Vol. 31, No. 3
MARCH 2006

THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE
A publication of Mid-Florida Council of the Blind


TABLE OF CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT RACHEL BADER
NEXT MFCB GENERAL MEETING - NOTE SPECIAL DATE
MFCB FEBRUARY GENERAL MEETING REVIEW
PLAN AHEAD FOR 2006 FCB ANNUAL CONVENTION
ACCESSING A LIFESTYLE
FCB TECH TALK
FCB E-MAIL DISCUSSION LIST AND VOICE CHAT ROOMS
MFCB ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
METROPLAN ORLANDO OFFERS AUDIO AGENDAS
BOWL-A-THON A SUCCESS
MEMBERSHIP - from Jay Bader
BIRTHDAY PEOPLE


MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT RACHEL BADER

Hello to all MFCB Members and Friends.

February has been a busy month for MFCB. MFCB Members joined forces with the Greater Orlando Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB-GOC), to participate in some friendly bowling competition, which was a benefit for the Carter Family Blind Bowling League. Later in this issue of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE, you will find out the result of the competition, but in the end, everybody won, especially with how much money the league raised from the Bowl-A-Thon. Many thanks to all those Members who participated that night.

Many of our Members also attended another joint activity, held at Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles' Office in Orlando, to get some hands-on experience with the new accessible voting systems which have been approved for Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties. We had the opportunity to try out the equipment, independently cast a sample ballot, and ask questions about the systems themselves as well as other concerns surrounding the accessible voting process.

A big "Thank You" goes out to Orange, Osceola, and Seminole County Supervisors of Elections, Bill Cowles, Donna Bryant, and Mike Ertel, respectively, for graciously giving up their Saturday morning to meet with us and others from the disabled community. Those of us who were there were excited about what we experienced, look forward to using this accessible equipment and appreciate the effort of all parties involved to bring us to this milestone for independent, accessible voting for the first time in our tri-county area. For those of you who were unable to attend, please remember that it is our right to cast a secret and independent ballot, and after using each of these accessible voting machines (the iVotronic for Orange County, and the AccuVote TSX for Osceola and Seminole counties), I feel very confident that the disabled should be able to get out to the polls and successfully take advantage of that right.

Coming up in March, MFCB Members have further opportunities to get out there and make a difference in our community. March seems to be the month for Walk-A-Thons. Two organizations, Lighthouse Central Florida and Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc., which have been instrumental in helping to provide the knowledge and tools for greater independence to so many of our Members, are holding their annual fundraising walks this month, on Saturday, March 4th. I know several of our Members will be participating in these as well.

As is noted in the next section, due to these Walk-A-Thons, our next General Meeting will be on Saturday, March 11th. Our good friend Robert Miller, who is the Immediate Past President of our state affiliate, Florida Council of the Blind (FCB), will be in attendance, and is looking forward to meeting our membership. Hope to see many of you there!


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NEXT MFCB GENERAL MEETING - NOTE SPECIAL DATE

The next General Meeting of MFCB will be at William Booth Tower, 633 Lake Dot Circle, Orlando, FL, 32801, on Saturday, March 11th, 2006, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The phone number at William Booth Tower is (407) 843-5533. Please note that this General Meeting is being held on the second Saturday in March, as the annual Sight and Sole Walk and Southeastern Guide Dogs' Walk-A-Thon fundraisers are taking place on March 4th.

It is highly recommended that if anyone uses paratransit, please plan your rides accordingly.

The Guest Speaker scheduled for the March General Meeting is Robert Miller, who is the Immediate Past President of the Florida Council of the Blind (FCB). Robert is also the FCB Officer assigned to assist our organization with matters on the state level and can provide insight as to how FCB can help MFCB continue to be a strong local chapter. In addition, there will be plenty to discuss as MFCB begins to gear up as host chapter for the upcoming 2006 FCB Annual Convention in Lake Buena Vista in May.


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MFCB FEBRUARY GENERAL MEETING REVIEW

25 Members and guests attended the MFCB February General Meeting held on Saturday, February 4th, at Booth Towers in downtown Orlando. After the Pledge of Allegiance, President Rachel Bader gave the opportunity for those to introduce themselves. Then the Secretary's and Treasurer's Reports were read, with each being approved.

Rachel then reminded those in attendance about the Bowl-A-Thon to take place on Saturday, February 11th, at Carter Family Bowling in Winter Garden, to benefit the Carter Family Blind Bowling League. She wanted MFCB bowlers to be there, ready for the bowl-off during the Bowl-A-Thon with NFB-Greater Orlando Chapter.

Rachel also reminded Members that the following Saturday, the 18th, would be the MFCB activity for February, which would be a joint organization meeting of voting accessibility at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office in Orlando. She urged Members to attend as it would provide a special opportunity to not only get hands-on experience with the accessible voting equipment itself, but also ask questions about the process.

Talk then turned to the upcoming 2006 FCB Annual Convention this May in Lake Buena Vista. A Host Committee would be set up by the March General Meeting. It could have smaller groups formed off this committee but Rachel would oversee the activity of the Host Committee. She said there will be a meeting of Members who would be interested in helping out before the March General Meeting.

Rachel recommended that Members give some thought to what could be done for an MFCB fundraiser as a follow-up to what was started to be discussed at the January General Meeting. 1st Vice President Patti Land said that since chapters could bring items for the Raffle Drawing during Convention, she said some kinds of portable items or gift certificates would be appropriate. An immediate idea that was raised would be to make merchandise with the MFCB logo on it. Rachel added that if there are any other ideas to let her know, especially if letters need to be prepared. Sheila Young added that Applebee's Restaurant is among those businesses that requires a letter for gift certificates.

Another idea that was suggested was for a "goodie bag." This bag could be prepared but it could more apply to the upcoming ACB National Convention this July in Jacksonville. Rachel thought there is still time for this to be determined.

Also, it was agreed that MFCB should have a table set up in the Exhibit Hall at the FCB Annual Convention. Items that could be sold include coffee mugs, travel mugs, water bottles, sun visors, braille tape measures, scented candles and drawstring foam water bottle coolers. Rachel wanted Members to keep in mind that these items should either MFCB or FCB logos on them. She added final decisions on what items should be ordered was to be made by the March General Meeting but no later than the April General Meeting.

If any Members have other ideas, they are to contact Rachel. 2nd Vice President Bill Freeman will also give ideas and contact information to Rachel of possible specialty items as well. Guest Speaker Sandra Johnson from SHINE also offered a suggestion with the idea of the coolers.

Rachel then checked with Jim Lamb to make sure that the March General Meeting scheduled for Saturday, March 11th, which is the second Saturday that month, could take place at Booth Towers. Jim said that date would be fine. It was announced that Robert Miller of the FCB would be at the March General Meeting. Rachel said that communication between our state affiliate and local chapters will become important as the months go by.

Rachel also said that FCB Raffle Tickets are available after the General Meeting. Leslie Spoone has sold 300 tickets so far and is requesting more. Rachel urged Members to let her know if they want tickets and cannot pick them up after the Meeting so arrangements could be made.

Rachel then gave Committees the opportunity to make reports. For the Awards Committee, Patti said that usually at the Annual June Awards Luncheon, scholarship and chapter awards would be announced. Bill Freeman suggested an idea regarding an additional award for someone in the Orlando-area community who has worked for improving the environment for blindness organizations, especially with regard to MFCB. Bo Justice also suggested that an MFCB Membership be given to this person. Jackie Gideons then made a motion for a local award to be presented to one in the community who supports MFCB, which was unanimously passed. Further determination of this award will be announced at an upcoming General Meeting.

Then Membership Secretary Jay Bader reported for the Membership/Telephone Committee, announcing that the 2006 Membership Phone Roster is available after the General Meeting in Print and Braille formats. Jay also thanked Joyce Hull, who was in attendance, for all her efforts in assisting the Braille Association of Mid-Florida in preparing the Braille version. Rachel said that a Thank You letter will be sent shortly to the Braille Association for all their efforts in providing the Braille version of the MFCB Phone Roster year after year. Jay also gave reasons for the difference in numbers between the report given to FCB in November and what was noted in the Roster, as was questioned by Jack Jordan. He added that there are officially two proofreaders for THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE as of the March 2006 issue.

For the Transportation Committee, Chuck Graham reported that there is a time change in start time for the Lynx Board Meeting from 1:30 PM to 1 PM. He added that with Nicole's assistance, Members can e-mail their views on issues if they cannot attend the meeting.

Chuck also said that bids are being prepared for the next fiscal sessions that begin October 1st, 2006. Lynx is getting consultants to assist. And Chuck reminded Members about the next METROPLAN ORLANDO Board Meeting, which will be on Wednesday, February 8th. (More on METROPLAN ORLANDO and a new availability of its meeting agendas later in this issue.)

Nicole Hugues and Scott Larson then talked briefly about the court session they attended recently in Jacksonville regarding the accessible voting situation in Volusia County, which is where Scott resides. As a result of that hearing, Volusia County has agreed to implement accessible voting with its next general elections in 2006. Nicole especially thanked Harrison and Calvin at MV Transportation for all of their assistance on short notice in getting them to Jacksonville.

Jackie then asked for volunteers to help with refreshments for the March General Meeting. Patti and David Land offered to bring refreshments.

With no Old Business to discuss, Rachel then opened the floor for New Business. Joyce Hull mentioned that Dr. Nemeth, the person behind the Nemeth Code used in Braille for mathematics, is coming to Altamonte Springs for a presentation on April 2nd, 2006. Joyce will submit information about this event in the near future for printing in THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE.

The following Door Prizes were awarded after the Business part of the General Meeting adjourned:

One Paratransit Ticket - Paul Hutsko
Valentine's Bubble Gum and Heart-Shaped Clip - Sheila Young
Valentine's Bubble Gum and Heart-Shaped Clip - Jackie Gideons
Blank Cassette and Teddy Bell Country Music Tape - Nicole Hugues
Sweetheart Sampler Candy - Jack Jordan
Refreezable Football Ice Cubes - Patti Land
Green Spatula - Dorothy Naugle (Guest at the Meeting)
Colored Serving Baskets - Jim Lamb
Ketchup and Mustard Bottles - Latrice Hampton

Congratulations to all the Door Prize Winners!

After the Door Prizes, Patti introduced the Guest Speakers for the February General Meeting, Sandra Johnson, Lead Coordinator of SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), and Nettie Manseur from the Orlando Social Security Office. Sandra gave information about Medicare, especially the new Part D focusing on prescriptions, as well as opening up to Members who had many questions answered regarding this new section of Medicare. Nettie talked briefly about Special Help, which many Members were curious about in relation to Medicare. It was an informative and helpful presentation for Members in attendance.


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PLAN AHEAD FOR 2006 FCB ANNUAL CONVENTION

The 2006 Annual Convention of Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) is fast approaching, especially for Members of MFCB. This year's FCB Convention will be at the Sheraton Safari, 12205 Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32835. The hotel is in Lake Buena Vista, near Walt Disney World. The dates are Thursday, May 11th, to Sunday, May 14th, 2006.

The room rates for the 2006 FCB Annual Convention are $85 per night, with up to four people in a room. Please note that the reservation deadline is Tuesday, April 11th, 2006. To make reservations, please call the Sheraton Safari Hotel direct at (407) 239-0444 or toll-free at 1-800-423-3297.

With MFCB being the host chapter for this year's FCB Convention, we would appreciate Members helping in any way they can as we plan for a successful four days. Many ideas being considered by MFCB, from arranging of volunteers from various schools and other organizations to assist those attending in navigating throughout the hotel and general area, to preparing a fundraiser for our chapter during the Convention itself. While MFCB encourages Members to attend this year's Convention, if you cannot attend the next MFCB General Meeting on March 11th but would like to help as we plan, please contact President Rachel Bader at (407) 658-2479 or 1st Vice President Patti Land at (407) 521-9047.

Further information about the 2006 Annual FCB Convention will be forthcoming in the next issue of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE.


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ACCESSING A LIFESTYLE

Many within MFCB have a certain way of living we are comfortable with, some more savvy with technology than others. Our national organization, the American Council of the Blind (ACB), wants all its members to have as equal an opportunity as those who are sighted in using anything, from the simplest of electronics to more advanced technology.

ACB Executive Director Melanie Brunson wrote the following article that gives those visually-impaired nationwide, including MFCB Members, much to be a part of, which is reprinted with permission from the February 2006 issue of the ACB Newsletter, The Braille Forum:

ACCESSING A LIFESTYLE
by Melanie Brunson

If you are one of those people who have tried recently to purchase a new appliance for your home, or to find out the time of your favorite team's next game, or find out how to use that fancy cell phone you got for Christmas or Hanukkah, then you may be one of the people we want to hear from. You have probably had to overcome at least one obstacle that initially interfered with your ability to use the particular product or service that you were trying to access, and it is quite possible that you have not yet succeeded in gaining access to that product or service as you read this article. Access, or the lack of access, to items such as home appliances, consumer electronics, web sites, DVDs and E-books, can significantly impact the ability each of us has to maintain the lifestyle we want to maintain on a day-to-day basis. That's why our efforts to improve the usability and accessibility of the products and services people use every day are an important part of ACB's advocacy agenda.

Some of these efforts don't get the attention in these pages that they probably should. We write about the high-profile issues frequently, but there are a number of ongoing efforts to improve the accessibility of everyday products and services that we haven't mentioned here in quite awhile. So let's change that trend beginning now.

One of the most basic aspects of any access issue involves the standards used to design the product or define the manner in which a service is delivered. It is always best when these standards can be constructed in a manner that will incorporate features into the product or service that make it accessible to and usable by people who are blind or visually impaired. Otherwise, things have to be retrofitted, and that is never as efficient as making something accessible in the first place. However, the development of standards can be a lengthy and painstaking process.

ACB has had the good fortune to have members and staff who have been willing to participate in a number of standard-setting entities over the years and their persistence and tenacity have led to many of the advances in technology, products and services we have today. But, as you can probably guess, this work is far from complete. As technologies evolve, and new products hit the market, new access issues arise, requiring us to point out new barriers and recommend new standards to address them.

Fortunately for ACB, our standards experts - both staff and volunteers - are ready and willing to accept this challenge. They are already beginning to plan for the next round of deliberations, which will take place later this year. I am hopeful that we will be able to report some significant developments to you as a result of their work, particularly in the area of accessible home appliances. One of the issues we hope to tackle in the coming months is the accessibility of appliances used in public housing facilities. It is our view that access to a home involves much more than ramps and doorways. One must be able to control the heating and air conditioning and make use of the household appliances put there for the tenant's use.

Similar opportunities for us to make our case for access to home appliances have arisen on the legislative front. Numerous emergency preparedness bills are under consideration by Congress this year. S. 2124, which was introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), provides funding for mobile homes that can be used to relocate individuals at government expense whose homes are destroyed by disasters. Our Governmental Affairs staff is working on language which would provide that if such homes are equipped with appliances, they must be accessible to and usable by people who are blind or visually impaired. It is our belief that if we can increase the availability of accessible appliances for housing facilities provided by the federal government, this will increase the likelihood that such appliances will also be available for use in private homes.

In addition to our work on standards and legislation, ACB has been working directly with business and manufacturing concerns to increase their awareness of common access issues faced by people who are blind or have low vision. I am happy to report that our discussions with a number of these entities have been very positive. In fact, I am excited about the fact that a number of them have expressed interest in having ACB members participate in focus groups during the next year.

We are currently trying to arrange for a number of such focus groups to be conducted and I hope to have more information about how you might participate in them during the coming months. Our goal is to include companies across a variety of sectors including telecommunications, entertainment, banking, consumer electronics, home appliances, retail, travel, and others.

If any of you have suggestions with regard to companies you would like to see us involve in this effort, or an interest in participating in the focus groups we conduct, please get in touch with me. You can contact me at the ACB National Office, or send me an e-mail to mbrunson@acb.org. I will keep you posted on ACB's efforts to make products and services that affect your lifestyle more accessible and usable.

But don't be surprised if someone contacts you to find out if you'd be interested in having a part in those efforts as well. After all, it's your life, so you may be just the person to let someone know what barriers inhibit and what access features could improve the quality of it!


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FCB TECH TALK

Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) invites all Members throughout the state of the Florida to participate in Tech Talk, a monthly get-together for anyone who needs help with their computer and respective applications. John Richards, Chair of the FCB Technology Committee, who organized this voice chat, says, "Please take advantage of this free tech support session. Have you paid for tech support lately? If so, then you're aware of the cost."
Tech Talk takes place on the first Monday night of every month at 8 PM. To be a part of Tech Talk, grab a headset and microphone and head to the FCB General Chat Room at the following link: http://www.fcb.org/FCBGenRSigIn.htm. From there, just sign in and hit the Enter key on your keyboard.

There are some Members of MFCB that are part of the FCB Technology Committee and they may even be able to help you. So if you need help with your computer, join in on Tech Talk. And keep the change in your pocket.


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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 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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METROPLAN ORLANDO OFFERS AUDIO AGENDAS

MFCB Member and Chair of the MFCB Transportation Committee Chuck Graham would like all Members to be aware of some important information. This information involves METROPLAN ORLANDO, the metropolitan Orlando transportation planning board.

METROPLAN ORLANDO now offers audio agendas of its meetings. These include METROPLAN ORLANDO Board Meetings as well as the Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board (TDLCB) Meetings. To get these agendas in advance, call (407) 481-5672 extension 325. You can also note the dates and times for the upcoming meetings as well.

Chuck reminds MFCB Members that the METROPLAN ORLANDO Board Meetings are the second Wednesday of every month from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM in the METROPLAN ORLANDO Board Room at 315 East Robinson Street, Suite 355 Orlando, FL 32801. For more information about these meetings, contact Virginia Whittington at (407) 481-5672 extension 314, or visit the METROPLAN ORLANDO website at http://www.metroplanorlando.com.

MFCB encourages those that can to attend and be a part of these meetings that help shape the future of transportation in the greater Orlando area.


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BOWL-A-THON A SUCCESS

The Carter Family Blind Bowling League held a Bowl-A-Thon on February 11th, 2006, at Carter Family Bowling in Winter Garden, and MFCB was proud to be a part of it.

During the Bowl-A-Thon, a bowl-off took place with a group of MFCB Members knocking down pins versus a group from NFB-Greater Orlando Chapter. Everyone scored during the bowl-off and when the numbers were tallied, the final total was 379-238, with MFCB winning the bowl-off.

But the big winners of the Bowl-A-Thon were those with the Carter Family Blind Bowling League. The organization raised over $1100 as 56 bowlers participated in the Bowl-A-Thon. The money raised will help the Carter Family Blind Bowling League qualify a bowler for the American Blind Bowlers Association (ABBA) National Tournament to be held in Indianapolis later this year.

For further information about it or the Carter Family Blind Bowling League in general, please contact Chuck Graham at (407) 654-6199. Thanks to all MFCB Members who attended and participated for a fun cause, and maybe more pins will be knocked down for a long time to come.


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MEMBERSHIP - from Jay Bader

Notes from Jay: 2006 MFCB Membership Phone Rosters are now available. These rosters are in Large Print, E-mail, Cassette, and Braille formats. The Print and Braille versions are available at the MFCB General Meeting.

If you cannot attend the MFCB General Meeting and would like a copy of the Phone Roster, please contact me by phone or e-mail as soon as possible as outside of the above processes, these rosters are only sent by request.

Also, I am proud to announce that Sheila Young and Paul Hutsko have volunteered to proofread the MFCB Newsletter. Both want to make sure it is more than worthwhile reading and, as a result of their efforts, there should be minimal, if any, corrections to be printed in any of our future issues.

And I always accept submissions to THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE. All submissions for the April 2006 issue must arrive by regular mail or e-mail to me by the 15th of March 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 at mfcbinfo@bellsouth.net. Looking forward to seeing many of you at the March General Meeting!


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BIRTHDAY PEOPLE

MARCH

10 - Sarah Brown
14 - Matti Hickson
14 - Marc Letzkus
18 - Pat Halferty
22 - Joseph Musil
23 - Arline Graham
23 - Marian Tracy



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