Vol. 31, No. 5
MAY 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
MFCB APRIL GENERAL MEETING REVIEW
2006 FCB ANNUAL CONVENTION IS HERE
MORE WITH ACCESSING A LIFESTYLE
FCB TECH TALK
FCB E-MAIL DISCUSSION LIST AND VOICE CHAT ROOMS
MFCB ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
BOOK SALE TO BENEFIT OCLS
USEFUL WEBSITE FOR FINDING DESCRIPTIVE MOVIES
MEMBERSHIP - from Jay Bader
BIRTHDAY PEOPLE
MESSAGE FROM MFCB PRESIDENT RACHEL BADER
Hello to all MFCB Members and Friends.
It is nearly time for this year's Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) Annual Convention as it is in just a few short weeks. The fact that it's right
here in Orlando this year, at the Sheraton Safari in Lake Buena Vista, gives our MFCB members a wonderful opportunity to attend all or
part of the Convention, without having to travel a long distance to do it.
I hope many of you can take this opportunity to attend and participate in what is sure to be an interesting and informative program this
year. Among some of the sessions scheduled will be a Legislative Seminar and "Street Smarts, Safety and Self-Defense" Demonstration
on Friday afternoon, May 12th. And for Saturday, May 13th, guide dog users and pet owners alike can gain useful information about caring
for these special companions and family members, and gain useful information on the latest with Social Security, Talking Books, and
gain ideas on successful strategies for effective leadership.
Also, please consider attending the Annual FCB Business Meeting on Sunday morning, May 14th, as this is a great way to stay informed
as to what's happening statewide in FCB. We'll be talking more about Convention at our May General Meeting as well, so looking forward
to seeing many of you then.
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NEXT MFCB GENERAL MEETING
The next General Meeting of MFCB will be at William Booth Tower, 633 Lake Dot Circle, Orlando, FL, 32801, on Saturday, May 6th, 2006,
from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. 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.
As this issue goes to press, there is no Guest Speaker scheduled for the May General Meeting. MFCB is finalizing the list of delegates
and alternates for the 2006 FCB Annual Convention in Lake Buena Vista the weekend after this General Meeting, so if you were not able
to attend the April General Meeting and are interested in participating, please attend on May 6th. Also, please bring your spare change as
we begin to fill our jar to be used as a "Guess the Amount in the Jar" fundraiser at Convention.
And we should be beginning to plan for those who are interested in attending the ACB National Convention in Jacksonville in July. Please
note that the May General Meeting will be the last General Meeting before the organization takes a break for the summer as in June,
MFCB holds its Annual Awards Luncheon. Details on that will be in the June-July issue of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE.
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MFCB APRIL GENERAL MEETING REVIEW
20 Members and guests attended the MFCB April General Meeting held on Saturday, April 1st, at William Booth Tower in downtown
Orlando. After the Pledge of Allegiance, President Rachel Bader allowed for the February and March Secretary's and Treasurer's Reports
to be read, all of which were approved, with a correction being made for the Secretary's Report for February that Leslie Spoone was given
300 FCB Raffle Tickets to be sold.
Rachel then gave Committees the opportunity to make reports. Membership Secretary Jay Bader reminded Members again that the 2006
Membership Phone Roster is available after the General Meeting in Print and Braille formats. He also said that FCB Raffle Tickets are
still available for those wanting to sell them, so they can see the table closest to the podium for those tickets.
For the Transportation Committee, Nicole Hugues reported, in the absence of Chuck Graham, that Requests for Proposal (RFP) for
paratransit services in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties is now publicly available. She also reminded Members that fares for
Access Lynx have increased, as reported in the April 2006 issue of the MID-FLORIDA VOICE. Nicole asked that Members contact her
should they need more information, especially regarding where to find the RFPs for paratransit.
Old Business focused on the continuing plans for the upcoming FCB Annual Convention in Lake Buena Vista in May. Rachel wanted to
finalize what MFCB would have for its chapter fundraiser. She said that a couple of days before the April General Meeting, an update was
sent to her on what travel mugs are available but the prices and other details were not known due to the format of that update not being
very accessible. Visors were also mentioned. Sheila Young also suggested the idea that MFCB have a jar or coins, which people can
take guesses at $1.00 per guess with the closest guess winning the amount in the jar. Sheila added that this would be very cost-effective
as there is really no investment to make besides collecting coins for the jar.
Discussion of the chapter fundraiser for Convention continued, with Paul Hutsko making a motion regarding the jar of coins as a
fundraiser, which was seconded by Jim Lamb and then approved. Jim also recommended that concerning the travel mugs, no more
than a quantity of 100 should be ordered. Jackie Gideons then made a motion to buy only a certain amount of mugs, but only if we could
charge $6.00 per mug and make a profit. Shelley Justice seconded the motion and it was also approved.
Rachel then added that she would find out prices for the mugs by Monday, April 3rd, with Membership/Telephone Committee possibly
needed to call Members for an opinion.
Convention delegates were then discussed. MFCB would have 7 delegates for this year's FCB Convention, with 2 alternates also
needed. Delegates must attend the FCB Business Meeting held on the last day of Convention, which is Sunday, May 14th. Here is the
tentative list of Members who are interested in being delegates:
Rachel Bader
Bill Freeman
Shelley Justice
Jay Bader
Nicole Hugues
Paul Hutsko
Sheila Young
Dan and Leslie Spoone are interested in being alternates, with Scott Larson interested in being the First Timer for this year's FCB Annual
Convention. Members were also told that the First Timer must attend the First Timers' Meeting to be held on Friday, May 12th.
Final confirmation of delegates, alternates and the First Timer will be done at the May General Meeting.
After the Business part of the General Meeting adjourned, 1st Vice President Patti Land introduced the Guest Speaker for the April
General Meeting. MFCB Member Jack Jordan opened the floor for Members to find out information and ask questions about law, as Jack
practices family law. This was Jack's way of offering free advice as a lawyer, with topics being discussed that ranged from power of
attorney and living will, to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and what family law is all about. Jack also gave out the following
phone numbers for more information:
Lawyer Referral Service - (407) 422-4537
Orange County Legal Aid - (407) 841-8310
Greater Orlando Area Legal Services - (407) 841-7777
The following Door Prizes were awarded between the Business part and Guest Speaker presentation of the General Meeting:
Angel Bells - Latrice Hampton
Wind Chimes - Robert Moore (Guest at the Meeting)
Mystery Prize - Patti Land
2 Blank Cassettes - Jack Jordan
Candle - Nicole Hugues
Congratulations to all the Door Prize Winners!
And Jackie thanked those who brought refreshments to the April General Meeting: Leslie Spoone, Scott Larson and Shelley Justice. She
also thanked Pat Spoone, Machel Cooper and Bo Justice for all their help in distributing the refreshments. For the May General Meeting,
Jim Lamb offered to buy pizza (one pepperoni and one cheese) and Sheila Young will provide drinks.
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2006 FCB ANNUAL CONVENTION AROUND THE CORNER
The 2006 Annual Convention of Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) is right around the corner, 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.
With MFCB being the chapter closest to the location to 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 are in the final planning stages, 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 May 6th but
would like to help, please contact President Rachel Bader at (407) 658-2479 or 1st Vice President Patti Land at (407) 521-9047. It is
expected to be a worthwhile experience for all who take part in the 2006 FCB Annual Convention, so MFCB hopes many Members can
attend during one of the days at the Sheraton Safari May 11th to 14th.
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MORE WITH ACCESSING A LIFESTYLE
As was first noted in the March 2006 issue of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE, 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 followed-up her previous article reprinted in the March 2006 issue of THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE
with the following article that continues to give those visually-impaired nationwide, including MFCB Members, much to be a part of. It is
reprinted with permission from the April 2006 issue of the ACB Newsletter,
The Braille Forum:
ACCESSING A LIFESTYLE, PART II
by Melanie Brunson
Since my last article appeared in "The Braille Forum," I have received numerous e-mail and telephone messages containing everything
from stories about the failings of consumer products to suggestions for how to make those products more accessible to offers to
participate in focus groups this summer. I have enjoyed the interchange with many of you and as I thought about what to say this month,
it occurred to me that, since there was apparently a lot of interest in the subject of access to home appliances and consumer products, a
bit more discussion might be warranted.
Let me begin with a few developments that have occurred since our last discussion. By the time you read this article, the Cellular
Telephone Industry Association will have had its annual convention. This convention will feature a workshop on access issues for
people with disabilities. One of the speakers at that workshop will be ACB's Executive Director. The personal stories and comments I
have received from many of you will serve to enhance both my formal remarks to the conference and the informal networking with industry
representatives that I hope to have the opportunity to do while at their convention. This is only one of the venues where we will be
discussing cell phone access issues during the next few months. Our intent is to use every opportunity that comes our way to spread the
word that we need to keep the momentum toward greater accessibility going. Fortunately, people throughout the industry are listening,
and that's great. Now our task is to urge more of them to act on what they are hearing.
There are also many more industry groups who still need to hear from us: website designers, software developers, radio and TV
manufacturers, a variety of companies from which we purchase insurance and other services that require the purchaser to review large
amounts of printed information, and manufacturers of cars that are so quiet that they interfere with the ability of a blind pedestrian to
practice good, safe mobility skills. Getting our priorities and approaches to all of these issues organized is a challenge for ACB, but it is
definitely one we can handle. I know that because of the level of interest and the caliber of the comments I have seen among our
members since I raised some of these issues last month. Getting you involved, so that we can all work together, will enable us to pool
our resources, identify solutions and make significant progress toward greater accessibility to all aspects of our marketplace and
society.
As I said last month, we are hoping to do some very practical work on these issues during ACB's convention in Jacksonville, FL. Some
of you have already contacted me to indicate that you would be interested in participating in focus groups. We have not yet worked out the
details for these groups, but we are beginning to gather lists of potential participants. If you'd like to be added to that list, please contact
me either by phone at the office, or by e-mail at mbrunson@acb.org. Additional information will
be forthcoming as we get closer to convention time. We will also keep you apprised of developments on the accessibility front as they
occur, and, from time to time, other things you can do to help make those advances a reality.
In the meantime, don't forget to support those who have gotten the message and tried to do the right thing. When Wal-Mart puts
accessible point-of-sale machines in their stores, let's shop there and ask to use one. If store personnel don't know about it, let us know
so that we can help Wal-Mart identify where they need to focus their training efforts. Let's make use of the talking ATM at the bank and
request those statements in alternate formats. By doing so, we not only increase our own independence, but we encourage business
people to tell others why it is worth their while to invest in accessibility. It helps to make the case that investment in accessibility is a
"win-win" proposition.
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FCB TECH TALK
Florida Council of the Blind (FCB) invites all Members throughout the state of 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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BOOK SALE TO BENEFIT OCLS
The Friends of the Library, in cooperation with the Orange County Library System (OCLS), announce the Spring Book Sale! The sale will
be held at the Orlando Public Library, Library Central, located on 101 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, FL 32801, in the Third Floor Bookstore on
Friday, May 19th, and Saturday, May 20th, both days from 10 AM to 5 PM. Friends of the Library Members can attend the preview sale on
Thursday, May 18th, from 6 to 8 PM.
An assortment of bestsellers, hardbacks, paperbacks, magazines, videos, CDs and more, plus lots of children’s books are available.
Proceeds from the Spring Book Sale, as well as sales in the Bookstore, benefit OCLS. For more information, call (407) 835-7481.
Show your appreciation for OCLS by joining the Friends of the Library! Benefits include discounts at the Friends of the Library Bookstore
and the Gifts & Greetings Gift Shop, receipt of the Books and Beyond newsletter each month by mail, and more!
Join the Friends of the Library in the month of May for a chance to win a signed copy of one of these titles:
1. Toot & Puddle: The New Friend by Holly Hobbie
2. Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer
3. Falls by Joyce Carol Oates
4. Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow
Existing Members can enter for a chance to win by upgrading their membership to the next level.
Pick up a Friends of the Library application at any Orange County Library System location or online at
http://friendsocls.org/membership.html. Members must join at the Regular
Membership Level to be eligible for entry. Winners will be selected by raffle on Thursday, June 1st, and contacted by phone.
For more information, contact OCLS at (407) 835-7481.
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USEFUL WEBSITE FOR FINDING DESCRIPTIVE MOVIES
There are some movie theaters in the Orlando area that show descriptive movies. If you wanted to plan ahead for what movies to expect
with description, MFCB Member Nicole Hugues has found a website that could help.
http://www.movietickets.com is the site for Movie Tickets, a place where you can find
upcoming and current movie trailers, find out what movies are popular and even read some entertainment news. Nicole has also found
out that you can set up your favorite movie theaters (up to a total of five) if you join the site, which is free of charge.
There are other features of the Movie Tickets website that may be of interests to the more tech-savvy, such as podcasts. So if you are a
big movie fan and want a step ahead with knowing what movies to expect with description, check out the site,
http://www.movietickets.com, as it may be just what you need to better enjoy those movies
when shown in the Orlando area.
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MEMBERSHIP - from Jay Bader
Notes from Jay: 2006 MFCB Membership Phone Rosters are still 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, please make note of the following Member's CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
Craig Marquis
2367 S Conway Rd., Apt. 219
Orlando, FL 32812
(407) 277-5844
And based on feedback given at the March General Meeting, I am looking into a return to the MFCB Newsletter of spotlighting an MFCB
Member in each issue. Based on what may be involved in doing so, it could take some time to have it included in the appropriate
manner, but if you have any suggestions about this, please contact me. This may be another way Members can connect to each other
besides attending the General Meeting or participating in an activity.
And I always accept submissions to THE MID-FLORIDA VOICE. All submissions for the June-July 2006 issue must arrive by regular mail
or e-mail to me by the 15th of May 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 May General
Meeting as well as the 2006 FCB Annual Convention in Lake Buena Vista!
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BIRTHDAY PEOPLE
MAY
6 - Lois Huddle
17 - Rebecca Letzkus
19 - Jim Lamb
20 - Denyse Eddy
21 - Eddie Lee
22 - Sheila Israelian
28 - Florence Anderson
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