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GUILD BRIEFS - DECEMBER 2004
Editor: Pamela Provost
Published by: Guild for the Blind
Guest Editors, Sue Jennings and Maria Cuevas
Office Hours: Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Open computer lab available on Saturday by appointment only. If the hours listed above do not meet your needs, please contact us to discuss other arrangements.
The following articles do not constitute an endorsement by the Guild for the Blind's editorial staff. --Editor, Pamela M. Provost
Guild for the Blind Phone: (312) 236-8569 Fax: (312) 236-8128 http://www.guildfortheblind.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GUILD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
1. Career Networking Club
2. Computer Club
3. Holiday Hours And Greetings
4. Chicago Facilities Sought For New Visions Program
5. LS&S Sponsors New Visions Program
NEW PRODUCTS & SERVICES
6. New Email Newsletter from PACER Center
TECHNOLOGY
7. Assistive Technology Conference
EDUCATION
8. Hadley New Course Catalog
GOVERNMENT AND LEGAL ISSUES
9. Speak Out About Voting
10. Veterans, Group Life Insurance Online
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
11. Holiday Happenings
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
1. Career Networking Club: The Career Networking Club
will meet Sat., Dec. 11 at the Guild for the Blind, 180 N. Michigan Ave.,
Ste. 1700, Chicago, IL, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This is an ideal
opportunity for all blind or visually impaired professionals actively
looking for jobs or currently facing on-the-job challenges to gather and
share job leads and advice. Suggestions for how to best complete job applications
with a focus on how to handle difficult and inappropriate questions will
also be offered. Pre-registration is not necessary. For more information,
contact Lauri Dishman at (312) 236-8569 or lauri@guildfortheblind.org.
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2. Computer Club: "Tech Exchange," the Guild's
computer club, will meet on Tues., Dec. 14, at the Guild, 180 N. Michigan
Ave., Ste., 1700, Chicago, IL, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. We will be
discussing portable note takers such as BrailleNote, PacMate, and other
related products. Come share your experiences with these devices. For
more information, contact Kathy Austin at (312) 236-8569 or kathya@guildfortheblind.org.
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3. Holiday Hours and Greetings: The Guild will close at
4:00 p.m. on Tues., Dec. 21 for the staff's holiday party. In addition,
the Guild will be closed from Fri., Dec. 24 through Sun., Jan. 2, 2005
in honor of the holiday season. If an emergency arises during this time,
Guild staff will be monitoring voicemail. Please leave a message in the
general mailbox (ext 10). The Guild staff wish all a holiday filled with
fun, family and friends and a healthy new year.
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4. Chicago Facilities Sought For New Visions Program:
The Guild's New Visions program is flourishing throughout many suburban
communities, offering older adults hope and practical information regarding
daily living activities as they adjust to life with low vision. Now we
would like to focus our efforts in making this positive impact within
the city. We are seeking Chicago-based doctors, senior centers, residences,
and other community agencies to assist us by hosting an introductory presentation,
our full four-session First Steps workshop series, and/or our more advanced
half-day Next Steps workshops for those in their immediate area. Host
sites are asked to secure a room at their facility that comfortably sits
10-20 people and to help promote the program to those they serve. Each
host contact will be invited to attend this rehabilitation training course
with the low vision participants to get a better understanding of how
they can best be of support to someone with low vision, become more aware
of the low vision aids available, learn basic low vision techniques and
concepts, and obtain a comprehensive program binder that highlights the
information covered as well as other resources available within the greater
community. For more information, contact Kathy Austin, Coordinator of
Adult Rehabilitation Services, at (312) 236-8569 or kathya@guildfortheblind.org.
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5. LS&S Sponsors New Visions Program: We are very
pleased to announce a new partnership between the Guild and LS&S.
LS&S is a nationwide product catalog company for the blind, visually
impaired, deaf, and hard of hearing located in Northbrook, IL. This company
has been a well-respected resource for many years, empowering those with
these disabilities to be as independent as they can in their daily activities.
LS&S' generous support and sponsorship of the New Visions program
enables the Guild to introduce more low vision aids to those in the Chicago
metropolitan area by providing items for demonstration as well as for
personal use at home. To learn more about LS&S, request their catalog,
or place a product order, call (800) 468-4789.
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6. New Email Publication From PACER Center: PACER Center
introduces a new "E-News" publication to deliver important information
quickly to parents of children and youth with disabilities and professionals
serving these children and their families. The E-newsletter covers news
including legislative issues, PACER workshops, newly produced products,
and current news on disability and special education issues. To order
this free email newsletter visit the PACER website at http://www.pacer.org.
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7. Assistive Technology Conference: The Assistive Technology
Industry Association (ATIA), a broad-based multi-disciplinary organization
of manufacturers and suppliers of Assistive Technology for people with
disabilities, will hold its 2005 conference Jan. 19-23, at Caribe Royale
All-Suites Resort, Orlando, FL. This event will feature educational sessions,
hands-on labs, pre-conference seminars, the latest advancements in Assistive
Technology products, opportunities for networking with your peers, and
certification and continuing education credits. For complete conference
details, visit http://www.ATIA.org or call (877) 687-2842.
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8. Hadley New Course Catalog: Hadley School for the Blind's
new course catalog is available in large print, braille, audiocassette
and CD-ROM formats. To order a copy, contact Hadley, 700 Elm St., Winnetka,
IL 60093; (800) 526-9909; email: student_services@hadley.edu, or visit
http://www.hadley.edu to view course offerings.
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9. Speak out about voting!: The Information Technology
Technical Assistance and Training Center (ITTATC) project at Georgia Tech's
Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA) is conducting
a survey to measure satisfaction with the voting experience, and the usability
and accessibility of voting machines for all voters, including those with
disabilities. The survey covers the accessibility of information on the
issues and the candidates prior to voting, barriers encountered when voting,
voters' ability to understand or obtain information on how to operate
voting machines, and satisfaction with the voting process. The data collected
will assist government agencies, election officials, and the electronic
and information technology industry in making improvements. You can access
the survey online at: http://www.gatech.edu/votersurvey or http://www.ittatc.org/voting.php.
For more information or to take the survey by phone or paper copy, contact
Robert Roy at (866) 948-8282 (voice/TTY); email: rob.roy@catea.org.
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10. Veterans' Group Life Insurance Online: The Veterans
Administration (VA) recently announced that veterans can now access their
Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) accounts 24-hours a day from any
computer or telephone. A secure website, http://www.insurance.va.gov,
the VGLI Online Account Access System allows veterans to view their current
amount of coverage, premium rate, and billing method. It also provides
the means by which a billing address may be changed and online tools to
calculate a recommended amount of life insurance based on individual financial
information. Call (800) 419-1473 to access account information by phone.
Through this new VGLI interactive voice response system, veterans can
request certain changes to their accounts and order certain forms via
mail and fax.
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11. Holiday Happenings: Listed below are four events
to help you get into the holiday spirit.
American Council of the Blind, Metropolitan Chicago (ACBMC) Chapter will hold its holiday party on Thurs., Dec. 2, at Exchequer Restaurant, 226 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Choice of entree available. Deadline for reservations is Nov. 27. For more information, contact Maureen Heneghan at (773) 775-3595.
Blind Service Association (BSA) will hold its annual holiday Vintage Jewelry Bazaar, Dec. 7-9, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at 22 W. Monroe St., Rm. 904, Chicago, IL. A variety of items from necklaces to tie clips will be available. For more information, contact BSA at (312) 236-0808.
National Federation of the Blind, Chicago Chapter will hold its business meeting and annual holiday auction on Sat., Dec. 11, at Exchequer Restaurant, 226 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL, beginning at 12:00 p.m. For more information, contact Brian Johnson (773) 506-8580.
Weekenders, a social organization sponsored by Horizons for the Blind,
will hold its holiday party, Sun., Dec. 19 at Porrettas, 3718 N. Central,
Chicago, IL. Cocktails are at 12:45 p.m. and dinner is at 1:15 p.m. Choice
of entrees at various prices is available. Deadline for reservations and
payment is Dec. 10. A split-the-pot raffle and door prizes will be part
of the festivities. For more information, contact Horizons for the Blind,
(815) 444-8800.Return to top
CALENDAR OF EVENTS**
DECEMBER
Dec. 2: ACB Holiday Party, page 9
Dec. 7-9: BSA Annual Vintage Jewelry Bazaar, page 9
Dec. 11: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Guild's Career Networking
Club, page 2
Dec. 11: NFB business meeting and auction, page 9
Dec. 14: 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Guild's Computer Club,
page 3
Dec. 19: Weekenders Holiday Party, page 9
Dec. 21: 4:00 p.m. Guild closing early, page 3
Dec. 24, 2004-Jan. 2, 2005: Guild closed in honor of the
holiday season, page 3Return to top
**Note: To publish an announcement in our Calendar of Events please contact
Pamela M. Provost at (312) 236-8569 or by email at pamela@guildfortheblind.org.
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