DISCLAIMER: This publication contains announcements from the Silicon Valley Council of the Blind and is also a forum for opinions relating to blindness issues. Signed articles reflect the views, and research, of their authors.
STATUS: SVCB is a 501(c)3 non profit, tax-exempt organization under the California Council of the Blind.
Note: Postal addresses and phone numbers are not included in the online version of this newsletter. For contact information, email membership@svcb.cc
October is Employment of People with Disabilities Awareness month. As a blind and hearing impaired person, I can tell you that I was blessed with supportive people who helped me get my working career started at Hewlett-Packard. Sometimes I forget these individuals, but without them, I might never have become a productive, taxpaying, member of society. After working at HP for a few months, I was notified that my rehab case was closed, was awarded "the Rehabilitated Person of the year" and my SSDI income was terminated. I felt pretty good about all these things although my girlfriend at the time was upset over the rehab people patting themselves on the back. But I did a bit of work, so I didn't mind. Anyway, please remember that it is important to show the skeptical people you encounter that disabled people can and should be working.
Our September program featured James Unites from VTA and Katie Heatley from Outreach. They told us about changes in bus and light rail services plus how Outreach personnel are trying to accommodate us with the restricted service hours. Many concerns were expressed, and I came away feeling that both VTA and Outreach regret service reductions, and they are willing to help us as much as they can. I think it's now up to us to work with them with patience and good will and plan for the time when we can recover lost services when the economy improves.
We had fun during the business meeting. Michelle McGrew held her spirited mini-auction, where a pen and tin of mints were sung away. I heard a rumor that a laptop is to be auctioned at an upcoming meeting.
The nominating committee was announced. Rob Turner is chair and Allen Jones and Donna Sanchez are working with him. Want to be an officer or director next year? Contact one of these people and make your wishes known.
We also elected Roger Petersen as delegate and Mike Keithley as alternate delegate to the CCB fall convention. At the October meeting, resolutions and other items of interest to SVCB members will be discussed and charged to convention delegates for action when voting at the convention. Of particular note is the question of whether we should have one or two conventions each year. We did decide this last year, but the resolution was withdrawn at that time. But now it will be argued in depth during the convention's third general session.
The board is doing research to implement infrastructure to support a long-range financial program that supports SVCB members in activities such as attending CCB conventions for the first time, helping with Outreach accounts and technology grants. For more information, contact Susan Schulter or Lorraine Brown.
I now want to recognize LeeAnn Nakagawa for her very cool work selling Entertainment Coupon Books. She sold 23 books! Good show, LeeAnn. SVCB does this fund-raiser in the fall, and this year I'm in charge. So I thought you'd be interested knowing what's in these books. They are full of coupons for local businesses in Santa Clara County. We have books for San Francisco/San Mateo counties, too. In addition, you can ask me to provide you with books for your friends in other areas of the country.
You might wonder what you as a visually impaired person can do with these coupons. After all, you'd have to bother someone to find and tear them out of the book. Well, we're really a small bunch of people, and I know you have sighted friends who'd just love to have one of these things. A book costs $30, and you might think that this is pricey. But I've heard from several people who use the coupons say that a book quickly pays for itself.
So what's here? I accessed www.entertainment.com, which seems pretty accessible, and learned the following:
There are 252 dining discounts, from Baskin Robbins to upscale Restaurants. (Happi House Restaurant: $5 off any order of $20 or more.) There are 88 attractions, 186 shopping, 88 movie, over $10000 in travel discounts and more. If you have computer access, some coupons can be printed. A caveat to remember is that many coupons apply to businesses in specific locations, and you'll want to pay attention to this.
Return to the Table of ContentsBy popular request of our members, we will celebrate October Disability Employment Awareness Month by asking our members who are employed, or some of them, to say a few words and answer questions about what it is like to work and how they got their jobs and how they function in them. I will be figuratively or literally tapping shoulders of those of you that I think of, and wouldn't mind volunteers to be on this little panel.
Return to the Table of ContentsHappy October birthdays to members Brian Higgins, John Kanze, Julie Lovins, Michelle McGrew, and Donna Sanchez!
Members, please note that the latest edition of our local membership list accompanies this issue of the newsletter.
Return to the Table of Contents[Editor's Note: Katie Heatley, CEO of Outreach, sent me a note from which I quote below.]
I do not want to miss calling everyone back to see who has an unresolved issue about trip times, etc. I can put most of the names and faces together but I do not want to accidentally miss someone.
So please advise your members that if they have unresolved issues, to follow-up by calling OUTREACH and asking for Belinda, the Paratransit Manager. They would use the main number of 408-436-2865, Ext. 250.
Return to the Table of ContentsVisually impaired Californians have been harmed by the current economic downturn and the large state budget cuts that have resulted from it. The California Council of the Blind is conducting a survey to determine just how visually impaired people have been affected. You can take part in the survey by telephone by calling Kamilla Ryding in the CCB office at 800-221-6359 during normal business hours. The last day to submit survey forms is October 9, 2009. We want as many visually impaired Californians as possible to take the survey.
Return to the Table of ContentsWould you like to be a more active participant in SVCB, but feel that any of the 'jobs' would be just too much for you? The officers and committee-persons, present and past, would like to make the available opportunities more appealing to you by starting a mentoring program. In the process you would be mentored by experienced people within the group during their term in office so you could become familiar with the opportunities. Hopefully you will then let the chapter know that you wish to take on an active role in the chapter when it comes available. The only qualification is to have an interest in actively supporting SVCB. An outside experience you have could very well fit within the organization. Personal computer experience is definitely a plus, but many of these positions can be well served without that skill.
There is also a big need to help with Hospitality.
If interested, feel free to contact any of these people, or a past officer or chairperson to obtain an understanding of the opportunities available to you.
Return to the Table of ContentsAs promised, we had a mini auction at our September meeting. We auctioned a tin of tiny mints and a very nice pen. In addition to the fun and entertainment that this provided, we raised $11.75. Thanks to all of our participants, and to LeeAnn for describing the pen for our bidders.
CCB will be holding a sweepstakes drawing at their 2009 fall convention banquet. First prize is an XM satellite radio, second prize is $250 cash, and third prize is a Hamilton Beach talking microwave oven. Winners need not be present to win. Tickets are $1 each. SVCB receives 50 percent of the funds we raise. If you have not yet gotten your tickets and would like to do so, contact me at fund.raising@svcb.cc or svcb@onebox.com. I'll bring any remaining tickets to our October meeting.
SVCB is again selling Entertainment Coupon Books! They cost $30 each. For the first 37 books sold, SVCB will receive 20 percent for each book sold. We will receive 50 percent for each book sold after that. To order or help sell books or for more information, please contact Mike Keithley at at mkeithley@pobox.com. Mike can also order books for you that can be used in other regions.
We have received our second order of shirts. This time, we purchased 75. We've already sold one-third of these, including some to a woman from Canada that Bev met while at Guide Dog school!
We have an opportunity to sell our T-shirts at the Low Vision Expo in Santa Cruz on October 10, so if we can work out the logistics, we'll do so. And, as announced last month, we will be selling both T-shirts and cookbooks at the CCB Fall Convention in Fresno. For more information about our T-shirts or to place an order, send email to fund.raising@svcb.cc or to svcb@onebox.com.
It's time to reserve your calendars for 2010! SVCB will again be selling large print/braille calendars featuring artwork by blind and visually impaired people of all ages. These calendars cost $9 each. To reserve yours, please contact me as listed above.
Clearance sale! Obtain one of our last White Cane Safety Awareness T-shirts for only $11 each! We currently have one small in black with white lettering and two small and one large in white with black lettering. To purchase one of these shirts or for more information, please contact me as indicated above.
See's Candies has four- ounce boxes of assorted chocolates packaged for Halloween and Thanksgiving. They cost $6 each. To place an order or for more information, call me or send email. I can also get gift certificates for one-pound boxes for $15.60 each. Orders for the Cat Box for Halloween must be placed by October 12 and for the Mini Fall Fancy for Thanksgiving by November 5.
Remember to continue saving your recyclable aluminum cans. Charlie Stein redeems them for funds which are then used to support SVCB activities. You may give cans to Charlie at an upcoming meeting or call him to make other arrangements. Donna was collecting plastic water bottles for recycling, but is unable to continue doing so unless we can find a volunteer to help her get them to the recycling center from time to time. If you'd be available to help with this, please let me know.
See you at our October meeting!
Return to the Table of ContentsFrom the Health Library at Vista Center: It's flu shot season once again. For Kaiser locations call 800-573-5811. Call your physician for information about seasonal or novel H1N1 flu. For still more call the CDC at 800-232-4636 or go to www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Centers for Disease Control. H1N1 Flu, 9/24/09: What You Can Do to Stay Healthy. Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to- person through coughing or sneezing of infected people. Follow public health advice regarding closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures. Find healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety.
H1N1 Vaccination Recommendations: CDC is concerned that the new H1N1 flu virus could result in a particularly severe 2009-2010 flu season. Vaccines are the best tool we have to prevent influenza. CDC hopes that people will start to go out and get vaccinated against seasonal influenza as soon as vaccines become available in their communities. The seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against 2009 H1N1 influenza. However a 2009 H1N1 vaccine is currently in production and may be ready for the public in the fall. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine--it is intended to be used alongside seasonal flu vaccine. The groups recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine include persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza. No shortage of 2009 H1N1 vaccine is expected, but vaccine availability and demand can be unpredictable and there is some possibility that initially, the vaccine will be available in limited quantities. Current studies indicate that the risk for infection among persons age 65 or older is less than the risk for younger age groups. However, once vaccine demand among younger age groups has been met, programs and providers should offer vaccination to people 65 or older.
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