The Minnesota Memo:
Fall 2024
A quarterly publication of The American Council of the Blind of Minnesota. 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.
Product 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
Jennifer Dubbin E-mail:
lyndidog@comcast.net
Nicky Schlender
E-mail: kb0ouf@pcdesk.net
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
Instacart For Seniors and Persons With Disabilities
844-981-3433
Table of Contents
2025 ACBM State Convention By Janet Dickelman
I Need HELP! Who Can I call? By Ken Rodgers
Birthdays By Catalina Martinez
Accessibility & Training Services program By Scott Thornhill
Basketball was originally played with What Ball? by History Facts
Fall Calendar of Events By Marian Haslerud
Officers and Board of Directors
2025 ACBM State Convention
By Janet Dickelman
Hello everyone,
Please feel free to share this information.
You may now go to our website
to register for our 2025 state convention. Registration is available for in-person and virtual registrants. Convention dates are January 24 through 26. Our vendor open house will be on January 23 and our virtual auction will be held on January 19th.
In-person registration is $75.00 and includes 3 meals plus a goodie bag with items valued at over $100.00. For those of you who can’t join us in-person virtual registration is $25.00. Virtual registrants will receive all zoom links and be entered in to our door prize drawings.
Hotel rates at Country Inn and Suites, located at 6303 Hudson Rd, Woodbury MN are $91.00 per night plus tax. A one-time charge for incidentals of $100.00 will be charged to your credit or debit card. Call the hotel directly (651) 730-8325 to make your reservation. The reservation code is ACBM, if you have a guide dog please indicate that when you make your reservation. Reservations need to be made by December 24th 2024.
All registrants will receive the zoom link for our auction. If you would like to register for our auction only, which will be held on Sunday, January 19th please email Patty at
Pattyslaby135@gmail.com
For any questions please contact:
Janet Dickelman, president
American Council of the Blind of Minnesota
janet.dickelman@gmail.com
(651) 428-5059
I Need HELP! Who Can I call?
By Ken Rodgers
As you all know all too well, when we have a problem with access that has to do with our sight disability, it can be a very frustrating experience. Calling a regular “help” phone number can be even more frustrating as we often get people who do not understand our specific needs and end up causing us even more frustration. Here is a current list of resources that are specific numbers to reach out to when you have such a need to get connected to someone who understands our situations and can really help:
Accessibility Support Phone Lines You Should Know
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 greatly appreciate and are delighted to spread the word.
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.
Audible Support: 888-283-5051.
American Airlines Special Assistance
800-237-7976
Arrange the assistance you need for navigating the airport, security screening, location of gate, seat number, connecting flights, baggage claim and ground transportation.
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.
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.
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.
Delta Airlines Disability Services
1-404-209-3434
Direct line to a dedicated team, specially trained to support customers with disabilities.
Google
To request a call back, from a Google Disability support specialist, complete this online form.
Call an accessibility specialist at Google through the BeMyEyes app on a smartphone or tablet. Click the ‘Service Directory tab’ 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Samsung Accessibility
972-761-7123
Contact the Accessibility Team at Samsung for answers to questions, large and small, about all Samsung products. Reach out by phone or email: [email protected] to request a call back.
For general support in the U.S. contact Samsung at: 800-726-7864 by text or voice.
Spectrum Accessibility Support
844-762-1301
Call this support line to learn about and take advantage of Spectrum cable accessibility accommodations.
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.
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.”
United Airlines Accessibility Desk
800-228-2744
Arrange the assistance you need for navigating the airport, security screening, location of gate, seat number, connecting flights, baggage claim and ground transportation.
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.
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.
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.
This article was originally published April 1, 2017 and most recently updated on September 30, 2024.
If you know of another company that offers a specific disability service please share it
Did you know about TSA Cares?
TSA Cares
TSA Cares provides information on security procedures aimed to help passengers with disabilities, medical conditions and individuals needing additional assistance to better prepare for the security screening process.
TSA has modified procedures to ensure that your screening experience is smooth and seamless. With prearrangement a TSA agent will meet you when you arrive to the airport and escort you through the TSA process. For information, please select a support category below.
Support Categories
Disabilities & Medical
Information and resources for passengers with disabilities and medical conditions
Religious & Cultural
Information related to religious items or cultural beliefs.
Tribal/Indigenous
Information for Tribal/Indigenous passengers regarding identification, religious items, and repatriation
Passenger Support
Information for passengers who need assistance through the screening checkpoint.
Military
Information for Military Members and DoD Civilians
Information for passengers traveling with children.
Seniors
Information for passengers 75 years and older.
Law Enforcement
Federal regulations and training for law enforcement officers.
Gender Diversity
Information for transgender/non binary/gender nonconforming passengers.
Contact Center
(866) 289-9673
Weekdays:
8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET
Weekends/Holidays:
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET
Contact TSA
Birthdays
By Catalina Martinez
There are several birthdays these next 3 months, so if it is your birthday, happy happy birthday!
Mike Hally: October 2
Nicky Schlender: October 4
Pat Dewey: October 7
Steve Robertson: October 12
Janet Dickelman: October 22
Gary Boettcher: November 9
Bonnie Robertson: November 20
Marilynn Highland: November 22
Marian Haslerud: December 4
Please send your date of birth or anniversary, (month and day) to catalina229@gmail.com so we can celebrate with you.
Accessibility & Training Services program
By Scott Thornhill
Hello,
You may have heard that ACB is starting an Accessibility & Training Services program. This new initiative will include multiple elements: assessment of websites & mobile applications; remediation of inaccessible components; monitoring of digital content; training on various topics; usability studies; and surveys for our members.
The usability studies and surveys will provide opportunities for compensation to our members who choose to respond and are qualified for the specific project being done. ACB will collaborate with different entities to bring important work to our members, from pharmaceutical studies to technology, to entertainment and more. If you are interested in the opportunity being offered, please respond to that particular outreach. If you do not have any interest, by all means just delete those emails!
My commitment to you is that we will do our due diligence on the organizations we present to you to ensure they are providing accessible formats for engaging as well as being professional operations. This Accessibility & Training Services is a great opportunity for us to provide more support to our members and gain a new source of revenue for ACB while also giving our members ways to obtain compensation. We have valuable knowledge as individuals living the experience of blindness or low vision and it is time we demonstrate that value by receiving compensation for the information we have gained.
All my best,
Scott
Scott Thornhill
Executive Director
American Council of the Blind
Basketball was originally played with What Ball?
by History Facts
Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball.
Long before bright orange basketballs made their way onto NBA courts, the earliest basketball games were played using soccer balls. Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith, a physical education teacher at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, who sought to create a new indoor activity that could be played by students during the winter months. Naismith asked the school’s janitor to fetch him two 18-square-inch boxes for “goals,” but the janitor returned with two peach baskets instead. Naismith nailed those baskets to the railing of the gymnasium balcony, which happened to be 10 feet off the ground (this is why official NBA hoops measure 10 feet high today). After Naismith procured a soccer ball, as basketballs of course didn’t exist yet, the new game was ready to be played.
The original version of basketball followed a list of 13 rules regarding fouls and ball movement. Players were required to remain stationary when in possession of the ball, as continuous dribbling wasn’t instituted until 1909. The game featured nine players per side and was divided into 15-minute halves. Naismith also enlisted the help of two men to retrieve the ball from the baskets at each end, as holes weren’t cut into the bottom of the baskets until years later. The game proved extremely popular, and the first official basketball was developed by the sports equipment company Spalding in 1894. The new sport led to the creation of the National Basketball League in 1937 and the Basketball Association of America in 1946, which merged to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.
FALL CALENDAR OF EVENTS
BY MARIAN HASLERUD
The following is a list of events. If you wish to add an event, you can call Marian Haslerud. Her phone number is (612) 206-5883. Her email address is:
Marianhaslerud642@gmail.com
ACBM holds two monthly coffee events. The first one is held on the first Thursday of the month. The location is IHOP, located at 2231 Killebrew Dr, Bloomington, MN from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. The second event takes place on the second Saturday of the month. The location is Day by Day Cafe 477 7th St W, St Paul, MN from 10:00 to noon. Emails are sent out for reminders.
ACBM will hold its quarterly membership meeting on October 26 at Joseph’s Grill, 140 S Wabasha, St Paul from 11:45 AM to 3:00 PM. There will be an article in the Memo with further information.
The blind bowlers meet every Saturday of the month at Memory Lanes, located at 2520 26th Ave S, Minneapolis. For more information contact Linda Hoeppner, Her phone number is (952) 857-9958.
Audio darts meets every Tuesday of the month. For more information contact April Collins. Her phone number is (360) 649-4545.
The Minnesota Christian Fellowship of the Blind meets quarterly. You can contact Marian Haslerud. Her phone number is (612) 206-5883.
I wish all of you a very prosperous fall.
Officers and Board of Directors
President: Janet Dickelman, Saint Paul, MN
Second term ending 2025 | (651) 428-5059
E-mail: janet.dickelman@gmail.com
Vice president: Vice-president: Jeff Mihelich, Crystal, MN
1st term ending 2026 | (612) 381-7163
Secretary: Nicky Schlender, Minnetonka, MN
1st term ending 2025 | (612) 618-4335
E-mail: kb0ouf@pcdesk.net
Treasurer: Patty Slaby, Arcadia, WI
3rd term, ending 2026 | (715) 497-9849
Email: Pattyslaby135@gmail.com
Board Of Directors
Coleen Kitagawa, Richfield, MN
Second term ending in 2025 | (612) 964-2005
E-mail: kitagawa@mysero.net
Jennifer Dubbin, Saint Paul, MN
1st term ending 2025 | (651) 334-8895
E-mail: lyndidog@comcast.net
Ben Durand, Mounds View, MN
1st term ending 2026 | (763) 784-8796
Charlotte lang, Bloomington, MN
1st term ending 2026 (952) 300-2188
Mike Vining, Minneapolis, MN
Second Term Ending 2026, (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: Colleen Kitagawa (612) 964-2005
Email: kitagawa@mysero.net