California Council of the Blind
Annual
Conference and Convention
Program
April 10 - 13, 2014
"Celebrating 80 Years of Achievement,
Advocacy and Accessibility"
Donna Pomerantz, President
Hosted By
California Council of the Blind
1303 J Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95814-2900
916-441-2100
800-221-6359
Local Conference and Convention Host
ACB Capitol Chapter, Sacramento, CA
Sacramento Arden West Hilton Hotel
2200 Harvard Street, Sacramento, CA 95815
Reservations: 800-445-8667
Local Number: 916-922-4700
With Sincere Thank You’s to
Our Silver Sponsors!
CCB Family and Friends,
Please join me in a heartfelt thank you to our
Silver Sponsors, Linda Dardarian and Lainey
Feingold. It is truly an honor having you celebrate 80
Years of Achievement, Advocacy and Accessibility in
partnership with us through your continued active
support!
Donna Pomerantz, President
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Linda and Lainey congratulate the California Council
of the Blind on 80 years of service and leadership in
the blind community in California and beyond. It has
been our privilege to work with CCB and its members
for the past twenty years."
Linda Dardarian
Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho
info@gbdhlegal.com
800-822-5000
Lainey Feingold
Law Office of Lainey Feingold
http://lflegal.com
Table of Contents
General Information ....................................................... 2
Hotel Information and Amenities .................................. 3
Calendar of Events ........................................................ 6
Conference and Convention Program ....................... 10
Exhibitor List ................................................................ 29
Advertisement .............................................................. 32
CCB Officers, Directors and Committees .................. 33
Hotel Description and Information. ............................ 38
Hotel Emergency Evacuation Procedures ................. 45
2
General Information
If you require an assistive listening device for the
general sessions or other special accommodations,
please contact the CCB Registration Table.
Please wear your badge at all times during the
Conference and Convention (badge with orange dot
required for voting).
Donations of door prizes to be given throughout the
Conference and Convention should be brought to the
CCB Registration Table in the Lobby.
If your chapter plans to make a contribution to our
scholarship or general fund during the Conference and
Convention, you are urged to have a representative
from your chapter present it at the Banquet.
If you would like to pay your member-at-large dues for
2014 or pay CCB Life Member dues, you may do so at
the CCB Registration Table.
You may also sign up for the ACB Monthly Monetary
Support Fund, from which, through automatic
deductions, you can give CCB up to 50% of your
monthly donation. If you are already an MMS
contributor, you may also modify your existing MMS
donation.
3
Hotel Information and Amenities
Hotel check in time is 3:00 PM. Check out time is 12
Noon. Later check out time is subject to hotel
availability. Please inquire at the front desk.
Each guest room contains one bottle of shampoo,
conditioner, lotion, mouthwash and a bar of facial
soap located on the bathroom counter to the right of
the sink. A bar of bath soap is located on the lip of the
bathtub. Non-slip bathmats are available upon
request, placed in each tub or on top of the commode
(toilet).
Each room has a coffee maker located on the
bathroom counter to the right of the sink or on a small
half round table just before the T.V. Two coffee cups,
pre-filtered coffee packets, sugar and creamer are also
located near the coffee maker. All rooms have two
bottles of water on a table next to the T.V. to the left of
the TV stand. Bottled water is $6.00 plus tax for all
guests. Bottled water complimentary for Hilton Honors
Members.
Refrigerators are available upon request.
Each room has a hair dryer located in a cubby hole
under the bathroom counter to the right, left of the
sink. Iron and ironing boards in all guest rooms are
located in the closet on the right hand side.
4
Guest room clock radios have preprogrammed buttons
for local stations located in a semi circle on top of the
clock radio. Moving clockwise, (left to right) they are
Pop, Country, Jazz and News.
Hotel telephone instructions:
For your convenience what is to follow are
instructions for reaching various departments within
the Arden West Hilton.
The telephone on guest room night stands does not
have pre-programmed buttons. Please dial “0" for the
hotel operator, who can help CCB convention
attendees with most anything in the hotel by
contacting a specific department. Requests for items
such as extra towels, toiletries, etc. can be handled
through the Hotel Operator instead of contacting the
Housekeeping Department.
To check Voicemail in your guest room: Dial “61” to
retrieve your voicemail messages. Also, the telephone
located on the desk has two rows of 5 buttons each
located horizontally below the standard keypad. On
the row that is directly under the keypad, the Voicemail
Retrieval button is the farthest button on the right.
Once this button is pressed, the computer voice will
alert you to any voicemail messages you might have. If
you do have a message, the computer voice will guide
you through the process of what numbers to press to
retrieve your messages.
5
To dial another guest room in the hotel: for guest
rooms on floors 2 through 9, press 7 and the room
number, for guest rooms on floors 10, 11 or 12, just
dial the four digit room number.
Hotel Telephone Directory:
Housekeeping: 1607
Engineering Team: 1307
Engineering Chief: 1408
Front Desk: 1300
Bell Stand: 1303
Room Service: 1406
Harvard Street Grill Restaurant: 1404
Cameo Lounge: 1314
CCB Registration Table: 1708
CCB Volunteer Table: 1981
Hotel Transportation:
The Sacramento Arden West Hilton provides
complimentary van transportation to the Arden Fair
Mall on the top of the hour every hour the Mall is open.
Other Hotel Services:
The hotel has an outdoor pool, sauna, Jacuzzi Hot-tub
and fitness facility as well as a self service business
center and same day dry cleaning service. Please
check with the front desk or front office manager or
call the hotel operator for hours of operation and
details about these and other hotel services.
6
Guest Room Internet:
The wired USB Cable for the internet is located on the
desk. The price per connection is $9.95 per day.
__________________________
Calendar of Events
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
10:30 AM to 4 PM CCB Capitol Day.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
9:00 AM CCB Registration Table opens in the Lobby.
Registration Table Phone: 1708
Volunteer Table Phone: 1981
12 Noon CCB Board Luncheon/Meeting. Tahoe/Shasta
2:30 PM Rehabilitation Committee Program.
Brandywine
3:00 PM Welcome to Sacramento Party!
Presidential Parlor 12th Floor
4:00 PM CCCLV Program. Napa
7
5:30 PM Technology Committee Program.
Tahoe/Shasta
7:30 PM Credentials Committee. Cabernet
9:00 PM Nominating Committee. Cabernet
Hospitality will be open from the close of the evening
session to 1:00 AM.
1214 Presidential Parlor 12th Floor
Friday, April 11, 2014
7:00 AM CCB Women's Breakfast. Cabernet
8:00 AM CCB Resolutions Committee. Eureka
9:00 AM CCB Registration Table open. Lobby
9:00 AM BRLC Business Meeting. Eagle
9:00 AM CAT and CCCLV Joint Session. Tahoe/Shasta
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Exhibits on display. Atrium
9:45 AM BRLC Speaker Meeting. Eagle
10:45 AM CLUA Business Meeting. Eagle
12:00 Noon BRLC/CLUA Luncheon. Eagle
8
1:30 PM First CCB General Session. Tahoe/Shasta
4:15 PM CCB Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
Sierra
4:15 PM First Timer's Seminar. Tahoe/Shasta
4:15 PM CAT Business Session. Zinfandel
4:15 PM Publications Committee. Cabernet
5:15 PM Presidents’ Dinner. Eagle
7:00 PM Second CCB General Session. Tahoe/Shasta
9:40 PM Elections. Tahoe/Shasta
Hospitality open from the close of the General Session
to 1:00 AM.
1214 Presidential Parlor 12th Floor
Resolutions Committee (if needed). Eureka
Saturday, April 12, 2014
7:00 AM CCB Membership Seminar Breakfast. Napa
8:00 AM GDUC Business Meeting. Sonoma
9:15 AM CCBS Business Meeting. Cabernet
9
9:00 AM Seniors with Vision Loss Committee Program.
Chardonnay
10:00 AM GDUC Workshop. Sonoma
10:30 AM CCBS Workshop. Cabernet
10:30 AM CCCLV Program. Chardonnay
11:00 AM OCBA Business Meeting. Napa
12 Noon GDUC Luncheon. Sonoma
12 Noon OCBA Luncheon. Napa
1:30 PM Break Out Sessions/Tracks.
Track 1: Leadership. Tahoe/Shasta
Track 2: Employment and Leisure. Cabernet
4:30 PM Fundraising Committee. Chardonnay
4:30 PM Governmental Affairs Committee. Sonoma
4:30 PM Hearing and Vision Impaired Committee.
Zinfandel
6:00 PM No Host "Attitude Adjustment Hour". Atrium
7:00 PM The CCB Banquet. Tahoe/Shasta
10
If needed, the CCB Resolutions Committee will meet
directly after the Banquet. Eureka
Hospitality will be open from the close of the Banquet
to 1:00 AM.
1214 Presidential Parlor 12th Floor
Sunday, April 13, 2014
7:30 AM Devotional Services. Tahoe/Shasta
8:30 AM CCB Business Session. Tahoe/Shasta
__________________________
Conference and Convention Program
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
10:30 AM Capitol Day.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Pre-registration packets can be picked up at the CCB
Registration Table in the Lobby from 9:00 AM to 5:00
PM.
12 Noon California Council of the Blind Board
Luncheon/Meeting. Tahoe/Shasta
11
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The purchase of lunch - for this meeting only - is
optional. If you wish to partake of the luncheon
please pre-register as you would for our other
plated meals such as the Statewide Affiliate
Lunches, Banquet and Breakfasts.
2:30 PM Rehabilitation Committee Program.
Brandywine
Ed Crespin, Chair. "How to Get and Keep a Job".
Robert Schulenburg, Program Manager, Transition
& Rehabilitation programs, Junior Blind of
America, north.
Mr. Robert Schulenburg works with youth in
transition in the areas of job skills acquisition and
employment opportunities.
Mr. Schulenburg will discuss the importance of
utilizing “soft skills” in becoming and remaining
employed, staying successful in employment, and
maintaining professionalism.
Richard Rueda, MA, Transition Specialist, Junior
Blind of America, north Mr. Rueda has worked as a
vocational rehabilitation counselor and
specialized in the Summer Transition Employment
Preparation program with the California School for
the Blind, Fremont, CA. He has been instrumental
in the development of the youth transition
program for the Junior Blind of America, both in
12
the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas.
Richard Rueda will address some mistakes that
interviewees and employees make, problems and
issues that may arise, and how to overcome them.
Nellie Emerson, MA, Staff Services Manager I,
Department of Rehabilitation, Riverside, CA.
Ms. Emerson has been employed in the
Department of Rehabilitation as a counselorteacher for the blind, a vocational counselor, and
as a supervisor, currently managing under Blind
Field Services Unit 9 in the Inland Empire. Nellie
Emerson will address obstacles that get in the way
of prospective employees and their abilities to be
hired and remain employed.
Christy Crespin, LCSW, Vocational Services,
Department of State Hospitals - Patton. Ms.
Crespin has worked as a vocational rehabilitation
counselor and currently works to assist patients in
Patton State Hospital to obtain "soft skills" to
allow them to both become gainfully employed
and transition into a community setting. Christy
Crespin will address reasons employees are not
hired and/or are not able to remain employed, and
what they can do to strengthen their “soft skills”.
Edward Crespin, MA, Qualified Rehabilitation
Professional, Department of Rehabilitation, Blind
Field Services, Unit 9. Mr. Crespin has worked as
a counselor-teacher for the blind, and as a
qualified rehabilitation professional with the
13
Department of Rehabilitation in the Inland Empire.
Ed Crespin will address the value of learning,
utilizing, and maintaining “soft skills” as a part of
working through the client-counselor relationship
from application to case closure.
3:00 PM Welcome to Sacramento Party!
1214 Presidential Parlor 12th Floor
Hosted by ACB Capitol Chapter.
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM CCCLV Napa
Bernice Kandarian, President, Mountain View, CA.
HIMS, Inc. James McCarthy President, Austin, TX.
Introducing the E-Bot that adds a distance vision
feature and OCR (reading aloud.)
Freedomvision Debby McCarthy, Mountain View,
CA. A demonstration of the ever expanding
selection of hand-held video magnifiers and other
low vision devices.
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Technology Committee.
Tahoe/Shasta
Louis Herrera, Chair and Roger Petersen, Vice
Chair. Technology Program. "Technology Session
Accessing Off the Shelf Resources"
Speaker 1: Kimberly Cline, Regional Channel Manager,
AI Squared, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Kimberly Cline will demonstrate the latest
ZoomText functions and features using Microsoft
Windows 8.1 and ZoomText Mac running on
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Mavericks. She will also demonstrate Image
Reader, a complimentary OCR solution that is
quite powerful and easy to use.
Fixing QuickBooks - Updating Legacy Software
Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed. Founder and CEO, My Blind
Spot Inc., Steve Clark, Principal, Adaptive
Technology Svcs, John Martyn, Principal, Do It
Blind. Updating mature software requires special
attention to details. Discover how Intuit and My
Blind Spot teamed up to make QuickBooks for
Windows accessible, including QA, JAWS
scripting, and many more discoveries.
If there are 30 people in attendance, there will be a
drawing for ZoomText MAC; if there are 50 people
in attendance, there will be a drawing for
ZoomReader for IOS devices. You must be present
to win. Drawing to be held immediately before the
close of the Technology Committee Session.
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM Credentials Committee Meeting.
Cabernet
Pamela Polagi, Chair.
9:00 PM Nominating Committee Meeting. Cabernet
Pamela Polagi, Chair.
Hospitality. 1214 Presidential Parlor 12th Floor
Hosted by ACB Capitol Chapter will be open from
the close of the Nominations Committee meeting
to 1:00 AM.
15
Friday, April 11, 2014
The CCB Registration Table in the Lobby, will be open
from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Friday and 9:00 AM to 3:00
PM Saturday. Name badges are available at the
Registration Table. Please wear your badge at all
times during the Conference and Convention (badge
with Orange Dot required for voting).
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM CCB Women's Breakfast. Cabernet
What could be better than starting your
convention Friday with imagination, inspiration,
innovation and insight? Join your women friends
for an unforgettable breakfast. Women will be
sharing their personal writings and favorite
readings.
Exhibits will be on display in the Atrium from 9:00 AM
to 4:30 PM, Friday and 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM, Saturday.
Obbie Schoeman and Peter Pardini, Co-Chairs.
8:00 AM CCB Resolutions Committee. Eureka
Jeff Thom, Chair.
9:00 AM Braille Revival League of California (BRLC)
Business Meeting. Eagle
Steve Fort, President.
9:00 AM Committee on Access and Transportation
(CAT) and California Council of Citizens with Low
Vision (CCCLV) Joint Session. Tahoe/Shasta
16
Eugene Lozano, Jr., Chair, CAT; Bernice
Kandarian, President, CCCLV. "Accessible
Transportation Resources: An Overview of
Paratransit and Fixed-Route Services in Urban and
Rural Settings".
Kristi McLaughlin, Training and Technical
Assistance Specialist II, Easter Seals Project
ACTION, Washington D.C. Kristi McLaughlin leads
a number of training initiatives for Easter Seals
Project ACTION. Kristi is an experienced trainer
with extensive knowledge of the transportation
provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Her background includes travel training,
coordination planning, writing training curriculum
and providing technical assistance regarding
accessible transportation. Kristi began her career
in transportation as a scheduling clerk at
Bloomington Transit in Bloomington, Indiana. She
has since worked as manager of the paratransit
system in Bloomington and as general manager of
the Niles Dial-A-Ride in Niles, Michigan. Kristi has
a B.A. in Philosophy and a M.S. in Applied Health
Science. A host of topics on accessible
transportation will be discussed in this hands-on
workshop. Learn about the paratransit eligibility
process and operations, fixed-route transportation
options, transit in rural areas, and other
information on the transportation provisions of the
ADA and the state of accessible transportation in
our nation.
17
10:00 AM Braille Revival League of California (BRLC)
Speaker’s Meeting. Eagle
Steve Fort, President.
BookShare Update Rob Turner. Rob Turner,
President, Silicon Valley Council of the Blind
Chapter, Sunnyvale, CA. Originally from Southern
California, Rob Turner has been successfully
employed as a computer programmer and is a
longtime CCB member. Find out what new and
innovative changes are occurring at Book Share
along with programs old and new.
Braille Bee, Leena Dawes, Braille Instructor,
Society for the Blind, Sacramento, CA. Leena
Dawes is a member of CCB board of directors,
board member and past president of California
Council of Blind Students as well as a longtime
CCB member. Also originally from Southern
California, Leena currently teaches braille at the
Society for the Blind in Sacramento. Join in the
fun, testing your knowledge of contracted braille,
Unified English Braille and how it all works.
10:45 AM California Library Users of America (CLUA)
Business Meeting. Eagle
Judy Wilkinson, President. Mary Jane Kayes,
Librarian, Braille and Talking Book Library,
California State Library, Sacramento, CA, will give
us the latest news from the BTBL.
12:00 Noon BRLC/CLUA Luncheon. Eagle
18
Judy Wilkinson, President, CLUA; Steve Fort,
President, BRLC. Blind Californian Fun And
Games! We'll conduct a brief survey about the BC.
Don't worry if you've completed it elsewhere; your
input still counts! But look for a few fun questions
and yes, prizes. Also on the menu, Rob Turner will
give us a brief BookShare update. Plenty of time
for visiting with friends.
1:30 PM First CCB General Session. Tahoe/Shasta
Donna Pomerantz, CCB President presiding.
Invocation.
Pledge of Allegiance.
1:40 PM Welcome to Sacramento.
1:50 PM “Protect Yourself From Financial Fraud” Mark
Leyes, Director of Communications, California
Department of Business Oversight, Sacramento,
CA. The California Department of Business
Oversight’s Education & Outreach office alerts
and educates Californians about financial and
investment fraud, scams, and unscrupulous sales
practices. The Department seeks to empower
Californians by providing valuable information and
resources so they can make well-informed
financial decisions.
2:35 PM “The Quest for QuickBooks: How a small
nonprofit and a corporate giant joined forces for
19
greater accessibility” Albert Rizzi, Founder and
CEO, My Blind Spot Inc., and Lori Samuels,
Accessibility Program Manager, Intuit Inc., New
York, NY. This presentation explores how My Blind
Spot teamed up with Intuit, Inc., to ensure greater
accessibility to QuickBooks. This collaboration
succeeded in making QuickBooks compatible with
screen reading technologies, significantly
expanding career options in bookkeeping,
accounting, etc., for the visually impaired. The
presentation includes a demonstration of the
accessible QuickBooks for Windows and a
discussion of future accessibility initiatives.
3:20 PM “Covered California 101” Lindsay Petersen,
Policy Analyst, External Affairs Group, Covered
California, Sacramento, CA. The presentation will
discuss affordable healthcare options available
through Covered California and Medi-Cal,
eligibility for financial assistance, health plan
types, rates and subsidies, how to enroll,
enrollment windows, and resources. It will also
discuss efforts to make the Covered California
website compatible with screen reading and
magnification software.
4:05 PM Adjournment
4:15 PM CCB Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
Sierra
Gabe Griffith, Chair.
20
4:15 PM First Timer's Seminar. Tahoe/Shasta
Ardis Bazyn, Chair. We invite all first timers or
those who have not attended for some time to
attend this session to learn about the California
Council of the Blind and ask questions about us.
Speaker 1: Ardis Bazyn, Burbank, CA; First-timers
Committee Chair and CCB Board Member.
Speaker 2: Mitch Pomerantz, Pasadena, CA;
Committee Member and past CCB President.
4:15 PM Committee on Access and Transportation
(CAT) Business Session. Zinfandel
Eugene Lozano, Chair Committee on Access and
Transportation. An overview of architectural and
transportation issues affecting persons with
vision impairments. Also an opportunity for
attendees to have an open discussion on
architectural and transportation barrier issues of
concern to them.
4:15 PM Publications Committee Meeting. Cabernet
5:15 PM Presidents’ Dinner. Eagle
We welcome all members to attend. You do not
have to be a chapter or statewide affiliate
president to attend our second Candidates'
Forum. Please pre-register as the Presidents"
dinner went over capacity at our last Conference
and Convention.
7:00 PM Second CCB General Session. Tahoe/Shasta
21
Eugene Lozano, Jr., CCB First Vice President
presiding.
7:05 PM Remembrance of CCB members who have
passed away since the Fall 2013 Conference and
Convention.
7:15 PM Credentials Committee Report, Pamela Polagi,
Credentials Committee, Temple City, CA.
7:40 PM “Non-24 Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder: Overview
of the Disorder and Treatment in People with No
Light Perception”, Melissa Olivadoti, PhD, Medical
Science Liaison, Vanda Pharmaceuticals,
Washington DC.
Non-24 Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (Non-24) may
affect the majority of people without light
perception. The body clock of people with Non-24
does not synchronize with the 24 hour day,
leading to disrupted night time sleep and a drive
for daytime sleep. This presentation will discuss
Non-24 and new treatments available.
8:10 PM CCB Legislative Report, Jeff Thom, Chair,
Governmental Affairs Committee, Sacramento, CA
8:40 PM American Council of the Blind Report, Ron
Brooks, Member, Board of Publications, American
Council of the Blind, Phoenix, Arizona.
22
9:10 PM President’s Report, Donna Pomerantz,
President, California Council of the Blind,
Pasadena, CA.
9:40 PM Elections. Tahoe/Shasta
The Resolutions Committee will meet at the close of
the General Session. Eureka
Hospitality. 1214 Presidential Parlor 12th Floor
Hosted by the ACB Capitol Chapter will be open
from the close of the General Session to 1:00 AM.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
7:00 AM CCB Membership Seminar Breakfast. Napa
Ardis Bazyn, CCB Membership Chair, Burbank,
CA. David Jackson, CCB Membership Vice Chair,
San Francisco, CA. "How do you promote your
chapter to others?" Participants will share
strategies they have used to get new membersflyers, brochures, visiting other groups, etc.
8:00 AM Guide Dog Users of California (GDUC)
Business Meeting. Sonoma
Frank Welte, President
9:00 AM Seniors with Vision Loss Committee Program.
Chardonnay
Vickie Parker, Chair. Navigate the path to benefits:
In Home Support Services for Seniors with Vision
Loss. The program will contain a panel discussion
23
from professionals and consumers which will
provide an understanding and overview of IHSS.
Teddie-Joy Remhild and Frances Smith, Executive
Director, Yolo County Public Authority for IHSS
will begin the program. Jeff Thom will provide a
legislative update. Jane Kardas will discuss IHSS
from a consumers point of view.
9:15 AM California Council of Blind Students (CCBS)
Business Meeting. Cabernet
Leena Dawes, President. Come and be involved in
our growing student affiliate. We will be
discussing a social planned for this year,
amendments to the Constitution, and we will be
holding elections for a vice-president and a
treasurer.
10:00 AM – 11:45 AM Guide Dog Users of California
(GDUC) Workshop. Sonoma
“Pamper Your Pooch”, Dog Massage Techniques
Workshop – Carla Campbell, EBW ESMT,
Professional Canine and Equine Body worker.
Come join us for this hands-on workshop to learn
the techniques of providing your guide dog with a
relaxing massage. Carla demonstrates and
explains how to complete a massage from nose to
tail. Participants will be working with their dogs on
the floor. Carla will also be available for private
dog massage sessions. Call (650) 678-0884.
10:30 AM – 12 Noon California Council of Blind
Students (CCBS) Workshop. Cabernet
24
Leena Dawes, President. Notetakers vs Apple
products: Are Notetakers on Their Way Out?
Leena Dawes is a Communications Instructor at
Society for the Blind. She is a Braille Sense user
and an iPhone user.
Lisa Cushman, Board Member, California Council
of Blind Students, San Leandro, CA. Lisa is
currently a counselor at the Orientation Center for
the Blind. She too is a user of both the iPhone and
a notetaker (a BrailleNote in this case).
Have you been wondering what would be the fate
of the Braille notetakers with the rise of
technology such as the iPhone and iPad? We all
have different opinions. Come weigh in as two of
our board members, experienced technology
users, debate this important question.
10:30 – 12 Noon California Council of Citizens with
Low Vision (CCCLV) Chardonnay
Bernice Kandarian, President. The Future of
Braille, Large Print and Audio Publications
Facilitator: Annette Carter, Member, CCB
Publications Committee, Clovis, CA
Ron Brooks, Member, ACB Board of Publications,
Phoenix, AZ
Susan Glass, Editor, SVCB In Touch, Saratoga, CA
Roger Petersen, Second Vice President, CCB,
Mountain View, CA
25
A round table discussion about making
publications accessible for everyone. Cost of
Braille and large print; pending disappearance of
cassettes; computer users and non-computer
users.
11:00 AM Orientation Center for the Blind Alumni
(OCBA) Business Meeting. Napa
Judy Wilkinson, President. All OCB Alumni and
friends of OCB are invited. We will elect officers,
discuss the constitution and have good news from
the Treasurer.
12 Noon GDUC Luncheon. Sonoma
Come join us for lunch and hear updates from the
various California guide dog schools.
12 Noon Orientation Center for the Blind Alumni
(OCBA) Luncheon. Napa
Rosa Gomez, Administrator, Orientation Center for
the Blind, Albany, CA.
All OCB Alumni and friends of OCB are invited.
Rosa Gomez, OCB administrator will once again
talk with us about the doings at the Center.
You won't want to miss this charming, dynamic
presenter.
1:30 PM 3rd General Session
In the attempt to address the changing program
needs of the attendees, the 3rd General Session
26
has been canceled for this Conference and
Convention.
The 3rd General Session is being replaced by
offering two concurrent Tracks addressing
employment and leadership development.
After the 2014 Conference and Convention, a
decision will be made whether to resume having
the traditional 3rd General Session or permanently
replacing this portion of the program with a variety
of Tracks. What is to follow is information
regarding the two Track offerings.
1:30 PM – 4 PM
Leadership Track One: Tahoe/Shasta
Tools and Tips for Leadership Success
Moderator: Jeff Thom, Immediate Past President,
California Council of the Blind, Sacramento, CA
Presenters:
1. Communication Workshop: Leena Dawes,
Member, Board of Directors; President, Butte
County Chapter, California Council of the
Blind, Sacramento, CA
2. Leadership Responsibilities Workshop: Ardis
Bazyn, Member, Board of Directors; President,
Glendale-Burbank Area Chapter, California
Council of the Blind, Burbank, CA
27
Peter Pardini, Treasurer, California Council of the
Blind, Mill Valley, CA
Mitch Pomerantz, Immediate Past President,
American Council of the Blind, Pasadena, CA
Frank Welte, President, San Francisco Chapter,
California Council of the Blind, San Leandro, CA
Participants will learn about improving
communication in their organizations, the
responsibilities of each chapter and statewide
affiliate officer and board member, and the skills
required for statewide leaders. Registration limit:
36 participants.
1:30 PM – 4 PM
Employment Track Two: Cabernet
Information About Work and Play
Presenters:
Dan Smith, CCB Representative, Conference and
Convention Committee California Council of the
Blind, San Lorenzo, CA
Janice Walth, Competitive Archer, Adaptive
Technology Trainer/Instructor, Lodi, CA
Other presenters to be announced
A panel presentation of the employment trends for
persons with visual impairments who may also
have other disabilities. Followed by a presentation
on the pros and cons of disclosing one’s visual
28
impairment during the job and volunteer seeking
process. The track will end with a presentation
regarding related leisure activities for the blind
and visually impaired.
4:30 PM Fundraising Committee. Chardonnay
John Ross, Chair and Ken Metz, Vice-Chair.
4:30 PM Governmental Affairs Committee. Sonoma
Jeff Thom, Chair.
4:30 PM Hearing and Vision Impaired Committee.
Zinfandel
David Hanlon, Chair. Meeting chaired by
Committee member, Roger Petersen.
6:00 PM No Host "Attitude Adjustment Hour". Atrium
7:00 PM The CCB Banquet. Tahoe/Shasta
Banquet Emcee, Ron Brooks, American Council of
the Blind, Board of Publications Member, Phoenix,
AZ. Invocation, Pastor Reverend Don Lee, First
United Methodist Church, Sacramento, CA. Guest
speaker: Albert J. Rizzi, Founder and CEO, My
Blind Spot Inc. An Inspirational Journey: Moving
Through Uncertainty While Overcoming Barriers!
Join us as we celebrate a chapter charter, hear
from some of our life members, celebrate those we
honor with awards, raffles, prizes, and you never
know what other surprises are in store.
29
If needed, the CCB Resolutions Committee will
meet directly after the Banquet. Eureka
Hospitality will be open from the close of the Banquet
to 1:00 AM.
1214 Presidential Parlor 12th Floor
Sunday, April 13, 2014
7:30 AM Devotional Services. Tahoe/Shasta
8:30 AM CCB Business Session. Tahoe/Shasta
This final session will include:
CCB Treasurer's Report and reports from the
Constitution and By-Laws Committee, Resolutions
Committee, as well as reports from other CCB
Committees as time permits. The meeting and the
Conference and Convention will adjourn at 12:00
Noon.
Exhibitor List
ACB Capitol Chapter, CCB
Access Ingenuity, Santa Rosa, CA.
Adaptive Tech Services, San Francisco, CA.
Baum Retec, Inc. Methun, MA.
30
Braille Revival League of California.
California Council of the Blind
California Library Users.
CA Telephone Access Program, Sacramento, CA.
Empco-Lite, Elgin, IL.
Enabling Technologies, Jensen Beach, FL.
En-Vision America, Inc, Elgin, IL.
Glendale Burbank Chapter, CCB
Greater Long Beach Chapter, CCB
Guide Dog Users of California
Guide Dogs for the Blind, San Rafael, CA.
Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Yorktown Hts., NY.
Guide Lights & Gadgets, Boston, MA.
Hamilton Relay, Sacramento, CA.
HIMS, Inc., Austin, TX.
Humanware USA. Champlain, NY.
31
Mary Kay, Mirada, CA.
San Francisco Corner Store
Society for the Blind, Sacramento, CA.
Speed Dots, Sacramento, CA
Sterling Adaptives, Novato, CA.
Western Pacific Signal, San Leandro, CA.
32
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33
CCB Officers, Directors and Committees
CCB Officers
Donna Pomerantz, President
Eugene Lozano Jr., 1st Vice President
Roger Petersen, 2nd Vice President
Judy Wilkinson, Secretary
Peter Pardini, Treasurer
Jeff Thom, Immediate Past President
Directors
Ardis Bazyn
Vincent Calderon
Leena Dawes
David Hanlon
David Jackson
Linda Porelle
John Ross
Robert Wendt
Vita Zavoli
CCB Committees
Advocacy Committee:
Don Roberts, Pete Romero, Dan Smith, Bernice
Kandarian.
Awards Committee:
34
Roger Petersen, Chair; Susan Hyatt, Mary Beth
Randall, Michael Williams.
Committee on Access and Transportation:
Eugene Lozano, Jr., Chair; Warren Cushman, David
Jackson.
Committee on Employment Assistance:
Mitch Pomerantz, Chair; Andy Baracco, Patricia Leetz,
Sharlene Ornelas, Don Queen.
Conference and Convention Committee:
Eugene Lozano, Jr., Chair; Margie Donovan, Peter
Pardini, Paul Patche Jr., Dan Smith, Jeff Thom.
Constitution and By-laws Committee:
Gabe Griffith, Chair; David Jackson, Dr. Gerald
Konsler, Charles Nabarrete, Roger Petersen, Mary
Beth Randall.
Credentials Committee:
Pamela Polagi, Chair; Steve Fort.
Crisis Committee:
Lee Morton, Chair; Christy Crespin, Leslie Thom.
Devotional Services Committee:
Gussie Morgan, Chair; Brad Hogarty, Dr. Martin Jones,
Obbie Schoeman, Debra Thompson, Michael Williams.
Domestic Violence & Hate Crimes Committee:
35
Pam Metz, Chair; Nellie Emerson, Jane Kardas, Debbie
Kessler, Mike Keithley, Andrea Pitsenbarger, Linda
Samulski.
Education Committee:
Joni Patche, Chair; Leena Dawes, Vice Chair;
Connie Bateman, Warren Cushman, Lisa Cushman,
Keith Johnson, Erik Smiley, Leslie Thom.
Finance & Budget Committee:
Vincent Calderon, Chair; Kevin Berkery, Charles
Dorris, Charles Nabarrete, Peter Pardini, Rex Ransom,
Jeff Thom.
First Timer's Committee:
Ardis Bazyn, Chair; Eric Calhoun, Leena Dawes, Debra
Thompson.
Fund Raising Committee:
John Ross, Chair; Ken Metz, Vice-Chair;
Steve Fort, Sharlene Ornelas, Peter Pardini, Obbie
Schoeman, Elena Thomason.
Governmental Affairs Committee:
Jeff Thom, Chair; Andy Baracco, Ardis Bazyn, Warren
Cushman, Leena Dawes, Steve Fort, Roy Harmon,
Louis Herrera, Jane Kardas, Steven Mendelsohn,
Charles Nabarrete, Dirk Neyhart, Allen Ramos, TeddieJoy Remhild, Robert Wendt.
Hearing and Vision Impaired Committee:
36
David Hanlon, Chair; Jeana Hanlon, Hazel Harmon,
Roy Harmon, Mike Keithley, Cathy Kirscher, Roger
Petersen, Donna Sanchez.
History Committee:
Catherine Skivers, Chair; Al Gil, Chris Gray, Bernice
Kandarian, Gussie Morgan, Don Queen, Joe Smith.
Investment Committee:
(Undergoing reorganization).
Membership Committee:
Ardis Bazyn, Chair; David Jackson, Vice Chair;
Mike Keithley, Silvia Lopez, Ken Metz, Vita Zavoli.
Nominating Committee:
Pamela Polagi, Chair; Members are chosen by the
Chapters and Statewide Special Interest Affiliates.
Personnel Committee:
Jeff Thom, Co-Chair; Eugene Lozano Jr., Co-Chair;
Jerry Arakawa, Dr. Martin Jones, Peter Pardini, Mitch
Pomerantz.
Public Relations Committee: (Undergoing
Reorganization) Leena Dawes, Charles Nabarrete.
Publications Committee:
Linda Porelle, Chair; Judy Wilkinson, Editor.
Annette Carter, Susan Glass, Mike Keithley, Roger
Petersen, Bonnie Rennie, Donna Sanchez, Dr.
Catherine Schmitt Whitaker.
37
Rehabilitation Services Committee:
Ed Crespin, Chair; Elmer Chapson, Casey Cook, Nellie
Emerson, Therese Gardener, Patricia Leetz, Alice
McGrath, Ken Metz, Charles Nabarrete, Don Queen,
Richard Rueda.
Resolutions Committee:
Jeff Thom, Chair; Leena Dawes, Vice Chair;
Gabe Griffith, Eugene Lozano, Jr., Dirk Neyhart, Linda
Porelle, Dan Smith, Robert Wendt.
Scholarship Committee:
Robert Wendt, Chair; Vincent Calderon, Christy
Crespin, Leena Dawes, Dr. Martin Jones, Dr. Gerry
Konsler.
Seniors with Vision Loss Committee:
Vickie Parker, Chair; Bonnie Rennie, Jean Ackerman,
Janet Carmichael, Charlotte Criddell, Jane Kardas,
Gussie Morgan, Linda Porelle.
Technical Operations Group:
Vita Zavoli, Chair; Steven Aminoff, Greg Fowler,
Jeremy Johansen, Mike Keithley, Phil Obregon, Paul
Patche Jr.
Technology Committee:
Louis Herrera, Chair; Roger Petersen, Vice Chair;
Vince Calderon, Mike Keithley, Andrea Pitsenbarger,
Stephanie Rood, Robert Wendt.
38
Hotel Description and Information.
Hotel Information
The hotel facilities consist of the main hotel building,
the swimming pool area, and the former health club
building. These buildings and spaces are positioned in
an in-line pattern with a west to east orientation in the
order that they are listed. The hotel building complex
is completely encircled by its parking lots and there is
no direct or easy access to the public street by
pedestrians.
Main Hotel Building
General
The building is a rectangular structure consisting of a
single story (general circulation area) with a 12-story
tower on the south side of the structure. The generally
rectangle shaped first floor has its short sides in an
east-west orientation and its long sides in a northsouth orientation.
All of the hotel rooms, restrooms, exits, and spaces
have tactile signs with raised print and Braille.
Breakout rooms have tactile signs with a digital reader
board display component. A digital reader board
visually provides information as to the times and
functions that will occur in these rooms each day.
Primary Front Entrance
39
The primary front entrance is on the west side of the
building. It opens onto a raised sidewalk with one curb
ramp that is aligned with the doors. To enter or exit
the hotel's front entry, you must walk through a
vestibule with 2 non-automatic single doors and an
automatic double door between them at each end of
the vestibule.
First Floor Description
The first floor can be subdivided into three rectangles
lying side-by-side with their long ends running in a
west to east direction. From outside, facing the west
side or front of the building, going left to right, the first
rectangle consists of meeting rooms and the
restaurant, which open into the middle rectangle. The
middle rectangle can be subdivided horizontally into
two squares. The first square is the lobby and bar in
the front of the hotel and the second square is the
Atrium/Solarium, which is in the rear of the building.
The third and right-most rectangle consists of meeting
rooms, hotel offices, hallways, and elevators that go to
the 12-story tower.
In Depth Description of First Floor
When you enter the western or front entrance of the
hotel, you are in the lobby with its marbled floor
looking toward the rear of the building. From where
you are standing, you are given two routes for
accessing most of the hotel. The path of travel
through the lobby is shaped like the print letter "U",
40
with the front door at the bottom of the "U." The two
upper ends lead to the entryways to the
Atrium/Solarium at the rear of the building. A few feet
in front of you, in the inner portion of the "U", you will
find a carpeted seating area with chairs, tables, and a
fireplace, which faces the front door. Behind the
fireplace is the Cameo Bar. It is on a raised platform
that can be accessed by stairs or a ramp (north side of
bar).
From the west entrance, as you walk to the rear of the
lobby, along the north wall you will find the following:
Harvard Street Grill entrance, Business Center; then a
SKIDATA parking lot ticket payment vending machine;
Brandywine Room (one entrance); Women's and
Men’s Restrooms, and double doors leading into an
employees’ only area. At this point, if you continue
walking, you will leave the lobby and enter the
Atrium/Solarium, which will be described in more
detail later.
Back at the front entrance of the hotel, if you turn right
you will encounter the Bellmen's desk and will have to
make a left turn to walk parallel with the south wall of
the lobby. Along the south wall of the lobby you will
find the following: a hallway leading to two (2) glass
elevators to the tower rooms, front registration desk,
gift shop, Hilton Fitness Center exit (no signage) and a
hallway leading to the first floor of the tower (a.k.a. the
third rectangle). At this point, if you continue toward
the rear of the hotel, you will leave the lobby and enter
the Atrium/Solarium area.
41
When you enter the Atrium/Solarium, you will find
yourself in an approximately square shaped room that
is carpeted. The Atrium/Solarium has exit doors at the
east or rear side of the building, which open onto the
swimming pool area. As you enter the
Atrium/Solarium from the lobby area, the following
rooms can be found on the north or left side: Shasta
(one entrance), Tahoe (one entrance), Berryessa (one
entrance) and Eagle (one entrance). You will find a
tactile sign/digital reader board on the left side of each
of the double door entrances of these rooms.
When all the room dividers are retracted from these
four rooms they are then considered the Grand
Ballroom. On the south or right wall running from the
common wall between the lobby and the
Atrium/Solarium to the swimming pool area, the
following meeting rooms can be found: Chardonnay (2
entrances), Cabernet (2 entrances) and Zinfandel (2
entrances). There is a single tactile sign/digital reader
board for each room that is placed between the two
entrances. As you pass the Zinfandel Room and walk
through a set of glass double doors and walk toward
the exit that takes you to the swimming pool area, you
will find a partial wall to your left that separates you
from the remainder of the Atrium/Solarium. On your
right-hand side is the opening to a hallway that leads
to the east or rear elevators, and the first floor of the
tower or the third rectangle.
42
Starting again at the front entrance and turning right,
walk past the Bellman's desk and you will enter the
third rectangle (a.k.a. the first floor of the tower).
Immediately upon entering the west front elevator
hallway you will pass the following on your right hand
side: two glass elevators, a staircase, and a secondary
front entry door. On the left side, across from the
elevators, you will find a talking ATM machine.
If you make a left turn and walk eastward, you will find
the following on the left hand side of the hallway: one
unmarked locked door, front office, another unmarked
door, entrance to the Hilton Fitness Center, Women’s
and Men’s Restrooms, the second hallway from the
lobby, the Chardonnay Room (one entrance), Cabernet
Room (one entrance), Zinfandel Room (one entrance)
and the east rear elevator hallway. The Chardonnay,
Cabernet and Zinfandel Rooms have a tactile
sign/digital reader board on the left side of each of the
double door entrances. If you start down the hallway
from the front of the hotel and walk eastward, you will
find the following on the right side of the hallway:
Executive Office (which is locked), Sales and Catering,
hallway to south side exit, Sonoma (1 entrance), Napa
(1 entrance), Merlot (1 entrance), Board Room (1
entrance), stairwell, and exit to delivery dock. The
Sonoma, Napa, Merlot and Board Rooms have a tactile
sign/digital reader board on the left side of each of the
double door entrances. At this point, if you make a left
turn, you will enter the east or rear elevator hallway
that also leads to the Atrium/Solarium. This completes
the description of the first floor plan.
43
Tower
Unlike the first floor, which was described in the
preceding paragraph, the second through the 12th
floors have one corridor that is intersected at both
ends by a short dead-end corridor. This is where the
west or front and the east or rear elevators are
contained with their accompanying stairwells. On the
second through 12th floors are guest rooms and ice
machine rooms. Vending machine rooms are located
on odd floors only. Vending machine rooms (located at
the end of the main hallway near the rear elevators).
In addition, on the second and 12th floors you will find
more meeting rooms. The second floor has three
meeting rooms, the Eureka 219, Natomas 221, and
Sierra 229. There are no public restrooms on the
Second Floor.
On the 12th floor, walking from the front of the tower
to the rear, the first room on the right hand side is the
Concierge Lounge Room 1204. Immediately to the left
of Room 1204 is a unisex bathroom. Turning to your
left and then right down the corridor on the right is the
Presidential Parlor, room 1214, This is where the CCB
Hospitality suite is located.
This is the end of the description of the main hotel
building.
Other Hotel Facilities
44
By using the exterior exit doors Atrium/Solarium, or
hallway to rear/east elevators you can access the
swimming pool area, unmarked storage facility health
club building, and dog relieving area, which are east of
the main hotel building.
Swimming Pool Area:
The swimming area is a large concrete rectangular
patio with an hourglass shaped swimming pool in its
center and an in-ground Jacuzzi to the left. Warning:
There is no fencing encircling either the pool or
Jacuzzi. When you are standing with your back to
the main hotel building, the north or left side of the
patio is bordered with a fence and a wood gate leading
to a parking lot. On the south or right side of the pool
is a non-functioning pay telephone on a wall and a
flower bed. Directly in front of you on the opposite
side of the swimming pool are the entrances into the
various rooms making up the former health club
building which is now a storage facility not open to the
public. However, the men’s and women’s restrooms
that are part of this building are available to the public.
Guide Dog Relieving Area:
Exit the rear of the main hotel building, find the south
or right side of the swimming pool area, and walk
toward and beyond the building through the wood
gate. NOTE: You will need your hotel room key to reenter the pool area between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am.
Also, the gate is very heavy. After passing the
building you will find the dog relieving area to the
right. NOTE: The grassy area to the left is not to be
45
used as a relieving area. Also, there is no fence
separating the relieving area and the parking lot. There
will be a large trash can and plastic bags doggie
deposit station at the corner of this area. If you
continue down the sidewalk another 40 yards you
come to the asphalt parking area with a guide dog
relief area to the right once you step off the curb.
There is a trash can and waste bags there also.
Disclaimer:
The above narrative description of the Sacramento
Arden West Hilton Hotel is to be considered only as a
general overview and not an exhaustive in-depth
description of the facilities.
Hotel Emergency Evacuation Procedures
Fire Exits:
For your personal safety, please note where each exit
is located upon arrival. All floors/rooms are equipped
with diagrams/locations of various fire exits, which are
located at the end of each hallway. Each exit is labeled
with a raised print and Braille sign. The two stairways
are located on the East and West end of each hotel
floor. The emergency exit on the east end of the
hallways (higher room numbers) leads onto a small
balcony. The staircase entrance is to the right of the
Exit door. Both stairways exit outside the building on
the main grounds. There are two (2) fire extinguishers
located in each hallway. They are in white metal
cabinets. All cabinets are located on the north-side
46
(odd room numbers side) of the hallways. They are
mounted on the wall to the right side of the 07 and 25
room entrances on each floor. The cabinet door handle
is 40 inches above the floor on the right side of the
cabinet opening towards the left. There are two (2) fire
alarm manual pull stations, which are red in color, with
the center point of the device mounted 52 inches
above the carpeted floor; one (1) at each end of the
hallway to the right of the stairway exit door.
Our Banquet rooms are located on the main level floor.
The fire exits are located at each end and in the middle
of the hallway that runs between the small meeting
room entrances and hotel offices on the south side of
the building, as well as at the back of the main ball
room on the east side of the building and in front of
the restaurant on the west side of the building. All
exits are marked with illuminated green Exit Signs
throughout the hotel. Each exit is also labeled with a
raised print and Braille sign.
Alarm/Evacuation Procedures:
Our fire alarm makes a high-pitched sound. The
elevators will not be in working order once the alarm is
activated. If the alarm is activated, we recommend that
you stay in your guestroom or in the meeting room.
Our hotel staff will investigate right away the cause of
the fire alarm. Our hotel staff will determine if it is a
false alarm or if evacuation is necessary and will
advise hotel guests accordingly through the PA
system.
47
If evacuation is necessary, every attempt will be made
for a member of our staff to assist you in exiting the
hotel. All hotel guests with visual impairments will be
noted by the front desk, and special assistance would
immediately be deployed to their hotel room or
meeting rooms.
If you detect fire or smoke, notify the operator by
dialing “0”, or pull the nearest fire alarm manual pull
station.
If you must leave the room, feel the door to see if it is
hot. If it is not hot, open the door slightly to look and
listen to determine if you can make it to the stairways.
Stay low to the floor and take your room key. Do not
use the elevator. Proceed to the nearest stairway and
exit on the ground floor. Then proceed to the meeting
area in the front of the hotel. If unable to exit your
room because of fire or smoke: (a) Close the door and
seal it with a wet towel (b) Notify the operator by
dialing “0”. (c) Stay near the window until help arrives
but do not open the window.
We ask that our guests assemble in front of the hotel
in the parking lot facing the main entrance. There will
be members of our staff at this location to account for
all guests and to inform our guests when it is safe to
re-enter the hotel.