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.
CHANGES OF ADDRESS
Contact Julie, database@svcb.cc.
MEETING LOCATION
SVCB's monthly meetings are held in the dining room of the Monte Vista Terrace Apts. at 1101 Grant Road, Mountain View. Meetings run 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Saturday of the month and are open to all. Monte Vista Terrace is one block from the intersection of Grant Road and El Camino Real and is accessible by bus #22.
December 12 was the date for the joint Delta Gamma/SVCB party, and I believe the venture was a success. I won't say more here. Instead, I encourage you to read the "Thank You" article right after this one.
In other news, Rob Turner and Ruben Armenta will be part of the California delegation to the ACB Legislative Seminar next February. This was the result of a motion at the November membership meeting to find, and finance, SVCB members to attend the event. I'm sure we will hear about Rob and Ruben's adventures in future In Touch newsletters.
You will notice an additional insert with your newsletter. This is SVCB'S 2010 Business Calendar, and it lists the important dates for the year. At the January meeting, we'll be approving this calendar, so please read it. In addition, please send your 2010 membership dues to SVCB's P. O. Box address at the top of this newsletter or bring them to the meeting. The cut-off is January 24, after which you will not receive this newsletter. I'm sure you don't want that to happen!
In my last message, I promised to list the chairs of our standing committees. At this time, we don't have heads for Membership and Transportation. Want to chair these committees? Contact Mike Keithley for details. Here is the list at this time: Fund-raising: Michelle McGrew; Legislation: Rob Turner; Membership and Transportation: Mike Keithley (acting); Braille Literacy: Susan Schulter; Hospitality: Dawn Wilcox; Volunteers: Naomi Grubb; Program: Roger Petersen; Constitution and Bylaws: Roger Petersen and Dawn Wilcox; Website, Sound and Publications: Mike Keithley; and Goodies: Beverly Clifford. Every one of these committees needs your help, and I strongly encourage you to consider sharing your interest and expertise by serving on one or more of them. Since membership organizations like SVCB get things done through their committees, volunteering to serve is a great way to understand how it all works and develop leadership skills.
In closing, let me wish all of you a happy holiday and a restful time before the new year.
Return to the Table of ContentsTo all the Jingleers, I agree with Lolly (her note below) you were superb. I am amazed at the depth of musical talent you displayed. Rose, I loved your Moon River with Anna backing you. Bev and Susan - I wish someone had recorded your duet plus flute - and produced after such a long five-minute rehearsal! You both have such fine voices. Anna, you were so flexible and able to hold everything together - even when I got lost and the time my reed fell off and someone said - where is Dawn? Brandon - thanks for being part of the male chorus as well as doing your monologue and song. Sonja - thanks for pitching in, singing and announcing the page numbers - last time I tried to do that and play but I am not an octopus. Art, you are a fine addition to the chorus and you helped set up the tables too; and thank your wife for all her help especially with the bells. And Art thank you so much for encouraging Roger to share his wonderful voice with all of us. Roger I know you'll say bah-humbug but we enjoyed hearing you - you sang more than you have before with the Jingleers. Oh, I almost forgot the percussion section: Brandon on drum and Rose on bells with Art drumming on occasion. Thanks for letting me try parts of the Nutcracker. I had fun playing with you - hope you did too. And now you can stop all that heavy duty practicing on Holiday songs and just enjoy the season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
--ye olde clarinetist Dawn
Note from Lolly: What a great event! Thank you for sharing the day with us!
Dawn - The Jingleers were superb! You should play a regular gig. Beautiful voices and instruments. We could form an entire party around your entertainment.
Naomi - Sorry you missed this party. Your helpers were fabulous. Armand, Roger, Bill and Sharon ... all were so personable and helpful.
Bev and Victor - Keeping SVCB informed and me in the loop. I love your reusable napkins, Bev! You have a beautiful voice. The numbers you did with Susan were wonderful.
Mike - You kept us on track. Also the "techie man" to be certain the audio system was working.
The Delta Gammas are very pleased and wish you all a very happy holiday! --Lolly
Editor's Note: Let's not forget also to thank the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center for providing their fine facility at no cost to us.
Return to the Table of ContentsHappy January birthdays to our members Sonja Biggs, Margaret Hardy, Ken Hoag, Cathy Marvin, Lupe Medrano, Roger Petersen, Walter Schinke, Tom Slack, and Stephen Webb!
Return to the Table of ContentsFor our January 16, 2010 meeting, we have come up with an idea that we hope you will enjoy or find uplifting. Based on our October program, where we encouraged several members to talk about their employment experiences, we would like to do the same with educational experiences. Now, I realize that this is primarily oriented to those of us who grew up blind or vision impaired. We invite the rest of you to reflect on how your education, as a sighted person, affected your coping with sight loss.
Be prepared to share!
Return to the Table of ContentsYou may recall that we had agreed to donate 33% of our CCB fall convention sales profits to CCB. I'm pleased to announce that we sent them a check for $109!
Mike Keithley reports that we sold 51 Entertainment Coupon Books this year. After expenses, we raised $460. Thanks to all who participated in this fund raiser!
SVCB's "reading is for everyone" T-shirts are available in women's small-2X (no pocket), men's small-3X (with or without pocket), tall large-3X (no pocket), and children's small-large (no pocket). They all come in white with the artwork in black. All artwork is tactile. For additional details or to place an order, contact me at fund.raising@svcb.cc or to svcb@onebox.com.
SVCB is selling candy bars again! You may purchase dark chocolate with almonds, milk chocolate with almonds, and milk chocolate with toffee bars for $2 each, and you may purchase Walnut Squares and Nut and Chew Bars for $1.50 each. To place an order or for more information, call or send email to me as listed above.
Also contact me to place an order or for more information about our 20th anniversary cookbook. The cookbook is $10 in large print, cassette, or CD-ROM.
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.
See you at January's meeting!
Return to the Table of ContentsInternet Your Way to a New Job: How to Really Find a Job Online, by Alison Doyle.
In braille (2 vols.) and PortaBook (CD and downloadable), $11.95Just a few years ago, you could upload your resume to one of the top job sites, click a few times to apply for some jobs, and consider your search well underway.
Today, that isn't enough. The job market is increasingly competitive. Hiring managers are overwhelmed with applications - hiring has changed, and job seekers need to be prepared to use all the online job search tools to their advantage.
Online job searching often seems complicated, but it doesn't have to be. There are tips and tricks you can use to make the process run smoothly and simply. Author Alison Doyle tells you how to:
This book will provide you what you need to know and step you through the process of online job searching, professional branding, social and professional networking, and career building with uncomplicated advice, tips, and techniques on how to effectively find a new job and grow your career.
Read the table of contents for this book, or order it, at www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/jobonline.html.
To order any books, send payment to:
NBP, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115-4302.
Or call and charge it: toll-free 800-548-7323 or 617-266-6160 ext 20.
Or order any of our books online at
www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/publications/index.html.
As an example of typical current employee recruiting, here is a notice from NIB, looking for a lot of new employees:
National Industries for the Blind (NIB) is currently developing a recruiting/ pipeline program to help meet the contact center industry's needs while simultaneously providing high-growth career opportunities for people who are legally blind. To that end, NIB is seeking legally blind, experienced, highly-motivated Customer Service Representatives (CSR's) for an ongoing requirement beginning in February, 2010.
CSR responsibilities will include but are not limited to providing telephone and email support. Qualified candidates will respond to inbound account related questions and issues, complete customer correspondence via e-mail and regular mail, and process inventory reports daily.
Required skills and experience:
If you wish to be considered for this recruiting opportunity as a Customer Service Representative in a Call Center, please send your resume and three Professional References to Sarah Schraven at sschraven@nib.org.
Return to the Table of ContentsThe Alternative Media Center wants you to spread the word about talking tax forms at amc.enterprise.irs.gov/pdf.php. Talking forms are the latest tools to aid those who are blind or visually impaired. The forms are easy to use with Microsoft Active Accessibility compliant screen readers and Dragon Naturally Speaking Voice Recognition Software. Tell your friends and neighbors--you could make taxes less taxing for someone.
The AMC provides alternative media resources for you and for taxpayers with disabilities. Popular products include accessible electronic files and hard copy braille and large print. Please visit the AMC website for these and other products. Visit amc.enterprise.irs.gov/index.php.
Return to the Table of Contents