The Beacon Issue 3, 2007 Partnership with Department of Veterans Affairs “Saves Lives” On August 15, 2007, a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center in Canandaigua, New York to officially unveil the facility’s new Center of Excellence and its National Mental Health Crisis/Suicide Hotline Center. The hotline began as a federal initiative with a goal of establishing a dedicated suicide hotline for existing and returning veterans who deal with a range of personal and emotional issues on a regular basis. ABVI-Goodwill’s 2-1-1/LIFE LINE program assisted the Department of Veterans Affairs with the development of the hotline by providing extensive training for their telecounselors and temporarily hosting the hotline until the August 15 transition to the Center in Canandaigua. The dedication ceremony for the new hotline included Congressman Randy Kuhl, Assemblyman Brian Kolb, Mr. Craig Howard, Canandaigua VAMC Director, Dr. Kerry Knox, Director of the Center of Excellence and Dr. Janet Kemp, Associate Director of Education and Training at the Center of Excellence. Also participating at the ceremony was Dr. Stephen Lemons, VISN2 Network Director. “It has become clear in a very short period of time that this is a program that will indeed save lives,” he said. The National Mental Health Crisis/Suicide Hotline Center is up and running and available for any veteran and/or family member by calling 1-800-273-TALK. Entertainment Becomes More Accessible Imagine sitting in the audience of a Broadway play and hearing the laughter of other patrons as an actor makes a facial expression on stage, but you’re not able to see what is taking place. For theatre-goers that are visually impaired, this can happen too frequently. Sometimes the non-verbal actions are so essential that without knowing about them, you lose part of the story. Audio description is the answer to make live entertainment accessible and give people who are blind or visually impaired the full theater experience. Audio description provides a verbal description of visual images in performances. A trained audio describer acts as a narrator describing scenery, costumes, physical characteristics of the characters and a description of the action to follow the story. Descriptions are spoken between dialogue and scenes and never interfere with the ability of a person to enjoy the performance. Through a partnership between ABVI-Goodwill and Rochester Broadway Theatre League (RBTL), audio description is now available for the five Broadway shows performed at the Auditorium Theatre, during the upcoming RBTL season. ABVI-Goodwill provides a trained audio describer to work in conjunction with a consultant who is blind or visually impaired. The consultant’s job is to provide feedback to the audio describer such as descriptions that aren’t clear, areas where description is needed and areas where description is too distracting. ABVI-Goodwill employees Nikki Llewellyn, a Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist and Adult Services Team Leader, and Rene Latorre, Consumer Affairs Coordinator, worked last season as the audio description team helping to develop the program. Nikki is a trained audio describer with over eight years experience. She recently participated in the first national Described Media Institute at the National Captioning Institute in Vienna Virginia. Audio description will be provided for the 2007-2008 RBTL season at the Sunday matinee performances. Individuals who want to hear the audio description should notify the theatre ahead of time and reserve the audio description receiver and ear phone for the performance. Set and costume descriptions start 20 minutes prior to the performance so individuals need to be seated in the theatre with the receiver on and ear phone in place to hear what are referred to as the “pre-show notes.” ABVI-Goodwill is pleased to have the opportunity to increase the enjoyment of theatrical performances for people who are blind or visually impaired. We look forward to hearing from you about ways that we can enhance the experience going forward. If you have any questions or comments, you may contact Rene Latorre at (585) 697-5721 or rlatorre@abvi-goodwill.com. FROM THE PRESIDENT Most people recognize the value of a strong brand such as Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Toyota to name a few. What more and more people have come to realize is the importance of a strong brand for a non-profit organization. According to many experts, the notion of branding is often misunderstood by even the most marketing-savvy organizations. It is a common misperception that a brand is the logo or tag line of a product or company. Many can call to mind the symbols or phrases that are often associated with a company or product, for example the Golden Arches of McDonalds. A brand is more than a logo or tagline, and represents the intangible part of a business. Products are tangible – they’re made in factories; they’re things you can hold in your hand. By contrast, a brand is a collection of intangibles, or as Michael Eisner of Disney has said, “the sum of a thousand small gestures.” These intangibles reside in a person’s mind and must stand for something larger than the product benefit. Individuals choose one brand over another because of its intrinsic value. A brand also helps an organization distinguish itself over other organizations; it helps to define the characteristics that give an organization its distinctiveness. So, what is the ABVI-Goodwill brand? That is the question that the agency has begun to consider through a comprehensive brand identity process that began by soliciting 900 of those closest to our organization to respond to a brand survey. Earlier this month, a group of ABVI-Goodwill employees and board members participated in an all day workshop facilitated by the Ad Council to review the survey results and incorporate them as we considered our own brand promise. A brand is not something you just “roll out.” It is embodied in the everyday actions of our employees, in our communications and in our values. As we think about the ABVI-Goodwill brand, we must consider the experience that those closest to us – our consumers, customers, donors, employees and volunteers – expect from us. The branding process is one that permeates throughout the organization to ensure that every touch point for our stakeholders reflects our brand. Over the next several months, ABVI-Goodwill will focus on how we can breathe life into our brand promise and distinguish ourselves from other non-profit organizations. We will look inward to answer such important questions as what business our “brand” is in, what differentiates our products and services from others, what is superior about the value we offer our customers, and how can we “live” our brand in everything we do. We look forward to sharing our continued progress on this effort over the coming months, and as we develop a strong brand for ABVI-Goodwill, we hope that we develop an even stronger and deeper bond with you, our donors, consumers, customers, partners, employees, volunteers and the general public. The Economic Impact of Low Vision Rehabilitation Low vision rehabilitation can save money. A report released this year estimates the cost associated with adult vision problems in the United States at $51.4 billion. The impact on the economy was determined by an analysis of direct medical costs, nursing home care, government programs, and lost productivity, as well as costs to the individual. Two groups of health economists collaborated to produce the comprehensive support. A team from the Centers for Disease Control, estimated the costs to the U.S. economy to be $35.4 billion, while a team from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimated the financial impact to the individual, care givers, and others at $16 billion. The total estimated financial impact exceeds the total combined profits of Exxon Mobil and Wal-Mart, the top two 2006 Fortune 500 companies. Over the next three decades, as the baby boomer generation ages, the number of people in the United States with impaired vision is expected to increase by 60%. Unless we focus on prevention, our nation will be faced with escalating costs due to vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, primary open-angle glaucoma, refractive error, visual impairment and blindness. Medical research and improved access to medical care to prevent visual loss are obviously part of the solution; hopefully these essential initiatives will be funded appropriately. We need to also work diligently to inform our lawmakers that investing in low vision rehabilitation also makes economic sense. Returning visually impaired citizens to the workplace will help avoid the staggering costs of low vision to society. Board of Directors Welcomes New Leadership ABVI-Goodwill is pleased to announce the appointment of six new members to the agency’s Board of Directors. Dr. Madhu Ayyagari, Michelle Batiste, Toby Cherry, Matthew Lashway, David Mehalick and Michael Norris have joined the board and each will serve a three-year term with the agency. Each member of the board brings diverse work and life experience to ABVI-Goodwill. Dr. Ayyagari is a Project Manager at Bausch & Lomb; Michelle Batiste has spent 30 years as part of a military family and was instrumental in supporting families of soldiers deployed to Iraq and other military locations; Matthew Lashway is local district manager for Rochester’s Kohl’s stores; David Mehalick is a partner at Harris Beach LLP; and Michael Norris is Chief Counsel at Sentry Group. Toby Cherry is Director of Human Resources at Paychex and has previously served on the ABVI-Goodwill Board including serving two years as Board chair. “Each of these professionals and community leaders bring a unique blend of talent and experience to help lead this organization into the future,” said A. Gidget Hopf, Ed.D., president and CEO. “Collectively, the Board is poised to continue the entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to our mission that has been the driving force of this organization for almost a century.” We welcome all the new ABVI-Goodwill board members and we look forward to new ideas and continued growth in the upcoming years as we move towards our next century of service. New Board members (left to right) Michael Norris, Madhu Ayyagari, MIchelle Batiste, David Mehalick and Matthew Lashway. Not pictured: Toby Cherry. New Faces Lynn Sullivan recently joined the ABVI-Goodwill team as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Prior to joining ABVI-Goodwill, Lynn held positions as President of LAS Advisors, Management Consultant for JC Jones & Associates LLC, Vice President, Chief Privacy Officer at Harris Interactive Inc., and Worldwide Director of Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis at Eastman Kodak Company. She received her MBA in Finance, Corporate Accounting and Entrepreneurship from the University of Rochester William E. Simon Graduate School of Business and her BS in Finance from Rochester Institute of Technology. ABVI-Goodwill is Lynn’s first experience in managing the finances of a non-profit organization, and it has already given her a stronger perspective on the importance of utilizing resources and using funds wisely. “There is a purpose for the organization beyond the bottom line,” she said. “The funds generated by the organization are making a difference in the community, and that is very rewarding.” Lynn strives to keep the mission of the organization at the front of all financial decisions and will work to ensure ABVI-Goodwill remains a financially sound organization. We are happy to welcome Lynn to ABVI-Goodwill. Celebrate White Cane Day with ABVI-Goodwill To people who are blind or visually impaired, the white cane is a symbol of independence and a means to travel about safely and freely. To other pedestrians and motorists, it is an alert that the person using it is blind or visually impaired, and a warning to take the proper caution when approaching them on the road. In recognition of the importance of the White Cane, every October 15th is celebrated as “White Cane Day.” On Monday, October 15th the Orientation and Mobility staff at ABVI-Goodwill will be offering a free “white cane tune-up.” Visit ABVI-Goodwill at 422 South Clinton Avenue from 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM in The Inner Loop Café to have your cane looked at by the specialists. Bring your cane to be re-taped and have it checked to determine if any repairs are needed. One cane per person can be re-taped at no charge and additional canes are $5.00 each. In addition to the “tune-up” a variety of tips and various mobility devices will be on display. Costume Ideas you can find at Goodwill Artist: Get in touch with your creative side and dress up as an artist for Halloween! Look for an oversized white shirt to act as a smock and find a pair of jeans or black pants. When you get home, add a few tears to the pants and dab some paint on the outfit. Finally, cut out a piece of cardboard in the shape of a paint pallet, attach a paintbrush and you’ve created a masterpiece. Cowboy/Cowgirl: Saddle up and mosey into the party as a cowboy or cowgirl. Grab a pair of jeans, a flannel shirt and boots to start the outfit. Then find a brown belt with a large buckle and top it off with a cowboy hat. All you need is a piece of straw and you’re western from head to toe. Wizard: Make some magic on Halloween by dressing like a Wizard. Find a long dark robe, a rope belt and pointed hat for the attire, and when you get home glue glitter stars and moons all over. But before you leave Goodwill, find an old book to carry around as a spell book and you can cast yourself a spell for a spooky night. Librarian: This Halloween you don’t need to be book smart to dress like a librarian. Start your outfit with a long skirt, preferably in a dark color, and then top it off with a ruffled shirt, black knee socks and pumps. Visit our book section and pick out your own personal library to carry with you for a little extra reading. Pirate: Dress the part and avoid walking the plank. Start your adventures by purchasing a white puffy shirt and dark pants, then find a dark scarf to tie around your head. Dig through a treasure chest of gold accessories and find some large pins and chains to accessorize your look. Golfer: To play the part a golfer to a tee find a pair of nice dress shorts and a collared shirt, pair it with white sneakers and ankle socks to complete the outfit. Grab a golf club and you’re ready to hit the links! For those golf extremists—try a pair of loud, plaid pants to complete your look. Freaky Fridays at Goodwill Still stumped on costume ideas? Our Goodwill employees can help with that too. Every Friday in October, Goodwill employees will be dressed differently than the traditional uniform of a white shirt and black pants. The employees will be getting into the Halloween spirit by wearing costumes on Fridays. So, as you are shopping for the clothing and accessories to put together your outfit, look to our employees for inspiration. Adding to the Retail Leadership Darcy Coddington joined the ABVI-Goodwill team in September 2006 and quickly made valuable contributions to the preparation and opening of the new Goodwill store in Brockport. Her ability to efficiently manage a new store opening, combined with her strong retail background and operations skills, will be valuable assets in her new role as District Team Leader for the Goodwill retail division. Promoted to this new position earlier this summer, Darcy’s new responsibilities include overseeing the day-to-day operations of all five Goodwill locations, as well as the professional development of the Store Team Leaders. Darcy is a valuable member of the retail team and we are pleased to have her as the new District Team Leader. Adam Cipparuolo joined ABVI-Goodwill in November 2006 as the Assistant Team Leader at the Brockport Goodwill location and was recently promoted to the Store Team Leader position at the Clinton Avenue Goodwill Store. Shanell Johnson, who joined ABVI-Goodwill in October 2006, has accepted a position as a Store Team Leader at the Brockport location. Shanell was an Assistant Team Leader at the Jefferson Store when she started with ABVI-Goodwill, and was most recently an Assistant Team Leader at the Brockport Store. Adam and Shanell strive to put the mission of ABVI-Goodwill first in all aspects of the Goodwill retail operation. Both have proven their ability to be strong leaders and they will fill the role of Store Team Leaders with passion and enthusiasm. Technology Expands Employment Opportunities Finding employment in a small market can be a challenge, especially for people who are blind or visually impaired. The lack of opportunities and technology available in a rural town can leave people like Anthony Jacobs in a tough spot. That’s why this 26 year old Wolcott, New York native decided to make the move to Rochester to explore new and exciting career opportunities. When Anthony moved to Rochester three years ago, he was eager to find a steady job. Once he was settled in, Anthony completed his G.E.D. and began attending ABVI-Goodwill’s Job Club; a program formed through a partnership between the New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped and ABVI-Goodwill that focuses on resumé development, confidence building and job search skills. In February 2007, Anthony completed his time in job club and began working full time at the Goodwill store Downtown. This job brought about new responsibilities such as sorting donations, straightening store displays and operating the cash register. Without technology, Anthony or others with a level of vision loss at 20/200 would not be able to perform the responsibilities of a cashier, but dollar bill readers, talking software and scanning devices allow Anthony to do his job independently. ABVI-Goodwill’s unique programs and services are designed to empower individuals, like Anthony, who are blind or visually impaired to be self-sufficient and contribute to their families and communities. There are a variety of job opportunities within ABVI-Goodwill that are suited for many different talents and skills. For more information about job opportunities within ABVI-Goodwill, call (585) 232-1111 or visit us online at www.abvi-goodwill.org. Golden Support Shown at the Annual Celebration Close to 300 guests came together on July 18 for our 2007 Annual Celebration, Gold Rush at Monroe Golf Club. With our largest turnout ever, the celebration was a huge success. Guests at Gold Rush were able to try their luck at the $10,000 Hole-in-One contest, bid on silent and live auctions and try their luck at the six gaming tables. Thank you to all of our sponsors, auction donors and guests for supporting Gold Rush at Monroe Golf Club. Thanks to this support, we were able raise over $71,000 with all proceeds going to benefit ABVI-Goodwill’s vision rehabilitation and career and training programs for people who are blind or visually impaired in the Greater Rochester area. Stay tuned to future editions of The Beacon for information on next year’s Annual Celebration! Sheriff First Niagara Risk Management, Inc. Forty-Niner Bausch & Lomb, Inc. Miner Birds Eye Foods Entre Computer Services Frontier JPMorgan Chase The Monroe Plan for Medical Care, Inc. Trader Bergmann Associates Building Innovation Group, Inc. CCRG Marketing Group Compson Development CooperVision, Inc. Moore Corporate Real Estate Spectracom Thomson West Tucker Printers Maverick Advanced Marketing Direct Alesco Advisors, LLC Bank of America Cobblestone Capital Advisors Cypress Financial Advisors Diamond Packaging Fusion Productions G. Robert Oyer, LLC Harvey and Antoinette McCorvey Mengel, Metzger, Barr & Company, LLP Mercer Human Resource Consulting Rochester Eye & Laser Center WXXI Public Broadcasting Council Rebel Adair Law Firm, LLP ADP, Inc. Anderson Equipment AXA Advisors Canfield and Tack ChamberlainD’Amanda Clover Capital Management Conifer Realty, LLC Crane-Hogan Structural Systems, Inc. DePaolis & Ryan Eye Care Dolomite Products Co. Enterprise Rent-a-Car Family First Credit Union Innovative Solutions Phyllis and Richard LeFrois Manning & Napier Advisors, Inc. Maynards Electric NPV, Inc. OcuSight Eye Care Center Postler and Jaeckle Corporation Preferred Care Ramsey Constructors, Inc. Retina Associates of Western New York United Book Press, Inc. Vision Automotive Group WROC-TV, Channel 8 Prospector 13 WHAM-TV ABF Freight System Advantage Professionals Alberta Crowe Letter Service, Inc. Benefits Management, Inc. C-Tech Cohber Press, Inc. ComTon, Inc. Conway Beam Leasing Elmer W. Davis, Inc. employeescreenIQ Excel Securities & Associates, Inc. Steven and Diane Feldon Gallina Development Corporation Gidget and John Hopf Jacobstein Food Service Joe and Patti Istvan John V. Sally Insurance Agency Masline Electronics, Inc. McArdle Ramerman, Inc. Media Connection Media Services Group, LLC Miller Brick Company Mutual of America Navint Consulting, LLC News 10NBC Providium Consulting Services Qualtech Reprographics, Inc. R.W. Lindsay, Inc. Reed Eye Associates Rewarding Solutions, LLC Sail-On Carpets Schultz and Associates Seneca Foods Corporation Simmons Rennolds Associates, LLC Sofco Division of Bunzl Ted Hosmer Enterprises Triad Network Technologies Ward Norris Heller & Reidy LLP Lois Warlick-Jarvie and David Jarvie Lifetime Achievement Award Jarret Lobb The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual whose contributions to ABVI-Goodwill and the blindness community throughout a lifetime exemplify a spirit of independence and achievement. In his lifetime Jarret Lobb has made significant contributions to many organizations including ABVI-Goodwill, Goodwill Industries International, Monro Muffler Brake & Service and he continues to be a role model for others who are living with vision loss. When Jarret began experiencing vision loss, ABVI-Goodwill was there to help him with orientation and mobility and how to utilize his remaining sight. Jarret was so impressed with the work of ABVI-Goodwill that he ended up serving nine years on the board, including two as chair. After his service on the ABVI-Goodwill Board, Jarret served nationally on the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries International (GII) for three years, and just completed a one-year term as chair of the GII Board. As a person who lives with the challenge of vision loss, Jarret has demonstrated a spirited commitment to and advocacy for other people who are blind or visually impaired. We are proud to recognize the professional and personal accomplishments of Jarret Lobb as the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. He truly raises the bar in demonstrating that visual impairment need not limit success in career, community service or life. Foresight Award B. Thomas Golisano Foundation Webster defines the word foresight as “the act of looking forward; concern for the future.” This year, ABVI-Goodwill is honored to present the 2007 Foresight Award to an organization that has demonstrated the very essence of that word for many years, to the benefit of our community and on behalf of ABVI-Goodwill. Since its inception, the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation has provided support to more than 200 organizations serving people who are disabled and their families. Over the last 20+ years, the Foundation has awarded more than $10 million in grants to not-for-profit organizations in the greater Rochester area. ABVI-Goodwill is honoring the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation for its support of the many projects in which we have partnered over the past several years, including CD-ROM replication start-up funds, children’s programming start-up funds, the agency’s retail Point of Sale (POS) system and the most recent cafeteria renovations at our main facility on South Clinton Avenue. We are very proud to honor the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation with the agency’s 2007 Foresight Award for its selfless and caring generosity to ABVI-Goodwill and our consumers who are blind or visually impaired. The Foundation’s commitment to our mission and those we serve has been invaluable to ABVI-Goodwill and the entire community. Visionary Award - Ruth Phinney This year’s Visionary Award recipient sees opportunities rather than obstacles, willingly extends herself as a mentor and friend, and works with strength and perseverance – all to the benefit of people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired throughout our community. In 1986, Ruth Phinney became Executive Director of the Rochester Radio Reading Service, which started in the basement of ABVI-Goodwill, and then helped in the partnership between WXXI and ABVI-Goodwill that lead to the development of WXXI Reachout Radio in 1988. Throughout her career, Ruth has been an advocate for people who are blind or visually impaired. She has helped make radio operating equipment accessible for a blind co-worker, created an internship program for visually impaired students and coordinated audio description for community-wide events such as Horses on Parade and exhibits at the George Eastman House. On behalf of ABVI-Goodwill, our consumers and the entire community who have been touched by Ruth’s personal and professional vision we are honored to present her with the 2007 Visionary Award. Children get Creative in Camp Five children were able to experience art in a new way this summer through the Creative Vision Art Camp at ABVI-Goodwill. This week-long day camp allowed children who are blind or visually impaired and their siblings to show their creative side through various arts and crafts projects. The projects involved different textures and colors, and every day was a different theme. At the end of the week, there were many imaginative projects to take home. All the camp activities were led by two certified art therapists, Shannon Halligan and Sarah Eksten. Both instructors taught participants how art can be experienced beyond sight and encouraged the children to complete the projects independently and with creativity. The Creative Vision Art Camp was made possible thanks to the generosity of the Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation. Summer Fun at ABVI-Goodwill Miniature golf, horseback riding, arts and crafts and outdoor fun; these are all activities common in many summer camps for children. This summer, these were the same activities in which the eleven children in the ABVI-Goodwill Summer Sizzle camp participated. Summer Sizzle is a week-long day camp for children who are blind or visually impaired. This is the sixth year of the program and every year is filled with more fun activities. Some of the field trips and activities this year included miniature golfing at Adventure Landing, horseback riding at Camp Abilities and cooking lunch at ABVI-Goodwill. If you are interested in learning more about our children’s programs or Summer Sizzle contact Sarah Favro at (585) 697-5746 or sfavro@abvi-goodwill.com. Young Adults Receive Career Direction ABVI-Goodwill’s Career Vision program teaches important skills to young adults who are blind or visually impaired that will help them succeed both personally and professionally. While there are many goals to the Career Vision program, a key objective is to educate teens about available careers and job opportunities. Career Vision helps young men and women, ages 14-21, discover employment opportunities that meet their individual skills and talents. The program encourages the participants to explore different career interests, teaches proper social etiquette in an office environment and offers personalized guidance on how to fill out an application and what to do during an interview. During the program held in July, the nine participants attended a discussion on personal finance with a representative from M&T Bank, as well as visited a local branch to learn about jobs in the financial/banking industry. During this visit the young adults were educated on the importance of direct deposit, how to stay on a budget and banking procedures. Other sessions included opportunities to experience different types of businesses such as GEVA Theatre, Wegmans Food Markets and Dinosaur Bar B Que. Thanks to the Career Vision Program all nine young adults have a strong start in their career paths and each understands the importance of refined social skills and finding a job that is suited for their abilities and talents. For more information on the Career Vision program or any of our other programs or services at ABVI-Goodwill, call (585) 232-1111. Audio Description for Television By Ruth Phinney Audio description not only makes live theater accessible to people with visual impairments, but also provides accessibility to many public television programs. WXXI is committed to bringing services to people in the greater Rochester area, not only through WXXI Reachout Radio, but also through audio described television programs (DVi – Described Video) on channel 21 or cable channel 11. The weekday line-up includes a variety of children’s programs beginning at 6 am with Reading Rainbow, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, Jakers, Arthur, Curious George, Clifford the Bid Red Dog, Sesame Street and It’s a Big Big World. Barney, Caillou, Teletubbies, Between the Lions and Dragon Tales take viewers throughout the early afternoon. Most of these programs are also audio described in their weekend airings. Primetime television opportunities in September and October include: Sunday, September 16th 8 PM, Nature “Hippo Beach” 9 PM, Mystery “The Inspector Lynley Mysteries” Monday, September 17th 9 PM, Most Honorable Son Wednesday, September 19th 9 PM, Seeing in the Dark Thursday, September 20th 10 PM, Globetrekker “Mainland Greece” Sunday, September 23rd through Tuesday, October 2nd 8 PM, Ken Burns’ “The War” Sunday, October 14th 8 PM, Nature “The Good, The Bad and the Grizzly” 9 PM, Mystery “The Inspector Lynley Mysteries” Monday, October 15th 9 PM, The Mysterious Human Heart “Endlessly Beating” 10 PM, The Mysterious Human Heart “The Spark of Life” Sunday, October 21st 8 PM, Nature “Supersize Crocs” 9 PM, Masterpiece Theatre “The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard” Monday, October 22nd 9 PM, The Mysterious Human Heart “The Hungry Heart” Tuesday, October 23rd 8 PM, Nova “Saved by the Sun” Sunday, October 28th 8 PM, Nature “Silence of the Bees” 9 PM, Masterpiece Theatre “The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard” Adaptive Technology News: Gearing up for Windows Vista by Kim Kline After a lengthy Beta test period and several revisions, JAWS 8.0 for Windows Vista has finally been released. JAWS 8.0.2173 is a free update for any user of an earlier release of JAWS 8.0. It not only provides support for Windows Vista, but also provides a number of bug fixes for Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office 2003 and Internet Explorer 7.0. Even if you are running Windows XP along with Microsoft Office XP, and you have an earlier version of JAWS 8.0, this upgrade is probably still worth doing as there are a few meaningful bug fixes for Windows XP itself. On the other hand, if you are running an older operating system such as Windows 98 or Windows 2000, this upgrade is not for you. Although JAWS 8.0 still supports Windows 2000, it really doesn’t add anything significant to it unless you are going to run Mozilla Fire Fox or Internet Explorer 7.0. JAWS 8.0 will not even support Windows 8.0, so upgrading to anything after JAWS 7.0 is out of the question. Freedom Scientific indicates that they expect to release JAWS 9.0 in September 2007, but have said little more about what this new version will feature. By the way, if you are waiting for Magic for Vista, it is still coming but has not been put out for a Public Beta test at the time of this writing. Magic 11.0 is supposed to provide support for Windows Vista, even though their competition, AI Squared has had a Windows Vista version of Zoomtext available for a few months. And, of course, GW Micro’s Window-Eyes and the Serotek System Access screen readers were available almost immediately after Windows Vista was released. From an adaptive technology standpoint, if you have the option of waiting to move up to Windows Vista, you are probably better off. The adaptive technology industry is still wrestling with the first attempt at Windows Vista accessibility and there are still many bumps in the road, regardless of which adaptive technology product you use. The technical support notices on adaptive technology products and Windows Vista are coming in almost weekly. But, if you work with a company that has made the decision to move up, and you have no choice, at least there are some viable products that provide at least basic support. Vision Loss Classes in the Community Preferred Care health offers numerous education programs and support services within the community to help people take charge of their health. In November, ABVI-Goodwill representatives Dr. Katherine White and Sharon Schwalm, will be speakers for two classes discussing Macular Degeneration and Vision Rehabilitation. On Thursday, November 8th, Dr. White will present a class on Macular Degeneration that will address the disease and how it affects vision, the different types, causes and risk factors and current treatments. On Thursday, November 15th, Dr. White and Sharon Schwalm will discuss vision rehabilitation including the need for a low vision evaluation and vision rehabilitation for people experiencing vision loss. Both classes will be held from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM and will take place at the Preferred Care Wellness Center located at 220 Alexander Street on the second floor. There is no charge for Preferred Care members to attend, but there may be a slight fee for non-members. If you are interested in participating in these classes contact the Preferred Care Member Services department Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM at (585) 327-2480 or (800) 665-7924. TTY users may call (585) 325-2629 or (800) 252-2452. Riding Tall Hollyn Halstead is a cheerful, and friendly 10 year-old girl who loves to ride horses. Her favorite horse, Angel, is one of the many that she rides during her Saturday morning lessons at the EquiCenter. But Hollyn isn’t an ordinary horse back rider; she is a participant in therapeutic riding lessons and she is visually impaired. Hollyn lives with vision loss and right hemiplegia, meaning that the right side of her body is weaker than the left. However, that hasn’t slowed her down. She recently competed in the Special Olympics on an EquiCenter team of ten and, for the second year in a row, came home with a gold medal. Her events were Trail and Equitation, both of which require strong horsemanship skills, strength and confidence in leading the horse through a series of tasks. The EquiCenter opened its doors to offer therapeutic horseback riding, hippotherapy and horsemanship to the community in May 2004, and Hollyn was one of the first participants. For three years the EquiCenter has been a place where Hollyn can ride horses while receiving therapy to help develop her muscles, balance and coordination. When she rides on Saturday mornings, she is full of smiles as she does various stretches and activities on top of the horse. Hollyn’s mother, Kara, has seen many positive improvements since her daughter began riding at the EquiCenter. “Not only has the horseback riding improved her self-esteem and confidence but also her posture and physical strength,” commented Kara. “She enters the competition ring like she belongs there.” Horseback riding surpasses a hobby for Hollyn, and it does far more than just put a smile on her face. The benefits of therapeutic horseback riding are long-lasting and will continue to help Hollyn as she grows and develops through the years. To learn more about the EquiCenter visit www.equicenterny.org or call (585) 733-1111. Easy Giving for Older Adults Harvey Nusbaum took advantage of tax saving legislation for those age 70 ½ or older. Harvey made a contribution from his Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to ABVI-Goodwill. He understands the importance of the programs and services provided at ABVI-Goodwill and wants to do his part to make sure those services remain available to people who are blind or visually impaired. Thanks to the Pension Provision Act of 2006, he was recently able to donate more to ABVI-Goodwill than he usually does. This new law (only available through December 31 of this year) allowed him to avoid paying income tax on the money he is required to take out of his IRA each year. The benefits for Harvey were considerable: - his charitable distribution counted toward his IRA minimum required distribution; - the transfer generated neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so even those who do not itemize their tax returns can receive the benefit!; - the gratification that his gift would help those in our community who are blind or visually impaired. It’s not only the very wealthy that can take advantage of this opportunity and make a contribution from their retirement fund. You can make a donation of $500, $1000 or whatever amount you are comfortable with. It’s a win-win. ABVI-Goodwill wins by receiving a donation that will assist people who are blind, and you the donor wins by making a contribution with income that you would have to pay taxes on otherwise. There are a few restrictions to making this type of gift such as: - the donor must be 70 ½ years of age or older; - the gift must be made on or before December 31, 2007; - the funds must be transferred directly from an IRA or Rollover IRA. It is simple to make a donation from your IRA. If you would like more information on making this type of tax-saving gift, please contact Tracy Schleyer, Director of Development at (585) 697-5780 or tschleyer@abvi-goodwill.com. Fire Chief Cliff Andrews died in 2006.Tomorrow, he will provide critically needed vision rehabilitation services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Cliff donated his time for many years as a volunteer fire fighter. In addition to his involvement in the fire department, he was also very supportive of his community and ABVI-Goodwill. His generous spirit will live on forever through his memory. Thanks to a donation in his will, people who are blind or visually impaired in the Greater Rochester area will continue to receive services at the Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired (ABVI)-Goodwill Industries of Greater Rochester, Inc. By giving to ABVI-Goodwill in memory or in honor of a family member or friend, many generous people have found a way to express their caring spirit while helping to ensure the success of ABVI-Goodwill. Thank you to the following friends who made contributions from May 3, 2007 to August 3, 2007. IN MEMORY OF: Muriel D. Ackroyd Anne V. Wolff Mamie Amoroso Rose Mary A. Bellavia Albert and Rose Marie De Sanctis Dolomite Products Co. Michael and Shirley Grasso Dennis and Kathleen Meeh Joseph and Charlotte Palozzi Channing and Marie Philbrick UCB Pharma Stefan J. Bachmann Irene Galinsky Thomas I. Boak II Thomas I.S. Boak III Judith and Thomas Boak-Karsten Mona M. Cantor Irene Galinsky Thomas Cerniglio June A. Cavoti Marie B. Fiore Ralph and Mary Ann Garofalo Carl and Joyce Martel Antoinette Mele Joseph and Libby Pannone Theresa Perticone and Glen Woodhams Roberta A. Pilato Gerald D. Roche Sandy and Colleen Romeo Jeanne Coia Irene Galinsky Joan Davis Wendell Clawson Coach and Equipment Manufacturing Corporation Gail A. Davis Mr. and Mrs. John Evarts Mr. and Mrs. George Fleischman Mr. and Mrs. Howard Fleischman June Moore Laura Mae Wallace Waterloo Container Suzanne L. West Shirley Dietschler Lawrence and Barbara Atwell Shirley J. Barnum George L. Beagley Leonard Beagley Bruce and Alice Biller Hazel C. Fitzgerald William and Jacqueline Heinrich Joan S. Neilon Charles and Clara Roth Raymond and Margaret Roth Bernard and Irene Sabernick Silver Squares Raymond and Shirley Trudeau Ms. Pauline L. Wasserman and Mr. Izzy Reitzfeld Merton Fletcher George and Mary Beer Michael Fredericks Jeff and Debbie Blood Mary Ann Maggio Toni and Sidney Marshall Gertrude Hopf Holzmacher Ginny and Rick Romanick Chris and Bob Elliott Peg and Pete DiZinno Audrey W. Munn Mary and Terrence Gurnett Joyce Pena Leo and Dorothy Schell Virginia Sigwalt Donna L. Avery Browncroft Baptist Church Marion Slavin, Kenneth and Lucille Williams, and John M. Odenbach, Sr. John M. Odenbach, Jr. Ruth Strassberg David and Naomi Schrier Eleanor K. Yorks Jane E. Heath Barbara Young and Melvin J. Young, Sr. Kathryn Young William Zimmer Sylvia and Sam Autovino IN HONOR OF: Ruth E. Andrews Bill and Jane Benzing Vikki Cheal Joyce E. Crook Maria G. Elmer Howard and Barbara Kingsley Joan Klapka Joan and Vern Lindberg Ruth and Gary Myers Ligaya P. Nocon Marcia and William W. Opperman Mary Rogan Beverly A. Schlageter Anne Sifuentes Arline Walker Mark and Wilma Wheten Sheilla Wray Kevin A. Calos and Lynne Nash Thomas and Susan Zubert Dr. Steven S. Ching Dr. John C. Peachey Gidget and John Hopf’s 35th Wedding Anniversary Ginny and Rick Romanick Chris and Bob Elliott Peg and Pete DiZinno Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Metzger’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Dr. Frederick Dushay Raymond and Patricia Naber’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Dr. Frederick Dushay If you would like to make a memorial or honorary gift to celebrate a special occasion, honor a loved one or pay tribute to the memory of deceased family or friends, please contact Alison Martinez at (585) 697-5711 or amartinez@abvi-goodwill.com. ABVI-Goodwill will send a note acknowledging your gift according to your wishes and your name and the names of those that you are honoring will be listed in The Beacon. One Volunteer with a Personal Connection to Our Mission Bertha Samuel is a kind and enthusiastic volunteer who has a special connection to the people she assists at ABVI-Goodwill. Bertha’s mother lived with diabetic retinopothy and because of this experience Bertha understands about living with vision loss and draws inspiration from the people to whom she provides rides. “It just happens to be that I’m driving people who have the same eye disease that my mother had. I now have a better understanding of her situation and what she went through because of the interaction I have with my riders,” commented Bertha. “I enjoy volunteering with ABVI-Goodwill because I meet wonderful people and they encourage me that if I should experience similar vision loss, life doesn’ t have to stop.” Bertha first learned of the volunteer opportunities at ABVI-Goodwill through a referral through Lifespan’s Give a Lift program and became one of our valued drivers in 2005. She is one of the high-demand volunteers at ABVI-Goodwill because there is a constant request for transportation at ABVI-Goodwill. Shenise Williams, ABVI-Goodwill’s Volunteer Coordinator, has great admiration for the time that volunteers provide to the agency. “Last year volunteers contributed over 4,000 hours to ABVI-Goodwill,” Shenise commented. “This unselfish giving of their time offers inspiration and motivation for people with vision loss. That is why Bertha and volunteers like her continue to be such a valuable asset to the agency.” Make a Difference with your Time When you volunteer at ABVI-Goodwill you make a difference in the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. The variety of volunteer opportunities at ABVI-Goodwill can fit into any schedule. Long-term and short-term volunteer assignments offer flexibility to fit into anyone’s daily routine. Listed below are some of the many volunteer opportunities available. Drivers Traveling is more enjoyable when you have a companion, and volunteer driving is one of the most regular needs at ABVI-Goodwill. Getting to a medical appointment or a needed eye exam can be a difficult task for a person who is blind or visually impaired. Your assistance in driving to important medical or vision rehabilitation appointments around the area will help people who are blind or visually impaired stay in good health. Personal Readers Sorting through mail may be a simple task for many, but for someone who is blind or visually impaired this task isn’t as easy. Volunteering to visit an individual’s home or office and assist with reading the mail is a wonderful way to contribute. This bi-weekly volunteering opportunity allows a person with low vision the opportunity to stay current on their bills, personal mail and important notifications. Personal Shoppers Running to the grocery store for a gallon of milk or fresh fruit is a simple errand. However, for people who are blind or visually impaired, grocery shopping is a task with which they require the help of others. As a volunteer shopper you can help a person who is blind or visually impaired either by driving them to the store or simply by taking their grocery list and shopping for them. There are many more volunteer opportunities available at ABVI-Goodwill. If you are interested contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Shenise Williams, at (585) 697-5718 or email swilliams@abvi-goodwill.com.