Blind
Coloradoan Blog April 8, 2019
Writer,
aggregator Kevan Worley. Contributing editor Dan Burke.
Here
is what you need to know.
Showing the Love. NFBCO deeply
appreciates 6 Dot Dash 5k Gold Sponsors. Thank you, Comcast, Southern Foodservice
Management, Inc., Philadelphia Insurance, Sysco Foods, and Zimmer Cox
Commercial Builders. These gold star companies are committed to community, a
generous corporate spirit, and support for the work we do to educate and
empower the youth of Colorado. Thank you.
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| A group of blind runners and guide runners on the scenic trail through Littleton during the 2018 6 Dot Dash n |
And, This Just In! Registration is now open for
the Saturday June 29 NFBCO 6 Dot Dash 5k. This community-wide celebration,
walk/run festival will be the event of the season. #comerunwithus
Colorado State Senator Jessie
Danielson Takes the Lead! National
Federation of the Blind of Colorado applauds introduction of legislation to allow
the state's blind to independently cast mail ballots. The bill would enable blind
Coloradans to join the rest of the state in voting privately. State Senator Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat
Ridge) introduced
SB19-202-Voting
Rights for Voters with Disabilities
Tuesday, March 19. The legislation would make it possible for blind Coloradans to
vote from home without a sighted person to read or mark their ballot for them.
“I have dedicated a great
deal of my career ensuring that everyone has a right to vote secretly and
independently, but that right has not always been guaranteed for the blind and
visually impaired. We’re going to
change that,” said Senator Danielson of District 20.
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| Senator Jessie Danielson, President NFBCO Scott LaBarre, Curtis Chong testifying during committee hearing |
Pictured left to
right, Senator Jessie Danielson, NFBCO President Scott LaBarre, Curtis Chong.
“We insist on our right to
vote privately and independently,” said Scott LaBarre, President of the
National Federation of the Blind of Colorado (NFBCO). “And we also have the right to vote at the
time and place of our choosing, just as our sighted friends and neighbors do
now, and largely for the same reasons they do.”
The Voting Rights
for Voters with Disabilities Act, SB19-202, would allow qualified blind voters
equal access to the mail ballot, something required by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), but not provided for under Colorado statutes. It
would permit blind voters to use the talking or magnification software (known
as assistive technology) that they use daily in their work or home lives to
cast their votes with confidence. It affords the same secrecy and
convenience now available to everyone else.
For voters who are
both deaf and blind, the law would permit them to use electronic Braille
displays to read and mark votes – the only truly private and independent means
for them to do so. Currently, there is no way for a deaf blind person to
mark a ballot without sighted assistance, either in a polling place or on an
absentee ballot.
“When Colorado
went to a mail ballot in 2013, there really weren’t any accessible, equal
options for the mail ballot,” said Curtis Chong, a retired blind Assistive Technology
manager who helped pass a similar law in New Mexico last year before moving to
Aurora. “Now that’s changed, and we can get the technology essentially
for free.”
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| Jenny Callahan testifying with Deya Villa-Cazares on her right and Chip Johnson on her left during the committee hearing |
Pictured left to
right, Deya Villa-Cazares, Jenny Callahan, and Chip Johnson.
On Monday
afternoon, April 1st, SB19-202 was heard by the Senate Committee on
State, Veterans, and Military Affairs. After testimony was given by leaders of
NFBCO, county clerks, and other interested organizations, the committee passed
the bill unanimously. Next step, the floor of the Colorado Senate.
Hunting for Those Beeping Easter Eggs! I remember Easter
egg hunts, family Easter gatherings, at school or church. All the little kids
would gather round and then scurry out to find as many eggs as they could find.
There was the expectation that I would stand on the sidelines and cheer. The
few times I did participate were frustrating. I could not see those
multi-colored eggs scattered over the field. I was excluded, often embarrassed,
and I was never eligible for prizes. Our Grand Valley chapter is changing those
egg-spectations for this generation of our blind children.
Congratulations to
the Grand Valley chapter for their egg-straordinary work!
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| Photo Description, It is a wooden plank background with decorated audible Easter eggs on the right. Beeping Easter Egg Hunt Blind and low vision children Ages 0 to12 Prizes! Food! Fun! Saturday April 20, 2019 2:00 to 3:30 pm at Colorado Discover Ability 601 Struthers Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501 Call or text Rob Harris 9 7 0, 2 0 8, 3 1 0 0 Email, grandvalleynfb at gmail dot com On Facebook at Blind L V G J |
Come Ring with Us. This summer is closer than you think. We must find every blind and
visually impaired child in the state of Colorado. We encourage educators,
parents, and kiddos to ring the bell of freedom, independence, and literacy.
BELL, Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning, is an amazing day camp for
blind children. The emphasis is on fun, learning, and independence. The first
confidence camp BELL program will take place June 10-21 at the Colorado Center
for the Blind, 2233 W Shepperd Ave. Littleton, CO. The second camp, June 24-28
at the Rocky Mountain MS Center, 8845 Wagner St., Westminster, CO. And, the
third camp, July 15-19 at the Center for Independence, 740 Gunnison Ave, Grand
Junction, CO. For more information contact Michelle Chacon 303-507-6291 or
Martin Becerra 303-778-1130 extension 223. Register your child at https://nfb.org/programs-services/nfb-bell-academy/colorado.
Sponsorships are still
available. Enrichment $500, Literacy $250, and Learning $100. Please contact Kevan@nfbco.org for complete sponsorship information.
What to do, what to do. I am often asked by parents with blind children about
interesting ways they can be sure to include the blind child in vacation
activities. The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center (RMDRC) is in Woodland
Park, Colorado. It is a welcoming space that is entertaining and fun for the
family. They have tours which include a lot of exhibits that are touchable. The
curators are knowledgeable and love what they do. They love to encourage blind
kids to get their hands all over fossils and replicas.
RMDRC is a world
class museum. They feature an awe-inspiring display of dinosaurs, prehistoric
marine reptiles, pterosaurs, and fish of North America’s late Cretaceous
period. The fossil skeletons on display are supplemented with vibrant graphics
and life-restoration sculptures to help you visualize these fascinating animals
in life and the environments in which they lived. Visitors can read
the stories of the discovery of each specimen and see a working fossil
laboratory where important recently discovered paleontological specimens are
being freed from their rock matrix and undergoing restoration. In addition,
they have a children’s area where they can brush off fossils in a dig box,
there are books to read, a magnetic board for them to make their own
imaginative dinosaur, a rubbing station where they can take home their colorful
drawings of dinosaurs, and a fun and informative movie for the whole family to
watch together. For more information check out www.rmdrc.com or call 719-686-1820.
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| Grandpa (fossil) Kevan Worley and baby Finley standing by dinosaur exhibit with guide dog Onyx at their side |
Pictured, Kevan Worley, Granddaughter Finley, and guide dog Onyx.
Tag! You’re It! From the Blind History Lady, by Peggy
Chong. Before there were White Cane
fundraisers, we had “Tag Days” to raise funds for many causes. The blind
were no exception. Members of an organization and their supporters would
stand or sit at street corners and ask for the support from passer’s by.
This was not considered begging. I don’t know why. But it should be noted that
“Tag Days” were an accepted way that many organizations doing good works raised
funds. This included organizations such as “Denver Dramatic League”, a home for
girls, the “Negro Women’s Club Home”, and “Sacred Heart Orphanage”. Tag days were a time for fundraising, not
necessarily a type of fundraising. One Tag Day said the prize went to the
prettiest girl in the club with the most votes. One seemed to be raffling
a piano, some sold green bows (Sacred Heart). There were references to
stopping people and giving them a “tag” after they gave money. The tag
had a message from the organization.
From
the Keota News dated June 30, 1916, we learn that the funds collected for Tag
Day for the Adult Blind in Denver that year were $3,002.55. Not bad!
(Note, 1916 “Tag Day” collections would be worth $73,236.86 in 2019.) To
follow The Blind History Lady, go to www.theblindhistorylady.com.
Special Note. Peggy Chong serves our
Western region on the National Library Service for the blind and physically
handicapped special Collections Development Advisory Group, CDAG. If you have
questions about the work of that group please contact Peggy by email, chongpeggy10@gmail.com, or
phone at 303-745-0473.
Blind Athletes Joined
Team Anthem and Other Partners for the Fight for Air Stair Climb.
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| Picture of USABA, Anthem National Fitness Challenge team in front of American Lung Association banner |
Athletes climbed 59 stories which totaled 1,098 stairs. Cody Bair, one of the athletes said “It was really empowering to be able to participate in an event like this. There was no need for guides or other accommodations. We just climbed along with everyone else.” Next year, he and Jessica Beecham, director of WE Fit Wellness and National Fitness Challenge athlete plan to train and compete in the stair ultra which consists of doing this 59 story climb as many times as possible in 1 hour. Athlete Steve Patton advises “Just take it at a steady pace and you will make it to the top no problem!” The Fight for Air Stair Climb raises awareness and funds for lung disease prevention.
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| Picture of snowy rooftops in the city of Denver taken from the top of the climb |
View from the top of the 59-story climb.
Try It. You Might Like
It. In recent years, one of the more
successful workshops hosted by the Colorado Center for the Blind has been the
NFBCO Sports and Rec Division’s Try It seminars. Colorado is known as a “get
out there and do it” state. The rate of obesity among Colorado citizens
continues to be the lowest in the nation. Colorado is home to the United States
Olympic Training Center. Our Sports and Rec Division encourages the blind of
Colorado to “get out there and do it.” You can Try It first on Saturday May 11
from 1 until 4. Try Beep ball, yoga, martial arts, and much more. This seminar
is perfect for you. Ages from 2 to 92 are welcome to Try It! Sometimes, blind
folks are not as active because we have not been encouraged or shown how to
participate in exercise and recreation. This is your opportunity to Try It!
Note, Colorado is also home to the United States Association of Blind
Athletes, USABA.
Ventures and Victories!
Here’s What’s Up with Some of Our Local Chapters. Now This is Great! ReNae
Anderson tells us that the Mountains and Plains Chapter has cutting boards,
patches, lapel pins, and challenge coins for sale. I challenge you to contact
her. Do you have your coin? No? You owe me a drink. Better get your coin today.
The cutting boards are $25. You can choose red oak, white
oak, or a combination of oak and walnut. Each cutting board is carved in the
bottom left corner with a mountain and a stylized lake, representing the
mountains and plains. If anyone is interested in purchasing, contact ReNae
Anderson at 970-393-0170.
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| cutting board with logo representing mountains and plains |
Colorado Center for
the Blind Proudly Hosts the Denver Metro Chapter. They
all get together the 3rd Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. In March, the
Denver Metro Chapter had big fun doing group activities after the business
meeting. Folks could enjoy two of three activities: Kitchen Gadget Talk, Gym
Activities, and Tech Q&A. There is always something going on with NFB at
CCB!
Colorado Association of Blind
Students Invites You to a high-powered workshop Saturday May 4 from noon until
4. Meet students from around the state. Learn the tips and tricks that will
make you even more successful on campus and beyond. It will be at the Colorado
Center for the Blind, 2233 West Shepperd Ave. For complete information contact Maureen Nietfeld
215-353-7218.
Saddle Up the First Saturday Every Month at High Noon. Y’all
gallop over to the Wild West Chapter meetin’ at the Carmody Recreation Center,
2200 South Kipling Street, Lakewood. Chapter has a new sheriff in town over
there. Paul Sandoval was elected President. They also had elections for the
2019 Board of Directors. Paul’s posse consists of Vice President Nate Hecker,
Treasurer Bradley Basta, Secretary Emily Tallent, and Board Member Scott
Marcotte. Giddy up!
Blind Tech Training, Expanding Possibilities Using
Technology. The Blind Coloradoan is happy to
publicize blindness related products and services. Here is a note from the
afore mentioned Paul Sandoval. We are a small assistive technology training
company that serves the state of Colorado. We specialize in training
individuals in Windows, MacOS and IOS based software solutions for the blind.
We contract with both the Colorado Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and
the Colorado iCanConnect program. We also offer training to private-pay
clients. Training is one-on-one and highly customizable to the individual
user’s needs. If interested, call us at 720-620-8007 or email at blindtechtraining@gmail.com.
And Speaking of Blind
Tech Training. Paul and team will provide
information about iCanConnect and other access tech solutions at the next
Colorado Springs Chapter meeting. Join the chapter Saturday April 13 for
Coffee, Conversation, and Connection at 9:30 followed by business meeting at
10, and more tech talk at 11:30. It all happens at the Garden Ranch YMCA, 2380
Montebello Drive West, Colorado Springs. I think the chapter is fixin’ to have
a potluck at the May meeting. Yum!
iCanConnect. iCanConnect
provides people with both significant vision and hearing loss with free
equipment and training. Sending an email or chatting on the phone can be
challenging for people with both significant vision and hearing loss.
iCanConnect provides free equipment including smartphones, tablets, computers,
screen readers, braille displays, and more to people who meet
federal disability and income guidelines. For more information,
you can connect to JoAnne Hirsch, Colorado Commission for the Deaf,
Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind, v 303-866-2097, vp 720-949-7457.
Calling the People of
the Steel City. Hey Pueblo! You have a chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
Colorado. People who are blind, low vision, professionals in the field of
blindness, and families and friends can attend chapter meetings on the second
Saturday of each month, 85 Stanford Ave at the Wesley United Methodist Church.
The networking and general business meeting will be waiting for you at noon.
Join them on April 13!
Talk Back To AIN. We
received this note from our good friends at Audio Information Network of
Colorado. AIN just set up a “Talk
Back” phone line for programming feedback. Although we focus on local news and
information for our 24/7 broadcasts, content needs may be changing for some
blind listeners. Younger people are asking for gaming and career topics. Older
adults want more on how to navigate Medicare or Social Security benefits.
Spanish speakers have asked for programming about immigration issues. Do you
have a special topic that doesn’t get covered by your usual news and
information feed? Give us a call at 303-786-7777, Extension 4 and “talk
back”.
This Next Item Got Me
Pretty Excited! I
have three broken Braillers in my office. I mean, these Perkins babies are beat
up! But, never fear CTBL is here! Colorado Talking Book Library now has a group
of volunteers trained to service and repair manual Perkins Braillers. To
schedule service for your Perkins Brailler, call Terri Marcotte at
(303)727-9277 ext. 17 or email at Marcotte_t@cde.state.co.us.
1 4 5 6, 1, 1 3 4 5, 1 3, 1 3 4 5 6.
Thank you.
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| The meetup gang gathering with food and drink around a back table at Springs Orleans |
Successful City Meetup.
Brian Smith is a blind entrepreneur. He is Vice President of our CO Springs
chapter. On March 19 he hosted the very first CO Springs Blind of the City
Meetup (we have got to change that name.). The next one will be back at Springs
Orleans Tuesday April 23rd. Stop in any old time between 5 and 7.
The Blind Dog. Sometimes my guide dog
is referred to, by a member of the general public, as my blind dog. That has
always cracked me up. Of course, I know that they are trying to say but for the
purposes of guiding I would prefer a dog who can see. Melissa Green, President,
Colorado Association of Guide Dog Users, COAGDU, tells us that service animals
are eligible for a free! Yes, FREE! Eye exam during the month of May. Register
your guide dog before April 30. Learn more about this
great program!
“You can say any fool thing to a dog and the
dog will give you this look that says “By God you’re right! I never would have
thought of that.” -Dave Berry, author and columnist.
Dear reader, if you know of a
company or an organization that you think would like to be a part of our 6 Dot
Dash 5k please put us in touch with them. Sponsorships are still available.
Volunteers are more than welcome. There are still a few spaces for exhibitors,
and, please encourage everyone to register today for the June 29 event in
Littleton!
Submit items to be considered for May Blind Coloradoan
Blog by April 26th.
Forward, Always
Forward!
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