Vol. 32, No. 7
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2007
THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE
A publication of Mid-Florida Council of the Blind
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT SHELLEY JUSTICE
NEXT MFCB GENERAL MEETINGS
MFCB ANNUAL JUNE AWARDS LUNCHEON REVIEW
PLAN AHEAD FOR WHITE CANE DAY 2007
WHITE CANE DAY 2007 APPROACHING - CONSIDER ITS HISTORY
FCB E-MAIL DISCUSSION LIST AND VOICE CHAT ROOMS
MFCB ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE BETWEEN ORLANDO AND DAYTONA BEACH
MEMBERSHIP - from Jay Bader
BIRTHDAY PEOPLE
MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT SHELLEY JUSTICE
Hello, MFCB Members and Friends,
I hope everyone is having a great Summer; but is looking forward to meeting again and getting down to some serious work. Our next
General Meeting will be on August 4th, and I sincerely hope that each one of you plans to be there to catch up on how we all spent our
summers and to enjoy great fellowship together. I hear there is a small "show and tell" being planned!
Today, I had what I believe was a fortunate encounter. I was invited to lunch to meet a candidate for the City Commission. His name is
Tony Ortiz, and he is running in City District 2, to fill the seat being vacated by Betty Wyman. Mr. Ortiz is an Orlando police officer, and has
been working security for Commissioner Wyman. Mr. Ortiz has some very innovative ideas, and the needs of persons with disabilities
are high on his list of priorities.
Unfortunately, many of us, myself included, do not live in District 2; so we will be unable to vote for Mr. Ortiz. However, I strongly believe
that we should support him by encouraging those who do live in his district to consider him. If he is elected, he may be able to sway the
minds of others on the commission in many areas, including the needs of senior citizens and persons with all types of disabilities.
One of the comments Mr. Ortiz made was "We live in a reactive, rather than a proactive city." There is much to be done in this great city of
ours. I believe we will all need to become more proactive, get involved with our city and county leaders and let our voices be heard. I
believe we are actually entering an age when some of them might be willing to listen to us. We have nothing to lose, and possibly much
to gain by trying.
See you all on August 4th, to begin another year of hard work and good fun.
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NEXT MFCB GENERAL MEETINGS
The next General Meetings of MFCB will be at William Booth Tower, 633 Lake Dot Circle, Orlando, FL, 32801, on Saturday, August 4th,
and Saturday, September 8th, 2007, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM each of those days. The phone number at William Booth Tower is (407)
843-5533. It is highly recommended that if anyone uses paratransit, please plan your rides accordingly.
There will be a "Techie Show and Tell" program scheduled for the August General Meeting, which high-tech and low-tech items will be
presented. And for the September General Meeting, we are honored to have the National Federation of the Blind-Greater Orlando
Chapter (NFB-GOC) speak with us. Representing NFB-GOC will be Sherri Brun, President, and Dwight Sayer, Immediate Past
President, to give MFCB Members the opportunity to ask questions regarding their chapter and the working relationship between the 2
local chapters of the primary national blindness organizations in the United States.
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MFCB ANNUAL JUNE AWARDS LUNCHEON REVIEW
32 Members and Guests attended the MFCB Annual June Awards Luncheon, held on June 9th at Logan's Roadhouse in south Orlando.
Before everyone was to enjoy great food, President Shelley Justice thanked everyone for coming out to the Luncheon.
Shelley then turned the proceedings to the Chairperson of the Awards Committee, Patti Land, who thanked her Committee for their hard
work in choosing the various winners this year. Patti announced the winner of the MFCB Chapter Award, which went to Bill Spoone.
Needless to say, Bill was pleasantly surprised as he accepted the award. Patti then announced the recipient of the Connie Rotter
Memorial Scholarship. It was given to MFCB 1st Vice President Jack Jordan, who is going back to school studying social work. After
Jack jokingly talked about going out for drinks, he graciously accepted the scholarship.
Finally, Patti turned things over to Jackie Gideons to announce a very special recipient. Jackie knows the person receiving the MFCB
Community Service Award very well, as do many MFCB Members. The Community Service Award went to Dorothy Miracle, who recently
retired from full-time work with MV Transportation. Wiping away the tears, Dorothy gladly accepted the award but also said that she will
be more than happy to continue assisting those who need special trips from time to time.
Congratulations to all MFCB Award and Scholarship Winners!
Shelley then reminded Members that the next General Meeting will be in August as MFCB will begin to have Meetings in August,
compared to previous years when the organization took the months of July and August to enjoy the Summer. All in all, it was a fun time
had by all, and the food and service at Logan's was outstanding.
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PLAN AHEAD FOR WHITE CANE DAY 2007
Before we know it, the day that is very important every year to the blind and visually-impaired throughout the United States will be upon
us. White Cane Safety Day is October 15th, a day to make those who are not visually-impaired of the laws that protect those with visual
impairments in their local area. And in the Orlando Metropolitan Area, this year continues the annual tradition.
On Monday, October 15th, 2007, there will be an event scheduled for White Cane Safety Day in downtown Orlando. While final plans are
being made, Central Florida Advocates for Accessible Public Rights-of-Way (CFA) wants all who are blind and visually-impaired in our
area to inform those they know about this important date. As this issue goes to press, there is a good possibility that the Mayor of
Orlando, Buddy Dyer, will either himself present a City Proclamation, or a representative from his office will do the honors.
MFCB Members are part of CFA, along with those in the National Federation of the Blind-Greater Orlando Chapter (NFB-GOC), Blinded
Veterans Association, Lighthouse Central Florida and other disability organizations in the Orlando area. MFCB encourages its Members
to attend the August and September General Meetings and express their interest in taking part in what should be another successful day
of activities in recognition of White Cane Safety Day. Further details will be noted in the next issue of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE.
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WHITE CANE DAY 2007 APPROACHING - CONSIDER ITS HISTORY
Even though MFCB will hold its next General Meeting in August, it is already time to plan for White Cane Day 2007. MFCB is planning on
working jointly in CFA with the NFB-Greater Orlando Chapter, as well as the Blinded Veterans Association, Lighthouse Central Florida
and any other disability organizations that may be interested in raising awareness for the laws that protect those who are blind and
visually-impaired in safely walking the streets of Central Florida. As is tradition every year at this time, to give a little background on what
White Cane Day is all about, here is some information taken from an article posted on the American Council of the Blind (ACB) website,
http://www.acb.org, and was written by Philip Strong, who has worked in the ACB National Office in
Washington, D.C:
The white cane is not just a tool that can be used to achieve independence; it is also a symbol of the blind citizens in our society. To
honor the many achievements of blind and visually-impaired Americans and to recognize the white cane's significance in advancing
independence, we observe October 15th of each year as "White Cane Safety Day." Today, the white cane works both, as a tool for the
blind as well as a symbol, but this has not always been the case.
Throughout history, the cane, staff, and stick have existed as traveling aids for the blind and visually impaired. Dating back to biblical
times records show that a shepherd's staff was used as a tool for solitary travel. The blind used such tools to alert them to obstacles in
their path.
For centuries, the "cane" was used merely as a tool for travel and it was not until the twentieth century that the cane, as we know it today,
was promoted for use by the blind as a symbol to alert others to the fact that an individual was blind.
This new role for the white cane had its origins in the decades between the two World Wars, beginning in Europe and then spreading to
North America. James Biggs of Bristol claimed to have invented the white cane in 1921. After an accident claimed his sight, the artist had
to readjust to his environment. Feeling threatened by increased motor vehicle traffic around his home, Biggs decided to paint his
walking stick white to make himself more visible to motorists.
It was not however until ten years later the white cane established its presence in society. In February 1931, Guilly d'Herbemont
launched a scheme for a national white stick movement for blind people in France. The campaign was reported in British newspapers
leading to a similar scheme being sponsored by rotary clubs throughout the United Kingdom. In May 1931, the BBC suggested in its
radio broadcasts that blind individuals might be provided with a white stick, which would become universally recognized as a symbol
indicating that somebody was blind or visually impaired.
In North America, the introduction of the white cane has been attributed to the Lion's Clubs International. In 1930, a Lion's Club member
watched as a blind man attempted to make his way across a busy street using a black cane. With the realization that the black cane was
barely visible to motorists, the Lion's Club decided to paint the cane white to increase its visibility to oncoming motorists. In 1931, the
Lion's Club International began a national program promoting the use of white canes for persons who are blind.
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, blind persons had walked with their canes held diagonally in a fixed position, and the role of the white
cane took on a symbolic role as an identifier. But when the blind veterans of World War II returned to America, the form and the use of
the white cane was further altered in an attempt to help return veterans to participatory lifestyles at home. Doctor Richard Hoover
developed the "long cane" or "Hoover" method of cane travel. These white canes are designed to be used as mobility devices and
returned the cane to its original role as a tool for mobility, but maintained the symbolic role as an identifier of blind independence.
During this period, the white cane began to make its way into government policy as a symbol for the blind.
The first special White Cane Ordinance was passed in December 1930 in Peoria, Illinois. It granted blind pedestrians protections and
the right-of-way while carrying a white cane. In 1935, Michigan began promoting the white cane as a visible symbol for the blind. On
February 25th, 1936, an ordinance was passed for the City of Detroit recognizing the white cane. To promote the new ordinance, a
demonstration was held at City Hall where the blind and visually impaired were presented with white canes.
The following year, Donald Schuur wrote the provision of a bill and had it proposed in the State Legislature. The proposal gave the
carrier of the White Cane protection while traveling on the streets of Michigan. Governor Frank Murphy signed the bill into law in March
1937.
During the early 1960's, several state organizations and rehabilitation agencies serving the blind and visually impaired citizens of the
United States urged Congress to proclaim October 15th of each year to be White Cane Safety Day in all fifty states. This event marked a
climatic moment in the long campaign of the organized blind movement to gain state as well as national recognition for the white
cane.
On October 6th, 1964, a joint resolution of the Congress, HR 753, was signed into law authorizing the President of the United States to
proclaim October 15th of each year as "White Cane Safety Day". The resolution read, "Resolved by the Senate and HR, that the
President is hereby authorized to issue annually a proclamation designating October 15th as White Cane Safety Day and calling upon
the people of the United States to observe such a day with appropriate ceremonies and activities." Within hours of passage of the
congressional resolution, President Lyndon B. Johnson went down in history as the first to proclaim October 15th as White Cane Safety
Day.
The Presidential proclamation emphasized the significance of the use of the white cane as both a tool and as a visible symbol. In the
first White Cane Proclamation, President Johnson commended blind people for the growing spirit of independence and the increased
determination to be self-reliant and dignified. He said in part: "A white cane in our society has become one of the symbols of a blind
person's ability to come and go on his own. Its use has promoted courtesy and opportunity for mobility of the blind on our streets and
highways." During most years since 1964, the President has proclaimed October 15th as White Cane Safety Day.
On October 15th, 2000, President Bill Clinton again reminded us of the history of the white cane as a tool, and its purpose as a symbol of
blindness: "With proper training, people using the white cane can enjoy greater mobility and safety by determining the location of curbs,
steps, uneven pavement, and other physical obstacles in their path. The white cane has given them the freedom to travel independently
to their schools and workplaces and to participate more fully in the life of their communities. It reminds us that the only barriers against
people with disabilities are discriminatory attitudes and practices that our society has too often placed in their way."
As we observe White Cane Safety Day, let us recall the history of the white cane, its emergence as a tool and a symbol through history; a
staff of independence. Let us also recall the events that have permitted us to celebrate October 15th as White Cane Safety Day.
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FCB E-MAIL DISCUSSION LIST AND VOICE CHAT ROOMS
Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) is proud to have its members throughout the state participate in a couple of ways on the Internet. The
FCB E-mail Discussion List is a way for members, locally and statewide, to express themselves freely on a variety of issues. These can
range from those on a local level to issues on a state or even national platform.
MFCB encourages all Members with E-mail and Internet access to sign up and participate in the various discussions as well as maybe
even starting a few. To sign up for the FCB E-mail Discussion List, and for more information about the List, go to the FCB website at
http://www.fcb.org and go to the link for "FCB E-mail Discussion List Information and Instructions."
And FCB has 2 improved voice chat rooms for members of the organization. One of these is for General chat, the other is for the FCB
Board and its respective committees to meet. Everyone is invited to sit in on these chats, especially to participate with those in the
General chat room.
For more information about these FCB chat rooms, especially if you want to know how you can join in on the
chats, click on the link "Voice Chat for FCB" at http://www.fcb.org.
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MFCB ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Mid-Florida Council of the Blind has a presence on the World Wide Web. Through the Florida Council of the Blind website,
http://www.fcb.org, there is information available on the Internet about MFCB, especially the MFCB
By-Laws, as well as current and past issues of the MFCB Newsletter, both in the previous name of MUMBLES and the newer name of
THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE. MFCB is proud to have people find out what is going on with our organization in this global
manner.
To specifically get to the MFCB section of the FCB website, go to http://www.fcb.org/mfcb.htm.
Feedback is strongly encouraged as to the accessibility and content of the website, so if you have any questions or suggestions, E-mail
webmaster@fcb.org. With your suggestions, changes can be made that better what we have
on the Web.
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TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE BETWEEN ORLANDO AND DAYTONA BEACH
MFCB Members Nicole Hugues and Lisa Lawson decided it would be best to document a trip they experienced between Orlando and
Daytona Beach. What resulted was a different point-of-view of what happens when planning this kind of journey from a blindness
perspective. It is reprinted with permission from the May-June 2007 issue of the Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) Newsletter,
The White Cane Bulletin:
TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE BETWEEN ORLANDO AND DAYTONA BEACH - by Nicole Hugues and Lisa Lawson
At the suggestion of another FCB Member and to support FCB's mission of a statewide seamless transportation system, here is our
story in our own words.
This story took place on February 8th, 2007.
Although many people told us we could not get from downtown Orlando to Daytona Beach via the Lynx and Votran bus systems, we found
out otherwise. Our challenge started at approximately 3:30 in the afternoon. We had the paratransit drop us off at the Orlando Public
Library. The bus stop was across the street from there. Due to the high volume of traffic at that time of day, we enlisted the assistance
from a police officer that had assisted us in the past. He helped us to get across the street safely.
We waited for the route 200; that is a commuter route between downtown Orlando and Orange City. It was scheduled to arrive at our bus
stop at 4:05. It was a little late but the bus driver was very nice. She lowered the lift as we had requested and advised us that she was
running late.
I called Votran to inform them of our arrival. We are both totally blind and have multiple disabilities. Leslie (the representative from
Votran) told us of the slight route change that had occurred since I last took this route. The route travels through Heathrow and then
gets back on I-4 to Orange City. Per the Votran supervisor's request, we contacted him once we got through Heathrow. We were
scheduled to arrive at the Park and Ride at 5:05.
We needed to catch route 20 that was scheduled to arrive there at 5:12. We were not able to make connections with this route because
we were so late. Votran sent a courtesy van to pick us up and take us to Northgate Plaza to catch the 6:25 route 60 from Deland to the
Volusia Mall, where paratransit would pick us up and take us to our final destination.
This trip cost us approximately $10.00, whereas, Greyhound would have cost us $44.00. In addition, you do not need to call ahead for
the lift. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact either of us at the following phone numbers and e-mail
addresses.
Lisa Lawson (407) 399-0452 or via E-mail at Mv8201@aol.com
Nicole Hughes (321) 663-2007 or via E-mail at blindnikki@aol.com
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MEMBERSHIP - from Jay Bader
Notes from Jay: The Summer has brought the beginning of our Annual MFCB Membership Drive. It will continue into the Fall. The
Annual MFCB Membership Drive is done in cooperation with the Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services in Daytona Beach.
Those mailers are sent with the hope that there are those who receive it interested in becoming Members of MFCB.
There will be those who get this mailing that are already Members but please keep in mind that if you are a Talking Book subscriber in
Orange, Osceola or Seminole County, this will arrive. So if you know someone who you think may be interested in becoming a Member
of MFCB, or if they would like to donate to our organization, pass it along. Just as they do on the state level, donations are always gladly
accepted.
Beginning at the August General Meeting, renewals on current MFCB Memberships will be accepted. These are $12.00 and payable by
cash, check or money order, with the deadline for new Memberships or renewals on November 15th, 2007. If you cannot attend a
General Meeting, or know someone who wants to join MFCB, checks and money orders can be sent to the following address:
MFCB MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
5611 Pecos St.
Orlando, FL 32807
I also always accept submissions to THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE. All submissions for the October 2007 issue must arrive by regular mail
or e-mail to me by the 15th of September as it will be prepared shortly after that. You will be properly credited with the submission.
If you have any further questions, please call me at (407) 658-2479 or e-mail
mfcbinfo@bellsouth.net. Looking forward to seeing many of you at the MFCB General
Meetings in August and September!
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BIRTHDAY PEOPLE
AUGUST
1 - Charles Prizmonte
16 - Scott Larson
19 - Arnold Anderson
20 - Shelley Justice
SEPTEMBER
6 - Nicole Hugues
9 - Paul Hutsko
13 - Jay Bader
14 - Marion Eiermann
19 - Rob Batts
27 - Dan Spoone
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