NCCB
Newsletter
Volume 1 – Issue 2 – April 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NCCB BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EDITOR’S NOTES – Bill Graham
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Accessible Voting in North Carolina, May 2022 Primary Elections
READ, LEARN, AND HAVE FUN, TOO!
Governor Morehead School Playground Project
Newsletter Naming Contest
MEET YOUR BOARD MEMBERS – An Overview of Board Members and NCCB Officers
Becky Davidson, 1st Vice President – Looking Forward
Kolby Garrison, Assistant Secretary
Peter Crumley, Board of Directors At-Large Member
MEET YOUR COMMITTEES
Advocacy, Legislative Affairs and Resolutions Committee
Assisted Technology Committee, January 2022 Meeting
Employment Committee
IT Management Group and Website Committee
Membership Committee
Projects Ad Hoc Committee
Publicity Committee, March 2022 Update
AUDIBLE NEWSLETTER INSTRUCTIONS
NCCB Newsletter Now Available on the NC Reading Service
BOOKS AND LIBRARIES
“The Wonderful Things About SLNC ABLS”
BRAILLE
Hadley Launches New Approach to Learning Braille
Member At-Large Chapter and Braille Revival League
CALENDAR
Upcoming Events and the NCCB Calendar
CHAPTER NEWS AND AT-LARGE
At-Large Group January through March 2022 Notes
CONSTITUTION – BYLAWS – POLICY MANUAL
Did You Know – NCCB Constitution, Mission Statement
LIFE EXPERIENCES
Christopher Bell – My Six Weeks In Ghana
Lacey Coward, NCCB President – Encouragement for Dreams and Goals
Share Your Story – If you have a Life Experience you would like to share
NEWS YOU CAN USE
ACB Community Events – How to Join Through ACB
Division of Services for the Blind, NC Department of Health & Human Service, March 2022
NCCB 501 © (3) Tax Exemption Status
SUMMER CAMPS
Camp Dogwood, (Contact information at end of article)
Envisioning Youth Empowerment Retreat
NCCB BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President – Lacey Coward
1st Vice President – Becky Davidson
2nd Vice President – Allen Moore
Secretary – Belinda G Collins
Assistant Secretary – Kolby Garrison
Treasurer – Jo Taliaferro
Assistant Treasurer – Jane Ferrita
At Large Board Member – Bill Graham
At Large Board Member – Peter Crumley
EDITOR’S NOTES
Welcome to the April 2022 Edition of the NCCB Newsletter. It is our intent to improve with each edition, to provide you with news that can help you live meaningful and independent lives. Your NCCB Newsletter team includes Bill Graham – Editor, Johanna Ruoff – Associate Editor & Publication, Ashley Coleman – Associate Editor & Content, May Davis – Accessibility, Vickie London – Proof Reading, Lawrence Carter – Articles and Abraham Sweiss. This is a great team and I know you will appreciate their work. We would love to hear from you on any issue. Send your questions, comments, or requests to nccb.publicity@gmail.com.
Submitted by Bill Graham
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Accessible Voting in North Carolina, May 2022 Primary Elections.
AVAILABLE NOW All one-stop early voting sites and schedules for the May 2022 statewide primary: Find site details.
And Here: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-early-person#sites
North Carolina visually impaired voters have several ways to vote; however, many of these methods rely on the voter getting help from a family member, nursing facility staff, or even election workers. These approaches do not allow for the voter to vote privately and independently. This is of fundamental importance to most voters.
Previously, the exception to this is the in-person use of a special ballot marking device (one example is the AutoMARK machine). There are a number of issues with these machines, chief among them the need to get to the polling place to vote in person.
As of the 2020 election, North Carolina visually impaired voters can request and vote an absentee ballot online independently and privately without the need to get to the polls in person. This article aims to aid in the publicizing of the online accessible absentee ballot choice and gives guidance on learning how to take advantage of this capability.
A very good overview of the process for voting using the accessible ballot is https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/help-voters-disabilities/accessible-absentee-voting. The “How It Works” section will walk you through the process of requesting, accessing, marking, and returning the accessible absentee ballot. Note that the web pages and forms are all compatible with screen readers and allow for entering signatures digitally. Also note that (as for anyone voting absentee) you must have two witnesses that sign (or type) attesting that they have witnessed you marking your ballot and verify your identity. They are not to see how you vote.
You can practice locating, marking, and returning a demo ballot at any time through the N.C. Absentee Demo Ballot Portal at votebymail.ncsbe.gov/demo/app/home.
Much more information about the voting options for voters with disabilities, including help for those in care facilities, curbside voting, requesting ballots in alternative formats like large print, etc. can be found at ncsbe.gov/voting/help-voters-disabilities. If you are blind or visually impaired and need aid with any aspect of voting, please first contact your county board of elections. If you are not familiar with your county’s board of election, you may find them using vt.ncsbe.gov/BOEInfo/. You may also contact Matt Stone, ADA Coordinator, at ADACoordinator@ncsbe.gov, (919) 805-1302, 6400 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6400.
READ, LEARN AND HAVE FUN, TOO!
Two retired Associated Services for the Blind employees, in search of material to transcribe into braille, have put together a small spring-themed book of jokes and trivia for Elementary school children who are blind or visually impaired. We will happily send this braille book to any interested reader. To request a book, please send an email to: mayanddon52@gmail.com, or clyde.dog@verizon.net.
Governor Morehead School Playground Project
Project of North Caroline State University, College of Design, Freedom by Design, the American Institute of Architecture Students’ (AIAS). Article from website link below
https://design.ncsu.edu/academics/arch/research/freedom-design/
The Governor Morehead School (GMS) is the flagship school in North Carolina that serves the special needs of the visually impaired, in a unique residential setting. School-age students live on campus during the week and are taught through a Student Life curriculum. This curriculum extends beyond the classroom to teach students functional living skills through independent living, recreational, and behavioral activities. In doing so, students are taught not only academics but also how to navigate the environment around them.
By integrating residential and academic settings, students are allowed to grow, flourish, and achieve greater self-fulfillment by learning in the environment. Integrated education provides the same opportunities and experiences for blind children as those who are sighted with the hopes to change the public response to blindness. On-campus, students can learn academics and how to navigate their environment while being surrounded by a knowledgeable support system. The School seeks to encourage all students to strive for the highest levels of educational excellence and integrity in all of life’s endeavors.
Adapted from Governor Morehead School website: governormorehead.net
Our Work
We have worked closely in partnership with the school to assess their needs and, after identifying a project with them, design a playground for these students. The design will provide a variety of play and learning experiences to accommodate all ages and abilities.
From the client
“The current playground structures are so old and rusted, and they are hard to get around and find things when you have little or no vision. The students are so excited that they will finally have a playground that will be interesting and exciting, and that they can easily access in a safe way due to the proposed colors, textures, and materials.”
The existing playground poses many challenges for the students. The first being the lack of interest in most of the existing equipment. The majority of students only use the swing set over the monkey bars or slide. In addition, the swing set is not up to the current standards of care. Aside from the equipment, the mulch surfacing of the playground poses drainage problems and usability problems. While the children are playing, they often lose their canes in the mulch after setting them down to play. To address the current issues, we have redesigned the playground into play and learning zones.
The play zone will consist of a new swing set that is up to current standards of care, a running embankment, a row of chimes, and a spin station. The embankment follows the perimeter of the playground and enables students to learn how to maneuver sloped terrains. In the learning zone, we have proposed a group swing, sensory wall, and community seating. The group swing provides a social corner of the playground geared towards the older students while the sensory and community seating provides a space for outdoor learning for the younger students. As for the surfacing and drainage of the entire playground, we would like to replace the mulch with a fixed material such as artificial turf or rubber surfacing. The new surfacing and added vegetation will help combat the pooling of water while creating a more usable space.
Our Team
Our team consists of a diverse group of architecture students at various stages in their education, ranging from first-year students to graduate students. While we all come from different backgrounds, our passion for architecture and serving the community unites us! Each one of us provides a unique perspective on combating design challenges to create a lasting impact. Here are some of our project managers! (See website link at top of page.)
MEET YOUR BOARD MEMBERS
MEET YOUR BOARD MEMBERS
Overview of Board Members and NCCB Officers
Your NCCB Officers, the President, Secretary & Treasurer, have specific duties associated with their job responsibilities. The immediate Past president provides continuity and as needed, mentoring and support for the current President. Board Members provide a broader outlook that seeks to improve our organization’s effectiveness.
Your Board Members are focusing on improving communications within the NCCB and with outside people; revitalizing our NCCB committees; and improving the technology the NCCB members are using. Most of our efforts will be recognized in the work that is done by committee Chairs, such as the Publicity Committee, The IT Management Group, the Assistive Technology Committee, the Transportation Committee, and many other committees. Please read the NCCB Newsletter and the NCCB Board Meeting Minutes to see the progress we are making.
Bill Graham, At-Large Board Member, NC Council of the Blind
Peter Crumley, At-Large Board Member, NC Council of the Blind
Becky Davidson, 1st Vice President
Looking Forward
Hello, NCCB! As I write this, on March 1st, 2022, there is already a feeling of spring in the air. Mask mandates are starting to be lifted, the days are getting longer, these things bring me a sense of optimism and I feel optimistic about NCCB, too. Hopefully the ACB National Conference and Convention, and our state NCCB convention will both be in person, with Zoom availability as well.
NCCB is making strides in improving our communication with our members, and we are seeking more ways to reach potential members. We are making a difference in our advocacy efforts, too. Our victory on making accessible absentee voting a reality garnered national attention.
Successes like that can motivate us to strive hard for more victories in other areas such as pedestrian safety. Each community has its own pedestrian environment or, in too many cases, lack of safe, walkable streets.
We are a diverse state. Some of the larger cities have made some progress in installing a few Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) but that’s just a start. We have suburbs, small towns and rural areas that don’t have sidewalks, let alone APS. All that to say there are opportunities to advocate for our rights as blind and low-vision members of our community and much of that begins at the local level and state level. Work is being done at the national level but that’s only part of the story.
If you are interested in these types of issues in your community you might start by doing a little research: who or what organization or committee makes transportation, traffic control or planning recommendations and/or decisions in your community? How can you become part of one or more of those groups? To learn more about some of these things I suggest you start by taking a look at the Pedestrian Safety Handbook on ACB’s website, www.acb.org. Also, if you haven’t already, join ACB’s Community. Many of the Community calls are available as podcasts and you can find them on the same website.
Our organization has much potential to continue making a difference. Our voice needs to be heard! So, NCCB FORWARD!
Kolby Garrison, Assistant Secretary
My name is Kolby Garrison. I was elected as the Assistant Secretary for the North Carolina Council of the Blind in September of 2021. Having served in my position for five months, I will say that NCCB’s future appears to be bright. Committees are working towards goals; board members conduct themselves well during board meetings; and everyone desires to steer the NCCB in the right direction. I will do my best to improve the NCCB.
Peter Crumley, Board of Directors At-Large Member
As one of your representatives At-Large on the Board of Directors (BOD), I represent the entire NCCB extending beyond the At-Large Group Monthly Zoom Meetings that I facilitate. The major area of responsibility attached to this position is to forward items of interests and requests from members to the attention of the BOD for discussion and action. To date only one submission has come forward, thank you Bob Warren. Please provide your questions and requests in writing for submission as the BOD needs to hear your voice!
My current goal for the NCCB is to push for active committees that are able to proactively accomplish their duties, articulate identifiable goals and provide a list of targeted deliverables. This is an important necessary task for development of a prioritize list of identified projects, allowing the NCCB to move forward. Obviously, my interests are with technology, which through the work of the Technology Committee will aid the Blind to become more knowledgeable of their mobile devices to enhance independence and societal engagement.
MEET YOUR COMMITTEES
Advocacy, Legislative Affairs and Resolutions Committee
Do you have an idea or a cause that you think NCCB should act upon in some way? The way of making this happen is that a resolution be adopted by NCCB. It has been my experience that resolutions are presented at the NCCB convention each year. The purpose of this article is to give you an idea of how to write a resolution.
A resolution consists of three parts. These names are given by me, and not necessarily official names found in a source such as Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
(1) reason:
Why are you writing the resolution? What reasons support the adopting of the resolution? Usually, you begin each reason with the word whereas. Then state the reason. For example, Whereas, many blind people are not working, and whereas, blind people need a way to save money for retirement. Notice I put only one reason in each whereas. You would want to have no more than seven whereas phrases. Often, there are three or four.
(2) Response:
The next section of the resolution is what I call the response. These phrases or sentences usually begin with Be it Resolved. For example, Be It Resolved that the NCCB will encourage its members to learn the benefits of contributing to a Roth IRA. And Be It Further Resolved that NCCB will contact the NC members of Congress in both houses to seek legislation to remove having earned income as a requirement to contribute to a Roth IRA. I would agree that someone else could do a better job with writing those resolved statements, but my point is to show you the responses to the whereas statements. The responds should say, “This is what I want NCCB to do about this situation.” If you want the group to do more than one thing, you have more than one Be It Resolved statement.
(3) Result:
The result of the vote on the motion should be documented in this section. It could be as simple as Adopted, or it may contain when the adoption occurred if the date is not stated in any of the Be It Resolved statements. The Secretary’s name and title should be included on the official copy of the resolution.
If you have a resolution in mind, please send it to nccbmailbox@gmail.com and write Resolution Request in the subject line. It will then be sent to nccbadvocacy@groups.io for our committee to review. You could also go directly to the Board of Directors if you think that the Board should adopt a resolution.
I hope this article has made the task of formulating a resolution less mysterious for those who want to present great ideas for NCCB to consider.
Tim Snyder, Advocacy, Legislative Affairs and Resolutions Committee Chair
Assisted Technology Committee
January 2022 Meeting
The Assisted Technology Committee met for the first time in late January, to establish the committee as a working group and to outline goals for discussion and review by committee members. Submission of desired additions and changes prior to the next scheduled meeting was requested. These goals were written to function as a roadmap to work from for identification of technology projects to support the Blind and Low-Vision and for selecting items to begin the provision of targeted deliverables. A round table was held to gain input from all members.
There was agreement among the Committee members that there will exist overlap between the Assisted Technology and other NCCB Committees requiring collaboration to achieve completion of identified projects by fellow committees requiring technological support. The most obvious example of this action is the identified partnership between the Transportation and Technology Committees to work towards developing a pilot/demonstration project to expand accessibility to the Blind and Low-Vision through expanded applied usage of the Navilens Information-Transfer Application. This effort will explore new ways to apply the Navilens app from a Blind Perspective to allow for direct feedback to the Developer to improve independent blind travel.
The Committee members were engaged to highlight specific areas of personal interest as defined within the current version of the committee’s goals on which they wish to take the lead.
Chair Peter Crumley stated that he desired to take the lead on development of IOS Training Modules, the developmental theme for these training modules will be developed adhering to the Blind Perspective Philosophy, with a targeted module selection to allow individuals to obtain basic knowledge to operate an iPhone at an acceptable advanced level. The initial selected training modules are as follows: Phone Buttons and Interactive Features, VoiceOver Finger Swipe and Tap Gestures, Blind Operational Settings, VoiceOver Rotor; targeted completion date for this initial package of IOS Training Modules is set as August of 2022.
Written goals were presented to the Board of Directors (BOD) at their meeting in February 2022.
Peter Crumley, Assisted Technology Chair
Employment Committee
We have an exciting event that our committee is discussing. If you are interested in employment issues or want to know more about the world of work and possibilities for working, be on the lookout for details as they unfold. I think you will like what you read. Stay tuned.
Tim Snyder, Employment Committee Chair
IT Management Group and Website Committee
The NCCB IT Management Group (ITMG) was formed in late 2021 by President Lacey to increase our use of communication & productivity tools. The current members of the group are Lawrence Carter, Tim Snyder, Shannon Garner and Bill Graham – Chair. Our Web Master, Patrick Rooney, is a Technical Advisor to the group.
The first tasks addressed by the ITMG were the renewal of our website’s, nccbinfo.org, domain name and ISP hosting plan. The ITMG is also implementing Groups.io email list to facilitate emails. Finally, the ITMG is reviewing our website, nccbinfo.org, to ensure current information is available to our members.
We plan to expand the use of our NCCB website, nccbinfo.org, to increase our communication with our members, supporters, and other interested parties. This expanded use will be delayed for a month or so because of planned updates to our website. The website will continue to be available for your use, but we are delaying our content updates until the changes have been completed.
Another method we are using to improve communications is the use of Groups.io email lists for our committees. We have created the Groups.io email list and we are in the process of training committee chairs to effectively use them.
Bill Graham, IT Management Group Chair
Membership Committee
Membership is vital to any organization. Members are why we serve, and they are how we serve. Retaining existing members and recruiting new members is not the function of one person or one committee; membership is everyone’s role. Your Membership Committee is honored to lead this effort, but you play a vital role. Let’s all work together to increase the number of people we can help and to increase the number of people working to help others!
Welcoming New Members
This section will welcome new members joining the NCCB. A membership application can be found at https://nccbinfo.org/membership/. These members joined since the last newsletter was published.
Tim Miles, Timothy Spaulding, Lynn Lesko, Sherri Thompson, Rebecca Liverman.
Sincerely, Lawrence Carter, Membership Committee Chair
Projects Ad Hoc Committee
The NCCB Projects Ad Hoc Committee was charted by NCCB President Lacey Coward in response to a Motion, made at the February 2022 NCCB Board Meeting, by Peter Crumley. President Lacey told the committee, that “the main purpose of this committee is to organize a list of projects that the council could/should be working on at some point in the future.”
The committee held its first meeting in early March 2022 and is scheduled to present a report to the May 2022 NCCB Board Meeting.
The committee started by developing a list that can be used in prioritizing projects. The committee believes the work they have been chartered to accomplish should be an ongoing activity and should occur at least annually. It is recognized that NCCB Committees are vital to recognizing and developing projects to accomplish the NCCB Mission and strong leadership in this area is needed.
In case you are unfamiliar with the NCCB Committee structure, there are two types of Committees: Standing and Ad Hoc. Standing Committees are chartered by the Constitution & By-Laws, and they are described in our NCCB Constitution & By-Laws and our NCCB Policy Manual. These committees are ongoing unless changed in the aforementioned documents. Ad Hoc Committees are chartered by the NCCB President and have a particular mission to accomplish and a time frame or event that will terminate the committee’s work. The president can also charter ongoing groups and panels such as Advisory Panels which, like the committees, meet with the board but have no voting rights.
Bill Graham – Committee Chair; Peter Crumley – Committee Vice Chair
Publicity Committee
March 2022 Update
During the last quarter, your NCCB Publicity Committee worked on its first two Goals of Establishing an NCCB Newsletter with quarterly issues and having the NCCB Newsletter read on the NC Reading Service. We have made good progress on both goals.
We issued our first NCCB Newsletter in January 2022 and we have worked to establish a NCCB Newsletter staff to address many of the shortcomings of the first issue. See the Editor’s Note for an introduction to the NCCB Newsletter Staff.
The NCCB Newsletter is now available on the NC Reading Service website at ncreadingservice.org, under the Listen tab at the top. The newsletter can be accessed using the NC Council of the Blind link in the Newsletters column in the NCRS Podcasts List heading.
During the next quarter we will begin to establish the NCCB Web page Content Manager function. This position will encourage the posting of relevant material on our webpage and assist in doing accessibility checks. The Publicity Committee will not maintain or update the website. The NCCB Publicity Committee will coordinate closely with our NCCB Web Master.
During the quarter, we will also begin the process to request a North Carolina Governor’s Proclamation for White Cane Safety Day, October 15th. This must be done 120 days in advance.
Bill Graham, Chair Publicity Committee
BOOKS AND LIBRARIES
“The wonderful things about SLNC ABLS”
The State Library of North Carolina Accessible Books & Library Services (ABLS) has much to offer its patrons. If you have been considering joining us, allow me to share with you what we have to offer. Of course, our patrons can borrow books from us in accessible formats like talking books, braille books, and large print books. Our patrons who want their books faster can download books directly from BARD (Braille and Audio Recording Download) and keep them for as long as they want. For our patrons who love movies, we have a descriptive video service for a one-time fee of $20. The descriptive video service is our collection of movies and TV shows that have an audio track to describe what is happening on screen.
Our library also offers books and magazines locally produced in our recording studios. Books recorded in our studios have a strong North Carolina connection, being either by a North Carolina author or about the state of North Carolina. The magazines we produce include, Our State Magazine, Carolina Country, Wildlife in North Carolina, and the North Carolina Historical Review. All our locally produced books and magazines are available for download in the NOBLE section of our website. You will need a flash drive and a digital talking book player from the library to listen to them, or you may contact the library and request one or all of these titles to be included to your reading list.
If our patrons feel as if they need assistance selecting a book to read, we have five Reader Advisors on staff. They are available through the phone, chat, or, if you want to come in, you may speak with in person. Patrons also can set up a book queue, so when they are done with one set of books, once they are returned to the library, we will send them the next set of books based on their reading preferences. Speaking of reading preferences, we understand all materials are not for everyone. Some of our patrons choose to avoid books with strong language, or depictions of sex and violence. When filling out an application, if you would rather not receive those kinds of books, there is a selection for that when choosing your reading preferences. If your preferences ever change, you can contact us and update your preferences.
In addition to the materials we provide, we have programs throughout the year for our patrons. From December to February, we have our Winter Reading program. Patrons who sign up and read at least five books will receive a prize. Our top three readers will win a gift card. We have the same program during the summer from June to August. September through December, we host our annual writing contest. Patrons can send in their original works for a chance to have their works added to the library’s collection and win a prize.
As we are returning to opening to the public soon, we will return to having in person library programs. For our Raleigh area patrons, this means the return of tactile tours at the North Carolina Museum of Art. We also hope to collaborate with the Governor Morehead School for the Blind and return to having in person programs for the students and the community. Some of the past programs at GMS include, an instrument petting zoo, a wildlife program where students are able to interact with some of the animals from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, a cooking program, and having gold medalist Paralympian, Lex Gillette come speak about his life to the students and community.
Be on the lookout for our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for news about upcoming programs. We will also notify the public of upcoming library programs in our quarterly newsletter, the Tar Heel Talk. Each patron is automatically signed up to receive a digital copy of our newsletter. We distribute the newsletter via email for patrons we have emails addresses for. We also send a talking book version of the newsletter to patrons who receive talking book cartridges.
If you are not a patron but know someone who uses our services, you can ask them about their experiences as a library patron. If you do not know a patron of our library, consider signing up to receive services to find out for yourself. We hope to hear from you. Contact Us 984-236-1100 (Raleigh)
1-888-388-2460 (Long Distance)
BRAILLE
Hadley Launches New Approach to Learning Braille
Back in 1920, William Hadley launched a braille correspondence course teaching older adults who had acquired vision loss later in life. “Braille by Mail,” as we were then known, has come a long way.
Fast forward one hundred years, and in January 2022, Hadley launched a new approach to teaching braille, “Braille for Everyday Use.” It is practical, immediately applicable, and some say even fun to learn.
“Really feel encouraged that I am getting familiar with braille. So last night I learned a, b, and c!” Suzanne B from Illinois.
“I was always apprehensive about braille. Just wasn’t sure of my capability. But when this workshop became available it sounded perfect for people like me who want to tip their toe into learning some braille. It is exciting because I can already imagine multiple projects around the house that I can use my braille labeling skills now.” Judy M from Minnesota
There are two parts to the instruction: a workshop sent to your home and audio instructions delivered online or on the phone.
Anyone with a visual impairment is welcome to check out the new series (and, like everything at Hadley, it is FREE). Here is the link Hadley.edu/braille, Tel. 1-800-323-4238, We’ll get you started.
Member At-Large Chapter and Braille Revival League
Greetings All, My name is May Davis, and I am a new resident of North Carolina, having moved here in 2019. I had been active in the Pennsylvania Council, and quickly contacted the NC office to find out what was going on in North Carolina. Interestingly I got the number of the NC office from a friend in Louisiana, she had collaborated with Lacey Coward. The person who called me back was Laurence Carter, and the rest is history. We started working to form the At-Large group, which is now going strong. If you do not belong to a chapter of NCCB, and would like to join us, please send an email to nccb.publicity@gmail.com.
At one of our At-Large meetings someone from BRL (the Braille Revival League) was the speaker and I suggested the possibility of starting a chapter of BRL in NC. There was interest in doing this, and now it is about to happen. We will be having a meeting soon with Paul Edwards, President of BRL, when he will guide us through what we must do to start a chapter. We need seven interested people to do this, and we already have that many, so let us go forward. If you are a member of BRL, or if you are interested in becoming one, and have not already attended one of our meetings, please contact me, May Davis at mayanddon52@gmail.com or Telephone 336-307-4070 so that I can give you information about the upcoming meeting with Paul.
May Davis Email: mayanddon52@gmail.com, Tel. 336-307-4070
CALENDAR
Upcoming Events and the NCCB Calendar
Chapter Presidents, please contribute to this list to share your local events.
May 2, 2022, Camp Dogwood application, cut-off date.
May 22 will be the First session.
May 14, 2022 – NCCB Board Meeting
July – Signup begins for NC VIP Fishing Tournament
July 23, 2022, President assigns Parliamentarian for Annual ACB Conference
August 13, 2022 – submit Budget to NCCB Board of Directors
August 13, 2022 – NCCB Board Meeting
September 23-25, 2022, NCCB Annual Members meeting
September – Annual Fundraising Event for NC Reading Service
Please send corrections, updates to email: nccb.publicity@gmail.com.
CHAPTER NEWS AND AT-LARGE
At-Large Group Jan, Feb, Mar Notes
The At-Large Group continues to enlighten and serve those NCCB members across the State, who are not directly associated with one of the five North Carolina Chapters.
During the At-Large January meeting, a very informative presentation was given by guest speaker, Janelle Taylor (NC Special Services for the Blind). Janelle, who has been deaf from childhood, spoke of the unique challenges facing the Deaf/Blind Community. These include adaptations for continued independence and societal engagement. For many deaf/blind individuals there is a sliding scale of hearing loss overlaid upon a sliding scale of sight loss. This results in challenging multi directional support from Social Services. Janelle emphasized the importance of protecting your hearing and having a yearly hearing test performed by a professional hearing specialist. She gave examples of how important our hearing is in maintaining our orientation with our vision loss. Janelle stressed the importance of individuals with hearing aids to consistently wear them.
There are many in the Deaf/Blind community that are able to benefit from use of technology, using many of the techniques that the Low-Vision and Blind commonly use, but with hearing accessibility overlaid upon vision accessibility, to create a hybrid package. The relationship between the NCCB and the Deaf/Blind community is one that the NCCB should explore how best to partner with To share resources and knowledge to better support this specialized visual cohort.
At the February meeting, Board of Director Member, Bill Graham, provided an overview report to the At-Large Group of the 2nd Quarter NCCB Board of Directors meeting. The presentation was scheduled to inform the At-Large Membership of the current actions taken and those actions being considered by the organization’s governing body. Bill also enlightened the group with the introduction to a recycling program for used White Canes, which are refurbished and sent offshore to those in need of this basic visual supportive tool. This is a worthy project for the NCCB to partner with other fellow visual supportive organizations to fulfill this niche as a future project. These presentations were followed by a roundtable session.
The March At-Large meeting Monday the 28th at 7PM via Zoom was a presentation by Brooklyn Scotto and Drew Dunphy, directors of Freedom By Design, the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). (See web link at end of article.)
Discussed were the design and building of a modern interactive playground at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind. This will expand accessibility for the Blind and Low-Vision students at the school. challenge to all NCCB members, please become more involved in the NCCB by taking a lead on an identified project that you feel passionate about and would like to help the NCCB address as an organization. As always thank you for your participation and support. Join the conversation.
At-Large Facilitator – Peter Crumley
Editor’s Note: North Caroline State University, College of Design, Freedom by Design, the American Institute of Architecture Students’ (AIAS) web page has an extensive article on The Governor Morehead School, Current Project. See web page link below.
https://design.ncsu.edu/academics/arch/research/freedom-design/
CONSTITUTION – BYLAWS – POLICY MANUAL
Did You Know – NCCB Constitution, Mission Statement
The NCCB Constitution states “Our mission is to promote awareness, education, employment, and access to public accommodations for all blind and visually impaired citizens of North Carolina. To this end, we believe that visually impaired persons can contribute to society and lead productive and independent lives with dignity.
The NCCB Constitution Preamble, in part, states “We, the members of the North Carolina Council of the Blind, Inc… do hereby bind ourselves together to promote opportunities of social, economic, and educational equality of the blind and visually-impaired with society, to inform blind persons of the issues concerning their wellbeing and to acquaint the public with the basic attitudes for upholding the dignity, equality, and independence of blind and visually-impaired citizens.
NCCB committees play a vital role in accomplishing our mission and goals. Our Constitution & By-Laws list the committees, and articles on the goals. The accomplishments of committees are included in our newsletter.
Committees are one way you can learn, grow, and contribute to the wellbeing of our community. If you would like to participate on a committee, contact any board member, or committee chair, or send an email to nccb.publicity@gmail.com.
LIFE EXPERIENCES
Christopher Bell
My Six Weeks In Ghana
Fifty years ago, I spent six weeks in Ghana as part of a 14-member group sponsored by the Experiment in International Living. We were all in our twenties, half African American, half white. I was then legally blind, used a cane, and was the only group member with a disability.
Each of us spent the first three weeks living with a host family in various parts of the country. I was hosted by Mohamed Abu, a Hausa-speaking broadcaster for Radio Ghana (which provided programming in the country’s seven predominant languages), his wife Xena, a registered nurse and their two young children. They lived in a comfortable home in Accra, the nation’s capital. The Abu family was friendly and warm, freely answering all my questions about their country and culture. During that three weeks home-stay, I never saw another Caucasian and I felt increasingly uncomfortable in my white skin.
It was in Ghana that I learned to love spicey hot food. Meals usually had a starch such as casava, yams, plantain or rice with fish and a little meat and all meals were eaten by hand. I remember one meal of fish, complete with head, eyes, and tail. I was told that no part of the fish was wasted, and every part was delicious and nutritious. I do not recall what part of the fish I ate. At another meal, I was given my own milder red sauce while other family members used a hotter spicier condiment. I insisted upon using their sauce, ladling a large quantity on my plate notwithstanding their adamant warning that I was overdoing it. They were right! Trying to be macho, I took a large mouthful of the sauce-covered food and immediately started choking and sputtering. I had never tasted anything so hot, then or now. My young ego was further humiliated by their 18-month-old son who gobbled up the spicey mixture without protest. I also enjoyed drinking “Black Label” beer and a very potent home-brewed palm wine served by passing around a gourd.
Friends and relatives dropped by often without warning and it was expected that family activities were set aside to welcome the guests with food, drink, and conversation. I learned quickly how important extended family relationships were. Even distant relatives were expected to supply shoes, clothing and other material needs of their extended rural family when they got a “good” job in a city. Some Ghanaians shared with me how this obligation could be quite burdensome on city-dwellers.
The Ghanian military was ubiquitous. There had been a recent military coup and entry into any large city required passing through a heavily armed military checkpoint. One could wait for a long time in a line, or you could pay a soldier money, call a “dash,” and pass quickly through. My host explained that this was not a form of corruption but reflected only that their soldiers were poorly paid and relied upon the dash to supplement their wages.
I learned that young children guided blind Ghanaians, there being no available white canes or Orientation & Mobility instruction. I do not recall learning whether Ghana had a school for the blind in 1972.
Lacey Coward, NCCB President
Encouragement for Dreams and Goals
Hello fellow NCCB members, family, and friends.
I am Lacey Coward. I currently serve as the president of the North Carolina Council of the Blind. Before I began this endeavor, I served as secretary for the council for about three years. I thought in this issue of the newsletter I would introduce myself.
I was born and raised in Marion, NC. I am the youngest of two children. I graduated McDowell High School in June of 2007. After high school I began studying social work at Meredith College in Raleigh NC. I graduated from Meredith in May of 2011 and a short two weeks later, I started graduate school at North Carolina State University. I spent approximately 12 months at NC State earning my master’s degree in social work.
Upon graduation I moved back to Western NC and began the job search. As I am sure many of you have also experienced, this is no small feat. I was able to land a job as a part-time teacher’s assistant in an exceptional children’s classroom in a local elementary school. This was a great learning opportunity for me. I worked this job for one school year. Once the school year ended, I was on the hunt again. I was offered the opportunity to assist one of my best friends at the time with the transition to college. She has Cerebral Palsy and needs live in care and that was my job. This got me back to Raleigh but unfortunately, I was unable to find a full-time job and so I returned home in December of that year.
This left me once again on the job hunt. This time it took me almost three years to find my next adventure. This time I landed in Greenville, SC. I worked for a center for independent living assisting youth with disabilities to gain and/or maintain independence in their homes and communities. While there I knew I wanted to move back to NC eventually, so the job hunt continued. After approximately 18 months I landed a position in Burlington NC as the social worker for the blind with the NC Division of Services for the blind. I worked this job for almost two years. While working this job I received my first two guide dogs. I will not go into detail on why their careers were so short, but they did teach me a lot.
For those of you who do not know, I am a social person. I like to hang out with friends and have things to do when I am not working. Unfortunately, Burlington did not offer enough opportunities for this. It did however, lead to me getting involved with the council. Burlington is where I attended my first council meeting and I have not looked back since. In April of 2019 I moved back to WNC to be with my family and to look for further job opportunities. It took another almost two years for me to obtain the position I have now. I am a Lead Youth Mentor for the YMCA in Marion. I love my job and so does my third guide dog Sparkle.
You may be asking yourself, why is she telling us her job history? Well, here is why. I want people to realize that it is not always easy to reach your goals or to fulfill your dreams, but it is possible. If you keep pushing and never give up, you will eventually find yourself in the place you were meant to be all along. Sometimes you will hit bumps in the road but at the end of the day they are all worth it.
I would like for all who read this to know that I am here to support the council. In any way I can. Feel free to email or call us at the information below if you need assistance or have any questions. (See Editor’s note below contact information.)
Lacey Coward, President, NC Council of the Blind
Email: nccbmailbox@gmail.com, Phone: 828-391-9669
*Editor’s Note: Lacey shared with us that she was diagnosed with Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis at 18 months old. In her early twenty’s diagnosed with Keratoconus. She has astigmatism and nystagmus. At 28, she was told she did not have Leber’s but an unknown retinal disease. Lacey has been legally blind since birth. She has been sharing her life with guide dogs since 2018.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
ACB Community Events
How to Join through American Council of the Blind
Join the ACB Community. The ACB Community is a dynamic community of people who are blind or visually impaired. Over 7500 events have been held since March 17 of 2020. There are between 90 to 100 plus events every week. Health and wellness events; exercise classes; social events; informational presentations; peer support; book clubs; learning foreign languages; crafting classes; technology walkthroughs; cooking tips and recipes; and faith and spiritual-related events are offered.
Community events are held via Zoom. You can participate via your computer, smartphone, tablet, or telephone. You do not have to be an ACB member to participate in Community events. To receive the daily schedule of Community events via email, send a blank email to: acb-community-events+subscribe@acblists.org. You can also mail community@acb.org and let us know that you would like to receive the daily schedule. You can access the Community events schedule by telephone by calling 1-800-424-8666 and following the prompts. If you are accessing the schedule using the phone system, please have a way to jot down the meeting IDs and passcodes for the events in which you wish to participate. The ACB Community would love to have you.
Kolby Garrison, Membership Services, American Council of the Blind
Division of Services for the Blind, NC Department of Health and
Human Service, March 2022
• DHHS Secretary, Kody Kinsley has established the following priorities across the department:
1. Behavioral Health and Resilience: offer services further upstream to build resiliency, invest in coordinated systems of care to make mental health services easy to access when and where they are needed
2. Child and Family Wellbeing: work to ensure that North Carolina’s children grow up safe, healthy, and thriving in nurturing and resilient families and communities
3. Strong and Inclusive Workforce: work to strengthen the workforce that supports early learning, health, and wellness by delivering services to North Carolina and take action to be an equitable workplace that lives it values and ensure that all people have the opportunity to be fully included members of their communities
Effective Monday, March 7th, masks will be optional in all NCDHHS offices, except for staff working in state-operated healthcare facilities. Staff working in state-operated healthcare facilities will continue to be required to wear appropriate masking per CMS and other regulations.
• Patricia Sikes was promoted to the assistant director position on February 14, 2022. Patricia began working with DSB in 1999 as an independent living rehabilitation counselor while completing her master’s in Rehabilitation Psychology and Counseling from UNC-Chapel Hill. In 2004, she became the low vision program specialist for DSB. She earned a graduate certificate in low vision therapy from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and became an ACVREP Certified Low Vision Therapist. In 2013, she became the chief of rehabilitation programs and facilities where she served until becoming the interim assistant director in the fall of 2021.
• Jordan Thomas was promoted to Chief of Rehab Field Services, effective January 10th. Jordan graduated with dual master’s degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling and Substance Abuse & Clinical Counseling in 2012 from East Carolina University. She began working with DSB in 2012 in our Greenville District Office, beginning as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor before becoming the Counselor in Charge and then the Area IV Supervisor. She served as the Interim Chief of Rehab Field Services from September 1, 2021, until her promotion to the position.
The next public forum, hosted by the DSB State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) and the Division, is scheduled on Thursday, March 17th 4:00 – 5:00 pm. The forums are held to obtain input from consumers, businesses, community partners, and stakeholders regarding the DSB vocational rehabilitation program. The SRC will be seeking input from participants about these topics:
o What services have you received from DSB that have been most helpful to you?
o What service(s) do you need that DSB is not currently offering that would help you achieve success?
Please register in advance for this webinar at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WoQUyVMTRTKlgMu3m-wXqA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. (Editor’s note: This Zoom Forum has happened. Left it in place for a reference of what may be available in the future through the Division of Services for the Blind.)
Cynthia Speight, MS, Director,
Division of Services for the Blind
NC Department of Health and Human Service
March 2022
• DHHS Secretary, Kody Kinsley has established the following priorities across the department:
1. Behavioral Health and Resilience: offer services further upstream to build resiliency, invest in coordinated systems of care to make mental health services easy to access when and where they are needed
2. Child and Family Wellbeing: work to ensure that North Carolina’s children grow up safe, healthy, and thriving in nurturing and resilient families and communities
3. Strong and Inclusive Workforce: work to strengthen the workforce that supports early learning, health, and wellness by delivering services to North Carolina and take action to be an equitable workplace that lives it values and ensure that all people have the opportunity to be fully included members of their communities
Effective Monday, March 7th, masks will be optional in all NCDHHS offices, except for staff working in state-operated healthcare facilities. Staff working in state-operated healthcare facilities will continue to be required to wear appropriate masking per CMS and other regulations.
• Patricia Sikes was promoted to the assistant director position on February 14, 2022. Patricia began working with DSB in 1999 as an independent living rehabilitation counselor while completing her master’s in Rehabilitation Psychology and Counseling from UNC-Chapel Hill. In 2004, she became the low vision program specialist for DSB. She earned a graduate certificate in low vision therapy from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and became an ACVREP Certified Low Vision Therapist. In 2013, she became the chief of rehabilitation programs and facilities where she served until becoming the interim assistant director in the fall of 2021.
• Jordan Thomas was promoted to Chief of Rehab Field Services, effective January 10th. Jordan graduated with dual master’s degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling and Substance Abuse & Clinical Counseling in 2012 from East Carolina University. She began working with DSB in 2012 in our Greenville District Office, beginning as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor before becoming the Counselor in Charge and then the Area IV Supervisor. She served as the Interim Chief of Rehab Field Services from September 1, 2021, until her promotion to the position.
The next public forum, hosted by the DSB State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) and the Division, is scheduled on Thursday, March 17th 4:00 – 5:00 pm. The forums are held to obtain input from consumers, businesses, community partners, and stakeholders regarding the DSB vocational rehabilitation program. The SRC will be seeking input from participants about these topics:
o What services have you received from DSB that have been most helpful to you?
o What service(s) do you need that DSB is not currently offering that would help you achieve success?
Please register in advance for this webinar at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WoQUyVMTRTKlgMu3m-wXqA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. (Editor’s note: This Zoom Forum has happened. Left it in place for a reference of what may be available in the future through the Division of Services for the Blind.)
Cynthia Speight, MS, Director,
NC Council of the Blind 501 © (3) Tax Exemption Status.
Some Members, Friends & Supporters may not realize that the North Carolina Council of the Blind (NCCB) is an Internal Revenue Service Registered 501(C)(3) Organization that GRATEFULLY accepts Tax Deductible Gifts of any type. For more details, please visit our website at nccbinfo.org/donate.
SUMMER CAMPS
Camp Dogwood
(Contact information at end of article)
Are you ready for Summer? Camp Dogwood is ready to welcome VIP’s (Visually Impaired Persons) from across NC to visit Camp Dogwood this summer. Camp Dogwood is a recreational facility located on Lake Norman in Sherrills Ford.
We operate a recreational program consisting of one-week overnight sessions for adults with blindness and visual impairment. Typically, campers arrive on Sunday afternoons and depart the following Friday morning. This recreational/vacation experience includes, but is not limited to, boating, fishing, swimming, tubing, kayaking, art, crafts, mini-golf, and off-campus trips. This year just a few of our off-campus trips will include Billy Graham Library, Bowling, Folk Art Museum, Picnics in the park, shopping, and a Sensory Garden Tour just to name a few. Seminars both educational and fun are a big part of our daily routine at Dogwood. Leader Dog will be here to discuss the responsibility of having a dog. You will also find out the procedure to apply for a dog.
We are excited to have representatives from the Technology for the Blind and Visually Impaired Committee for NCLI. VIP’s will have the opportunity to gain experience and be firsthand with some of the innovative technology available for the Visually Impaired.
You will arrive at the camp on Sunday between the hours of 1 pm & 4 pm and will leave camp on Friday morning by 10 am. The cost for a camper is $225. Should you require a Caregiver, their cost is $275, or a Companion may come for $400 per week. Most campers bring a little money to spend in our Gift Shop, Snack Den, and for Lunch if you attend the Billy Graham Library. If you need to ride the Amtrak or Greyhound Bus to Charlotte, we can pick you up for an additional $40.
This recreational facility is the flagship of the North Carolina Lions organization. When you hear the word camp you think of kids and tents. We are the opposite of that. Our accommodations are a resort and hotel style. Our hotel-style guestrooms are fully fitted with two full-size beds, all linens, a private bathroom, mini fridge, and individual heating/cooling. Our grounds have paved roads and sidewalks for easy mobility.
Contact information: Website https://nclionscampdogwood.org/
By Mail: Camp Dogwood, PO Box 39, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673
Physical Address 7062 Camp Dogwood Drive, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673
By Phone: 828-478-2135
Tammy Thomas – Camp Administrator, tammy@nclionsinc.org
By Phone: 828-478-2135 ext. 229
Envisioning Youth Empowerment Retreat
Summer Camp
Governor Morehead School, Raleigh, NC
The Envisioning Youth Empowerment, (EYE) Retreat is making plans to host its 14th annual summer camp for youth with visual impairments. We are also excited to host the second annual Family Retreat. The 2022 EYE Retreat will be held July 23 to July 30 on the campus of the Governor Morehead School in Raleigh. The EYE Retreat traces its roots back to 2005 when a group of youth with disabilities came together to advocate for passage of the North Carolina Disability History and Awareness Month Act. This legislation was signed into law in 2007 and it mandates that school districts provide instruction in disability history, famous people with disabilities, and disability characteristics. In 2007, the same group of youth with disabilities embarked on a journey to create a curriculum aligned with the requirements of the legislation and they visited schools across North Carolina presenting learning activities to students and teachers.
Later, it became clear that the need for real world and ongoing learning around transition, self-determination, and independence was necessary for students with disabilities. However, one key statistic consistently came to the forefront. Since the 1970s, roughly 32% of students with visual impairments dropout of college. This statistic is alarming because since the 1970s the Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act were all signed into law providing increased access to educational opportunities and special education for those with disabilities. One would think that this would result in improved college attainment, but it has remained static.
As a result of the need for more consistent learning opportunities in real world environments, the EYE Retreat was officially formed in 2008 and hosted its first summer program. The organization sought to squeeze five years of one’s life into five days. In other words, the weeklong summer camp begins day one with the transition from senior year of high school to the first year of college with activities focused on getting to know your roommate and preparing for the first day of class. Days two, three, and four aim to include many of the activities one would experience during their freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior years of college. These may include using public transportation, communicating with faculty, money management, using vocational rehabilitation services, requesting disability accommodations, and accessing assistive technology. A mock college class is also included during the week. Finally, the fifth day is dedicated to activities to transition from college life to community living. Accessible sports, cooking, and career exploration are noteworthy activities. The EYE Retreat’s summer camp is unique in that it uses a dual peer mentoring approach. Individuals with visual impairments who are current college students supply mentorship to participants throughout the week. This includes teaching select classes, leading group activities, and sharing their individual experiences. At the same time, current college students who are sighted supply mentorship to participants. These mentors serve as a facilitator and navigator of the complex social and academic environments on college campuses. A dual mentoring approach is critical because youth with visual impairments most often dropout of college for social reasons. Furthermore, the inclusion of a Family Retreat aligns with the growing need to provide youth with visual impairments opportunities to develop social relationships. The Family Retreat focuses on supplying parents and families a safe space to discuss topics important to them. Networking and information sharing are key components of this initiative. Parents of adults with visual impairments are invited to speak with attendees at the Family Retreat to share successes and challenges of raising a child with a visual impairment. We recognize that families supply mentorship too. Therefore, our goal for developing a Family Retreat is to encourage families to empower their family members with visual impairments to be independent and social.
How can you support us? The EYE Retreat is most successful when volunteers care about our mission and give the gift of time. We appreciate having high school students volunteer during our summer program and throughout the year. We appreciate having successful adults volunteer during our summer program and throughout the year. In addition to our summer mentoring opportunities, there are needs for support in program planning, fundraising, and website development. We value and appreciate collaborating with Lions, Leos, Delta Gamma sorority, Governor Morehead School, and many others to improve educational attainment for youth with visual impairment. Visit our website at www.eyeretreat.org or email Dr. Alan Chase at alan.chase@eyeretreat.org for more information.