SPRING 2001

BUCKEYE BULLETIN

Spring 2001
Buckeye Bulletin

a publication of the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

Eric Duffy, Editor
575 E. Beechwold Blvd.
Columbus, OH 43214-1803
eduffy@pobox.com
http://www.nfbohio.org
1-800-396-NFBO

Sylvia Cooley, Production Editor
Barbara Pierce, President
237 Oak Street
Oberlin, OH 44074-1517
bbpierce@pobox.com
Phone/Fax: (440) 775-2216

And the Winner is...
by J. Webster Smith

One Blue Shoe and One White Shoe
by Sherry Ruth

Bright Ideas
by Dana Ard

COTA Sued by Group Representing the Blind
by Robert Ruth, Dispatch Staff Reporter

Next Stop

NFB-O Testifies
by Eric Duffy

Rasaan Roland Kirk
by Paul Dressell

NFB Camp
by Carla McQuillan

HumanWare Products
by Jim Sullivan

2001 NFB of Ohio Committee Assignments

Going Home
by Paul Dressell

Thank You, Barry, from a Chapter President
by J. Webster Smith

"And the winner is": I cannot tell you how many times over the last four or five years I've heard that phrase. I must honestly tell you I have also heard phrases like "And the first runner-up is, Ebony Smith" and "The second runner-up is, Joshelyn Smith," and "The winner is Joshelyn Smith," and "Our new reigning queen is, Ebony Smith." I am the proud father of two little girls, Ebony (eleven) and Joshelyn (seven), who for the past four or five years have competed in beauty pageants across Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Ebony has traveled to Montreal and Las Vegas to participate in beauty contests, and both of my girls have participated in international contests in Atlanta, Georgia.
Beauty contests are interesting because they are good for the sighted. I am a blind father who has been blessed with two beautiful little girls. They get their looks from their mother and, I think, from my mother as well. As a result of these last four or five years, I have come away with certain lessons and observations about blindness and beauty pageants in Ohio.
I had no idea there were so many beauty pageants for young people across this state. My daughters could compete in a beauty pageant every other week in some part of this state year-round. It is a grueling process. I never thought my wife would get as gung-ho about this as she has, but once my wife commits to something, she goes all out, so, needless to say, she has placed many miles on our car over the last several years going from Athens to Chillicothe, Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, Akron, and on and on.
We have spent more money than you would believe on dresses for little girls. My wife has saved money because she is a creative seamstress. Nevertheless, we've spent up to five or six hundred dollars on a little girl's dress. It has been expensive, but it's been well worth the expense because both girls have gained a lot of self-confidence. In addition to the actual dresses, there are photo shoots, which can take hours and can be quite expensive, depending on who does them, and of course travel and contest entry fees as well.
Pageants are competitive. Like some sports teams, some parents are more concerned about their children doing well than the actual participants. One of the things I love about my wife is that we have always maintained a balance and conveyed to the girls that win, lose, or draw, have fun. As long as you are having fun, that's all that really matters. However, sometimes their competitive juices flow, and I think healthy competition is not necessarily a bad thing. Joshelyn, my seven-year-old, entered things sort of late. She really likes to please her parents and big sister. In that context competition can be a good thing. My girls have done well, and a visit to either of their rooms would show you some of their accomplishments. They are stacked with trophies, medallions, crowns, and all the rest. Many of these trophies are taller than the girls.
Pageants are hard work. Contrary to popular belief, a pretty face is just a small part of the whole thing. Quite honestly, I cannot go to many of these pageants because I can't keep up with the pace. The contestants get little sleep, the events tend to last two or three days, and several outfit changes are required. Add to these 7:00 a.m. hair and makeup appointments, and you have some idea of what these events are like. The crowning ceremonies themselves can take a couple of hours. I do think they teach the girls that something worth having is worth working for, and I think my girls have learned that.
These pageants have allowed me to meet some very talented young people: instrumental musicians, singers, dancers, jugglers, and actresses. I have no doubt that I will hear about some of these people a few years down the road. Joshelyn has demonstrated amazing musical ability. Of course the people are intriguing. One observes a myriad of personalities and responses to events. It's often interesting to see the grandparents and the parents trying to keep a two-year-old together long enough to walk her across the stage. Contestants practice routines in the hallways and get last-minute tips about how to handle the judges. It's an enormous spectacle.
As a blind father the comments people have made to me have been fascinating. Sometimes they've been comments like "Boy, if you could only see how beautiful your girls are, you would really be proud of them," and I always chuckle at that statement. I am proud of them, I know how beautiful they are, and that beauty goes beyond facial structure, makeup, and clothes. One of the reasons why my wife and I have allowed our girls to become as involved in these contests as we have is that it's done so much for their self-confidence and maturity.
One pageant stands out in my mind. It occurred at the King's Island Resort just outside of Cincinnati. It was a pageant not particularly based on physical beauty alone but on academic achievement as well. An essay and interview were required. In fact, these components of beauty pageants always get overlooked by the media. This particular pageant called for the kids to be escorted by one of their parents. Naturally my wife went with one, and I went with the other. I picked Ebony, the eleven-year-old, and my wife picked Joshelyn. We walked across the stage with them arm in arm as a chaperone. Then they each made their introductions, and we had to come and get them. I was uneasy about this procedure because in this situation I didn't know how Ebony would feel about her blind father with a white cane. Needless to say, we pulled it off without a hitch. Though Ebony did not win that contest, she did win that category for poise and presence on stage.
My kids are proud of their father, and they let everybody know that. It goes without saying that I am just as proud of them. I do not know where they will end up. They are both doing commercial and print ads now, but wherever they end up, I can certainly testify that true beauty is not just skin-deep.

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. Many people experience vision loss and other diabetes-related complications each year. Although we do what we can to reach out to these people and let them know about the National Federation of the Blind, we cannot get to everyone. But the organization often has a profound effect on the lives of those we do reach. That is exactly what happened to me.
Shortly after losing my sight and suffering from renal failure, I had to begin dialysis. One Saturday my then six-year-old son Tony rode with me up to the eleventh floor of the building where I went for treatment. Just as the elevator opened on to a lobby filled with people waiting for dialysis, he said quite loudly, "Hey Mom, how come you have on one blue shoe and one white shoe?" I felt mortified, not only for myself, but for the entire blind population.
I have faced other embarrassing situations. For example, I once linked arms with a man who was slightly intoxicated in the parking lot of a restaurant. I thought my sister had come around the van we were getting out of, but I was mistaken. This man probably thought it was his lucky night. As I think back on these experiences, I realize that I have a habit of taking responsibility for all blind people when I do something embarrassing or just plain clumsy. When I was a sighted person, I remember tripping over my own feet or dropping soup on a favorite blouse, but then I felt humiliated only on my own behalf.
Both of the events just mentioned happened in the early years of my blindness, when low confidence in my ability to perform in public like any other person probably contributed to my confusion. I have been a member of the National Federation of the Blind for ten years now, which is almost as long as I have been blind. Each year I learn to laugh at the mishaps more and more easily. In fact, I find that people are more willing to laugh with me now that I am more relaxed and at peace with who I am. In the early days, when people laughed at one of my misadventures, I just assumed that they were laughing at my ineptness and embarrassment. This organization has given me great self-esteem and a belief that I am a worthy and capable person and do not need to carry the burden of all blind people with me when I go out in public. Sure, I want to demonstrate that blindness does not have to limit living life to its fullest, but ultimately we have the right to equality in all things, even humiliation.
No one would choose to be blind, but for those people losing vision every year, there is no better medicine than meeting other blind people who are living normal and productive lives. The way to do that is through involvement in the National Federation of the Blind. The Federation's belief that it is okay to be blind, once it has been internalized, is absolutely liberating. The Federation has changed my life forever. I now work to find ways to give others what I have been given. Reach out to a friend, family member, neighbor, or people you run into on the street and give them the National Federation of the Blind.

Ramona Walhof, NFB of Idaho Second Vice President, suggested that I write an article on labeling appliance dials. Since all of us have to use appliances in our daily lives, I thought this was an excellent suggestion.
Certainly the easiest way to have accessible appliance dials is to buy the appliance from a company that supplies tactile dials with their products. G.E., Hotpoint, and Whirlpool have supplied tactile overlays for their major appliances. Because of this I decided to purchase a Hotpoint electric range to replace my seventies-vintage avocado-green range, which had outlived its usefulness. After buying the appliance and ordering the tactile overlays, I was astounded to learn that the overlay for the stove was no longer being manufactured. Apparently Hotpoint had been sued and had to pay a considerable sum of money because of manufacturing these marked dials. Because the stove dials on this model are on the back of the appliance, the judge felt that it was unsafe for blind people to reach the back of the appliance to use it. Tactile dials were judged to contribute to this unsafe practice. As a result of this litigation, I understand that Hotpoint no longer manufactures tactile dials, at least not on ranges that have knobs on the back.
Honeywell manufactures a thermostat for the blind and visually impaired. The numbers forty through ninety are large, very tactile, and black on a white background. Each two-degree increment, located between the numbers, is represented by a tactile line. The thermostat clicks with each two degrees. I obtained this thermostat from the heating company that installed and maintains my furnace. One advantage of this device is that my husband can turn up the heat in the mornings without having to turn on the light. Although thermostats can be marked tactilely with Hiram, puff paint, tape, or any other substance that can make a raised mark, I think the thermostat is worth its price of about $50.
Sometimes dials do not have to be labeled at all. My stove dials click for high and decrease in temperature as they are turned clockwise. The six-o'clock position is medium. I have memorized which dials correspond to which burners. My toaster oven does not need to be labeled either. When the oven is set for 300 degrees, the pointer on the dial is located at 12 o'clock. I can judge temperatures by moving the dial to the right, and I can start it with no problem. My clothes dryer is very simple, with only one temperature setting. I am able to turn the dial to the approximate time I need to dry my load of laundry. One NFB member uses two pieces of cellophane tape to mark the permanent press setting on her dryer and the time of thirty minutes required to do most loads of laundry.
Speaking of cellophane tape, one of our members has a creative way of using it to mark her microwave screen. she places a piece of tape over the four, five, and six on the touch pad. The one, two, and three are located above the tape, and the seven, eight, and nine are under the tape. She uses another piece of cellophane tape for the zero and the start. By visualizing the microwave panel as a telephone keypad, she can enter the correct time without difficulty. Cellophane tape does not interfere with pressing numbers on the microwave.
Another NFB member purchased an adhesive plastic sheet from Payless. She had it cut down to fit the touch screen on her microwave and used her Braillewriter to make the appropriate Braille markings. As stated previously, tactile marks, including Braille labels, can be used to mark most dials. On oven dials some people want only one common temperature marked, like 350 degrees. My dial is fully marked using a line for each 100-degree and a dot for each fifty-degree increment. The twenty-five and seventy-five degrees are on the spots between the lines and the dots.
When buying an appliance, avoid those that are set digitally, since I know no way for these to be marked.

Irwin Hott and Eric Duffy say bus drivers don't announce stops for the blind. Buses are important for everyday travel by the blind, but public transit quickly loses its effectiveness when riders can't discern when to get off, say advocates for the blind.
Most Central Ohio Transit Authority drivers don't announce the names of major intersections and stops along their routes, says the Ohio chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, which filed a class-action lawsuit against COTA in U.S. District Court last week.
"Obviously, we can't drive cars," said Eric Duffy, Director of Field Services for the organization in Ohio. "The bus system in Columbus is the main reason I moved here from Newark." But when drivers don't announce their stops, blind passengers can end up exiting at the wrong place, said Duffy, 38, of the North Side.
COTA officials have sympathized with blind passengers when they complain, Duffy said, but they have failed to correct the problem. The Federation and two blind bus passengers--Irwin S. Hott and Marilyn Piepho--filed the lawsuit, saying the failure of drivers to announce bus stops and major intersections violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The suit asks for an injunction requiring drivers to announce stops and intersections and also seeks legal expenses. The plaintiffs are represented by the Ohio Legal Rights Service in Columbus.
Bus drivers are supposed to announce intersections where passengers can transfer to other buses and major stops, said Marie Keister, COTA corporate communications director. COTA officials do not regularly monitor drivers to ensure they are complying with the 25-year-old policy, she said. "We have 300 buses," she said. "We rely on our customers to complain." Hott said a COTA driver recently forgot to inform him when the bus approached his normal stop on the North Side. "I ended up two miles from home near Northland," Hott said.
Although he has been blind from birth and is experienced in walking over unfamiliar ground, Hott said missing his bus stop was irksome. "Walking along Karl and Morse (roads) is not my favorite activity," he said. Hott uses a guide dog to assist him.
Piepho, fifty-two, the owner of a property management business in Westerville, has a similar complaint. When boarding a bus, she tells the driver where she wants to disembark, she said. But drivers often forget, she added. "It's cost me money," she said. "I've missed appointments with clients and missed meetings with workmen at my rental properties."
COTA drivers can be disciplined if officials learn they repeatedly violate the policy, Keister said. She was unable to recall when a driver was last disciplined for failing to announce stops and intersections. COTA prefers to encourage drivers to comply with the policy through incentives rather than punishment, Keister said. Hott, Piepho, and Duffy said COTA's policy is worthless because officials fail to enforce it. "Actions speak louder than words, and we haven't seen any action," Hott said.
The Legal Rights Service sued COTA as a last resort, said Michael Kirkman, the organization's legal director. "We're confounded by COTA's reluctance to solve this problem," he said. "We've tried to negotiate with these people to no avail."

Central Ohio Transit Authority bus drivers should announce the names of intersections at stops along their routes. This isn't a difficult task, and it is vital to assist blind passengers in finding their way around the city. Further, the calling out of stops can be a real help to newcomers and visitors to the city, who are probably unfamiliar with the streets.
Many bus drivers do announce the stops, but many others don't. COTA officials say they have worked hard to spur the drivers to announce transfer points and major stops and have made clear that the law requires such actions and have included stop-calling in training and refresher courses. Drivers who announce stops well are commended, and those who don't can receive any of six penalties, ranging from counseling to temporary suspension from the job to firing. Such disciplinary measures are progressive, depending on the number of infractions.
Whether COTA has taken enough steps to ensure that drivers are calling stops is a matter of disagreement, however, between COTA and the Ohio chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. And unfortunately this dispute has landed in U.S. District Court, where last month the Federation filed a class-action suit claiming COTA drivers' failure to announce stops consistently is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Ohio Legal Rights Service in Columbus represents the Federation and says it went to court because COTA failed to respond adequately to the complaints of blind riders.
Noting that official complaints of failure to call stops fell to zero over the last two or three months, Marie Keister, COTA corporate communications director, says that COTA is aware of the problem and has been working to address the needs of the blind and other disabled people. COTA regularly seeks input from an Accessible Transportation Advisory Committee on how to improve service to the disabled.
Marilyn Piepho, who is blind and owns a property-management company in Westerville, said that, although she tells drivers where she wants to stop, they often forget. As a consequence she has missed appointments, meetings, and a financial loss because in business time is money. Her frustration is understandable. But because drivers are human, mistakes will occur.
Recognizing this, as buses are replaced and the budget allows, COTA plans to install enunciator systems, which can announce stops and also display them on a screen for those who are hearing-impaired, Keister said. Of course, like humans, technology isn't fail-safe.
The court refereeing this dispute, U.S. District Court in Columbus, has been a longtime participant in regularly scheduled Settlement Week events, when every effort is made to bring parties together to resolve disputes without the need for expensive trials. This is a conflict ripe for settling quickly. The Franklin County taxpayers, whose support is essential for COTA to operate, will want the bus system to do the right thing and, at the same time, save money by accommodating blind passengers.
"Regardless of what happens with the lawsuit, we are committed to working with the disabled community to improve our day-to-day service," Keister said.
This is a pledge worth keeping.
The key in this dispute is for COTA drivers to focus on making stop-calling a habit. They need to see that it is just as important as sticking to a schedule, ensuring each passenger pays a fare, and driving carefully. Helping the blind and every other passenger reach his destination without hassle is COTA's job. And when COTA does its job properly, it is doing its part to make Columbus a good place to live and work for everyone.

Mr. Chairman: My name is Eric Duffy, and I am the Director of Field Services for the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, the largest consumer organization of blind citizens in the state. My address is 575 E. Beechwold Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43214, and my telephone number is (614) 262-9378.
Diabetes and age-related macular degeneration are the two leading causes of blindness in the United States today. As the population ages, all of us will have a friend or relative who becomes blind or visually impaired. When people lose vision, they usually say that the two things they miss most are driving and reading. Nothing can be done about driving, but you can help blind people read again.
For more than sixty years the state of Ohio has worked in partnership with the Library of Congress to bring Talking Books and Braille materials to the blind of the state. Federal dollars are used to produce the books and to distribute them to the Regional Libraries for the Blind. In Ohio we are fortunate to have Regional Libraries in Cincinnati and Cleveland, as well as the equipment distribution center in Columbus.
State funds are needed to insure that machines and books are properly maintained and distributed. For the ten years preceding this biennium the legislature funded these three facilities at a level that left them unable to keep up with annual employee cost-of-living increases, rent adjustments, and other expense increases and still have funds to identify and serve new borrowers or improve existing service. During the last budget cycle the legislature funded the Library for the Blind Program at a level which enabled staff again to begin providing quality services to blind readers.
Unfortunately, in his budget the Governor is recommending a 3.1% cut of the core budget for our Talking Book Library program for FY 2002 and a 3.8% cut for FY 2003. This amounts to $41,822 and $51,265, which will force a reduction of staff performing basic services such as tape duplication and tape inspection. Perhaps this does not sound serious to you, but imagine reading a gripping novel or nonfiction book containing important information, only to discover that several pages or even half the book is missing.
Blind people cannot go to their local public library or purchase books and magazines at the corner store for casual reading. Despite today's technology many blind students still cannot access the Internet to do research. This program is all that many print-handicapped Ohioans have to combat illiteracy, isolation, and abject boredom. Show your blind constituents that you care by supporting our library program; give us continued access to the printed word. We recognize that money is tight, but please find a way to increase the funding for libraries for the blind in Ohio rather than slashing it.

The Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired is under the umbrella of the Ohio Rehabilitation Commission. We felt that it was important for both the members of the General Assembly and the Commission to understand that the Federation cares about quality services for the blind and that we will do what we can to see that these services are funded adequately. Here is my testimony on behalf of the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission:

Mr. Chairman: My name is Eric Duffy, and I am the Director of Field Services for the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, the oldest and largest consumer organization of blind citizens in the state. My address is 575 E. Beechwold Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43214, and my telephone number is (614) 262-9378.
I am here to testify in support of the budget request for the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (ORSC). Approximately one half of one percent of Ohio's citizens are blind. They can be either legally or totally blind. If they are legally blind, at best they see only 10 percent of what someone with normal vision sees. Total blindness means that one sees nothing at all. Of course some also have other disabilities in addition to blindness.
Blind people of working age currently face a 70- to 80-percent unemployment rate. We know that, in order for blind people to have jobs and live productive lives, we must have specialized training and services. In Ohio these services are provided by the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI), one of the three bureaus under the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission umbrella.
With less federal money coming into the state for rehabilitation services, the bureau has already made cuts in programs and services. The Business Enterprise Program, which provides opportunities for blind men and women to manage food-service and vending locations, has been drastically affected by the agency's need to save money. This is the best employment opportunity for blind people in the state. My job requires me to work closely with businesspeople in this program. Believe me: it cannot withstand further cuts.
The Agency's request for an additional $1,000,000 above that allocated for FY 2001 is not unreasonable. In fact, it is badly needed. Your job is to ask where the additional money for ORSC is to come from, and I frankly do not have that answer. But, in the process of making these very difficult decisions, the General Assembly must first understand what will happen to Ohio's disabled citizens without the rehabilitation services they need. The burden for assistance to these people will be shifted to other state agencies. They will not become tax-paying citizens. They will still require state funds, but with this difference: they will in future have no hope of becoming taxpayers without the rehabilitation they must have to compete for good jobs.

In his speech to the 2000 NFB-O Convention, Louis Mazzoli, Superintendent of the Ohio State School for the Blind, said that he had a goal of starting a Hall of Fame for OSSB Alumni. On Monday evening, December 11, a special ceremony was held to inaugurate the Hall of Fame. The first alumnus to be so honored was Rasaan Roland Kirk. At first I was somewhat puzzled by this selection; Ronnie--as we who were his classmates knew him--didn't graduate from OSSB. In addition, he was a day student. He did not stay on campus, and many of us really didn't get to know him very well.
Upon some reflection and after contacting our public library, I am convinced that great merit attaches to this choice. Rasaan attended the Ohio State School for the Blind from the late 40's to the early 50's, when he left school to pursue a music career. I remember in the fifth grade Miss Starkey, our teacher, insisted that we write all spelling words completely and not use either grade I or grade II contractions. She was concerned that, using these contractions, we would not really know how to spell. This so impressed Rasaan that he carried this on to the sixth grade. It was his misfortune that the teacher emphasized knowledge of contractions; she threatened to lower his grade if he didn't conform. He didn't and paid the price.
Not only was Rasaan Roland Kirk a great jazz virtuoso, he invented several instruments: the Rokon Whistle, the Stritch, and the Manzello. When playing these instruments, his appearance was not aesthetically pleasing, but the sound that emanated from his efforts soon made people forget about the visual and concentrate on the auditory. He was featured in such publications as Ebony and Time.
Kirk was socially active; he was concerned about the lack of African-American artists on TV and White artists using African-American compositions while not giving them sufficient credit. He did not subscribe to any organized religions but drew inspiration from dreams. Despite using the name "Rasaan," he was not a Muslim but adopted the name after having it revealed in a dream.
Rasaan Roland Kirk was born in 1936 and died in 1977. A wife Edith and a daughter survived him. For more information read "Bright Moments" by John Kruth.

During convention week children between the ages of six weeks and twelve years are invited to join in the fun and festivities of NFB Camp. NFB Camp offers more than just childcare; it is an opportunity for our blind and sighted children to meet and develop lifelong friendships. Our activity schedule is filled with games, crafts, and special performances designed to entertain, educate, and delight. If you are interested in having your children participate in this year's program, please complete and return the registration form provided. Pre-registration with payment on or before June 15, 2001, is mandatory for participation in NFB Camp. Space is limited, and last year some families had to be turned away.
About the Staff: NFB Camp is organized and supervised by Carla McQuillan, the Executive Director of Main Street Montessori Association, operating two schools, parent-education courses, and a teacher-training program. Carla is the mother of two children, the President of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind.
Michelle Ros is this year's Activities Director for NFB Camp. Michelle is a Montessori teacher employed by Main Street Montessori Association. Carla and Michelle will supervise a staff of experienced childcare workers and volunteers.
Activities and Special Events: The children are divided into groups according to age: infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children. Each camp room is equipped with a variety of age-appropriate toys, games, and books; and children will enjoy daily art projects. Blind teens will come in to read stories in Braille, and the National Association of Guide Dog Users will make a presentation. We will sing, dance, and play instruments with blind singer/songwriter Daniel Lamonds. In addition, the school-aged children will make excursions to the Farmers' Market and the Please-Touch Museum. On the final day of NFB Camp we will conduct a big toy sale--brand new toys at bargain prices.
Banquet Night: NFB Camp will provide dinner and activities during the banquet. The cost for banquet activities is $15 per child in addition to other camp fees.
NFB Camp will be open during general convention sessions, division and committee meeting day, and the evening of the banquet. Plenty of teens are always available to babysit during evening and lunchtime meetings. The schedule this year will be as follows:
Sunday, July 1, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Monday, July 2, Camp is closed.
Tuesday, July 3, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 4, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 5, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Friday, July 6, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 7, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-5:30 p.m.
You are required to provide lunch for your child(ren) each day.
Fees: for the entire Week (including banquet), first child $80, siblings $60 each. By the day, each child (does not include banquet), $20, banquet, $15 per child.
Please use the NFB Camp pre-registration form provided.

NFB Camp Pre-registration Form
Return no later than June 15, 2001
Please print or type:
Parent Information

Name:____________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip ________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________________________________ Child(ren) Information Name:_____________________________Date of birth __________Age____ Include description of any disabilities we should know about. Name:_____________________________Date of birth __________Age____ Include description of any disabilities we should know about. Name:_____________________________Date of birth __________Age____ Include description of any disabilities we should know about. Name:_____________________________Date of birth __________Age____ Include description of any disabilities we should know about. Weekly Fees: $80 first child, $60 each sibling (includes banquet) $_________ Daily Fees: $20 per child per day, # of days _____ $_________ Banquet Fee: $15 per child $_________ Total Due: $_________ Completed pre-registration form and fee must be received by June 15, 2001.
Make checks payable to NFB of Oregon and mail to National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, 5005 Main Street, Springfield, Oregon 97478, (541) 726-6924.

Even prior to its incorporation as HumanWare, Inc., in1988 HumanWare has been providing adaptive technology solutions for people who are blind and visually impaired and to those who have reading disabilities. Over the years HumanWare has developed a reputation for quality products and service. With corporate headquarters in Loomis, California, we enjoy a national presence with sales representatives and distributors located throughout the country. As an essential part of the Tieman Group, which is based in Holland, HumanWare enjoys a productive relationship with our affiliated company, Optelec US, makers of the Clearview CCTV. We also enjoy the ability to contribute to the development of new products such as Tieman's Braille Voyager. Offering an extensive line of products ranging from refreshable Braille displays to personal note-taking devices, HumanWare has been able to provide individuals, educational facilities, employers, and rehabilitation professionals with comprehensive adaptive technology solutions.
Please visit the HumanWare Web site at www.humanware.com for additional information about our products and services. In the last year and a half HumanWare has expanded its sales force. In August of 1999 I joined HumanWare as Ohio Field Coordinator. I am a 1994 graduate of Kent State University's Rehabilitation Counseling program. I worked for the Cleveland Sight Center and the Sensory Access Foundation in Sunnyvale, California, prior to joining the HumanWare team. I am available to provide individuals, schools, and employers with hands-on access to the BrailleNote, the Braille Voyager, and the many other products that HumanWare offers. I can be reached at (330) 528-1428 or at . Please contact me with questions or to request a demonstration of any of the many HumanWare products.
Many of you have heard about the new line of note takers from Pulse Data International. In March of 2000 HumanWare and Pulse Data International introduced the BrailleNote. This was followed by the introduction of the VoiceNote at Closing the Gap in October of 2000. Use of the Windows CE operating system gives users the ability to communicate and interface with mainstream computer technology. Simple connectivity enables users to exchange information with their PCs and laptops or allows their BrailleNote to be used as a Braille terminal with JAWS or Window-Eyes. True applications provide users with a fully functional word processor, relational database, daily planner, scientific calculator, and e-mail, all of which work together interactively.
BrailleNote users can choose either a 32- or 18-cell refreshable Braille unit. The 32-cell unit is priced at $5,195 and the 18-cell unit is $3,595. The superdisc drive external storage option is an additional $269.00. The VoiceNote is available in either a Braille or a QWERTY keyboard model. Priced at $1,999, it can be used with the superdisc drive as well. The Braille and Voice Notes all come standard with 8 Megs of flash memory for storage. This can be upgraded to 48 Megs for an additional $495 for those wishing to increase their internal storage capabilities. ATA memory cards are also available for additional storage space.
HumanWare looks forward to seeing those of you who will make the journey to Philadelphia for this year's NFB convention. Please take a minute to visit the HumanWare booth to meet Jim Sullivan and to check out what's new.

DEAF-BLIND ISSUES COORDINATORS:
These people work to identify deaf-blind citizens in Ohio and make them aware of the programs of the National Federation of the Blind. They also work with the President to make the concerns of the deaf-blind a part of the activities and programs of the organization. Paul and Bernie Dressell

AWARDS COMMITTEE:
This committee evaluates annually the chapter reports submitted by local chapters in order to determine the winners of chapter awards. The committee also evaluates the nominations for designated individual awards presented by this Affiliate. The Chair of this committee is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate plaques and certificates are available for presentation as determined by the President. He or she also writes an article about the award decisions and recipients for the edition of the Newsletter that immediately follows the state convention and maintains committee records of award winners.
Barb Fohl, Paul Dressell, Eric Duffy, Cheryl Fischer, and Wanda Sloan

CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE:
This committee reviews newly written chapter constitutions and amendments to existing chapter constitutions to be sure that they are in compliance with the constitutions of the state and national organizations. The Chair of the committee brings to the attention of the Affiliate President any problems with the constitutions of local chapters.
Paul Dressell, Annette Anderson, and Jason Ewell

CONVENTION COMMITTEE:
This committee works with the affiliate President and the host chapter for each year's annual convention to make convention arrangements.
Mary Pool, Eric Duffy, Richard McConnell, and Crystal McClain

DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR SELECTION COMMITTEE:
This committee reviews all applications for this award and selects a recipient when appropriate. The Chair of this committee works with the Affiliate President to disseminate information about the availability of this award and to encourage candidates to apply. The Chair sees that the materials to be presented to the winner are available at the time of the convention and that appropriate convention accommodations are made.
Eric Duffy, Crystal McClain, Ruth Boggs, Cheryl Fischer, and Debbie Baker

FINANCING THE MOVEMENT COMMITTEE:
This committee is comprised of the coordinators of the five organization-wide funding programs--Shares Unlimited in NFB, Pre-Authorized Check Plan, Associates, Jernigan Fund, and capital Campaign. They are to integrate their efforts to get time on the state convention agenda to raise funds. Each member is responsible for maintaining program records during the convention of contributions made and for ensuring that the funds and any accompanying paperwork reach the National Office. The committee also brings recommendations to the Board of Directors for contests and other promotional programs to assist in this fund-raising.
Sherry Ruth (PAC Coordinator), Annette Anderson (SUN Coordinator), Bruce Peters (Associates Coordinator), Mary Pool (Jernigan Fund Coordinator), and Jason Ewell (Capital Campaign Coordinator)

FUND FOR ASSISTANCE TO BLIND CHILDREN COMMITTEE:
This committee oversees efforts to publicize this program and reviews requests for financial assistance to purchase technology for blind children. It then makes recommendations to the President or Board about whether or not each request should be granted. It also advises parents about the appropriateness of specific technology for their children. The Chair of this committee maintains accurate records concerning decisions made by the committee. He or she also presents oral reports to the Board of Directors when appropriate.
Annette Anderson, Eric Duffy, and Crystal McClain

GUIDE DOG COMMITTEE:
This committee assists guide dog users with difficulties that may arise from the use of a guide dog. Such things include, but are not limited to, public access, proper training of the dog, and advice to individuals considering acquiring a guide dog for the first time. The Chair of this committee identifies dog users attending a state or national convention for the first time and discusses with them issues of importance to them.
Ken Velkovich and Debbie Baker (Cochair)
Annette Anderson, Barb Fohl, and Beth Miller

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:
This committee works to build and strengthen local chapters. The Chair of this committee works with the President to identify areas of the state in which to build new chapters and to prioritize chapter-strengthening activities.
J. Webster Smith, Paul Dressell, Eric Duffy, Crystal McClain, Rosy
Arnold, and Bruce Peters

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE:
This committee is responsible for evaluating employees of this organization, setting salary and wage levels for these employees, and making policy recommendations to the Board in other employee-related matters.
Barbara Pierce, J. Webster Smith, Sherry Ruth, and Barbara Fohl

RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE:
This committee writes and reviews resolutions brought to the convention. It also makes recommendations to the convention about whether resolutions should pass or fail. The Chair of this committee works with the President to ensure that the intent of the convention is clearly expressed in the final form of each resolution.
Jason Ewell, Paul Dressell, Marilyn Donehey, and Colleen Roth

SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE:
This committee promotes the scholarship program of the NFB of Ohio and reviews all applications for scholarships. The committee selects all scholarship winners and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors about how to strengthen this program. The Chair of this committee is responsible for helping scholarship applicants to complete their applications. He or she checks potential winner compliance with award requirements before each scholarship is offered. He or she is also responsible for ensuring that the materials for presentation to scholarship winners are available at the time of the convention and ensures that appropriate convention arrangements are made for each winner.
J. Webster Smith, Jason Ewell, Cheryl Fischer, Crystal McClain, and Bob Pierce

SENIOR CONCERNS:
This committee gathers and generates materials to help chapters assist blind seniors. It also articulates the concerns of these seniors.
Marilyn Donehey, Walter Diegel, Bob and Pat Eschbach, Billie Graham, Paul Dressell, and Mary Pool

Here is another article about life at the Ohio State School for the Blind during the late `40's and early `50's. These articles are not intended to pass judgment on events of that era but an attempt to describe peaks, plateaus, and valleys of day-to-day existence.
Before the construction of expressways, those of us who lived any distance at all from the school usually went home only during the typical vacations--Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and summer. There were both advantages and disadvantages to this situation. We thoroughly learned blindness skills--no parent or sibling was there to make our beds for us. On the other hand, family life was disrupted. I can remember sitting in church listening to the minister announcing upcoming events but realizing that I would be back in school. The most drawn-out time, of course, was the seemingly unending stretch between Christmas and Easter.
Like most students very few of us realized or appreciated the sacrifices made by our teachers and staff at OSSB. On the day we left for home, teachers and staff--blind and sighted alike, would come to the dormitories as early as 5 a.m. to make sure we were getting dressed and prepared to depart. In many cases the blind teachers and staff members took several of us to the bus or train station without sighted assistance. When we returned to school, however, blind employees were always accompanied by sighted coworkers, presumably to insure that reluctant returnees did not slip away. Today we recognize that blind employees can devise methods for keeping track of active blind children, but there was much more self-consciousness about blindness and techniques used by blind people back then. I remember in a civics class discussing how embarrassed we would be to read a Braille book while riding on public transportation. Such activities are routine nowadays.
Since passage of P.L. 94-142, going home on weekends is taken for granted. When I was in school, it was a genuine treat. Usually there was a statewide teachers' meeting in late October, which afforded us a long weekend. In late January I got to go home for a weekend near my birthday. In spite of this long drought of being at school, I was one of the lucky ones. Bus trips from Columbus to Cincinnati usually took over three hours; it took even longer to get to Cleveland.
A close examination of history helps one see how much progress has been made in changing attitudes about blindness. This progress can be directly attributed to the work of the National Federation of the Blind. I hope that the current students will one day come to appreciate our work, just as I now appreciate the work of the faculty and staff of the school when I was there.

On February 19, 1994, the Southeast Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio was born. It was an unusually warm February Saturday morning, and though I had been in the Athens area for only about six months, I was excited about the possibility of this new chapter. Many people told me that other such groups had attempted to start in this area but had never lasted, and in fact many had never even gotten off the ground. After bombarding the various media outlets with information about the February 19 meeting, I was pleased to see about thirty people at that initial meeting. I was pleasantly surprised to see several members from our Columbus Chapter in attendance. Those who have started something new know what it's like to have the support of existing chapter or club members.
One of the members that stood out in my mind that morning was Barry Feazell, or should I say Barry and Carol Feazell because they were always inextricably linked. In fact, I think Barry had grabbed anybody he could from the Columbus Chapter, thrown them into his van, and brought them down. Their enthusiasm and energy were necessary for me, a new chapter president, and for those considering joining the chapter that day. As many of our readers know, the chapter has now been in existence for seven years, and on that day fifteen to twenty members joined immediately. The rest is history. But as Paul Harvey would say, "There is the rest of the story."
You see, it was Barry who suggested to me strongly that I start the chapter. That's right. At the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio Convention in November, 1993, held in Worthington, Ohio, Barry came to me before the banquet that Saturday night and said, "You know, you really ought to think about starting a chapter down there, and I will do whatever it takes to help you do it." I was new to the state and to this area, but his energy and enthusiasm were contagious. He brought that same energy and enthusiasm down to our chapter meeting that day and in subsequent meetings thereafter. He came to at least two meetings after that to make sure that we were building on a solid foundation. As a chapter president I want to pay tribute to Barry Feazell, to thank Carol, and to convey my condolences to the family and to all the friends of the Feazells. Barry was a special Federationist. He walked the walk; he let his actions speak as loud as his words.
Finally, I remember when they moved to Florida, and even at subsequent conventions and Washington seminars, Barry would always say to me, "Man, I remember that Athens Chapter meeting. How are they doing?" These were genuine inquiries; he truly cared. Every beginning chapter president needs a Barry Feazell. I hope to be a Barry Feazell one day because I am truly committed to this organization and to this movement. Those of us who knew Barry (who even at his death was a vital part of his local chapter in the Florida Affiliate) can best memorialize him by renewing our efforts and refocusing our energies to make our chapters the best they can possibly be. Barry talked loud and carried a big stick and had an even bigger heart.