A.V.R.E. InSight
Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc.
Binghamton, New York
Summer 2003, Volume 28, Number 3.

It Was The Biggest, Best Race Yet!

A challenging race course, bicycle tires pumped, chains adjusted, men and women in colorful racing jerseys, $5,500 raised, sounds like a good recipe for a bicycle road race. And it was! On Saturday, July 19, 2003, the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, along with the Binghamton and Windsor Lions Clubs, presented the tenth Annual B.C. Bicycle Race For Sight.

Each year, the village of Windsor, New York opens its doors to us, and each year we come. With us come men and women of all ages from all over New York and Pennsylvania, who are ready to take on a twenty-six mile road race. This year, we had a racer who traveled from the state of Maine and two from Virginia. Our youngest racer was fourteen and our oldest was sixty-nine years old. (Photo of racers beginning their ride in the village.)

Once again, Andrew Van Kuren had the winning time of one hour, five minutes and four seconds in the men’s category, with Todd Kapeghian following closely in second place and Tim Bingham in third. The winning time of one hour, five minutes and nineteen seconds in the women’s category was turned in Gaetane Perreault. Carol Peeling placed second and Karla Eisch followed closely in third place. (Photo of Andrew receiving his plaque from A.V.R.E. President and CEO Bob Hanye. And photo of Gaetane receiving her plaque from Bob.)

We are especially pleased that the number of racers increased: eighty-five this year, up from sixty-four last year. We also had two very special guests who raced as a blind-sighted tandem team. Read more about Dan Kelly and Steve Krotonsky later.

The race is a fundraising event, with all proceeds going to fund the vision programs of A.V.R.E. and the Lions Clubs’ charities. We are extremely grateful to all who came to race in the event, to the many volunteers who came to help out, and to our very generous sponsors who supported the race with cash, product and service donations. Our list of sponsors is later in this newsletter. Thank you all for a very successful Race For Sight! End of Article.

The President’s Corner. By Robert Hanye, President and CEO.
"When Washington sneezes, we catch a cold!"

This quote is from a good friend who understands that Congress really does have an effect on our daily lives. The same can be said for our state legislature in Albany. Decisions in our national and state capitals affect us as individuals and as organizations. In fact, it has been said that non-profit organizations like A.V.R.E. may be more affected by political decisions than any other type of business.

This is why we encourage all of our consumers to register to vote and be educated citizens. It’s why we work hard to educate our national and state elected officials about A.V.R.E. and issues that affect our agency, the people we serve and the people we employ. It’s why, from time to time, we include some information about proposed legislation in this newsletter. Some of you may remember us talking about legislation to make Braille available to school kids at the same time as sighted kids get their print material. Great success! New York now has that law and there are efforts to make it national.

We have also talked about a bill in Congress to change Medicare so that vision rehabilitation services can be covered under that program. Just about every professional organization across the country has supported this. Yet, it has been proposed for a number of years and still has not passed. Did you know that it is estimated that twenty percent of falls by older persons are a result of a vision problem? Think about how much safer people would be and how much money could be saved in government or private health insurance if preventive training could be provided under Medicare. Remember the old saying about an ounce of prevention! It is in Congress right now and I am pleased to tell you that the entire New York State delegation has supported it.

Another Federal law that affects us is the Rehabilitation Act. This law gives agencies like the Commission for the Blind, most of its money. A rule under this law says that jobs at A.V.R.E. do not count because there are too many people with disabilities in our workforce. This is despite fair wages, very good benefits and the fact that most employees choose to work here. We are working hard to change this rule and some very important Senators are interested in our side of the story. We hope we can change this rule so that our jobs do count. Many A.V.R.E. employees have written letters saying that their jobs should count.

There are many other laws or proposed laws that affect how, and what things, we can sell to the Federal and state governments. Some proposals will help us while others will hurt our ability to create good jobs and training opportunities. These are generally known as procurement laws.

Other laws, either existing or proposed, affect our status as a tax-exempt company, the types of reports we have to file, how we keep our records and so many other things we do to conduct our business and serve people. I am honored to serve as the Vice President for Rehabilitation and Public Policy of the national organization of agencies like A.V.R.E. This gives me the chance to stay aware of what is being proposed or talked about in Congress that could affect A.V.R.E.

P.S. Its official! Our new name is: Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc. (Photo of Mr. Hanye.)  End of Article.

Applause For Our Bike Race Sponsors!

Our most sincere thanks goes to all of the our community partners and businesses who sponsored the Tenth Annual B. C. Bicycle Race For Sight by contributing cash, products or services. They are as follows:

H. Richterman Gold $500-999: Broome Co. NY Association of Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Contractors, Inc., BSB Bank & Trust, Lander Co., Inc., Lockheed Martin-Owego, and NBT Bank.

P.J. Salmon Silver $250-499: Empire Federal Credit Union, and Parlor City Paper Box.

R. B. Irwin Bronze $100-249: Crowley Foods, Inland, NYSEG, Sourcecorp, Raymond Foundation, Unisource, Warner’s Gas Service, and Weyerhaeuser.

Corporate-Organizational $50-99: Babcock Bicycles, Cycle Sport, and PRL Associates.

Products and Services: Akel Wholesale, ASKO Corporation, Chenango Point Cycles, Coca Cola Bottling, Inland, New Milford Bike Shop, Pepsi Bottling Group, Price Chopper-Binghamton, and Taylor Rental of Binghamton. End of article.

Paralympic Medallist Competes!

"Building awareness of the powerful abilities of people who are blind has been a driving factor behind my success," said Dan Kelly, a five time Paralympic gold medallist in swimming. Dan, who is totally blind, has been a competitive swimmer since the age of twelve. At the tender age of fourteen, he was already a member of the Paralympic swim team at Barcelona, Spain in 1992, and won four silver and two bronze medals. In 1996, at Atlanta, he won two gold, two silver and 2twobronze in various swimming events. At Sydney in 2000, he won three gold medals, one silver and one bronze.

Swimming is not the only athletic activity in which Dan participates. He is also a runner, recently completing the Winnipeg Manitoba Marathon; he is a tandem bicyclist, recently completing the Lakeville, Minnesota 100 mile cycling challenge; and if that were not enough, he is an avid sky diver.

With credentials like that, you can see why we were thrilled that Dan Kelly and his sighted pilot Steve Krotonsky came to Binghamton to ride as a tandem team in our B. C. Bicycle Race For Sight. Dan and Steve both work in Alexandria, Virginia for National Industries For the Blind, where Dan is the National Purchase Card Program Manager and Steve is the Chief Operating Officer.

We hope to draw more blind-sighted tandem teams in the future. "We would like to see the race become a competitive or development event for more tandem teams with blind riders, so that we include blind athletes with non-disabled competitors and build greater awareness of the capabilities of people with vision impairments," said Bob Hanye, A.V.R.E. President and CEO. (Photo of Dan Kelly and Steve Krotonsky sitting on their tandem, waiting for the race to begin. Photo of Dan and Steve crossing the finish line.) End of article.

Employee News.

A.V.R.E. would like to extend a warm welcome to the following new employees: Dick Bennett. Dick is a driver for A.V.R.E. Rehabilitation Teacher/Case Worker Loni Cordilione. Beverly Chapel. Beverly is employed in our Accounting department as an Accounting Associate. Sara Moyer. Sara is our new Orientation & Mobility Instructor, and comes to us from Pennsylvania.

Employee Recognized.

A.V.R.E. has been participating in an online Business e-Learning Program. Congratulations go to Blake Rowe, Manufacturing Supervisor, who was recently recognized for completing the highest number of online courses (fourteen).  End of article.

Fact or Fiction?

Statement: Blind people have a "sixth sense" or extraordinary talents. Fiction! People who are blind or visually impaired often learn to develop other senses, such as hearing, smell, or touch. By paying more attention to these senses, such as listening more closely to the sounds of traffic, or noticing the aroma coming from a business when walking past, blind people can become more attuned to their surroundings. End of article.

A.V.R.E. Wish List

Responses to our Wish List continue to come in! Thank you so much to Gary and Terri Leathers for their generous cash donation that enabled us to purchase a Laminator. This machine will come in very handy for any number of things and will be well used.

If you would like to help us out by donating an item or the funds needed to purchase it, please email Joyce Bucci at: jbucci@avrebinghamton.org or call 607-724-2428, ext. 122. The dollar amount of your gift would be an eligible tax deduction. You will receive letter of receipt and thanks from us and a public thank you in our next newsletter.

Reminders. PIAF (Pictures In A Flash). This is a very handy piece of equipment that could be used by our Rehabilitation Teachers and our Orientation & Mobility Instructors. It produces raised, tactile graphics, such as maps, drawings, graphs, even cursive handwriting. It is an excellent tool that can be used to show visually impaired children (and adults) what many printed things "look like." The PIAF costs $1295. and the special paper it uses costs $110-$240 per box. Safety Equipment. The A.V.R.E. Safety Committee has created a list of items needed to make certain that all of our employees are kept at a minimum risk of accidents or injury. They include certain kinds of personal protective equipment and safety training videos, among other items. Lobby Furniture. We need four new upholstered chairs (about $200-$300 each) and two small, low side-tables (about $150 each). Refrigerator. We are in need of a larger refrigerator for our lunch room, to accommodate all lunches, sodas, etc. Conference Room Furniture. We need nicer looking tables and upholstered, stackable chairs for our large conference/meeting room. Used items are OK, if the condition is good and clean. End of article.

The Kids’ Corner. By Diane McMillan, Early Intervention-Youth Specialist

Question: My child is completely blind. How can I help him understand what he is touching?

Answer: You can begin helping your child to learn these things in infancy. Here are some ideas. Make sure that you tell him what the materials are from which everyday things are made. For example, whether they are made of wood, plastic, stone, metal, fabric, leather, or paper. When he is examining things, tell him what sort of texture and other properties the items have: whether it is smooth or rough; crinkly or spongy; soft or hard; fuzzy or scratchy. Help him to learn shapes by playing with dough: Make round or square lumps; make a triangle; turn a round lump into a flat one; make a long snake-like rope of dough. Play in water and sand with containers to teach him the meaning of empty and full, and to show him how these things can flow and move.

Whatever Works! Eating Skills. Your child should begin to learn good table manners as soon as she begins to feed herself. Here are some suggestions to help her: Describe the location of food using the clock method. Start with 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock. You can add locations and numbers as she gets older. Show her how to use the tip of a fork to gently probe the food and determine what it is and where it is on the plate. Certain foods are difficult to pick up, like peas or corn. Loose foods may be corralled. She can use a piece of bread, roll, or a knife to act as a wall or pusher to help guide the food onto the fork. When eating, have her move the fork towards the center of the plate. This helps to minimize the chance that items will fall to the table and will make it easier to locate the remaining food. End of article.

Technology News. Electronic Travel Aids.

An Electronic Travel Aid (ETA) is a device that tells a visually impaired person when an object is in the path of walking travel. These devices send out signals that "sense" the surroundings, process the information received, and alert the user. The ETA is used along with other mobility aids such as the long, white cane or a guide dog. It is not meant to replace these methods, and should be used only after receiving Orientation & Mobility training.

There are a number of types of ETAs that use different kinds of technology, including laser light, infrared light, and ultrasound. There are sophisticated, computerized mapping systems; robotic canes on wheels that can steer around obstacles; long, white canes that use laser light beams; visor-like devices worn on the forehead or small boxes worn around the neck that use sound waves similar to sonar. There are even talking compasses, talking signs and talking traffic lights. The devices that do not talk, alert the user in other ways: by emitting tones of varying pitches, or vibrations of varying intensities.

Some of these devices are very expensive, but as technology continues to develop, they are becoming more affordable. For more information on obtaining and using an ETA, please call A.V.R.E. Orientation & Mobility Specialist Eric Bohn at 607-724-2428, ext. 119. End of article.

A.V.R.E. Begins New Support Group. By Annie van der Wal, A.V.R.E. Social Caseworker.

The first meeting of a brand new Low Vision Support Group was held on Monday, July fourteenth in the large conference room at A.V.R.E., and it was a great success! The meeting began at 10:00 a.m. and ended at 11:00 a.m. Fourteen people attended, including family members and friends of those with low vision, and we had a guest from Virginia who gave some ideas to ponder from his home support group. The attendees shared information about themselves, their vision loss, problems they encounter on a daily basis, and possible solutions. Coffee and donuts were served.

The purpose of the group is to provide encouragement, ideas, socialization, and general support for people experiencing low vision or blindness. There are no fees or membership criteria to join, and friends and family are most welcome. Meetings will be held the second Monday of every month, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at A.V.R.E. in Binghamton.

If you would like more information about the group and what we do, please contact me, Annie van der Wal, at 607-724-2428, ext. 121. I hope to see you at our next meeting! End of article.

Employee Safety.

Safety in the workplace is important in all jobs. But for employees with a vision disability, it is especially important for the working environment to be as free as possible from obstacles and other hazards. The A.V.R.E. Safety Committee has been working hard to ensure that all employees follow the rules so they will be in a safe work environment. Recently, the Committee conducted a surprise seat belt check, stopping employees as they arrived at the Association, and giving them a "reward" if they were in compliance. (Photo of Annie van der Wal sitting in her car, receiving her roll of LifeSavers as a reward for wearing her seat belt from Committee members Terry Kozak and Vincent Howell.) End of article.

A.V.R.E. Wants You!

Do any of these statements fit you? I’m retired and looking for a meaningful activity. I want to do something that helps people and my community. I’ve become a "couch potato." My spouse says I spend too much time at home! Well, perhaps the last one was a bit tongue in cheek, but you get the idea.

A.V.R.E. is seeking people who would like to volunteer. Whether you can give us a couple of hours a month or several hours each week, we can use you in a variety of ways. Ways in which you can help us: Be a friendly visitor. Provide transportation. Assist with medical appointments. Grounds-keeping at someone’s home or at A.V.R.E. Assist with shopping. Read a person’s mail to them. Typing documents into a word processing program.

If you would like more information about our Volunteer Program, please call Annie van der Wal at 607-724-2428, ext. 121 or Laura Henry at 607-724-2428, ext. 129. End of article.

Education Seminar Held At A.V.R.E.

A.V.R.E. recently hosted its 2nd all-day Educational Seminar, titled "Working with Elderly with Vision Impairments." Attendees came from a number of agencies that work with the elderly in the Twin Tiers.

Dr. Michael Lange, an optometrist and low vision specialist from Greene, NY, was our special guest speaker. He spoke about eye conditions that can affect seniors, the low vision evaluation process, and gave a hands on demonstration in the use of low vision devices.

Eric Bohn, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, shared ideas on how to travel (walk) safely and independently. Ann Estabrook and Loni Cordilione, Rehabilitation Teachers, gave tips on daily living activities. Annie van der Wal, Social Caseworker, discussed some of the psychosocial and emotional aspects of blindness.

Very positive feedback was received about the seminar and we plan to continue to provide these types of educational opportunities in the future. We are especially grateful to the Good Shepherd-Fairview Foundation for its support of these programs. End of article.

Youth Group Meets With Dan! By Alicia Harris, A.V.R.E. Employment Specialist.

Meeting with a prospective employer is a difficult thing for most anyone, but it can be especially so for a young adult who is visually impaired. How does one avoid an awkward situation? Dan Kelly has just the right answer, which he shared at a recent A.V.R.E. Youth Group meeting: Communication with the employer, both before and after, is important!

Dan answered this question along with many others, as he shared the story of his success in both the business world and the sports world. He even brought one of his Paralympic Gold Medals to pass around the group!

A.V.R.E. Youth Group meetings are an excellent opportunity for sharing experiences and knowledge with young people. If you, or someone you know, have something to share and would like to be a guest speaker, please contact Alycia Harris at 607-724-2428, Ext. 117, or email her at: aharris@avrebinghamton.org. End of article.

What Is "Detached Retina"?

The retina is a delicate, multi-layered membrane in the back of the eye, that captures images and transmits them to the brain, through the optic nerve. Light comes through the lens of the eye and falls on the retina creating an image, much like a camera. The light-sensitive cells in the retina are connected to the optic nerve, which sends signals about the image to the brain.

A retinal detachment is a very serious problem that occurs when the retina is pulled away from its normal position in the back of the eye. When detachment occurs, vision is blurred. Retinal detachment can occur at any age, but it is more common in the middle or later years of life. If can be caused by a number of things, including nearsightedness, a blow to the head, family history of detachments, or complications from diabetes and glaucoma.

The signs or symptoms of retinal detachment can include: Light flashes; wavy or watery vision; a veil or curtain obstructing vision; floaters that resemble spots or spider webs; and sudden decrease in vision.

There are several ways to treat a detachment and the appropriate treatment depends on the type, severity and location of the detachment. Early detection is essential in successfully treating this condition. Awareness of the quality of your vision in each eye is extremely important, especially if you are in a higher-risk group such as those who are nearsighted or diabetic.

If you notice a sudden change in the vision in one eye, or experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should call your eye doctor immediately. A possible detached retina is a medical emergency. End of article.

What Do You Do?

We have told you what to do when you meet a blind person and when you meet a guide dog team. We feel it would only be fair to tell you what to do "When You Meet a Sighted Person!"

People who use their eyes to receive information about the world are called "Sighted People" or "people who are sighted." Legal sight means any visual acuity greater than 20-200 in the better eye without correction, or an angle of vision wider than twenty degrees. Sighted people enjoy rich full lives working, playing, and raising families. They run businesses, hold public office, and teach your children.

How do Sighted People Get Around? People who are sighted may walk or ride public transportation, but most choose to travel long distances by operating their own motor vehicles. They have gone through many hours of training to learn the "rules of the road" in order to further their independence. Once that road to freedom has been mastered, sighted people earn a legal classification and a "Driver’s License", which allows them to operate a private vehicle safely and independently.

How do you assist a Sighted Person? Sighted people are accustomed to viewing the world in visual terms. This means that in many situations, they will not be able to communicate orally and may resort to pointing or other gesturing. Subtle facial expressions may also be used to convey feelings in social situations. Calmly alert the sighted person to his surroundings by speaking slowly, in a normal tone of voice. Questions directed at the sighted person help focus attention back on the verbal rather than visual communication.

At times, sighted people may need help finding things, especially when operating a motor vehicle. Your advance knowledge of routes and landmarks, particularly bumps in the road, turns, and traffic lights, will assist the driver in finding the way quickly and easily. Your knowledge of building layouts can also assist the sighted person in navigating complex shopping malls and offices. Sighted people tend to be very proud and will not ask directly for assistance. Be gentle, yet firm.

How do Sighted People use computers? The person who is sighted relies exclusively on visual information. His or her attention span fades quickly when reading long texts. Computer information is presented in a "Graphical User Interface" or GUI. Coordination of hands and eyes is often a problem for sighted people, so the computer mouse, a handy device that slides along the desk top, saves confusing keystrokes. With one button, the sighted person can move around his or her computer screen quickly and easily. People who are sighted are not accustomed to synthetic speech and may have great difficulty understanding even the clearest synthesizer. Be patient and prepared to explain many times how your computer equipment works.

How do Sighted People read? Sighted people read through a system called "Print." This is a series of images drawn in a two dimensional plane. People who are sighted generally have a poorly developed sense of touch. Braille is completely foreign to the sighted person and he or she will take longer to learn the code and be severely limited by his or her existing visual senses.

Sighted people cannot function well in low lighting conditions and are generally completely helpless in total darkness. Their homes are usually very brightly lit at great expense, as are businesses that cater to the sighted consumer.

How can I support a sighted Person? People who are sighted do not want your charity. They want to live, work, and play along with you. The best thing you can do to support sighted people in your community is to open yourself to their world. These Americans are vital contributing members to society. Take a sighted person to lunch today. Author unknown. End of article.

Meet Our Boards of Directors.

A.V.R.E. and the separate Foundation for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment have both expanded their Boards of Directors. We want to express our appreciation to the following who are serving now or will be serving in the near future as members of our Boards:

The Association Board. Chair: Dr. Charles Rubin, 1st Vice Chair: Melvin E. Rhinebeck, 2nd Vice Chair: John J. Martin, Secretary: Marena Gonz, Treasurer: Thomas K. Sbarra, Past Chair: Keith A. Wahl, Directors: Donald F. Brown, Wilbur R. Dodge, Ronald G. Goodwin, Linda R. Griffin, Dr. Richard G. Hobart, Brian R. Kessler, George Peter Keyes, Paul Komar, Mark Louer, William D. Olmstead, Dr. Lawrence Pecora, Eileen Schimpf, Arieh Ullmann, Lucy Verbit, Dr. Richard Wu. Advisory Board: Jack Docster, John G. Dowd, Richard A. Faust, Daniel L. Gorman.

The Foundation Board. Chair: Beverly A. Majka, 1st Vice Chair: Keith Chadwick, Secretary: Paul Komar, Treasurer: Ronald G. Goodwin, Directors: Ferris Akel III, Jack Docster, Wilbur R. Dodge, John G. Dowd, Richard A. Faust, Marena Gonz, Linda R. Griffin, Dr. Richard G. Hobart, George Peter Keyes, Samuel K. Levene, John J. Martin, Barry Newman, Melvin E. Rhinebeck, Dr. Charles Rubin, Thomas K. Sbarra, Keith A. Wahl, Maureen Wilson. End of article.

Feedback Wanted!

What are your opinions about this newsletter? We have attempted to make InSight a publication that you look forward to receiving and reading, and we care about your opinions. We would like to encourage you to give us your feedback about the newsletter. Is it informational? Is the information given interesting, helpful and easy to understand?  Should it be shorter or longer? Would you like to see more photos, or fewer photos? What can we do to improve it?  If you have any ideas and would like to comment, please call Joyce Bucci at 607-724-2428, ext. 122; or email jbucci@avrebinghamton.org.

We are updating our mailing list. If you have received InSight in error, or with an incorrect name and address, please let us know. Call Joyce Bucci at 607-724-2428, ext. 122.

InSight is published quarterly by the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc. (Formerly Blind Work Association), 55 Washington St., Binghamton, NY 13901, 607-724-2428, FAX: 607-771-8045.  Email: avreinfo@avrebinghamton.org  www.avrebinghamton.org   Editor: Joyce Bucci

A.V.R.E. is a local, private, non-profit organization that is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. We serve legally blind individuals of all ages who live in the NY counties of Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga and Tompkins, as well as the PA counties of Bradford, Susquehanna and Tioga.

A.V.R.E. is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. If you would like more information about A.V.R.E. or its services, please feel free to contact us.

Our vision is to be the first in choice and quality with respect to vision rehabilitation and employment services in the Twin Tiers, and to be a model for the broader community in understanding vision disability.
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