THE TEXAS STAR
Vol. 20, No. 4
October 2012
Heather Abel, Editor
Expressions from the President’s Desk Kenneth Semien, Sr.
Fundraising Endeavors
Kenneth Semien, Sr.
Tales from the Treasurer
Sheila Derrick
Alamo Council
Larry Johnson
Beaumont News
Kenneth Semien, Sr.
Dallas Area Council
Becky Collier
Greater Fort Worth Area
Jean Russell
Houston Council Happenings
Bob Bartlett
South Plains Council
Cindy Finley
Braille Revival League of Texas
Larry Johnson
Computer Users
Bob Bartlett
Guide Dog Users of Texas
Cindy Finley
Advocacy and Legislation Committee
Willie Barber
Member Morale Highlights
Kenneth Semien, Sr.
ACBT Scholarship Winners
Joyce Watson
Resolutions
Bob Bartlett
2012 State Conference Review
Sabrina Ross
2012 ACBT Conference Summary
Carol White
ACBT 2012 State Conference Feedback Form
Bringing Your “A” Game to Life’s Challenges Blake Lindsay
Dress for Success = Confidence for Our Younger Consumers
Barbara Madrigal
Students with Vision and Physical Impairments Forge New
Learning Pathways with Audio/Digital Books and Reading
Technologies
Valerie Chernek with Roger Price
In Appreciation
Bernice Klepac
Toll-free number: 866-929-2228
[Note: Articles printed in The Texas Star are submitted by the
subscribers and are not necessarily reflective of the membership
as a whole. The articles express only the opinion of the author.]
-2Expressions from the Presidents' Desk Kenneth Semien, Sr.
It is an honor to serve as President of ACBT for the 20122014 term. I was truly moved by and appreciative for the positive
support I received throughout the past few months and especially
on Sunday, September 30, during elections. I gladly accept the
responsibility to serve ACBT well. A new adventure is in progress
and there is much work to be done to ensure that our organization
becomes stronger than ever before, as we seek solutions for
every challenge we face. We can do it together, one step at a
time. I encourage each of you to share your skills and abilities in
an effort to cover all of the bases needed for us to move forward
as one powerful force for blind and visually impaired Texans. As
many of you are aware, the Texas Legislature convenes on
January 8, 2013, and it is imperative that we act fast to save
much needed programs and services that are available to blind
and visually impaired Texans from the youngest to the oldest.
Stay tuned for updates on our advocacy efforts. You can join the
team effort by becoming familiar with representatives in your area,
be prepared to make visits, telephone calls, and send e-mail
messages in support of ACBT's advocacy efforts to build and
strengthen lines of communication with legislators.
Congratulations to our newly elected officers. I look forward
to working with each of you. Always remember that "Coming
together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working
together is success."
Blake Lindsay – First Vice President
Kevin Ratliff – Second Vice President
Cynthia Julun – Secretary
Sheila Derrick – Treasurer
I want to express appreciation to the Dallas/Fort Worth Team
for hosting a fabulous conference, which will be pretty tough to
follow. You succeeded with determination and perseverance.
Many thanks to Allen Cole, Becky Collier, Ginger Kraft, Ana
Russo, and last but not least, Sheila Derrick for numerous
sacrificial hours of meetings, organizing, and planning.
Congratulations Ginger Kraft for being awarded the 2012 ACBT
-3Outstanding Member of the Year Award. We really appreciate all
you have done for your chapter and ACBT.
During the Sunday morning Awards Breakfast held in
conjunction with the ACBT/DFW Conference, Carol Edwards was
presented with an ACBT Life Membership in appreciation for
serving as President from 2008-2012. Neil Finley was presented
with a plaque for outstanding volunteer service as Treasurer from
2000-2012. Congratulations Carol and Neil. We wish you a great
future and look forward to your continued involvement in ACBT.
I offer special congratulations to the 2012 ACBT Scholarship
Recipients (refer to the Scholarship Committee report). I
encourage each of you to make a special effort to begin paying
your membership dues for 2013 (refer to the Treasurer's report).
At this time, the State Conference Planning Committee is
working diligently to secure a venue and sponsors for the next
ACBT Conference scheduled for June 2013 as adopted during
the business meeting on Sunday, September 30. The location
and dates will be announced as soon as possible. You are invited
to contact me with ideas, questions, or concerns by sending email to semien@sbcglobal.net or call (409) 866-5838.
Fundraising Endeavors
Kenneth Semien, Sr.
Please allow me to begin by saying thanks to fundraising
committee members for their efforts within this past year to assist
ACBT in acquiring needed funds to meet our annual obligations.
Members of the committee were Ginger Kraft, Peggy Garrett, Neil
Finley, Belinda Skloss, Ashley Prentice, Zoe Hinds, and Ella
Turner.
Special thanks to Chris Prentice for sharing the idea and
introducing professional auctioneers to us in order to increase
participation and have an enjoyable 2011 ACBT Auction
experience. Chapters, Special Interest Affiliates, and individual
members submitted great auction items, and the auction went
well.
Neil Finley and Mike Firth worked hard to complete the setup
-4process for ACBT to begin accepting donations through PayPal
on the ACBT website. Mike added additional fundraising efforts to
the website in order for anyone visiting our site to notice the
opportunity to make contributions.
We implemented the Planned Giving Program, which allows
members and supporters to designate financial gifts and real
estate in their will in support of the future of ACBT. Chris Prentice
assisted us in this area by reviewing the program document to
ensure that the content was written in appropriate legal language.
We appreciate Victoria Bartlett for introducing us to Cards for
Causes. The Walk for Success brought in $1,121.15 through
member entry fees and sponsorships. Ginger Kraft raised the
most funds and received a torch medal with the inscription of
2012 ACBT Walk for Success Walk-a-thon and was able to select
a prize. The McQuirk family came in second place and received a
torch medal as well, along with a prize of their choice. Michael
and Peggy Garrett won third place and received the same
opportunity. Several consolation prizes were given as well.
The first time ACBT Sponsor Levels was supported well by
members, raising a total of $1,235.00. The total amount for both
of these fundraisers was $2,356.15.
Special thanks to Ginger Kraft for encouraging us to
implement the ACBT Sponsorship levels. We truly appreciate the
contributions and efforts of all members. Remember to visit and
invite those you know to visit www.acbtexas.org to continue
supporting ACBT.
Tales from the Treasurer
Sheila Derrick
I hope all of you have had a great year as a member of
ACBT. It is now time to begin renewing ACBT memberships and
bringing in those new members. Dues are as follows: local
chapters pay $7.00 per member, at-large members pay $10.00,
and members who are directly affiliated with ACBT (Library Users
of America-Texas, Braille Revival League of Texas, and Guide
Dog Users of Texas) pay $2.00 each. I would like to encourage
-5each of these special affiliate members to also participate in
ACBT as a member of a local chapter or as an at-large member.
Only chapter members, ACBT affiliate members, and at-large
members are eligible to vote at the state conference.
Current membership rolls will be sent to each chapter
treasurer in December. This should make it easier to make
changes and add new members. (Remember, new members can
be added any time during the year.) Because of the ACB deadline
of March 15 for certifying affiliate membership for the national
convention, corrected rolls must be returned by February 15,
2013. The following information is needed for each member:
name, address, phone number, Braille Forum format (large print,
cassette, Braille, or email), Texas Star format (large print, CD, or
email), fully sighted (yes or no), and email address. The Braille
Forum is available on the ACB website and The Texas Star is
available on the ACBT listserv and website. Each chapter needs
to designate officers and include meeting time and place.
According to the ACBT Bylaws, a voting member must have
been a member of ACBT at least 45 days prior to the annual
conference. Postmark date will determine date of membership.
If you have any questions, please contact me: Sheila
Derrick, ACBT Treasurer, 309 Paloverde Ln., Fort Worth, TX
76112; (817) 507-3964; sjderrick212@hotmail.com.
I also would like to ask all chapter presidents and treasurers
to send all address changes to me so I can keep the publications
mailing list updated. Thanks.
Alamo Council
Larry Johnson
This year, 2012, thanks to the very generous support from
the Mission Trail Rotary Club, the Braille Transcribers of
Texas, and the Lion and Rose Restaurant, the Alamo Council of
the Blind was able to award $3,000 in scholarship monies to four
outstanding visually impaired college students.
Melissa Padron is a senior at Texas A&M, pursuing a career
as an Occupational Therapist or Teacher of the Visually Impaired.
-6Besides being a busy college student, she participates in various
volunteer activities including the Aggie Association of Blind
Students whose main goal is to advocate for those who are
visually impaired and to make the Texas A&M campus more
“blind friendly”.
Diana Neal attends San Antonio College. Her ultimate goal is
to become a Child Life Specialist. She plans to participate in the
2013 Miss Wheelchair Texas competition. She sees this as
another way to speak out at events and be in the public eye as an
advocate.
Kristine Dixion is from Lytle, Texas, a member of Phi Beta
Kappa at Palo Alto College, and will receive her Associate Degree
of Applied Science in December. She plans to work toward a
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in
Special Education. Kristine volunteers with the summer reading
program at the Lytle Library, The Lytle Animal Shelter, and works
with the Life Skills students attending Lytle Schools.
Michael Saenz is enrolled as a full-time student at the
University of the Incarnate Word, double majoring in Broadcast
Meteorology and Operational Meteorology with minors in
Mathematics, Spanish, and Communications. After attending the
National Weather Service Conference, Michael is now a Certified
Advanced Storm Warn Trainer. He completed a summer
internship with NEWS 4 WOAI TV. Not only was the internship
extended, but it turned into a part-time job with WOAI.
Beaumont News
Kenneth Semien, Sr.
The Beaumont Area Council of the Blind has been busy
planning its annual awareness events in recognition of National
Disability Employment Awareness Month, White Cane Safety
Day, and Blind Americans Equality Day observed nationally on
October 15. On October 2, we attended the City Council Meeting
as the Mayor of Beaumont declared the month of October as
Disability Employment Awareness Month.
We have acquired a number of agencies and organizations
-7interested in supporting the Disability Education and Employment
Conference to be held in the Beaumont Civic Center on Tuesday,
October 16. We invited everyone in the community to join us on
Monday, October 15, for the White Cane Walk on Main and the
Disability Walk in Our Shoes Experience through television and
newspaper interviews, as well as radio announcements. We also
planned the White Cane Luncheon immediately following the
Walk, which allows sighted persons to become blindfolded and
agree to walk with us. Conference workshops will include topics
such as education, employment, healthcare, housing,
transportation, and technology. Information booths will be present
in the Exhibit Hall. We will issue achievement and appreciation
awards.
During November, we will have our Annual Thanksgiving
Luncheon combined with officer elections. We also have identified
a family in need of support and will provide them with our Annual
Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway.
Through our Angel of Hope Project we recently supported a
family who had a three-year-old undergo treatment for leukemia.
There is more to share. Contact us for additional information
by sending e-mail to bacbinfo@gmail.com or call (409) 866-5838.
Dallas Area Council
Becky Collier
Hello ACBT and Friends! I didn’t know how powerful my
welcome speech to the ACBT state conference was going to be
after our Saturday luncheon, but later that night, indeed Farmers
Branch did rock! We learned from the news that there was an
earthquake of 3.5 in Farmers Branch. But all is well and I don’t
think anyone even felt it. We were having such a good time that
nothing could stop our enthusiasm, and certainly, an earthquake
could not dampen our spirits.
Now back to the events for the past year for our Dallas
chapter. Naturally, the main focus of our whole year was the state
conference, but we did manage to work some other events and
accomplishments into our busy schedule.
-8In January, we celebrated Braille Awareness Day at Barnes
and Noble, where we demonstrated Braille and spoke with many
customers about ACBT and Braille. Half of our proceeds went to
Braille Revival League of Texas and the other went towards our
ACBT conference.
In February, we began our t-shirt sales to begin earning
money towards the conference. By the end of the conference, we
had sold 81 shirts. Our Dallas and Fort Worth chapters both
participated in separate Good as Gold parties where attendees
could sell their old or unwanted silver or gold jewelry items. A
portion of what each person received was given back to Dallas or
Fort Worth ACB, plus, the Good as Gold Company made a
donation towards our chapters.
Also in March, our chapter participated in the annual Tech
Olympics with Region 10 Education Service Center. We met
many teachers, parents, and students, and passed out
information about Dallas ACB and the state ACBT conference.
We made a contribution towards the purchase of the awards that
were presented to the students.
During the month of April, we had another fundraiser at
Applebee’s restaurant. Our Dining to Donate project brought in
about 70 customers. Dallas received a percentage of the total
meals purchased, which helped us raise just a little bit more
towards the conference. Later in April, Dallas and Fort Worth
chapters sponsored a bus trip to Choctaw Casino in Oklahoma.
We had a blast and raised around $500 towards the conference.
In May and June, our chapter hosted three Premiere Jewelry
parties, one at my home, one at Marci and Daniel Duty’s home,
and the third one was during our annual picnic. All three parties
helped us earn funds for the state conference.
In July, we invited the League of Women Voters and Dallas
County Election board to come and speak to our group about
being eligible to vote and the voting process. We were given the
opportunity to see one of the voting machines that will be
available in the fall for us to vote independently.
In August, we hosted our annual picnic at Spring Creek
Community Church in Garland and enjoyed wonderful barbeque
-9provided by Fred’s Bar-B-Q in Irving. During our picnic, we
awarded scholarships to our three recipients: Melissa Finefrock,
Helen Hartfield, and Diann Sharlow.
In September, representatives from Dallas Area Rapid
Transit came to speak with us regarding the new contract for our
paratransit services. We learned that we will be starting a new
contract October 1, whereby we will be traveling aboard new mini
vans and yellow cabs as opposed to the older larger vans.
Upcoming in October, we will be celebrating White Cane
Safety Day with a walk around Dallas City Hall. Afterwards, we will
have refreshments and speeches by Dallas ACBT and other
organizations and professionals in the field of blindness. Also, in
October, Mary Ann Siller will be coming to speak to us regarding
the new project at SMU’s Meadows Art Museum. SMU, in
collaboration with Visual Aid Volunteers (VAV), is working towards
accessible art in their museum. VAV has worked to provide Braille
and large print descriptions and raised representations of six of
the art works presented there. We will be further involved with this
project as several of our Dallas ACBT members are on this focus
group and initiative project. In November, we will be electing new
officers in our chapter.
As far as the state ACBT conference went, we raised
$839.00 from our raffles of the quilt and TV. We had 35 exhibits
and over 40 volunteers. After all is said and done, we had 167
conference attendees! We think that is absolutely fantastic, and
we wish to thank so many people for coming. There are too many
people for us to thank just in this article, but please know how
much you all are appreciated, and to everyone who volunteered
their time and help, we sincerely do thank you!
Greater Fort Worth Area
Jean Russell
The Fort Worth Chapter was delighted to present our 2012
scholarship to Davion Jones at a special luncheon held in her
honor. We are very proud of her and her achievements and wish
her every success in the future.
-10We participated in successful fund raising projects and
started work on our October 15th Annual White Cane walk. Never
a dull moment in Fort Worth!
Co-hosting the 2012 State Conference with the Dallas
Chapter proved to be a challenge with a very successful outcome.
The four day event included speakers, workshops, tours, and
scholarship presentations to students throughout the state. The
exhibit halls gave vendors opportunities to show the latest
technological advances, as well as various fun products. With a
Showcase of Talent, mystery entertainment, and the election of a
new state board, the ACBT Conference of 2012 is now history,
but it will be long remembered!
Houston Council Happenings
Bob Bartlett
We were very pleased that 43 of our members were in
attendance at this year’s conference. The Dallas and Fort Worth
Councils did a fine job making us all feel welcome, as well as
putting on the convention.
We have a number of projects underway, including White
Cane Day celebrations, a gold & silver party, a bake sale, and a
candy sale when it cools off enough so chocolate can be safely
shipped. Several of us are also working on personal fundraising
projects that will benefit the Houston Council.
We will have elections in November, and plans are well
underway for our holiday party, so, as previously stated, we have
lots of things going on.
South Plains Council
Cindy Finley
Hello from South Plains Council. The South Plains Council of
the Blind had a great cookout and membership drive in August.
Hamburgers, hot dogs, and all of the fixings were enjoyed by all,
while brownies and cookies topped off the menu. We had great
fun, food, and fellowship, and last, but not least, we had a new
-11member join.
The South Plains Council wishes you a blessed
Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and Happy
New Year. While you are giving to others during this holiday
season, don't forget to take care of yourself.
Braille Revival League of Texas
Larry Johnson
First of all, I would like to introduce to you the newly elected
Officers and Directors of the Braille Revival League of Texas,
chosen at the BRLT September 29, 2012, business meeting:
President, Gigi Firth of Dallas; Vice President, Bernice Klepac of
Houston; Secretary, Nadine Saffel of Houston; Treasurer,
Margarine Beaman of Austin; Directors, Olivia Chavez of El Paso,
Judy Jackson of Austin, and Lettie Jackson of Austin. My
congratulations to each and every one of them, and I am
confident that they will do an outstanding job for BRLT.
The Friday afternoon program presented by BRLT at the
ACBT Conference was very well received, and special thanks go
to Paul Edwards and Olivia Chavez for their great job describing
and demonstrating the exciting new “blue tooth” technology
available for Braille users who use smartphones. Thanks also to
Whitney Gregory-Williams who led a most provocative and
spirited discussion during our Saturday morning business meeting
regarding the proposed changes to the Braille code by the Braille
Authority of North America.
A highlight of our BRLT activities at the ACBT 2012 State
Conference was the presentation of two scholarship awards to
two outstanding visually impaired students who are users of
Braille. Sabra Ewing of Dallas received the joint $1,000
scholarship from All Blind Children of Texas and the Braille
Revival League of Texas. Sabra is entering her freshman year at
University of Texas at Austin and eventually plans to attend law
school. Melissa Finefrock also received a $1,000 scholarship
funded by generous donations from Megan Douchette and
H.E.B.’s Community Investment Program. Melissa is a visually
-12impaired senior at the University of North Texas majoring in
English with emphasis in literature. She is also completing a 12hour certificate in rehabilitation and plans to work in that area.
Finally, I want to thank all those who volunteered at our
BRLT table and helped with our fundraising effort. A huge thankyou to Olivia Chavez for donating the two major prizes for the
BRLT Saturday night drawing.
Lastly, I want to say that it’s been great being BRLT
president because I’ve had such a great team to work with.
BRAILLE IS BEAUTIFUL!
Computer Users
Bob Bartlett
The only thing wrong with this year's Computer Users
gathering was the fact that we had so few people attend.
Thanks to Cecelia Nava of DARS for talking about tablet
computers so knowledgeably. Thanks to Bobby Lakey of Freedom
Scientific for bringing us up to date on happenings with Freedom
Scientific. We also thank Joe Steinkamp with Seratek for his
presentation and the pod casts he made available to those who
attended. He also presented for Sharon Ewing of Kewing
Enterprises who had to leave before our meeting. Well done all!
We do hope for a bigger crowd next year, and if you have
suggestions that you would like to see become a part of this
gathering, please let us know.
Guide Dog Users of Texas
Cindy Finley
Hello fellow ACBT members, well, the 2012 state conference
has come and gone, but what a fabulous conference it was.
Thanks again, Dallas and Fort Worth!!!
At this year's conference, Guide Dog Users of Texas had two
great meetings. Our Saturday morning breakfast/business
meeting went quite well. The breakfast was delicious and our
business meeting was very productive. We passed amendments
-13to our constitution to update it as well as to make several
changes. This had been provided to the members in advance
according to our constitution, so discussion was minimal. We
were able to accomplish this part of our business quickly. We then
discussed our new logo that is being developed. Several
members offered comments that will be passed on to the
developer. Other items were discussed, but for the short amount
of time, we accomplished an enormous amount. Last, but not
least, we had a new member join, and several renew their dues
for 2013.
GDUTX had been asked by the DFW conference committee
to present a break out session on Saturday afternoon. Our
program committee presented a stimulating and informative
program on "What would it really be like to use a Guide
Dog?/What is your 'Etiquette Savvy' when you are around a Guide
Dog Team?" Thank you again to Gigi Firth, program committee
chairman and Donna Grahamm, committee member. While the
program was being presented, Sarah Mumee, training instructor
from Guide Dogs of Texas, gave interested attendees a chance to
have a Juno walk to help them better understand what it would be
like to work with a guide dog. Numerous questions were sprinkled
throughout the program and answers were given by GDUTX
members who are currently guide dog users.
If you are interested in becoming a guide dog user, please
give us a call. We would be happy to try and answer your
questions. Also, if you would be interested in joining Guide Dog
Users of Texas, please contact us. Although the majority of our
members are blind or visually impaired and use dog guides for
mobility, sighted persons who share the common goals and
interests of our organization also are welcome to join. To contact
GDUTX, please call Cindy Finley, president, at 806-795-0216 or
email her at cpfinley@sbcglobal.net. From all of us at GDUTX, we
wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy
Hanukah, and Happy New Year.
-14Advocacy and Legislation Committee
Willie Barber
To the Awesome Members of ACBT, we have good news
from the Advocacy and Legislation Committee. Since our last
publication of The Texas Star, we have had the opportunity to
express our concerns by submitting a detailed letter to the
Governor of Texas, Rick Perry. The letter focuses on our mission
statement and adequate funding in the areas of education,
independent living programs, employment programs, and our
children’s programs. We also ask for the Governor to support our
Texas Legislators in passing laws to ban texting while driving and
to provide transportation/paratransit in a more effective and
efficient manner.
In addition, I had the opportunity to carry the message from
the ACBT family to DARS Commissioner Debra Wanser and her
financial team during the financial budget hearings in Austin,
Texas. We also have met with Assistant Commissioner Barbara
Madrigal and her team on several occasions, discussing ways of
how we can assist her and the Division for Blind Services in
providing excellent service for those individuals who happen to be
blind or visually impaired. Again, the Advocacy and Legislation
Committee wants to “THANK” Barbara and her team for their
efforts and dedication in having a positive, collaborative
relationship with the ACBT family and helping people who are
blind or visually impaired in the state of Texas.
Finally, I was given the opportunity to testify in support of
DARS/DBS during the Senate financial budget hearings this past
September. DARS/DBS has projected to assist/serve
approximately 10,000 consumers in the Employment/Career
Focus Program, 3,500 in the Independent Living Program, and
4,300 in the Children’s Program for the year of 2013. So, as you
can see, your Advocacy and Legislation Committee has been
focused on serving the wishes of our ACBT family and working
diligently in assuring that our Governor, Rick Perry, the Texas
Legislators, and DARS/DBS are aware of the needs and desires
of those of us who are blind or visually impaired in this great state
of Texas.
-15The Advocacy and Legislation Committee would like to
“THANK” Roseanne DeMoss, the Director of Criss Cole
Rehabilitation Center, for providing an excellent update on the
new, innovative programs/curriculums at Criss Cole Rehabilitation
Center, and the message from Assistant Commissioner Barbara
Madrigal. Even though we missed having Assistant Commissioner
Barbara Madrigal at our 2012 State Convention, it’s great to know
that there are individuals willing to step up and continue informing
the ACBT family about areas that affect those of us who are blind
or visually impaired.
In conclusion to this report, they say, “save the BEST for
last”; the Advocacy and Legislation Committee would like to
“THANK” one of our own committee members, Larry Johnson, for
his efforts and dedication in making sure that we will have a 2013
Legislation Summit during the 2013 state legislation session
during the month of February. So, stay tuned for that special date,
time, and place in our next Texas Star publication. We, again,
“THANK” you, Larry. (Much LOVE from the ACBT family.)
Member Morale Highlights
Kenneth Semien, Sr.
The Member Morale Committee gladly presented the 2012
ACBT Ed and Linda Bradley First Timer Award to Jean Russell of
the Fort Worth Chapter. Jean is a hard worker and she did a great
job of organizing the First Annual ACBT Talent Showcase held
during the ACBT/DFW Conference in Dallas on Friday,
September 28. The Showcase consisted of a wide variety of
performances, including singers, dancers, poetry, humor, story
telling, and a fun filled time for the crowd that attended it. We look
forward to the 2013 ACBT Talent Showcase during our next
conference.
We also presented the 2012 Who's Who Among Blind
Texans Award to Joan Cox of San Angelo, Bernice Klepac of
Houston, and Rudy Becerra of Lewisville. The recipients of this
award received a Certificate of Membership into the Who's Who
Among Blind Texans Honor Society. You will soon be able to read
-16more about these phenomenal award recipients in the Honor
Showcase of the ACBT website located at www.acbtexas.org.
Cindy Finley graciously gave a presentation regarding the
importance of unity and cohesiveness to the ACBT Board of
Directors during the Post Conference Board Meeting held on
Sunday, September 30, on behalf of the Member Morale
Committee.
Board members were given a clear bag containing sand and
baking soda. The sand represents ACBT; the baking soda
represents the board of directors. The two things that we can mix
with the soda are vinegar and water. Vinegar can be neutralizing
and it can be used to clean with. When adding vinegar to the
soda, it will erupt, however, when water is added to soda, it
becomes like a cohesive paste. Each of us has a certain amount
of vinegar and a certain amount of water in our personalities. If
you bring more vinegar than water to the board, it can be eruptive,
but if you bring more water than vinegar to the board, it can be
more cohesive. She then related the presentation to what we do
personally to contribute in relation to water that forms a paste or
vinegar that causes disharmony and dissension among board
members. At the end of her presentation, Cindy supplied each of
us with a gift bag containing small packages of peanuts and
pretzels that were donated by Southwest Airlines.
As Chair of the Member Morale Committee for the past year,
I would like to say thanks to committee members Cindy Finley,
Cynthia Julun, Lori Naiman, Karen Eitel, and Willie Barber for
their efforts in support of ACBT members. Great job!
Scholarship Winners
Joyce Watson
ACBT was excited to present four scholarships this year at
our conference in Dallas. The awards were announced at the
Awards Breakfast Sunday morning. Listed below are the 2012
recipients and the scholarship each received.
Christopher Craft – Durward K. McDaniel Memorial Award
Melissa Finefrock – Michael and Nancy Goldsmith Award
-17Lauren Khazem – Carolyn Garrett Memorial Scholarship
Christopher Chavez – Manuel Gonzales Memorial Award
A one-year membership in ACBT is included with each
award. Again, congratulations to each of you!
Resolutions
Bob Bartlett
We had a smaller number of resolutions to deal with this
year, but we still had important things to say. Yes, the resolution is
the voice of the convention/conference. We took a position in
support of banning driver's use of cell phones while operating
their vehicles, and while enforceability may be a problem with
such a law, this would put Texas in agreement with the majority of
states, as well as bring focus to this unsafe practice.
After some lively discussion, we changed the date of our
conferences to June. The primary hope is to attract more young
people with this move.
We also had four thank you resolutions including one for
Brookhaven Community College for making their facilities
available for our Walk-a-thon, even though it got rained out. Other
thanks were sent to the sponsoring councils, the volunteers, and
hotel staff for being so helpful.
2012 State Conference Review
Sabrina Ross
Incredible, informative, fun, exciting, interesting, great,
wonderful, enlightening, grand, and insightful are all adjectives
that could be used to describe the 2012 State Conference that
was held September 27-30, in Dallas, Texas. The conference was
a joint effort by the Dallas and Fort Worth Chapters of the
American Council of the Blind of Texas. This conference brought
one hundred sixty-seven people from all over the State of Texas.
Approximately ten people came to see the exhibitors only with the
rest participating in the whole conference.
There were many things the 2012 conference was able to
-18offer to those who came. The participants could meet and talk to
people from other parts of the state in the hospitality suite, and
then people were able to gain knowledge in both the workshops
and the exhibit hall. From Friday morning until Sunday at noon,
there was only one reason for anyone to be bored; they decided
to be bored and not participate. Friday morning there were two
tours that one could go on, the Southwest Art Gallery or the Tour
of “Ester’s Place” at the American Foundation for the Blind. If not
interested in the tours, one could visit the exhibit hall and learn
more about something you may be interested in acquiring. Friday
afternoon was full of knowledge from Management of Diabetes,
Apple Update, Medicare Scams/Fraud/ID Theft, Currency Update
U. S. Mint, Adult Good Grooming/Makeup, iPhone, Living to be
100, Social Security, BRLT, Self-Defense, Low Vision Update,
and Prosthesis Update. If none of these workshops interested
you, then the exhibit hall was still open until 5:00pm.
After the knowledge-inducing day was over, it was time for
FUN. Friday evening was the “Showcase of Talent” with singers,
instrumentalists, and hula-hoop dancers. What an exciting time
for all who participated and all who watched. What a spectacular
Friday which rolled into a terrific Saturday.
Saturday started with breakfast. Some ate breakfast with
their guide dogs at the Guide Dog Users of Texas membership.
Others ate breakfast on their own with groups of friends who may
not see each other except for the state conference each year.
After breakfast, the knowledge-acquiring workshops started again
with some of the same workshops offered on Friday and also
some new ones such as “Library Users” along with the exhibit hall
and the hospitality suite. Then after a morning of acquiring new
knowledge, it was time for a lunch program. The food was
wonderful and the speaker, David Ondich, was insightful along
with amusing. After lunch, the first general session was held.
The afternoon was once again filled with many options, such
as, the hospitality suite, the First Timers Meeting, the exhibit hall,
and a room with computers set up with computer board games for
all those “gamers.” Afternoon workshops included Transition to
Independence, Intro to Guide Dogs, and, once again, Managing
-19Diabetes.
After the Saturday learning time, was the Saturday night
banquet with, once again, wonderful food and good company at
our tables. Banquet speakers were Bill Thayer and Stan
McGowen. Both men are now blind and are also Veterans.
Following our speakers, we were treated to Mystery
Entertainment by a group of ladies who tap dance. This group
was made up of women ages 50+. What an in shape group of
women who could dance and tap like it was nothing. Wow, we can
only hope to be able to tap dance when we are their ages.
Then Sunday morning came and it was a great breakfast prior to
electing new officers for the 2013 year. Once the voting was over,
it was up to the rooms to pack and check out to wait another year
for the next state conference with all the knowledge and friendship
to visit once again.
2012 ACBT Conference Summary
Carol White
The American Council of the Blind of Texas/DFW 2012 State
Conference was held September 27-30, 2012, at the DoubleTree
Hotel located at 4099 Valley View Lane in Dallas/Farmers Branch.
The conference began with the pre-conference board
meeting on Thursday, September 27. That was the only event
planned for that day, however, about 50 people arrived that
evening, seemingly, to prepare for the weekend activities.
On Friday morning, tours were planned to visit the
accessible apartment that the American Foundation for the Blind
has set up to show ways to make your living space more
convenient. They demonstrated various products from can
openers to assistive technology. Everyone, especially newly blind
participants, enjoyed the experience. Another tour to the
Southwest Art Gallery, where you could touch the exhibits, was
also enjoyed.
Also on Friday, the exhibit hall opened with 35 exhibitors
from Tupperware and Avon to Christal Vision and Humanware, as
well as book readers and software such as JAWS and Zoomtext.
-20Breakout sessions were scheduled which included topics such as
Apple Update, including the iPhone, Diabetes Management,
Medicare scams, Self Defense, the Importance of Braille, and
many others. As always, the hospitality room was also open.
Friday activities concluded with the spectacular Showcase of
Talent with Blake Lindsay as Master of Ceremonies. This was a
huge success!
A walk-a-thon had been scheduled for Saturday morning at
Brookhaven College, however the college had called to cancel the
event because of inclement weather. More breakout sessions
were scheduled for the Library Users and Computer Users as well
as a currency update and a repeat of some of the Friday
sessions.
The general session commenced with the luncheon meeting
at noon. Our speaker was David Ondich, who was introduced by
David Jeppson of DARS/Ft. Worth. Afternoon activities included a
First Timer’s meeting, an Intro to Guide Dogs, and the Candidates
Forum, since there was an election on Sunday morning.
Saturday night banquet speakers were two blind veterans,
Bill Thayer and Stan McGowen. Mr. Thayer had been a computer
student at the Dallas Lighthouse several years ago.
The entertainment for the evening was a group of tap
dancers ranging in age from 24 to 86. They were a lively group.
At the Sunday morning breakfast, scholarships were
awarded to the following: Christian Chavez from San Antonio
won the Manuel Gonzales scholarship for $1,000; Chris Craft from
Austin won the DK McDaniel scholarship for $1,500; Melissa
Finefrock from Plano won the Goldsmith scholarship for $1,000;
and Lauren Khazem from Grand Prairie won the Carolyn Garrett
scholarship for $1,000. Sabra Ewing of Dallas received the joint
$1,000 scholarship from All Blind Children of Texas and the
Braille League of Texas. Melissa Finefrock also received a $1,000
scholarship funded by generous donations from Megan Douchette
and H.E.B.’s Community Investment Program.
Kenneth Semen presented Jean Russell of Fort Worth, the
lady who organized the Friday night Talent Show, with the First
Timers award. The Who’s Who Among Blind Texans award was
-21given to Joan Cox of San Angelo, Bernice Klepac of Houston, and
Rudy Pecerra who serves on the Texas Governor’s Committee on
People with Disabilities. Neil Finley was presented with a plaque
for Outstanding Volunteer Service from 2000 to 2012.
We also had the ACBT sponsorships for the first time this
year with a total of $1,235 from individuals. Funds were given to
support refreshments. Ginger Kraft was the top fundraiser with
$405 for the Walk-a-thon. The Alamo chapter presented the Life
Membership Award to Pegi Gonzales.
Cindy Finley stated that the Texas School for the Blind and
Visually Impaired has undergone major construction in the past
few years. In 2009, the Board voted to provide an exterior tactile
map for the school. She then presented Superintendent William
(Bill) Daugherty with a $6,000 check. He thanked ACB of Texas
and stated that he would be sending ACBT a notification for the
Open House which will take place Thursday, April 4, 2013. He
said that on the bottom of the plaque will be recognition of ACB of
Texas for this donation.
Carol Edwards then introduced Susan Merritt of AT&T who
stated that she enjoys all the opportunities to partner with ACBT
and she looks forward to being able to deliver the sponsorship
check as soon as she receives it.
Cindy then stated that individual chapters and affiliates
banded together and we wanted to present Carol Edwards with a
Life Membership from ACBT. Neil read the document which was
signed by Noelia Dillingham, First Vice President. The
Outstanding Member of the Year is Ginger Kraft.
Since Barbara Madrigal was unable to attend this year, she
sent Rosanne DeMoss, Director of Criss Cole Rehabilitation
Center to give the DARS report. More information is available at
dars.state.tx.us.
Carol presented a gift to Allen Cole and Ginger Kraft of Fort
Worth and Becky Collier and Ana Russo of Dallas in appreciation
for all the hard work they have done this past year as coordinators
of this conference. She also recognized the Board members and
committee chairmen including Willie Barber, Advocacy and
Legislation; Cindy Finley, Nominating committee; Samuel
-22Muwanguzi, PR committee; Bob Bartlett, Resolutions committee;
and Joyce Watson, Scholarship committee. She thanked Chris
Prentice for serving as Parliamentarian and also giving legal
advice. Carol started a mentoring program for scholarship
winners. She also recognized Heather Abel who has served as
the editor of the Texas Star since 2008, and Mike Firth who had
volunteered to be webmaster when Paul Veilleux passed away.
Carol also recognized Dorothy Johnson and all the volunteers.
Neil Finley as Chair of the Credentials committee read the
convention rules. He then took the roll to determine who was in
attendance in order to be eligible to vote.
The minutes were read and approved. Neil then gave the
Treasurer’s report. Total expenses $27,926.35. Total assets
$65,548.50. The report was filed for audit.
Bob Bartlett, Resolutions chair, read the resolutions. He
stated that there are four “thank you” resolutions including
Brookhaven college, even though we were not able to have the
walk-a-thon due to weather, the Dallas and Fort Worth
coordinators, the hotel staff, and the volunteers. He asked for a
motion to suspend the rules and bundle the four thank you
resolutions as one. It was moved and seconded. Motion carried.
He also asked for a motion to suspend the reading of those
resolutions. It was moved and seconded. Motion approved.
Resolution 2012-01 (submitted by Larry Johnson)would ban
use of handheld cell phones while operating a motor vehicle. It
passed. Resolution 2012-02 (submitted by the ACBT Board of
Directors) would change the ACBT Conference date to June.
There were three comments for and three against. A vote was
taken and resolution passed.
To prepare for the election, Carol announced that Bob
Bartlett will be the Parliamentarian. There were 86 certified
members in attendance.
The Nominating committee set forth a slate of officers as
follows: Kenneth Semien, President; Blake Lindsay, First Vice
President; Kevin Ratliff, Second Vice President; Cynthia Julun,
Secretary; and Sheila Derrick, Treasurer. Ginger Kraft nominated
Chris Prentice for President. A vote was taken for President and
-23Kenneth Semien was elected. The other four nominees were
elected by acclamation.
The post conference Board meeting took place at 12:30 pm.
ACB of Texas 2012 State Conference Feedback Form
If you attended the ACBT 2012 State Conference in Dallas,
we would very much appreciate having your feedback on the
programs, workshops, and other activities that you participated in.
Please take a moment and answer the questions below,
thoughtfully and honestly. Thank you.
On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 meaning poor and 5 meaning
excellent),
How would you rate your overall enjoyment of the conference?
_____
How would you rate the Saturday luncheon speakers? _____
How would you rate the Saturday evening banquet speaker?
_____
How would you rate the Sunday morning breakfast speaker?
_____
How would you rate the accommodations at the hotel? _____
How would you rate the variety and interest of the exhibitors?
_____
How would you rate the Friday evening talent show? _____
How would you rate the handling of the registration? _____
How would you rate the food served by the hotel? _____
-24Please list which workshops you attended and whether you found
them to be: a. very beneficial, b. moderately beneficial, or c. of
little benefit.
1. ____________________ a. __ b. __ c. __
2. ____________________ a. __ b. __ c. __
3. ____________________ a. __ b. __ c. __
4. ____________________ a. __ b. __ c. __
5. ____________________ a. __ b. __ c. __
6. ____________________ a. __ b. __ c. __
The thing that I most liked about the conference was
_____________________________
The thing that I least liked about the conference was
_____________________________
Additional comments:
______________________________
Send the completed feedback form via email to:
sjderrick212@hotmail.com or by snail mail to: ACBT/DFW 2012
Conference, P.O. Box 24655, Fort Worth, TX 76124.
Bringing Your “A” Game to Life’s Challenges Blake Lindsay
Convincing employers to take a good look at how much
people who are blind or visually impaired can accomplish is still
an obstacle, but so much less so with the aid of our remarkable
technology today. Each time I get a new job, I encounter the same
apprehension sighted people have concerning working with
someone sightless. Unfortunately, many sighted people do not
give the blind adequate opportunities in the workplace, due
primarily to the rational reason that most people haven’t ever had
a circumstance to gain knowledge on today’s helpful technology,
and how much we are able to additionally achieve with it.
Once I am given the chance to prove to an employer my
-25abilities, along with the required modifications when necessary,
their apprehension completely vanishes. The people who have
given me opportunities have earned my respect and admiration
because they have added value to my life. This teamwork also
encourages my colleagues when they observe successful
accomplishment and productivity. I am confident that I attach
value to any company and serve its customers well. It is fulfilling
to know that through my positive attitude and best efforts in the
workplace, God has enabled many others to see the light through
my loss of sight.
I was able to help a little bit in blazing the trail for Stephen
Kerr, a friend who is totally blind, into commercial radio. He works
at Entercom’s radio KKMJ-MAGIC-95.5 in Austin, Texas. In the
summer of 1983, I was nearly nineteen years old, working with K98, and received positive press on a televised news segment,
which reduced thousands of people’s apprehension by helping
them to understand that radio was an excellent and feasible
career for blind communicators.
Stephen has a great attitude and works very hard. I am
proud of his longevity in an unpredictable business. He works for
caring people who have helped him excel in the broadcasting
business. One outstanding person who helped Stephen
tremendously is a gentleman by the name of Darrell Heckendorf,
an engineer determined to take on the challenge of modernizing a
blind-friendly radio control room for my buddy.
A few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting with Stephen
and Darrell to sample Darrell’s creation for myself. His solution to
our challenge was simplistic and completely obliging to me as
well. Darrell had laid a full-sized piece of Plexiglas over the
computer touch screen and cut finger-sized holes precisely where
the functionality is located. A blind person can easily familiarize
themselves with the screen by memorizing the exact count to the
correct hole in the Plexiglas to execute the specific task
required. Yeah!! No more Braille labels that easily fall off! For
further convenience, this template folds up and out of the way for
those who don’t call for this modification. It is a cheap and simple
solution to assist those visually challenged in radio broadcasting.
-26It even eliminates the need for an assistant, which I had to employ
throughout my 22-year radio career. I look forward to using this
adaptation some day in my own radio setup.
I often sit and think about the people like Darrel who make
such great contributions for the advancement of others. What
would life be like without those caring people who focus their
inventions on helping others who face unique physical
challenges? I thank God for these extraordinary people, and an
extra special blessing I wish upon Darrell Heckendorf.
Dress for Success = Confidence for Our Younger Consumers
Barbara J. Madrigal
Assistant Commissioner, DBS
One of the special programs that the Division for Blind
Services has offered to consumers is Dress for Success activities.
Coordinating these programs with community partners and local
business is an effective way to work with our adult consumers on
job readiness skills. So, while this concept is not new to DBS,
some of the innovative approaches used by our team in the San
Antonio office are really having a profound effect on our service
delivery. I’m quite proud of what the staff is doing and impressed
with the way they have introduced this concept to young
consumers in that area of Texas.
This recent Dress for Success program for children in the
Division for Blind Services’ Blind Children’s and Transition
programs was held on August 1, in San Antonio. Coordinated by
Blind Children’s Coordinator Mayra Lopez, this one-day program
was fast paced and full of confidence-inspiring activities for a
group of 15 energetic young consumers. “This was the third year
for the program,” explained Mayra, “and the ages ranged from
age seven all the way to age 12.” The makeup of the group was
nine boys and six girls. The younger nine participants were
consumers in the BCP, while the other six were involved with our
Transition program. What a great way to involve consumers in two
separate programs around some common areas of interest.
-27When asked why she offers this type of program, Mayra said,
“The first time we did this, we kept seeing children who were
lacking skills. Their involvement in this program helped them with
overall confidence. Something as simple as learning personal
grooming skills helped them with other core areas. They not only
looked at themselves differently, but they made an effort to
present themselves more positively every time they would leave
the house—even for church or for other social activities.” In other
words, the kids became more aware of how others viewed them
and they established higher standards for themselves.
So, Mayra and team of expert co-workers began the day by
giving specific tips for dressing on a budget. VR Teacher Myra
Garza was on hand to teach grooming skills and to help the
children make the connections between good grooming,
appropriate dress, and how those things contribute to a positive
appearance and, thus, to one’s confidence. Other coaches or
subject matter experts teamed up with the kids to offer direct
feedback and suggestions. A bus trip to the local mall delivered
the group to J. C. Penney’s, where that retailer participated by
providing free haircuts to the consumers. Each child had a
shopping budget of $125, which was to include everything from
accessories to shoes (and the main attire) that would dress them
for an interview in a job for which they were interested.
Even the lunch break in the middle of the day—a short 45
minute intermission—helped prepare the consumers, as they had
to make their own sandwiches, and they got to network with the
adult coaches at their tables. After the lunch break, the
consumers got to hear from several “success ambassadors,” who
were participants from the original program three years ago. They
challenged the group to “don’t be afraid; just do it” when referring
to the confidence walk that was coming later in the afternoon.
What was the “confidence walk”? It was literally a walk on stage in
the form of a fashion show held at a local hotel.
To prepare for this walk, it took up to two hours of practice
for some of the children—along with a rule that canes were
required because of safety concerns—to get ready to strut their
stuff (i.e., show off their new attire and image in front of friends
-28and family members). Mayra explained that the funniest thing that
happened all day involved a child from the Fredericksburg area
who was a self-proclaimed cowboy. He was wearing a pair of
quite nice orange and brown boots and informed Mayra earlier in
the day that, “You can do anything you want, but these boots are
not coming off!” So, it made selecting clothes a little more of a
challenge, but he did it and was able to model his boots during
the confidence walk.
Mayra also reported that the seven-year-old consumer—the
youngest in the group—had been quite apprehensive about some
of the activities, especially the confidence walk. It turned out that
his family was running late and missed the fashion show. This
child insisted that he be allowed to do an encore performance to
be sure his family was able to see his big debut. He got his wish
and was once again able to demonstrate his newly found
confidence on the walkway! Audience members seemed to
experience a wide range of emotions—from beaming with joy to
tears of pride and astonishment—as these consumers did what
many thought was not possible.
Organizers for the conference reported that it is a
tremendous amount of work to plan all the logistics with the staff,
volunteers, consumers, family members, former participants or
mentors, and the transportation needs. But it provides a
concentrated opportunity for these young consumers to learn
things—and try new things—that would otherwise take many
months or even years to experience. The transformation that
begins during this special day provides the groundwork for a
lifetime of memories, usable skills, practical tips, and just plain
confidence that is a measure of the program’s success. Over the
years, the size of the group has doubled, the age range of the
consumers has expanded, and the pace of the day’s agenda has
accelerated. So, what’s in store for next year? Mayra reports that
the next one will probably be about a year and half away and she
hopes to build on the tremendous success of these first programs.
This program is one of many “dress for success”
opportunities that DARS/DBS offers its consumers around the
state. Whether done through the Blind Children’s Program, the
-29Transition Program, or Vocational Rehabilitation, activities such
as these help consumers establish a solid foundation that inspires
confidence and opens up so many other doors and opportunities
down the road.
Students with Vision and Physical Impairments Forge New
Learning Pathways with Audio/Digital Books and Reading
Technologies
Valerie Chernek with Roger Price
Roger Price, a Texas teacher in Keller ISD, Fort Worth,
recalls many years of observing his students who are blind and
visually impaired struggle to keep up with their reading
assignments. In the past, these students were routinely burdened
with heavy volumes of printed textbooks. Images and photos were
low quality, text was black and white, and students would straddle
their desks to read the large print – requiring extra space to
accommodate their learning needs; indications of being labeled
‘different’. Mr. Price says, “Advancements in reading technologies
and the availability of accessible educational materials in digital
and audio formats have given his students more freedom to forge
new learning experiences.”
“The Keller ISD has made technology and digital accessible
books a priority for students with qualifying print disabilities,” said
Jill Ross, Special Education Coordinator for the district. “Today,
many of our students are comfortable using MacBooks, iPads, PC
laptops and desktop computers to download and read digital text.
Some use smartphones and devices such as the Braille Note
Apex, PlexTalk audio, and Bookport Plus.” Mr. Price wants his
students to read in Braille first and then use digital text so they
can hear information read aloud through text-to-speech. “This
reinforces tactile learning and also enables students to improve
their reading comprehension, spelling and grammar,” he said.
Mr. Price shares the following stories about his students
using digital books from Bookshare and reading technologies.
Bookshare is an online accessible book library, free for U.S.
students with print disabilities who qualify through federal awards
-30from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special
Education Programs.
“J” came to Keller ISD five years ago. He spoke no English
and was on the verge of retinal detachment failure. Eventually “J”
would lose his sight. Through the efforts of Mr. Price and teachers
at the Texas School for the Blind, “J” became an avid reader of
digital books. He learned how to use many electronic devices and
is now very tech savvy. “J” is at the top of his class in academics,
speaks English, and is learning French. In general education
classes, he signs on to the Bookshare website and downloads
literature in English and Spanish to his iPad, MacBook or
computer. “J” is an inspiration to all of us!” said Price.
“A” is an incessant reader and a graduate of Keller ISD. In
the fall, she will attend the University of Texas, San Antonio. “A”
uses a top-of-the-line Braille Note Apex. It’s a small and
lightweight electronic device that she carries on her shoulder. She
finds the digital books she wants to read on this device at
Bookshare. In high school, she took advanced literature classes
and kept up the reading pace through the use of digital books and
technologies. “Many students with vision difficulties get stumped
when teachers give impromptu assignments, but not “A,” said
Price. “She is comfortable using the refreshable Braille device and
downloading digital books, just as a sighted student is in opening
a hardback book or a technology device.”
“S,” a 10th grader, has severe cerebral palsy and low vision.
His motorized wheelchair gets him to and from his classes. “He
only types with one finger, but can quickly whip out his MacBook
and navigate through digital text,” said Price. “Accessible formats
enable him to more easily change font size, set color contrasts,
and modulate speech. They are an equalizer for him!”
This year, Mr. Price and Ms. Ross watched “E,” an 8th
grader with Stargardts Disease or juvenile macular degeneration,
a condition that causes extremely low vision, receive six
distinguished learning awards in school. She took all advanced
placement classes and reads a lot of digital books on her Plextalk,
iPad, and Kindle Fire. “Without Bookshare and the portable
technology devices, this student would not have kept pace with
-31her peers in school,” said Price. “It’s such a contrast now from the
days of learning with closed circuit TVs. My students are techsavvy. They use the latest technologies and digital books and are
the students who carry flash drives, download MP3 formats, use
Braille, and text-to-speech. These advancements help them fit
into a social norm and, for the first time, the stigma of being
labeled ‘different’ is finally fading.”
For more information on Bookshare visit:
www.bookshare.org
In Appreciation
Bernice Klepac
Hello ACBT members, I am very appreciative and humbly
accept the Who's Who Among Blind Texans award that was
presented to me during the conference in Dallas. I have been glad
to serve my chapter and special interest affiliates, including BRLT,
GDUTX, and LUA for years and hope to continue serving in any
way I can.
Please know that I am truly honored to be a member of
ACBT.
Projects and activities are financed by annual dues,
fundraisers, and tax deductible donations made to ACBT by
members, friends, and other interested persons. ACBT
appreciates the continued support of its members and friends. For
more information about ACBT, please contact any state officer,
director, or your nearest chapter, call 866-929-2228 and leave a
message, or visit www.acbtexas.org.
American Council of the Blind of Texas, Inc.
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Past President
Kenneth Semien, Sr.
Blake Lindsay
Kevin Ratliff
Cynthia Julun
Sheila Derrick
Carol Edwards
A publication of the American Council of the Blind of
Texas, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind
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