an instrument that will fly in space. Kelly Wills will be able to add that unusual accomplishment to his resume, after his experience working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory this summer. The eighteen-year-old student from Middletown, Ohio, loves science and plans to major in engineering physics. His accomplishments and goals are even more remarkable because he wants to be a scientist even though he can't see.
Wills is legally blind. As a child he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition. He hasn't been able to see anything more than blurred images or colors since he was in the eighth grade. But that doesn't stop him from working with spreadsheets for the tunable laser spectrometer, one of the instruments that will be used on the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory. When it is launched into space in 2009, the laboratory will be the largest rover ever sent to another planet. The laser spectrometer will allow scientists to determine the composition of rock samples and atmospheric gases around Mars.
Wills and his mentor for the summer, JPL senior research scientist Dr. Martin Buehler, are working in the JPL Micro devices Laboratory, studying ways the spectrometer's battery can conserve energy once it reaches Mars. "We want to minimize the power consumed by the tunable laser spectrometer in order to accommodate other power-hungry units," Wills said.
With the help of his talking computer, Wills has been studying calculations and spreadsheets on the spectrometer's power consumption. "It may seem like only a small part, but Kelly's really doing a valuable job," Buehler said. "In fact he found an error in one of the calculations."
Buehler needed to find a way to expose Wills to the circuit diagrams and graphs on the instrument. Buehler sought the help of his wife, who's familiar with arts and crafts, for a solution. "She suggested aluminum foil. She said I could draw the diagram and then Kelly could feel it on the other side," he said. The idea worked. Buehler now uses a tactile drawing kit to draw out images like circuit diagrams on a clear thin sheet of plastic so Wills can feel the raised lines, which are similar to Braille. "I don't have a problem feeling the lines," Wills said. "The circuit diagram helps me figure out the output voltage and things like that."
Wills was so excited about coming to work at JPL he skipped his high school graduation so he could start his ten-week internship on schedule. Wills was able to work at JPL through an internship with the National Federation of the Blind and JPL's Minority Education Initiatives Program.
This is the first time Wills has been away from home for this length of time, but he says he has adjusted really well. "Everyone at JPL has been great," Wills said. "It's really cool working here." Since he's been in Los Angeles, Wills has attended a Dodgers game and a popular amusement park with a few other interns.
Buehler took Wills on a field trip to the desert so he could touch a cactus and hear the trains in the Cajon Pass. "With a handicapped person we try to make them just like us. Instead, we should embrace their differences and hear their ideas. It really makes a difference," Buehler said.
This fall Wills will take his JPL experiences with him to Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, where he will continue to study science and engineering. He says he wants to return to JPL and study nanotechnology. When it comes to a confident spirit, Wills has 20-20 vision.

My name is Kathi Cassi, but I would much rather be identified as Adam and Luke’s mom. We were content living a small-town life. Like all families we had our problems, but they were nothing we couldn't deal with. Then my son Luke, who is now nineteen, began to lose his vision soon after high school. While in high school he excelled in sports and socializing. His biggest worry until then was that he and his friends, (many of whom he had had since kindergarten) were all about to go separate ways.
The doctors determined that his vision loss was caused by a disease our family had never even heard of called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. The fact that it is a mitochondrial disease that is passed from the mother added another dimension to the horrific pain, shock, and sadness that I was feeling upon learning my son was losing his sight. I felt extremely guilty. I also began to worry about my other son, Adam. Would this terrible disease strike him? I went into a mother’s mourning having lost such a precious part of my child.
As I rose from my despair, I was ready to fight. I found Barbara Pierce, and she encouraged us to attend the national convention in Dallas. She also encouraged Luke to consider going to the Louisiana Center for the Blind for adjustment-to-blindness training. With much hesitation, not knowing what to expect, Luke and I went to the NFB convention in Dallas. We hooked up with other Federationists in Cleveland, and the welcome, fellowship, unity, and friendship never stopped. We have both made life-long friends.
When we arrived in Dallas, Luke and I met his roommate for the week. I told this gentleman that he did not have to worry about babysitting Luke because he is very independent. Eric Duffy assured me that he would not babysit even if I wanted him to. After a while I almost wished I had persuaded him to make that babysitting commitment.
Luke may not always have gotten A's in academic subjects in high school, but he always got A's in “plays well with others.” Most of the time I could not keep up with him. I found myself knocking on the door or calling the room asking Eric if he knew where Luke was. After a while, when Eric heard my voice, he automatically said, "No! I don't know where he is, and I don't want to know where he is."
Here are a few things I learned from the convention: 1. I learned that blindness doesn't rob a person of his gifts. Luke can still make friends as easily as he ever did.
2. I learned that I have taken life and vision way too seriously.
3. I learned that you don't need pictures or souvenirs to carry home; the memories are in your heart.
4. I learned that the most important things in life cannot be seen: God, love, self-confidence, success, and joy.
5. I learned that our days are measured. Whether we enjoy life and what we do with our time is our choice and in our power.
6. I learned that my son is going to be ok. He has tapped resources that he never knew he had. His mind, heart, and soul are intact. He is strong and kind and fun to be around. He holds his head high and carries and presents himself with confidence.
7. The image of a hero you've spent a lifetime constructing can change in a week or in the blink of an eye.
8. Stupidity, meanness, and lack of compassion are more blinding than the loss of eyesight.
Thank you, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio; you taught me how to see. Luke is now attending the Louisiana Center for the Blind and reports that things are a little tough but certainly doable. I miss him terribly, yet I have great confidence that he is where he should be. This belief is reinforced each time he calls with his friends near by, eager for him to get off the phone.

We at Unified Martial Arts would like to invite you to attend the self-defense seminar that we have planned for you. Over the last fifteen years we have taught young and old blind and hearing-impaired students as well as students with other disabilities. As the head instructor of Unified Martial Arts I have been involved in martial arts for fifty-one years and have come up with many ideas and techniques that you can incorporate into your everyday life that can help you be better prepared for what is happening around you every day.
This seminar will be hands on, and we request that you not bring your guide dog into the seminar with you. Your dog is your first and best protection if you have one, but we intend to teach you what you can do for yourself. The other instructors and senior students whom I will be bringing and I will have over 150 years of martial arts training. I will be bringing two youth students to work with children so they will not be intimidated by adults. If you have any questions before the seminar, please contact me, Joel Dvorin, (216) 256-4298, owner and head instructor, Unified Martial Arts Academy.

Gospel, Braille, and a Silent Auction

NFB of Ohio's fundraising committee is sponsoring a Gospel music concert and silent auction Friday evening, from 7:00 to 10:00. Performers will include our own J.W. Smith, Donny Boggs, Marilyn Donehey, Macy McClain, and Kyle Conley, along with notable musicians from the Cleveland scene.
While enjoying the concert, refreshments, and soft drinks, participants can also engage in some lively silent competition for the fabulous auction items gathered by the committee. All proceeds will go toward increasing Braille literacy awareness in Ohio.
While our target audience is the general public to raise awareness of the importance of Braille, Federationists are also welcome. Just have the $5 ticket price in hand. For questions or to contribute auction items, please contact Sheri Albers at (513) 583-8697 or by email at .

The Cleveland chapter invites you to join the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio for an after-banquet party featuring music by Eddie Bacus, his son, and soloists. Mr. Bacus is a totally blind entertainer who is well known in the Cleveland area. So come and have some fun and show our love and support to Mr. Bacus.

What do you think the following things have in common? 1. The confidence and incentive to use the skills I received through rehabilitation. 2. Information about where and whom to go to for assistance when a problem occurs. 3. The joy of getting together with other blind people and sharing ideas and experiences. 4. Access to newspapers and magazines through the telephone. 5. The opportunity to travel to conventions to work together to improve the lives of all blind people. 6. The chance to be informed about legislative matters that concern all blind people and work toward a common goal. Have you figured out the answer yet? The answer, of course, is that these are all gifts you and I have received from the National Federation of the Blind.
In order to keep our organization doing its important work, it needs support through our contributions. I am happy to give back through the Pre-Authorized Check Plan, which allows me to have the amount I stipulate withdrawn from my checking account. This monthly amount is automatically sent to the National Federation of the Blind without my having to do a thing. As our state convention draws near, I encourage you to consider this easy way of giving back to the NFB. It is as simple as filling out a PAC card and attaching a voided personal check before returning them to me. I will have PAC cards at the convention. You can use one to increase your existing PAC contribution or to become a member for the first time. Just be sure to bring a voided check with you if you intend to sign up. What better way to show appreciation of such worthy gifts than to give as good as we get?

I would like to thank the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio for inviting me and my family to the state convention last year. It was such a blessing to be meeting other guide dog users. I was inspired by hearing and sharing stories of personal experiences and helpful advice. I enjoyed meeting many wonderful people. It was great fun. I feel more confident with the wealth of information I received from attending all the activities. I encourage everyone to come and enjoy this year’s state convention. Thank you again, NFB -O.