THE MINNESOTA MEMO Fall 2022
A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF:
THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MINNESOTA
PO box 23543
Richfield, MN 55423
The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the position of the American Council of the Blind of Minnesota. They are the views of the article’s author.
Prod uct and service information is provided as a resource only and not as an endorsement of a particular product or service.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Catalina Martinez, Editor
E-mail: catalina229@gmail.com
Barb Appleby,
E-mail: barbaraaappleby@gmail.com
Marian Haslerud,
E-mail: marian.haslerud642@gmail.com
Michael Lauf: Web Administrator
E-mail: info@myeffectivesolutions.com
Phone numbers of note:
SSB main number (651)539-2300
ACBM (612) 223-5543 Leave Message
Apple support for people with disabilities
(877) 204-3930
Microsoft support for people with disabilities
(800) 936-5900
Comcast Support for Persons with Disabilities
(855) 270-0379
You can press the letter H to move from article to article.
Table of Content
President’s Message By Janet Dickelman
Convention Highlights From One of Your Delegates By Patti Slaby
The Dog and the Turtle By Dr. Gary Richter
ACBM Quarterly Meeting By Janet Dickelman
2022 Blind Health Expo
ACBM 2023 State Convention By Janet Dickelman
Carl’s walk By Carl Nimis
Accessibility Support Phone Lines You Should Know By Dorrie Rush, Chief Content Officer and Visual Accessibility Expert
Note from En-Vision America
Recipe Corner
Italian Stew
Baked Custard
Beer Bread
Craft corner
Build Your Skill Dish Cloth – Knit
Build Your Skill Dish Cloth – Crochet
Calendar of Events By Marian Haslerud
Officers and Board of directors
Standing Committees
President’s Message
What do you want from ACBM?
By Janet Dickelman
We currently have 74 members in our affiliate! My question to each of you is
what are you looking for from ACBM? Is it socializing, is it advocacy, do you want to help educate people about blindness? Would you like to be a resource for people losing their sight? Are you interested in helping grow our affiliate? How can we meet your needs?
We have several committees, consider volunteering for one of them. Do you have a great idea for a fund-raiser? Did you meet someone who you think might be interested in becoming a member? Is there an issue you’d like to see ACBM advocate for? Everyone’s input counts, don’t be shy, reach out!
Please flood my inbox or phone with ideas! We are a member-based organization, you matter!
Janet Dickelman
janet.dickelman@gmail.com
(651) 428-5059
Convention Highlights from One of Your Delegates
By Patti Slabby
I want to begin by thanking you for choosing me to represent ACBM as a delegate. I will try to highlight some aspects of the entire conference/convention.
I attended some of the zoom sessions held the weekend prior to the hybrid segment in Omaha. I attended the BRL meetings, the session where 2 members described their lives, and of course The Performing Arts Showcase.
I served as your rep to the Nominating Committee and gave a speech for one member who was elected to the board. Now just as I was to give my speech, I was kicked out of the zoom room. Now that meant I had to contact the host to obtain permission” to go back in. That caused a little teasing!
I arrived in Omaha on Thursday afternoon. The hotel staff and the convention center staff were wonderful and were willing to assist however they could.
I spent some hours in the Communication Center as I always have.
On Saturday I took the tour that went to Boys’ Town. I have had that site on my bucket list for many years. The tour was extremely well planned and we were able to touch many objects. My favorite memory I took away was speaking with students who are attending school at Boys Town. They could tell the story from their perspective.
I went to the ACB Walk get together with a delicious meal which then led to the opening General Session of the Convention.
We were spread apart but still at tables. That was different but COVID considerations were set in place. The microphones were very high, but we all answered the rollcall.
Sunday morning, I attended the General Session as well. That afternoon I took part in a research project being held by the University of Nebraska. It was obtaining information about braille reading techniques. It was intense and not easy. It was a terrific experience.
I spent time at the exhibits, and I was then the presenter for ACB Families. The program was titled Games and Activities for Young and Old. We had people in the room enjoying all the games and/or toy some and activities. Some others had materials as well. The zoom group shared what activities they enjoy as families. As I am speaking about Families, I attended their breakfast with a speaker talking about ways to preserve our memories as photos, videos, and on tape. I also attended the Bingo party which was entertaining and fun. I did not win a prize but did donate homemade cookies as some of the prizes.
Monday, I attended General Session and exhibits.
I returned home on Tuesday.
I did attend additional sessions on Wednesday and was on zoom all day Thursday during the resolution debates.
I was back on zoom the following week and the delegate voting for the resolutions and constitution changes went extremely efficiently. All people were ready to unmute, give their votes as we were asked to do, and quietly muted.
I attended some of the special interest affiliate sessions and business meetings.
The dog and The Turtle
By Dr. Gary Richter
You’ve read plenty of stories about dogs rescuing humans but have you ever heard of a dog rescuing a turtle?
It might sound like something out of a children’s book, but in certain areas of Illinois, teams of veterinarians and dogs are hard at work rescuing endangered box turtles every day.
This project began back in 2007… when an English teacher named John Rucker found his dog at the front door with a turtle in their mouth.
(Don’t worry — the turtle was alive and well. It just made him realize his dog has a knack for tracking turtles!)
This led him to form a “student turtle club” at his school, where he, his dogs, and his students would go look for turtles.
It wasn’t long before researchers caught wind of this.
See, the box turtle population in Illinois is at risk due to predators, traffic, and evolving bacterial diseases and Rucker had found the perfect way to track down these turtles.
Now, Rucker works with researchers and teams of dogs to track down at-risk turtles through their scent… and deliver them to research teams who test them for diseases. Then, after they’re given the “all clear” from the team, the turtles are safely returned to their natural habitat.
By finding and rescuing the turtles, these heroic pups are helping preserve an entire species. In fact, since the project began, researchers have rescued and tracked over 4,000 turtles. And NONE of this would be possible without the help of these incredible pups.
(I guess you could call them “doggie scientists”!)
If you ask me, it really is amazing what our tail-wagging friends are capable of. And what’s even more amazing is, ANY dog can be trained to find things — including yours.
That’s why dogs are perfect for this kind of job. They have natural rescue instincts. Not only is their sense of smell impeccable, the part of their doggie brains that analyzes odors is 40 times bigger than the same part in a human brain
which means they can smell up to 10,000 times better than humans.2
They’re hardwired to track things down.
Just look at the dogs that rescue people during natural disasters… or help find missing Alzheimer’s patients. In fact, there are several different types of Search and Rescue dogs who are trained to save people in different situations:
• Air scent dogs, who track scents in the wind to find where the smell is coming from
• Trailing dogs, who track scents on the earth or the plants around them
• Disaster dogs, who track down missing or injured people after floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters
• Avalanche dogs, who rescue people buried under the snow
• Water dogs, who can pick up scents in the water to rescue people from drowning
All I can say is: Wow.
It really is remarkable how many people are alive thanks to the intelligence of a dog… and how many dogs dedicate their entire lives to saving humans.
Needless to say, these professional rescue dogs require lots of specialized training, but fortunately, our dog friends in Illinois already had what it takes to save the turtles and help preserve their species: A good, strong sniffer.
ACBM October Quarterly Meeting
By Janet Dickelman
Hello ACBM members and guests,
Our quarterly meeting will be held on Saturday, October 22 at Joseph’s
Grill 140 S Wabasha in Saint Paul.
Our social hour will begin at 11:00 and last until noon
lunch will be served at noon, followed by our speaker and business meeting.
. The meeting will adjourn by 2:30 PM.
lunch choices:
1 .MINNESOTA CHICKEN
Chicken Breast Stuffed with a Wild Rice, Swiss Cheese Stuffing and Chablis Cream Sauce. Served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Vegetables of the Day.
2. COBB SALAD
Bacon, Diced Turkey Breast, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Avocado Slices and Tomatoes Served Over Mixed Field Greens with a Choice of Dressing.
3. Cheeseburger and French fries
Lunch cost is $20.00.
Agenda items:
ACBM president Janet Dickelman will be out of town due to national convention commitments, ACBM Vice-president Steve Robertson will be conducting our October meeting.
Our speaker will be Riss Leitzke, Program Coordinator, Wilderness Inquiry
Learn about our fall fund-raiser from Hayward Gourmet just in time to order treats for the holidays.
Hear from ACBM committees, and reports from groups of special interest to ACBM members
additional items will be added to the agenda at the meeting.
RSVP:
E-mail Steve Robertson with your meal choices at
stevetrobertson4@gmail.com
or call him at (612) 223-5543.
We would appreciate hearing from you by Sunday, October 9th.
payment methods:
select and pay for your lunch from our website, go to
https://acbminnesota.org/meeting
contact ACBM treasurer Patty Slaby at (608) 323-3614 TO PAY BY CREDIT CARD,
PAY via PayPal at
www.acb.org/minnesota
send your payment to
Box 23543
Richfield, MN 55423
pay by check or cash at the meeting.
cancellation policy: If you make a reservation and then find you are unable to attend, please call Steve by noon on Friday, October 21.
If you cancel after that time, you will be responsible for paying for your meal.
We look forward to seeing you in October.
ACBM state convention!
By Janet Dickelman
Come one come all to the ACBM state convention, in-person. Dates are January 27th through January 29th at the Country Inn and Suites in Woodbury. We’ll kick off the convention with our virtual auction on Sunday evening January 22nd. We will also hold a virtual exhibitor open house on Thursday, January 26th at 7:00 PM where you can hear from our exhibitors whether they will be joining us in Woodbury or as virtual exhibitors.
Room rates and Country Inn and Suites are $91.00 per night.
Stay tuned for information regarding convention cost and all the convention speakers and activities.
Carl’s walk
By Carl Nimis
Carl Nimis is looking for your suggestions. Next year he plans to walk 60 miles, collecting donations which will benefit ACB and ACBM. He is looking for input on his walk route.
He does not want to have to walk on freeways since that isn’t legal.
He doesn’t want to walk in circles, otherwise he’s open to any and all suggestions. Include your favorite places, or make sure your house is on his route! Any and all suggested routes will be considered. If your route is chosen Carl will provide you with one of his delicious home baked items.
Please send your suggestions to Carl at
carlnimis@gmail.com
He would like to have his route determined by the end of 2022 so please send in your ideas before December 1, 2022, and be a part of Carl’s amazing walking journey and his fund-raising for ACBM.
Accessibility Support Phone Lines You Should Know
By Dorrie Rush, Chief Content Officer and Visual Accessibility Expert
With a welcomed emphasis on accessibility and inclusion, numerous companies now offer specialized support services for customers with vision loss. They are there to help you get the most out of their products and to ensure your devices are set right to accommodate your needs. This is an effort we appreciate and are delighted to spread the word.
1. Amazon’s Accessibility Customer Service
888-283-1678
Call to speak with an accessibility specialist who can help you buy books and other products, or get you directly to tech support for Amazon devices and services including Alexa, Kindle & Fire Tablet. Hands raised triumphantly for accessible and inclusive smartphones.
2. Audible Support: 888-283-5051.
3. Apple Accessibility Support Line 877-204-3930
For users of Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch, or Mac – this is a gift. It is a special support line reserved for customers with vision, hearing, motor, and learning impairments. Senior AppleCare specialists are available 24/7 to help you get your Accessibility Settings right, answer your questions, and resolve your technical issues. They’ll even teach you a thing or two.
4. AT&T
National Center for Citizens with Disabilities (NCCD)
866-241-6568
This is where wireless customers with vision loss get answers to questions about accessibility features and services available from AT&T.
5. Comcast Accessibility
866-668-6703
Direct line to a dedicated team, specially trained to support customers who rely on accessibility services including voice guidance and video description.
6. Google
To request a call back, from a Google Disability support specialist, complete this online form.
Call an accessibility specialist at Google through the be My Eyes app on a smartphone or tablet. Click the ‘Specialized Help’ button on the app’s home page, select Google in the Technical tab.
Google Technical Support: 855-971-9121 may (or may not) be able to help with accessibility questions, depends on the specialist you connect with.
7. HP Accessibility Support
888-259-5707
Technical support for customers with accessibility needs, pertaining to HP (Hewlett Packard) products, available from 6am to 9pm Mountain Time.
8. LinkedIn Disability Answer Desk
Call on Be My Eyes app
Contact an accessibility specialist at the LinkedIn Disability Answer Desk through the Be My Eyes app, on a smartphone or tablet; click the Specialized Help button on the apps home page, then select Technical to get to LinkedIn.
9. Microsoft Disability Answer Desk
800-936-5900 or the Be My Eyes app
The features you need to make your PC ‘vision friendly’ are built right into Windows. Unfortunately, many people don’t know that. Microsoft recognized this as a significant problem and put in place a support team specialized in accessibility. So dial them up and get your computer set up to work for you (not against you). And, to make it even easier on yourself — allow them remote access to your PC and they can make the adjustments.
10. Peloton
The Accessibility Team at Peloton will answer your questions and give you a call, if you request it by email to: accessibility@onepeloton.com.
11. T-Mobile Accessibility
833-428-1785
T-Mobile has an Accessibility Support web page. It says, “T-Mobile will provide accessible support for wireless network service and billing inquiries. Please contact our Accessibility Customer Care at 1-833-428-1785 if you have any questions or need special assistance. For additional support, please contact Customer Care.”
12. Spectrum Accessibility Support
844-762-1301
Call this support line to learn about and take advantage of Spectrum cable accessibility accommodations.
13. Spotify
Call on Be My Eyes app
Get help from your smartphone or tablet with any questions you may have about Spotify, the world’s largest music streaming service. Speak to a trained customer service specialist on BME; go to Specialized Help, Technical, then Spotify.
14. Verizon Center for Customers with Disabilities
800-974-6006
verizon.com/disabilities
Free 411 for your home phone and for your mobile phone. Get your bills in the format of your choice…large print or digital. They can help you with anything else pertaining to your home phone service.
15. Verizon Wireless National Accessibility Center
888-262-1999
It can sometimes be challenging to get information about accessibility features that make your mobile phone, or tablet, work for you. Questions about enlarging text, using voice commands effectively, or using the screen reader, often remain unanswered when posed to your store representative. That should be the case no more – now there is a customer service and technical support center dedicated to helping people maximize the accessibility features built into all of Verizon’s mobile devices. Let them help you get your device set just right for you, from 8am – 9pm EST, Monday – Friday.
16. vote.org
Call on Be My Eyes app
Get help, on a smartphone or tablet, registering to vote, checking your registration status, and requesting a mail-in ballot. On BME, go to Specialized Help on the home page, then Civic Engagement, then select vote.org.
Note from En-Vision America
There is a new executive director for the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy. Her name is Jill Phillips.
The previous executive director seemed supportive of accessible prescription labeling legislation. The legislation has not made it to committee agenda and will not in the coming year with so many other hot topic health issues on the forefront of people’s minds.
From this point forward, I would recommend those who would like to write a letter of complaint if their pharmacy refuses to provide accessible prescription labels to write directly to the board of pharmacy (instead of or in addition to DOJ or HHS.) Their complaint could ask for help resolving their particular situation as well as a request for rule changes to provide guidance for all pharmacies going forward.
If anyone chooses to do this, I would like to hear about the response that they receive!
Sharla Glass
Public Policy and Community Outreach Liaison
En-Vision America
825 4th Street W, Palmetto FL 34221
http://www.envisionamerica.com
Direct: 941-702-6602
Toll Free: 800-890-1180 ext. 152
Recipe Corner
Italian Stew
By Barb Appleby
Spend a half hour prepping the vegetables
Ingredients:
Brown 2 lbs. stew meat using flour and 2 tbls olive oil
4 tbl flour
4 tbl olive oil
1 large onion or yellow onion cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup V8 juice
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbl basil
1 tbl oregano
1 tbl time
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
8ounces fresh mushrooms
1 can artichoke harts
8 oz fresh asparagus cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup peas or pea pods
Directions:
Remove browned meat to separate bowl
Add 1 tbl oil to pan
Add garlic and onion to pan about 8 minutes and brown
Transfer onion mixture to dish
Add last tbl oil to pan and add carrots and celery, about 8 minutes to brown
Return meat and onion mix to pan
Add 1 cup wine, the beef stock and V8
Stir in tomato sauce
Add time, oregano and basil , salt and pepper and bay leaves.
Bring mixture to boil and turn down to simmer for about 1 and half hours uncovered
Stir in the mushrooms, artichoke hearts, asparagus wine, ass , potatoes and peas simmer for 1 and a half hours
Remove bay leaves
Serves 8
Baked Custard
By Barb Appleby
Ingredients:
3 slightly beaten eggs
Forth cup sugar
2 cups scalded milk
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Bake in oven for 45 minutes at 325 degrees
To bake you will be steaming tin the oven.
Place smaller bowl in a larger bowl with water in large bowl bring the water to about half up the bowl and small bowl of custard in larger bowl without letting the water go into the small bowl.
Place into oven.
Beer Bread
By Jennifer Dubbin
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
Directions:
Mix together flower, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
Stir into mixture 1 12oz can of beer.
Don’t mis too much. The batter will be stiff. Grease a loaf pan, shape the loaf and insert into pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Craft Corner
Build Your Skills Dishcloth Set crochet
Designed by Kristen Stoltzfus Clay
Dishcloth 1
Skill Level: EASY
Materials:
Cascade Yarns® Nifty Cotton; 100% cotton; 100 g (3.5oz)/ 185 yds (169.5 m);
Shown in #13 Soft Blue and #7 Soft Lilac. NOTE: One skein can make a total of 2 dishcloths.
US 6 (4.0 mm) crochet hook
Abbreviations:
ch = chain stitch
hdc = half double crochet
rep = repeat
RS = right side
sc = single crochet
sk = skip
sl St = slip stitch
sp = space
WS = wrong side
Finished Measurements: approximately 8″ wide x 8″ long
Gauge: 7 sts x 8 rows = 2″ (5 cm) Blocked in sc stitch Pattern
Dishcloth Pattern
1—Single Crochet Ch 29
Row 1 RS: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across; ch 1, turn. 28 sc
Rows 2-36: Sc in each sc across; ch 1, turn. Edging
Sc in each sc across last row, in corner work (sc, ch 2, sc), turn to work down side of rows, work 30 sc across side on ends of rows, in corner work (sc, ch 2, sc), sc in each st on opposite side of foundation ch, in corner work (sc, ch 2, sc), work 30 sc across side on ends of rows, in last corner work (sc, ch 2, sc), join with sl St in first sc. Fasten off.
Weave in ends, block to 8″ square.
Build Your Skills Dishcloth Set
by Kristen Stoltzfus Clay
Dishcloth 2—Single Crochet & Half Double Crochet
Ch 30
Row 1: RS Work hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; ch 1, turn. 29 hdc
Row 2: WS Work sc in each hdc across; ch 1, turn. 29 sc
Row 3: Work hdc in each sc across; ch 1, turn.
Rows 4-27: Rep rows 2-3 12 times, ch 1, turn to work down side of rows with RS facing.
Edging
(Sc in end of hdc row, ch 2, sk end of sc row) across side, ch 2 at corner, sc in first st on opposite side of first foundation ch, (ch 2, sk next st, sc in next st) across to next corner, ch 2 at corner, (sc in next end of hdc row, ch 2, sk next of sc row) across 2nd side, ch 2 at corner, sc in first hdc of last row, (ch 2, sk next hdc, sc in next hdc) across to last corner, ch 2, join with sl st in first sc. Fasten off.
Weave in ends, block to 8″ square.
Build Your Skills Dishcloth Set
Designed by Shannon Dunbabin
Skill Level: EASY
Materials:
Cascade Yarns® Nifty Cotton;
100% cotton; 100 g (3.5oz)/ 185 yds (169.5 m);
Shown in #13 Soft Blue and #7 Soft Lilac. NOTE: One skein can make a total of 2 dishcloths.
US 6 (4.0 mm) knitting needles
Yarn needle
Finished Measurements:
Approximately 6″ wide x 6″ long
Gauge:
24 sts x 48 rows = 2″ (5 cm) blocked in garter stitch
Abbreviations:
BO = Bind off
CO = Cast on
K = Knit
P = Purl
St(s) = Stitch(es)
Dishcloth 1— Garter Stitch
CO 36 sts
K all rows until 6″ from CO edge.
BO all sts.
Weave in ends, block to 6″ square.
Build Your Skills Dishcloth Set
by Shannon Dunbabin
Dishcloth 2 — Stockinette Stitch
CO 36 sts
K for 4 rows
Start pattern:
Row 1— K
Row 2 – K2, P to last 2 sts, end K2
Repeat Rows 1-2 until almost desired length.
K for 4 rows
Bind off all sts.
Weave in ends, block to 6″ square.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
By Marian Haslerud
The following is a list of events of interest. If you wish to add an event, please feel free to contact me. My information is as follows:
Phone number: 612-206-5883
Email: Marianhaslerud642@gmail.com
ACBM board meetings: All meetings start promptly at 6:30 PM. The dates are as follows:
September 19, 2022; October 17, 2022, and November 21, 2022.
If you wish to attend contact Steve Robertson. His phone number is: 612-819-5222. His email is: Stevetrobertson4@gmail.com
ACBM coffee will be held on the second Saturday of each month, at Day-by-Day Café, located at 477 7th St. W., St. Paul, MN. An email with the exact time will be sent. The social committee will send emails regarding upcoming social events
Bowling is held every Saturday, at Memory Lanes. The address for the bowling alley is 2520 S26th Ave., Minneapolis, MN. Contact Linda Hoeppner for more information. Her number is 952-857-9958
Audio darts begins in September. For more information, contact Chris Peterson. His phone number is 507-271-9250.
The Minnesota Christian Fellowship will hold a meeting on November 12, 2022, at Mount Calvary 6541 16th Ave. S., Richfield, MN at 12:00 PM. For more information call Suzanne Pauluk. Her phone number is: 763-535-7123.
Vision Loss Resources (VLR) has a calendar of events. For more information call the hot line at 612-843-3439.
I hope you enjoy your fall.
Officers and Board of Directors
President: Janet Dickelman, Saint Paul, MN
First term ending 2023 | (651) 428-5059
E-mail: janet.dickelman@gmail.com
Vice president: Steve Robertson, Minneapolis, MN
1st term ending 2024 | (612) 819-5222
Email: stevetrobertson4@gmail.com
Secretary: Jennifer Dubbin, Saint Paul, MN
1st term ending 2023 | (651) 334-8895
E-mail: lyndidog@comcast.net
Treasurer: Patty Slaby, Arcadia, WI
1st term, ending 2024 | (715) 497-9849
Email: Pattyslaby135@gmail.com
Board Of Directors
Coleen Kitagawa, Richfield, MN
1st term ending in 2023 | (612) 964-2005
E-mail: kitagawa@mysero.net
Therese Dahlberg, Eagan, MN
1st term ending 2023 | (612) 819-2904
E-mail: Thereseda1965@gmail.com
Gary Boettcher, St Paul, MN
1st term ending 2024 (651) 200-7020
zorrogates@yahoo.com
Marian Haslerud, Bloomington, MN
First Term Ending 2024, (612) 206-5883
marianhaslerud642 @gmail.com
Mike Vining, Minneapolis, MN
First Term Ending 2024, (612) 408-7652
mevining@peoplepc.com
ACBM Standing Committee Chairs
To reach any of our standing committees, see chair info below.
Membership: Nancy Schadegg (612) 798-5178
Email Nancy.schadegg@comcast.net
Budget and Fundraising: Patty Slaby (608) 323-3614
Email Pattyslaby135@gmail.com
• Advocacy: Jeff West (763) 479-9709
• Email WestJeffrey123@gmail.com
Editorial Committee: Catalina Martinez (612) 227-3011
E-mail: catalina229@gmail.com
Social Committee: Michael Malver (612) 673-0664
Email mmalver@gmail.com