The NFBF OUTREACH The Official News Magazine of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida ISSUE #3 -- SPRING, 1993 President Editor Wayne Davis Dan Hicks 1949 Marseille Drive 4608 West Longfellow Avenue Apartment 2 Tampa, FL 33629 Miami Beach, FL 33141 (813)837-4831 (305) 861-8425 ___________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS ___________________________________________________________________ FROM THE PRESIDENT Wayne Davis Page 3 MIAMI LOST Wayne Davis Page 5 1992 STATE CONVENTION IN ORLANDO Dan Hicks Page 11 J O B / MORE GOING INTO BUSINESS Gloria Mills Page 17 ASSOCIATES UPDATE Janet Caron Page 18 PAC PLAN UPDATE Jeffrey Harmon Page 19 CHAPTER NEWS Page 20 WHAT DOES A STATE PRESIDENT DO? Wayne Davis Page 24 IN HARNESS Marion Gwizdala Page 27 OUTREACH MICROS Page 32 OUT OF CONTEXT Page 34 WHAT'S COOKIN'? Page 36 SMILES Page 37 EDITORIAL MATTERS Dan Hicks Page 38 3 ___________________________________________________________________ FROM THE PRESIDENT 컴 Wayne Davis ___________________________________________________________________ Our Leadership Camp is coming up soon. All you chapter presidents should make sure your people are registered early. The cost is only $65.00 per person for the entire weekend. This cost includes meals and lodging in air-conditioned cabins. Our national representative this year is Ramona Walhof, national secretary of the NFB. This weekend seminar is scheduled for May 7, 8, and 9, 1993, at the Florida Lions Camp, 2819 Tiger Lake Road, Lake Wales, Florida 33853. I am sure that those of you who have attended past Leadership Camps will not want to miss this one. And if this is your first, well you have something to look forward to. If you cannot pre-register, please bring your money with you. For more information, please contact your chapter president, or call me at (305)861-8425. My thanks go out to Melody Lindsey and Marion Gwizdala for all of their hard work in getting our Braille Bill and Guide Dog Bill passed by both houses of the Florida Legislature. The Guide Dog Bill has now taken effect and is now part of the law of the land. The Braille Bill will be soon. Melody, besides being a full-time student at FSU and President of our Student Division, is our Legislative Chairperson. Marion is Chairman of the state's Guide Dog Committee. I want to thank the following people who took part in this year's Washington Seminar. Those present were: Janet Caron, Carmen Davis, Betty English, David Evans, Dan Hicks, Melody Lindsey, Kannie Loomis, Debby McGlaughlin, Jay Naiman, Joe Naulty, Alan Preston, Randi Rabner, Tom Ryan, and myself. We addressed three important issues: modifying or eliminating the limitation on earnings imposed by the Social Security Administration; including people with disabilities among those covered by the Small Business Act; and preserving the bulk-rate mailing privilege for nonprofit organizations, such as NFB. Our group was very successful in our 4 meetings with Florida's representatives. See the March and April, 1993 issues of the Braille Monitor for more information on the issues discussed and a report on our results on a national level. In the months ahead, we will be starting two new chapters. There will be a new chapter in Lakeland, which will hold its organizing meeting on April 24. And there will be one in Daytona Beach, coming soon. I am sure that you know that Carl McCoy has retired from his position as Director of the Florida Division of Blind Services. The position has been advertised throughout Florida and around the country. Acting as I was directed by Resolution 93-04, which was adopted by the 1992 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida, I have made it very clear to Commissioner of Education Betty Castor, that we, the members of this organization, feel that the director of DBS should be a qualified blind person. I will continue to work towards this goal until a director is named. I also pledge to use any influence that goes along with the office I held to try to get a director appointed who will support the policies of our movement. We hope to see all of you at our national convention in Dallas, Texas, July 3 through 9, at the Hyat-Regency DFW. Call the hotel directly to make reservations at (214)453-1234. Do not call Hyat's toll-free number to make your reservations. If you use the toll-free number, your reservations will not be valid, and you will not get our un-heard-of low convention rates. Ask your chapter president for more information or see the December, 1992 Braille Monitor for full details. Or, call me at (305))861-8425. We are planning to award two scholarships to deserving blind people at our 1993 State Convention in Boca Raton, in October. So, get in touch with the chapter president in your area for an application, or contact Student Division Chairperson Melody Lindsey at (904)853-2360, or write to her at Florida State University, Box 60382, Tallahassee, FL 32313. Or call me at at (305)861-8425. 5 The Florida Affiliate has been getting a lot of good press in the Braille Monitor, over the past few months. Besides that, Mr. David Evans, who is a state board member and president of the Palm Beach Chapter, recently attended a National Leadership Seminar in Baltimore. First Vice President Dan Hicks and Board Member Gloria Mills, who is also our JOB Chairperson, are scheduled to attend a future national seminar, to be held later this year. Janet Caron is amung the leaders in the contest to bring in the most Associate members. See her column in this issue of the OUTREACH (page 18). Janet is a state board member and vice president of the Pompano Beach Chapter. As always, my thanks go out to Theresa and LeRoy Schaffer. As you know, Theresa is our state treasurer, and LeRoy is our state secretary. They really work hard for the Federation, and I can't thank them enough. Way to go, people. You make us look good! ___________________________________________________________________ MIAMI LOST 컴 Wayne Davis ___________________________________________________________________ I fancy myself to be a writer, so I thought this article would just flow out of my mind into my computer like water out of a pitcher, but how does one realy discribe the hell that they named Andrew? The feeling and spirit that was Miami left with the storm that history books will refer to as the hurricane of 92, leaving little behind that is as it was before in the southern half of Dade County whitch was hit the hardest by winds gusting to over 160 miles per hour. In the aftemath of the storm, the sound of Spanish music was replaced by the growl of national guard trucks, and fine res- taurants that offered a wide range of international foods had been replaced by army field kitchens whose staff members did their best to provide enough hot meals to keep Andrew's victoms alive for yet another day. Where stately trees once shaded avenues of well 6 cared for lawns and beautiful homes, there were streets blocked with fallen trees and broken sidewalks, and far to many of the homes had been reduced to little more then piles of rubbish. People who, just a week before, laughed and played in the sun were walking through what looked like a scene from a war movie with confusion and fear in their eyes. I am sure you have heard all kinds of stories about the damage and hardships suffered in Dade County because of the storm. I won't go back over all the things that were shown repeatedly on television. What I'd like to do is convey a little of what it was like to live through the storm, and to live in Dade County in the weeks and months that followed that terrible event. The day before the storm hit, we, like most Miami residents, were busy stocking up on things like flashlight batteries and making sure the windows were covered with wood. We live on an islend, Normandy Isle, which is part of the city of Miami Beach. We had to evacuate the island because authorities were expecting excessive flood damage. I remember, as we left, wondering if there would be anything to return to. In truth, we have lived on the beach for almost sixteen years. Several times hurricane warnings have been issued, and several times, the storms have just passed us by. I knew there was a good chance that Andrew would do the same. Another part of me, realizing that I had never been through a hurricane before, was a little excited, as though we were all going to have a great adventure! We went to the West Hialeah home of one of my wife's cousins, to ride out the storm. We arrived there late in the afternoon of Sunday, August 23. 1992. Everybody was busy putting the final touches on storm preparations. Other family members were staying there for the duration, and there was something of a party mood to the group. I was recovering from some heavy oral surgery that I had undergone just two days before, so I wasn't feeling all that great, but spirits were high, for the most part. Carmen and I went to bed shortly after midnight, and fell asleep right away. The hurricane hit in the small hours of the morning. No movie producer or fiction writer ever came close to capturing the force of that monster of nature they named Andrew. 7 We lost power almost at once and the house was in total darkness until someone lit a candle. Of course the entire metropolitan area lost electricity, so the only light that could be seen outside was that created by lightning flashes. The wood that covered the windows was sucked in and out, as thought it was cardboard. The plywood was ripped right off of one window and the glass was smashed. All we could do was keep the door to that room tightly closed. Strange as it may seem, every wall inside the house was soaked. I still cannot explain how that happened. I recall wondering if I would die. I also remember praying. I remember laying on the bed in the dark, listening to the storm. It sounded like some gigantic wild animal that was trying to get inside and get at us. When the storm finally passed on to the West and daylight finally came, people began to move around. I walked in the front hallway of the house. The floors were wet and cold and the front door was open. The other family members were outside in the yard, just looking around at all the changes Andrew had made. I went out to join them. Trees and wires were down everywhere. Much of the seawall around the lake in back of the house was destroyed. The winds had thrown concrete blocks around like paper boxes. Carmen got on the phone right away and started trying to contact our members. Many of the phone lines were down, but she was able to reach several members of the Greater Miami Chapter who lived in the north end of the county. All of the people she talked to were all right, but meny of them had a great deal of property damage. The thing that bothered me was all those members we could not reach by phone. Battery operated radios told us that the south end of the county was all but destroyed. Carmen and I wanted to get back to the beach so that we could see how much damage our place had received. At first the authorities had ordered that nobody drive their cars. Because traffic lights were out, only fire trucks and medical vans were on the streets. By late afternoon, we finally got to our home. We were the first people back to our block. There wasn't much damage done to our place, but all over our block and the area around us, trees 8 had falllen and crushed cars and sidewalks were ripped up. The power was off all over the county and you couldn't drink the water. But the really heavy damage was to the south of us. We couldn't take the plywood off our windows because all of the tools were in the trunk our son David's car, and he had gone to Tampa to take his girlfriend Ana back to school. We couldn't open the windows and the place was as hot as the pits of you-know- where. It was too hot to sleep. That night, Carmen and I sat out on our back porch. I remember sitting there with a flashlight and a pistol at three in the morning, watching a raccoon walk down the sidewalk. It was so spooky. With no power available, there were still no lights at all, no air conditioners, no other electric motors running. We felt like we were miles away from civilization. We heard a boat whistle from the ocean, some two miles away. It is often said that every cloud has a silver lining, and I guess this one does too. Two days after the hurricane passed through here, Carmen and I took our white canes in hand and ventured out to a conveniance store that we heard was open for a couple of hours. Of course all the traffic lights were either distroyed by the storm, or were out due to the lack of electricity. I don't mind telling you that I was concerned as to how we would get accross the two major streets we would have to cross to get to that store. To my total suprize, people stopped their cars and told us to go on and cross the street. One man even stopped his car and got out to make certain that we got across a street safely. All things considered, we were pretty lucky. Ralph and Mary Mormon were valued members of our chapter. Both Ralph and Mary were diabetic. Ralph had lost a leg to the disease just weeks before. Carmen, after many, many phone calls, was finally able to contact them, two days after the storm. Before the storm, a county nurse been coming every day to change the dressing on the amputated stump of Ralph's leg. But because of blocked roads and other emergencies, nobody had been coming to help them. They existed for days on warm soda and potato chips. These are the last things that diabetics need to eat. All of their clothes and their bed was soaked. Agencies kept promising 9 to send them food and insulin For one reason or another, nobody showed up for over a week. Carmen was able to find a nice Spanish lady whose family operated a glass company. You can imagine how busy they were following the damage caused by the storm. But that lady, who had never met us or the Mormons, left her business, fought her way through heavy traffic to her home, prepared her own food, and then battled traffic and blocked roads, deep into South Dade to take Ralph and Mary much needed food. The ordeal was just too much for Ralph Mormon. He never regained his strength. He died in October, a victim of Andrew. We will treasure his memory and recall his courage every time we think about Hurricane Andrew. At least one other blind person died as a direct result of the storm. He was a Spanish gentleman, and not a member of NFB. He walked out on his sixth floor balcony after the storm had passed. The concrete was wet from the rain, and he had not taken his cane, so he did not know the storm had torn away the safety rail. He slipped and fell to his death. John Allen, who is a past board member of the Greater Miami Chapter, along with Patricia Fain and their one-yesr-old son Robby, ran from one room to another as the walls in John's parents home collapsed. At last, the whole family huddled behind a matress in the laundry room, trying to protect themselves from flying glass and other debris. Long time NFB member Larna Gray's home was heavily damaged. It was weeks before we were able to contact her. Carmen worked with the Red Cross and the local transportation office to provide help for members of the disabled comminity throughout South Florida. To live without refrigeration for a few days on a cmping trip can be fun, but in the aftermath of Andrew, the heat added to the wide-spread depression. Small bags of ice sold for as much as five dollars, if you could find them. Nearly everything was closed for the first week after the storm. The normally blue skies of South Florida were filled with military aircraft, and the thump-thump-thump of helecopter rotors could be heard at almost anytime. Everyone was trying to find something that was a part of their lives before Andrew came to hang on to. They lived in 10 houses with no roofs. We know personally of nine people, two cats, and two dogss all living in one room. These people had no extra clothing, so each night each of them washed his or her own clothes so they could have something clean to ware the next day. Andrew was not the first major storm to hit our coast line, and it will not be the last one to do so. With the help of God, and all of our friends in the NFB, I am sure that the members of the Greater Miami Chapter of the NFBF will work hard in a joint effort with other organizations here in Dade County to help do all we can to get Miami back on her feet. It won't be easy, but then the NFB is an old hand at taking on big jobs and solving big problems for blind people. The love and concern that were shown to our family by the members of the National Federation of the Blind, both here and throughout the nation, were all that kept Carmen and me going, through that terrible time. Many of our NFBF chapter presidents offered us the chance to share their homes. President Maurer and Dr. Jernigan called several times to see what they could do to help us and other members of the blind community in South Florida. Dr. Jernigan arranged for money to be sent to blind people who were victims of the storm. These funds have helped many blind people and families put their homes and lives back together. Is Miami recovering? The answer is yes, but it will take years. I lost my job as a result of the storm and have not yet been able to get back to work. I know I am just one of many. There are still thousands of homeless people, people that lost everything but their dreams to Andrew. In the begining of this article I said that I did not know the words to discribe the hell they called Andrew. That is still true, but it is past. Now it is time for the citizens of Dade County Florida,to look forward to a better day. A day that, with the help of God, will wipe the shadow of fear left behind by Andrew off the faces of our children. A strange thing has happened in Miami since the storm. People of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, who once resented each other, are now bound together by the hard times caused us all by the hurricane. They are working together to help 11 each other rebuild their dreams along with the city. When all of the fallen trees have been taken away and all the businesses and homes have been rebuilt, we might just find that what Miami lost was racial prejudice and mistrust of people who might speak another lanuagae. People now take the time to smile and say hello, and to offer a helping hand to each other. It just might be that, along with everything else that Hurricane Andrew blew away, went some of our hate and fear of those a little different from us. If this is true, historians might cite Hurricane Andrew as the glue that helped to bind different factions together to make Miami a better city than it was before. Miami lost... Maybe not. ___________________________________________________________________ 1992 STATE CONVENTION IN ORLANDO 컴 Dan Hicks ___________________________________________________________________ The 1992 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida was one of our largest ever, and one of the best. It was held in Orlando, at the Howard Johnson's Executive Center, over the weekend of October 16, 17, and 18. Highlights included our annual Hospitality and Talent Show on Friday night, and a Saturday filled with panel discussions, speeches, and seminars. The banquet was held Saturday evening, and featured a more than interesting banquet address by our national representative, NFB National Secretary Ramona Walhof. At the banquet our first attendance award was presented to David Evans, president of the Palm Beach Chapter. This chapter had the most people at the convention. We're not going to tell you what the award trophy was, or even what it is called; you'll have to attend the next state convention in Boca Raton to find out컴and to see who takes it home this year! After the banquet, we held our traditional auction, hosted by Carl Miller, and enjoyed a very well-attended pary, hosted by Henter-Joyce, Inc., of St. Petursburg. I don't really remember when this party ended, but most of us were there, ready to go, for 12 the Sunday morning session. Elections were held, and two board positions were filled by David Evans of Boca Raton and Ken Rollman of Gainesville. Congratulations to these two new board members. Chapter Reports were given. It is really amazing to see the kind of progress we are making all over the state. The 1992 Resolutions Committee had stayed up late into the night Friday evening, and their five resolutions were presented to the body of the convention for consideration, as the last major item of business on Sunday morning. I cannot remember a time when the NFB of Florida has passed so many resolutions. Here they are as passed into policy by the 1992 Convention: RESOLUTION 92-01 WHEREAS the right to travel freely and independently is a fundamental right of all persons, including the blind; and WHEREAS Florida Statute 413.08(1)a provides that the blind are entitled to full and equal access to any place the general public is invited; and WHEREAS Florida Statute 413.08(1)b provides that a blind person may be accompanied by a dog guide in any place the general public is invited; and WHEREAS Florida Statute 413.08(1)d permits businesses which "keep and display live animals" to refuse entry to a blind person who chooses to use a dog guide; and WHEREAS the claim by Dr. Branson W. Ritchie, of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine that: "Wildlife animals may suffer physiological and psychological stress when" dog guides "are present" resulting in "infertility problems, embreonic mortality, and skin and feather disorders" is completely unfounded; and 13 WHEREAS the testimony of several blind persons who have visited places where animals are kept, acompanied by their dog guides, reveal no adverse situations which would compromise the safety and/or health of either the dog guide or the displayed anumals; and WHEREAS blind people using guide dogs have not been given full and equal access to certain places of business where the public is invited: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Florida, in convention assembled this 18th day of October, 1992, in the city of Orlando, Florida, that this organization opposes FSS 413.08(1)d; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind believes the statute is arbitrary and unnecessary since there is no objective evidence indicating need for such a statute; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind of Florida will oppose any legislation which would alter the legal status of the blind in the state of Florida without the direct input of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind of Florida opposes Florida State Statute 413.08(1)d, and will work diligently to remove it from the law of the land in the State of Florida. RESOLUTION 92-02 WHEREAS, our democracy is based on the freedom of choice and the uncoerced private vote, made in the privacy of the voting booth, a privilege taken for granted by sighted persons, but one that is unavailable to those who are blind; and WHEREAS, a person without sight must depend on one with sight to read 14 and assist in marking the ballot, whether at the polls or by absentee ballot, which denies that person's right to privacy; and WHEREAS, persons with many disabilities other than blindness are presently unable to use the ballots available without assistance; and WHEREAS, the law states that our civil liberties cannot be denied because of disability; and WHEREAS, the most comprehensive and cost effective method of enabling blind and other disabled persons to vote privately would be by electronic ballot to be accessed by telephone, either at the poll or other location: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Florida, in Convention assembled this 18th day of October, 1992, in the city of Orlando, Florida, that we as an organization recommend that state and local laws be modified to allow electronic voting by touch-tone telephone by those who require and desire it; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be sent to each member of the Florida Senate Executive Business Ethics and Elections Committee and the Florida House Ethics and Elections Committee and to each county's Supervisor of Elections. RESOLUTION 92-03 WHEREAS, transportation, the getting to and from places, is a barrier to the independence of blind people; and WHEREAS, many places have poor or nonexisting fixed route or door to door transit systems; and WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates access to mass transportation, but makes no allowance for appropriating funds to implament changes; and 15 WHEREAS, funding for paratransit systems often must be taken from existing fixed-route transit systems, creating hardships for county and local governments and for the people who use these systems: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Florida in Convention assembled this 18th day of October, 1992, in the city of Orlando, Florida, that we, as an organization, call upon our legislators to appropriate the necessary funds to implement these systems so that it will not be a burden to county and local governments. RESOLUTION 92-04 WHEREAS, it had been announced that the director of the Florida Division of Blind Services will be retiring soon; and WHEREAS, blind staff members have been passed over for promotion on numerous occasions; and WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Florida represents more blind people in this state than any other organization or group; and WHEREAS, it would be best for blind persons to be role models and spokesmen for the Division of Blind Services, whenever and wherever possible: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Florida, in Convention assembled, this 18th day of October, 1992, in the city or Orlando, Florida, that we call upon the Department of Education and the Division of Blind Services to put in place policies and procedures to promote qualified blind people, without regard to the degree of vision, to all positions, including director; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind of 16 Florida should play an active role in the selection and hiring process for the new director. RESOLUTION 92-05 WHEREAS, assaults on police dogs and other police anumals are treated the same as assaults on police officers; and WHEREAS, blind people who work with guide dogs are at least as much a unit as police officers and their animals; and WHEREAS, traveling with a guide dog is the preferred method of mobility for many blind people in the state of Florida; and WHEREAS, there are many members of this organization who use guide dogs as a means to be mobile; and WHEREAS, the training of a unit, which is composed of a guide dog and its owner, takes time, training, effort, and considerable expens: Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Florida, in Convention assembled, this 18th day of October, 1992, in the city or Orlando, Florida, that we call upon the state of Florida to create a policy that any person who causes or permits physical injury or emotional damage resulting from physical injury to a guide dog, whether the dog is on or off duty, shall be found guilty of a felony. If such injury is caused by a child or an animal, the appropriate guardian or owner shall be found guilty. Said guilty party shall be assessed costs for treatment and/or replacement of the guide dog. 17 ___________________________________________________________________ J O B NEWS 컴 Gloria Mills ___________________________________________________________________ Gloria Mills is JOB Chairperson for the Florida Affiliate. MORE ABOUT GOING INTO BUSINESS Last time we talked about two very successful blind people who had gone into business, an employment alternative. There are many successful businesses which can be run out of a person's home. Here are some steps that a person would want to take to start a business. (1) Set some goals. Set goals regarding the activity you plan on engaging in, either providing a service or selling a product. (2) Planning and Organizing. Plan the space you are going to use and the materials you will need. The act of planning will help you to get organized. (3) Researching and Marketing. You 'll want to do some research regarding how likely it is that your service or product will sell in your area. Also you will need to find out if there are others doing the same thing. Maybe there is a glut of persons in your area doing the same thing. Still, you may be able to do it cheaper and better. All of these things need to be carefully thought out before spending the first dime. (4) Resources. There are two types of resources, material and human. Will you need expensive equipment? How feasible will it be to get a loan? Or can you interest DBS in purchasing it? Perhaps you already have some of the equipment that you will need. Will you need the help of others to produce, sell, and deliver your product or service? For example, let's say you have decided to establish a piano tuning business from your home. How will you transport your equipment to the various places where you will be doing the piano tuning? Don't expect people to bring their pianos to you! (5) Managing. Remember you will be the manager as well as 18 the worker in your business. You will need to be a good allocator of resources, time, and others' skills. (6) Record keeping. You will need to keep either paper or computer records of your income and expenses and other transactions. This will be necessary to plot future growth and to prepare tax returns. Now, just to give you the idea of the various activities you could engage in, let's just use the alphabet: Answering service, bookkeeping, childcare, database management, envelope stuffing, flea markets, grant writing, handicrafts, inventing gadgets, jewelry making, knitting afgans, letter writing, mail order, note-taking for students, orchid growing, piano tuning, quilting, raising pupples, etc.; sculpting; typing; umbrella repair; vase decorating; writing; X-Mas cards; yard cleaning; and zero-cupon bonds. As you can see, it was dif- ficult to come up with items for some of these letters. I am convinced that a blind person can do any of these jobs, and more. If you need help with ideas, cal me at (813)837-4831, and remember the JOB hotline is 1-800-638-7518. ___________________________________________________________________ ASSOCIATES UPDATE 컴 Janet Caron ___________________________________________________________________ .S:6 Janet Caron is Associates Chairperson for the Florida Affiliate, and is ahead of everyone else in the state in terms of Associates gathered! .S:4 Florida has come a long way in the past few years towards making us known within the Associates program. Moving steadily upwards from number 48 in the nation to number 18, represents a lot of hard work and perseverence on the part of participants in this very vital and important NFB program. As Associates Program Chairperson for the State of Florida over the past two years, I have become aware of the necessity of funding our movement. By asking people to become Associates, we give them the opportunity to participate with us in the NFB 19 movement, which comprises a large part of our lives. I would like all chapter presidents to urge their members to become enthusiastically involved in making our Associates Program even more successful in the future. Let's put Florida in the Top Ten! ___________________________________________________________________ PAC PLAN UPDATE 컴 Jeffrey Harmon ___________________________________________________________________ Jeff Harmon is PAC Chairperson for the Florida Affiliate. Dear Fellow Federationists, I would like to thank all the chapters that joined the PAC Plan since our last State Convention. This time, I would like to appeal to each of you individually to consider giving to our NFB every month, through the PAC Plan. You can give as little as $2.50 per month, or as much as you can afford to give. PAC stands for Pre-Authorized check Plan. Once you sign up, your contribution is withdrawn from your checking account, on the same day of each month, and you pick that day. You can increase or decrease the amount or cancel at any time. This is money that the National Federation depends on to find our organization's programs and functions. For those of you who would like to help support our movement through PAC, write to me, and I'll send you PAC forms. My ddress is: 806 Central Parkway Unit #1 Stuart, FL 34994-3945 My phone number is (407)221-7269. Please give contributing through the PAC plan your careful consideratin 20 ___________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER NEWS ___________________________________________________________________ From Wayne Davis, President, Greater Miami Chapter... As most of you know, I wear two hats. Besides serving as state president, I am also a chapter president. I mentioned in the last issue that we were putting on a series of television shows. We did twelve in all; they dealt with all aspects of blindness. I want to thank the following chapter members for their hard work in making this TV series a reality. Charles King, our chapter treasurer, deserves thanks for producing all twelve shows and appearing on several of them. Otto Zamora, vice president, came up with the idea in the first place, and took part in many of the programs. Leah Howard, the secretary of the chapter, took part in many of the shows and was featured in her job as an English professor. Jesus Garcia, chairperson of our fundraising committee, was taped at work and helped me co-host mano of the programs. Board member Henry Alexander appeared on one of the programs from his office as a director for Social Security. Fred Hains represented the Division of Blind Services o one of our programs. Fred is a DBS counselor, but he saw the light a year or so ago and joined the chapter. Board member Brian Sweeton allowed our camera into his shop, where he demonstrated how a blind person can run all sorts of power tools. Brian makes his living with those tools, and, yes, he has all of his fingers! Our thanks go out to all the other chapter members who were interviewed on camera. I also want to thank the staff of WLRN TV Cable Tap for making these programs possible. And thanks to the people from the county and the contractor for our special transportation service who took the heat and appeared on our program. My thanks also to William Berry, director of the DBS office in Miami for coming on our show and giving straight answers and Bob Joice and Paul Edwards for representing Dade County Community College's Disabled Students Department on our program. Special thanks to Ms. Lisa King for her fine art work. This 21 art work will be used again in the programs that the Tampa Bay Chapter is getting ready to produce. This kind of activity can go a long way toward educating the public about blindness, and about the NFB. If any other chapter presidents out there want to know about putting on your own television program, give me a call! We have several other projects on the fire, but more about them in the next issue. (PS: If I left your name out of the above Thank-You list, it doesn't mean that I am not grateful. It just means that I am forgetful.) From Jeffrey Harmon, President, Martin Chapter... In January, 1993, we held our annual electi0ns. The results were: Jeffrey Harmon, President; Peter Russilo, Vice President; Loni Russilo, Secretary; Fanny Moore, Treasurer; Erlinda Harmon, Board Member. At the end of last year we met a young man by the name of Bill Ritter, who is a diabetic. He had some vision when we first met him. He wanted to know if there was anything available to him as far as a job is concerned. We got in contact with our State President, Wayne Davis, to assist us in making arrangements with the Division of Blind Services to have him placed at the Daytona Rehabilitation Center for job training. He lost his sight completely during the Christmas holidays and got very depressed. But he decided to go back to the Center for further training, with a positive attitude, so he will be able to go on with his life. The last report we heard was that things were going well. Last year, we filled out grant applications from local banks for financial support. We have gotten a response form one of the banks. We hope for a contribution to help us with our upcoming projects. One of our members, Christine Crosby, died of cancer on February 25, of this year. She is missed by all of the members. I will not be able to make it to the Leadership camp this year, because my wife Erlinda will be having our first baby at about that time. I will be sending a representative from our 22 chapter to to bring back a report. I hope all of you will attend the Leadership Camp. I look forward to seeing all of you this Fall, at our state convention in Boca Raton. From Gloria Mills, President, Tampa Bay Chapter... The Tampa Bay Chapter is alive and well. Many exciting things are happening. Going back to last fall, we had twelve persons go to our State Convention in Orlando. A good time was had by all. Henter- Joyce hosted a party, at which our resident musician Marion Gwizdala played his guitar. In November, our Chapter held elections. Gloria Mills was re-elected as President; Marion Gwizdala was elected Vice- president; Sherrill O'Brien was elected as Secretary; Frank Pisacane was re-elected as Treasurer; our new board members are John Christianson, Lloyd Matthews, and Dan Hicks. Our officers were installed at our Christmas Party, which had a record attendance. For the fifth year, it was held at CDBs Uptown. In January, we set goals for the year. It was decided to have as many members as we could train to produce a program on public access cable TV. Our aim is to produce thirteen programs dealing with verious topics of interest to the blind and information about the National Federation of the Blind. The training was attended by six of our members. One of our other projects was to contact as many parents of visually impaired children as possible by having the school system send an invitation to a meeting that we held in February. A lively discussion of the Braille Bill insued. Our Chapter has also participated on legislative issues: On January 30 through February 3, Dan Hicks, one of our Board Members as well as State First Vice President participated in the Washington Seminar. Marion Gwizdala, our Vice President, also went to Tallahasse in February to promote the Guide Dog Bill, which we are happy to announce passed unanimously in both the Senate and the House. In March, we enjoyed a guest speaker from Radio Reading 23 Services and the beginning of taping for our public access program. In summing up I would like to say we have had new members join in all of the last six meetings. Go, Tampa Bay! CHAPTER UPDATES From Wayne Davis, President, NFBF... Hazel Patterson is no longer president of the Citrus Chapter. She has moved to Colorado. Florida's Loss is certainly Colorado's gain. Hazel has always been a lady in the truest sense of the word. I will miss working with her, but look forward to seeing her at our national conventions. The new president in Citrus County is Mrs. Teri Gayton. Hazel sure left the Citrus Chapter in good hands with Teri. She is full of energy and has a lot of good ideas. Be sure and look her up at the Leadership Camp or a convention and and welcome her as the new president of the Citrus Chapter. Dorothy Melchy has stepped down from her office position as president of our Pasco Chapter, but she and her husband Slim plan to remain active in the Federation. I want to say thank you to Dorothy for a job well done. The new president in Pasco County is Don Mejewsky. Don is no stranger to NFB; he has been a chapter president in the past. I look forward to working with you again, Don. Barney Mae Herndon is no longer president of the Saint Lucy Chapter. She will remain active in the chapter, however, and plans to work hard for the blind people in her community, and for all of us. Carl Miller is the new chapter president. Carl and his wife Charlotte are both long-time valued members of the Federation. Carl, Saint Lucy is lucky to have such a fine example to follow. Carl is a extraordinary auctioneer. Many of you remember his conducting the auctions at our past few State Conventions. Welcome to the circle of chapter presidents, carl! 24 ___________________________________________________________________ WHAT DOES A STATE PRESIDENT DO? 컴 Wayne Davis ___________________________________________________________________ Many times since I took office in 1990, I have been asked what a state president does, when he's not chairing the state convention or attending the national convention and the Washington Seminar. Of course, I do all of these things, but they are only the beginning. My day starts about eight in the morning. There are always several phone calls to return. I might need to call the Division of Blind Services on behalf of people who may be having problems with their services from DBS. Sometimes I have to call a congressman about a blind person in his district who is having a problem or has just gone blind. There are always letters to be answered, so I spend a great deal of time in front of my computer. I also have to write letters to members of the state legislature or members of Congress to recommend passage or blockage of one bill or another. There are also letters that need to be written for students who wish to apply for NFB scholarships. I am often asked to speak at a meeting, appear on a radio or television program, or attend a chapter function. The research needed to prepare myself to properly represent the Federation takes a great deal of time. It also takes time to write a speech, if I am called upon to give one. There are always problems that need solving. They might be in Pensacola or Palm Beach. I have to get the name of the proper government official and then track him or her down and try to get him or her to do what needs to be done. Then I have to get back in touch with the person who had the problem in the first place. There are state board meetings to arrange, and it goes without saying that I have to have all of my ducks in a row before the meeting starts. There is a great deal of paperwork that goes along with being state president. There are authorizations for payments to write. We have to fill out a lot of forms to keep the state and federal 25 governments happy. Our national leaders send me a lot of material that needs to be read and acted on. The phone never stops ringing. I might get a call from a lady in Chicago whose parents are in their eighties and have just moved to Florida. One of them may have just gone blind, and she wants to know about the National Federation of the Blind and what services are available for her parents. I then have to call the lady's blind parents and find out what help they want and need. Then I can call the Division of Blind Services in their part of the state on their behalf and start the process that gets these people the help they need. Sometimes I have to call various agencies and organizations where a person lives in order to get that person help with housing or medical care or help with possible discrimination in employ- ment. And, of course, I have to keep in contact with the person who asked for the assistance. I receive a lot of phone calls from people living in other states who are thinking of moving to Florida. Often I refer these to the chapter president in the area where the person is planning to relocate. Or I call the appropriate agency or office in that county and call the questioner back. All of this means a lot of necessary long distance calls. Let's get back to the state convention for a moment. I started working on the 1993 state convention at the end of of 1992. I had to travel to Boca Raton to meet with the hotel management and start ironing out the details. Our conventions are getting larger and more complex컴that's a good thing컴but it means more and more details to be worked out. Of course I have help from members of the state board, but as state president, the ultimate responsibility rests on my shoulders. I have talked with the hotel people by phone many times and will need to do so again before the convention actually happens. There are always things that need to be worked out. The same is true for the Washington Seminar and the Leadership Camp. Hours and hours and hard work go into these functions, and all the while I am getting more and more calls from people who really need our help. I get a great deal of satisfaction from being able to make a 26 difference in someone's life, whether it means helping to solve a problem, providing information, or putting someone in touch with somebody who can do one of those things. I don't always know what to do about a problem. Sometimes I call President Maurer or Dr. Jernigan to ask for advice or information. I have always found them willing to help. Sometimes I contact another state president to get her or his thoughts on how to get something done. Of course I very often turn to our own chapter presidents and state officers and board members. They are always there for me, ready and willing to do whatever they can to help blind people. Most of all, I turn to my wife, Carmen. Her judgement is always sound and she can come up with some really good ideas. Many times in a day, she takes a call for me or does a thousand and one things that really need to be done. If I am an effective state president, it is due largely to the help and support I get from Carmen. When I need to make a decision, I make it, but it is great to have her here beside me, helping to carry the load. The National Federation of the Blind takes up ninety percent of my waking hours. We both enjoy the work, though, and do our very best. I enjoy being state president, but it is an eighteen hour a day job. Many nights I am sitting at my computer at one in the morning. There are a lot more things I could tell you about if I had the time, but I am working against a deadline given to me by our editor and first vice president Dan Hicks. Besides that, the phone is ringing... 27 ___________________________________________________________________ IN HARNESS 컴 Marion Gwizdala ___________________________________________________________________ Marion Gwizdala is chairman of our Guide Dog Users Committee. In the last issue of the OUTREACH, I told you about 413.08(1)d F.S. which states "Any place...which keeps or displays live animals...may refuse to allow a person to be accompanied by a guide dog". This law was enacted by unanimous approval of our Florida legislature based upon a statement made by Dr. Branson W. Ritchie of the University of Georgia's College of Veterinarian Medicine. This is a follow-up of that article. At our 1992 State Convention in Orlando, Resolution 92-01, which called for the repeal of this statute was passed unanimously. Copies of this resolution were sent to several of our legislators and sparked a great deal of enthusiasm and concern. Two of the calls I received were from Rep. Victor Crist and Sen. Don Sullivan. In January these Congressional leaders introduce HB 579 and SB 496, respectively. On Friday, February 12, I received a telephone call from Amy Rabeck, Rep. Crist's Legislative Assistant. The message on my answering machine was simple. "The bill will be heard in the Inter-governmental Affairs Subcommittee of the House Community Affairs Committee on Monday morning. We want you here to testify on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind. Please meet Rep. Crist and Sen. Sullivan at Lowry Park Zoo tomorrow morning at 11:00." The meeting at the zoo had been pre-arranged. We were to meet Mr. Edmund Gerstein, a research biologist and animal behaviour specialist, who would give us a tour of the facility and observe the interaction of Diamond and the other animals in the zoo. Armed with NFB literature, a 35mm camera, and a camcorder, Frank and Frances Pisacane, my wife, Jan, and I met the Representative, Senator, and the biologist at the gate. For more than two hours we toured the zoo. The congressmen and the biologist observed me working with Diamond while Frances 28 and Jan taped the visit. Our first stop was the aviary. There were no distress calls inside the large enclosed confine. On the contrary, several flighted birds chose to come to the ground for a better look at this strange new visitor, coming within three or four feet from my labrador retriever. Diamond paid no attention to the feathered inquirers. It wasn't until a six-year-old ran after them that the birds decided it was time to seek safety in the branches. We then visited the petting zoo. Enticed by a handful of food, several of the animals came to the fence. Two little goats stuck their heads through the split rails to get a better look. Deeper within the zoo, a baboon climbed to the top of his perch to get a better look as this four-legged animal and his strange bearded companion. A community of Colubus monkeys was our next stop. A female was watching her young playing on the island. She noticed us approaching and Ed pointed that out to the party. "You see that she is aware of the presence of the dog, yet she is completely unconcerned," he told us. "She doesn't feel at all threatened by his presence and has taken no measure to protect her young. Obviously, she feels no concern as to his being here." This is how the balance of the visit went. From the bald eagle to the large cats to the flock of pink flamingos, each and every animal showed no signs of stress or any level of concern over the presence of a canin. After our tour of the zoo, I sat down to speak with Mr. Gerstein. Since we didn't have time to get a written document from him, we decided to tape his testimony for the benefit of the Legislature. "None of the animals," he said, "showed any adverse reactions to the presence of Diamond. In fact, there were positive interactions. Some detractors of zoos complain about the boredom these animals face while in captivity. In some of the more cognitive animals, such as the primates, their curiosity was stimulated as they investigated something new. But it was just that컴something new. It wasn't threatening or stressful to them. As far as this animal causing stress which leads to infertility, embryonic mortality, and skin and feather disorders, this is completely unfounded. There is no objective statistical evidence 29 that such a thing occurs. In fact, the only common denominator of all the various species in this setting is that man is their natural enemy. A six-year-old who laughs, yells, claps, points, and runs after the animal컴and other gestures directed toward the animal컴causes more stress than this animal would." One of our concerns was that Sunken Gardens, which has an extensive display of exotic birds, would mount a campaign to kill our bill. They were a primary proponent of the 1990 legislation. Since Lowry Park had limited collection of psittasins (parrot-like birds), we had arranged to visit Petland, a large pet store in Tampa. It was there we met Baby, an eight-month-old white Cockatoo. After Diamond and Baby met, we got them nose to nose. She sat on Diamonds harness and climbed atop his head. We taped this and took some still shots, as well. That evening, Jan and I compressed the two hours of videotape into a five minute presentation. It was direct and to the point. We knew, after viewing the final product, that this would an unshakeable argument in support of our bill. Jan and I met Rep. Crist, Amy Rabeck, and Kurt Ponchek at the Representative's Tallahassee apartment. I had been referred to Kurt by Mike Sergeant at Southeastern Guide Dogs. Kurt is a law student at FSU. We watched the videotape and went over our testimony for the morning committee hearing and our game plan for the week. Simply put, s. 413.08(1)d was in direct violation of the ADA. The bill brought State Statutes in concurrence with the ADA, which, according to Title III governs "zoos, parks, and other recreational Facilities". Furthermore, Section 501d states, "Nothing shall be construed to require any disabled individual to accept any accommodation, aid, or service when the individual wishes to refuse it." Allowing a company to force us to surrender our mobility of choice and accept the services of a sighted guide violates our right to refuse such an accommodation. At 8:00 in the morning, Kurt and I stopped in to see each member of the Inter-governmental Affairs Subcommittee, which would hear this bill. We met five minutes before the hearing in Rep. Crist's office and felt we had a unanimously favourable vote. However, when Rep. Crist began his presentation, before the tape was played, and before Kurt and I had a chance to speak, a vote 30 was called. Rep. Lee Constantine, a co-sponsor said, "It's unusual for me to vote against a bill I have co-sponsored, but I have to vote `No'." Six other members of the committee voted against the bill. Only one voted in favour of passage. After seeing the disappointed look on the face of Mr. Crist, Constantine requested reconsideration. This time the measure passed unanimously. Rep. Crist is a Freshman member of the House. This was his very first bill and, just like in college, freshman are subjected to all sorts of hazing. The measure passed in sub-committee, it now went to the full committee of the House Community affairs Committee. We met in Rep. Crist's office and divided up the list. I was to speak to each member of the committee and gain their co-sponsorship, while Kurt sought co-sponsorship from other members of the House. Throughout the rest of Monday, all of Tuesday, and Wednesday morning, we saw every member of the Florida House of Representatives. Everyone was interested and asked lots of questions. Not only were they educated by talking to us in their offices, but by watching us work with our dogs in the crowded halls of the Capitol. We met our legislators in the halls, elevators, cafeterias, and even in the bathrooms, never passing up an opportunity to gain support. And we prevailed, passing the full committee unanimously on Wednesday. So far we hadn't met any opposition. To openly oppose this bill would be political suicide. Any opposition would be behind the scenes. It is the responsibility of the Rules and Calendar Committee to schedule bills to be heard on the floor. The Rules Committee could simply stall an item. If it's not heard by the end of session in April, it dies. Following the Community Affairs Committee approval, Kurt and I started securing so-sponsors in Rules and Calendar. We gained full support of the Rules Committee and it was placed on the agenda to be heard on the floor of the House on February 23. In the Senate, all agenda items, both in committee and on the floor, are set by the Rules and Calendar Committee. On Thursday morning I met with Senator Jennings, who chairs this committee. By this time the Senate version of the Braille Literacy Bill had been numbered. Senator Jennings agreed to co-sponsor both bills 31 and assured me both would be heard in committee. In the next two days I had an opportunity to speak with every Senator or his or her Legislative Assistant, with favorable results. On March 2, and with unanimous approval, the Florida House voted to restore the right of full and equal access to guide dog users. The Senate passed the bill on March 24. Immediately upon the signature of the Governor, the bill became law and 413.08(1)d was stricken from the books. It goes without saying that the National Federation of the Blind is the driving force in the affairs of the blind in the State. The name of the NFB is known by every single legislator in Tallahassee. All 120 members of the House of Representatives and 40 members of the Senate have been given the pamphlet "What is the National Federation of the Blind". We have powerful allies in the Capitol who know who we are and are willing to listen to our concerns. We must nurture these alliances. This year it was full and equal access and Braille literacy. Next year...well, come to the leadership conference and talk about next year. Let me close by publicly thanking those persons, groups and organizations who joined with us in supporting this bill: Rep. Victor Crist; Amy Rabeck, Legislative Assistant; Sen. Don Sullivan; David Winialski, Legislative Assistant; Edmund Gerstein, Research Biologist; Michael Sergeant, Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc.; David Loux, The Seeing Eye; The Lowry Park Zoo; Petland of Tampa; Whitt Springfield, Florida Division of Blind Services; and the Florida Veterinarian Medical Association (FVMA). I want to thank NFBF President Wayne Davis, Tampa Bay Chapter President and State Board Member Gloria Mills, Frank and Frances Pisacane, and NFBF Legislative Chairperson Melody Lindsey for all of their help and support, and the National Federation of the Blind of Florida for helping to fund my trip to Tallahassee. Most of all I want to acknowledge my wife, Jan. Her valuable input and invaluable support of my work and our cause often goes unnoticed and unrecognized. She does more by working behind the scenes than anyone knows. Her sacrifice of time foregone with me during numerous telephone calls, meetings, and time away from home can never be compensated. Thank you, Jan! 32 __________________________________________________________________ OUTREACH MICROS __________________________________________________________________ BABY BOOM Very soon, maybe by the time you read this, Second Vice President Jeffrey Harmon and his wife Erlinda will be parents. They already know컴it's a girl! We wish all three of the Harmons the very best! STATE LIBRARY HAS NEW PHONE NUMBER The Bureau of Library Services has a new toll-free number for calls from all over the state. That number is: 1-800-226-6075. The following two items are from: Braille International, Inc. 3142 SE Jay Street Stuart, FL 34997 1-800-336-3142 BRAILLE PROOFREADERS SOUGHT Are you looking for a new start with a new job in a warm, sunny climate? If you're a proficient braille reader, Braille International, Inc. may be the answer. Braille International, Inc., a non-profit organization, located in Stuart, Florida, is looking for two braille proofreaders to join its growing staff. Applicants must be fluent in grade 2 braille, with strong grammar skills and good English speaking abilities. Preference will be given to applicants who are NLS certified, but certification can be completed later. 33 Proofreaders work in teams, so the ability to work closely with others is important. Braille International is the nation's largest literary publisher of braille materials, and the largest provider of braille to the Library of Congress. For more information, call Sandi Lindsey, production manager, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. BRAILLE BOOKSTORE CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY Braille International operates the William A. Thomas Braille Bookstore, the only all-braille retail store in the nation. By visiting this bookstore, braille readers have immediate access to approximately 250 fiction, non-fiction, and children'S titles on a variety of subjects, such as business, computers, cooking, sports, romance, and science fiction, plus research materials. The store serves a dual purpose. First, blind individuals are able to shop independently. Second, it helps educate the local community on blindness, as many area school children visit Braille International on class field trips. The store is named for William A. Thomas, the founder and board chairman of Braille INternational. "We've wanted to do this for a long time," says Steven L. Brubaker, president of Braille International. "Mr. Thomas has long been in untiring supporter of braille literacy. We saw this as a wonderful way to recognize all his efforts to see that those who are denied sight are not denied knowledge." The store plans to add approximately 100 new titles to its shelves each year. The books, which are sold at cost, are priced from 72 cents to more than three hundred dollars. Catalogues are available in print and braille. Contact Braille International for more information. 34 __________________________________________________________________ OUT OF CONTEXT __________________________________________________________________ "Not to know something and to admit it is like an invitation to the ball. It means we can go on to explore perhaps wonderful new things. Nothing could possibly be duller than knowing it all. Fortunately that is not a threat we have to deal with. It is not scheduled to happen soon." 컴Roger A. Caras A Cat is Watching, Simon & Schuster "The best mind-altering substance is truth." 컴Lily Tomlin "...there is always the chance that students won't use the techniques they have learned, that they won't work, or that they will fail. But blind students have a right to fail and a right to learn and a right to become fully functioning blind citizens of the twenty-first century." 컴Marci Page "What Disabled Students' Services Are and What They Should Be", The Braille Monitor, January, 1993 "The idea is like grass. It craves light, likes crowds, thrives on cross-breeding, grows better for being stepped on." 컴Ursula K. Le Guin The Disposessed, Harper & Row "I can't overemphasize the importance of independence when it comes to having a positive self-concept. Whether that independence is used to go down to the store to get a loaf of bread or whether it 35 lets you do something as trivial as getting up and walking off in a huff when you're having an argument, the ability to be mobile is terribly important." 컴Gary Wunder "Mobility: Whose Responsibility is it?" The Braille Monitor, March, 1993 "Never trust a country that doesn't allow poultry to ride on its busses." 컴Tom Robins Skinny Legs and All, Bantam On public speaking... "I simply refuse to believe the public has nothing better to do than come out on a cold night to hear me read a paper that could have been slipped under the door when the morning milk was delivered. The whole point to being live and in person is that you bring a live person." 컴Nikki Giovanni Sacred Cows...and Other Edibles, Morrow From Gloria Mills of Tampa... "Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans." 컴quoted by John Lennon From Marion Gwizdala of Tampa... "It is not what someone calls you that's important, but what you answer to." 컴African Proverb 36 __________________________________________________________________ WHAT'S COOKIN'? __________________________________________________________________ This issue's recipes are from Carmen Davis of the Greater Miami Chapter... TEXAS JACK This one is to get you in the mood for the NFB convention in Dallis, this summer. 4 slices bacon 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce 1 medium onion, diced dash of pepper 1 medium green pepper, diced 5 hot dogs, sliced 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/2 pound cheddar cheese, shredded 2 15-1/4 oz. cans red kidney 6 hamburger buns or English muffins beans, undrained pinch of sugar, optional In large skillet, cook bacon, over medium heat, until crisp. Remove with spatula and drain on paper towel. To drippings add onion, pepper, and chili powder. Saute. Stir in beans, tomato sauce and crumbled bacon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in hot dogs and heat through. Reduce heat and stir in cheese. Add the sugar if desired. Serve on hamburger buns or english muffins. PIZZA LOAF 1 loaf French bread 1/8 teaspoon pepper Soft butter or marjerine 1 tablespon minced onion 1 pound ground beef 3 oz. tomato sauce 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 1/4 cup sliced black olives 1/2 teaspoon oregeno 2 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon salt 8 slices cheese 37 Cut bread in half legnthwise and spread with butter. Brown ground beef and add parmesan cheese, seasonings, onions, tomato sauce, and spread mixture evenly on bread. Place loaf on cookie sheet. Top with tomato slices. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.. Remove from oven and top with cheese slices and olives. Return to oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. __________________________________________________________________ SMILES __________________________________________________________________ Shopper: This is supposed to be a full-service grocery store. But I ordered a dozen oranges and you only delivered ten! Grocer: That's part of our service. Two of the oranges were rotten, so we threw them away for you. Diner: Waiter, I'd like some lobster tails, please. Waiter: Certainly, sir. Once upon a time there were three lobsters... Judge: Have you any prior convictions? Defendant: Well, I used to believe that honesty was the best policy. Mother: Freddie, it's not nice to take the biggest piece of cake. To be polite, I would take the smallest piece for myself. Freddie: What's the problem? You've got it. John: I'm so proud of myself. I finished this jigsaw puzzle in only eighteen months. Jane: Why are you proud of that? Eighteen months is a long time. John: Yeah, but the box says "three to five years"! 38 From President Wayne Davis of Miami... Q. How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? A. It only takes one, but the light bulb has to want to change. ___________________________________________________________________ EDITORIAL MATTERS 컴 Dan Hicks ___________________________________________________________________ Once again, this is the largest issue of OUTREACH, so far. Please remember to write with your comments, suggestions, and submissions for SMILES, WHAT'S COOKIN'?, OUT OF CONTEXT, etc.. We want to hear from you. There are chapters that have never sent us an item for CHAPTER REPORTS. Come on folks, there are seventeen chapters out there. Let's hear from all of you! If you are not a member of the National Federation of the Blind, consider joining. Call President Wayne Davis to find out if there is a chapter in your ares. Chances are there is, but if there isn't, perhaps you can help us start one! We wish to thank those of you who donated boxes of cassettes to recycle into copies of OUTREACH. A few of you didn't identify yourselves, and we do thank you, but those we can thank by name are: Theresa Schaffer of Lakeland, Carl R. Flior of Deltona, Leah Howard and Otto Zamora of Miami. Sherrill O'Brien of Tampa, Gloria and Kathy Mills of Tampa, and Carmen and Wayne Davis of Miami. Please keep the tapes coming in컴it helps us to keep our costs down. Thanks to all of you who submitted articles. Special thanks also to Wayne and Carmen Davis, Jeffrey and Erlinda Harmon, and Gloria Mills. If I named all the reasons, this column would be much too long. And thank you for reading OUTREACH!