Braille Spectator, Summer 2012 | National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

A semi-annual publication of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

Published on www.nfbmd.org and on NFB Newsline by The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

Melissa Riccobono, President

Comments and questions should be sent to president@nfbmd.org.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

By Melissa Riccobono

Although the summer is ending, bringing cooler weather as we enter into fall, the NFB of Maryland always heats up during the autumn season. Why is this? Well, first of all, October is Meet the Blind Month. This means that local chapters of our affiliate are all ready hard at work planning fun and educational community events in order to share with the public what it truly means to be blind. We would love to see as many people as possible get involved with these events. Please be on the lookout for scheduled events on Facebook, Twitter, and our email list serves. If you cannot access any of these forms of communication, please call the chapter president in your area, or give me a call at 410-235-3073. Your chapter president and I would love to share any information available so you can join us.

The other event that heats up the fall is, of course, our annual state convention. This year we are back in Annapolis at the beautiful Doubletree Hotel, located at 210 Holiday Court. The convention will take place November 9-11. This year, we are excited and honored to have National Board Member Ever Lee Hairston join us as our national representative. Ever Lee lived for many years in New Jersey, but now resides in California. Ever Lee was very active in the civil rights era; she even marched with Dr. King. Ever Lee is passionate about helping blind seniors realize their full potential, even if they do not see as well as they used to. Of course, she strives to help all blind people and their families learn the Federation philosophy—a philosophy she lives every day. I know Ever Lee will have a fantastic banquet address, and she will be helping with workshops, and giving presentations all weekend.

Besides Ever Lee’s presentations, we will be having workshops for parents and educators of blind children, blind seniors, and blind students, as well as technology workshops, an exhibit hall, and much more! Please make sure you make your room reservations with the Doubletree, and register for the convention itself by completing the form in the center of this newsletter. You can also register for the convention online by visiting http://www.nfbmd.org. I hope to see you at Meet the Blind Month and the State Convention this fall. Help us turn up the heat!

MY EXPERIENCES IN THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

By Janice Toothman

Editor's Note: The following article appeared in the newsletter of the Washington Metropolitan Association of the Deaf-Blind. Janice is a very hard worker and embodies the spirit of the Federation in many ways. She is not afraid to take on new challenges, and doesn't give up when the going gets tough.

In 2006, I had been blind for two years. However, I was feeling pretty isolated and alone, not being able to work and not feeling confident in my cane skills to really go out and walk as I used to do. I learned about the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) when I had received a letter asking me if I would like to meet other blind individuals, to learn independence skills and how the NFB works to benefit the lives of the blind. It was at that meeting that I met the Sligo Creek Chapter president, Debbie Brown and the vice president, Pauline Johnson. Both of these women were working full-time and supporting themselves. I was glad to meet other blind women whom I could talk to and get to know.

I was overwhelmed when I went to my first national NFB convention in Atlanta in 2006. At that time, my parents took me and we only stayed for the first three days. We had gone to the technology seminars but did not go to the general sessions. I had not yet become a member of the NFB. In the coming months, I went to the monthly meetings that the Sligo Creek Chapter held. By this time, I had become a member. That fall I was not confident, and so I did not participate in any of the activities or fundraising events. In the spring of 2007, I began my first steps toward empowerment. I wrote letters to senators, delegates and congressmen asking for their support for bills that the NFB was trying to pass which would benefit the blind. Debbie, the chapter president, was teaching me and three other women from the chapter to read and write Braille. We met for two years once a week on Sunday afternoons. By the time we were finished, I had learned contracted Braille.

Since those early years, I have blossomed to become an active member in the NFB. In 2009, I received the Anna Cable Award at the Maryland state convention for achievement and excellence in acquiring independence skills and encouraging others toward independence. I am now a board member of the Sligo Creek Chapter. I am also the secretary for the deaf-blind division in the NFB. I am also trying to establish a guide dog division in the state of Maryland. I value the friendships that I have with many blind men and women. In particular, I appreciate getting to know other deaf-blind individuals within the NFB and helping them get the most out of conventions. I also feel it is imperative that we work toward legislation to improve prospects for the blind and deaf-blind. Fundraising gave me more confidence to go out into the world and show people that despite being deaf-blind I can be independent. Through my association with the NFB, I have learned that the deaf-blind are not second class citizens. The NFB has taught me how to be proactive in asking for the accessibility tools that I need to use in my everyday life activities. In joining the NFB, I recognized that as a deaf-blind person, I must advocate for change both on the state and national level so that the deaf-blind will enjoy more opportunities in employment and greater access to technology.

TERRA INCOGNITA

By Thomas Johnson

Editor's Note: In the last issue of the Spectator, we wrote about an upcoming hike to take place in April. Below is the article written by a member of the Appalachian Trail Club and one of the hike organizers. It is interesting to read how club members felt about the experience. Those who participated had a great time exploring the great outdoors and stretching some muscles to climb up and down unfamiliar terrain. Canes are excellent pathfinders!

We offer two corrections to the following article: Maurice Peret is employed by BISM in Baltimore, and he participated in the 2001 climb of Mt. Everest.

The call came from Sharon, an old friend and the program chair for the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Another member of the board of NFB thought it would be a great idea to get members of the Maryland Federation of the Blind out on a hiking trail, but they couldn’t do it alone. They needed a connection to the hiking community. Sharon immediately piped up. She knew a hiker, and she would make a call — so she called me.

Knowing Sharon, I already assumed that these people were pretty capable, and very determined. It might work. So we started planning. Being a member of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), I felt sure I could interest our members in helping out. But what kind of an experience would it be? They couldn’t see anything, so we would have to engage their other senses. My first thought was to engage Bob Pickett, the former PATC naturalist. Bob could find things that they could touch, smell, hear, and taste. He readily agreed, and urged me to contact Karen Molines of the Maryland Native Plant Society (MNPS). Karen, too, jumped right in, and contacted other members of MNPS. We soon had a group of sighted hikers that could help with the hike.

“OK,” I said. “How about hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail?” That’s when Sharon made me aware of the requirements. They wanted to hear water. It had to be in Maryland. A friend of mine who had been out with blind people cautioned that I should hold the hike to not more than three- to four miles. So, as a prequel to what we hoped would be a future A.T. hike, we settled on a 4.4 mile section of the Seneca Creek Trail in Montgomery County, Maryland. That met all the criteria, although the distance was a bit longer than had been recommended. And that’s when I met the instigator. Maurice Peret, who is a trainer for NFB (he trains blind people on how to get around in the world), was on the 2008 climb of Mount Everest that put a blind man on the summit. He had “only” gone to base camp — at more than 18,000 feet. When I began hiking with Maurice, I found that he was at least as fast as I was. He wanted to do the full 4.4 miles, anticipating that others might want to go the distance too. Just in case, though, we planned for bail-out points at road crossings, at 1.1 and 2.2 miles. Some hikers, he felt, might want to stop at the mid-point.

The great day dawned, and people began pouring out of vans — 43 blind people. A vast sea of people with white canes surged into the parking lot just off the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal where Seneca Creek joins the Potomac River. We were prepared with 12 sighted hikers, but no one had anticipated this big of a turn out. Maurice had everything under control. He organized the crowd into three groups, depending on how far they thought they felt they could hike. We then moved out in a single group to the Towpath, for Bob Pickett’s talk on the history of the canal and Seneca Creek Aqueduct.

Once we got on the trail, the hikers sorted themselves naturally according to hiking speed, and we made sure that there were sighted hikers and naturalists along with each of the informal groups. And that’s when the magic began. Bob spotted spicebush, and had everyone smelling the spicy fragrance. More enjoyment was in store. They encountered sweet cicely, which smells like licorice when crushed in the hand. They tasted wild strawberries (tiny and bland — not at all like the domesticated variety) and smelled honeysuckle. They touched the smooth bark of an ironwood tree and compared it with the rough bark of an oak so big they could not get their arms around it. They discovered bedstraw — a sticky green weed that the pioneers used to bind their bedding straw, and wild grape — a huge trunk of a vine that winds around big trees. A box turtle was discovered slogging through the forest and some, in turn, got to feel the shell. “So hard — I didn’t know their shells were so hard,” was the most common reaction. (We let the little fella go after several hands had touched his shell. He seemed to have weathered it all well.)

We had only covered half the hike when it was time for the van pick-up. But it didn’t matter, because we had accomplished everything we had set out to do. Very few of the participants had ever been out on a hiking trail in the forest. (Many, indeed, had ever been off pavement.) They were way out of their comfort zone, experiencing everything for the first time. It was not like being at home, where one knows where the sock drawer is, and remembers what shelf one put the milk on in the fridge. This was terra incognita, a voyage of exploration. And they were transfixed by the experience. Everything they touched, everywhere they went, was entirely new. They no longer had to imagine what it was like to hike on a forest trail — now they knew.

Once they moved out, they hiked about a mile an hour, hiking up and down hills, climbing over blowdowns and crossing streams. (Try hiking a mile an hour with your eyes closed. Try hiking anywhere with your eyes closed!) And what they learned on the hike was duplicated with the sighted hikers. We in the sighted community had a new appreciation for what blind people can do, and how they manage to live in a world that the rest of us take for granted. It was truly magical for all. And now for the next act, which will be a four-day hike across Maryland on the Appalachian Trail in July. We don’t yet know how many blind hikers will be going, but Maurice will lead, his wife Lou Ann will be there, and PATC members will come along for the ride.

THANK YOU

Editor's Note: For over 20 years, the National Federation of the Blind has sponsored a Braille Readers Are Leaders contest. Students are divided into age categories and encouraged to read as many pages as they can between November and January. The first, second and third place winners in each age category are awarded prizes. However, we know it isn't enough just to read braille books. Blind youngsters need to meet their peers as well as learn from blind adults.

For the past several years, the top winners in each age category and their parents have been invited to attend a national convention. This year, Shawn Abraham, his mother and sister, were awarded this opportunity.

As you will see from the letters below, Sherly gives credit to the contest for spurring her son on to read, and Shawn appreciated being able to spend time with blind people his own age.

Dear Dr. Maurer,

My name is Sherly Abraham and I am the mother of Shawn Abraham, one of your Braille Readers Are Leaders contest Winners, for this year. I want to thank the NFB and you for giving us an awesome trip to Dallas for the convention.

This was our first convention and we had a great time. It was nice to know that we are not alone and part of a much larger and stronger group of individuals. It was very inspiring to see very successful blind individuals from different professions and hear different issues blind individuals face today.

Shawn is 12 years old now and he became blind at the age of 5. When he started seriously studying Braille after having learned print and large print, he hated to read any books, especially Braille books. This went on for a couple of years and we learned about the contest. This contest truly inspired him to read a lot more, and he started to enjoy reading. When he was placed 4th in his category last year, he was disappointed and told me that he will never do it again. But, when that time came around, he started reading again. Now, that is all he wants to do. I am very thankful to NFB and Braille Readers Are Leaders contest for sparking his interest in reading and pushing him to achieve something competitively.

Again, I thank you, Melissa and Mark Riccobono, Sharon Maneki, and Trudy Pickrel for everything. We are hoping to be a part of the parents group of NFB in Maryland and looking forward to the state convention.

P.S. Please also see a note below from Shawn.

Dear Mr. Maurer,

My name is Shawn Abraham, and I have won the trip to the NFB national convention in Texas by winning second place in the Readers For Leaders competition. I would like to thank you for the free trip. I greatly enjoyed the hotel and the youth track activities. My favorite youth track activities were the "balloon popping" and scavenger hunt. Again, I would like to thank you for giving me this free trip. I would like to attend convention again.

Thanks,

Shawn Abraham

As you can see from the letters, both Shawn and Sherly benefitted greatly by attending the convention. Shawn said he gained new confidence in his travel skills by walking around in such a big hotel by himself. According to Sherly, once Shawn started attending youth track activities, he didn't want to eat lunch with her any more. Shawn volunteered in our Braille Enrichment for Learning and Literacy program (BELL) this summer. He participated in a skit, read a story to young children, and put some materials into Braille. It is true—Braille Readers Are Leaders!

WHAT NATIONAL CONVENTION MEANT TO ME

Hindley Williams, a First-Time Convention Attendee

By Melissa Lomax

Hindley Williams received the opportunity to attend this year's national convention in Dallas, Texas. Grateful for this opportunity and excited to have gained more knowledge of the Federation, Hindley wishes to tell others of her experience.

Hindley graduated from the Carver Center for Arts and Technology, and will enter Villanova University as a freshman in the fall. Currently, she is an undeclared College of Liberal Arts major in order to allot more time to decide on her career aspirations. She is interested in possibly studying English or some aspect of education.

Hindley won a National Gold Key Award for an excerpt from a novel that she plans to finish in the future. She is no stranger to the NFB. Hindley has attended Youth Slam, a summer Federation program for high school students, has also received a mentor through Blind Industries and Services of Maryland's ongoing youth program, and served on the high school committee for NABS (National Association of Blind Students).

When asked about her overall experience at national convention, Hindley notes how beneficial it all was. She explains, “I really enjoyed the atmosphere of confidence and the air of success. I also really liked that there were so many people there to answer my questions about NFB or about blindness in general.” One of her favorite parts of convention was the NABS meeting. Having the opportunity to meet students prior to and during the meeting, made her appreciate just how many students there were with experiences similar to her own. Additionally, she also enjoyed the learning aspect displayed by the numerous speakers and presentations. When asked what her least favorite part of convention was, Hindley responded simply with “the lack of sleep.” Honestly, this is a common trend among convention-goers.

While in Dallas, Hindley was introduced to new products and programs for the blind in the vast exhibit hall. One of her favorite products, an iPhone app, serves as a way for blind individuals to identify food and other items. As she explains it: “I was interested in this particular app which allows you to label items and then identify them. It’s similar to a Pen Friend, where you record the names of items on stickers and then can later identify them by allowing the iPhone to read the sticker.” Though she saw new technologies and attended many informative sessions, Hindley wishes that she could have done more. All convention attendees are aware of the numerous meetings and events that run simultaneously. Hindley notes that if she had the time, she would have attended the Writers Division meeting. “I’m very interested in writing,” she says, “and I would have loved to meet other blind individuals interested in writing.”

The convention in Dallas will not be the last time that Hindley Williams will be seen. She assures others that she plans to continue her work in the NFB. Convention has instilled a great deal of knowledge in her; Hindley explains: “I felt like I learned a lot more about the NFB, specifically the issues that we advocate for nationally. I didn’t have much knowledge on what we were pushing for nationally.” She plans to stay informed and to continue serving in NABS. She plans to attend more conventions in the future, and she would happily convince others to attend as well.

ANNAPOLIS ROUND-UP FOR 2012 - Some Progress but Much Left Unfinished

By Sharon Maneki

As readers know from the news, the 2012 session of the Maryland General Assembly was a difficult one. This was also true for the blind of Maryland. We worked on difficult issues involving access to education, websites and the Internet, and the right to go to state court to settle discrimination cases by places of public accommodation.

Access to Education

The General Assembly is always filled with surprises. We learned that important education legislation about online learning and electronic readers was to be considered by the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. We went into action because of the impact such legislation could have on blind students. Delegate Boteler introduced HB1219 and Senator Rosapepe introduced SB674. The intent of these bills was to increase the availability of online learning courses in the public school systems of Maryland by expanding and shortening the approval process by the Maryland State Department of Education. Delegate Keith Haynes introduced HB1220, a bill instructing the Maryland State Department of Education to determine whether an electronic reader pilot study should take place, the criteria for the study, and whether the study should be conducted for middle and high school students in some or all local school districts.

The NFBMD does not object to the use of online learning as long as the courses are accessible to blind students. We asked the committees to amend HB1219 and SB674 to ensure nonvisual access. We were especially concerned about HB1220 because the Baltimore City schools already began to introduce the inaccessible Nook electronic readers into libraries in their middle schools. Here is the language that we asked the committees to include in each of these bills:

“The State Department of Education shall ensure that online courses and services developed or reviewed and approved include specifications that allow for access by students with disabilities, including blindness, in accordance with the technical standards for electronic and information technology issued under subsection (A)(2) of Section 508 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794(A)(2) or any other appropriate accessibility standard; and establish a means for ensuring that online courses and services that fail to meet accessibility requirements are prohibited from use.”

Brandon Pickrel, son of the Maryland Parents of Blind Children division president, Trudy Pickrel, provided the following eloquent testimony on why online courses must be accessible to blind students:

“Good afternoon Senators. My name is Brandon Pickrel. I attend Accident Elementary School. I am in the 4th grade.

I am the only blind student in my class. I do all the same work that the other students do. The only difference is that I do my work by using Braille. I type on my Braille note-taker and have my homework printed for the sighted teacher.

Please fix SB 674 so that I can take online courses along with the sighted students. When I grow up, I want to get married, have a family, get a job and pay taxes. If you fix this bill I will have a chance to be successful like all the other kids.”

Sabrina Richardson, a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Baltimore Chapter, informed delegates about the need to make sure blind students are not left out of the benefits and instruction from electronic readers:

“My name is Sabrina Richardson and I am blind. One of my children, Lashai, is also blind. Lashai attends Garrett Heights Elementary School in Baltimore City. She is in the second grade.

Lashai will benefit from the use of an electronic reader because she cannot read standard print and is a very slow Braille reader. If this Committee does not amend HB 1220 to require electronic readers to have access for blind students, Lashai will never have the opportunity to use this valuable tool.

Reading is such an important part of education. Blind students need the same access to books as their sighted peers. Please amend HB 1220 so that all students in Baltimore City, including the blind, can learn to use reading technolog yand gain literacy skills.”

Governor O’Malley signed these bills into law on May 2, 2012 with our requested amendment. Many thanks to the members of the General Assembly for their support. The online learning legislation is already in effect. Parents must be vigilant to make sure that their blind child has access to these courses. The Maryland State Department of Education must determine what to do about the electronic reader pilot study by December 31, 2012. We will be watching for the Department’s report.

Access to Websites and the Internet

In addition to reviewing legislative proposals for their impact on blind persons, the NFB of Maryland also suggests actions that we wish the General Assembly to take. This year we worked on three issues.

First, the Maryland General Assembly is redesigning its website and expects to complete this task by 2014. We reminded members that this new website should contain nonvisual access features so that the blind have access to the same information along with the rest of the citizens of the state. The Joint Committee on Transparency and Open Government is responsible for the website development. We plan to keep reminding them of the importance of access for all citizens, including the blind.

Our second issue covered Internet access. We asked the Maryland General Assembly to modernize the civil rights law by expanding the definition of a place of public accommodation to include the Internet. Today more and more businesses are selling their goods and services via the Internet. To prevent discrimination, Internet websites should be expressly included as a place of accommodation. Delegate Rosenberg introduced HB 183 and Senator Jamie Raskin introduced SB 278 to accomplish this task. Here is how Tim Elder, a member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter, expressed the need for this legislation:

“My name is Timothy Elder. I am blind and the owner of a small business in Baltimore. Because I cannot read print using my eyes, I depend on screen reader software to access information using my ears and my fingers. Screen reader software translates the visual text displayed on a computer screen into audible synthesized speech and refreshable Braille. This technology allows me to independently use a computer, browse the Internet and accomplish many daily tasks that I could not otherwise do without human assistance.

On behalf of my small business, I recently attempted to open an account at a large bank that has many branches throughout Maryland. The bank, like many other banks, offers its small business customers the option to perform transactions through a website. However, the bank has designed its website in a way that prevents me from operating it. Specifically, the bank adopted a design that prevents a blind person like myself from entering a website password using a screen reader. I am completely locked out of all online banking activities at this particular bank. This design choice is unnecessary. Many websites use alternative designs that allow blind persons to independently enter website passwords using screen reader software. I regularly use e*trade, Turbo Tax and other financial services websites to independently conduct business transactions. Unfortunately, the particular bank that I attempted to patronize has chosen to implement a technology that excludes blind customers. I have reached out to the bank and it has refused to work with me or consider the other accessible alternative website designs that its competitors use.

There is nothing I can do under Maryland law in the face of the bank’s recalcitrance. A website is not a place of public accommodation under state law. As a community, we all recognize the utility of wheelchair ramps to brick and mortar buildings. However, our economy has evolved past a purely brick and mortar world. It is now time to ensure that websites open for business to the public invite disabled persons to participate in the Internet marketplace. As a blind citizen of Maryland, I am tired of being excluded from Internet commerce because of unnecessary and inconsiderate website designs. Please act now to bring Maryland’s discrimination laws into the twenty-first century by voting in favor of HB183 and SB278.”

Unfortunately, the House Health and Government Operations Committee and the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee killed these bills. Perhaps the General Assembly will come to understand that providing nonvisual access to websites is not as difficult or expensive as opponents suggested, when the overhaul of their own website, which must also be accessible, is completed.

Access to State Courts

Under current law, individuals who face discrimination by a place of public accommodation can seek a remedy from the Maryland Civil Rights Commission or by going to federal court. The third issue of concern was to strengthen civil rights for all citizens of Maryland by permitting aggrieved parties to pursue a civil action in state court against a place of public accommodation. A state court could award damages to a victim if it found that discrimination occurred. Delegate James Hubbard introduced HB 287 and Senator Lisa Gladden introduced SB 491 to accomplish these goals. Anthony Evans, a member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter, and Judy Rasmussen, Secretary of the NFBMD, described two of the many problems that blind people encounter in their dealings with places of public accommodation. Here is what Anthony Evans told the Committee:

“I have two sons, Anthony and Demonte. One night they had a high fever so I went to Food Depot on Bel Air Road to buy Tylenol and Pediolyte. I chose that store because I could walk to it and it had late hours. I knocked on the office door and asked for help. Someone inside told me to wait. After about twenty minutes I banged on the office window and asked for the manager. The manager told me to go home because they were too busy to help me. I argued with him and explained that I only needed a few items. He did not relent. I had no choice but to go home because I did not know of any other stores that were open. One of my sons, Anthony, is prone to febrile seizures when his fever is high. In the early morning hours when the boys seemed to be getting worse, I took them to the University of Maryland Hospital emergency room. After several hours they were able to get their fevers down. They administered Tylenol and said that the boys should have been given the Tylenol when the fevers started so things would not have progressed to that level.

If I could have told the manager that I would take him to court, my sons may not have had to go to the emergency room. Please vote in favor of SB491 and HB287.”

Here is Judy Rasmussen’s testimony:

“For the past six years, I have been a member of Curves, an exercise program designed for women. I was hesitant to join this program because I thought there would be dials to turn, buttons to push and flat screen displays that I could not operate. To my great delight, none of this was true. The staff was very welcoming, showed me how to operate all of the machines, and in a short time I could do everything myself.

In December 2011, my Curves closed. Knowing it was important to continue exercising, I joined the LA Fitness Center because I could walk to the facility from my office. My experience with this facility has been quite different and very stressful. It is bigger and the majority of the machines require adjustments before they can be operated. I initially went to the facility with a friend. She was not familiar with the machines either, but could look at the pictures and figure out how to work them. I did not expect my friend to be responsible for me while I exercised.

Knowing I would need some assistance in the beginning, I asked if I could pay a staff person to orient me around the facility and to make sure I could operate the machines. I was told that I could not do that. I would be entitled to one hour of orientation free of charge. After that, if I wanted help, I would need to pay $700 for three months of personal training. This fee is in addition to the normal enrollment fees. I tried to explain that I did not necessarily want a personal trainer. I just wanted to be able to operate the machines and learn my way around the facility. I would have been more than happy to pay for extra help at the normal rate of $50 per hour. I offered to bring a friend who is a personal trainer by profession, but was told I could not do that either because it would be taking income away from their staff. I spoke to two managers and the director of personal trainers who told me this was the LA Fitness Center policy and there were no exceptions.

Recently my friend was ill and could not accompany me. I decided I would go myself and see what I could do independently. The first hurdle was not being able to start the treadmill because its control panel is totally flat and does not beep when pushed. One staff member told me "just hit the quick start button." I would have been happy to do that, had I been able to find it. Two staff members came up to me and asked where my friend was and why had I come by myself? I was repeatedly told that it was not safe for me to be there. While the staff would not actually tell me I could not join, they made it clear they were not happy about me being there.

Making someone pay $700 because they request and need extra help initially is definitely a discriminatory practice carried out at this place of public accommodation. I urge you to pass SB491 and HB287 so there is recourse when incidents like this occur.”

Unfortunately, these bills died in the House Health and Government Operations Committee and the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. We have the determination to reach our goal of equal rights for the blind. I am sure that the General Assembly will be considering these issues again.

BRAILLE ENRICHMENT: FOR LEARNING AND LITERACY (BELL)

In 2008, Maryland was the first state to establish the BELL program. The purpose of the two-week program is to give students ages 4-12 the opportunity to begin, or increase their braille reading and writing skills. Because teachers have so many academic skills to teach, there isn't often time to emphasize the specific blindness skills children will need to achieve success as adults.

A certified teacher of the visually impaired prepares lessons and works with blind adult volunteers to conduct group activities, teach reading, writing, and non-visual skills. Because of Maryland's pioneer work, 11 states conducted BELL programs this year.

Since we couldn't rest on our laurels, Maryland kicked the BELL program up a notch this year by having two sites, one in Baltimore and one in Glendale (Prince George's County). Fourteen kids participated in the two programs. One child was recently adopted from China, and two from out of state were visiting relatives in Maryland and were able to participate in the program.

Blind volunteers, ranging in age from 12 to 80, participated in all activities of the BELL program, including teaching students to make play dough, no-bake cookies, Cheerio treats, and to use raisins and other things to make Braille letters on bagels. Playing braille musical chairs, braille beach ball, forming braille dots with hula hoops, and Braille twister were only a few of many fun activities students participated in. Each day, a blind volunteer read a story to the kids.

One of each day's highlights was "bell ringer time." Each student stated something they felt they had accomplished, and then got to ring the bell in celebration. Some special bell ringer quotes were: "I wrote a whole sentence on my slate without a mistake." "I walked up and down some stairs with wide landings by myself for the first time with my cane." "I learned letters a through m today." "I wrote my name on the Braille writer by myself for the first time."

To conduct the BELL program requires much work and coordination. Is it all worth it? Yes, indeed. When a parent says her child is excited to come to the program each day, and when a child says: "Mom, I met a blind grown-up man," it's all worth the effort.

We want to thank Mary Jo Hartle and Jackie Otwell for serving as our two teachers. We couldn't have done it without them! We look forward to continuing the program in years to come!

EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES (EID) PROGRAM

How to Apply After June 15, 2012

Editor’s note: The Maryland Department of Disabilities has provided us the following information about changes to the EID program.

The Employed Individuals with Disabilities (EID) Program provides Medical Assistance (Medicaid) to Marylanders with disabilities who work for pay and meet several other conditions. To be eligible, a person must:

1. Have a disability that meets Social Security’s medical criteria for adults

2. Be 18–64 years old

3. Be a U. S. citizen or qualified alien

4. Work for pay

5. Meet the income limit (earnings may be as high as $68,052/year for an unmarried individual and $91,812/year for a married couple, but less if the applicant has other income, such as Social Security checks)

6. Have resources (assets) under $10,000. Resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, other investments, some life insurance and retirement funds, and real estate other than your primary home. Resources do NOT include your primary home, motor vehicles, and certain retirement accounts (401(k), 403(b), pension, Keogh)

The monthly premium is on a sliding scale from $0 to $55.

Medical Assistance through EID:

• Provides comprehensive coverage to people who are otherwise uninsured

• Supplements private insurance, covering some services that private insurance does not

• Supplements Medicare by eliminating the Medicare out-of-pocket costs, which can save you $1,000 to over $12,000 per year

The EID program will be continuing indefinitely, but the EID Outreach Project–-which has assisted people to apply for EID since 2008--ended on June 30, 2012 due to the end of the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant that has funded it.

After June 15, 2012, Marylanders with disabilities will be able to apply for EID on their own or with help from other agencies.

The Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) web site provides an electronic version of the EID application, with instructions for completing and submitting it, at http://www.mdod.maryland.gov/Jobseekers.aspx?id=2210. The electronic application can be downloaded, completed, printed and saved. Although the application must be printed and mailed, it should also be saved on your computer. When you enroll in EID, you must reapply every six months. Having the saved application on your computer makes it easy to update the information every six months when you need to reapply. If you prefer, you can complete a paper application.

What if you need help applying or don’t have a computer? You can contact the Center for Independent Living closest to you for free assistance.

If you have questions about the status of your EID application, you can contact the Division of Eligibility and Waiver Services (DEWS) at 410-767-7090. DEWS determines eligibility for EID.

HAVING EMERGENCY “GO BAGS” - FOR YOUR GUIDE DOG

By Janice Toothman

Editor's note: The below article offers good advice for anyone with a pet, but for a person who uses a guide dog, this information is essential. We always hear about the huge number of pets abandoned in a widespread natural disaster.

This article is based on one of the quarterly conference calls of the Guide Dog Foundation (GDF) for the Blind, in Smithtown, New York held on July 12.

No one likes to think about emergencies, because they are unpleasant and make us feel vulnerable and not in control. But when we are prepared for emergencies, we have a measure of control in a difficult situation. It is important to have a “go” bag for your guide dog in case of an emergency due to an evacuation, shelter in place, or personal problem (i.e. hospitalization.) I will not talk about what you should put in your own personal “go” bag, but just your guide dog's.

It is important to have more than one of these bags available (i.e., at home and at work.)

First, provide information about the ownership of your guide dog, and who to contact in case you are unable to provide that information.

Second, the veterinarian's name and address should be provided, as well as a list of medications (if any) your guide dog is taking and the directions on how to administer them.

Third, be sure to have several days worth of medication. These medications should be labeled and checked every couple of months, and exchanged for new ones as they expire.

Fourth, it is important to have copies of your guide dog's document, showing that their vaccinations are current. All written documents should be placed in a water-proof container.

Fifth, pack food for several days. Be sure that you write out feeding instructions for your guide dog, in case you are unable to care for your dog and someone else will have to do this. This food also needs to be placed in a water-proof container and changed every couple of months to prevent it from going bad.

Sixth, you will also need several days worth of water, appropriate to the size of your guide dog. Be aware of the time of year, and that your dog's water needs may increase during the summer months and decrease in the winter, and that other regional factors may need to be considered when making this determination. You are the best judge in knowing how your guide dog reacts to stress and how this will affect their food and water intake.

Your go-bag should be placed in an accessible location. Often when given an order to evacuate, there is not a lot of time given to comply.

MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BLIND STUDENTS - 2012 UPDATE

By Melissa Lomax

The Maryland Association of Blind Students (MDABS) has had a fun and eventful year! In January, we hosted a student seminar in Bowie, Maryland, where fundraising and membership committees were formed.

A week later, MDABS participated in a Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM) youth retreat where many of our college students served as mentors for high school students. Students took on the task of cooking and preparing a Super Bowl party, and traveled to Washington, D.C. to take part in the Washington Seminar, the NFB's annual legislative effort. MDABS board members met in April to develop ideas for fundraising and our annual seminar.

Melissa Lomax, the president, and Portia Price, the treasurer, spent the summer interning for the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland.

Portia, Melissa, and other MDABS Board members planned and executed a Back to School Seminar on August 18, 2012. The theme of this seminar was "Motivation for Education" and it featured talks about accessible books, advocacy, social life at school, scholarships, jobs, DORS, and NFB.

MDABS is confident that more events and meetings will come before 2012 ends.

For Meet the Blind month in October, MDABS plans to conduct a community service day, giving special attention to homeless individuals in shelters or those receiving services from soup kitchens. MDABS considers this event to be significant because blind students should not foster the idea that their blindness stops them from helping others. MDABS will also work to develop a fun and educational youth track at NFBMD's annual convention in Annapolis (November 9-11). At this convention, elections will be held for all MDABS officer positions. If you are a blind student in high school or college, please consider running for office!

BRAILLE CHALLENGE

Every year across the United States, all students are given reading tests to determine whether they are at grade level and whether they measure up to a pre-determined standard. Teachers of the visually impaired often have to modify these tests to make them understandable to braille readers. Many blind students feel at a disadvantage when being tested with their sighted peers because of the extreme visual content of these tests.

For the past several years, the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland has worked closely with the Maryland State Department of Education to develop appropriate reading and math standards for blind and visually impaired students. We have made significant progress in this area and are pleased to report that these standards should be approved in September, 2012.

To foster competition and reward students who are excelling in their braille reading and writing skills, the Braille Institute of America in Los Angeles created the Braille Challenge. To participate in this event, students must first compete in their local regions. The Maryland School for the Blind hosts the regional competition for our area. Only the first place winner in each age category wins the right to participate in the national Braille Challenge.

Julia Stockburger, a first grader from White Marsh, won the regional competition in her age category, and was awarded the opportunity to fly to Los Angeles in June to compete nationally. This was Julia's first plane ride.

Upon arrival in Los Angeles, students were greeted by cheers from staff and volunteers. Julia competed with 12 other students in the areas of reading comprehension, dictation, and proofreading. Julia placed in the top four in reading comprehension and dictation. According to Julia's mother, Jennifer, Julia enjoyed the experience very much and loved meeting other braille readers from across the country.

Jennifer attributes Julia's love of reading to the fact that she read to her a lot when she was small. Jennifer felt that it might be necessary for Julia to study with audio books, but her vision teacher, Ms. Gainor, said that reading braille books would be much better for her, so that's what she is doing.

Julia has competed in our Braille Readers Are Leaders contest, and hopes to win more competitions so she can participate in the Braille Challenge again very soon—perhaps even next year. We are proud of you, Julia, and feel certain we will hear more about you.

Congratulations!

BRAILLE READERS ARE LEADERS

Congratulations to the 15 students who participated in the 2011-2012 Braille Readers are Leaders contest. Special congratulations to Shawn Abraham, who placed 2nd in the nation in the 6th - 8th grade category. Shawn, who is in the 6th grade in the Prince George’s County School System, read a total of 8,884 pages.

Participants from Harford County were Christian Coreas, who is in the 3rd grade and Allison Brinkley, who is in the 5th grade.

From Baltimore County: Brianna Broadwater, who is in the 4th grade, Julia Stockburger, who is in the 1st grade, and Nia Phipps, who is in the 4th grade.

From Baltimore City: Lashai Richardson, who is in the 2nd grade.

From Montgomery County: Steve Lin, who is in the 5th grade.

From the Maryland School for the Blind: Terrell Allen, Jasynda Avila, Melika Aziminia, Shaniya Harcum, Ladrea Stanton, Ashley Stewart and Andrea Washington.

Next year we hope to have student participants from every local school system in Maryland. We look forward to the progress that the current participants will continue to make in their Braille reading.

NFBMD ON FACEBOOK!

By Melissa Lomax

Please join NFBMD on Facebook to receive updates, meet other friends, and be heard! Send a friend request to the state affiliate: NFB Maryland. That's not all! Also, like our page, "National Federation of the Blind of Maryland." For students, there is an open group called the "Maryland Association of Blind Students." Join this group to receive more information or ask questions. The first Maryland chapter to also have a Facebook group is the Tri-County Chapter, which can be found by searching "NFBMD Tri-County Chapter." Stay tuned! There are more Facebook groups and pages to come!

COOKBOOKS AVAILABLE

Thanks to all of you who submitted recipes for our fundraising cookbook entitled "Serving Our Best." Darlene Barrett put the cookbook together; Debbie Brown, Lloyd Rasmussen, and Joanne Hamilton proofread it, and many others helped in small ways to complete this project. Cookbooks are now available in Braille, large print and on CD for a cost of $10. Featuring over 90 recipes, the cookbooks would make a great gift. If you wish to purchase a cookbook, contact Melissa Riccobono at president@nfbmd.org or call her at 410-235-3073. Enjoy!

SPECTATOR SPECS

In preparation for election day on November 6, the Maryland Disability Law Center and the NFB of MD are sponsoring two candidate forums. The first is on Oct. 2 at Dove Pointe located at 1225 Mount Hermon Road, Salisbury, MD 21801. The second forum will be on October 10 at The League located at 1111 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21239. Both events are from 1:00-3:00 p.m.

New babies:

On June 3, 2012, President Melissa Riccobono and her husband Mark became the proud parents of their third child, Elizabeth Lee. Congratulations to the parents and big brother Austin and big sister Oriana.

Shahinaz Gadalla, an NFBMD board member, and board member of the NFBMD Parents of Blind Children, reports that there is a new addition to their family. Mariam was born on March 12, 2012. Nesma is enjoying her new role as big sister. Congratulations to all.

Achievements:

Congratulations to the following adults for their distinguished participation in the Braille Readers are Leaders adult contest. This year, three people from Maryland received national recognition in their division. Patrick Gormley won second place in the National Expert’s Division. He read a total of 8163 pages. Jessica Watson won 1st place in the National Intermediate Division. She read a total of 69,266 pages. Danielle Shives won 3rd place in the National Advanced Division. She read a total of 3,212 pages.

Deaths:

We are sorry to report the death of Bill Parks on June 8, 2012 after a long struggle with diabetes and its complications. Bill was an active member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter when his health permitted, and a graduate of the Maryland School for the Blind.

On July 2, 2012, Bill Dickinson lost his struggle with diabetes and its complications. Bill joined the Central Maryland Chapter earlier this year. He was very passionate, especially about eliminating the practice of paying disabled workers less than the minimum wage. Although we only knew Bill for a short time, he was a lively, interested member.

May they rest in peace.

Weddings:

On February 14, 2012, long-time Federationist Reina Brown married Brandon Grosvalet. Brandon is serving in the United States Army and Reina continues to develop her computer business. Congratulations!

Graduations:

Nikki Singh earned a BA in Literature from Yale University. In the fall she will attend Yale Law School.

Rachel Becker earned a BA in Religious Studies from Notre Dame of Maryland University. In the fall she will begin her studies at Princeton Theological Institute and plans to obtain a Masters in Divinity.

The following students graduated from the Maryland School for the Blind: Joshua Gregory, who will attend Harford Community College in the fall; Danny Price, who will attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA; Rasheeda McCrae, who plans to get a job in childcare; and Shekida Reed, who also plans to work in childcare.

Hindley Williams graduated from high school, from Carver Center for the Arts and Technology in Towson. In the fall, she will attend Villanova University in Philadelphia.

Bob Holland graduated from Albert Einstein High School in Kensington. He plans to attend Montgomery County Community College in the fall.

Archie Barnes, son of Helen Webb and a faithful volunteer for the National Harbor and Sligo Creek Chapters, graduated from Suitland High School. He plans to attend Prince George’s Community College in the fall.

Chris Nusbaum graduated from Northwest Middle School, and in the fall will be moving on to Francis Scott Key High School.

Congratulations to all the graduates!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

October 9: deadline for room reservations and registrations for state convention

October 27: Scholarship dinner and auction. Knights of Columbus Hall, 9450 Cherry Hill Road, College Park, MD.

November 9-11: NFBMD State Convention. Doubletree Hotel, Annapolis, MD.

January 17, 2013: Day in Annapolis.