NE/AER NEWSLETTER
Northeast Chapter
Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
website:
Volume 10.3, September, 2010
The Northeast Chapter Newsletter is published 3 times a year by NE/AER:
Nancy Milczanowski, Editor; Marybeth Dean, Printing and E-mail Distribution;
Cindy Reed-Brown, Stamping and Mailing Print Copies.
President’s Message
SherrylGlinsky
Hello everyone in the Northeast! I cannot believe the summer is almost over! But a change in season is never just an ending. For, I believe, it is just a beginning to a new phase in our lives! For example, summer is over and our children have returned to school or maybe they are going for the first time; the trees have, all summer, shown us lush green leaves, but they will soon be showing us their beautiful colors and then fall gracefully to the ground; for the past few months we have been grumbling about hot humid weather, but old man winter will be coming out of slumber in no time at all! So let’s talk about our new beginnings.
This is my first time addressing you as President. However, I do know that we have a very strong board and it is not run by just one person. There are many wonderful professional and dedicated people who make up our board. And with all endings and new beginnings, I would like to acknowledge the following outgoing Board members: Stephanie Bissonette, Vicki Jeans, Joshua Simmonds and Debby Smith. I would also like to welcome the new members to the NE/AER Board:Yvonne Locke, Secretary, Laurie Anderson, Board Member at Large, Rishi Connelly, Board Member at Large, Susan Sherry, Board Member at Large, and Shannon Wright, Student Representative. We have had some other changes, too: Kelli Jarosz has moved from the secretary position to President Elect; Faith Horter has moved from Board Member at Large into the Treasurer’s position; Linda Skibski has moved from the Treasurer to a Board Member at Large. Yes, our Board has changed but as always remains very strong and energetic! We have always worked well together and we have accomplished many things for our clients within the Northeast. I also get a sense of excitement and pride when I think of the energy and dedication our board and chapter brings each and every year to AERBVI. We should all feel proud!!!
One last thing before I go. Since fall is upon us, we will be having our annual NE/AER conference in Maine this year.CammyHolway-Moraros and Kathy Clarrage have been working extremely hard in preparation for this conference. So I definitely look forward to seeing each and every one of you November 3-5 at the Samoset Resort in Rockport Maine!
Northeast Chapter/AER Board of Directors
2010-2011
Officers:
President: SherrylGlinsky,
President-elect: Kelli Jarosz,
Past President: Nancy Druke,
Secretary: Yvonne Locke,
Treasurer: Faith Horter,
Board Members-at-Large:
Laurie Anderson
Kathy Clarrage
Rishi Connelly
Tim Hindman
Michelle Mason
John Reilly
Jeffrey Schroeder
Susan Sherry
Linda Skibski
Kathleen Turner
District 4 Representative:
Grace Ambrose-Zaken, NY Chapter
Committees:
Awards: Donna Mitchell
Bylaws: CammyHolway-Moraros
Continuing Education: Kimberly Stumph
Legislative: Claudia Pattison
Membership: Lori Cornelius
Newsletter: Nancy Milczanowski
Nominations: Cindy Reed-Brown
Recruitment, Training, Retention: Nancy Moskowicz
2010 Conference: CammyHolway-Moraros
Division Chairs:
VR and Employment: Tim Hindman
Multiple Disabilities/DeafBlind/Infant/Preschool: Tina Gutierrez, Gail Johnson
Psychosocial Services: Nancy Druke
Information & Technology: Kim Stumph
Low Vision: Mimi Flanary, Donna LeBlanc
Orientation & Mobility: Meg Robertson
Education Curriculum/Itinerant Personnel: Catherine Summ, Cheryl Brown
VRT/Aging: Kim Stumph
Personnel Prep: Laura Bozeman
Membership News
Lori Cornelius, Membership Committee Chair
The membership committee has been quiet recently but is gearing up for the fall as the NE/AER conference approaches. Grant applications are being accepted until September 22nd. A grant application form is included at the end of this Newsletter.
The current NE/AER membership is at 418 members with 76 members lapsing within the past year. If you have lapsed in the past year we would love to have you return to this great organization!
Check out the website to become a member or renew online. If paying the whole rate at once is difficult, check out the options to pay membership fees on a quarterly basis. Just a few short years ago we were at 500 members and I would like to see our chapter continue to grow back to that large number!
Grant applications are available throughout the year for any AER sponsored workshops or conferences!
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
Claudia Pattison, Chair
UPDATE ON PENDING NATIONAL LEGISLATION
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY BILL, #H.R. 734.
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to study and establish a motor vehicle safety standard that provides for a means of alerting blind and other pedestrians of motor vehicle operation. In the 2/5/10 legislative committee report, it had 170 cosponsors; currently it has 228 (60 Republicans, 168 Democrats). It is in the Energy and Commerce Committee.
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY BILL, # S. 841. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to study and report to Congress on the minimum level of sound this is necessary to be emitted from a motor vehicle, or some other method, to alert blind and other pedestrians of the presence of operating motor vehicles while traveling. In the May 1, 2009 report it has 13 cosponsors, currently it has 29 (17 democrats, 1 independent, and 11 Republicans). It is in the Energy and Commerce Committee.
BLIND PERSONS RETURN TO WORK ACT OF 2009 #HR886.
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to apply an earnings test in determining the amount of monthly insurance benefits for individuals entitled to disability insurance benefits based on blindness. In the May 1, 2009 legislative committee report it had 9 sponsors; currently it has 57 (42 democrats, 15 republicans). It is in the Ways and Means Committee.
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY COMMUNICATIONS AND VIDEO ACCESSIBILITY ACT OF 2009 #H.R.3101. (previously HR 6320 of 2008) Originally sponsored by Edward Markey (D-MA 7th). To ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to emerging Internet Protocol based communication and video programming technologies in the 21st century. 46 Democrats, 2 Republicans. It is in the Energy and Commerce Committee.
From the Psychosocial Division
Nancy Druke, LICSW, Chair
The Psychosocial Division will be holding our annual division meeting at the conference in Rockport, ME in November.
This will be a great opportunity to get together with others who are interested in the psychosocial aspects of working with people with vision loss.We will also be planning for a spring workshop so this would be a great time to add your input as to suggested topics for the workshop.
Join us in November!
Information about White Cane Day and O&M Division activities will be found at the end of the Newsletter.
From the Carroll Center
TECHNOLOGY FAIR 2010
Carroll Center for the Blind
770 Center Street
Newton, MA 02458
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
10:00 am to 3 pm
Don’t miss this annual opportunity to try out the latest products for individuals who arevisually impaired. Free and open to consumers,families/friends and professionals.
* Meet the manufacturers and local vendors
* Learn about the latest equipment and applications
* Visit the Carroll Store to see a variety of devices to purchase.
Past Exhibitors
ABISee
Adaptive Technology Consulting
AdaptiVision
Ai Squared
Easter Seals
Eschenbach
Freedom Scientific
Humanware
Kurzweil Educational Systems
Let's Go Technology--Enhanced Vision
MagniSight
MassMatch
National Braille Press
Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
Verizon
Vision Dynamics
For more information about the Technology Fair, please contact:
Dina Rosenbaum, Director of Marketing
Carroll Center for the Blind
770 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02458
(617) 969-6200, ext. 238
AWARDS!
Donna Mitchell, Chair
The Awards Committee Is Accepting Nominations Now!
If you have been thinking about nominating a colleague for one of our awards, DO IT NOW!
You have until October 12 to submit a nomination for an NE/AER award.
We have six awards available this time around and the committee would love to give away all six.
The awards are:
Excellence for Direct Service to Children
Excellence for Direct Service to Adults
Distinguished Service Award
Jim Acton Award
Team Award
Father Carroll Award
Descriptions of each award as well as the nomination form can be found on the NE/AER website. Just go to click on Awards Committee.
Time is running out;make a nomination today!
NE/AER Fall Conference
“Coming togethAER: Knot Just Coasting Along”
Samoset Resort
220 Warrenton St.
Rockport, ME
November 3-5, 2010
This year’s NE/AER fall conference, November 3-5, 2010, is being held at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, ME. The ambitious program of 35 sessions includes topics on addressing the needs of infant, preschool, & the multi-disabled, 21st century curriculum, adaptive technology, O&M, and the rehabilitation issues of an aging population.
Keynote speaker Dr. LotfiMerabet, Associate Director of the Vision Rehabilitation Service at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, will share ideas from his research in neuroscience and their application to blind rehabilitation.
Added to that are three Division sponsored pre-conferences, vendor booths, a dozen poster sessions and TV Survivor winner, Robert Crowley, as closing keynote speaker, all framed by breath taking views of the Maine coastline.
You’ll experience an informative and green friendly conference for ComingTogeth”AER”: Knot just Coasting Alone.
Find conference program, registration and scheduling materials at the NE/AER website: . The registration form is “fillable”, but you still have to print it out and mail it to Ruth Mlotek at the Iris Network. See you there!
From the Orientation and Mobility Division
Meg Robertson, COMS, Chair
Please Come Celebrate International White Cane Day!
October 15, 2010
State House, Boston, MA
10:00 am to 12:00 noon at the Grand Staircase
Come celebrate the independence of white canes and raise public awareness of the White Cane Law!
White Cane & Guide Dog Users can bring Family, Friends, Orientation & Mobility Specialists, Vision Professionals and others to raise White Cane Awareness!
The white cane is not just a tool that can be used to achieve independence; it is also a symbol of citizens who are blind. To honor the many achievements of blind and visually impaired Americans and to recognize the white cane's significance in advancing independence, October 15 is observed as "White Cane Safety Day."
Massachusetts White Cane Law:Yield to White Cane and Guide Dog Users at Street Crossings -
It’s the Law!
For more information on this Celebration contact the Orientation and Mobility Department at the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind at617-626-7581 or 800-392-6450x 7581
O&M Division Members:
Celebrate 50 years of professional O&M services!
Although the 1st experiments of long cane travel has been noted since 1860 by Sir Francis Campbell at Perkins School for the Blind, no formal teaching of cane and O&M skills began until 1944 at the VA Valley Forge Army Hospital, then known as ‘foot travel”. However there were no formal standards for teaching long cane or O&M skills. In 1958, the US Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, identified the education of O&M Specialists as it’s second highest priority in the area of preparing rehab personal! Due to this priority, in 1959, the American Foundation of the Blind/AFB funded a national conference, to establish criteria for O&M Professionals by developing a curriculum. From here, things moved quickly and the 1st grant to establish an O&M university program went to Boston College, which opened in June of 1960.
Any O&M professional who is attending the Maine Conference is requested to bring examples of their O&M “school colors” - such as T-shirts, flags, etc.
There is a small planning committee for the Conference working on ways to celebrate 50 years of O&M! If you have any historic items to bring for our O&M Celebration please let the committee know. For more information on this planning group, contact Michelle Mason at or Meg Robertson at