American Council of the Blind of Oregon – 67th Annual Convention FRIDAY – Oct 22
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American Council of the Blind of Oregon – 67th Annual Convention FRIDAY – Oct 22
Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co
This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
Agenda
Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co
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Pennsylvania Council of the Blind 2021 Virtual Conference and Convention
Sunday, September 19, 2021
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Pennsylvania Council of the Blind 2021 Virtual Conference and Convention
Saturday, September 18, 2021
Virtual Banquet, sponsored by the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, Pre-Session Entertainment.
Greetings and Sponsor Acknowledgements, Sue Lichtenfels, Conference Coordinator.
PCB Student Merit Award, Suzanne Erb, PCB Board of Directors.
PCB Award Presentations, William Grignon, PCB Board of Directors.
Strengthening Community through Unity, Jonathan Mosen MNZN, Disability Advocate, Multi-Media Producer, and Assistive Technology Consultant. Born congenitally blind, Jonathan Mosen has been breaking barriers throughout his life. As the creator of ACB Radio in 1999 and the more recent Mushroom FM, he’s been a pioneer in internet radio for decades. He’s shared his knowledge and insight through podcasts, lectures, books, articles, tutorials, product reviews, and more. A native New Zealander, Jonathan’s impact on the blind community is worldwide. Be sure to join us as Jonathan speaks on “Strengthening Community through Unity.”
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Pennsylvania Council of the Blind 2021 Virtual Conference and Convention
Saturday, September 18, 2021
Questioning the Limitations of Vision Loss, Joseph Koury, Author and Tony Swartz, Facilitator. The presentation will include a discussion based on the book, “Seeing without Eyes,” considering multi-sensory development as a response of adaptation to vision loss. When at 19, Joe suddenly lost his vision, out of despair and fearing that he would be a burden to his family, he decided to embark on a trip hitch hiking across the United States. More than just a cross country journey, it turned out to be a quest of exploration and development of his remaining senses. Joe will briefly chronicle his journey and describe the abilities he developed, allowing him to build a successful life both personally and financially.
Enlightening News from LAMP, Andrea Lemoins, Outreach Coordinator, Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians. Many changes have occurred at our regional NLS libraries since we last heard from them at the PCB Conference. A new name, new equipment, and new outreach opportunities to name a few. You don’t want to miss the update from this invaluable community resource.
Focusing on Diversity. This discussion will share a variety of life perspectives from persons of varying ethnicities and races who are blind or visually impaired. Panelists will share some of the biases and challenges they face regularly within the vision loss community. They will explore ways for increasing diversity and inclusivity within the council.
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Pennsylvania Council of the Blind 2021 Virtual Conference and Convention
Friday, September 17, 2021
Talk Description to Me, Podcast Hosts, Christine Malec and JJ Hunt. We will learn more about the unique podcast where the visuals of current events and the world around us get hashed out in description-rich conversations. In Talk Description to Me, discussions plunge into current events and topical issues to explore the content of important images and help place vivid descriptions in their cultural context. The show enhances our ability to connect with the vision-centric world.
Resolutions, First Reading, Carla Hayes, PCB Parliamentary Team.
Enhancing Architectural Accessibility. Chris Downey, Architecture for the Blind. As an experienced architect who lost his vision, Chris provides accessibility advice to builders. He recently consulted on the UPMC Vision Rehabilitation Hospital in Pittsburgh. He will share tips for the kinds of blind-friendly features we should be advocating for when buildings are constructed or renovated.
Two Truths and a Tall Tale, hosted by Mary Ann Grignon, sponsored by the Golden Triangle Council of the Blind. This game is all about faking out your peers. Contestants will be given one minute to tell two true statements and one tall tale about themselves. Then the inquisition panel gets two minutes to ask questions and expose which is the tall tale. Listen carefully from the audience because you’ll be the judge of which story is pure fiction.
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Pennsylvania Council of the Blind 2021 Virtual Conference and Convention
Friday, September 17, 2021
Support Groups- Sharing Ideas and Resources to Build a Stronger Peer Community. Marcy Graboyes, Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center, Jeanette Schmoyer, PCB Mentor and Residential Group Leader, and Jule Ann Lieberman, CVLT CATIS. Sponsored by the PCB Vision Loss Resource Team, this session will cover the role of support groups in the lives of persons impacted by vision loss or blindness. Join the experienced group leaders in discussion of their support groups, their settings, how they started a group and how they engage members. Come learn how to start a group in your area.
Nurturing the Handler/Guide Dog Bond. Join Pennsylvania Guide Dog Users and Supporters (PAGDUS) and representatives from Guide Dog Foundation (GDF) as we discuss the bond with our trusty guides. In the first half, Lauren Berglund, GDF Consumer Relations Coordinator, and Cameron McLendon, GDF Graduate Support Manager, will discuss cultivating the unity of the handler and new dog team, including trust between the handler and new dog, and the information handlers can expect their guide dogs to provide. The second half of our session will focus on the handler perspective of bonding with our guides. A panel of PAGDUS members, who are graduates from various guide dog schools, will discuss the joys and challenges of bonding with our guides, whether it’s our first or sixth. They will talk about bonding with a new guide dog after retirement, loss, and bonding with a new dog during the pandemic. Whether you’re an experienced or potential guide dog user, we hope you’ll join us.
Enabling the Deaf-Blind Community, Jessica Adams, Director of Deafstone and Melissa Hawkins, Director of the PA Office of Deaf & Hard of Hearing, sponsored by the Golden Triangle Council of the Blind, Community Advocate underwriter. Many individuals who are deaf-blind rely on the services of workers called SSP’s to assist them with bill paying, grocery shopping, doctor visits, and other errands. We will learn why these assistants are so important and what we can do to ensure future services continue.
Gadget Gallery, hosted by the PCB Peer Engagement Team and underwritten by Tech OWL, Community Organizer. Are you looking for ways to make your life a little easier? Never fear, just call a PCB peer! Make sure you have your note-taking materials nearby when a cadre of peers share information about their favorite life-simplifying gadgets.
Volunteering outside of the Blind Community, with Panelists, Ellie Goldfon, Angela Hadbavny, Jody Mullis, and Art Rizzino, Facilitator, Sue Lichtenfels. Many of us who are blind or have vision loss are unemployed, multi-talented, and highly skilled, so let’s consider how we stop wasting our abilities at home and start playing an active role in strengthening our communities. A panel of individuals will discuss both the trials and triumphs of their volunteer experiences in mainstream society.
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Pennsylvania Council of the Blind 2021 Virtual Conference and Convention
Friday, September 17, 2021
Finding Your Stride: How to Advocate for Yourself. Melissa Carney, PCB Director of Outreach and Engagement, underwritten by Democracy Live, Community Advocate. The first steps to becoming a strong self-advocate are determining when it is necessary, remaining in motion, and most importantly, obtaining confidence in your own abilities and persistence. Please join us for an interactive discussion on how to make your voice heard by speaking up for what you do or do not need as a blind individual. Each of us possess different identities, skillsets, life stories, access priorities, and so forth, but, as a community, we all experience challenges that can be negated through our words, actions, and efforts to maximize our autonomy.
Building Communities through Technology, Jule Ann Lieberman, MS CLVT/CATIS ATP, TechOWL. The TechOWL program provides all Pennsylvanians opportunities to explore a variety of technology devices which can assist persons who are blind or visually impaired in everyday life. This session will describe updates to the equipment lending library, options for obtaining special telephones, and devices to meet the distance communication needs of persons with both hearing loss and blindness. Learn how TechOWL has met the challenge during the pandemic with projects such as Connect with Tech. Learn how senior centers and adult communities are connecting with their clients through device loans to address social isolation.
Increasing Accessibility with the Louie Voice App, Pramit Bhargava, App Developer. Created originally for Android phones but in development for iPhones, the Louie Voice is a voice-controlled app that performs tasks within other apps through voice commands. Louie’s developer will show us what we can do in apps such as YouTube, WhatsApp, and Uber. So, if you are ready to simplify your smartphone functionality and ease your inaccessibility frustrations, be sure to attend this session.
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Pennsylvania Council of the Blind 2021 Virtual Conference and Convention
Thursday, September 16, 2021
Auction Item Showcase Preview. The bidding won’t begin until Sunday, but you don’t have to wait any longer to hear the parade of great items up for bid this year. Start making your wish list and familiarize yourself with the bidding process to give you the best chance of nabbing your favorite item. 5:50 PM Pre-Session Entertainment
Conference Call to Order and Welcome, Christine Hunsinger, PCB President
Invocation, Jacqueline Wissinger, PCB Chaplain.
President’s Address, Christine Hunsinger, PCB President.
Necrology Remembrance, Jacqueline Wissinger, PCB Chaplain.
Door Prizes
Sharing Your Craft-Ability with the World. Panelists, Kaila Allen, Mike Grove, and Annie Pineda, and Facilitator, Mary Ann Grignon. Community, confidence, compensation, and charity can all be achieved when we pursue our crafty, creative aspirations. We will hear from a panel of creative individuals about their crafty journeys to success.
Low-tech Solutions to Get Grocery Essentials. Lisa Salinger and Jule Ann Lieberman, sponsored by the PCB Technology Access Team. Life changed dramatically for most of us in the past two years. Routine grocery shopping changed with social distance and limited transportation. This session discusses options to get the groceries you need even if you don’t have a computer or smart phone.
Proposed Bylaw Amendments, First reading. John Luttenberger, PCB Parliamentary Team.
Door Prizes & Announcements
Jeopardy for the Common Man (Women and Non -Binary Individuals Welcome), hosted by Tony Swartz and Blair Wissinger, sponsored by the Golden Triangle Council of the Blind, Community Advocate underwriter. Whether you love or hate the television game show, you will surely enjoy this homemade version of the popular game that has you guessing the question to meet the answer.
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