ICUB BULLETIN
Fall 2017
Published by the
IOWA COUNCIL OF THE UNITED BLIND
Web Site: www.icublind.org
An Affiliate of the American Council of the Blind
Carrie Chapman, President
200 Parkview Dr.
Waukee, IA 50263
(515) 657-1461
E-Mail: c.chapman657@yahoo.com
Norma A. Boge, Co-Editor
2324 Riverwoods Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50320-2808
(515) 288-1938
E-Mail: naboge@mchsi.com
Don Wirth, Co-Editor
921 – 9th St., #208
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 451-3779
E-Mail: don.wirth@gmail.com
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: The ICUB Bulletin is available in large print, via email, and on an NLS-compliant digital audio cartridge. To subscribe to the cartridge edition, please contact the Iowa Department for the Blind Library at 515-281-1368 or in Iowa 800-362-2587, ext. 1-1368. Please direct other questions about format and address changes to Co-Editor Norma A. Boge.
SELECTING ICUB AS A BENEFICIARY
If you or a friend would like to remember the Iowa Council of the United Blind in your will, you may do so by using the following language: “I grant, devise, or bequeath unto the Iowa Council of the United Blind, a non-profit charitable organization, the sum of ______ dollars, ____ percent of my net estate, or the following stocks and bonds (please list them) to be used for its worthy purposes on behalf of blind persons.” If your wishes are more complex, you may have your attorney call (515) 279-4284, or write Iowa Council of the United Blind, 4013 30TH Street, Des Moines, IA 50310.
DONATING YOUR VEHICLE TO BENEFIT ICUB
Do you need to dispose of a used vehicle? ICUB's Used Vehicle Donation Program offers a perfect solution. Your vehicle will be picked up from your home and sold at auction. A portion of the proceeds go directly to ICUB. You claim a tax deduction equal to the dollar value of the vehicle. Call 800-899-4925 for more information.
SHOPPING TO BENEFIT ICUB!
Are you an online shopper? You can help ICUB secure some additional funds when you shop at smile.amazon.com. There, enter your e-mail address and password. You will be prompted to shop for the charity Amazon is promoting that day or to select your own. In the dialog box for selecting your own, type our name, Iowa Council of the United Blind. We will be the charity of choice each time you shop at
smile.amazon.com. ICUB will receive 0.5% of the value of purchases. If you do not yet have an account at Amazon, go to their website, establish an account, and then go to smile.amazon.com to make your purchases. Happy shopping!
Contents
President’s Message. 4
Animal Puzzles and Fidget Spinners. 5
Trivia Bowl Provides Fun, Frustration. 7
Between the Lines. 9
The Good Old Days. 11
ACB Midwest Leadership Conference. 12
Obituaries. 13
Calling All Diabetics. 15
An Introduction to Reflexology. 16
Across Iowa at Large Chapter 17
Des Moines Chapter Report 18
Membership Committee Update. 20
Trivia Bowl 2017 answers. 21
ICUB Officers and Directors. 22
President’s Message
By Carrie Chapman
Hi Everyone!
Are you ready for the cold weather? This is the time of year that I wonder why I’m not somewhere warm. It’s also that time of year that I enjoy having family get-togethers and meeting with friends for the holidays. It’s the one time of year that everyone seems to make an honest effort to spend time together.
In July you sent me to the ACB national convention in Sparks, Nevada. It was a jammed packed week with lots of great information. Some of the highlights for me included updates on driverless cars. New and upcoming assistive technology. An update from Karen Keninger of the National Library Service. Many breakout sessions and a huge exhibit hall. I also always enjoy networking with members from all over. Thank you once again for allowing me to represent ICUB and attend this convention.
Speaking of convention, it’s not too early to start planning to attend next year’s ICUB convention. Dates are April 13-15, 2018, and we’ll again be at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Des Moines Northwest.
Our website has a new look and we now have a toll free number. That number is 1-866-436-0141. We are getting things in order and will do our best to keep everything as up to date as possible. Please feel free to let Robert Spangler know of upcoming events for your chapter that you would like to share or items of interest. In addition, we are now on Newsline. This will allow us to keep you up to date on things going on. Chapters will also be able to utilize this as well. We are really excited about all of this so check out our website and our channel on Newsline! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook as well.
The app I want to tell you about this time is called
Seeing A. I. This app is produced by Microsoft. The app is free and allows you to scan barcodes of any kind and get descriptions of products. It can read short and long text. Give descriptions of people and also scenery. I use this app all the time and would highly recommend it.
Have a wonderful holiday season and stay warm!
By Sandy Tigges
On July 31, the Des Moines Chapter of ICUB hosted a party for nine transition students at the Iowa Department for the Blind. Several transition staff were also in attendance. The goals were to inform students about ICUB and to help them understand the importance of teamwork, especially in relation to consumer organizations of the blind.
The planning committee decided the best way to achieve this goal was to divide the students into teams assigned with the task of assembling twelve-piece puzzles while wearing their sleepshades. Each puzzle had the picture of a different animal—a dog, a cat, a bird, and a fish. To shake things up a little, each team had one puzzle piece that belonged to another team, forcing them to negotiate with each other to get their piece back. The first team to get their puzzle put together correctly would win a prize—a shiny new fidget spinner.
After all of the puzzles were assembled, the students discussed their use of teamwork, how they got their puzzle piece back, and how their activity related to the importance of joining a consumer organization like ICUB. Two teams were slower getting their puzzles together because they relied on just one member to do the work. Another team lost because they gave away without negotiating the extra puzzle piece they had. The team they gave it to won the prize, both because they quickly had all of their pieces and because they held longer onto the piece they had that another team needed. They talked about the behaviors that helped the winning team finish first and why the other teams had more problems. They then discussed how consumer organizations like ICUB use teamwork and negotiation skills to achieve their goals.
The students also experienced some unexpected benefits from this activity. One student had never assembled a puzzle before and learned how to do it with the prompting of some staff. Learning to write Braille with a slate and stylus, the students were astonished at how quickly Jo Slayton could write down their names and email addresses. They discovered that, with practice, they could learn to write that quickly themselves.
After the activity and discussion were over, everyone enjoyed eating pizza and cookies. They also took the time to get to know each other a little better. By the end of the evening, both the students and ICUB members agreed it had been a good event and were looking forward to another one next summer.
By Catherine Witte
Hey, trivia fans! Des Moines Chapter members, families and friends met Saturday, November 4, to tax our brains yet again with several series of impossible-to-remember-the answer-to questions. One highlight of the event is that a couple of our members who have been somewhat homebound recently were able to be with us. Both Arlo and Elsie Monthei attended, along with their granddaughter, Izzy, aka, Isadora. And John and Brenda Criswell joined us as well.
Our turnout was a little lower—nothing like a couple of major football contests for Iowa and ISU to keep devout Hawkeyes and Cyclones at home. But we did raise $270.00 to be distributed to charities selected by the winning team, The Blueberries. Team members included the Montheis, April Reames, J. R. Swank, Steve Hagemoser, and Becky Dunkerson. Two other teams formed and competed: The WD50s and Dave (…it’s a long story related to the question asked 2 years in a row what the meaning of “WD” in the product WD 40 was and the average age of team members…), and The 7-Ups.
Okay. So here are a few of the most memorable questions. Remember the rules. No Googling. Put your smartphone or your new $1,000 iPhone 10 in the other room. No reaching out to friends and family, no matter how brilliant they are. And, go!
1. What is the meaning of the phrase, “Caveat emptor”?
2. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop? (Someone from Purdue University actually did a study on this to arrive at the answer…!)
3. How many ounces are there in a gallon?
4. Which state is the “Last Frontier State?”
5. Name the three sons in the TV series, “Eight is enough.”
6. Who competed in the “Mother’s Day Massacre” tennis match?
7. In A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh books, which characters are not based on stuffed animals from his son’s collection?
8. In the novel, “Pride and Prejudice” who is Elizabeth Bennet’s chief antagonist?
9. What footwear was invented in 1815?
10. What do the initials IBM stand for?
11. Recite a portion of the lyrics to the theme song for TV’s “The Brady Bunch.”
12. Name the five living former Presidents of the United States in order of age, oldest to youngest.
13. George Springer of the Houston Astros hit five home runs during the 2017 World Series. Name two other players who accomplished the same feat.
14. What animal is Pearl, a friend of SpongeBob Square Pants, in the animated TV series?
15. Create as many words, 3 letters or longer, as you can out of the word “pumpkin.” Twenty-three is reported to be the maximum number possible.
There were several audio music and movie clip clues which we cannot replicate here. You might want to watch “On the Waterfront,” featuring Marlon Brando, or “La La Land,” starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone to get the feel of the clues. Or you might want to listen to Bobby Darin’s recording of “Mack the Knife,” The Four Tops, “Reach Out,” “Keep on believin’” by Journey, or “Little Red Corvette” by Prince. In a nod to the senior team, one clue was a hit recording by Lawrence Welk and his orchestra, “Baby Elephant Walk.” Our excuse for not realizing it was Mr. Welk’s work is that it lacked that champagne music touch!
Enjoy!
By Don Worth
Tracks used for track and field events are smooth, comfortable and easy to walk on. After all they are made to allow runners to negotiate them in the fastest, most efficient and healthy way.
For blind folks they would seem a good place to get some good exercise without the issue of uneven sidewalks and curbs. Not to mention cars, bikes and other vehicles.
However, tracks do have some limitations for blind folks. Tracks have lanes. To limit the potential of running into each other, track users should stay in their lanes. That’s easier said than done if you can’t see the lanes.
Tracks also have rounded corners. When that blind guy is out walking in a good straight line, he’s likely to head right off the track – not so good.
Kyle Rector is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Iowa. She is working on a project to help blind folks navigate tracks so we can enjoy the benefits. Kyle has been working with blind participants to test some of the solutions she is developing. I had the opportunity to be one of her study participants.
I met Kyle at the Ames High School track on a Wednesday in October. We had the track to ourselves for about an hour and a half before the football team arrived for practice in the center of the track. After gathering some background information for the study’s database, Kyle set me up with a cell phone around my abdomen. The cell phone’s camera was fixed directly in front of me. I was also given a set of head phones to receive directions from the phone. We would then set up in a lane. Upon the instruction to start, I would walk straight ahead (as best I could). If I veered too far to the left or right and crossed the line at the side of the lane, I would receive directions to move back left or right so I was again in the center of the lane. We tested four different methods of feedback.
After the first set of tests, we tested each feedback method while walking around the curves of the track. On both the straightaways and the curves, Kyle would walk along side in case someone ventured in front or something was on the track.
I found most of the feedback methods helpful and easily learned. I also enjoyed walking on the track. There were fewer things to listen and watch out for than when walking in my neighborhood. I was able to walk faster and more comfortably.
Kyle got interested in designing software solutions for blind folks during her graduate studies at the University of Washington. She is continuing to gather data for this project. She also hopes to work on other projects. If you would be interested in finding out more about Kyle and possibly participating in any of her studies, check out her web site kyle-rector.com.
A computer was something on TV from a science fiction show of note A window was something you hated to clean and ram was the cousin of a goat.
Meg was the name of someone's girlfriend and gig was a job for the nights Now they all mean different things and that really megabytes. An application was for employment a program was a TV show A cursor used profanity and a keyboard was a piano. Memory was something that you lost with age a CD was a bank account And if you had a 3 inch floppy you hoped nobody found out. Compress was something you did to the garbage not something you did to a file And if you unzipped anything in public you'd be in jail for a while. Log on was adding wood to the fire hard drive was a long trip on the road A mouse pad was where a mouse lived and a backup happened to your commode. Cut you did with a pocket knife paste you did with glue A web was a spider's home and a virus was the flu. I guess I'll stick to my pad and paper and the memory in my head I hear nobody's been killed in a computer crash but when it happens they’ll wish they were dead. Author Unknown
The ACB Midwest Leadership Conference was held in Omaha on August 4-5. Teresa Gregg, Carrie Chapman and Lori Trujillo were on the planning committee for this conference. On average this committee plans for a conference about every three years, and previous events were held in Saint Louis in 2011 and 2014. Thirty people attended this conference in Omaha. Some of the topics discussed were navigating and balancing life/work/ACB, ACB fundraising, leading your friends in ACB, using a guide dog and how to network using social media. Teresa Gregg was a presenter on two of these panel presentations. As a new ACB member attending her first National event, Ms. Gregg was surprised to see the passion, dedication and desire to implement new strategies to help grow ACB in the Midwest. The interactive discussions and leadership styles being presented were energizing and fun. She can’t wait to help plan the next Leadership Conference!
This conference was also streamed live on ACB Radio with the help of Larry Turnbull and Tyler Juranek. It was a great time of mixing old with new ideas, strategizing, fellowship and sharing. The main theme which kept popping up was learning how to obtain a harmonious balance by aligning your values with your work, life and ACB activities. Creating personal boundaries and learning to communicate them to your family, co-workers and ACB colleagues resonated with many attendees. The conference concluded with a banquet while each member shared what he/she learned as a leader.
Beulah Mae Bartlett died on October 21, 2017, at the age of 93 in hospice care after falling in her home.
Born Beulah Mae Reader on September 6, 1924 in Warren, Illinois, to Nellie F. (Meyer) Reader and Harry Hudson Reader, she graduated with a B.S. degree in teaching and business from the University of Dubuque and began her career teaching business subjects in Scranton, Iowa high school, where she met and married her husband of 66 years, Donald L. Bartlett. She was predeceased by her husband, Don, in 2013, and by her younger daughter, Jilane Mildred (Bartlett) Pratt in 2011. Beulah’s older daughter, Judy, lives with her husband in Marietta, Georgia. Beulah is also survived by her brother, Fred Reader, of Merrill, Wisconsin, and by her many nieces and nephews.
Beulah and Don raised their two daughters in Des Moines where Beulah taught at the Iowa Commission for the Blind. After retiring, they moved to a home on Lake Ponderosa in Montezuma. Later they moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they continued to enjoy retirement and made many dear and fast friends of fellow mall walkers and bridge players. Beulah lived her last 6 months at the Winnwood Retirement Community in Marietta, Georgia, winning regularly at Bingo, playing bridge, reading, baking bread and entertaining the other residents with her piano playing of songs from the 1940s and other popular music. Beulah was loved and will be missed by her family and new friends.
Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the charity of your choice. As per her wishes, no service is planned.
Dolores J. Caldbeck, 86, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. She was born on May 3, 1931 in South Dakota to Homer and Ann Evans.
Dolores graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, (formerly the Iowa State Teachers College). She was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church and the Des Moines Chapter of the Iowa Council of the United Blind (ICUB). She loved being a mother and was very devoted to her children. In her younger years, Dolores enjoyed square dancing.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Kenneth (Suzanne), Garry (Debra) and Deborah Caldbeck; grandsons, Brenton (Natalia) and Ryan (Alyssa) Caldbeck; great-granddaughter, Olivia Caldbeck; brothers, Larry (Shirley), Richard (Norma) and Gregory Evans; sister, Camilla (Richard) Coy; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Thomas Butler Caldbeck; her parents; daughters, Anna and Joan Caldbeck; and her brothers, Kenneth and Raymond Evans.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 7 p.m. Thursday, September 28, 2017 at Hamilton's Southtown Funeral Home. The family will greet friends beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, September 29th with the Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 11 a.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church. Dolores will be laid to rest at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the family in loving memory of Dolores.
Hi All,
This is Dee Clayton, president of ACB Diabetics in Action.
I am sure there are some diabetics in ICUB. How many of you knew there is an affiliate of ACB for diabetics? We work on helping diabetics, discovering new equipment and trying to get manufacturers of equipment to make sure their devices talk so blind diabetics can use them.
On the third Sunday of each month we have a board meeting. In January we are having a general board meeting.
We have an ACBDA list that you can join by sending an email to acb-diabetics-join@acblists.org.
It is that time of year for paying dues which are $10 per year. We are having a campaign to have each member bring in a new member. If you would like to join our affiliate you may send a check or money order made payable to ACBDA.
Send to ACBDA, Donna Seliger,
915 Ashworth Rd., Apt. 208, West Des Moines, IA 50265-3669. If you would like more information you may email me or call me at deeclayton1@gmail.com or 515-848-5007.
I hope to see some of your names on the membership list when I receive it from Donna next year.
Have a great holiday!
By Teresa Gregg
I have always been interested in alternative, non-invasive health practices. Dealing with chronic pain most of my life has been very fatiguing. I have found great relief and balance with reflexology. Last year I took a five-level course in reflexology and am in the process of being certified as a reflexologist. I am the first totally blind person to take this state board exam in the United States.
Reflexology is an ancient manual technique based upon the concept that the entire body is reflected as a system of reflexes on the feet, hands and ears. By alternating pressure on these reflexes with thumbs/fingers, one is able to bring about relaxation, balance, assist in detoxification and stress reduction. For example, the neck reflex is at the base of the big toe, back reflex is the inside curve of the foot, shoulder reflex is below your little toe and the stomach is on the bottom of the left foot about a third of the way down in the middle.
Reflexology was first used successfully to relieve PMS symptoms. It has been scientifically documented to help with traumatic brain injuries. Many persons find that reflexology can eliminate their plantar fasciitis after three months of sessions. Regular reflexology treatments can lower blood pressure and blood sugar, improve circulation and aid in pain reduction. For me personally it has helped eliminate migraines and sciatic pain while sleeping. It has also helped me sleep more deeply and wake up with more energy.
A reflexology session usually lasts about 35-45 minutes and can cost from $40-$60. Many massage therapists take a 3-6 hour class in reflexology as a modality they can offer within their massage session. This does not make them a Reflexologist. To find a certified reflexologist in your area go to www.arcb.org.
By Teresa Gregg
The ICUB Across Iowa At Large Chapter has become a networking opportunity to share and learn about various resources. In August, Steve Matzura from New York was a guest speaker and spoke about the history of ACB Radio. September brought a round table discussion of talking prescription options and how to track your weekly meds. Barb Farley, Lions Club District Zone Chair in Southwest Iowa, was the speaker for the month of October and shared the special projects of the Iowa State Lions. In November, Teresa Gregg will share various accessible religious resources. Here are some interesting facts from our At Large meetings:
· ACB Radio was founded 18 years ago
· 1927 Helen Keller bestowed the Lion’s Clubs as “Knights of the Blind”
· Since 2000, the Neola Lion’s Club has performed eye testing for 500,000 children; the most common problem is a lazy eye
· Contact your drug prescription plan to inquire what is offered for providing you accessible prescriptions which may include large print, braille or recorded label; reasonable accessible services are required by law
· Call En-Vision America (ScripTalk) at: 800-890-1180 to inquire which pharmacies, including mail order, offer this talking prescription device
Please join our call every first Thursday of the month at 7PM. Call in number: 712-432-5610 access code 782.
By Lori Trujillo Roush
We are nearing the end of 2017, and what an exciting and busy year it has been! Over the last 11 months we have seen our chapter grow and new faces get involved. We have continued our advocacy efforts, provided numerous events for our membership, fundraised, and developed new relationships with others in our local community.
To provide a quick recap, in September we had a ScripTalk demonstration. ScripTalk is an audible prescription reader that gives access to information on medication labels such as drug name, dosage, instructions, warnings and contraindications, pharmacy information, doctor name, prescription number and date.
Later that month we held a dinner and game night for the seniors attending orientation that week. Jo Ann
Slayton brought in a number of accessible games, and she spoke briefly about how each one works.
In October we had an AIRA smart-glass demonstration. AIRA uses a combination of an app, a pair of smart glasses that streams live video, and a remote AT&T guide to assist the blind and partially sighted with everyday tasks such as shopping, reading mail or labels, sorting laundry, finding the nearest bus stops and restaurants or travel.
Later that month, Peacetree Brewing Company held a fundraiser for the chapter. This event was organized by members Cody and Bettina Dolinsek. We had a great turnout, discovered hidden talents within the chapter and made a number of new friends.
We started November off with our annual trivia bowl. Our numbers were lower this year; however, we believe this is partially due to the timing and the number of other events taking place around this date. We collected $370.00, $100.0 of that was donated by Felix and Oscars, our venue.
At our next chapter meeting, we will be celebrating our year with pizza. Our Speaker will be Alexander Hauerslev Jensen, Community Director at Be My Eyes. Be My Eyes is a free alternative to the smart-glass services we demonstrated in October.
I would like to thank Norma Boge, Sandy Tigges, Carrie Chapman and Marilyn Natale for their dedication and service. These members will be leaving the board as we move into 2018.
I would also like to thank the chapter for allowing me to serve this last year. I am looking forward to what 2018 will bring!
May all of you experience joy and happiness this holiday season!
The membership committee is channeling new and creative opportunities for recruiting members. We are in the process of creating an ICUB marketing tool kit for each chapter President. The goal of this tool kit is to disseminate ICUB info that is consistent and up to date. First on this agenda is developing a new ICUB flier for chapters to distribute throughout their part of the state. A new ICUB brochure is being developed by the Des Moines Chapter. Our first project we are focusing on is creating a “Nominate a TVI” award. Students will write a letter explaining why their teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) should be given an award of $500. The chosen TVI and student will then be invited to our state convention. If you have suggestions of how to raise these funds, please contact Teresa Gregg at 402-980-9980 or at tmgchjld@gmail.com.
1. Buyer beware!”
2. 252
3. 128
4. Alaska
5. David, Nicholas, and Tommy
6. Margaret Court and Bobby Riggs
7. Owl and Rabbit
8. Mr. Darcy
9. Roller skates
10. International Business Machines
11. The first two stanzas are:
“Here's the story of a lovely lady Who was bringing up three very lovely girls. All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, The youngest one in curls.
Here's the story, of a man named Brady, Who was busy with three boys of his own, they were four men, living all together, Yet they were all alone.”
12. Oldest to youngest living Presidents: George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama
13. Reggie Jackson (1977) and Chase Utley (2009) each hit 5 home runs in the World Series. Note: In Jackson’s and Utley’s cases, the Series lasted only 6 games, not 7, as in Springer’s case.
14. Whale
15. Words, 3 letters or more, from the word, “pumpkin”: pumpkin, pink, imp, ink, kin, kip, mink, mun, nim, nip, pimp, pin, pip, piu, pump, pun, punk, pup, ump, pinup, uni, Kim (proper name), Kip (proper name).
Carrie Chapman, Interim President
Altoona
(515) 657-1461
Robert Spangler, Immediate Past President
Vinton
(319) 550-1748
Sandy Tigges, First Vice-President
Des Moines
(515) 277-1256
Mike Hoenig, Second Vice President
Davenport
(563) 344-8787
Catherine Witte, Secretary
200 Parkview Dr.
Waukee, IA 50263
(515) 987-4491- home
Email: cathandjimw@gmail.com
Jeana Mowery, Treasurer
68306 180th St.
Nevada, IA 50201
(712) 310-7140
Email: eyeforonly1@gmail.com
Jackie Armstrong- Forest City, (641) 582-3346
Carol Flickinger - Rockwell City, (712) 887-1109
Tyler Juranek - Council Bluffs, (402)
Linda Manders - Dubuque, (563) 590-3887
Arlo Monthei - Des Moines, (515) 277-0442
Donna Seliger - West Des Moines, (515) 284-0505
Rose Stratton - Maquoketa, (563) 652-2546
Don Wirth - Ames, (515) 451-3779
Copyright 2017 Iowa Council of the United Blind, Inc.