A.V.R.E. InSight Newsletter
Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc.
Winter 2004, Volume 29, Number 4
Our Mission: To assist people who have a vision disability enhance life quality through attaining or maintaining personal and economic independence, and help remove obstacles imposed by vision disabilities.
Big headlines read: We're Celebrating 75 Years! of Quality Employment Opportunities for people with a vision impairment.
Proud of our past, and excited about our future!
The year 2004 brings a new milestone for A.V.R.E. We are celebrating "75 Years of Quality Employment" for people who have a vision disability. We've come a long way since 1929 when Mr. Hiram Rogers was hired as our first blind employee. Many things have changed.
We have gone through several name changes: from Broome County Association for the Blind in 1926, to the Blind Craft Association, Inc. in 1930, to the Blind Work Association of Binghamton, Inc. in 1933, to the Blind Work Association, Inc. (dropping "of Binghamton") in 1950, and finally, to A.V.R.E. in 2003.
We have gone through several building locations in Binghamton: from the first floor of the Community House, to 27 Henry Street, to 18 Court Street, to the corner of Susquehanna and Water Streets, with an expansion added later that changed our address to 55 Washington St.
Our service area began small: from just Broome County, to twelve counties in the Twin Tiers of New York and Pennsylvania.
Our services have grown: from providing only a place to work, to a very wide variety of rehabilitation and employment assistance. (For a full list of our services, see article titled "Providing Assistance, It's What We Do.)
Today, we continue to grow and enhance our rich history by changing with the times, by adapting to new technology, and by adding new job opportunities and ways to serve.
Yes, we are proud of our past. It’s very important to us, but we are also very excited about our future!
Photo of our early work facility, taken about 1933, that shows people weaving rugs, caning chairs and sewing. Photo of our manufacturing department in 2004, showing people working in the file folder production department, on a large machine that cuts and folds the folders.
The President's Corner
The two pictures on page one dramatically show some dynamic changes between 1933 and 2004 at A.V.R.E. From handmade craft type items like chair caning and rug weaving in 1933 we have moved to machine manufacturing in 2004. The 2004 picture shows the making of manila file folders from manila rolls that weigh up to 3500 pounds each. We produce enough of this product, when laid side by side, to span the globe. In similar ways, we make copy paper, pin fed computer paper and produce special size papers for printing. Keep in mind that making these and other products is only a tool we use to accomplish our goal of creating good jobs and training for people who are blind or visually impaired.
What is not shown in this newsletter, but was in the previous issue, is our move into technology jobs. A.V.R.E. operates the switchboard call center at the Veterans Administration Medical Center campuses in Montrose and Castle Point, New York. This requires the use of complex computers and technology to handle up to 1500 calls per day, access the computerized hospital databases and monitor the alarms throughout two medical facilities.
Just like the rest of society, we have moved our business and employment from crafts to industrial to technology and information jobs. In 2004, we celebrate 75 years of creating jobs that pay well, create independence and that align well with job trends in our economy. Our jobs are not just good jobs; they are relevant jobs!
Our Rehabilitation Services have gone through the same kind of growth and transition over the years. As noted in this issue, we started with just a nurse for our industrial program and a Social Worker. We then added Orientation and Mobility (travel training), Rehabilitation Teaching (independent living and communications), social work services, and services for blind children. More recently we have added placement and job development services and Early Intervention programming. We now serve people who have a serious vision disability, not just those who are legally blind. We have plans in the near future to add our own low vision clinic, a computer training area, a more formal child-parent training program and others.
The bottom line is that we grow and change based on the needs of our consumers, the needs of our community and what happens in society. If you have ideas about new services or how we might get even better, let us know.
Robert K. Hanye, President and CEO. Photo of Mr. Hanye.
A Logo for A.V.R.E.
A.V.R.E. now has a logo! We hope that you noticed it on the cover of this issue. Choosing a logo was more difficult than we thought it would be. We first came up with ideas we wanted the logo to represent, such as quality, compassion, strength, and more. We also looked for something simple and straightforward that would be easy to use in many places. In addition to design, we had to choose colors. We are very proud of the final result. We hope that people will think "A.V.R.E." when they see it. A logo can mean different things to different people. We know what our new logo means to us. What does it convey to you? (The logo consists of the letters A. V. R. E., that are in a dark blue-green color. On the top, nested between the R and the E, is a square-shaped symbol that is colored the dark blue-green on the top, and a lighter blue-green on the bottom.)
In Memoriam
Amy Lateer-Rowe: August 8, 1965 to December 25, 2003
Amy Lateer-Rowe was a breath of fresh air. She made everyone who came in the front door, or called on the phone, feel welcome with her smile, her warmth, and her humor. Even on days when she didn't feel well, she still came to work and was a joy to be around. In short, she was the perfect receptionist, and that is why she was chosen as the Melvin L. Rosendale Employee of the Year in 2001.
Amy came to work at A.V.R.E. in 1998, beginning in our Industries Manufacturing Program, and was promoted to the position of receptionist in April, 2000. Extremely competent in her job, she handled a multi-line telephone system with confidence and ease.
Amy battled diabetes for more than 25 years, and lost her sight about 10 years ago as a result. She was a triple transplant recipient, having received a pancreas and a kidney in 1998, and another kidney in 2001. But Amy's many serious health problems did not stop her from living her life as fully as she could. From attending NASCAR races, to riding enormous roller coasters, to planning her wedding from a hospital bed, she was unstoppable.
When family members, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances gathered to remember Amy at a memorial service, no one was quite prepared for the amazing outpouring of love. Between 750 and 1000 people came to pay tribute to a lovely, strong, and courageous young woman, who was an inspiration to us all.
Amy… our receptionist… our co-worker… our friend. (Photo of Amy.)
The Kids' Corner, By Diane McMillan, Early Intervention and Youth Specialist
Pre-Braille Skills
The Perkins Brailler is usually the first Braillewriter that visually impaired children are introduced to in school. It is a small, portable, manually operated device that is similar to a small manual typewriter. The Brailler has only 6 Braille keys, which when pressed in various combinations, produce the raised dots on paper that form Braille.
Braillewriters that were manufactured in the early 20th century were expensive, noisy, heavy, and needed frequent repair. In the 1930s, Dr. Gabriel Farrell, the director of the Perkins School for the Blind in Massachusetts asked a teacher at the school to design a better Brailler. The first prototype of the Perkins Brailler was completed in 1939, but due to the war, it was not produced until 1951. That machine is virtually the same Brailler known worldwide today.
For a child who is working on pre-Braille skills, good motor and tactile skills are helpful. Some ways to develop these include weight-bearing activities such as pushing a wagon or other objects. Activities that develop finger strength are also helpful: cutting various fabrics and types of paper with scissors, playing with play dough, squeezing sponges, playing with legos or tinker toys, using tongs or clothespins, using a hole punch, popping packing bubbles, and stirring motions. Tactile skills can be developed by the child identifying differences in shapes, sizes and textures. Many other daily life activities can also help develop the hand and arm strength needed for operating a Perkins Brailler. (Photo of hands on a Perkins Brailler.)
Accessible Voting
In America, every citizen 18 years of age and over has the right to cast a private vote in an election. But for many citizens it is not as easy as hopping into the family car, driving to the polling place and hand-checking or machine-punching a ballot card. And for many of these citizens, their vote is far from private.
For a New York citizen with a vision impairment, there are currently three options available for voting:
1. The voter can request an absentee ballot and can be put on a permanent absentee ballot list. There are no large print or Braille ballots, so many visually impaired people must have assistance with reading and marking a ballot. This method may or may not be private.
2. A family member or friend may accompany the voter to the polling place, and enter the voting booth to help them read the choices and pull the levers. The assistant may not be the person's boss or union representative. No privacy here!
3. The assistance of poll attendants may be requested, but there must be two people assisting with the voting process, one Republican and one Democrat. It can be a little crowded, and very un-private, in that voting booth!
Help may be on the way! In 2002, Congress passed and President Bush signed the "Help America Vote Act", or "HAVA." Nearly four billion dollars have been authorized to upgrade voting equipment, improve elections, and change the way we register and vote. But perhaps the most important feature of this act is that by January 1, 2006, every polling place must be made physically accessible, and must have one voting system that is accessible to disabled people.
Details of the plan for New York State are still being worked on, and A.V.R.E. is working with the Broome County League of Women Voters to address some of the concerns in regard to voting accessibility for visually impaired individuals. In addition, Ms. Jane Park, from the League, will be speaking to the A.V.R.E. Support Group at the regular meeting on June 14, 2004. If you are interested in attending this meeting, please call us for details at 607-724-2428.
Providing Assistance; It's What We Do!
A.V.R.E. has been providing rehabilitation services to people who are blind or visually impaired since the early 1950s. The program began small, with one social case worker and one registered nurse on staff providing services to about 600 visually impaired people. These two staff members were kept very busy consulting with schools, parents and eye-care specialists; conducting Prevention of Blindness programs; and assisting people in obtaining guide-dogs, Braille writers, "Talking Book" machines and records, radios, and white canes.
We have come a very long way in the past 50 years! We now have a full Program Services Division that consists of a Director, two Orientation & Mobility Specialists, an Early Intervention & Youth Specialist, three Rehabilitation Teachers, a Social Case Manager, and an Employment Specialist.
Our full range of services now includes: ;
Assistance in obtaining low vision exams, low vision devices and instruction in their use; Rehabilitation Teaching for increasing skills in the home or workplace; Recommendations and dispersal of adaptive aids and appliances for home or workplace use; Training in assistive technology such as software programs; Orientation & Mobility instruction to employ safe walking/travel techniques, either with or without a cane; Casework for adjustment to vision loss; Braille instruction, transcribing and printing; Early Intervention for infants and pre-school children, skills training for school-age children and youths and support for parents; Employment counseling, training, job preparation skills, and potential employer contacts; Conducting seminars for seniors and support groups for all ages; In-service training for care-givers and other community organizations; Advocacy on policy issues that may affect people with a vision disability; Community outreach and public awareness through speaking engagements.
All of these ways in which we serve are proof that the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc. is now a modern, well rounded, full-service agency that is very successful in what it does. And that makes us proud!
(Photo of A.V.R.E. Orientation and Mobility Specialist Eric Bohn giving a cane travel lesson to a consumer. Photo of A.V.R.E. Rehabilitation Teacher Ralph Gedeon instructing a consumer in the use of an adaptive kitchen aid.)
Just The Facts: Consumer Satisfaction. By Laura Henry, Director of Program Services.
A.V.R.E. serves an area of approximately 9,500 square miles in New York and Pennsylvania, that encompasses a total of 12 counties. The total number of visually impaired consumers we serve is 2,005. About 42% of those live in Broome county, and nearly 64% of the total are age 75 and older. There are roughly twice as many females as males, and we serve 106 infants, children and youths.
To make certain that we are on track with the kinds of services we provide, we periodically mail out satisfaction surveys to our consumers. We would like to share with you some of the recent results.
Social Casework: Was the staff useful in helping you to access community resources? Yes: 95%
Rehabilitation Teaching: Did your participation in Rehabilitation Teaching help you to improve your management/personal skills? Yes: 91%
If adaptive equipment was provided to you, was it useful in helping you successfully achieve your daily living activities? Yes: 100%
Orientation & Mobility: If you participated in Orientation & Mobility training, do you feel more confident with your travel skills? Yes: 81%
If you use a long cane, do you find it helpful in your travel skills? Yes: 94%
If you walk with another individual, do you feel comfortable using sighted guide techniques? Yes: 100%
Low Vision Services: Were you satisfied with your low vision provider? Yes: 92%
Was the A.V.R.E. staff helpful in assisting you with using the low vision devices? Yes: 96%
General: Were you able to meet the goals you set for yourself through A.V.R.E. services? Yes: 98%
Our overall satisfaction rate is 99%!
We had some very favorable comments from the consumers regarding the services and the staff members who deliver the services:
From a Broome County resident: "Annie came to my house many times. She was very helpful and very pleasant. She helped with several problems I was having and got me a large print telephone and talking books which I thoroughly enjoy."
A Chenango County resident stated: "…our proud day was when I crossed streets in Utica without my brother's help, just my cane, my ears and Eric's words. I was on top of the world that day."
In Delaware County: "Special thanks to Loni & Eric for their kind help and assistance in coping with my ongoing loss of eyesight."
A Tioga County consumer said: "My thermostat is in place and I have learned how to use it. I can set the dial on my oven and can use it to bake again."
And in Broome County, another resident said: "The compassion and expertise were wonderful. I never dreamed the training and equipment would help so much. I think of A.V.R.E. several times each day with thanks."
Are we proud of our accomplishments? You bet!
Thanks For The Wishes!
We are very pleased to be able to say a most sincere "Thank You" to a number of kind and generous people who recently gave items and cash donations to our Wish List.
Mrs. Beverly Costello gave a very nice cash donation to be used toward an item of our choosing on the list, and Gary and Terri Leathers gave a most generous gift of cash to be used for purchasing the "Pictures In A Flash" (PIAF) device. Thank you so much to both of these donors!
The Nimmonsburg United Methodist Church has given us twenty-two very nice padded, stackable chairs that now reside in our large conference room. Thank you so much to Mr. Keith Chadwick for remembering our need, and to Rev. David Rockwell for the gift of the chairs!
In addition to these Wish List Items, we have received some other generous equipment donations. Thank you to A.V.R.E. Board member Bill Olmstead for his kind donation of a very nice computer desk. And we thank another board member, Dr. Richard Hobart, for his most generous donation of several pieces of low vision examination equipment. Thank you to both!
And finally, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to three local businesses who donated a number of Thanksgiving turkeys to our employees: Mr. Mike Colesten of Don's Automotive Mall, Mr. Frank George of Frank George & Son, and Mr. Gary Vegell of Gary's U-Pull-It. Thanks for your generosity!
Our Wish List is taking a little break for a bit, but stay tuned in future issues as we add new items. If you have something you think we might be able to use, or if you would like to give a cash donation to our general fund, call Joyce Bucci at 607-724-2428.
Free Legal Assistance
One of the many great things about living in America is that the U.S. Constitution guarantees that any citizen who is charged with a crime that might lead to imprisonment, and cannot afford a lawyer, has the right to free legal defense.
Unfortunately, this does not hold true for non-criminal or "civil" cases. There are, however, many legal aid and pro bono programs in communities throughout the U.S. which provide free legal help for those who qualify. Each year, thousands of low-income people in the southern tier of New York receive legal representation through these kinds of programs. In addition, there are programs that serve the elderly or military service members and their families.
Legal aid programs provide much needed assistance in civil cases that deal with topics such as: income maintenance, tenant/landlord matters, special education, family violence, abuse and neglect, and access to health care. Other areas that may be covered are: employment issues, divorce, consumer finance, Medicare, Medicaid spend-downs, power of attorney, social security, public cash assistance, disability benefits, and wills.
The following is a list of counties in the southern tier, with the names and phone numbers of organizations that provide legal aid.
Broome and Chenango counties: Legal Aid for Broome and Chenango, Inc., 607-723-7966.
Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins counties: Chemung County Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc., 607-734-1647.
Delaware and Otsego counties: Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc., 315-732-2131.
Cortland county: Legal Services of Central New York, Inc., 315-475-3127.
For the Pennsylvania counties of Bradford, Tioga and Susquehanna, call the Pennsylvania Bar Association for referral, at 717-238-6715.
Seminars For Seniors
The Program Services Division of A.V.R.E. and the legal staff of Levene, Gouldin & Thompson are presenting a series of four seminars that are geared toward issues that many seniors face.
The first in the series, which was presented on February 18th by Jayne L. Coates, was titled "Advanced Directives: Proxies and Living Wills."
The other seminars are as follows: April 21st, "Power of Attorney" presented by Elizabeth Joggerst; June 16th, "Wills and Estate Planning" given by John Grall; September 15th, "Long Term Care Planning" with Caroline Vadala.
The seminars are all held at A.V.R.E. on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 am. If you are interested in attending the remaining seminars, you may call Director of Program Services Laura Henry at 607-724-2428 or email her at lhenry at avrebinghamton.org.
Understanding Albinism
Myths and misinformation have led some people to think that someone who is "an Albino" has pale blonde or white hair, colorless skin, red eyes, and is blind. The facts are that there are different types of albinism. While many people with albinism do have very light hair and skin, not all do. Hair colors can vary from white to cream-colored to yellow or red-tinged. The amount of color pigment in the eyes can vary and some have violet, hazel or brown eyes, but most have blue eyes.
People with albinism nearly always have vision problems, that are related to abnormalities of the retina and nerve connections between the eye and the brain. Many have low vision or are legally blind and some may be totally blind. Most use their vision for reading and do not use Braille. Some are able to see well enough to drive.
The word "albinism" actually refers to a group of inherited conditions. People with albinism have little or no pigment, called melanin, in their eyes, skin, or hair. One person in 17,000 in the U.S. has some type of albinism and it affects people from all races. Most children with albinism are born to parents who have normal color pigmentation.
Ocular albinism involves primarily the eyes, while skin and hair may appear only slightly lighter than that of other family members. Oculocutaneous albinism involves all three.
People with albinism can be very sensitive to glare, and sunglasses or tinted contact lenses are helpful outdoors. Indoors, it is important to place lights for reading or close work behind and over a shoulder, rather than in front. Various optical aids are helpful, such as hand-held magnifiers and bioptic lenses that have small telescopes mounted on the regular lenses. Appropriate skin protection, such as high-level sunscreen or opaque clothing, should be used when in the sunlight.
People with albinism can be subject to discrimination, because the condition is so misunderstood. Families and schools must make an effort to include children with albinism in group activities. Contact with others with albinism or with albinism in their families can be very helpful.
Information taken from The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation website, www.albinism.org.
Assistive Technology: Optical Character Recognition Systems
An Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system can give blind and visually impaired people access to just about any printed materials that are not available in Braille, on tape, or on the internet. An OCR system consists of three elements: scanning, recognition and text reading. The machine will scan the printed material, such as a book page, a typed letter, or a magazine page. The machine's software program then converts the images into characters and words. And finally, the speech synthesizer in the system speaks the text aloud. The information can then be stored in electronic form for future use.
Very basically, there are two types of OCR systems: a stand-alone machine that does not need to be connected to a computer, and one that does need a computer. The systems that do require a computer will not only speak the text, but will also show it on the screen in an enlarged format.
There are several good OCR machines on the market today that provide very good accuracy and formatting capabilities, and prices are coming down.
Scan N Talk. This is a very affordable reading machine that promises ease of use, clear and understandable voices, on-screen text magnification, and the ability to read internet webpages, "html" and "pdf" files. The Scan N Talk must be connected to a computer, and comes with the ReadText software program. The machine is available from Colligo Corporation and costs $399. To order, you may call 360-647-3404, or order online at www.colligo.us.
VERA System. The VERA is a stand-alone reading machine that does not need to be connected to a computer. If you wish to see the text displayed, it can be connected to a computer monitor or to your TV. It features an easy to understand keypad that has large keys with colorful tactile markings. Text can be read word-by-word, line-by-line, or continuously, and documents can be saved. The VERA costs $2,995. and is available from Freedom Scientific. Call 1-800-444-4443 or order online at www.freedomscientific.com.
Ovation. The Ovation system is another stand-alone machine, that is smaller and more portable than the VERA. It also scans, stores, and speaks newspapers, books, magazines and more. The Ovation boasts a sleek design that is light-weight and comes with a carrying case. It costs $3,100. and can be purchased from EnableMart, at 1-888-640-1999 or online at www.enablemart.com.
(Photo of the Scan N Talk machine.)
Aids For Living: Magnifiers.
The magnifying glass is a handy device that is present in many households and offices, and is used by people with or without a vision disability. It has been around for at least 2,500 years. Excavations have found them in ancient civilizations, in the form of round or oval-shaped polished rock crystals. One such lens found in Crete, probably of the 5th century B.C., can magnify up to 7 times with perfect clarity. These early lenses may have been used either as fire starters or for magnification.
Today's technology goes far beyond polished natural crystal. There are many types, sizes and shapes with just as many specialized features, and with magnification strengths that vary anywhere from 1.7X up to 10X or even 15X.
There are small, folding pocket-sizes; hand-held, unlighted or lighted; small domes that rest on and glide along the paper; narrow bar shapes that magnify one line of print at a time. There are lenses that clip onto eyeglasses; visor magnifiers that are worn on the head, over the eyes; magnifiers that hang around the neck. There are large lighted or unlighted magnifiers that sit on, or clamp to, a table or stand on the floor. And there are electronic magnifiers called CCTVs, which stands for Closed Circuit Television.
Prices range from about $5. for a small, low-powered, folding pocket magnifier, all the way up to about $2500. for high-end CCTV. But there are many possibilities in between, with the average hand-held, battery-illuminated magnifier costing about $40. to $80.
Whatever your needs are, there is probably a magnifier that will fit them; but for a visually impaired person, choosing the right one can be daunting. Because of the enormous variety of types and strengths, it is best that you do not attempt to choose one on your own. If you would like more information about the magnifier that will work best for you, give us a call at 607-724-2428. We'll be glad to help!
Welcome Aboard!
We would like to extend a hearty welcome to our newest employees:
Rhonda Rifenbury: Rhonda is the Driver Assistant for Rehabilitation Teacher Ralph Gedeon.
Thomas Price: Tom joins our team as a switchboard operator at the Castle Point campus of the VA Hospital.
Ti-Li Spring Social.
The Lions and Lioness Clubs of Tioga County will hold their "Ti-Li Spring Social" on Saturday, March 13th, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the Owego Elks Lodge. This social event is open, free of charge, to any visually impaired resident of Tioga County. The social time will be followed by lunch, entertainment and Bingo. If you need transportation or more information, please call: Donna Henry at 659-3113 or Jack Zimmer at 687-5847.
Publishing information.
InSight is published quarterly by the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc. (Formerly Blind Work Association), 55 Washington St., Binghamton, New York, 13901. Phone: 607-724-2428, FAX: 607-771-8045. Email: avreinfo at avreus.org. Website: www.avreus.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 visually impaired individuals of all ages who live in the New York counties of Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins and Schuyler, as well as the Pennsylvania 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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