CCB OUTLOOK Winter, 1998 Steve Dresser, Editor Published by The Connecticut Council of the Blind Marcia Dresser, President Toll-free: (800) 231-3349 Hartford area: (860) 521-6749 on the World-wide Web at: http://members.tripod.com/~dmclean/ccb.html Together, we can make a difference. This newsletter is published four times a year, and is available in braille, print, large print, on cassette and computer disk, and on the CCB Web site. TABLE OF CONTENTS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ATTENTION CCB MEMBERS TAKE IN A MOVIE WITH CCB CCB AND OXFORD HEALTH PLANS: PARTNERS IN EDUCATION by John Mattioli CCB FALL 1997 CONVENTION SUMMARY 1997 ACB CONVENTION REPORT CELL PHONE MANUALS IN ALTERNATIVE FORMATS by John Mattioli CCB BULLETIN BOARD CCB NEWSMAKERS Q&A FOR CCB by Pam Garde CCB STANDING COMMITTEES CCB BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE First of all, I'd like to welcome our new CCB Treasurer, Roland Soucy. During the past several months, Roland has been working very hard for us. In addition to efficiently carrying out the many responsibilities of treasurer, he delivered candy to several people in the Hartford area, and duplicated and mailed out the tapes of Nolan Crabb's speech. Thanks, Roland! We certainly appreciate everything you're doing! Our fall convention turned out quite well. We kicked it off Friday evening with Game Night, which was a rousing success, and it was wonderful to spend a couple of days together. We accomplished a lot, had fun, and learned a great deal from each other and from our speakers. Many thanks to Alice Jackson, Cheree Heppe, and their committee for putting it all together. Shirley Phelon has graciously offered to take over the chairmanship of the Convention Committee, so be sure to contact her if you have ideas for the spring convention. Prospective members often ask me, "What does CCB stand for?" Thankfully, our brochure gives a very clear description of our mission and goals, but as for philosophy--well, I find that hard to articulate. Judging from our discussions at conventions and board meetings, I know that some of you have thought about this as much as I have, so I hope you'll read Paul Edwards's "President's Message" in your January _Braille _Forum. I think you'll approach this question with a whole new perspective. I'm happy to report that all of our candy has been distributed. If we receive the money from candy sales by the end of February, we will have sufficient funds to award our fourth annual scholarship. Thanks very much to all of you who participated in this important fundraising effort. CCB is certainly starting off the new year right! We are the beneficiary of a wonderful surprise, which you'll read about elsewhere in this issue. Also, our outreach efforts are paying off. I've spoken to several people who found us on our Web site, and we're starting to receive response cards from our brochures. I hope you were as inspired as I was by Nolan Crabb's speech. I really appreciated his affirmation, encouragement, and suggestions, and he certainly gave me a lot to think about. I am very proud of CCB, and I hope you are, too. It's hard to believe that I am embarking on my final year as your president. We will be electing a new slate of officers in October, which will be here sooner than you think. We need new blood--people with fresh ideas. I have appointed Steve Dresser chairman of the Nominating Committee, so if you'd like to nominate someone, or are interested in running for office yourself, please contact Steve. Think about it! --Marcia Dresser ATTENTION CCB MEMBERS Just a reminder that it's time to pay CCB dues for 1998. We're growing, and we need you. Please make your check for $15 payable to the Connecticut Council of the Blind. Remember that if you want to join Guide Dog Users of Connecticut, the dues will be $20, payable to CCB/GDUCT. Please send all checks to Treasurer Roland Soucy, 15 Shawnee Road, East Hartford, CT 06118. If you have already paid your dues for 1998, thank you! It is essential that we receive your check by Monday, February 23 because the deadline for us to submit our membership list and national dues to ACB is March 15. If we don't meet this deadline, we will not be allowed to vote as a state affiliate at the ACB national convention this summer. Please let us know if you would be willing to serve on one of CCB's committees (refer to the list of committees and chairmen in the back of this newsletter). You may contact chairmen directly, or leave a message indicating your interests at our toll-free number, (800) 231-3349, or (860) 521-6749 if you live in the Hartford area. Thanks very much for your interest and active participation in CCB. Together, we can and _do make a difference! TAKE IN A MOVIE WITH CCB As you probably know, the movie "Titanic" is a huge box office hit. What you may not know is that this spectacular movie is being shown with audio description by DVS in only two theaters in the country, one of which just happens to be in Framingham, Massachusetts. Thanks to the efforts of John Mattioli, CCB is sponsoring a trip to Framingham to see the 10:45 A.M. DVS showing of "Titanic" on Saturday, February 28. CCB member Carol Gillispie, and Jane French, of Oak Hill School, have graciously offered van transportation. The vans will depart from central points in New Haven and Hartford. The New Haven van will leave at 7:00 A.M., and the Hartford van will leave at 8:00 A.M. Although the total cost for the trip is yet to be determined, it should be around $20 per person. Due to the limited number of headsets available at the theater, please let us know immediately if you'd like to join us. Just call John Mattioli at (203) 929-4244. CCB AND OXFORD HEALTH PLANS: PARTNERS IN EDUCATION by John Mattioli Despite some recent controversy, Oxford Health Plans, a very new company in the health care industry, has grown with incredible speed. For the past several years, company employees have developed a reputation for community involvement and quality service by working closely with doctors, patients, stockholders, and government officials. Now, thanks to Oxford's generosity, we in CCB will directly benefit from the company's civic-minded attitude. Throughout the year, Oxford donates money to non-profit organizations in Connecticut. Early last December I received a phone call from my brother Mark, an Oxford employee. He offered to submit CCB's name for Oxford's consideration. After he filled out the required paper work, I faxed him a copy of our brochure, and we anxiously waited to hear from the committee making the grants. In mid December president Marcia Dresser and my brother both received letters indicating Oxford's intent to donate $500 to CCB for use in funding our scholarship. I was honored to represent the Connecticut Council of the Blind and accept our check at a reception held on December 18, 1997. A total of $15,000 was donated to 31 organizations of all kinds, including churches, youth groups, and minority organizations. We are fortunate to have numerous major corporations headquartered here in Connecticut. As with an individual's donations to charitable organizations, corporate contributions are tax deductible. Because these corporations have incomes far greater than a typical individual's, they are often willing to donate money to deserving organizations. The trick, for any non-profit organization, is to portray itself as more deserving than the next guy. While I am not a professional grant writer, a quick scan through a book on the subject indicates that this process is similar to any other sales job: know your customer's concerns and address them. In this case Oxford's grant writers were targeting organizations involved in the education of children. A brief description of our scholarship was all it took to convince them to donate money to CCB. If you work for a corporation here in Connecticut, or you know someone who does, please consider how we might be able to work with this corporation to continue the funding of our scholarship. This does not require a highpowered contact in the corporation. My brother isn't in management and has no connection with the committee that decided what organizations would receive contributions. All it took was a phone call, filing of some simple forms and the check was ours. Treasurer Roland Soucy has deposited this check and we are all hopeful that CCB and Oxford can establish a relationship that benefits everyone. I have sent a letter to Oxford thanking them for their kind donation. The text of the letter has been reprinted below. * * * Mary Ellen Cody Manager Community and Government Affairs 48 Monroe Turnpike Trumbull, CT 06611 Dear Ms. Cody, On behalf of the Connecticut Council of the Blind, I would like to thank you for your generous contribution of $500 to our scholarship fund. We are a small organization, and this contribution means a lot to us. Everyone knows how much an education costs these days, but many do not appreciate the additional expense a blind or visually-impaired student incurs. The cost of a Perkins Brailler (a necessary device for any student requiring braille literacy) is about $800. When compared with the cost of pens and pencils (devices that accomplish a similar task for a sighted student) it is clear that even basic tools require a significant amount of financial commitment. The computer is a revolutionary device for information access for blind students. The computer, the Internet and CD-ROM titles such as encyclopedias and dictionaries provide the blind student with far more information than they've ever had access to previously. This improved information access comes at a cost. Standard computer equipment is not usable by a blind person. Additional hardware and software must be purchased. This adaptation can cost from $800 (for a simple speech- oriented DOS-based system) to about $15,000 for a high-end braille-based system providing access to Windows 95. During your award ceremony, you encouraged everyone to be sure and let you know of other ways that Oxford personnel might be able to help our respective organizations. In the near future the Connecticut Council of the Blind would like to assist its members in locating people who would be willing to assist with common tasks that are difficult for blind people to perform on their own. Such tasks as reading, driving, etc. are often a hassle for blind people and can be greatly simplified with a little assistance from a sighted individual. If you believe that Oxford personnel may be willing to assist people in these endeavors, please let us know! We would like to thank you again for your kind contribution. If CCB can assist Oxford, or Oxford employees in any way please feel free to contact us! We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship in the future. Sincerely, Marcia Dresser John Mattioli President Second Vice President CCB FALL 1997 CONVENTION SUMMARY Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26 The fall, 1997 convention of the Connecticut Council of the Blind was held at the Howard Johnson Hotel in Hamden. The game night, run by Shirley Phelon, began at 8:00 P.M. on Friday, and was a great success. There were about twenty people involved in Bingo, Uno, and Scrabble. Kathie Mills provided snacks and drinks, and everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves. On Saturday, President Marcia Dresser called the convention to order at 9:15 A.M. After some brief remarks, she introduced Ken Tripp, Executive Director of BESB. Among the issues discussed by Mr. Tripp and CCB members were transportation, the Braille Bill and its relationship to the education of Connecticut's blind children, the relocation of BESB, and the provision of laptop computers to BESB staff. Following Mr. Tripp's presentation, the roll was called. Sixteen members were present. Following the roll call, Mary Clare Quirk, Executive Director of CRIS Radio, presented an overview of CRIS's service, reporting that CRIS can now be heard in all parts of Connecticut. She said that Cris's activities are being publicized through a speakers bureau, brochures, and messages on cable access channels. Ms. Quirk encouraged CCB members to tell others about CRIS, and to call with suggestions for programming changes. CRIS's toll-free number is (800) 708-0004. Next, Carol Taylor, a CCB member, and Director of LBPH, updated us on the library's services. Ms. Taylor reported that she and other staff members have been speaking at technology fairs, and that brochures are available. She hopes to form a speakers bureau of volunteers, and says there is also a need for more volunteers for the library's book inspection program. Anyone interested in joining the library's advisory committee should contact either Carol Taylor, or Carol Gillispie. At noon, we broke for lunch, which was generously prepared by Kathie Mills. During lunch, Ann Morris, of Ann Morris Enterprises, sold products from her catalog. We reconvened at 1:30, at which time three more members had arrived, bringing the total present to 19. Marcia welcomed Roland and Kim Soucy, and Donna Balaski. The minutes from the spring, 1997 convention were approved as presented in the last newsletter. Dan Mills reported that new CCB member Roland Soucy, an East Hartford resident who has been a self-employed contractor for the past five years, expressed interest in becoming CCB's treasurer. Regarding publicity, John Mattioli reported that PSAs were sent to Connecticut radio and TV stations, and that press releases were sent to state newspapers to publicize the convention. He said follow-up needed to be done to see whether or not any of them had been run. John reported that 1000 brochures were printed free of charge by Dave Sullivan of Classic Images, and thanked April Hutchins, Dan and Kathie Mills, and Norm and Cindy Banta for folding them. He then presented April Hutchins with a certificate of appreciation from CCB to be mailed to Dave Sullivan, who had been invited to the convention, but was unable to attend. John talked about distribution of the brochures, and encouraged CCB members to take some of the ones available at the convention. As Membership Chairman, John Mattioli emphasized the need to attract new members to CCB. He reported that packets of information about CCB had been mailed to former members of ACB's recently dissolved Rhode Island chapter, as well as to Connecticut residents who are not members of CCB. John said about five people from Connecticut responded to the mailing and became new members. He said anyone with ideas about how to increase CCB's membership should contact him. Steve Dresser, editor of the CCB _Outlook, reported that the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the CCB standing committee chairmen are listed in each newsletter. He said that each committee has its own mailbox on the CCB voice mail, which is now hooked up to CCB's toll-free number. People can get the mailbox number of any committee chairman by pressing 88 once they enter the voice mail system. At that point, our speaker, Nolan Crabb, editor of the _Braille _Forum, arrived from Washington, and was welcomed by the membership. Elections: After Roland Soucy's name was put forth as a nominee for Treasurer, a call was made for nominations from the floor. When none was heard, Roland was asked to give a short speech about himself, in which he mentioned having been treasurer of his condo association, as well as his experience in running a business for the last five years. Subsequently, Roland Soucy was elected CCB's new treasurer by acclamation. During a panel discussion, both Ann Morris, of Ann Morris Enterprises, and Ellen Telker, a lawyer and CCB member from Milford, gave interesting presentations and answered questions about their experiences in starting their own businesses. The convention recessed at about 3:30 so that GDUCT could meet in a separate room. At 4:30, we reconvened for an open forum, run by John Mattioli. Issues under discussion were: membership and financial concerns, CCB's direction, what issues the organization should address, projects to be undertaken by CCB, CCB's tax exempt status, and revision of the membership application. At the direction of the membership, Marcia will appoint a long-range planning committee. She asked that interested people, committed to the hard work involved, contact her as soon as possible. We adjourned at 5:30 P.M. for the banquet at the Town House Restaurant. The convention reconvened at 9:30 A.M. Sunday morning. In Dave Bates' absence, Dan Mills read the Treasurer's Report as follows: CD account: $1,901.66 Savings account: $2,883.85 Checking account: $811.96 Marcia announced the Board's decision not to award a scholarship this year unless the scholarship fund contains $3000 by February 1st, when the notice goes out. She urged the membership to pursue several small fundraising projects. During the lengthy brainstorming session that followed, we discussed the idea of candy sales, and a possible Bingo night. Dan Mills and Cheree Heppe reported that Connecticut Transit shows little interest in transportation issues important to blind people. We decided to send a letter inviting a Connecticut Transit representative to our spring convention to discuss our concerns. Dan also said that he has a copy of the text of ADA transportation regulations, and the necessary forms for filing a complaint if the need arises. Marcia said that CCB standing committees will be readjusted at the next Board meeting. John Mattioli invited members to attend our open Board meetings to express their concerns. Dan Mills read a letter from the Mid Tennessee Council of the Blind regarding a quilt they are creating as a fundraiser. The membership voted that Marcia call the president of MTCB to investigate the project further. Jane French, from the Connecticut Institute for the Blind (Oak Hill School), spoke about the Institute's outreach program. She said that CIB would assist CCB with various projects as needed. Nolan Crabb, editor of the _Braille _Forum, gave an inspirational talk on how just a small effort, and the willingness to take risks, can make a big difference. To illustrate, he told us how volunteering to write a small column for a local newspaper when he was in high school eventually led to his job as editor of a national magazine. The CCB fall, 1997 convention adjourned at 12:00 noon. Respectfully submitted, April Hutchins Recording Secretary * * * Editor's note: Tapes of Ken Tripp, Mary Clare Quirk, Carol Taylor, the panel discussion, Jane French, and Nolan Crabb are available upon request. To receive your copy, call toll-free (800) 231-3349, or (860) 521-6749 if you live in the Hartford area. * * * At a meeting on January 10, the CCB Board of Directors voted to extend the deadline for receipt of money from candy sales to the end of February. In order to award our 1998 scholarship, it is imperative that Treasurer Roland Soucy receive _all candy money no later than February 28. With your cooperation, we can make a difference in the life of another blind or visually impaired high school student in Connecticut. 1997 ACB CONVENTION REPORT As always, I had a great time attending the American Council of the Blind convention, which was held in Houston from July 6 to July 12, 1997. All the current national officers were reelected. The only contested election was the one for secretary, in which Charlie Hodge unsuccessfully challenged Cynthia Towers. There was a good deal of discussion about future convention planning. In the past, the whole convention voted on the location. However, now hotels want commitments farther in advance. It was explained that we have lost some good deals because the national office has been unable to make the decision about booking hotels. Although there was some very vocal opposition, the whole convention will no longer vote on convention locations. Beginning with the 2000 convention, sites will be selected by a convention committee. Next year's convention will be held in Orlando, Florida, and we voted to hold the 1999 convention in Los Angeles, California. Of course, numerous resolutions were adopted, and we heard a lot of speakers. There are always dynamic people, such as scholarship winners, to meet, and you really find out what issues are hot for blind people. I have a set of convention tapes which I would be glad to lend to anyone who wants to hear what a national convention is really like. Unfortunately, due to some confusion about the requirements, the Connecticut chapter of Guide Dog Users did not become affiliated with the national organization. We hope to have everything done by the '98 convention. Thank you for allowing me to be your delegate at the '97 ACB convention. In addition to learning a lot, there was plenty of time for fun. Respectfully submitted, Ellen M. Telker CELL PHONE MANUALS IN ALTERNATIVE FORMATS by John Mattioli In a recent press release, Motorola announced plans to make manuals for their cellular telephones available in alternative formats for visually impaired customers. Motorola has joined forces with Illinois-based Horizons for the Blind, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and assisting people who are blind or visually impaired. Motorola said it is the first cellular phone manufacturer to offer such alternative solutions for those unable to utilize traditional materials. Unfortunately, Motorola representatives have been attending trade shows recently, and were unavailable for comment. It appears that plans for producing accessible documentation are in early stages and that manuals are probably not available yet. Stay tuned for further developments. CCB BULLETIN BOARD The Mid-Tennessee Council of the Blind, an ACB affiliate, is designing a quilt which will be raffled off each year at the ACB national convention. Each affiliate has been asked to design a square depicting an aspect of its history or philosophy. The quilt is intended as a combined fundraiser for the Mid-Tennessee Council, ACB, and other participating affiliates. CCB's name, logo, and slogan will appear on one square of the quilt. Every year at the national convention, the winner of the raffle will share the proceeds with ACB and the Mid-Tennessee Council, and have the privilege of keeping the quilt for one year. When interest in this project wanes, the quilt will be displayed permanently in the ACB national office. CCB can benefit from this fundraiser in two ways. First, our name and logo will be seen by people around the country. Second, we have the opportunity to win some money. * * * Vision Dynamics, at 470 West Main Street in Cheshire, carries a variety of products of interest to blind and visually impaired people. For more information, call (203) 271-1944. * * * On may 21, BESB will sponsor a Career Day for blind and visually impaired junior high and high school students. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about many careers, and to meet successful blind college students and working adults. Several employers will also be present. If you have any suggestions for topics, or "tricks of the trade" which could benefit these students, please contact Marcia Dresser toll-free at (800) 842-4510 extension 2221, or (860) 249-8525 extension 2221 in the Hartford area. CCB NEWSMAKERS ACB President Paul Edwards has appointed Alice Jackson to a two-year term as ACB's representative on the National Library Service's Audio Equipment Committee, which will meet in Washington, D.C. March 18-20. We look forward to a report from Alice regarding the committee's activities in our next newsletter. * * * Congratulations to Mike and Linda Neeley! They were married last November in a quiet ceremony with family and close friends. At present, they are looking for a house in the Greater Hartford area. Happy house hunting, Mike and Linda! Q&A FOR CCB by Pam Garde Hello, and a very Happy New Year to each of you! I hope the holidays have treated you well. Now, on to business. Thank you, Shirley Phelon, for your thoughts on how to arrange a room. "When I arrange a room," says Shirley, "the first thing I do is to sit in that room. I need complete silence without any distractions. I visualize the room in my mind's eye and then in my mind start moving furniture around in different ways. If I'm questioning if a piece would look better here or there, it helps me to walk around the room checking distance between two doors or from the end of a window to the corner. I take all the time I need, and I don't move one stick of furniture until I am completely comfortable with what I think would look nice." According to Shirley, pictures, knickknacks, and other decorations can add variety to any room. "When I change pictures, knickknacks, etc.," continues Shirley, "this is done at my leisure. Although I may take several days to change a picture, for example, it sure saves a lot of muscle." Once again, thanks, Shirley, for your advice. * * * With the new year comes a new topic. Independence does not only mean arranging and labeling, but also what to do in situations when on the street. This question may require some thought before answering. You are heading to your favorite hangout and know the route like the back of your hand. Although it's snowing quite hard, you dress accordingly and go on your way. The falling snow makes the environment seem different, and after a while, you become frustrated and disoriented. A stranger appears and asks if you need help. Should you accept or refuse help from this stranger? If a ride is offered, does this change your response? Does the severity of the storm influence your decision? Send your responses to: Q&A for CCB, c/o Pam Garde 92 Homestead Street Manchester, CT 06040. Good luck! If you'd like to contribute to the spring issue of the CCB _Outlook, please have your article ready by May 1, 1998. You may submit your article in braille, on cassette or computer disk, via e-mail, or over the phone. If you want to dictate your article, please leave a message on our voice-mail system, and I'll return your call. Remember, this newsletter is nothing without your help, so please keep those articles coming! CCB STANDING COMMITTEES Convention (Voice-mail box 20): Shirley Phelon, (860) 289-5697 Legislative (Voice-mail box 14): Dave Bates, (860) 257-0602 Membership (Voice-mail box 15): John Mattioli, (203) 929-4244 Newsletter (Voice-mail box 13): Steve Dresser, (860) 521-8903 Publicity (Voice-mail box 16): John Mattioli, (203) 929-4244 Scholarship (Voice-mail box 17): April Hutchins, (860) 649-6740 Transportation (Voice-mail box 18): Dan Mills, (860) 643-8442 Ways and Means (fund-raising) (Voice-mail box 19): Dave Bates, (860) 257-0602 You can leave messages for committee chairs and board members on our toll-free line (800) 231-3349, or (860) 521-6749 in the Hartford area. President Marcia Dresser is an ex officio member of all committees. CCB BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Marcia Dresser 142 Webster Hill Boulevard West Hartford 06107 (860) 521-6749 Toll-free (800) 231-3349 Voice-mail: box 11 First Vice President: Steve Dresser 142 Webster Hill Boulevard West Hartford 06107 (860) 521-8903 E-mail: 71241.2666@compuserve.com Second Vice President: John Mattioli 146 Trap Falls Road Shelton 06484 (203) 929-4244 E-mail: mattioli@concentric.net Third Vice President: Alice Jackson 191 Centerbrook Road Hamden 06518 (203) 281-0676 E-mail: alicej@concentric.net Treasurer: Roland Soucy 15 Shawnee Road East Hartford, 06118 (860) 895-8157 Recording Secretary: April Hutchins 129 Eldridge Street Manchester, CT 06040 Corresponding Secretary: Cheree Heppe 68 Gilman Street Hartford 06114-2536 (860) 296-4922 E-mail: clheppe@ntplx.net Immediate Past President: Dave Bates 44 Garden Street Wethersfield 06109 (860) 257-0602 Board Member at Large: Bryan McGucken 11 Hillside Lane Wallingford, CT 06492 Home: (203) 265-2452 School: (203) 392-8447 Board Member at Large: Shirley Phelon 60 Elmer Street East Hartford, CT 06108 (860) 289-5697