ICUB BULLETIN Fall 2018

ICUB BULLETIN

Fall 2018

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

Don Wirth, Co-Editor

921 – 9th St., #208

Ames, IA 50010

(515) 451-3779

E-Mail: don.wirth@gmail.com

Sandy Tigges, Co-Editor

2904 34th St.

Des Moines, IA 50310

(515) 277-1256

Email: tigges@dwx.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 515-281-1323 or in Iowa 800-362-2587, option 3. Please direct other questions about format and address changes to Co-Editor Don Wirth.

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!

Table of Contents

President’s Message …………………………………………………………4

Editor’s Greeting ……………………………………………………………...5

Taking the Long View ………………………………………………………..5

Riding into Sight: Changing the Future for the Visually Impaired ….8

A Tribute to Ed Sheppard ………………………………………………….10

Jabber Jackie ………………………………………………………………...12

Chances ……………………………………………………………………….13

Life Coach Corner …………………………………………………………...15

News You Can Use…………………………………………………………...16

Taking Advantage of Courses from the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired ……………………………………………………….17

Hawaii Comes to Dubuque for the Annual Dubuque Chapter Banquet ……………………………………………………………………………………18

Memories of My First ACB National Convention ……………………….19

Across Iowa At-Large Chapter Report ……………………………………21

Des Moines Chapter Report ……………………………………………..…21

ICUB Officers and Directors ………………………………………………..23

President’s Message

Dear ICUB members and friends,

I hope this bulletin finds you well. I am the proud grandma to a new grandson. Easton Eric was born on July 16, 2018. He is doing very well and catching up quickly weight-wise to his brother, Aydin. They have brought a lot of joy and happiness to our family and there’s nothing better than being a grandma.

The 2019 ICUB Conference and Convention will be held April 12 - 14, 2019. The convention will once again be held at the Holiday Inn located at 4800 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines. We have many great things planned. Mark your calendars and watch for more details coming soon!

Among the many things I did July’s ACB national convention, a favorite was the Amazon session. Using various accessibility features they demoed some of their products, including their smart TV, tablets, and fire TV stick. The gestures you use in a lot of cases are similar--if not the same--as the VoiceOver you use on your iPhone and iPad. Amazon also offers over 400 movies and TV shows with audio description, which they are increasing all the time. I purchased one of their TV’s and was able to set it up without assistance using The Voice view accessibility option. This feature allows me to interact completely with my TV. Hats off to Amazon!

In the coming months, we will be busy planning the convention, making organizational duties more efficient and easier to access, and discussing our goals for 2019. If you’re interested in helping or being on a committee, please let me or another Board member know. We would love to have you join us.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Carrie Chapman, President

Editor’s Greeting

Don Wirth

This issue of the Bulletin begins a new era. As mentioned in the last issue, Norma Boge has stepped down as co-editor after several years. Taking her place is Sandy Tigges. Many of you know Sandy for her years of service at the Iowa Department for the Blind as well as through ICUB. Sandy has volunteered to help edit the Bulletin. She has the editing, educational, and patience skills to pick up Norma’s duties (which as I mentioned in the last issue are the lion’s share of the duties), so I can take a lot of the credit while Norma did most of the work.

Welcome aboard, Sandy. This has been a great first issue, and I look forward to working with you on many more. Now, if you can just remember my name!

Taking the Long View

Don Wirth

Editor’s Note: This is the next in a set of articles intended to help you get to know better the members of the ICUB Board of Directors. Let us know what you think of this series.

If you’ve attended an ICUB State Convention, you know one of the things you can count on is the Hospitality Suite on Friday and Saturday nights. And that Arlo and Elsie Monthei will be behind the counter passing out beverages and helping fill your plate. They have been doing that “forever,” but that “forever” may pale when compared to the 42 years that Arlo worked as an occupational therapist at the Younkers Rehabilitation Center in Des Moines. Clearly, once Arlo finds a task he is good at, he sticks with it. That includes serving on the ICUB Board of Directors.

The third of eight children, Arlo grew up in Jefferson and Altoona, Iowa. His father was an electrical engineer and his mother a school teacher. He and his 2 brothers were born with x-linked chromosome deficiency that prevents seeing the color red, a genetic condition male children inherit from their mothers.

After high school, Arlo attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. During the summers he worked at Camp Sunnyside, where he got interested in vocational rehabilitation. After 2 and a half years at Cornell, he spent six months attending the Orientation Center at the Iowa Department for the Blind. He married Elsie and they moved to St. Louis, MO, where he attended Washington University. He completed his B.S. in occupational therapy and then moved back to Altoona to work at the Younkers Rehabilitation Center in Des Moines.

Arlo joined ICUB when he moved to Des Moines from Altoona. His father had also lived in Altoona so they had been able to car pool together to work. When his father retired, Arlo and his family moved to Des Moines to take advantage of the bus system to commute to work. Two of Arlo’s and Elsie’s daughters were born with cataracts. The daughters wanted to be involved in a consumer organization of the blind and joined ICUB. Arlo and Elsie decided to join also.

Arlo’s current stint on the ICUB Board is not his first. In a previous term, he served as President. He has also served as Treasurer of the Friends in Art at the national level in the American Council of the Blind (ACB). Arlo believes participating in ICUB and being on the Board provides service to all blind people.

Arlo and Elsie have hosted numerous international students in their home over the years. Those students included a visually impaired Russian teen who was referred to them by the Iowa Department for the Blind. That student has since returned home and is working in service to blind individuals in Russia.

Arlo and Elsie have travelled internationally to places such as Hong Kong, Rome, Venice and Germany. They always travel with their white canes. They see it as a way to promote the interaction with and education of sighted people, especially when the sighted person starts the conversation with, “What are you doing with that fishing pole?”

Arlo exhibits living a well-rounded life. He works with others to show that loss of vision can be accommodated to get things done. And he also explains that it’s all right to ask for assistance at times.

He has demonstrated through his work with ICUB, his professional career, and his travels that blindness may be an inconvenience at times, but it doesn’t need to be a prohibitive factor in living a productive life. He often worked with blind people in his job, and he was able to bring a presence that gave hope to them not only through his skill at his work but also by his example of living fully as a blind man.

So at the next Convention, stop by the hospitality suite, and be sure to thank Arlo for the food and drink and for his many years of service on the Board.

Ride Into Sight: Changing the Future for the Visually Impaired

Through Tractor Rides

Tyler Juranek

Hey there, ICUB members! This is Tyler Juranek from Council Bluffs. Most of you know me as the radio personality and sound person at the ICUB convention. I could write an article about that as well. But I want to tell you about Ride Into Sight, a tractor ride I organized this August, to raise money for retinal research and to educate people about the capabilities of those who are visually impaired.

The day began with everyone meeting at Old Highway 6 Tractor and Equipment. There were thirty tractors—30% International, 20% Oliver, 20% John Deere, 20% Ford, and 10% Allis Chalmers. After paying the $25 registration fee, participants enjoyed coffee and sweet rolls and had a chance to get to know each other. I shared with them my interest in tractors and the eye research being done at University of Iowa Clinics. After they learned the route and said the Pledge of Allegiance led by our friend, Mel Hursey, we were on our way.

We took a short break at the Kmart in Council Bluffs for refreshments and socializing. I had the pleasure of being interviewed and filmed by KETV, one of the local news stations. After the interview, I had fun hollering out, “Load’em up!” and we were on our way again.

We stopped for a lunch of burgers and baked beans at the Dew Drop Inn in McClelland. While we ate, I shared with the crowd the latest and greatest being done in eye research at the University of Iowa. I observed that everyone seemed to be having a good time and asked the group if I should make this an annual event. My answer came when the room roared with approval. So my plan now is to hold this event on the first Saturday of each August. Plan to join us on a future tractor ride then.

Before returning to Old Highway 6 Tractor and Equipment, we stopped briefly at Mount Hope Church for some cookies. By 3:45 P.M., the riders were loading up their tractors and heading for home. The event was a success—we raised $3,994 towards retinal research at the University of Iowa Clinics!

One of the great things that made the ride even more special to me was having so many great people from ICUB present that day. Dean Herdst, from Shelby, drove the party bus so that our ICUB members could ride along. Jessica, a niece of one of the ladies helping with the ride, audio described the cornfields and other attractions along the way. When I asked Dean at the end of the day what we owed him for his time and expenses, he almost knocked me over with his reply.

“Tyler, I am not sending anybody a bill. I had more fun and laughed more driving around your visually impaired group than I ever have hauling around a bunch of drunks. So count me in for next year and I am donating it to you again!”

What a great compliment for ICUB!

Thank you to all who took some time to come to the ride or who participated as virtual riders by sending a donation. It was truly a fantastic event. See you all next year! Until then, ride on!

A Tribute to Ed Sheppard

Sandy Tigges

As you know from reading his obituary in the Summer ICUB Bulletin, long-time ICUB member Ed Sheppard passed away this June. An obituary can convey the facts of a person’s life, but it often cannot encapsulate who that person really was. As his friend and former colleague, I would like you to know a little more about the amazing person Ed really was.

When I began working as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at the Iowa Department for the Blind in 1988, I was fortunate to have Ed assigned to me as my supervisor. A firm believer in the Department’s positive philosophy of blindness, he taught me how to apply that approach as I began to perform my job duties. He mentored me with both thoughtfulness and humor as I dealt with new and sometimes difficult situations. Gradually, we became friends. He helped us pick cars for our two kids when they turned sixteen and suggested what neighborhoods to focus on when we moved to Des Moines in 1996. After we moved, Ed and my husband Dan were biking buddies for years, riding on area bike trails and checking out nearby coffee shops.

It is telling how well-liked and respected Ed was that, when he died, many former colleagues and clients sent numerous positive condolences to his wife Muriel and their family. Here are just a few of them:

“I just wanted to send you a letter to express my condolences at the recent passing of Ed Sheppard. I went through the Iowa Department for the Blind's Adult Orientation Center back in 1991 and was lucky enough to get to talk to Ed on numerous occasions. His sense of humor and supportive demeanor were always appreciated. Making those adjustments to blindness was difficult, and it was always nice to have people like Ed in my corner. I'm sorry for your loss–Ed was a great man....”

“...I have many fond memories of Ed and me biking around on weekends. It has been many years since I rode with him, but it was fun to get some good old rest and relaxation and get away from the hassles and stress of work for a while. Ed was my supervisor while we spent time biking around Polk County. Our work relationship never interfered with our love of biking. Ed was a great guy, and I have an undying respect for him and his commitment to helping others.”

“Ed will be missed in this world. I was lucky to know him through his work at the Dept. For the Blind. He was such a vital part of the mission to break down barriers and provide opportunity for blind people. I knew him to be dedicated and committed to improving life.”

“...1979 seems so long ago now. Even with the passage of all those years, I have never forgotten what an important mentor he was. I am forever grateful for his wise counsel, his encouragement and his confidence in me and my work skills. Every person should be as fortunate to have Ed Sheppard in his corner.”

“...he was my first counselor who directed me in the right direction in order to ensure independence in my life...I always appreciated his sense of humor and sharp mind...with much gratitude for his role in my life.”

And finally:

“The following are some of the characteristics we think about him when we saw or said his name (each first letter spells out his name): Enlightened, Determined, Scholarly, Humorous, Especial, Political, Pleasant, Articulate, Respectful, Dignified. “

Jabber Jackie

Jackie Armstrong

Hello fellow ICUB members. I hope everyone had a great summer. I was disappointed to miss the Des Moines Chapter’s October Picnic. It sounded like it was a great time. I want to share two things with you: one about fundraising and the other about outreach.

This November we will again be starting up our second fundraising campaign with Schwan’s. It is so easy to participate! If you are not a Schwan’s Shopper, maybe you know someone who is or you will become one yourself. ICUB can earn easy money and you can get tasty food by simply calling in an order to 1-855-870-7208, submitting our name “Iowa Council of the United Blind” and our new campaign number “42833”, and placing your order. Our new campaign will start on Thursday, November 15. We earn 20% of all sales until December 30, and we get 40% from the purchase of a $25.00 online gift card! I will gladly mail you flyers that you can distribute to your friends, family or neighbors. Just give me a call at 641-590-6755 or email me at jackiearmstrong103@gmail.com.

I also want to share with you my experience speaking on behalf of ICUB to the local Christian Women’s Club in Forest City.

On Monday, October 1st, I was privileged to share the ICUB mission with a variety of people. Two women who attended have connections with young blind grade-school-age children, one who is receiving Braille instruction in the school system and one who is not. It sparked a great discussion, and I encouraged the woman to pass our ICUB flyer and information on to the parents of the child who is not being taught Braille. One guest who attended has recently lost her sight to macular degeneration and has begun receiving services from the Department for the Blind. It was nice to meet her and I hope to become a source of support and encouragement for her.

Many of the people who attended this event picked up our ICUB brochure, which tells me that they probably know someone experiencing vision loss. I encourage anyone who is interested in being an ICUB speaker to let your local organizations (Church, Lion’s Club, Rotary Club, etc.) know that ICUB is available to offer support in a multitude of ways. I would gladly assist or join you in doing a presentation. Please don’t hesitate to call me. Also, Carrie Chapman and I have flyers for distribution if you need them.

Editor’s Note: A long-time member of ICUB, Linda Slayton, passed away unexpectedly on October 31. Linda was a talented writer with an outgoing, sparkling personality who made everyone immediately comfortable. Those of us fortunate enough to know her will miss her greatly. Copies of Cobblestones, her recently published book of poetry, can be purchased from Amazon for $12.00.

Chances

Wish on stars and dandelions

Toss the coins and make a dream

The world is changing by the moment

And not as sure as it may seem

Do the things that always scared you

Try your best to catch the wind

Lift your vision to the moment

Make your destiny a friend

Time disappears upon a whisper

Once it’s gone it won’t be back

Find a stage to perform on

Live until the final act

Have no regrets left to haunt you

Go all in no matter how

Live each day in fast forward

But stop and smell the roses now

It’s too easy to be cautious

To let our purpose wane and die

Soar beyond your wildest pleasures

The view is best when seen on high

There is no time like the present

Looking back we too soon learn

That all we are lies before us

We wait too long and miss our turn

So go beyond what you imagine

Step upon the new-found path

Hold tomorrow as a treasure

And learn to love the aftermath

There’s nothing better than believing

Always strive to take the chance

Life’s a tango for the taking

Take a step and live the dance

~ Linda Slayton, September 1, 2018

Life Coach Corner

Teresa Gregg

In the previous issues of the ICUB Bulletin, we helped you transform yourself by showing you how to re-evaluate your legacy, values, and temperament. This fall, we will help you strengthen your self-esteem by responding to the following exercise. Self-esteem is an emotional evaluation of your self-worth. Complete the following statements and ponder your answers:

· Sometimes I wish I could…

· The thing I fear most is…

· I gain strength from…

· I was really happy when…

· I struggle when…

· Today is going to be…

· My loved ones are proud of me because…

For more information about coaching, contact Teresa Gregg, Certified Life Coach, at 402.980.9980 or tmgchjld@gmail.com .

News You Can Use

Norma Boge

Herbal Essences is debuting an innovative and inclusive new bottle design to assist customers who are blind or visually impaired. The design was developed with the assistance of Sam Latif, the Special Consultant for Inclusive Design at Procter & Gamble, who lost her sight at age 16. The markings on each bottle are found towards the bottom and use universally identifiable shapes. The stripes represent shampoo and the dots conditioner.

Twitter has added an audio-only broadcasting feature to its iOS app. This addition allows users to create audio-only broadcasts directly from within Twitter or the Periscope App.

The Internet Archive has recently expanded its program for those with low vision and disabilities. Individuals worldwide can qualify now to access 1.8 million digitized books for free. In addition, anyone can contribute books for persons with disabilities. This expansion is due in part to the United States recently adopting the Marrakesh Treaty. For more information, go to: https://blog.archive.org/2018/10/16/low-vision-disability-1-8-million-digital-books-free-now-worldwide/

NOBLE is a State of North Carolina download site offering free access to locally produced and recorded Braille materials. Dialogue Magazine from Blindskills, which covers a variety of topics relevant to people with vision loss, can be obtained free from here. No application is needed, but audio material is playable on NLS-authorized equipment only. For more information, go to: http://bit.ly/2RVGyVj

Taking Advantage of Courses from

the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Frank Strong

Founded in 1920 as the Hadley School, the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired originally only offered Braille literacy correspondence courses to blind people and their families. Continuously growing and evolving, it now offers correspondence courses worldwide in such areas as Computer Technology, Gardening, Adjustment to Blindness, Music, and Birdsong Recognition, in addition to Braille literacy. Course materials are available in Braille, audio, and large print formats.

Hadley also offers training in technology and other subject areas by telephone and computer podcasts. I am presently taking a course in computer technology called "Developing Your Technology Toolkit." This course is providing me with a solid foundation on how a blind person can identify the best technology and strategies to access mainstream technology. I submit my lessons via email so I receive feedback from my instructor in just a day or two.

I encourage you to consider taking courses from Hadley. There is much to learn and learning can be fun. Best of all, the courses are free of charge--you cannot beat the price! In addition, keeping your mind active by taking educational courses is likely to help prevent the onset of such health issues as depression and senility. Hadley is certainly meeting its mission of “creating personalized learning opportunities that empower people to thrive--at home, at work and in their communities." For more information, contact Hadley by calling 800-526-9909 or visiting their website at www.Hadley.edu . Editor’s Note: Teresa Gregg would like you to know that you can also participate in some new Hadley discussion groups by phone that cover such topics as gardening, Braille, Spanish, food and technology.

ALOHA! Hawaii Comes to The Annual Dubuque Banquet

Linda Gonzalez

ALOHA! The Dubuque members of ICUB put on Hawaiian shirts, flower leis, and grass skirts to host our Hawaiian-themed October annual banquet. Grass skirts lined the head, door-prize, and beverage tables. Guest tables were decked out with blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and purple tablecloths. Hawaiian Island music, provided by Lou Oswald, filled the air. As guests entered Westminster Presbyterian Church Hall, they were welcomed with a big, “ALOHA!” as colorful flower leis were hung around their necks.

While waiting for the banquet to start, guests could buy 50-50 raffle tickets, look over the auction items, or just sit and let the Hawaiian music waft over them like an ocean breeze. The banquet began with a greeting from President Violet Haverland and the awarding of a few of the twenty door prizes that included such items as perfume, cookies, framed artwork, and even a wooden witch centerpiece. After they introduced themselves, guests dined on chicken, ham, coleslaw, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, and ice cream.

Violet began the program by giving the Membership Award to Paul Hoffman and the Distinguished Service Award to Betty Dellabella for the dedication and service they gave to the Dubuque Association over the past year. The President's Award was given to Duane & Betty Wagner, owners of the Sandy Bottom's Up Campground, for the fundraisers they had done for the Dubuque Association over the last two years. The banquet address was delivered by Dr. Ian Han, a distinguished Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa. After speaking about his research involving translational models of gene and stem cell therapy for inherited retinal conditions, he took several questions from the audience.

The banquet concluded with an auction conducted by Rose Stratton. She egged guests on to bidding higher as they competed over gift baskets, overnight stays in local hotels, gift cards, and other items. Even the leftover banquet food was auctioned off, and one lucky person left with $52.00 from the 50-50 raffle. Come join us next year, and you may even become the lucky winner yourself!

Memories of My First ACB National Convention

Don Wirth

I attended my first ACB National Convention this year. Below are some of my thoughts and impressions from the “big show.”

Breakout sessions with Freedom Scientific, Microsoft, American Publishing House for the Blind.

Lots of people with white canes and guide dogs. Bumping into other people’s canes. Other people bumping into my cane. Getting tangled in guide dog leashes.

Vendors in the Exhibit Hall with so much of the technology that I have heard and read about but not seen or felt. Show discounts on many of the items.

A big open room with few landmarks to aid in getting around. Many entrances and exits so it feels like you never come from the same place twice.

Wonderful, friendly sighted volunteers to assist you in navigating the spaces and avoiding other attendees.

Presentations by national leaders updating us on such things as legal battles, talking appliances like clothes washers and dryers, research studies, and scholarships.

Entering the grand meeting room and getting lost in its enormity. The roll call of states and associates. Amazing pageantry created without seeing anything.

Serving as the alternate for Iowa at the convention. Getting the opportunity to cast a vote for the Iowa delegation because Carrie became temporarily unavailable.

The sharing of experiences with the Iowa delegation and other attendees.

The sense, as Norma Boge said, of “…being in the majority for a change.”

The sense of accomplishment, invigoration and purpose at the end of the convention. It was great. I made it through without incident. I felt empowered to meet other new challenges and experiences.

Across Iowa At-Large Chapter Report

Teresa Gregg

We are still plugging along as an At-Large Chapter with high hopes and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious support! Here are the highlights of what we have been doing in the last three months.

Actually, the August meeting was cancelled due to the birth of Teresa Gregg’s first granddaughter who came 22 days early. In September, members shared highlights of the ACB national convention. Carol Flickinger had tried out a pair of bone connector headphones, Don Wirth purchased the AFB Orbit Reader 20-cell refreshable display, and Roger Eggerss said he enjoyed listening to the convention streamed live on ACB Radio. In October, Member Tyler Juranek and guest speaker Mel Hursey discussed the August Ride Into Sight fundraiser that raised almost $4,000 for eye research at University of Iowa Hospitals. Tyler was especially pleased that several Des Moines Chapter ICUB members came along to support the effort.

The Across Iowa At-Large Chapter meets by phone on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 P.M. If you would like to participate, call 712-432-5610 and enter the access code 782 when prompted.

Des Moines Chapter Report

Lori Trujillo Roush

Looking back over the last few months, the Des Moines Chapter has continued to work hard to provide opportunities, resources, and outreach to our members and those in the community.

Our recent chapter meetings have included a disc golf demonstration, introduction to Go Go Grandparent--a service that allows you access to transportation options like Uber and Lyft without use of a smart phone--and a speaker from Des Moines Area Transit Authority (DART). DART brought one of their public buses to the Department, giving members a chance to board the bus to check out the new electronic fare box.

We also held two outreach events. In July, we met with transition students in the Department’s LEAP program. Even though rain forced us indoors, students still had a chance to try out disc golf, and after eating, enjoy a friendly game of Family Feud with Cody Dolinsek playing the part of Steve Harvey. In October, members enjoyed dinner and conversation with students participating in Senior Integration, a Department program for older clients.

We held some social events for members as well. On July 29th, we participated in a wine-tasting event at Wines of Iowa in Des Moines’s historic Valley Junction. Sisters and owners Jorene and Rae Ann King chose wines specific to an individual's taste. They guided us through the different wines and educated us on the various wineries across the state. Additional information about the shop is available at www.winesofiowa.com . Or you can receive text notifications by texting the word "sipping" to 51660.

On August 5th, we held our fourth annual Charity Trivia Bowl. This year’s winning team decided to donate the proceeds to Furry Friends Refuge and the Heart Connection, an organization that provides support services and information, hospital-based programs, and summer camps and one-day special activities for children with cancer and their families.

Feeling we don’t have a voice unless we use it, we make an effort to be a part of IDB Director Emily Wharton’s monthly Director’s Forum. To encourage member involvement, the chapter has held two events called Dinner and the Director's Forum. Members meet for the forum and then afterwards gather at a nearby restaurant for food and fellowship.

Looking ahead, November 12th will be our last meeting of the year. We will be holding elections for the 2019 board at that time. Our annual Christmas party will take place on December 9 at the Lodge of Ashworth in West Des Moines. I wish everyone a blessed holiday season!

ICUB Officers and Directors

Carrie Chapman, President- Altoona, (515) 657-1461

E-mail: c.chapman657@yahoo.com

Robert Spangler, Immediate Past President- Vinton, (319) 550-1748 E-mail: Ka0wjz@q.com

Sandy Tigges, First Vice-President- Des Moines, (515) 277-1256

E-mail: tigges@dwx.com

Teresa Gregg, Second Vice-President- Neola, (402) 980-9980

E-mail: tmgchjld@gmail.com

Catherine Witte, Secretary- Waukee, (515)987-4490

E-mail: cathandjimw@gmail.com

Jeana Mowery, Treasurer- Ottumwa, (712) 310-7140

E-mail: eyeforonly1@gmail.com