The Braille Examiner
Spring 2006
A Publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
Editor: Connie J. Davis
Co-Editor: Deborah Kent Stein
President: Lois Montgomery
Contact Information
President: Lois Montgomery, (309) 762-NFBI (6324), Lmm3527@aol.com.
Editor: Connie Davis, (773) 338-6922, condav850@sbcglobal.net.
Co-Editor: Deborah Kent Stein, (773) 631-1093, dkent5817@worldnet.att.net.
Print & Braille Duplication: Carmen Dennis, (773) 583-0899, carmen88@comcast.net.
Tape duplication & Distribution: Pittman Enterprises & Associates, pittman.e.a@cometlink.com, (773) 779-1856, fax (773) 779-2763, Debbie Pittman
Proofreaders: Carmen Dennis & Jean Rauschenbach
Announcements:
All address or format changes should be sent to Connie Davis or Debbie Stein.
If you know someone who is not receiving the Examiner, please tell him or her to contact either Connie or Debbie.
In your mailing envelope, you will find another envelope. It is already addressed and stamped Free Matter. We request that you return your tape for recycling. That will help us defray the costs of producing the newsletter.
Those who have an e-mail address are encouraged to receive their newsletter in electronic format. This will also help defray the costs of producing the newsletter.
Thank you!
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Lois Montgomery
Dear Fellow Federationists,
Washington Seminar has since come and gone and is now a fond memory. Thirteen Illinois Federationists “walked the halls of Congress” to discuss three issues with our legislators. Those issues were: 1) Louis Braille Commemorative Coin, 2) Higher Education Textbook Access Act and 3) Blind Business Development and Employment Opportunities Act. It is now important that we all follow up on these issues. Once again, several were fortunate to participate in the Senator’s Breakfast. Chicago Chapter President Brian Johnson had the honors of attending the State of the Union Address.
HR2872 (Louis Braille Commemorative Coin) passed the House on Tuesday, February 28, thanks to everyone’s hard work. Now we must focus our efforts on the Senate. This bill number is S2321. We must contact our senators, Durbin and Obama, asking them to sign on to this bill. At present, there are twenty-eight sponsors. We need sixty-seven sponsors to receive a Senate vote. The importance of this legislation is to embrace literacy among the blind.
From February 17th to 19th, I traveled to Baltimore to participate in a State President’s Seminar. This was a weekend filled with much learning, new friendships and new ideas to bring back to our Affiliate.
Many of you may remember the unveiling of the K-NFB hand-held reader at the 2005 National Convention. I have just returned from a training seminar and have this device in my possession. What a wonderful piece of technology we have among us! And to think we are a part of its invention! This device is portable and easy to use. One just aims the camera at a printed document, “shoot” the picture, and then listen as the device reads the document back to you. It’s that simple. Aim, Shoot and Listen! Each state will have beta testers to help promote this device.
Several weeks ago I traveled to Springfield to meet with Betty Odem-Davis and Rob Kilbury. This was held over lunch and “get to know you” meeting. I felt it important to open the door to better communication between the NFBI and rehab services. I believe this has occurred and a new relationship has developed. Working together will get more accomplished and I believe this has already begun. Also, I met with Derek Phillips at ICRE-Wood in Chicago, again to “open the door to better communication”. This also resulted in a positive outcome.
Before we know it, the national convention will be here. This year it is being held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas July 1 - 7. The deadline to apply for assistance through the James Chappell Award is May 1. For more information, contact your chapter president or me, or go to our website: www.nfbofillinois.org. Let’s have a good turnout this year from Illinois!
A board meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, April 1 at the Exchequer Pub, 226 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago. The meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. and is open to all.
I’ve been working diligently on plans for the 2006 state convention this fall. Several speakers have already committed to participate. If you have any ideas, suggestions or would like to help in any way, PLEASE let me know. There is something each of us can contribute to make this a successful convention.
It is important that we work together to continue building the Affiliate and strengthening the movement in Illinois.
I am here to serve you. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, suggestions, concerns, or comments at:
E-mail: Lmm3527@aol.comPhone: (309)762-NFBI (6324)
Mail: 3527-12th Avenue Moline, IL 61265
CHAPTER NEWS
Blackhawk Chapter
By Robert Gardner
The NFBI Blackhawk Chapter holds its monthly meetings the second Saturday of each month at 1:30 P.M. We meet in the South Moline Township Center located at 637-17th Avenue, East Moline. People who need transportation to meetings can arrange a ride.
Recent meeting programs have featured demonstrations of access technology; including a scanner that reads bar codes on consumer products and gives the information in speech output, a closed circuit TV system and an accessible cell phone.
Future meetings will incorporate demonstrations of the Kurzweil Reader being developed under the sponsorship of the NFB and a program from our Illinois DORS local representatives.
The chapter participated in the "Younkers Community Days" fundraising event at Southpark Mall in Moline, at the beginning of March. We will also take part in the "Birdies For Charity" fundraiser, associated with the John Deere Golf Tournament in July. Not only are these worthy fundraisers, but they also provide chapter members with an opportunity to educate the public about blindness-related issues and to share the NFB philosophy.
The NFBI Blackhawk Chapter publishes a monthly newsletter, "Hawk Talk”. The newsletter is available on the NFB IL-Talk listserv on the Internet, on the NFBI website, can be sent by E-mail or snail mail to anyone who wants it.
We are the blind speaking for the blind and are changing what it means to be blind in the Quad-Cities and northwestern Illinois. We have fifty enthusiastic members, so come and join us!
Chicago Chapter
By Brian Johnson
March 18, April 8, and May 13 are the next 3 dates for the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois Chicago Chapter meetings. We will have a board meeting on March 18 at 11:30; we'll hold our annual elections in April and our membership tea in May. All of our meetings take place at Exchequer Pub, 226 South Wabash in Chicago at 1:00 pm.
Our spring candy sale will be under way soon. Our latest Carson's Day was a success, thanks to Joe Monti, Kelly Doty, David Meyer, and Mary Monti. Thanks also to those who sold Carson's coupons. We are planning a career day at one of the local high schools sometime in the spring. Hope to see you in Chicago in March, April, and May.
Chicago Chapter President, Brian Johnson with speaker Maureen O’Brien, who spoke about identity theft.
Ferris Wheel Chapter
By Cathy Randall
Our Ferris Wheel Chapter continues to move forward. We have prospective members, we discuss Monitor articles at each meeting and we plan to have regular guest speakers. We also send out press releases to announce our meetings.
We will make our annual presentation to the Prairieland United Way mentoring and education panel, for our grant request, on March 15. We have also received a partial grant to assist chapter members to attend National Convention.
We continue to mentor ISVI post-graduates in the Transitions Living Center Program.
Four Rivers Chapter
By Annette Grove
The Chapter met on Saturday, February 11 for a pre-Valentine’s Day luncheon and meeting at the Lincoln Jug in downtown Belleville. Members Bob Knight and Marie Edrington announced their engagement with plans for an early September wedding.
The members also welcomed back President Annette Grove from her extended mission trip to Guatemala and Nicaragua. She shared many interesting experiences about her work with children living in the garbage dumps of Guatemala City. In Nicaragua she met organic coffee growers living in remote mountain regions and a group of courageous women who created an organic textile co-op. She also had an opportunity to meet with several people with disabilities. Unfortunately, most blind people are left to resort to begging in the streets, deaf children resort to creating their own methods of signing and persons using wheelchairs tend to remain at home due to the obstacles of inaccessible streets and buildings. It was heartwarming to see a young man in a wheelchair gainfully employed and productive at the textile co-op.
Coming events for the Four Rivers Chapter include:
March 11, April 8 at 12:30: Regular Chapter Meetings at the Belleville Public Library on East Washington Street.
May 12 at Noon: Regular Chapter Meeting and picnic lunch and workday at the home of Paulette Buetner, 108 Las Olas Drive in Belleville.
May 19-20 from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Annual Chapter Yard and Garage Sale at 108 Las Olas Dr. in Belleville. While you may not be able to ship your "treasures" down to us for sale nor come to buy someone else's "trash," we'd welcome any advice you might have for us in conducting a chapter sale of this type. This will be our first annual sale!
The Four Rivers Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois is pleased to announce that chapter member and past president, Brian Sumner was awarded the distinction of Employee of the Year for 2005 at Barnes Jewish Hospital, part of the BJC Healthcare System. Brian began work at Barnes on April 13, 1994 and has earned this honor as a result of his excellent service, dedication and attendance. Brian works as a Shuttle Runner delivering mail and specimens throughout the maze of this gigantic complex in the central west end of St. Louis. Brian was totally surprised with this honor, commenting that when he was called into the office to learn the news he wondered, "Now what did I do?" Besides a myriad of congratulatory letters signed by department supervisors and managers he also received a certificate and letters from Andy Ziskind, President of Barnes/Jewish and from Steven Lipstein, CEO of BJC Healthcare System. Brian also received a $500 bonus.
Further information about any of the foregoing can be obtained by calling Annette Grove at (314) 304-9634.
Heartland Chapter
By Bryan Turner
The Kankakee Heartland Chapter will be holding its chapter meetings at a new location as of April 1, 2006. Meetings will be held at the Bourbonnais Public Library, 250 W. John Casey Road. Heartland Chapter meetings are held on the first Saturday of each month, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
The new meeting location will be more accommodating for those members with mobility problems. The library is on one level with no stairs or ramps, and will allow for growth of the chapter. There are two meeting rooms; one holds twenty-five and the other accommodates seventy-five people. We hope that this move will appeal to everyone who attends our chapter meetings.
Upcoming meetings in April and May for the Heartland Chapter should interest everyone. At our April meeting Matt Janusauskas from Humanware will talk to the chapter about the available technology. Christy Stua will also speak briefly on Heritage Oaks Assistive Living Center. Affiliate president Lois Montgomery will attend our May meeting to demonstrate the new K-NFB, or hand-held reader, from Kurzweil. There has been much interest shown in this new device since its introduction at National Convention in Louisville last summer. If you would like more information on the meetings, or need directions from your area, please contact chapter president Bryan Turner at (815) 939-7386 or by e-mail at: bryan_turner@sbcglobal.net.
Our annual fundraising event is rapidly approaching. This year, the event will be held again at the Bradley WAL-Mart, located at 1260 N. Kinzie Ave, Saturday, June 17th from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. We will be selling candy bars this year. There will also be a large array of NFB literature available, including information on the different programs, News-Line, Braille alphabet cards, the latest issue of Voice of the Diabetic and much, much more.
This is one of our most important public appearances as a chapter, and we hope to have a great turnout again.
Washington Seminar: From the Perspective of a First-Timer
By Debbie Pittman
As I walked into the Holiday Inn Capitol Hotel, the large number of fellow Federationists in the lobby surprised me. My first thought was “Wow! This is like National convention.” While I stood in the lobby waiting to resolve a room problem, that impression changed.
As I listened to fellow NFB-ers around me, I detected a sense of electricity in the air, which whispered, “Purpose”. This crackling energy intensified as various members walked back and forth in the lobby discussing meeting strategies and outlining group arrangements.
Later, when I walked into the Columbia room for the “great gathering in”, this same crackling energy of “purpose” crescendoed along with a sense of urgency. I was awestruck. There wasn’t even standing room. After the chairs were filled, people stood two and three deep along some walls. On other walls they sat on the floor four to five people deep. No one was leaving! When there wasn’t room for someone else to sit or stand, people moved closer together to allow others to fit in. So they too could be a part of the rising crackling energy permeating through the room.
There was a strong sense of unity and a willingness to do what it takes to make it work so everyone could be a part of a common goal. It didn’t matter what state you were from. Just your being there qualified you as a bona fide member of the “purpose”.
I felt that same sense of oneness and “purpose” while I worked in the Mercury room on Tuesday and Wednesday. There too Seville Allen and her crew welcomed me into the fold as though I had been there from the creation of Washington seminar. It felt wonderful to be a part of such a large group that was willing to do what it takes to make the lives of blind people around the country a little bit better.
If only we had a way to bottle the Washington seminar energy! Each time we got a little discouraged; we could take it out and sprinkle a couple of drops on us to rekindle the fire. We would be unstoppable in what we could accomplish. Not just for ourselves, but also for millions of other blind people facing the same challenges, we face every day.
Nothing Like Being There
By Brian Johnson
On Thursday January 26, I received a call from Senator Barack Obama's office. Was I going to be in Washington the following week? I said Illinois was sending almost a dozen people going to the Washington Seminar. The woman on the phone asked if I, specifically, was coming. I said I was. Then she asked me if I would like to attend the State of the Union Address, in view of the fact that they had an extra ticket. I was overjoyed and immediately said yes. The senator's office indicated that because I had been trying unsuccessfully to see Senator Obama for a couple of years, they would try to make up for it by inviting me to the event. Names were selected from the faxes they received. Given the fact that I had been involved with making appointments with the congressmen, my name appeared on many of the faxes. If I didn't go, they would select another name. The ticket, of course, was not transferable. I then informed Mr. McCarthy. After we arrived at the Holiday Inn Capitol, I informed our contingent.
I sat in the back in the House Gallery. I even had a cane corner because behind me was a solid brick wall. A fellow Federationist from Colorado, who sat next to me, said we were about thirty feet from the President of the United States. I could really feel the energy in the room, positive and negative, when the president brought up various topics. The one that created the most friction, in my opinion, was Social Security. It is really true that there is nothing like being there. We stood up and sat down frequently - before, during, and after the address.
When it was over, after we left the hall, I had to wait for two motorcades to pass before I could make my way back to our hotel. I made it back just in time to watch it again on the late night news.
When we started the Washington Seminars, some thirty plus years ago, they were called Marches on Washington. We were lucky if congressional aides patted us on the head. We were told how courageous we all were for walking around Capitol Hill alone. But we've come a long way. We are now respected and listened to on the Hill. This is just another thrilling experience that proves it.
"Experience Required"
By Debbie Kent Stein
"We'd love to hire you, but we're looking for someone with experience." Whether you're a blind college student trying to find a summer job, or a recent graduate in search of full-time employment, these can be daunting words. You know you've got what it takes to do well, but the "previous experience" section of your resume looks pretty dismal.
This summer the NFB of Illinois will launch an exciting new program to help fill the experience gap for a selected group of blind high school and college students. Through the NFBI's Summer Internship Program, blind Illinois students will volunteer their services at organizations of their choice. They will be paid a modest stipend through the NFBI. NFBI members will mentor the students throughout their four-to six-week volunteer sessions. Mentors will help each student plan his/her program and troubleshoot any problems that may arise.
Here's how it works. A student with an interest in early childhood education arranges to volunteer at a day-care center; a student who wants to be a journalist offers her time and talents to a neighborhood weekly; a future chemist arranges to help out at a laboratory. The possibilities are endless. The stipend, which the students receive through the NFBI, will help meet their living expenses during the summer and add to their sense of accomplishment.
For information, please contact Debbie Stein at 773-631-1093 or Patti Chang at pattisgregory@aol.com.
Starting Over
By Connie J. Davis
For the thirty years prior to 2005, I was a teacher. I taught pre-school, elementary and high school. In February of 2005, though someone else’s decision, I left my job as a teacher. I was devastated. I no longer believed in my own abilities.
I couldn’t decide what type of work I wanted to do. I looked for jobs in different areas. In October, a tutoring company hired me for the No Child Left Behind Program. Unfortunately, the company over-estimated the number of students who would enroll in their program.
In January, I received a call from the tutoring company. They had a position for me. I am now tutoring math and reading to children in grades one through five. It has been an interesting experience for me. Being weak in math, I was afraid that I could not teach it. I was quite mistaken. I have taught them about charts, graphs and the difference between two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures. It gives me such a good feeling to see the look on the students’ faces when they have learned something new.
One day, one of the students asked me why I squinted my eyes. I simply explained to him that I didn’t see well. He told me that I needed new glasses. I then told him that new glasses wouldn’t fix the problem because it was something I was born with. I asked the class if anyone had any other questions. They said no. However, recently, one of the students she thought that maybe a magnifier would help me. I said yes. (I don’t use my magnifier in class. I familiarize myself with the content so that I can maintain eye contact with them for discipline.) I had answered their questions and that sufficed. Young children are great because they are so uninhibited and honest. When you answer their questions truthfully, giving simple explanations without a lot of cluttered details, they accept what you tell them.
I am still trying to decide what I want to do for the rest of my working life. One of my friends is urging me to become a translator. I am also considering a career in early-childhood education. I have always wanted to write a book. Whatever I do, this past year has been a growth experience for me. I look at this as an opportunity rather than a failure.
Meet A Fellow Federationist: Harold Palash
By Debbie Stein
As a teenager growing up in Chicago, Harold Palash worked at a newspaper stand, earning ten cents an hour. The country was in the grip of the Great Depression, and, as Harold puts it, "A dime really amounted to something in those days." Harold was always eager for a business opportunity, and selling papers seemed like a good one.
As a boy, Harold thought his vision was perfectly normal. As far as he knew, everyone else saw the world the way he did. His mother, however, suspected that something was amiss when Harold tripped over steps and stumbled in dimly lit rooms. When Harold was fifteen a doctor delivered the news that he had an incurable eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Eventually the condition could lead to total blindness.
By the end of high school, Harold's vision began to deteriorate rapidly. For about a year he worked in the stock room of a Chicago department store but soon he could no longer see well enough to read the labels on shelves and cartons. His boss was sympathetic and offered to keep him on if he could think of another job he could do in the store. "I didn't know anything about blindness back then," Harold reflects. "I couldn't think of a thing I could do without my eyesight. So I just left that job and went home."
The Illinois Department of Rehabilitation sent Harold for training at the Chicago Lighthouse. At that time, the Lighthouse had a workshop where blind people assembled toys. For long hours each day Harold worked at a table, cutting burrs off the wings of toy airplanes. Later he attached arms to toy sailors. It was a dead-end job and he was eager to move on.
Escape came through an organization called Business Opportunities for the Blind. Harold was able to take over a newspaper stand in a Cook County office building. His early experience selling papers served him well, and the stand was a success. Later he operated a candy stand at Chicago's Navy Pier.
After World War II many stands closed or were taken over by returning veterans. Harold Palash found himself out of work again. By now he was married, with a young daughter to support. His mother-in-law told him that a nearby factory was hiring blind people. When Harold went to investigate, he found that no blind people had ever been hired there before. Undaunted, he persuaded the factory manager to give him a chance. Again, he was hired to do assembly work; this time putting lids on small containers of milk. "The boss watched me and gave me pointers," Harold remembers. "The point was to work fast. He kept telling me, 'Use two hands!'"
A few years later, Harold discovered a new opportunity in sales. He and a friend sold products made by blind people. They would work their way up one side of a block and down the other, pushing a cart and stopping at every house along the way. "I didn't like that job much," Harold admits. "The bad part was the things people said about us. Somebody started a rumor that we were all getting big government pensions and that people shouldn't buy from us. I was glad to leave that job."
Not only did he leave his sales job - he left Chicago, the city where he had lived his entire life. A friend told him about a factory in Galesburg that was hiring blind workers. Harold couldn't get much information, and decided he would have to go to Galesburg and learn about the job firsthand. He took a job doing factory piecework and moved his family to Galesburg. Though he has lived in Galesburg ever since, he still misses the Windy City.
Sometime in the mid 1940s, Harold heard about a new organization of blind people. The National Federation of the Blind, as it was called, was trying to improve opportunities for people who were blind. Harold became a Federationist long before Illinois had its own affiliate. He is now a dedicated member of the Blackhawk Chapter, though transportation to meetings is a challenge. "Blind people years ago had a rough time," Harold says. "There's still a lot that needs to be done. Blind students should be able to get their books on time. And we've got to save Randolph-Shepard!"
At eighty-four Harold Palash still lives independently. "A lot of people are surprised when they find out I do my own housework and fix my own meals. Here in Galesburg they just don't believe a blind person can do those things," Harold says. "But”, he adds with a twinkle, "maybe you don't have those problems up in Chicago”.
Tribute
By Connie J. Davis
At the February meeting of the Chicago Chapter, Brian Johnson, president of five years, announced that he would not seek re-election. Brian has been in the Federation since 1976. It is because of his belief in the Federation philosophy that I, along with countless others, joined the NFB.
I met Brian in 1978, when he served as my rehab counselor. He began to share the NFB philosophy with me, although I didn't know it at the time. I joined the Federation in 1980, at his urging. During the past twenty-eight years, Brian has given countless hours to help make the lives of blind people better. He has not only served as president of the Chicago Chapter, he has also been a board member, public relations chairman, state board member, chairman of the Advocacy and Legislative Committees.
I stand with many others to thank Brian for all that he has done for the affiliate. I'm sure that Brian will continue to work to improve the quality of life for blind people.
President Brian Johnson at the February chapter meeting
PRECIOUS MEMORIES
By Debbie Pittman
I remember a part of what shaped me
Is my mother saying, “You can be what you want to be.
As long as you can pick up a book and read,
You can determine how well you can succeed.
Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do,
Your accomplishments in life are up to you.
In yourself you must believe,
You have the power to achieve.”
I was six years old and was just starting to learn to type,
As I watched my mother’s fingers fly across the keys like birds in flight.
She said, “Keep practicing and one day you’ll be
Able to type just as fast as you see me.”
And even after I lost my sight,
Mamma said, “Blindness does not determine your plight.
Again in yourself you must believe,
And from there set out to achieve.”
That was a precious gift my mother gave to me,
Letting me know I control my own destiny.
It has helped me to stand in great adversity,
Knowing if it is to be, it is up to me.
If you have any questions about this website please contact the Webmaster.