The Braille Examiner
Fall 2007
A Publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
Editor: Connie J. Davis
Co-Editor: Deborah Kent Stein
President: Patti Gregory Chang
Contact Information
President: Patti Gregory Chang, (773) 307-6440, president@nfbofillinois.org.
Editor & Electronic Edition: Connie Davis, (773) 338-6922, condav850@yahoo.com.
Co-Editor & Reader: Deborah Kent Stein, (773) 631-1093, dkent5817@worldnet.att.net.
Print & Cassette Edition: Carmen Dennis, (773) 583-0899, carmen88@comcast.net.
Braille Edition: Debbie Pittman, Pittman Enterprises & Associates, (773) 779-1856, fax (773) 779-2763, pittman.e.a@cometlink.com
Proofreaders: Carmen Dennis & Meghan Joost
Website: http://www.nfbofillinois.org Ruth Anne Wheeler, Webmaster
Announcements
Address and format changes should be mailed, e-mailed or phoned to
Connie Davis.
Comments or compliments about the print and cassette newsletter should be addressed with Carmen Dennis.
Comments or compliments about the Braille edition should be addressed with Debbie Pittman.
Comments or compliments concerning the electronic version should be addressed with Connie Davis.
Those receiving the cassette edition are kindly asked to use the enclosed envelope to return the tape for recycling to help defray the cost of the newsletter.
Members with e-mail addresses are kindly requested to receive their newsletter in electronic format to help defray production costs.
If you wish to submit an article for the newsletter, please e-mail or snail-mail the article to Connie or Debbie. You may reach them by e-mail or at the phone number listed above.
PRESIDENTIAL REPORT
By Patti Gregory-Chang
This is my third Presidential Report, and I continue to marvel at how much we can accomplish by working together.
SB511, our Technology Access Bill, was signed into law on Monday, August 20. I want to thank Bill Reif, Mary Lou Grunwald, and everyone else who wrote letters, made phone calls, and visited legislators to move our bill forward. You can read more about it later in this issue.
I'm happy to report that we exceeded our goals at national convention. Sixty-one Illinoisans registered for convention in Atlanta. On July 3 twenty of us were up and out at 6 A.M. to take part in the first ever March for Independence. That was indeed a moving experience.
Dave Meyer continues working to establish an Information Channel for NFB-Newsline® in Illinois. We consistently rank in the top ten states when the number of minutes used is measured.
Carmen Dennis, LeAnne Mayne, and Cathy Randall are working toward improvements at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI). They serve on working groups, which have made many excellent suggestions. Right now the major focus is to select a new superintendent, someone who can begin putting suggestions into action.
The 2007 NFBI Scholarship Committee met and selected three internship winners. At this writing the interns are finishing up their summer projects. Also selected were five academic scholarship finalists.
Connie Davis, Kelly Doty, and Mary Lou Grunwald spearheaded the Chicago Chapter's attendance at CTA and PACE hearings, stressing the importance of public transportation in all our lives. Many of our members attended these meetings. Other groups even noted our participation in their presentations.
Recently I attended a forum at Equip for Equality, which sought input from the blindness community. I stressed the need for web accessibility, and we agreed to continue sharing input with EFE.
As follow-up after Washington Seminar, we are in the midst of visits to our national representatives in Congress. If you have not already done so, please contact Syed Yousufuddin at (773) 814-8556 so he can schedule a visit for you. Talking to your Congressman is easy to do. We have fact sheets, which you can discuss with your contact.
Of course, all of what we do takes money. Our next fundraising event is Oktoberfest. It will be held on September 29th, 2007 at the home of Patti and Francisco Chang, 6919 W. Berwyn, in Chicago. To make a reservation, call Joseph Monti at (708) 383-0577. If you can bring a food item, call Patti Chang at (773) 307-6440.
We are busy applying for grant money, and decisions will be made soon about plans for next year. Please attend our upcoming NFBI Board meeting in Rock Island at the Holiday Inn to participate in the planning. The meeting will be held on September 15th, 2007. This is an open meeting and we encourage everyone to take part.
The Special Events Committee and the NFBI Board are planning our State Convention. As usual, the agenda is packed, and we will be trying some exciting new things. Please register as soon as you can, and encourage others to do the same.
On a personal note, I want to thank everyone who serves the NFBI and the blind community by working with us. No one can do it alone. The movement together is so strong that it is bigger than any of us standing by ourselves.
MY FIRST CONVENTION
By Alyson H. Slaughter
I arrived in Atlanta for Convention on Saturday afternoon. Though I found my way to the hotel on MARTA and had a nice dinner with an incredible group of NFB members, I still called my mom that night crying. I wanted to go home; I just did not feel like I belonged there - I was an outsider.
Growing up as a high partial (a term I learned at Convention), I have always felt stuck between the sighted and blind worlds. I have never used a cane, although I have been told that I should. I always have depended on my sighted family and friends to help me. Now that I have finished school and am beginning my life in the "real" world, I have discovered how much I need (and yearn) to be independent. For this reason I contacted some members of the Chicago Chapter of the NFB and attended one of their meetings. My journey toward accepting my blindness had begun.
As I am sure most newcomers to the NFB and to Convention can attest, it was extremely overwhelming for me those first few days. I had never been surrounded by so many blind people, canes, and dog guides. There were so many choices of meetings to go to - and since it was my first time, it was hard for me to choose which to attend. I ended up attending the Mock Trial and the Lawyers' Division meeting, the NABS meeting, the Illinois Caucus, and of course the General Sessions. I also participated in the March for Independence and worked at the Illinois table in the exhibit hall. Thus, I felt as though the few days I was there, I was able to get a sense of what Convention was all about.
With each passing day, I became much more comfortable about being at Convention. Everyone I met was extremely friendly and very patient with my numerous questions and insecurities. Three people who were especially instrumental in helping me feel accepted were Patti Chang, Ronza Othman, and Rob Hobson. Their kindness and support really eased my anxiety and awkwardness in this new environment. I met a lot of other fantastic people as well and got better acquainted with those I already knew. It is mainly due to these members of the NFB that I desire to become more active in the organization. For instance, I was recently elected Treasurer of IABS, and I also plan on attending more meetings of the Chicago Chapter. I am very grateful for the new friends I have made, and I look forward to seeing everyone again in Rock Island!
MY EXPERIENCES AT THE 2007 YOUTH SLAM
By Eduardo Martinez
My name is Eduardo J. Martinez and I attended the historic Youth Slam with 200 blind teens and their blind mentors. It was held at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. When I first arrived in Baltimore I was amazed by how many blind students and adults there actually were. I was very excited for the week to start and the learning to begin.
I was part of the Slam News. This track was intended to teach us how to conduct interviews, think on our feet, face the unexpected, and work with a team to finish on time for a deadline. There were many tracks that a lot of kids and adults would like. For example, they had rockets, air balloons, windmills and other engineering tracks.
We met so many interesting people, such as a blind chemist, Mr. Nemeth, Dr. Maurer, and so many more. We got the chance to interview them and make podcasts. On our last day we had the Independence March. We started in Baltimore's Inner Harbor and marched to the NFB headquarters. There we heard speeches from our fellow mentees.
For me it was a wonderful week with so many awesome experiences. I learned that if you put your mind to whatever you want, you can achieve your goals. Never let anything or anyone discourage you in any way. I would recommend for any person who is blind or visually impaired to attend Youth Slam. Some words that I live by: THERE IS NO SUCH WORD AS CAN'T!!!
You can learn more about what we did by going to www.blindcooltech.com or www.blindscience.org.
CHAPTER NEWS
CHICAGO CHAPTER NEWS
By Debbie Kent Stein
Late in May we learned that once again public transportation in the Chicagoland area is in critical need of funding. Unless money is found to meet the system's massive shortfall, riders will face fare hikes and severe cuts in service in September. The public transit crisis was the focus of our June meeting, and we have been attending CTA and PACE hearings and writing to legislators all summer. Connie Davis, Kelly Doty, and Mary Lou Grunwald have coordinated our efforts and gathered information to keep us informed of each new development. We appreciate all of the help we've received from Federationists in other parts of the state as we worked for the passage of SB572, a bill which would have provided the necessary funding.
Our first-ever summer picnic was a wonderful way to take our minds off our transit woes. On July 28 eighteen Federationists gathered for an afternoon of food and fun at the Lincoln Park Zoo. While some sat and relaxed on the picnic benches, others wandered off to visit the lions and tigers and bears. We were especially pleased that some of our newest members were able to join us. The picnic was a great success, and we hope to make it an annual event.
At our August meeting Connie Davis read an excerpt from Dr. Jernigan's groundbreaking speech "The Nature of Independence”. The reading sparked a lively, even passionate discussion. Members shared many thoughts about when it is appropriate to accept or refuse help. Following the meeting, a group of chapter members and their friends and families traveled to Cellular One Park to see the Chicago White Sox play the Seattle Mariners. Our Sox ticket sale was our summer fundraiser.
Speaking of fundraisers, chocaholics be on the alert! If you have a taste for the World's Finest Chocolate, flag down your nearest Chicago Chapter member! The chapter is pondering some new fundraising ideas for the near future, so stay tuned!
Carmen Dennis has arranged a charter bus to take us from downtown Chicago to the Holiday Inn in Rock Island for the 2007 NFBI Convention. The bus will leave at 8 AM on Friday, November 2, from the northwest corner of Clark and Lake Streets. Tickets are $45 round trip or $22 one-way. To make reservations, call Carmen at 773-583-0899.
NFBI FERRIS WHEEL ADVENTURES
By Cathy Randall
NFBI Ferris Wheel Chapter members took a canoe trip in June instead of holding our regularly scheduled meeting. Therran Hobson, steward of the Spunky Bottoms Nature Conservancy refuge near Meradosia, Illinois told us the history of the former farm, which is quickly reverting to wetland along the Illinois River. Therran then took us on a two-hour canoe trip through the refuge. Three chapter members learned to paddle a canoe for the first time. We heard birds sing, touched numerous water plants and touched a beaver's lodge as we paddled through the refuge. It was great for chapter members to share this unique outdoor experience.
KANKAKEE HEARTLAND CHAPTER NEWS
By Bill Isaacs
The Kankakee Heartland Chapter will meet on Saturday, September 8, due to observance of Labor Day. The program is still in the planning stage. Our October meeting will take place on September 29. We will combine our efforts with the Independent Living Center to have a booth at the mall. Members of our chapter will distribute literature and answer questions about blindness. In November, we will meet on the 10th, which is the second Saturday, due to a scheduling conflict with the library. The program will be announced later. In December, members will gather at the home of Ray and Carol Kwaak for our annual Christmas party.
IABS Updates
By Ronza Othman
Following our successful student seminar, "Opening Doors, Opening Minds," IABS immediately began planning for National Convention. Several IABS members and friends participated in the March for Independence; our team, "Oreos for Independence," raised over $2300 for the Imagination Fund. We also sold shot glasses and raffle tickets in Atlanta. Congratulations to Amber Grant, a Life 101 Student at BLIND, Inc., on winning $71 in the 50/50 raffle.
A number of IABS Board members attended the annual NABS (National Association of Blind Students) Seminar in Atlanta. Among them were Ronza Othman, Lori Brown, Rob Hobson, Bruce Paul, and Alyson Slaughter. The seminar featured informative presentations from Bookshare, Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, and other organizations that provide valuable resources for students. Additionally, current and former NABS Board members led discussions on NFB philosophy and avenues for obtaining blindness skills. The 2007 Scholarship Class introduced itself, as well. The individual chapters of NABS presented a plaque to outgoing President Ryan Strunk for his service to the organization and its members. Perhaps the most moving portion of the program occurred when Georgia President Anil Lewis presented Peggy Elliott, long-time Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, with a personalized award in recognition for her work in promoting educational excellence in the blind community. Anil represented scholarship program alumni from virtually each of the 24 years Peggy has chaired the committee.
The IABS board has recently experienced some changes. Jennifer Justice stepped down from her position as Secretary due to work obligations. In addition, David Harlow resigned his post as Treasurer and Tiffany Jolliff stepped down from her position as board member due to work and school obligations respectively. We value their contributions and wish them all the best of luck in their endeavors. We are confident that each of them will remain active in the work of IABS and the NFB. The position of Secretary has been filled by Megan Joost, a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Alyson Slaughter, a recent law school graduate, has taken on the duties of Treasurer. Michelle Wesley, a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a 2007 NFBI internship recipient, has succeeded to the position of board member. Congratulations and welcome to the newest members of the IABS Board.
IABS is currently holding a fundraiser through Schwans, an online company that delivers food to customers' doorsteps. The fundraising campaign takes place from August 20 through September 7, 2007. IABS will receive 30% of the total sales. To order online, simply go to www.schwansfundraising.com, click on Start Shopping" (near the truck on the left side of the screen). You will then be asked to enter a Campaign ID. Enter Campaign Id 1004140. Click the "Start Shopping" on the welcome page and begin placing your order. (Try their cookie dough! It's great!) Thank you for supporting IABS and helping change what it means to be a blind student in Illinois.
IABS members are encouraged to pay their dues for 2008 at this year's NFBI convention. Membership dues are $5, and IABS will forward $2 to each member's local chapter. IABS will once again host “IABS Idol”. Come and showcase your talent Friday night after Resolutions! A panel of judges will critique performances, and the most talented act will receive a prize. Participants must pay $5 per person per performance. Please contact Ronza Othman by phone at 708-829-0523 or by email at aznor99@aol.com no later than October 15 to make your reservations and to indicate what your act will be. Good luck to all!
IABS will also be hosting the Student Luncheon at Convention. Once again this year we will present Excellence in Teaching Awards to two deserving educators. IABS will be accepting nominations between September 1 and 30. Please download a copy of the nomination form from http://www.nfbofillinois.org. If you do not have access to the Internet, contact Ronza Othman with your nominations at 708-829-0523.
IABS will also hold a General Business Meeting at the IABS breakfast on Saturday, November 3, 2007. We will be selling our famous shot glasses and tickets for a 50/50 raffle. We will also host a workshop on Friday afternoon. We look forward to seeing you there.
In October, IABS will hold a Meet the Blind Month activity at Northern Illinois University. We will distribute NFB literature, interact with students, and promote the philosophy of our organization. We will demonstrate technology such as screen reading software, Braille display devices, and the KNFB Reader. We will also write names in Braille.
IABS continues its campaign to promote educational excellence among the blind in Illinois. Our goal is to provide every blind student in the state with a means for finding the resources he or she needs. Members of IABS serve as mentors, make referrals, provide advice, and work diligently to encourage others in their endeavors. We know that obtaining an education is riddled with obstacles. We also know, and are determined to convey, that those who overcome such obstacles triumph for themselves and for the betterment of the world. We will continue to lead the charge to prove that our future begins now.
MEET A FEDERATIONIST: ALL ABOUT ALEX
By Carmen Dennis
How much can one say about a five-year-old child? Well, let me get started!
Young Alex Gamino will be six years old on October 28 and is starting kindergarten on August 29. This isn't his first year of school. He already has two years of pre-school behind him. He can read and write in both Braille and print. He reads English and Spanish. He uses a computer and sends e-mail.
Alex was born with a rare eye condition called microphalmia, along with another condition called coloboma. He has some vision in one eye. He knows that a CCTV makes reading print a bit easier, but he is also learning that he can sit and read for longer periods of time when using Braille. He is already learning Braille contractions. Now he says that he is ready to start learning French. There is no stopping this young man!
(pictured left to right - Carmen Dennis, Alex and Noeila Gamino)
Those of us who attended the first annual Chicago Chapter picnic had the pleasure of meeting Alex. He was an absolute joy to talk to. We also met his mom, Noelia, and his seven-year-old brother, Nicky.
For kindergarten Alex will be attending Salt Creek School in Elmhurst, where he went for pre-school. The school has resource classes for the blind, but he will be mainstreamed as he has been for the last two years. He went to school three full days a week his first year and five his second, so he's ready for a full-day program this fall.
We hope that we will be seeing him again at our state convention--that is, if he isn't too busy with school!
USING THE NEWSLINE® TUTORIAL
By David Meyer
Are you a new user of NFB-NEWSLINE®? Have you had a desire to become a more efficient Newsline® user? Is there a feature in NFB-NEWSLINE® you would like to use but you don't quite remember how to do so?
NFB-NEWSLINE® has had an online tutorial for quite some time now. It is concise and covers all NFB-NEWSLINE® features. It is organized into nine lessons which can be viewed in the same way as individual newspaper articles are accessed. I have personally found this tutorial to be quite instructive and easy to understand.
From the Main Menu you can reach the tutorial by pressing 9. You can also access it from anywhere in the system by pressing the star key. Each time you press the star key it brings you back one menu in NFB-NEWSLINE®. In other words, if you are reading an article and you've suddenly decided you want to know how to spell something, and you need to learn how to use the spell feature in order to do this, press the star key four times. This will bring you back to the main menu. Once you are in the main menu, press 9 to get to the tutorial.
The first article in the tutorial is an introduction which introduces NFB-NEWSLINE® and provides a table of contents for the Newsline® system. You should then advance the system one section at a time by pressing 3 on your telephone keypad until you get to the section on the spell feature. The spell feature can be viewed as many times as one needs to in order to learn how to use it efficiently. The same thing can be said for all other features covered in the tutorial.
I hope you all find the tutorial as helpful as I have. If you have any questions, you can call me at 708-209-1767, or you may e-mail me at datemeyer@sbcglobal.net.
CELEBRATION ON THE LEGISLATIVE FRONT
By Bill Reif
It is my pleasure to announce that our Information Access Technology Bill is now Public Act 95-0307! Governor Rod Blagojevich signed our bill into law on August 20, 2007. Many thanks go to all those who assisted in this effort by contacting legislators and the Governor's Office.
We still have plenty of work ahead of us. The Legislative Committee will have to insure that the Department of Human Services convenes a task force on the bill's implementation. The task force must represent the views of the blind, develop effective standards, and do all within its power to see that those standards are enforced. If this is done correctly, the standards developed through this bill can serve as a guide for units of local government, school districts, and entities not included in amendments to the original law. We will keep you updated regarding significant developments.
Thanks again for your collective efforts that have made this possible!
THE GREAT UNSUNG HEROES OF THE NFBI-Part 2
By Connie Davis
You see many of our names on IL-talk or in the Examiner. You hear many of us speak at meetings, conventions or hearings. However, there are some who work in the background and do not seek the spotlight. In my last article, I wrote about our NFB children. This time, I will focus on the adults; Linda Villa, Mary Monti, Francisco Chang, Nancy Gardner, Russ Montgomery, Ruth Isaacs and Dick Stein. But we can't forget Mari Burda (wife of Tony Burda), Peg Benson (wife of Steve Benson), Roberta Reif (wife of Bill Reif), Teresa Meyer (wife of Dave Meyer), Carol Seiler and Bob Randall (husband of Cathy Randall), who have also contributed much.
Linda Villa and Mary Monti have organized and planned the Significant Others Breakfasts for the past two years. Linda, Mary, Nancy, Francisco and Russ have helped cook and serve at our fundraisers. Linda helps send out the convention registration forms and bulletins every year for our state convention. Francisco has served as a shuttle driver for some of our fundraising events. He certainly is supportive of Patti in her role as state president. Nancy Gardner is the First Lady of the Blackhawk Chapter and helps provide transportation to chapter meetings. Ruth Isaacs is not only the first lady of the Heartland Chapter, but also serves as treasurer for the chapter. She has also served as state secretary, worked in registration at state conventions, is a staunch fundraiser for the chapter and assists Bill in his duties as Heartland Chapter President. Russ Montgomery has driven many Federationists to chapter meetings, fundraisers, state board meetings, state conventions and NFB centers around the country; not to mention the miles he put on his car driving Lois to events. Dick in his own quiet manner supports Debbie in her role as Chicago Chapter President and First Vice-President of the state. And who can forget all of the great dinners Mari Burda prepared when she and Tony hosted fundraisers in their home? Peg Benson was supportive of Steve in his role as State President. She ran registration at State Convention for many years and has hosted fundraising dinners in their home. Bob Randall, at one time served as State Treasurer of NFBI. He also has been very supportive of Cathy in her roles of President of the Ferris Wheel Chapter, State Board member, and State President.
All of these people have helped our organization grow and thrive. They work quietly behind the scenes to ensure that things go smoothly for us. They do not seek recognition for their work. But it's time we recognize them and thank them.
Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. We embrace you as a part of us!
FAREWELL TO A TRUE FEDERATIONIST
By Carmen Dennis
Who knows, maybe it is only once in a lifetime when you make a friend that touches you in the way Norman Bolton touched me. I never met anyone else who loved life like Norman did. I met Norman when we were teenagers. We both went to the school for the blind in Jacksonville, Illinois. I graduated from 8th grade when he graduated from high school. We lost touch for years, but guess where we met up again--in 1973 on the way to a National Convention in New York! I knew then that we would be friends for a long time.
Norm was an active member and President of the NFBI Rockford Chapter. Recently I learned that he wanted to train to swim Lake Michigan, but discovered that he would have trouble having to swim close to a boat--Norm was claustrophobic. He also thought about being a jockey. His schoolmates talked him out of that. Then he went to a junior college and studied computer science. He next tried his hand at the vending stand program for the blind here in Illinois.
Norm got married in 1976. Marilyn, his wife, passed away five years later from complications of diabetes. After that Norm lost his mother and father.
Norm decided to move to Tennessee in 1983. For a while he ran a tackle shop. He followed his heart again and went back to the vending stand program for the blind in Tennessee. He finally found the perfect spot. He ran a small rest area in a welcome center on the Tennessee-Georgia line.
Two years ago, right after spending a weekend with us at our state convention, Norm became very ill with a staph infection. He had to be rushed in for emergency heart surgery. He made it through that ordeal, but he still needed another heart operation. He chose to have it done at Northwestern Hospital here in Chicago so he could be close to his family. They almost lost him twice while he was in surgery, but he made it back once more.
That was in March of 2006. In July, I called and asked him how he was doing. From his voice I could tell that he was in trouble. I kept him on the phone while I called 911 in Chattanooga, and I waited on the phone with him until he got help. I talked to him the next day and he said they told him that I saved his life. It was another staph infection.
One year later Norm was in the hospital again. Last year I promised him that he would be dancing at our school reunion, but this year I knew that I couldn't make the same promise. All he talked about was getting to convention. In fact the nurses all knew about the Federation.
Norm was a man of many stories. He would call a lot of times and tell me all about the legislative work they were doing in Tennessee. The next time I talked to him I would make him repeat it all over again, and he never complained that he had told me before.
I'm sure I left out a lot of wonderful things about Norm Bolton. He was a very quiet man, but when he talked he had something to say. I still find myself wanting to pick up the phone and call him when I need an answer to a question. He was a man of great wisdom. Norm, you're still my number one special friend.
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