BWA InSight Newsletter
Blind Work Association, Inc., Binghamton, NY
Summer 2002, Vol. 27 No. 3.

Our Mission: "Assisting people who have a vision disability attain or maintain personal and economic independence."

THE B. C. BICYCLE RACE FOR SIGHT.

The day dawned sunny and warm, with not a drop of rain in sight. It was just perfect for a bicycle race, and 64 racers agreed! Blind Work Association, along with the Binghamton and Windsor Lions Clubs, was proud to present the 9^th Annual B. C. Bicycle Race For Sight on Saturday, July 20th.

The race is held each year in the lovely, little village of Windsor, New York, and is a 26 mile long "citizen" race that takes riders through some lovely, rolling Susquehanna River Valley countryside. This year, men and women of all ages came from all areas of New York State and Pennsylvania, and there was even a racer from Rhode Island! The youngest racer was 15 and the oldest was 68 years old, and we had a tandem team in the race -- two people on a bicycle built for two.

The men’s winning time of 1 hour, 5 minutes and 35 seconds was turned in by Andrew Van Kuren, with Mark McQuade a close second and Jon Furminger placing third. For the women, Katina Sayers came in first at 1 hour, 8 minutes and 44 seconds. Marsha Kapinus placed second and Dawn Fox came in third.

The Race For Sight is a fund raising event, with all proceeds going to fund the vision programs of BWA and the Lions Clubs’ charities. We are extremely grateful to our generous sponsors, in the following categories:

The Helen Keller Elite: Broome Co. NY Assoc. of Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Contractors, Inc. and IBM.
The H. Richterman Gold: BSB Bank & Trust and NBT Bank.
The P. J. Salmon Silver: Lockheed Martin – Owego; Oakdale Mall and Parlor City Paper Box.
The R. B. Irwin Bronze: Crowley Foods; Sourcecorp; NYSEG and Warner’s Gas Service, Inc.
Corporate ~ Organizational: Babcock Bicycles; Chenango Point Cycles; Cycle Sport and PRL Associates.
Products & Services: Aeros Cyclery; Akel Wholesale; New Milford Bike Shop and Pepsi Bottling Group.
End of article.

The President’s Corner.

Last issue, I told you about a Federal rule that says the jobs in our Industries program do not "count as good jobs" because there are too many people who are blind working here. This Federal rule does not measure wages, benefits, working conditions or choice. It only measures how many blind or disabled people are in the workforce. Even our management and professional jobs may not be "good jobs" under this rule.

Well, I am delighted to tell you that Congressman Maurice Hinchey has come through for us. He has written a letter to the head of this particular Federal agency objecting to the rule and stating his intention to change it! We deeply appreciate his support as we work hard to create more and better employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired.

I am also extremely pleased to tell you that BWA has received a grant from the Hoyt Foundation for a new telephone system. Our old one was not only out of date, but we could not even get extra phones for new employees and parts were no longer available. The new system can be expanded, it is much more accessible for people with a vision disability, and has much better sound. It also has voice mail! I assure you that during regular business hours we will have a live person answering the telephones. However, the voice mail will make it much easier for consumers with a vision disability, customers for our products, business partners and the general public to get messages to the right person during hours we are closed or if that person is not available. It is one more way we are improving our services. We are extremely grateful to the Hoyt Foundation for making this possible.

BWA is also engaged in strategic planning. This is a process where we take a very hard look at our strengths and weaknesses, the quality of our services and what may be needed by our consumers, and what opportunities exist. We also try to identify the things in our environment that can create large problems in the future. All of this is then put into a plan that will lead BWA as it grows and improves. A special team is working on this. Dr. Charles Rubin is the Chair of the team that includes members of our Board of Directors, members of the Board of the Blind Work Association Foundation, Inc., and staff members. We are honored to have Mr. Peter McGinn, the President and CEO of UHS and Dr. Arieh Ulman of Binghamton University on the team as well. This is an exciting process and we are looking forward to the results. Robert K. Hanye, President and CEO.  End of article.

Scholarship Program Announced.  By Robert Hanye.

In a June press release, BWA announced the availability of the Charles V. Costello Memorial Scholarship for college bound or enrolled students who are blind or visually impaired. The scholarship honors and celebrates the memory of Charles Costello, a member of our board and a well-known and loved contributor to our community. The scholarship is funded through the generosity of his wife, Mrs. Beverly Costello.

We are seeking applicants for the initial $500 scholarship. Candidates must be legally blind or visually impaired, currently enrolled in or admitted to post high school education at an accredited institution, and live or be attending college in our service area.

The application is simple: (1) make sure we have proof of the vision disability, (2) send us your most recent college or High school grades, (3) send us proof of enrollment or acceptance and (4) write a statement of one page or less about why the field of study was (or will be) chosen.

In keeping with the love of learning of Mr. Costello and his technical career and interests, a priority will be given to students pursuing technical degrees. However, all post high school education enrollees are encouraged to apply. We hope to grow both the number of scholarships as well as the dollar amount of scholarships in the future.

For further information contact Bob Hanye or Laura Henry at BWA.  End of article.

INDUSTRIES NEWS

We are pleased to announce that the BWA Industries program has been awarded a contract to supply the Social Security Administration with a specialty computer paper for its national office network.

The contract requires that BWA deliver product to Social Security headquarters in Baltimore, as well as the 1300 satellite offices around the country. We originally anticipated annual orders under the contract to be between $100,000 and $200,000. Orders for about $350,000 have already been received and production is underway!

The contract was awarded under the Federal "JWOD" law we told you about recently, that helps us create jobs for people with a vision disability.  End of article.

FROM OUR ARCHIVES. By Joyce Bucci.

With the advent of WWII, new industries had come to BWA. Besides the contracts with the Defense Dept. for pillowcases and with E. J. Shoes to make buckles for combat boots, BWA also entered into a new partnership with another growing, local industry – IBM in Endicott.

About that same time, Michael Supa, an IBM employee who was blind, approached Mary K. DeWitt, Managing Director of BWA, about her wish to place more visually impaired people in industry. As a result, 10 BWA employees went to work directly for IBM.

In addition, BWA began doing subcontract work at our facility for IBM, assembling plug boards, and disassembling electrical parts. We are proud that this community partnership, founded on a mutual need, continued for many years.  End of article.

TRUCKS, CARS, BICYCLES AND MORE!

If you are blind or visually impaired and have never had the opportunity to ride a bicycle…now is your chance! On Saturday, September 14th, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., the Discovery Center in Binghamton will be presenting their "Discovery Center Truck Day 2002."

You can touch a truck! On display there will be an 18-wheeler truck, emergency trucks of all kinds, construction machines, and city work trucks. There will be Harley Hogs (motorcycles), Stafford Chevrolet’s Monster truck (you can buy a ride in the Monster truck for $5.00), and possibly a couple more truck or car surprises, as well.

In addition to all of that, Mr. Bob Swaim, from Pennsylvania, will be there with several very special bicycles. He is the owner of some tandem (double) bicycles, but also has a unique bike called the Conference Bike. So-called because the riders sit in a circle, the Conference Bike is designed to carry a total of 7 people: the "driver" plus 6 passengers. It is ideal for enabling those who are blind to have the experience of riding and pedaling a bicycle, without having to worry about not being able to see where they are going. It is also a great "group experience." Anyone is welcome to come and see it, but only those with vision impairments may ride it.

There will be lots going on that day, so mark the date, and come on up to the Discovery Center at 60 Morgan Rd., Binghamton.  End of article.

CHOICE MAGAZINE LISTENING
Information provided by CML

Last time we told you about the NY State Talking Book and Braille Library and the Matilda Zielger Magazine for the Blind. We would like to tell you about another magazine that is available for people who are visually impaired, also free of charge. It is Choice Magazine Listening (CML), an audio-only publication.

Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, CML was begun in 1962 by the late LuEsther Mertz, a NY City-area philanthropist. She created the nonprofit Lucerna Fund to give blind people more access to good magazine writing.

CML selects and records writings from over 100 leading magazines. Every other month, this service offers its subscribers eight hours of unabridged articles, fiction and poetry, read by professional voices and recorded on four-track cassette tapes (also called "Talking Book" machines). Examples of source periodicals are: Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated, and The New Yorker, using the writings of such notable people as John Updike, Garrison Keillor, Joyce Carol Oates and Bill Moyers.

To play the CML tapes, you will need to have a Talking Book machine. If you do not have one, they are available to borrow free of charge from the NY State Talking Book and Braille Library. To obtain a machine, you can call Laura Henry at BWA (607-724-2428) or the library in Albany at 1-800-342-3688.

To get a free subscription to Choice Magazine Listening, you can call toll free, 1-888-724-6423 or email them at: choicemag@aol.com.  End of article.

ALCOHOL ABUSE AND BLINDNESS.  By Annie van der Wal, BWA Rehabilitation Teacher.

According to an article written in the RE:view (Vol. 33, No. 4, Winter 2002) by Koch, Nelipovich, and Sheed, 40-50% of people with visual impairments or blindness may experience alcohol abuse. Such a high percentage is reason for much concern. Alcohol abuse can have a profound affect on one’s life. This could include physical and psychological aspects, one’s relationships, work performance, or success in vision related services.

Here are some facts according to SARDI (Substance Abuse Resources and Disability Issues). With eye conditions that are progressive (such as glaucoma or diabetes-related), even moderate drinking can exacerbate the condition. Family, friends, co-workers and rehab professionals tend to focus on the disability, often missing signs of substance abuse. Although indications are that people with visual impairments have a higher rate of alcohol abuse than people without disabilities, this is a highly underserved population when it comes to substance abuse treatment. 21% of people with visual impairments self-report heavy drinking, compared to 12% of the general population.

Why is the percentage so high? There are a number of reasons: to manage grief, anger, or sadness, or as a coping mechanism to help in dealing with vision impairment. Blindness sometimes can be very isolating, so one may use alcohol to gain social acceptance or to ease the pain of social adjustments. Often people are "blind" to the fact that alcohol abuse has an affect on them or cannot "see" the extent of the problem.

How do you know if you need help? Ask yourself these questions…Is alcohol consuming your time, thoughts, and energy? Do you experience growing denial about it or convince yourself you can stop whenever you want? Do you have an increasing tolerance for alcohol? Are there damaging consequences to you or others? When deprived of alcohol do you feel you have lost something essential to your survival? Do you drink when you are angry, sad, lonely or having a bad day?

What can you do? Be honest…admit a problem exists and seek help. Accept responsibility for your choices. Learn new ways of coping. Develop new and better ways of responding to situations. Learn to say no, find things to do, keep active, and get support from people who care about you and want to help. Join a support group such as those run by Alcoholics Anonymous (1-212-870-3400). You can call the center for Substance Abuse Treatment at 1-800-662-HELP for information on treatment programs in your area or to speak to someone.  End of article.

PARENT TO PARENT.  By Diane McMillan, BWA Child and Youth Specialist.

Q. The school has told me that my first grader will be learning Braille. What is Braille and can I learn it?

A. Louis Braille created Braille. He was born in France in 1809, the son of a saddle maker. He lost his vision at the age of three as a result of an accident in his father’s workshop. He was sent to Paris to attend the school for the blind. While at school, he encountered a French army captain, Charles Barvier de la Serre, who had invented a code of raised dots that enabled soldiers to read in the dark. Louis Braille studied the system and within 3 years simplified it to a six-dot cell system for writing words. That is the Braille code used today.

Braille symbols are formed within a "cell", using a total of six raised dots. The Braille cell looks like the six on a domino. Letters and numbers are formed using different combinations of these raised dots. Grade 1 Braille consists of the alphabet, numbers, punctuation and a few composition signs. All words are spelled out letter for letter. Grade 2 Braille, also known as literary Braille or contracted Braille is similar to shorthand in print. The majority of Braille literature is written in grade 2 Braille.

Although an individual who is blind can function without using written language, Braille increases independence. This is true even if the child has keyboard skills and devices that read print in synthesized speech. The more varied the ways that a person can access information, the more options they possess.

A sighted person can learn Braille. One of the best ways is through Hadley School for the Blind. Hadley offers tuition-free distance education for eligible people, and in addition to their "Braille Reading for Family Members" course, they have many others of interest. You can visit their website at www.hadley-school.org or call them toll-free at 800-323-4238. The Rehab. staff at BWA is also available to assist you, and can lend out books from our small library.

A great place to get Braille books for children ages 0 to 14 is at Seedlings. With over 450 titles available, they have print-Braille-and-picture books for pre-schoolers, grade 1 Braille books and print-and-Braille books for mid-range readers, and Braille-only books for independent readers. You can call them at 800-777-8552 or visit their website at www.seedlings.org.  End of article.

Training Rehabilitation Assistants

BWA will be taking part in an exciting new training program that will help bring our services to even more people in our area. Working with the Lighthouse International, we will be training Rehabilitation Assistants in courses taken on a computer through an interactive web site. The trainee will actually work at BWA and be supervised and mentored by BWA staff members who are certified. The training will qualify someone to become an assistant in Rehabilitation Teaching, Orientation and Mobility, and Low vision therapy.

BWA will also take part in the program development by reviewing the interactive web site for suggestions and being a "pilot" test site. Development is scheduled to start in August 2002 and the pilot phase will start in August 2003. Plans now call for trainees to receive a stipend while in the course.

Assistants will be able to help our certified staff members provide training to our consumers in a faster, quicker and more efficient way.

The Rehabilitation Assistant Training program is under the direction of Dr. Grace Ambrose, who is associated with both the Lighthouse and Hunter college where she teaches Masters degree courses. The Lighthouse has received private funding to develop the program. It is designed to help meet a critical staff shortage in this field. Dr. Ambrose visited BWA in July to discuss the training program with BWA staff.  End of article.

HIICAP

The Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) is a program that provides free, unbiased, confidential help with health insurance questions and concerns. For those who wish to choose an appropriate insurance policy, file a claim, or understand health insurance options, trained volunteers can provide the necessary information. When facing the constant changes in Medicare, long-term care insurance, medigap policies, and the national health care reform, the services offered through HIICAP enable clients to become better health care consumers.

There are several local counseling sites and in-home counseling is also available. HIICAP is recognized throughout New York for its high quality educational publications, seminars, and training programs for the public and professionals. Some of their information is available on audio cassette tape.

For more information on the HIICAP program, you can call Deborah Totten at Action For Older Persons in Binghamton, at 607-722-1251. You can also visit these websites: www.tier.net/bcofa  or www.aging.state.ny.us/nysofa.  End of article.

THANKS FOR CARING

BWA would like to thank the following individuals and organizations who went above and beyond the call of duty to assist us in our efforts: All of our loyal contributors who donated so generously during our Spring Appeal. IBM for their donation of 3 more computers for use in our new Computer Lab. The Hoyt Foundation for a grant that enabled us to purchase and install a new telephone system. We now have recorded voice-mail available. All of the Lions Club members and other volunteers who helped to make the B. C. Bicycle Race For Sight a success, with special thanks to Tim Tarbox, Warren Wetzelberg, Phil Cahill and Annie van der Wal. The Village of Windsor and Mayor Sue Salt, for allowing us to descend upon their beautiful little village for a few hours. All 64 bicycle racers who took the time to come and Race For Sight.  End of article.

BROOME CO. BUS PASS CHANGES

Due to policy changes being made by the Broome Co. Transit, BWA will no longer be able to provide bus passes for people who are visually impaired.

At the present time, anyone holding a yellow photo-ID bus pass that was provided by BWA can still ride free on fixed (regular bus) routes and pay 50 cents on the BC Lift. However, this will change sometime in the fall. Pass holders will no longer be able to ride free of charge. The new fares for visually impaired people will be: 50 cents during off-peak hours and $1.00 during peak hours. Off-peak hours are: Monday – Friday, from 9:15 am to 3:15 pm and after 6:00 pm; and all day on Saturday and Sunday. A monthly pass, providing unlimited access, will be available for a fee of $22.00 per month.

The new policy will require a new card, called a "BC Transit Handicapped Bus ID", and it is recommended that anyone currently holding a yellow bus pass should get their new ID card as soon as possible. This ID may be obtained at the Broome Co. Security Office on the first floor of the Broome Co. Office Bldg, on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. There will be no charge for the initial card; but if lost, there will be a $25.00 replacement fee.  End of article.

TECHNOLOGY NEWS
BIGSHOT

BigShot Screen Magnifier is a new computer software that can help you to see the screen better. With 20 levels of magnification, ranging from 105% to 200%, this program can be helpful to people with a wide range of visual impairments or to fully sighted people who simply wish to eliminate computer-related eye strain.

Unique zooming modes allow users to magnify the full screen or just the active application. Magnification levels can be easily changed using the mouse; and without using on-screen scroll bars, users can move the viewing area to another portion of the display simply by moving the mouse to the edge of the screen.

BigShot is available from Ai Squared and costs about $100.00. You can download a free 30-day trial version at www.bigshotmagnifier.com.  End of article.

This device is a personal organizer for people who are visually impaired that hears you, records, and talks back to you. Using voice recognition, it allows users to store and retrieve information, such as phone numbers, addresses and appointments, with voice commands. It will even dial the phone for you by sending touch tone signals to your telephone receiver.

The complete list of its features are: talking phone book, voice note pad, appointment book, talking clock and alarm, talking calculator, and dialing assistance. For an additional charge, you can purchase a PC link for storing data and updating software. It is palm-sized and will easily fit into a purse or pocket. The cost is about $260.00.

For more information you can call toll-free: 1-888-936-0001 or visit the following website: www.voice-assistant.com.  End of article.

EMPLOYEE NEWS

Alicia Harris, BWA Employment Specialist, was recently selected to receive a scholarship from the New York Southern Tier Chapter of the National Contract Management Association. Alycia is a student at Binghamton University in their School of Education and Human Development. She plans to obtain her Bachelors degree in this field.

Lorie Swawola, Accounting and Human Resources Manager, has also been attending school, at Broome Community College in the field of accounting. She plans to obtain her Associates Degree in Accounting, and then hopes to attend Binghamton University to receive her BA in the same field.  End of article.

MEDICARE AMBULANCE FEES
Submitted by Upstate Medicare Division

A new Medicare law recently went into effect that changes the way ambulance services are paid, which is good news for people with Medicare.

Ambulance services will now be paid on a "fee schedule", which gives a list of set amounts that Medicare will pay. In addition, a law was passed that requires ambulance services must accept the Medicare approved amount as paid in full. Medicare patients will most likely have less out-of-pocket expenses, because when a health care provider accepts Medicare payment, they can only collect any unmet Part B deductible and/or 20% co-payment of the approved amount.

Medicare pays for a local ambulance trip if any other means of travel would make the patient’s condition worse. Medicare does not pay for routine ambulance services, nor does it cover services in an ambulette, medivan, or wheelchair van.

If you have any questions about Medicare, please call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).  End of article.

MEDICARE PART B PREMIUMS

Gov. Pataki recently signed legislation that will help more people in New York State be eligible for the Qualified Individual 1 (QI-1) and Qualified Individual 2 (QI-2) programs. These programs assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries with payment of their Medicare Part B premium.

Assets, such as savings, will no longer be considered when eligibility is being determined for this program. Beneficiaries will not have to divulge their assets (also called resources), and there is no limit to the resources they may have and still be eligible.

To find out whether you may be eligible for either the QI-1 or QI-2 program, you can contact your local Office For the Aging. In Broome County you can also call Action For Older Persons, Inc. at 607-722-1251.  End of article.

WELCOME ABOARD

BWA extends a hearty welcome to the following new employees: Eric Bohn, Orientation & Mobility Instructor. Eric comes to us from Texas, where he recently received his Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation, from Stephen F. Austin State University. As an O. & M. Instructor, Eric teaches people safe, independent walking techniques, such as traveling with a white cane. In the Industries Program, we also welcome: Jerry Kupiec, Team Leader as well as Kenneth Ingraham and James Keeler.  End of article.

BWA WISH LIST

As a non-profit, charitable organization, working with a carefully planned and controlled budget is a necessity. BWA runs a "tight ship", but it seems there is just never enough money available to do everything we would like to do to assist our consumers and to make our building look as nice as possible.

For this reason, we have decided to begin a "wish list", with the hope that some of our readers might be willing to help us out by donating these items or the funds with which to purchase them.

If you would like to help us out with something, the dollar value of your gift would be an eligible tax deduction. You would receive a letter of receipt and thanks from us, as well as a public thank you in our newsletter. You may contact Joyce Bucci at 607-724-2428 if you are interested.

Children and Youth Program -- Most of the assistive toys, games, books and other items that we currently use in working with children are about 20 years old. Technology has grown and changed so much in that time. We have a comprehensive list of items we could use to update our equipment. The prices range anywhere from a few dollars to $800. If you would like to help us out in this area, you can call our Child and Youth Specialist, Diane McMillan or email her at: dmcmillan@bwabinghamton.org.

Accessible Computer Software -- We have received 3 new computers as a donation from IBM. We plan to use these in a computer lab that would be made available for the personal use of our visually impaired consumers and employees. To do this, we need to purchase the special software to make these computers accessible.

The cost of the software is about $1,200.

Computer Desks -- The above mentioned computers need something to sit on. If you would like to help in providing us with furniture for our new computer lab, you can contact Laura Henry at BWA, or email her at: lhenry@bwabinghamton.org.

Lobby Furniture -- Our avocado-green chairs and side-tables used in our lobby are straight out of the 60’s. We could use something a little more up to date, that would match our current color scheme. We need 4 chairs (about $200-$300 each) and 2 small, low side-tables (about $150.00 each).

Refrigerator -- Our big, 1950’s-era commercial refrigerator finally died. Our lunch room currently has a small refrigerator that we use to keep sodas and employees’ lunches cold. On any given day, it is jam-packed to overflowing! We could really use a larger one.

Conference Room Furniture -- We need nicer looking tables and upholstered, stackable chairs. When we have meetings or conferences, people must sit on hard plastic chairs, with no padding, for hours. These items could be used, if in good condition.

Stars and Stripes -- Our conference room seems incomplete, because we do not have a large American flag on display. A nice quality, indoor flag with display pole and stand would be about $170.  End of article.