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September, 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editor's Line
From The President
Education and Welfare Report
MCB Convention
Wolfner Advisory Council
401 Blind Task Force Report
Canidate's Corner
2006 Jim Henderson Award
Braille Shirts for Sale
Saying Goodbye to An Unforgettable Friend by Chip Hailey Doing is Believing, Blind Teens Learn Everyday Skills
Proponents Say Decline in Braille Instruction Leading to Illiteracy
School Closures for Disabled Causes Worry
Wolfner Restores the World of Reading to Visually Impaired Missourians
Drug Approved to Stop Blindness in the Elderly
Accessible Voting Machines Get First Test in Missouri
Affiliate Affairs
From The Lower Left-Hand Drawer
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me
Back to the Chronicle
Archives
THIS ISSUE OF the MISSOURI CHRONICLE IS DEDICATED TO the MEMORY OF OUR
FRIEND BILL BURRIS, THE MCB TEDDY BEAR
I no longer remember the date, but I certainly remember the phone
call--the phone call I received from Edna Freeman asking me if I would be
willing to take on the job of editing the Missouri Chronicle. As I said back
then, my first response was probably something like "no way." But I agreed
to think about it, and the more I thought about it the more excited and
apprehensive I became, excited by the opportunity but apprehensive about
everything that could go wrong. My first issue was March, 1999 and this
issue, for September, 2006 will be my 31st. I bring this up because this
issue may be my last issue as Editor of the Chronicle.
Our President has informed me that she intends to appoint a new editor if
she is elected to a second term as President. I had, in fact, indicated to
Kathey that the dual jobs of Secretary and Chronicle Editor were getting to
be a little too much for me and that I probably would need to give up at
least one of them. If a new Editor is appointed, I will give the Editor my
full support and hope that I can continue to contribute material to the
magazine that will be of interest to you. Editing this magazine has been a
labor of love for me since the beginning. I have learned so much from this
experience. When I started, I didn't own a computer and didn't have a clue
about how to use one. Although I don't consider myself an expert by any
means, I now use one at home and at work and I have made the final
corrections for the past several issues on the computer before sending them
to the office.
I was looking over some of the back issues just to find out about some of
the things you have read about since 1999. We have had articles about the
latest technology, medical news and interesting stories about blind people
and their experiences. You have read about my broken foot and broken arm (am
I clumsy or what), as well as some deaths in my family. You have also read
many tributes to members in the MCB family who have died including Darrell
Lauer, Frank Mattoushek, Asunta Lilley, Debby Fitzpatrick, Beryl Masters,
Ken Emmons and most recently, my good friend Bill Burris. You have read
coverage of seven MCB conventions and been given news from our affiliates.
Let me close this by thanking some people. Thank you, Edna, for making
that call, for having confidence in me and for believing that I could do
something which I was not sure that I could do. I thank Bev Armstrong and
the office staff for all of the help they have given me with the mailing
and production of the magazine. I thank my wife Donna for all of the reading she has done and for putting up with me when I was so immersed in the
Chronicle that I may not have given her the help and attention she needed. I
thank the producers that we have worked with over the years-- National
Braille Press, Envision and Potomac Studios. Most of all I thank you, the
readers and contributors to the Magazine. Without you, there would be no
Missouri Chronicle. I also thank you for your many words of support and
encouragement. So keep reading and contributing to our magazine and give any
new editor the same support and encouragement that you have given me. And
now read and enjoy the September issue.
There are articles about Braille literacy, the role of state schools for
the blind, a new drug for macular degeneration, and tributes to Bill
Burris.
Back to Index
by Kathey Wheeler
Hello MCB members and friends:
As I think back on these past two years as President of MCB, the goals we
strove for, the ones we achieved, the new ones which seemed to just appear
and which demanded our attention, I'm glad we did as well as we did, but
realize that we are not finished, but just beginning. For those who want to
improve society, there is always a place to work. There is always somebody
who needs help, and sometimes we can give it. Through joining
together in MCB and providing the programs we provide, we help a little, and
we bring some joy. We can and should be proud of that ability and
opportunity.
Several people have just returned from camp very, very happy with their
week. Unfortunately, not all of the news was good. Naomi Miller from Joplin
broke her hip while there and received that night in a Rolla
hospital. Unfortunately, too, Teresa Politte, a friend of Ann Becker from
Rite, passed away shortly after returning home, but her family says that she
enjoyed the week there tremendously, and that they are glad she had the
opportunity to go. It gives them a happy memory of her last days.
As you know, at the end of a presidential term, committee chairs often
change. I am hearing such things as "I've done it long enough. I want a
new experience." This year, for example, we are loosing the services of
Marie Thompson as our Chairman of Special Services. Marie has held the
position for six years and, as in everything else she does, performed it
reliably, efficiently, and with style. Marie, thank you very much. John
Weidlich, too says he will not be running for Secretary of MCB again.
Thank you, John, for all of your work. Being the Secretary is a difficult
but essential job. We shall miss you. John, too, will be stepping down as
the Chronicle editor. He has served as editor for eight years and always
makes our publication one which stands out and makes MCB proud. Thank you,
John, for those many, many hours of work you have done for MCB. You have
made us a part of the history of the blind in Missouri and throughout the
country.
During the last few months, my schedule has been rather full. My husband
and I picnicked and watched a beep ball game with the Joplin Service Club.
We toured the Joplin Service Center and met Stephanie Man. She has
worked there for sixteen years. There is a positive attitude there which
makes me feel good.
We dined with the Friendship Council and enjoyed the food as well as the
conversation. Before dinner, we visited with Franklin. He was very
welcoming to us, but his cats remained aloof. On our way there, we
traveled over a street called Black Cat.
Our visit to Cape was a picnic. The food was good, and even though it
was hot, we had a very nice breeze. Some of the Delta members attended. It
was a nice surprise to see them. On our way through a park, we passed a
sign, in a parking lot, outside a conservation center which read, "cat
Crossing". Maybe cats are going to become man's best friend?
In St. Charles we enjoyed the annual banquet prepared for the St. Charles
Council by the Key Club. I wonder what it takes to get seventeen year olds
to enjoy cooking? I installed their new officers. John Herzberg is the new
President. We wish him well. Some of their members were absent. They
were on cruises. Then there was Jacksonville and the ACB
convention. The assembly adopted an amendment to the ACB Constitution
prohibiting its affiliates from barring NFB members from membership in
their affiliates. To be in compliance with the ACB Constitution, which we
must be, in order to remain an ACB affiliate, we shall have to change our
Bylaws.
The ACB radio will be providing increased programming. If you are
eligible for the Missouri TAP program, you can receive a computer and
lessons on using it from Missouri Assistive Technology. With that computer
you can listen to the ACB radio. For specific information, call (800)
647-8557.
There was a seminar on editing. We broke into four groups and edited the
same piece of work. The amount of difference among our finished products
was fascinating.
The keynote speaker, a man who was in one of the towers with his dog
guide during the 911 terrorist attack, told of their experience getting
to safety. He had a healthy attitude and spoke interestingly.
A seminar which I found most frustrating dealt with accessible appliances
in the home. The manufacturers are just not ready to make equipment like
stoves, ovens, dish washers, washers, and driers accessible to the blind.
MCB, let's work on this. See you at the Capitol Plaza in October.
Back to Index
by Mary Pendleton
Be a good Pain
It has been an exciting year for Legislative action. We have our funding
for two new Blind Skills Specialists, thanks to the work of Representative
Rachel Storch and others. The Legislature voted against HB 917, which would
sweep funds into the General Revenue Fund. Some of these funds were the
Wolfner Library funds and others, which would have a negative impact on the
disabled community.
At our convention in Jacksonville I attended our Legislative meeting and
the theme was Pain. We were encouraged to be a good pain to our legislators.
The P was for persistence. I want all of us to be persistent in calling our
Representatives, Senators, mayors, and councilmen. Let them know in an
informed manner how you as their constituent want them to vote. The A is for
action. Take some action every week. You do not have to be your affiliate
legislative rep. Keep up on laws. Make yourself a note to call about a bill.
Write letters to your editors of your local papers. The I was for
imagination. Be creative in ways to let your legislators and community know
that you as an individual and affiliate care about the issues. Invite
members who are campaigning for an office to attend your meetings. Finally
the N was for not being afraid to reach out and call or ask questions. If
we do not understand a law or issue we all must stand together and get it
resolved.
Please remind everyone you know to get out to vote and help in any way
you can to get people registered. I have seen articles in newspapers around
the country complaining because the blind and other disabled people are not
using the expensive accessible machines that were purchased. Get out and use
them and thank your election judges for having them available.
I am looking forward to working with all of you in the upcoming
legislative year. I have some exciting ideas I will bring to the
convention and will hope for all affiliates to help make this a great and
productive year in legislation. Thanks to everyone for all the help and
encouragement you have given me.
Mary Lee Pendleton
Education and Welfare Chair
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by Eldon Cox
The Convention is quickly approaching. Remember to pre-register by
September 15th, this will save you $5 to spend in the craft room, where the
silent auction will be held. Members, be sure to bring your craft items and
affiliates bring fund-raising items for the silent auction. This should be
a fun and exciting event. Also be sure to stop by the technology room,
where Franklin Johnson will have various vendors that will be demonstrating
their items as well as having them for sale.
The convention will be held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel, 415 W. Mc Carty
Jefferson City, Missouri. When you Phone 800 338-8088 to make reservations,
mention MCB and the rate is $64 per night. The Convention dates are October
19-22. Banquet Menu is cherry glazed ham, garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal
vegetables, roll with butter, coffee or tea and apple crisp for dessert,
priced at $20. If anyone needs a special dietary meal, please contact me
Eldon Cox as soon as possible so I can work with the hotel to meet your
needs.
Hospitality Menu is a mini sub sandwich, chips, coffee or tea for $1. Come
join us in Jefferson City in October.
It seems like the Blind of Central Missouri has some new and fun
activities planned for us. Door prizes will be collected by Susan Sanderson
and Terry Thompson.
Eldon Cox
Convention Coordinator
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May 19, 2006
Jefferson City, Missouri
Margaret Conroy, Missouri State Librarian, gave an introduction and
report to the Council. She explained there would be no budget cuts for
Wolfner in the coming year. She reported the Wolfner Library is taking
applications for an Information Technologist (computer personnel), and for a
clerical position. Her report stated the average salary of Library
personnel is $31,000 annually, and that the national average is $38,000. She
feels that state workers should be getting a four per cent raise across the
board.
She also stated that Advisory Council positions are for three years and
listed the names of Council members whose terms have already expired.
The Summer Reading Program--Paws and Claws--is up and running. Susie
Higgins was in charge of a winter reading program for adults called "Never
Judge a Book by its Movie." Sixty-three patrons responded and
1,405 books were read. David Nellis was the winner, having read 99 books.
Second place winner read 55 books, and two persons tied for third place,
reading 54 books each.
Debbie Musselman is working on a six month project called "Missouri
Heritage." These books will be recorded on the new digital disks which are
about the size of a cassette. Titles of some of these books are "Orphan
Trains to Missouri," "Trail of Tears Across Missouri," and "Across Our Wide
Missouri."
Director Richard Smith described the new talking book digital player
(dtb) in greater detail. The player is gray in color and measures 6 inches
by 9 inches by 1 3/4 inches, with a nondetachable plug. It weighs 2 1/2
pounds with a carrying handle and carrying strap. He reports the audio is
greatly improved and the unit easier to use. One can touch a key and it will say
its function. The player can withstand a three foot drop. It will play
MP-3 files, WMP files, and Daisy files. It will not play all MP-3 files but
a person may purchase the Library's MP-3 and record on them. The battery
lasts 15-20 hours before needing a charge. After 15 minutes of no use, the battery automatically turns off and goes into the sleep mode.
The life expectancy of this player is ten years. The total cost
nationally to change from cassette (tb) to digital (dtb) is estimated to be $150 million. Audio cassettes will continue to be produced until 2011.
On the NLS website under NLS Outreach Campaign, NFB will provide a
listing of forthcoming TV programs.
In a previous council meeting, one of the council members had expressed
her concern with regard to the word "handicapped" in the official name of
the Library. After a short discussion, a vote was taken and council
members voted to retain the present name "Wolfner Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped."
Reported by
Judith Hawley
Back to Index
Submitted by: Patti Schonlau
The meeting was conducted on May 10, 2006 at the Missouri School Boards
Association (MSBA), 2100 I-70 Drive, S.W. in Columbia, Missouri
Points of interest:
Project Diverse:
A second cohort of students have been identified. Missouri
State University (MSU) expects to train 23-24 TVI and O and M candidates.
Two additional cohorts will be selected next year.
Tuition Reimbursement Program:
Review feasibility of loan forgiveness as
part of tuition reimbursement.
AER Conference:
The upcoming Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) Conference is Oct. 12-14, 2006 at Camp Barnabas in Purdy, Missouri. Presentation proposals may be sent to Aundrayah Shermer.
Braille Challenge Program:
Amber Attaway from Marshfield R-I School District took first place
in the Braille Challenge Program for the fifth and sixth grade category. She
will be attending the National Competition in Los Angeles.
New BSS Positions:
Funding for one new BSS position will be through the General
Revenue (401 funds), and one through a professional development grant. BSS
Salary: There is a need for salary increases and additional funds for
travel for the Blind Skills Specialists. Currently there is no additional
funding for a salary increase; the Commissioner has asked that the extra
funding for travel, etc. come out of the BTF funds. Vision Summit: There
were 229 attendees and 18 presenters. The keynote speakers were Kerri
Gilmer and Nolan Crabb. The Vision Summit was within budget parameters.
BSS Reports:
The Blind Skills Specialists reported on their workshops/trainings.
Back to Index
This year at our State Convention, we will hold elections for four
offices: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and
Secretary. In the June and September issues, we afford candidates for office
the opportunity to announce their intention to run for office and state
their qualifications for office. In June we published letters from Kathey
Wheeler, who is seeking a second term as President and from Phyllis Lovett,
who will once again run for First Vice President.
This time we have letters
from two candidates for the office of Second Vice President: Jerry Annunzio,
and from Bessie Reece. Here are their letters:
Jerry Annunzio
Candidate for Second Vice President
First I want to thank all of you who have voted for me in the past. It
has been my pleasure serving you this past year as Second Vice President and
I once again ask for your vote at this coming October's MCB convention. As
most of you know I like hearing from our members. Our rank and file members
are what I believe are most important and should be heard.
My service includes a broad range from the national to the state and
local. For example, I served four years as an ACB Board Director and three
years on the ACB Convention committee in charge of tours. I volunteered and
was chosen to assist the convention coordinator on several projects. As the
ACB representative on many tours over a period of six or more years, I was
responsible for the safety and well being of as many as five hundred people.
I was the first MCB convention coordinator. I have been second vice
president for one year, four years as public relations chairman, one-year
scholarship chairman, an MCB Director as well as many other positions at the
state level.
As a member of Allied Workers for the Blind for more than twenty years, I
have been Vice President, Treasurer and served as Chairman of several
committees such as Health Education and Welfare.
As I write this I am aware that the positions I have held were granted to
me by the votes of our membership and not as a result of my own efforts. It
is my belief that MCB leaders should never forget the voters who gave them
the position in which they serve. These opportunities to serve the people
of MCB are a cherished trust. So I look to you again and ask for your vote
this October.
Thank you sincerely,
Jerry Annunzio
August 3, 2006
Missouri Council of the Blind
Dear MCB Members,
As an active member of the NFB and MCB for over 48 years, it is with
pleasure that I announce my intent to run for the office of 2nd Vice President of the Missouri Council of the Blind.
A long time member and recipient of services sponsored by the MCB, I
determined long ago that its vision would become my vision, to promote the
general well-being of our members and legally blind people of Missouri, and
to support as well as participate in programs that promote the best
interests of legally blind people everywhere. This is why I am asking for
your support in declaring my candidacy for 2nd Vice President.
Not only have I been a participant and active member of the Missouri
Council of the Blind since 1958, but I have also served the MCB and other
organizations in numerous capacities. There has been no goal more important
to me than to help provide the services and resources that are so
desperately needed by the blind community.
Determining these needs guided me in my acceptance of many offices where
I served faithfully. These offices included: Board member of MCB Credit
Union Legislative Chair Person for MCB Secretary, Tower Club of the Blind
Program Coordinator, Agape Council of the Blind, Treasurer, Agape Council
of the Blind (serving presently) ACB Life Member
A former student of the Missouri School for the Blind (MSB), I went on to
procure my Associates, Bachelors, Master's and Doctorate degrees of Theology
from Western Bible College and LAEL College and Graduate School.
These educational achievements only strengthened my determination to make
every resource available to the sight-impaired. My continued endeavors in
ministry, from instructing bible studies to working in prison ministry, have
taught me that blindness is varied and not simply limited to physical
impairment. And so my goal has been magnified, to support programs and
resources that are in the best interest of the whole man, meeting physical,
spiritual and emotional needs.
It is my hope that you will stand with me as incumbent for 2nd Vice
President. Divided, further progression of the MCB is impossible; but
together, we can continue to change the world! Thank you for your continued
support and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Dr. Bessie Reece
607 N. GRAND STILL. LOUIS, MO 63103
PHONE: 314-534-4825 FAX: 314-330-9605
Back to Index
One of our very faithful members, Jim Henderson, was struck by a car and
killed in April of 1995. As a tribute to Jim's memory, our affiliate began
an award in his name in the summer of that year, and we have presented the
award for 11 years now.
Once again this year our members faced a very difficult task. We had
four excellent nominations with extremely well written letters.
As I do every year, I would like to remind you that even being nominated
for this award by your affiliate is a real honor in itself. All of the
nominees have unselfishly given many, many hours of devoted service to their
affiliate, and please know that is very much appreciated. Your affiliate is
telling you that by taking the time and effort to place your name in nomination.
Therefore, I can truly say congratulations to all four of these nominees:
Maryann Harrison, a charter member of RITE; Bev and Don
Shockley, star members of UWB; Melvin Brown from the Ozark Association; and
this year's winner, Elaine Shirrell from the River City Workers. Elaine
will receive an inscribed plaque along with a check for $100.00.
To all of the nominees we say congratulations, and thank you very much!
Jo-An Benson, president
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by Phyllis Lovett
The Library Users of Missouri could not have our annual half and half
raffle this year. We were told by the post that only the Missouri Lottery
Commission could mail raffle tickets. So we came up with another fund
raiser for this year. LUM is selling t shirts which have the Braille, print
and hand sign on the front.
The shirts are very nice quality and very colorful. We will have them for sale in the craft room at the convention in October.
The shirts sell for $12.00. I have them available now if you want to contact me. My phone number, address and e-mail address are listed in the back of the Chronicle.
The LUM annual meeting will be on Saturday, October 21. We hope to see you there.
Back to Index
by Chip Hailey
On Saturday, August 5th, my wife and I made the three hour trip from
Lebanon down to West Plains. We had left the 38th Albert E. Brumley
Southern Gospel four-day concert early to attend the funeral of Bill Burris.
Linda Burris had asked my wife and I to come early so that we could meet
some of her and Bill's immediate family as well as some of their church family. We had arrived at the West Plains Central Church of Christ at noon for lunch where the funeral was to be held later that afternoon. We met Bill's oldest daughter, Lisa, and Lisa's husband, Joe, as well as Linda's son, John. John had flown in from Seattle, Washington. We were also re-introduced to Bill's youngest daughter, Kim, and Kim's husband, Gregg. We had met Kim and her husband earlier when Bill was still in St. John's Hospital in Springfield. We had also met some of the members of
Bill's International Tape Club. Bill and Linda's family as well as their
church family were very warm and welcoming.
At one point during our conversation together, I explained to Linda that
it was going to be hard not to be able to pick up the phone and call Bill
and talk to him about Cardinal baseball or about the Kansas City Chiefs just
as I had been doing ever since we had met.
Bill loved the St. Louis Cardinals and was one of their biggest fans. He also liked the Kansas City Chiefs and the Missouri Tigers.
He also very much enjoyed Smokey Bones restaurant in Springfield.
Whenever we would get together in Springfield, we always ate at Smokey
Bones. He also liked Krispy Kream donuts before he had discovered that he
had diabetes. We made a lot of stops at Krispy Kream donut franchises
whenever we had a chance.
We also made stops at Radio Shack stores and music stores in out of the
way places.
Linda sympathized with me and said she completely understood. She had even
shared with me that she herself had experienced such a moment. She said
after Bill had passed away she had awakened one night to go to the restroom
and thought to herself that she had better be sure to close the bathroom
door so that Bill would not run into it.
After lunch, we exited the church's fellowship hall to go into the
sanctuary for the funeral service. Linda had asked my wife and I to sit with her and her family. The family was given a time for one last viewing of Bill before they closed the casket for the final time.
Bill was dressed in a red shirt, black pants and a black dress jacket.
He was also buried with his red cowboy boots.He had his Kiwanis pin pinned
to his jacket. He was also wearing his Braille wrist watch and a Braille
song card in his hand.
Bill would use a Braille song card every Sunday as he led the Sunday
worship. Both my wife and Linda Burris said Bill looked very natural. Linda
said her husband looked as though he was just about ready to reach out and
shake your hand.
As my wife and I passed by, I stopped for just a brief moment to lay my
hand on his right shoulder. Even though I couldn't see him, I wanted to touch him and say my final farewell.
I always used to call him Big Daddy so at that moment, I softly called him
Big Daddy and told him that I would see him one day in heaven.
Bill was a very honorable man who loved God with all of his heart. I
remember how he used to pray whenever he and I, along with our wives were together. There were three things that he would always pray for:
the lost, the sick and less fortunate, and the success of the Missouri Council of the
Blind.
Bill had also been attending lectureships in Paducah, Kentucky for the
past 26 years.
He had attended lectureships in Farmington, Missouri for a number of years
as well. However, the lectureship in Paducah this year was to be held at
the same time as the American Council of the Blind National convention. Bill
wanted so badly to attend the ACB National convention in Jacksonville and
hoped he would be able to work it out where he could do both.Unfortunately,
there was no possible way that he could do both so he decided to go to his lectureship in Paducah.
But of course he wasn't even able to do that since he was still in the
hospital at the time of the lectureship. Of course, he had also missed the lectureship in Farmington.
My wife and I had attended a number of ACB National conventions with Bill
and Linda. We traveled together to Louisville, Kentucky, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, Houston, Texas, Birmingham, Alabama, and Las Vegas,
Nevada to attend the ACB conventions in those cities. In Pittsburgh, Bill
had left his underwear packed at home in his suitcase. So he had to wash out his one pair of underwear each day in his hotel room and then hang it over the shower rod to dry.
He was never able to live that down. We kidded him about that for a long
time.
There was also the time that Bill had gotten Patriotic hats and shirts
for him and Linda as well as for me and my wife. We wore those hats and
shirts for several years at the National conventions.Later, he sold some of
those same kinds of hats and shirts to people at camp.
We had a lot of fun with him and Linda last year when we traveled
together with them north through the Colorado Rockies to attend the National
convention in Las Vegas.On our way back, we stopped at Hoover Dam and the
Grand Canyon.
Bill loved attending the National conventions. He always enjoyed going through the exhibits. Bill had so many radios, tape recorders, and MP-3 players that he had purchased while at the conventions that one could not even number.
He enjoyed southern gospel music as well as country and western and some soft rock. He has so many music cassette tapes, records, and CDS that it would take some people three life times to listen to.
Why he has some tapes and records that he has never even opened. He was the
one responsible for getting me interested in old time radio shows on
MP-3'S.
He has quite a collection of old time radio shows himself. He also has a
beautiful Bose home entertainment system that is just out of this world. He has a converted studio in his home that he used to record tapes for his track club.
Bill loved people and it showed in everything he did. Even while lying
in his hospital bed in Springfield, I would call him regularly to see how he was doing and he would always ask about me and my family and how we were
doing.He always put others before himself. He was very unselfish. Bill
also enjoyed singing. He led the worship service at his church.
He and Linda would also display their beautiful singing voices at camp.Many
said they made a beautiful singing duo, and I would have certainly had to agree.
Bill has also been known to many as the MCB Teddy Bear. He had been
given that name because at one of our state conventions held in Branson by
Queen City, Bill sang the Teddy Bear song with Barbara Fairchild.
Bill very much enjoyed playing jokes on people but just as equally he
didn't mind having jokes played on himself.One of his church members told
the story that one time a lady church member asked him if he would go and
get her car since it was raining outside.
Bill quickly answered by saying "Sure what color is your car?"
After the funeral service at the church had concluded, the funeral
procession was formed and then preceded to the cemetery. During the
procession, a trip once around the West Plains town square was made,
allowing Bill to say his last goodbyes to the town.Once everyone had
arrived at the cemetery, the following scripture passage was read:
I Thessalonians 4:13-18:
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no
hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Immediately following the reading of the scriptures, was the firing of
the 21 gun salute by the American Legion Veterans of Foreign War, followed
by a recording of taps, and then finally the folding of the American flag
which was presented to Linda.
I didn't think I was going to be able to hold my emotions in check at the playing of the taps.It sounded so final. One of my best friends whom I loved dearly was being laid to rest and I would never see or hear from him again. But I knew he was in a much better place, never having to suffer again.
Bill had fought a good fight, he had kept the faith, and he had finished his
course. Then I had just about lost it again listening to both my wife and
Linda Burris hugging each other and crying after the crowd had left the
grave site and had pretty much dispersed.
Bill was loved and respected by so many people. It was very much evident
in the hundreds that had attended his funeral service.Dennis Miller and his
dad, along with Dennis' brother and sister-in-law had also attended from
Kirksville.There were also two representatives from Wolfner Library in
attendance.
One of the scriptures that was used at the funeral service at the church
was II Samuel 3:38, which says, "And the king said unto his
servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day
in Israel"?
I would hope that we would all remember Bill as a prince and a great man.I
will miss him greatly. I will always remember one of his favorite sayings,
"mercy day."
I will always remember the first time we really got to know Bill and
Linda. It was while we were attending an American Council of the Blind Legislative Conference in Washington D.C. We had so much fun that
time that I knew I had just met someone who I would have as a friend for a
very, very long time. I will miss the times we had at summer camp, the
times we had traveling together to our state and national conventions, and
to our state Board meetings.
I just thank God that he had allowed our paths to cross and that I had one
terrific unforgettable friend in Bill Burris. I would also hope that you
would keep Linda in your thoughts and prayers. I would also hope that MCB
would remember Bill by naming an award after him in his honor just as it has already been suggested. May God's Spirit be with us all, and one day may a cure be discovered for Leukemia, which has taken the lives of so many wonderful people.
From The Editor: I would like to add a few personal comments here to what
Chip has so eloquently written. Bill's services to MCB are so well known
that I won't dwell on them. We all know of the countless hours he gave to
MCB as Treasurer and Public Relations Chair and we all know how hard he
worked recording our conventions and Board meetings. Instead, I will talk
about my friendship with Bill. I suppose that one of the things that I
learned from Bill Burris was just how false first impressions can sometimes
be. I must have been aware of Bill's presence in MCB but I never really
encountered him until we both attended a meeting of the Wolfner Library
Advisory Council many years ago. When I heard that powerful, deep voice i
thought something like "Gee, what a serious and somber fellow. A nice guy
but probably not much fun to be around." Boy, was I wrong!!! Bill had a
wonderful sense of humor; he loved to tease and be teased. He was always
quick with a funny comeback, but he never used his wit to hurt or insult
people.
I want to echo something that Chip said in his article. I know that Bill
had very rough days during his long stay in the hospital but I never heard
him complain. Donna and I would try to call him once every week or two. He
would always say he was doing fine and ask how we were doing. He was always
so pleased to hear from us. The last time I saw Bill was the Thursday before he died. Donna and I and Chip and Linda left Cobblestone to visit him in the hospital. He was a little drowsy from the treatment he was receiving but he talked and joked with us about camp. A group of musicians came into his room and asked him if he would like to hear a hymn. He asked for "The Old Rugged Cross" and he enjoyed their beautiful harmony. I told him I would dedicate a song to him during the talent show on Friday night and he asked for "Send In the Clowns", which I did play for him that night on the piano.
The last time I spoke with Bill was on the telephone on Saturday. We had
started a tradition at camp a few years earlier of very spirited Uno games
involving the Weidlichs, the Shockleys, the Haileys and the Burrises,
playing the men against the women. How the guys gloated when they won, which
we usually did and how we moaned and cried on the rare occasions when the
women beat us. On Friday, we played without Bill and Linda and the gals beat us poor men handily. On Saturday, we had a rematch. We were way ahead and
expecting an easy win until Linda Hailey went out and caught us with over
200 points, taking the game. I called Bill to complain that the ladies had
beaten us again, not just once but two days in a row and so they must have
cheated. He was obviously not feeling well, but he laughed and sympathized
with me and said his usual "mercy, Day." It won't really be nearly as much
fun at camp, conventions and Board meetings without Bill. But I will always
remember with fondness the MCB Teddy Bear.
Back to Index
By Benjamin Poston
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
06-22-2006
BRENTWOOD
As Justin Reynolds turned in to the vegetable aisle, his guide grabbed
his arm. "Did you feel the temperature change?" Millie Eads asked him.
Justin, a visually impaired 16-year-old, nodded. "So that's why I always get cold when I walk in the grocery," he said, smiling. Justin also learned to differentiate between green beans and snow peas, and between bags of sugar
and coconut, by touch. And with the help of a magnifying glass, he learned
to read price tags and serving sizes on butter, chicken and onion rings.
Justin, a junior at Bayless High School, was joined by Amanda Stogsdill,
a senior at the Missouri School for the Blind. They walked into the Schnucks in Brentwood on Wednesday to shop for a meal with the help of Eads and Gail
Beard, who are vision rehabilitation therapists.
The trip was part of a two-week pilot program by the Lighthouse for the
Blind and the St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The
goal is to equip teens with the skills to venture on their own to college or for a job. The program emphasizes everything from computer training to tasks such as grocery shopping and laundry.
"We are working on more in-depth, one-on-one training in computers and
daily living skills," said David Ekin, president of the Society for the Blind,
which serves about 1,200 people each year. Roxann Mayros, the program
director, said the teens are adept technology users and good students. But
because of the "fairy godmother syndrome," she said, they are accustomed to
parents who provide everything.
"What they can't do is pour their own milk, put food on their own plates or
button their own shirts," Mayros said. "Because they have been protected and loved their whole lives, it's simpler for Mom to do everything for them. We are trying to help them understand that the sighted world watches what they do, and they're judged for it."
The two-week program enrolled a handful of students this year, but
organizers are talking about expanding it next year, and even lengthening
it. Casey Lynn, a senior at Francis Howell North High School, said the
program has helped him gain confidence with independent living skills, such as washing dishes and ironing. He plans to apply to some top universities,
including Northwestern and Harvard, this fall. He wants to major in
political science and eventually earn a law degree. One of his inspirations was Alice Conway, a blind St. Louis lawyer who visited the students last week as a guest speaker. "The important thing for blind people to remember is that you have to take a risk," Casey said. "You have to be willing to put yourself out in the world
and to not always succeed in everything you do. Give it a shot and don't be
afraid."
The National Center for Education Statistics estimated that there were
18,650 blind or visually impaired students enrolled in two- and four-year
colleges in 1998, the last year for which figures are available. The
numbers at individual colleges are often small, though many offer services
to help the students. At Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, for example, there are typically a dozen students with visual impairments enrolled. The number is small enough that the university can develop individualized plans
to help with living arrangements or classes, said Jane Floyd-Hendey,
director of disability support services.
SIUE students with visual impairments can also arrange for tours prior to
the first day of class. Staff members help them find the best routes to
classes and identify campus landmarks. Once the school year starts, students are offered items such as books on compact disc to help with coursework.
Amanda, 18, plans to enroll at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park next fall. The program at the St. Louis Society for the Blind has taught her to hone her computer skills so she can surf the Web and write a letter, using a software program that reads the screen contents to users. She plans to become a Braille teacher, and also wants to write children's books. "I want to teach them something they can use all their lives," she said. On Wednesday, the goal was more immediate: She and Justin had to work off a grocery list and buy the items they would need for a meal. As they found the items and dropped them into their cart, Amanda punched the dots on her Braille grocery list. When they were done, they used rubber bands to affix labels with large print and Braille on the items. The next project for the pair: to cook a meal featuring chicken breast and green bean casserole. After all, as Eads said, the point was to "learn skills for the real world."
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The Arizona Republic
Thursday, June 01, 2006
By John Faherty
Can't read this? Neither can nearly 90 percent of blind schoolkids, and
proponents say the decline in Braille instruction is leading to illiteracy
Arielle Silverman has always loved to read. From Little Women in fourth
grade to Jane Eyre in high school, books were a constant companion. She
could slide her fingers across the page and feel the world. Those words,
however, have done more than make her well-read. They have secured her place
in society.
Silverman, blind since birth, has now finished her junior year at Arizona
State University with a double major, in biology and psychology, and a
grade-point average of 3.9.
The Scottsdale native is ambitious, thoughtful and well-spoken. And the
21-year-old is convinced she couldn't have achieved this without her fluency in Braille.
A generation ago, 50 percent of blind schoolchildren used Braille,
according to William M. Raeder, president of the National Braille Press in
Boston. Now, he said, it's less than 12 percent. Young blind students today are still instructed in Braille, but in the past few decades more students
have been mainstreamed and no longer receive daily instruction. That is
significant, because reading and writing Braille is a skill that needs
maintenance. The less often a student uses it, the more likely it is those
skills will diminish or even disappear.
The reduction in Braille literacy has been mollified by the fact that
there are now more ways than ever for the blind to acquire information. Much of the world is moving away from words on a page and toward electronic/digital information. The proliferation of books on tape means blind people no longer have to wait to "read" the latest bestseller. Talking computers have brought the blind to the world and the world to the blind.
These advances have placed a generation of blind young adults and
children in an information paradox: They have more knowledge at their
disposal, while their ability to read and write declines.
But proponents of Braille always fall back on the same argument: If
reading and writing are important to the sighted, they are important to the
blind. "If the literacy rate for sighted people was 10 percent, that would
be a huge issue," Silverman said. "I think kids aren't being taught Braille, and they aren't being given enough time to practice."
Congenital disease Silverman is sightless because of Leber's Congenital Amaurosis, an inherited retinal degenerative disease. But her parents never considered not teaching her to read and write.
"I grew up thinking reading is one of the greatest joys of life," said
Sharona Silverman, Arielle's mother. "Having a book in your lap is an
incredible gift, and I was going to introduce that gift to both of my
children."
Arielle's sister is sighted. "Arielle had such a love of the written
word early on. So she just flew with (Braille)," her mother said.
Because of her parents' commitment to literacy, Arielle Silverman was
sent as a child to the Foundation for Blind Children in Phoenix to learn
Braille. She could read by age 5. Silverman then was mainstreamed into the
Scottsdale schools and graduated from Chaparral High. She is now president
of the Arizona Association of Blind Students.
In that role, Silverman has pushed for better education for the blind,
particularly an increased emphasis on Braille instruction.
"Braille does not mean more than a sighted person's ability to read and
write," Silverman said. "It's exactly the same. It's just the way we read
what we read."
Law debated Arizona law starts with the presumption that blind students
should learn Braille. But that law is not seen as necessarily valid by the
person in charge of implementing it. "Just because there is a presumption
does not mean it is not an archaic presumption," said Joanne Phillips,
deputy associate superintendent for exceptional student services with the
state Department of Education.
Arizona Revised Statutes Section 15-214, regarding the teaching of the
blind, states that "proficiency in Braille is essential for that student to
achieve satisfactory educational progress." The law is based on the fact
that Braille still is the only way blind people can read and write. But it
stops short of mandating Braille instruction.
"There is no statutory mandate where every child who is blind must learn
Braille," Phillips said. You can argue that it does not matter how you read War and Peace, as long as you know the story and the genius of Leo Tolstoy.
"There is no correlation between Braille literacy and educational
achievement," Phillips said. Karen Wolfe of the American Foundation for the Blind strongly disagrees.
"You can't be literate just listening," she said.
"Literacy helps us think and communicate our thoughts. You will never be
truly literate without Braille."
The AFB says the employment rate for the blind in this country is 32
percent. And Blindinc.org says that 93 percent of the employed blind read
and write Braille.
Still, the rate of Braille literacy is dropping across the country. The
reasons for the national decline are many, but the primary reasons are:
Mainstreaming of blind students.
Increased technology, such as talking computers and electronic books. More books on tape. Increased number of blind children born with additional
physical or mental handicaps, often the result of premature birth.
Rehabilitation Act
The beginning of the decline of Braille literacy can be traced to a 1973
federal decision called the Rehabilitation Act-Nondiscrimination Under
Federal Grants and Programs. It mandated that public schools make
accommodations for children with disabilities. For many blind students, it
meant the ability to come home. Prior to 1973, students who wanted an
education had to travel to a school for the blind. In Arizona, the school
was in Tucson. The education was first rate, but it was segregation for
blind students.
The new law allowed children to return to their communities, to sit everyday with their peers in schools that were mandated to accommodate them. But
one significant flaw was with Braille instruction. Braille teachers
suddenly had to travel from school to school or district to district to
introduce Braille to blind students one or two at a time. It was far more
practical for districts with a few blind students to get by putting
textbooks on tape and allowing test-reading aids for blind students. The
prevalence of books on tape meant they no longer had to wait for Braille
publications to read the latest bestseller. All blind people, not just
Braille readers, could take part in a cultural phenomenon like Harry
Potter.
Eventually, computers with voice capabilities came on the market. Braille began to be seen as a luxury more than a necessity. Knowledge was available
without Braille. Literature was available without Braille. The irony is
that as Braille literacy dropped, new printing technology made Braille much
more accessible. Literacy vital With her intelligence and work ethic, could Silverman have made it this far without the ability to read and write?
"I doubt it," she said. "Would a sighted person be well-educated if they are illiterate?"
Silverman reads, writes and takes rapid-fire notes in Braille. "I have a
feeling the way our brains are designed, learning how to read opens up parts of your brain," she said. She adds that math and science notations are
possible only for people fluent in Braille. They could not be replicated by
books on tape or by talking computers.
Silverman will occasionally listen to a book on tape, but only if she is
traveling or if the book is not readily available in Braille. In high
school, she read Seventeen magazine in Braille, but now she is more likely
to read a medical journal.
The American Foundation for the Blind celebrates independence and
learning. It is the organization to which Helen Keller dedicated her life.
So it is not a surprise how much it advocates the teaching and learning of
Braille.
The foundations says literacy is vital to a successful education, career and quality of life in today's world. Whether in the form of curling up with a
good book, jotting down a phone number, making a shopping list or writing a
report, being literate means participating effectively at home and in
society.
"If our value system expects sighted people to be literate," Silverman said, "we need to expect blind people to be literate.
Back to Index
By JULIA SILVERMAN,
The Associated Press Monday, July 24, 2006; SALEM, Ore. --
The day before they were to graduate, the six members of the Class of '06 at the Oregon School for the Blind lined up on an auditorium stage to practice for their moment in the sun.
One by one, they ran through their speeches, flicked their tassels from
one side of their graduation cap to the next, and finally turned toward the audience, beaming, to bask in the applause from teachers and schoolmates whose faces they cannot see. But the six could be one of the final classes to graduate from their small, residential school, if the state adopts a plan to save money by moving their campus to the Oregon School for the Deaf.
Merging campuses saves on costs like administrative salaries, janitorial
services and cafeteria workers. But there are real questions about
consolidation between the blind and deaf cultures, at once proud and
insular, and very different from each other. "They listen by watching, and
we listen by hearing," said Kendra Schaber, 19, who has spent seven years at the Oregon School for the Blind, and knows its corridors, staircases and doorways by heart.
All over the country, legislators are wrestling with similar questions
about state-run residential schools for the blind and the deaf. They are
expensive to operate and serve ever-dwindling populations, as more families opt to keep children at home and search out help from their local
school district.
In Rhode Island this year, for example, just four students made up the
entire graduating class from the state's school for the deaf in Providence. Some states, like Oregon, are consolidating campuses. Others, like Iowa and Texas, are focusing more on outreach programs and short-term stays. State-run schools in some states, like Wyoming, have been closed down for good.
Once, nearly every state in the nation ran boarding schools for the blind and the deaf, often drawing in hundreds of students. But enrollment plummeted when the federal government passed legislation in 1975 requiring disabled students to be educated in the "least restrictive" environment possible.
These days, it's common for only the most seriously impaired students,
especially among the blind population, to board at state-run schools, where
they learn living skills how to pack a lunch, to look at someone when
you're having a conversation, board a bus to ride downtown.
Student teacher ratios can be as low as three-to-one, and educating a
single student with round-the-clock care can average out at $90,000 per
year. At the same time, populations of deaf and blind students who need
services in local districts have risen, leaving education officials to direct more dollars there.
Karen Wolffe, director for professional development at the American
Foundation for the Blind, said the trend is for state-run schools to do more outreach work.
"I think that residential schools, unless they become more diversified,
their days are numbered," Wolffe said. "But if they do short-term placements for a semester, or a year, then move kids back into the mainstream, if they are offering a strong outreach program, then I think they will survive."
A handful of states have already merged their schools, including Arizona, South Carolina and West Virginia. In Washington state, Gov. Chris Gregoire has asked a team to review all of the state's residential schools before the 2007 legislative session, to look for cost efficiencies.
Elsewhere, like in Iowa, efforts are under way to cut back on long-term
stays at the residential schools, in favor of shorter stays to give students the skills they need to better cope at home a method some think could work well in Oregon.
Wolffe said mergers can result in situations that are, "separate, but not equal. There are always far more deaf students than blind students, and they garner the majority of the resources. I bet you dollars to doughnuts, those blind students are going to get lost."
In Oregon, teachers at the schools for both the deaf and the blind are worried over the uncertainty of the merger, with some openly looking for new jobs, upset over a proposal that could see responsibility for both schools contracted out to a regional schools agency. "My concern is that the view of the world might be that these are two disabilities that you can lump together into one," said Gayle Robertson, a drama and English teacher at the school for the deaf. "That is not true."
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Jefferson News Tribune, Missouri
Monday, July 17, 2006
By Natalie Fieleke
Stark black-and-white bound copies of everything from Martha Stewart
Living to the latest Harry Potter books and western novels, always reader
favorites, are filed quietly on the storehouse shelves of Wolfner Library in Jefferson City, ready to be mailed at a moment's notice. But flashy appearance matters not to the patrons of Wolfner Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. To even access library materials, one has to have some type of physical impairment that prevents them from reading, whether it's the degeneration of the optic nerve or the inability to hold a book.
What does matter, however, are the ways Wolfner staff and volunteers have been meeting patrons needs for 75 years and the way they're working to improve upon an already good thing.
One summer afternoon, Kavita Menon, one of eight teams of reading
volunteers, sat transfixed while tracking a reader's audio waves on a
computer screen as she followed along in the same book - "Buttermilk Hill"
by Ruth White. Anywhere Menon spotted a mispronounced or repeated word or
even a long pause, she put a yellow sticky note in the book. Later, she
would go back and either edit out the blip or do a re-read with her partner
to replace the word with the correct one using the digital recording
equipment the library installed in 2004.
Once all the recording is completed, the final product will be an audio
book version of the same book, enabling blind and physically handicapped
fourth through eighth graders to participate in the reading program
associated with the Mark Twain book list, like their peers.
"Buttermilk Hill" is just one of the about 25 books for children and young
adults as well as the 15 to 20 Missouri-specific titles library volunteers
produce each year.
For Menon, it's a great feeling once a book is finally completed and
transferred to cassette tape, but library officials say that soon, the way
patrons are able to listen to recordings will be even better. Richard
Smith, director of Wolfner Library, explained that the National Library
Service, a federal program of the Library of Congress through which the
library gets many of the more than 66,000 titles it loans to patrons, is
making its first media format change since it made the gradual change from
"talking books" on record to audio tapes in the 1970s.
More than 30 years ago, National Library Service began adding about 2,000 book titles to cassette format each year, a small shift compared to the 20,000 that will most likely be available in 2008, the first year the library will begin providing patrons with digital media players in place of audiocassettes.
"It's not going to be a small transition, it's going to be like a bang,"
Smith said. "Here's your machine and here's a lot of books you can play.
"But the change, expected to continue through 2011, won't come as a surprise to library patrons.
Smith said the library has been preparing patrons for the change for the
past three years and that they're excited for the cassette-sized "flash
cards" that will hold an entire book.
Patrons will be able to "bookmark" an audio book and go right back to their
stopping point, or even go directly to the section they want to refer to in
an indexed cookbook, he explained.
For now, patrons like Florence Guhleman of Jefferson City will continue to
receive bright green plastic boxes containing audio tapes delivered to their doorsteps several times a week. Guhleman's macular degeneration, the early deterioration of her retinas, began stealing her central vision in both eyes
by the time she was 45. Still, she didn't let that stop her from pursuing
watercolor painting and learning all she could through reading books about
the art form.
Now that she's 83, her vision is completely gone, but she says she
doesn't mind getting old. In fact, she says it's been a joy for her to
return to reading, a relaxing activity.
Through the free program Gulheman, 83, listens to around two or three
books per week, and keeps up on current happenings through her weekly audio
copy of U.S. News and World Report and KBIA public radio.
While Guhleman's appetite for biographies and historical novels may seem
voracious, she's not alone.
The library sends out about 2,000 books a day and gets back the same
number in a day, said Debbie Musselman, public services librarian at Wolfner Library.
There's a speedy turnaround, with 80 percent of those titles going out to
another patron within three days, Musselman said.
School-age children participating in reading programs benefit from audio
recordings in the sense that they can follow along with the curriculum, but
75 percent of patrons are age 60 and over and designated as "audio readers"
even if they know Braille, because fingertip sensitivity decreases with age, Musselman said. Those waiting for requested titles to be delivered to their home at no cost run the gamut. For some, one audio book per year will
suffice, while others listen to 40 books per week, Musselman said.
"You ask them about it and they can tell you every book they read," she
said. "Maybe they have insomnia, or maybe they're in a nursing home and they need some constructive way they can spend their time."
Musselman said she's witnessed staff coming in the morning, grabbing a
cassette and literally running to get the material out in the morning mail.
"They're just dedicated to get a book out," she said. "Because they know
that when we get a book back from a patron, that person doesn't have a book, and we think that's horrible."
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Saturday, July 01, 2006
By Andrew Bridges, The Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- The first drug shown to significantly improve the vision
of patients threatened by a major cause of blindness in the elderly won
federal approval yesterday.
The drug, called Lucentis, treats the wet form of age-related macular
degeneration, a disorder where blood vessels behind the retina leak blood
and fluid, worsening vision and often causing blindness. An estimated 90
percent of the 1.4 million Americans who have lost their eyesight due to the disorder have the wet form.
Lucentis, made by Genentech Inc., a South San Francisco, Calif., biotechnology company, inhibits the growth of blood vessels when injected into the eye. Other Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments can arrest progression of the disease, which can lead to blindness in just weeks or months, but none has been shown to significantly reverse deteriorating vision.
Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital was one of many sites around the
country where Lucentis was tested, said Dr. Robert Lewen, director of the
hospital's retinal services division. "It's a great drug," he said. "We've been using this drug for about 2 1/2 years in four different studies."
Lucentis is injected into the eye after it has been numbed with anesthetic, Dr. Lewen explained. The procedure is done in the ophthalmologist's office. In the trials, it was administered monthly, but studies are now under way to see if it can be given less frequently and still be beneficial.
"There are a number of people who are treated once or twice and then
don't seem to need any more drug," Dr. Lewen said. He typically checks patients each month and determines whether another dose is needed, based on their symptoms and the condition of their eyes.
Not every person who has wet, or exudative, macular degeneration needs
Lucentis, he added. But it would be reasonable for patients who have been
diagnosed fairly recently to get evaluated to see if they might be candidates for the drug. "It's only for people with certain forms of active macular degeneration,"
Dr. Lewen said.
In clinical trials nationally, nearly 95 percent of participants given
monthly injections maintained their vision at one year, compared with the
approximately 60 percent who did after receiving another treatment, the FDA
said. Approximately one-third of the Lucentis patients reported improved
vision after a year.
Lucentis' most commonly reported side effects include conjunctival
hemorrhage, eye pain, floaters, increased eye pressure and inflammation.
Genentech may find Lucentis competing against another of its drugs, the
cancer treatment Avastin. Avastin is increasingly used to treat macular
degeneration for as little as $17 a dose. Lucentis will cost $1,950 per
injection, or more than 100 times as much. Each drug is typically injected
monthly or bimonthly.
Lucentis and Avastin both block the same protein believed responsible for the blood vessel growth. Early results from Lucentis trials led doctors more than two years ago to begin experimenting with Avastin to treat age-related macular degeneration, commonly called AMD.
"It gave physicians and patients great hope we are going to be able to
improve vision in our patients rather than just slow down the loss of
vision," Dr. George Williams, an American Academy of Ophthalmology
spokesman, said of the early results.
Since then, at least 10,000 macular degeneration patients have received Avastin injections, a so-called "off-label" use of the drug. "It's become a worldwide phenomenon," said Dr. Philip Rosenfeld, a professor of ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, who pioneered its use for AMD.
The FDA does not sanction using Avastin to treat macular degeneration.
Genentech stresses that it has not studied the safety or effectiveness of
Avastin in treating the disease, nor does it plan to do so.
"We believe Lucentis is a much better choice," said Dr. Hal Barron,
Genentech's chief medical officer. "I really believe when treating patients, you have to look at the wealth of data supporting its use and the quality of that data."
The National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health,
has received an outside proposal to conduct a study comparing Avastin and
Lucentis in treating AMD, said the government institute's Dr. Maryann
Redford. Genentech engineered Lucentis to better penetrate the retina while reducing inflammation, Dr. Barron said. Lucentis also clears the body faster than Avastin, and better targets the protein important to vessel formation,
he added.
Still, the anticipated cost of Lucentis may constrain its use, since
Avastin is far cheaper when vials of the cancer drug are divvied up and used to treat macular degeneration. "The bottom line is, wherever price does
matter, Avastin will probably be used as first-line therapy. But wherever
price is not an issue, like in Medicare patients and Medicaid patients,
Lucentis will be used," Dr. Rosenfeld said. Neither drug is a cure for age-related macular degeneration. The disease is named for the macula, the central portion of the retina responsible for detailed central vision.
The two other FDA-APPROVED therapies to treat macular degeneration are
Novartis Inc.'s Visudyne, which combines a light-sensitive drug and laser
therapy to seal leaking blood vessels, and OSI Pharmaceuticals IncddstPfizer Inc.'s Macugen, which is injected into the eye.
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Many of you got your first chance to use accessible voting machines in
the Tuesday primary election. Here is an article from the Joplin Globe about the experience of one blind person with the new equipment:
New equipment to serve disabled voters was deemed a success Tuesday by a
Joplin woman who is visually impaired. "I love it; I'll be voting more often now,"
Elaine lloyd said after casting her ballot at Royal Heights United Methodist Church.
Tuesday was the first time the new equipment was used in Jasper County and other counties across the state. The county clerk's office received several reports about machines not working properly, but lloyd said the machine she used worked fine, once she got the hang of it. "It was kind of confusing at first, but I like it," she said. "It will give me more independence when I vote."
The maiden voyage of the equipment hit some rough spots at other
precincts, according to Ron Mosbaugh, county clerk. He said fewer than 20
ballots were cast on the machines. "We had problems on several of the
machines with the cartridge that's supposed to produce the paper trail,
though they were OK earlier when we tested them," he said. "There were four machines we weren't even able to use." Two scanners that are used to read
and count other ballots also broke down and were replaced by backup equipment, Mosbaugh said. lloyd said her only real problem was that she didn't realize, at first, that she had to use a select function to get access to the different choices on the ballot.
"After I learned how it worked, I went back and listened to choices I
had," she said.
"I would pick one and go to the next button." lloyd 42, said she has been essentially blind for six years. She was born without sight in one eye, then an accident took the sight in her other eye. "I can see light and dark," she said. "But I tell people it's like seeing a shadow on a bright day. I can see the outline, but I can't see anything inside it."
lloyd said she has become "an electronic junkie" with any type of computer
system that talks. That list includes computer software that reads what is showing on the screen, and audio books and newspapers, through an audio reader program.
"I like everything that talks," she said. "It makes my life more
independent."lloyd said she also was impressed with the voice used in the new voting system.
"In some adaptive technology, the voice isn't clear or they don't pronounce the words well," she said. "This one did OK."
She said that when she has voted in previous elections, her roommate would
go with her and mark her ballot, or she would get help from a judge at the polling
place. "But you have to have a lot of trust that they'll mark the ballot
the way you want them to," she said. lloyd said blind people should have the opportunity to vote independently, like other voters, and the new equipment
should make that possible. "Even if someone is blind, they should have the
right to mark their own ballot," she said. "I think this will put an end to that controversy. Now, if they don't use the machine, they can't blame anyone but themselves."
lloyd had one suggestion for county clerks before the November election.
"They need to put one in the library so blind people can go down and have a chance to learn the buttons and get familiar with it," she said.
Back to Index
Where we pick up the latest news from you
Adaptive Technology Group
Well, another year has rolled around and our AT meeting, that will be
held at our annual state convention in Jefferson City will take place. We
hope to see many of our current members and hope to gain some new ones.
The meeting will begin Friday, October 20th, at approximately 5:00 pm
after the adjournment of the Friday session. I'm not yet sure of the
location. There will be drawings for prizes as in the past. We would also
like to have some discussion about the newsletter One of our goals is to
have something which relates to all levels of computer users, along with
other interesting topics. What else will happen? Come find out. Hope to
see you there.
Bob Jaco,
President,
Adaptive Technology Special Interest Group
AWB Report
Awb elected the following officers in June:
President, David Plumlee; Vice-President, Tom Jones; Recording Secretary,
Sabrina Fowler; Treasurer, William Hawkins; Corresponding Secretary, Bobbye Priddy; Health Benefits, Melvin Smith; Special Services,
Shirley Brokaw. Greg Hollins has a year remaining as Education Chairperson.
On June 12, AWB, Progressive Blind, and Pony Express had a combined meeting at Alpha Pointe at which MCB President Kathey Wheeler was the speaker. She told us about MCB'S activities since the convention in 2005 such as the work with the Thrift Stores, and each of the affiliate presidents at the meeting spoke briefly about the affiliate's activities. For Allied Workers' part, I mentioned our affiliate's contribution of $500 to a motorcycle ride benefitting the Salvation Army in Independence. During my remarks, I mentioned that our donation had given us the privilege of sponsoring three motorcycle riders and that I had in jest volunteered to be one of the riders. The remark brought quite a laugh, but I must say that nobody gave me the key to a motorcycle to ride in the event. Cane-travel skill doesn't count for much when you get on one of those machines!
AWB held a barbecue in June; Tom and Mary Crawford cooked the food, and
it was delicious. Several AWB members attended the ACB Convention in
Jacksonville and said that they had a great time.
I acquired a new "toy" which I have been using to sing quartets with myself through overdub recording. The unit is the Fostex MR8-HD hard-disk recorder, and it is a stand-alone audio unit as opposed to being software to run on a computer. In this day of high-tech electronics having flat panels and point-and-click operation, I found it refreshing to find a product bespangled with many real knobs and buttons.
This unit is not totally accessible, and it is somewhat complicated to learn; but a dedicated musician with much skill in handling knobs and buttons along with a desire to record overdub music might want to look at this unit. Debbie and I have used it to record two parts of quartet songs which we took to church to sing the other parts along with the recording. Even though the unit is not totally accessible, I am able to do the recording tasks I want to do on it, and it is the best and most flexible recorder I have ever owned.
Enjoy the rest of the summer; try to keep cool; and we hope to see many of you at the upcoming convention in Jefferson City.
David Plumlee
Blind of Central Mo
Tuesday August 1, 2006
Hello to everyone from Sedalia. The week of camp went very fast. Everyone that attended had a really good blast.
Our annual outreach picnic was July 6 which was the first Thursday instead
of the second Thursday at 6:00. It was at Liberty Park in the shelter house
that we had last year. There were around 32 members and guests. We had
hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, potato salad, baked beans, vegetable
trays, fruit trays, dip, cookies, s'mores, and assorted soda to drink. The ones that wanted to also rode the little train. Everyone that attended had a great time of food, fun, and fellowship.
Everything went well at camp. We had a lot of games and activities there.
I finally won one board bingo game Saturday night which was the lowest
amount of numbers covered on the board. I had two numbers covered. I won $2.50 that night. Our house was very hot when we arrived home Sunday at 11:50 AM. I hope everyone is managing the best they can with the heat.
There is one more thing I would like to mention, The Blind of Central
Mo. is looking forward to hosting the October 2006 convention. Until next
time, we hope everyone has many great months ahead.
Keep your smile and a song in your heart. If you can't be good, be good at it.
Trudy Blood
Recording Secretary
Blind of Central Missouri
BRAILLE Report
Elizabeth Moore, the President of the Braille Revival League of Missouri, has asked me to tell you that the BRAILLE Special Interest Group is eagerly
looking for new members. She hopes that many of you will consider signing up at the Convention. If you need information about BRAILLE of Missouri, you can reach Elizabeth Moore at (314) 533-3740. Her address is:
310 South Grand, Apartment 209,
St Louis, MO. 63103
JOPLIN SERVICE CLUB OF The BLIND
It is the time to get an article sent again. We who get the tapes just
received them July 8th. Hope the September ones will at least come in
September.
In May the United Methodist Church fixed and served our Thursday
evening dinner. Duke Mason provided great music! We didn't have a Thursday evening dinner in June.
The United Way had their "Day of Caring" at Shiffendecker Park with a
cookout. There were a lot of volunteers from many different businesses that helped out. Our Club was invited and we had a great time. Also there were
the children who have visual problems and Calvin Churchwell of the Joplin
Association for the Blind who does a wonderful Job! Kathey Wheeler and her
husband attended. She promised to come back and attend one of our business
meetings. Also, a few of our people traveled to Springfield for the White
Cane Walk.
Our July dinner was held on July 20th due to several of our people
going to camp. The meal was fixed and served by the 1st Presbyterian
Church, followed by Corina Lechterg singing Gospel and Patriotic songs. Two
of our members, Jim Mahurin and Fern Jenson are both in the Hospital at this time. We hope they will be back soon.
At our August business meeting, we will be electing the Officers for
the coming two years. So, this will be my final article. I hope I have
written news about our club that has been of interest to the other clubs,
so with that I wish to close with the following:
THE UNKNOWN FUTURE
Life is a book in volumes three--
The past, the present, and the yet-to-be.
The past is written and laid away.
The present we're writing everyday,
And the last and best of volumes three
Is locked from sight-- God keeps the key.
Sincerely,
Valva York
Hello from Lake Stockton
Eight members of Lake Stockton participated in the White Cane Walk in
Springfield on May 13. Thank you to the Springfield Service Club of the
Blind for inviting us to this event.
As Harry Hickman, president, was adjourning the June meeting, unexpected
visitors came through the doors. Minnie with a tag on her hat and spoons in her hand was bringing a shy Maggie, holding onto her banjo, into the room.
They were a bit late for the meeting, so Minnie and Maggie entertained the
group with their comical singing accompanied by their spoons and banjo
playing. They told a few jokes and gave lessons in medical terminology, Minnie and Maggie style. When we took a closer look, we noticed that
Maggie was our very own Helen Gillham with her friend Bobbi Andrews as
Minnie. Their antics brought an abundance of laughter from affiliate members.
Four members were part of the Cobblestone Lodge activities this summer.
Harry Hickman and Willa Hood were at the Lodge in June. Marie Davis and Sue Thomas were at the Lodge in July. All reported a fun time.
Three members have died since the first of the year: Delta Cox, February 12; Melissa Hess, March 26; and Bernice Hicks, May 17.
Members will be enjoying a pizza party at the August meeting as we put
the finishing touches on the Annual Dinner and Auction. We are also making
plans for the "nuts" from Lake Stockton to see all their "nutty" friends during the October convention in Jefferson City. In other words, Lake
Stockton will have pecans, black walnuts, English walnuts, dried apricots,
cashews, fruit and nut mix plus some chocolate covered items for sale.
Until next time,
May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
Linda Dawes, Secretary
Missouri GUIDE Dog Users Report
Marie Thompson did not send a report this time, but she did ask me to
remind you of the arrangements for the Guide Dog Users breakfast at the
state convention. The breakfast will be on Friday, October 20th and the cost will be $11.85 per person. Your reservations must be into the Treasurer no
later than September 15th. Dues should also be paid and they are five
dollars. This is an election year and Marie says she is not running again
for President.
Progressive Council of the Blind
First of all, I would like to send a very warm!!! greeting to all of
our MCB members and friends. I mean this literally. Progressive also sends their condolences to Linda Burris and her family and we all will miss Bill
greatly.
On Friday May 12th, Progressive had our anual dinner with Pony Express
and Allied Workers. We had a presentation from our state President Kathey
Wheeler and everyone had a great time with good food and fellowship. In
June, we had our election of officers for the new year. The results are as
follows: Alice Valdez President, Hank Pearce First Vice President, Ed Reyes
Second Vice President, Ed Valdez Secretary, Susan Pearce Treasurer, Terrie
Arnold First member at large and Barbara Dewberry Second member at large.
Progressive had a total of 14 members to attend the National Convention,
which was very informative and lots of fun. We plan to have our picnic on
September 16th, hopefully it will be a little cooler then. Well so long for now!
Barbara Dewberry
Queen City Council
Greetings from Queen City Council, Mcb President Kathey Wheeler was our
guest speaker at our August meeting. Five members attended July camp and
four will attend the weekend camp session. On July 15 our annual picnic for the blind children and their families was held. Approximately seven blind
children and their families were in attendance. It was a very hot day but we had lots of fun, food and entertainment. Several of the children sang and
played musical instruments. Fifty-five people attended. One of our members
made eleven dozen cookies and another brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts. It was a very enjoyable day.
On a sad note, on May 17th, we lost one of our charter members, Cena
Mathis. She will be missed very much. We always had our annual garage sales
at her house.
By the time you receive this, football season will be in full swing. Good luck to the St. Louis Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs.
We want to give our sympathy to Linda Burris and family. Bill was a very
jolly fellow and MCB won't be the same without him.
May God richly bless all of you. Until next time.
Marilyn Tuso
The Rite Report
Let me extend to you a "warm" or should I say "hot" hello from RITE. I
hope all of you St. Louis people had power during the recent black out. All
the members of RITE I was able to contact were ok. Thank God for that.
Our trip to Elephant Rock went well. We wish to especially thank our
newest member, Tim McClure for all the help he gave. Good job, Tim.
Our next event will be the Strassenfest. It will begin on Friday, August
4 and run through Sunday the 6th. As we did last year, we will have two
booths where we will demonstrate reading and writing Braille, and passing
out brochures and souvenirs. We have pens with RITE'S name and phone number
written on them. I wish to thank members of other organizations who have
volunteered to work with us. Being a small group we really appreciate you.
In September we plan to tour the new Busch Stadium.
We are pleased to report that our President, Angelo Trapasso has been
appointed as a member of the Building Committee. Congratulations, Angelo.
Several of our members attended the second week of camp in July. I have
not spoken to them since their return but I'm sure they had a wonderful
time.
Verneiah Abbott recently moved to the Mary Culver Home. She has been in
bad health for a long time. We wish her well and many years of happiness
living there.
Larry Ledford is a Grandpa again. Little Brayden Noah was born on St.
Patrick's day, March 17. That makes four boys. Congratulations, Larry, I
think.
We were sorry to hear about Naomi's accident at camp. We wish her a
speedy recovery.
Four of us are looking forward to a trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas in
August. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.
We were saddened by the death of Bill Burris. He was funny and kind and
generous with his time and abilities in MCB. He will be missed. Our prayers
will be with Linda and the Burris family.
And that's the news for this time. Till next time, may you walk with
God's hand on your shoulder and His love in your heart. God bless each of
you personally.
Warm Blessings
Bunny Mcginnis
Happenings from Rcwb On the Mighty Mississippi
Looking out the window, thinking about how beautiful the month of May
really was--flowers coming to life and the birds singing--what a blessing to be alive.
River City Workers of the Blind held its May meeting and officers for
2006-07 were elected. They are as follows: President, Charles Werner; Vice
President, Sharon Davis; Secretary, Elaine Shirrell; and Treasurer, Bill
Godwin. We, the officers, thank RCWB for the confidence you have placed in
us to keep our affiliate moving forward.
June brought a few warm days but June tenth was a beautiful day with a
nice breeze which made a great hit with our guests and members attending
our picnic. Sikeston and Poplar Bluff affiliates were our guests. Our
special guest was Kathey Wheeler and her husband Dan, to share our food,
fun, fellowship, and entertainment. Charles Werner played the harmonica, and Pat Fleurdelys led the sing-along.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! What a happy sound to wake up to on the 4th of
July, Independence day. Our RCWB members are very proud to be Americans and we are thankful for all the people throughout the years to the present day
troops for the freedom we enjoy now.
With July comes the hot, hot weather. Iced tea, koolaid stands and water
fairs to be enjoyed by all.
July also brings summer camp, which we have members attending. Please be
careful! Have fun and enjoy everything. We received a thank you note for
items donated to Safe House. It was our service project for July. RCWB
members are looking forward to going to Sikeston, an activity planned for
July. Thanks for inviting us.
By the time you receive this edition of the Chronicle, most of the hot
weather will be behind us and hints of fall will be appearing. This too is a beautiful season, so enjoy every day and be a blessing to those you may
meet, and God will bless you too.
Remember to pray for the leaders of our America and our troops who are
defending her. God bless all.
Communications Committee River City Workers
St. Louis Council of the Blind Report
Last time I sent in a report I was bragging on one of our members, Deke
Edwards, who had been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall Of Fame.
Well, I'm going to have to do some bragging on Deke again. The first week
in July he completed a tandem bike ride from Santa Fe, New Mexico to
Harrisonville, Missouri, near Kansas City. They made the trip in eight
days, but Deke says they could have done it in seven if they hadn't stopped
for a while in Dodge City, Kansas. Even so, it seems like a grueling and
amazing effort to me; mountains and all!
Some of you might be interested to hear about a project we have recently
embarked upon. We bought solid white candy canes, trimmed them on the
bottom with red reflective tape, then put one cane along with a flier into a see-through ziplock plastic bag. The fliers have a drawing of a white cane, (inscribed appropriately enough with the name, Cane) and a guidedog with his name on his collar, Able. At the point of the cane are the words, "make it
a point", and under the guidedog the words, "to paws for us". We contacted
several driver's education class teachers in four different high schools,
and all said they would be very happy to pass out these packets to their
students. We've had fun putting the tape on the canes and packaging them in the bags along with the fliers. I was thinking that maybe some other
affiliates might like to take on such a project in other parts of the State.
Have a wonderful autumn season. Our hope is that as your days grow
shorter in length, they will be more filled with good things.
Jo-An Benson, President
Southwest Mo Friendship Council Report
We hope this report finds everyone well.
Unfortunately, since my last report, we have lost one of our blind members.
Max Riche passed away at the end of June.
He had been having major health problems for quite some time.Harold Griffoth had to have a double bypass, and is still recovering, and Elvena Smith is in the hospital, just trying to get her strength back from some of the health
problems that she has experienced.
In June, Ron, Cathie Brauner, and I all went to Camp Cobblestone. It was
our first time, and we loved it.Ron and Cathie have plans to go again in
September. Chip and Linda Hailey went in July.
July has proven to be a busy month for Ed and Margaret Forcum. First
they went to the Boston Mountains in Arkansas, and then they went on a bus
tour to the Black Hills in South Dakota. Franklin Johnson has been to Texas
to visit his daughter and family, and I have just returned from an eleven
day visit with my daughter Linda Coccovizzo and her family.
In May, our club was invited to have our social on Tom and Elvena Smith's patio, and it was so cold Tom had to light his outdoor fireplace. The
Southwestern corn he made was so popular, that my daughter Jackie, and
Franklin Johnson tried to see who could eat the most, and the only reason
Franklin says Jackie won, was because she was the one doing the serving.Oh,
well, that's okay, they were so full from the corn, that there were more of
Tom's scrumptious blackberry and peach and apricot cobblers for everyone
else.
In June, we had our social at Jim Bob's, a local restaurant here in
Joplin, and Kathey Wheeler and her husband were our guests.
Thank you for your visit Kathey.
Several of us are planning to go to the dinner and auction in Bolivar
that Lake Stockton is having. We are also working on choosing an
outstanding business, and an outstanding individual, that have done a lot
for our club, to present Awards to, at our Awards Banquet we have every
year.We are also gearing up to elect new officers in October. Well, that is
all I have for this time.
Bye for now.
Cindy Smart, PR
The Springfield Scene
by Phyllis Lovett
His death left a hole in our hearts:
The death of our friend, Bill Burris, has left a big hole in our hearts. It will take a big person to make up for his loss. Our deepest sympathies to Linda and the Burris family.
White Cane Walk:
This is old news now but we are still proud of our success. Our 10th annual White Cane Walk was held on May 14. The attendance was down but the
proceeds were up. We raised $1,205 for the Missouri Lions Eye Research
Foundation in Columbia. Of course, we all ate too much and enjoyed seeing
all of our friends.
ACB Convention:Donna and Leo Giger, Janelle Edwards and I attended the
ACB convention in Jacksonville, Florida. The meetings were worthwhile and
the exhibits were great. But it sure was a long road down there. The Hyatt Regency Riverfront Hotel was gorgeous and was in a lovely area. Ask Leo
about the US Coast Guard. Next year, it will be a little closer to home.
M.C.B. President Visits:
On August 8, M.C.B. President, Kathey Wheeler and her husband, Danny,
visited our club. We are always proud to have her visit.
Election of Officers:
On August 8, we held our elections. The Nominating Committee presented the
slate of officers: Lisa Filroy, President; Marti Watson, Vice-President;
Janelle Edwards, Secretary and Donna Giger as Treasurer. All were elected
by acclamation. Congratulations.
Lake Stockton Picnic:
Donna and Leo Giger, Lisa Filroy and I attended the annual Lake Stockton
Area Council picnic and benefit auction. Also attending was my brother, Roy Vaughn, who drove for us. We had a great time and of course bought things
we simply could not live without.
From The Editor:
One more note before we leave Affiliate Affairs. The
Tower Club, one of the St. Louis affiliates, is doing a very nice thing on
October 28. They are having an appreciation dinner to honor Marie Kelley,
Bill Jackson, and Ray Campbell, for the lifelong dedication they have given
to the organization. Following the dinner, there will be an opportunity for people to speak about these three hardworking individuals. What a great way
to remember and celebrate an affiliate's past and to honor the people who
made the affiliate grow. Congratulations to the Tower Club and to Marie,
Bill and Ray.
Back to Index
Have you ever known anyone named Nevaeh? Chances are you don't, but
someday you may, because Nevaeh is one of the fastest growing names in
popularity for new born girls. In 1999 only eight babies were given this
strange-sounding name, but last year it was the 70th most popular name for
newborn baby girls, putting it ahead of such popular names as Vanessa and
Amanda. There were 4,457 Nevaehs born in 2005. But where did this name
Nevaeh come from? It is not the name of a Biblical character; it is not from a foreign language, and it is not the name of a celebrity, real or
fictional. Think about it. The surprising answer will be found at the end of the column. No fair skipping ahead, read to the end and find out.
The Prodigy is a new talking blood glucose meter that has just come on
the market. It uses a very small amount of blood and gives results in seven
seconds. Surprisingly, it costs only $29, and it is free if you purchase
five boxes of strips from the company. The strips cost $18 for a box of
fifty. I have heard some good reports about this meter but the downside of
the meter for totally blind people seems to be that you can't code your
strips using the speech, so you need sighted help to do that task. The
Prodigy is available from the Diabetic Support Program, 3381 Fairlane Farms
Road, Wellington, FL 33415. Phone: (800) 799-1477. The web site for ordering is www.prescriptionsplus.com.
Here is a new e-mail list that sounds interesting, although I haven't
gotten around to joining it yet. It is a list for discussing all aspects of
radio, past, present and future, including digital broadcasting. You can
join by sending a blank message to radio-talk-subscribe@googlegroups.com.
The Zone Bbs is a web site where blind people can "meet new people, play
games, and get away from the more stressful parts of life." Check it out at
www.zonebbs.com.
Electronics talk is a new listserv for blind people to share information
about the accessibility of off the shelf devices like cell phones and
cordless phones, Dvd players, mp-3 players, stereo components, microwave
ovens, satellite radios and other home appliances. To join, send an e-mail
message with the word subscribe in the subject line to
electronics-talk-request@nfb.net
Blind Connect is an e-mail list for people who are blind and who are
experiencing vision loss. Danney Yates, the creator of the list, says it is
for discussing victories and defeats, good days and bad days, and the daily
stresses of blindness. Send a blank e-mail to
blindconnect-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Chris Judd, a blind student attending the University of Missouri St
Louis, has written ten tutorials which he is selling for $8.00 each, with
discounts if you buy four or more. There are tutorials on how to use eBay,
Paypal, Winamp, Outlook Express and Microsoft Word; there are two tutorials
on accessible games, one on accessible web sites and one on employment.
Chris can burn them on CD or send them by e-mail. He will accept checks or
money orders but prefers PayPal. To order send him an e-mail at
chrischas0713@charter.net.
The Service Club in St. Louis is now selling an atomic talking watch for
$42. It has a black band, with large black numbers on a white face. It comes with cassette instructions. The address for the Service Club is 3719 Watson
Road, St. Louis, MO 63109 and the phone number is (314) 647-3306. Ask for a
price list to see what else is for sale.
The Out Of Sight health and fitness program is an exercise and nutrition
program for blind people designed by blind personal trainer Bob Kopenjay. It comes in Braille or large print with an audio exercise tape. It costs
$39.95. Order from Duko Health International, 175 Irving Place, Rutherford,
NJ 07070, Phone: (201) 507-1510.
Very Truly Yours makes extra large label kits for seniors and people with low vision. The kit consists of bold type address labels, a binder, a pen
and a bag for holding stamps. The company's phone number is (717) 334-0330
and the web site is www.verytrulyyourspak.com.
Pocket Reference Journals, a publisher of medical books, has just
published one of its reference books in Braille. It is My Pocket Doctor, a reference guide and journal for people with diabetes. Written by an
endocrinologist, a dietitian and a diabetic educator, it answers questions
that a newly diagnosed diabetic might ask. The Braille edition is $47, plus
$10 for shipping. It is also available on CD. Order by phone by calling
(714) 965-4750 or visit www.pocketreferencejournals.com.
The Amigo is a high-powered video magnifier that can be used to enlarge
things like menus, product labels and price tags. It is sold by Enhanced
Vision, (888) 811-3161.
If you are having problems related to your disability while traveling by
air, you can call (800) 778-4838 for information and assistance.
American Phone Service offers a long distance phone card with 5,000
minutes a month from any phone for $59.95. For more information, call (800)
741-0744.
Horizons for the Blind publishes Seeing It Our way, a monthly magazine of craft patterns, recipes, puzzles and poems. It is in Braille and large
print for a yearly subscription of $30. Contact Horizons for the blind, 2
North Williams Street, Crystal Lake, IL 60014.
Here are three numbers for obtaining free national directory assistance:
(800 373-3411, (800) 411-6387 and (800) 411-7283.
The Kelvin Talking Thermostat, manufactured by Action Talking Products,
is a fully programmable thermostat with which temperatures can be set
manually or with voice commands. For more information, call (516) 937-1848.
Hear a demonstration at www.actiontalkingproducts.com.
All Braille is a Braille transcribing service offering braille business
cards, menus, cable and satellite television listings, program schedules for Xm and Sirius satellite radio and customized sports schedules. Their web
site is www.allbraille.com.
Correction: A reader pointed out that I had given an incorrect phone
number last time for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. The correct number
is (888) 673-2687. The number I gave seems to be a number for some kind of
phone sex line. I wonder how many of you are going to go back to the June
issue to find that wrong number? I'm not giving it, you'll have to find it
for yourselves.
Just a few years ago, most of us had never even heard of the word blog,
which is a web log or web-based journal. Today, it is estimated that there
are 36 million blogs online, with a new one created every second. To help
you understand this incredible phenomenon, National Braille Press has just
issued a new book called Blog On: Reading and Writing Blogs with a Screen
Reader by Anna Dresner. It tells you everything you need to know to find
blogs, read them, keep up with them or create your own. It is in one Braille volume or PortaBook for $10.
Also new from NBP, A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children,
collected by Caroline Kennedy. It is a treasury of poetry for all ages and
it is available in Braille or as a PortaBook for $19.95. And one more from
NBP: Slow Cooker Meals from Betty crocker, containing recipes for soups,
stews, chili, and other one dish meals with beef, pork and turkey. One
Braille volume or PortaBook for $5. You can order these from National
Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115: Phone: (800)
548-7323, e-mail orders@nbp.org. You can also get a catalog and join an e-mail announce list to find out about new publications as soon as they are released.
The Braille Institute of America has produced a book called Preparing for College and Beyond, covering college-related topics like the application
process, registration, disabled student services, course catalogs and class
schedules, obtaining textbooks, test accommodations and more. It is in
Braille, large print and compact disc. Call (800) 272-4553 or visit
www.brailleinstitute.org.
Optelec sells Mobile Speak, software that makes several models of cell
phones accessible. The address is Optelec, 6 Liberty Way, Westford, MA
01886, (800) 828-1056, www.optelec.com.
The Hadley School for the Blind has added two courses to its catalog: one on business writing and one on the basics of Nemeth Code. For information
about these and other course offerings, call (800) 526-9909 or visit
www.hadley.edu. All Hadley courses are free.
Blind Singles is an online resource where single blind people can
interact, exchange ideas and form friendships. You must be at least 18 years old to join. Send a blank e-mail to blindsingles-subscribe@smartgroups.com.
Carroll Tech, a service of the Carroll Center for the Blind, offers
online instruction in access technology. Courses include instruction in
Outlook, Excel and Power Point. For information, call (617) 969-6200 or go
to www.carrolltech.org.
Have you ever wondered about such things as how many books have been
published, how many movies have been made or how many songs have been
written and recorded? Well, here are some incredible statistics that I found in an article in the New York Times: Since earliest recorded history, it is estimated that people have published at least 32 million books, 750 million articles and essays, and 25 million songs. There have been approximately 500,000 movies made, and 3 million videos, tv shows and short films. And we have created (i can't even conceive of this one) 100 billion public web pages. That is even more mind-bending when you consider how briefly the internet has been around.
Now, let's clear up the mystery of the name nevaeh. If you haven't
figured it out yet, Nevaeh is Heaven spelled backwards. So if you gave birth to twins, a girl and a boy, would you be tempted to name them Nevaeh and
Lleh? Someone probably will.
And that closes the Lower Left-Hand Drawer for this time.
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I printed this poem in the Chronicle in 2001, after it was sent to us by
Chip when Donna's father died. I also read it at his funeral. Since I know
it has been a comfort to many people, I decided to reprint it in this issue
in memory of Bill Burris. I dedicate this poem to Linda and hope it brings
her comfort, too.
When tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes,
All filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry,
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.
I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That An Angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,
And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind,
All those I dearly love.
But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye,
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for,
So much yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
And all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for awhile,
I'd say goodbye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
Would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.
But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,
He said, "This is eternity,
And all I've promised you.
Today for life on earth is past,
But here it starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day's the same day,
There's no longing for the past.
But you have been so faithful,
So trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things,
You knew you shouldn't do.
But you have been forgiven
And now at last you're free.
So won't you take my hand
And share my life with me?"
So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart.
Written by:
Erica Shea Liupaeter
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