Welcome to the California connection for June 3.
ACB Auction
From the President:
This year, at the annual ACB Conference and Convention, we will be holding our 10th annual ACB auction, entitled "A Decade of Dreams Auction."
If you would like to donate anything to a California basket, let me know prior to May 30, either by e-mail jsthom@comcast.net or by phone at 916-995-3967.
You can bring your item to me if you are attending the convention or send it to the office ahead of time, but I need a description of what our basket will hold by May 30. Even gift cards are very welcome additions, as is anything original or that has a California flavor to it.
Thanks again for all that you do in this regard.
From The President
As many of you are aware, CCB, along with individual plaintiffs, settled a case with Alameda County to better enable voters in that county to vote privately and independently.
Pursuant to that settlement, a taskforce was created specifically to deal with Alameda County issues concerning voting by persons with vision impairments. Through our outstanding taskforce representative, Mr. Noel Runyan, we are working hard to make the system better for Alameda County voters who are blind or have low vision.
In order to ascertain whether the county is making positive efforts to remove barriers faced by Alameda County voters with vision impairments, we urge those of you in Alameda County to vote in the primary election using the accessible voting machines and provide us with information as to their experiences. We will make sure that our taskforce representative is provided with this information.
You can email this information to the CCB office at ccotb@ccbnet.org or telephone CCB administrative assistant Ed Branch at 800-221-6359.
Below are questions that we hope you will answer in this effort.
- Were there any barriers when you arrived at the polling place?
- Were there any barriers when using the voting machine?
- Could you vote independently?
- If there was a problem, how long did you have to wait to vote?
- Did you notify a poll worker of the problem?
- Did the poll worker call the help desk?
San Mateo County Vote-By-Mail System
CCB is one of the plaintiffs in a suit against the county of San Mateo with respect to ensuring that the county, which has adopted a vote-by-mail system, has an accessible method that all voters in the county with visual impairments can use.
We have filed a motion for a preliminary injunction and oral arguments will be heard on that motion in a hearing to be held on June 24 at 10 AM.
The hearing will be held in Courtroom 6, 17th Floor at the San Francisco federal court located at 450 Golden Gate Avenue.
We urge as many of you from the Bay Area to attend this hearing.
Remember that cases like this can have an impact throughout the state, so your support can help all Californians, not just those in San Mateo County.
Executive Director Recruitment
The California Council of the Blind is seeking applicants for the position of executive director.
You may read or download a copy of the recruitment announcement at:
http://www.ccbnet.org/execdirtr.htm
or find a link to the material on the CCB home page at: http://www.ccbnet.org.
In addition, you may obtain a copy of the recruitment announcement by calling the CCB office at 800-221-6359 or by email ccotb@ccbnet.org
East LA CCB Chapter Event
Save The Date June 11th For Our Mexican Annual Fiesta Luncheon:
Start your summer off with a party!
Please plan to join the East LA CCB Chapter for the annual June Mexican fiesta Luncheon on June 11th from 10:30 AM to 2 pm. At the Garcia home located at 1226 S. McBride Ave in East Los Angeles. The cross street is Olympic.
Come join the East LA CCB family and enjoy friends, food and drink. Our own bartender Rafael Enriquez will be serving up spirits, soda and water. Soledad will have some of her delicious baked goods including some sugar free goodies as well for sale. Come early or they will be sold out. Her baked goods sell out every meeting.
Your $12 meal ticket will get you in for the three item plate of enchilada, taco, tamale, rice and beans. You will get a free soda or water with your meal. Take home meals will be $6 each. You may purchase additional drinks.
Your meal ticket puts you in the drawing for door prizes including the grand prize of a desktop running windows 7 with open source software comparable to office, NVDA (screen reader) and illuminate (screen magnification) software will also be preloaded for and ready use. We will have the basket of joy (spirits) drawing and a 50/50 drawing.
We look forward to seeing old and new friends.
Please RSVP to Stephanie Rood at 818.321.4205 or email east.la.ccb.chpater@gmail.com or Mona Craig at 310.930.6929 or preshusdelight@gmail.com with the number of individuals who will be attending. This will insure that there will be enough food to go around for all.
Please pass this email along to anyone who wants to come enjoy good food, drink and conversation on Saturday June 11th at 10:30am.
I look forward to seeing everyone and new friends.
Cordially,
Stephanie Rood Acting President
Winifred Downing Life Celebration
You are invited to a celebration of the amazing life of Winifred Downing
When: Saturday, June 18, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Where: LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 1155 Market Street, 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103, adjacent to the Civic Center BART station
Hear tributes to Winifred, share your memories of her, and enjoy some of her favorite snacks with members of the Bay Area blind community and with members of Winifred's family.
Please send your RSVP to Ellie Lee
Cell: (415) 378-6079
Email: ellieleesf@yahoo.com
This event is cosponsored by the San Francisco Chapter of the California Council of the Blind and by the LightHouse.
Audio Professionals
From the CCB Hearing and Vision Loss Committee
In our June conference, we will be discussing the different audio professionals (Audiologist, ear nose and throat doctors, etc) to better understand which one does what.
Join CCB's Hearing and Vision Impaired Committee as we explore this and more!
This is the eighth in a series of monthly open interactive resource conferences to help you deal with your hearing loss.
Date: Sunday, June 19; time: 5 PM pacific/ 8 PM Eastern;
Phone: 832-551-5900 id: 368611.
We encourage you to sign up for our email list where we will be posting resources we have discussed and where you can share your resources and experiences. Go to
ccbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/hvi-l_ccbnet.org.
In addition, you can get links to previous audio recordings by emailing mlkeithley@comcast.net
ACB Candidates Call
On Sunday, June 12, from 3 PM to 5 PM, CCB will be holding a candidates conference call for all candidates who intend to seek a position on the ACB Board of Directors or Board of Publications at the election to be held at the 2016 ACB Conference and Convention this July in Minneapolis.
The telephone number for this call will be 712-432-3066 and the access code will be 497700.
This call will be held in lieu of an actual California caucus at the convention due to changes in scheduling that will be occurring at the convention. However, this format has the advantage of allowing even those of you who will not be attending the convention to participate.
You will have an opportunity to ask questions of the candidates.
ACB Roommate Request
I am seeking a third person particularly a male to room with Joe Lopez, and I at convention.
I will be arriving on July 1, and departing on July 10. I will be financially unable to attend the convention without you.
Please call me at 951 4547586, or email me at jordanmirander@icloud.com
1Touch Self-Defense For The Blind Hands On Workshops
When: June 10th, 2016
Time: 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Where: Silicon Valley Community Foundation 1300 S El Camino Real #100 San Mateo, CA 94402
When: June 11th, 2016, 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Where: Orientation Center for the Blind 400 Adams Street Albany, CA 94706
To register info@1touchproject.com or 319-759-8980
Pre-Register by June 3rd - $35.00 ($45 at the door)
1Touch is a nonprofit organization that provides an adapted self-defense program for people who are blind. No experience is necessary and everyone is welcome no matter their physical abilities or age. Half of all 1Touch Coaches are blind and working to making their communities safer!
TVI's & O&M's can receive 5.5 ACVREP CE hours for this workshop.
LightHouse Grand Opening
LightHouse for the Blind is planning a Grand Opening celebration and we'd like for you to join us.
We have spent the last few years and much creative energy to construct our new, innovative headquarters at 1155 Market Street. We are excited to welcome our community to experience the unique design features and the expanded potential of this new facility specifically created by the blind for the blind and low vision community.
To kick off the day of celebration, we are starting on the steps of the San Francisco City Hall with some special guests who would like to honor the LightHouse and our big move. Then we will take to the streets with a parade full of fanfare on our way to the new building!
March with us at the "Blind & Proud" Parade!
Please save the date and plan to be a part of the Parade! We would be honored to have you or your organization, along with other allies and supporters from all over the state, as a strong contingent in the grand march along Van Ness and Market Streets in the center of San Francisco.
We welcome banners and other festive ways to show your support of and partnership with the LightHouse. Our marching band will lead the way so we hope you are there alongside us for the excitement!
Grand Opening Celebration Schedule:
June 10 San Francisco Civic Center
11:00 AM: Welcome Remarks at City Hall
12:00 PM: "Blind & Proud" Parade from City Hall to 1155 Market
1:00 - 3:00 PM: LightHouse Open House
Questions?
To RSVP and get more information about participating in the Blind & Proud Parade and attending the LightHouse Open House, please contact Megara Vogl at mvogl@lighthouse-sf.org or 415-694-7335.
Thank you for reading, Have a nice day
