Bay State Council of the Blind 2024 Spring Conference and Convention Agenda Grousbeck Center, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA

Morning Session

• Welcome From Our Host, Perkins School for the Blind

• Opening Remarks David Kingsbury, President, BSCB

• Overview of Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Activities John Oliveira , Commissioner, MCB

• Participant Introductions

• State Government Initiatives to Improve Accessibility Ashley Bloom, Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer, Executive Office of Technology Services and Security

• Updates from Two of Our Committees Ambassador Program: Pam Loch, Membership Committee chair Healthcare Resources web page: Nona Haroyan and Jerry Berrier, Advocacy Committee co-chairs

• First Reading of Proposed BSCB Code of Conduct Policy Brian Charlson and Jennifer Harnish

• lection of BSCB Officers Brian Charlson (to explain voting procedures) Mary Haroyan( to announce slate of nominees recommended by the Nominations Committee) Sharon Strzalkowski to chair election of President David Kingsbury to chair election of other officers

Afternoon Session

• Announcement of Election Results David Kingsbury Short comments by newly elected Officers

• Debate and Adoption of Proposed Code of Conduct Policy Brian Charlson

• Experience as a Book Author Andrew Leland, author of “The Country of the Blind,” interviewed by Kim Charlson

• Announcement of BSCB Awards Awards Committee: Kim Charlson (chair), Pam Loch, and Jerry Berrier

• Tips for Getting a Handle on Your Personal Finances Moe Carpenter, Penny Forward

• News from the Tech World Jeff Bishop, ACB Blind Information Technology Specialists affiliate President: Overview of BITS training activities and other member benefits David Kingsbury, Demo of the new JAWS PictureSmart with Generative AI feature for describing digital images

• Overview of Recent Perkins Library Activities Kim Charlson

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Re-experience the April 8, 2024 total eclipse of the sun through sound.

Harvard University’s Astronomy Department welcomes those who are blind or have low vision to experience the total eclipse of the sun, through use of the LightSound device which uses a technique called sonification, the process of converting data, in this case light intensity into sound.

The American Council of the Blind and ACB Media are proud to partner with Harvard to broadcast this amazing event where you experience and track through sound the eclipse as it reaches totality at different times from Texas through Vermont. Folks from many different organizations around the country connected their LightSound devices to Zoom as the eclipse reached totality at their location.

The podcast opens with an interview of Allyson Bieryla, Science Center Astronomy Lab and Telescope Manager, Harvard University Astronomer, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory who describes the LightSound Project, and demonstrates and explains the LighhtSound device.

For more information about the LightSound Project, go to The LightSound Project (harvard.edu)

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20240407-1 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240407-1 Morning Sessions

• ICB Business o Elections o Treasurer's Update o Resolutions o Affiliate Reports o Convention 2025 Discussion o Old Business & New Business

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20240406-3 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240406-3 Banquet

• ICB Banquet: o guest speaker Kolby Garrison o Presentation of Awards & 50/50 Raffle Winner Presented o Memorial Service - Remembering ICB members, friends and guide dogs who have passed since our last convention. Note: Memorial service started shortly after the conclusion of banquet

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20240406-2 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240406-2 Afternoon Sessions

• Railroad Relocation Project History: o Kevin Seal - Hansen Engineering

• Accessible Pharmacy: o Andy Burstein

• Audio Description Project: o Samantha Gould

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20240406-1 Morning Sessions

• BBS Update: o Kim Borowicz

• ACB Report

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20240405-2 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240405-2 Afternoon Sessions

• ISVI: o Michelle Clark

• Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service: o Director, Stephen McMinn

• Candidates Forum

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20240405-1 Illinois Council of the Blind 20240405-1 Business Meeting

• ICB Business: o Credentials Report o First Reading of Nominations o Nominations from the Floor o First Reading of Constitution and Bylaws Amendments

• Blind Mice Mart: o Dale Campbell

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20240224-3 Auction

Explore Today, Discover Tomorrow

• ACBM Auction. Join in our lively auction, a fun-filled convention conclusion to support ACBM o Facilitator: Gary Legates o Auctioneer: Rev. Ray Raysor

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20240224-2 American Council of the Blind of Maryland (ACBM) 20240224-2 Banquet

Explore Today, Discover Tomorrow

• Banquet o Facilitator: Gary Legates o Banquet Speaker: Tom Kaufman, Musician and native-born Marylander

• More Door Prizes! o Sandra Sermons

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