FALL CONVENTION AGENDA
October 28 - 31, 2004
"California Council of the Blind
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW -
CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF ADVOCACY"
JEFF THOM, PRESIDENT
HOSTED BY
CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
578 B STREET
HAYWARD, CA 94541-5004
510-537-7877
800-221-6359
CO-HOST AFFILIATES
PYRAMID Chapter, President Onetta Sally
COMPTON CHAPTER, President Michael Williams
Los Angeles LAX Airport Marriott Hotel
5855 West Century Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045
Reservations: 310-641-5700
For your convenience a textual description of the hotel floor plan and emergency evacuation procedures are included at the back of this Agenda.
Donations of prizes to be given throughout the convention and contributions to our various special and general funds will be very much appreciated. These should be brought to the CCB registration table in the main lobby.
If you would like to pay your member-at-large dues for 2004, you may do so at the CCB registration table.
For those requiring special meals, adaptive listening devices for the general sessions or other special accommodations, please contact the CCB registration table.
For your convenience here is a hotel telephone directory and instructions for reaching various departments within the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel.
Hotel Operator: Dial "0"
This will connect you to "At Your Service" (AYS), who can help CCB convention attendees with most anything about the hotel (If you do not wish to contact a specific department).
Requests for items such as extra towels, toiletries, etc. can be handled through AYS (As an alternative to contacting the Housekeeping Department, especially after hours).
Frequently used hotel extensions:
AYS (At Your Service): 0
Concierge: 5383
Housekeeping: 5313
Bell Stand: 5385
Room Service: 5678
Latitude 33 Restaurant: 8039
Champions Sports Bar: 5602
JW's Steakhouse: 5425
To check your voicemail in your guestroom:
The "voicemail" button is located at the lower right hand corner of the phone. The phone will be located on the night stand to the right of the bed. Once this button is pressed, the automated voice will alert you to any voicemail messages you might have and will guide you through the process of what numbers to press.
To dial another guest room in the hotel:
If the room number is 3 digits, dial 7 plus the 3 digit room number.
If the room number is 4 digits, dial directly.
To dial an outside number:
Press 9 and dial normally. Local toll charges vary, according to area.
For specific rate information, please contact AYS by dialing "0".
Restaurants
Starbucks is open from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (closing time variable with business). They have snacks, sandwiches, sushi and pastries.
J. W. Steakhouse is open from 5:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Latitude 33, is an up-scale coffee shop featuring Pacific Rim Cuisine, open from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (breakfast), (breakfast buffet closes at 10:30) 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (lunch) and 5:00 to 11 p.m. (dinner).
Champions Sports Bar serves informal meals like nachos and hot dogs. It is open from 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Monday through Friday and 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Room Service: (breakfast) 5:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (lunch) 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. (dinner) 4:00 p.m. to midnight and snacks midnight to 1:00 a.m.
The room numbers are 4-digits from floors 2 through 5, and from 10 and up. To call these rooms from within the hotel, just dial the room number. The first floor and floors 6-9 are 3-digit room numbers. You call these rooms by dialing 7 followed by the room number.
Hotel Guest Room Amenities:
Each guest room contains one bottle of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, mouthwash and a bar of facial soap, all located on the bathroom counter to the right of the sink. An additional bar of bath soap is located on lip of the bathtub. Each room has a coffee maker, located to the right of the television. 2 coffee mugs, packets of instant coffee, sugar and creamer are also located in the same area as the coffee maker. Tubs at this hotel have non-skid bottom surfaces. If you still want a bathmat, please call housekeeping to request one.
Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel Van Transportation Services and other services:
The Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel offers the following: free shuttle service to Los Angeles Airport, area shopping centers and restaurants, an outdoor heated pool, Jacuzzi and sauna, a fitness center, FedEx/Kinko's Business Center and same day laundry service. Please check with the hotel front desk for the hours and availability.
THURSDAY, October 28, 2004
Pre-registration packets can be picked up at the CCB Registration Office, located on the Ballroom Level, from 12 Noon to 5:00 PM. CCB registration table phone number is 5984. The CCB volunteer table phone number is 5389.
1:00 - 4:00 PM Technology Committee, Louis Herrera, Chair. SADDLEBROOK ROOM
1:00 PM Susan Palmer-Mazrui, Cingular Wireless' Director, Federal Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC, will be demonstrating a fully functional talking cell phone.
2:00 PM Rick Plescia, Director of Educational Programs from Pulse Data Humanware will demonstrate their latest Windows CE note taker called the Braille Note PK. In addition, Pulse Data will also discuss other Braille products and a brand-new high tech reading device for persons with low vision.
3:00 PM Robert Leblond, President, Assistive Technology Center, Sacramento, will be talking about the Trekker GPS System and other products his Center offers.
3:30 PM Open Forum for questions.
Technology Committee: Roger Petersen, Vice Chair, Kenneth Frasse, Dan Kysor, Barbara Rhodes, Margie Donovan, Andy Baracco, Lucy Greco, Mike Keithley, Allen Friend
1:30 - 5:00 PM Rehabilitation Services Committee, Richard Rueda, Chair PHILADELPHIA ROOM
"The Future of Rehabilitation Services for Blind Californian's"
Session I: 1:30 PM
Blind Field Services presentation and Division updates
Presenters: Department of Rehabilitation-Blind Field Services management
Session II: 3:10 PM
Presenters will debut innovative trends in securing employment in today's
business environment as well as discussing emerging trends of low vision
rehabilitation aids.
All members as well as professionals working in the field of vocational
rehabilitation are encouraged to attend and participate in this exciting
seminar. Persons in attendance will be entered to win two terrific door
prizes.
Rehabilitation Services Committee: Connie Schoeman, Ed Crespin, Don Queen, Anita Arakawa, Ken Metz, Elmer Chapson, Brian Hall, Pat LaFrance-Wolf, Nelly Emerson, Terry Almy, Alice Hackney, Patricia Leetz, Patricia Evans, Lucy Greco, Percy Jones
3:00 - 5:00 PM Welcome to LA party! Co-Hosted by the Pyramid and Compton Chapters. ANAHEIM SUITE 106
Note your attention is directed to the 2:00 PM item in the Technology Seminar, PulseData Humanware is announcing a new reading device for people with low vision. 4:00 - 5:30 PM CCCLV Program and Business Meeting, Bernice Kandarian, President. NEW ORLEANS ROOM
Cruising with Low Vision. Coletta Davis, Jane Kardas, and Barbara Kron, recent cruisers will share their experiences. David Kronk, DaMar Travel and Cruise will tell us about cruising accessibility and give us tips on packing. 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm CCCLV Business Meeting, Bernice Kandarian presiding.
6:00 - 7:00 PM Braille Revival League of California Board meeting. Lee Morton, President. SADDLEBROOK ROOM
7:00 PM California Council of the Blind Board of Directors Meeting. ATLANTA-BOSTON ROOM. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The hospitality suite will be open from the close of the Board meeting to 1:00 AM.
NEWPORT SUITE 103
FRIDAY, October 29, 2004
The CCB Registration Office will be open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. Name badges are available at the CCB Registration Office, Ballroom Level. Please wear your badges at all times during the Convention (Required for Voting).
Convention Exhibits will be on display from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Friday and 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Saturday. Obbie Schoeman and Peter Pardini, Co-Chairs
SALON A-B-C ROOM
Amateur Radio Operators Official Convention Frequency is 147.48 MHz
FRIDAY, October 29, 2004
7:45 - 10:30 AM Association for Multi-Cultural Concerns (AMC) Lillian Scaife, President. ST. LOUIS ROOM. Continental breakfast and business meeting with panel discussion. RSVP to Lillian Scaife at 562-494-4306 or e-mail at lmscaife@earthlink.net no later than October 15th. Seating is limited.
8:00 AM CCB Constitution and By-Laws Committee. Roger Petersen, Chair
Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Roger Petersen, Chair
Tom Treher, Audrey Hebner, Charles Nabarrete, Al Biegler. PHILADELPHIA ROOM
8:00 AM Credentials Committee. Frank Welte, Chair, Stephen Fort, Coletta Davis. WASHINGTON ROOM
A delegate from each local chapter and special interest affiliate is expected to attend the Credentials Committee meeting. They should bring with them the names of their President, delegate and alternate delegate, and know the number of people they represent so the proper number of votes can be allocated to their chapter. Failure to take care of this important item of business and to be on hand during the Credentials Report on Friday evening may result in our inability to seat the chapter or affiliate at the Convention.
8:00 AM Resolutions Committee. Mitch Pomerantz, Chair. BOARDROOM
Committee members: Peggy Martinez, Vice-Chair, Winifred Downing, Ken Metz, Abbie Vincent, Eugene Lozano, Jr., Phillip Obregon, Dirk Neyhart, Lucy Greco, Rhonda King, Gabe Griffith.
9:00 - 12:00 Noon Blind Students of California (BSC) Gabe Griffith, President. Seminar and business meeting. NEW ORLEANS ROOM
9:00 - 10: 45 AM Braille Revival League of California (BRLC) Business meeting, including elections, and program. SADDLEBROOK ROOM
The guest speaker will be Winifred Downing, Editor, Blind Californian Quarterly. She will participate in a panel discussion concerning the importance of braille in our daily lives and the role BRLC can play in promoting its use.
10:45 AM to 12 Noon BRLC and California Library Users of America (CLUA) combined program. Lee Morton, President BRLC. Debbie Rogers, President CLUA. SADDLEBROOK ROOM Program to be announced.
9:00 - 12:00 Noon California Council of Citizens with Low Vision (CCCLV) and Committee on Access and Transportation (CAT) combined meeting. Bernice
Kandarian, President CCCLV, Eugene Lozano, Jr., Chair CAT. DENVER ROOM
9:00 AM Opening Comments. Eugene Lozano, Jr., Bernice Kandarian.
Workshop: "Keeping Things Moving with Effective Advocacy...You can't always
get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what
you need!"
9:05 AM Presenter: Donna Smith, Training and Technical Assistance Specialist
Easter Seals Project ACTION, and Technical Assistance Ambassador to States on
Human Service Transportation Coordination.
Topics to be covered:
* Accessible Transportation: The Big Picture
* Paratransit Filling in the Gaps to Access, Fact and Fiction
* Accessible Intersections: Why Did the Dog Guide Cross the Road?
* Getting on Board with Coordination: Making Your Voice Heard
* Wrap-Up and Next Steps. The intent of the workshop is to focus on the role of advocacy in the transportation arena.
12:00 NOON CLUA Luncheon, Debbie Rogers, President. ST. LOUIS ROOM
Be prepared to tell us about a book you have been reading that you would like to share.
12:00 NOON AMC Luncheon, Lillian Scaife, President. NEW YORK ROOM
Speaker to be announced.
1:30 - 4:05 PM General Session. Presiding Officer, President Jeff Thom
ATLANTA- BOSTON ROOM
1:30 PM Invocation: Obbie Schoeman, Greater Los Angeles Chapter and Exhibits Co-Chair
1:35 PM Presentation of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance: Color Guard: Boy Scout Troop 927 of Westchester CA, Scoutmaster, John Barriga
1:40 PM Welcome to Los Angeles: Eric Garcetti, Member of the City Council, District #13, City of Los Angeles
1:50 PM The California Council of the Blind: Its First Half-Century, Panelists Catherine Skivers, Immediate Past President, CCB; Mitch Pomerantz, Second Vice President; American Council of the Blind, Al Gil
2:45 PM Access Financial Services: Panelists: Roger Petersen, CCB elder statesman; Frank Welte, Analyst and CCB member of the Board; Joann Mar, Project Manager, Assistant Vice President, ATM Banking/Distribution Strategies, Wells Fargo Bank
3:20 PM Advances in Wireless Access. Susan Palmer-Mazrui, Cingular Wireless' Director, Federal Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC.
3:30 PM Blind Students of California: Its beginnings, growth, and future: Panelists: Eugene Lozano, Jr., Member CCB Board of Directors; Margie Donovan; Gabe Griffith, President, Blind Students of California
4:15 PM First Timer's Seminar. Ronda King, Ardis Bazyn, Co-chairs, CCB Membership Committee. SADDLEBROOK ROOM
An opportunity for new members or those who have not attended a Convention in a long time to learn about the purpose and function of the CCB Convention. If you are a first time attendee at CCB or someone who has not visited with us for a long time, be sure to attend this meeting. If you would like to have a "buddy", someone to assist you in getting acquainted, please contact the CCB office and let the President know. We want all newcomers to feel welcome and to make their attendance at the CCB Convention worthwhile and memorable.
4:15 PM Committee on Access and Transportation Business meeting. Eugene Lozano, Jr., Chair. PHILADELPHIA ROOM
Committee members: Barbara Rhodes, Vice Chair, Sandra Bishop, Tom Karnes, David Jackson, Dr. Flora Beck, Sharlene Ornelas
4:15 PM Publications Committee Meeting. Bernice Kandarian, Chair.
NEW ORLEANS ROOM
Committee members: Patty Nash, Winifred Downing, Catherine Schmitt Whitaker, Charles Nabarrete, Joan Black, Dan Kysor, Richard Rueda, Brian Hall, Bonnie Rennie, Louis Preston. Daveed Mandel
4:15 PM Domestic Violence and Hate Crimes Committee Meeting, Dr. Martin Jones, Chair. MIAMI ROOM
Committee members: Linda Flores, Jane Kardas, Melody Banks, Herb Clayton, Barbara Kron
4:15 - 6:00 PM Association for Multi-Cultural Concerns Fiesta Party!!!
ANAHEIM SUITE 106
5:30 - 6:45 PM Presidents' Dinner, MC, Catherine Skivers, Immediate Past President and Governmental Affairs Committee Chair. DENVER ROOM
All members are welcome. This event will provide for chapter presidents and delegates to share what is going on in their chapters. Everyone is welcome to listen and to share their ideas.
7:00 PM General Session. Presiding Officer First Vice President, Mitch Pomerantz. ATLANTA- BOSTON ROOM
7:00 PM Credentials Committee Report, Credentials Chair, Frank Welte
7:20 PM President's Report, Jeff Thom, CCB President
7:40 PM Milestones in CCB Advocacy: Panelists: Jean-Marie Moore, Consultant and Therapist, Ken Metz, Second Vice President, CCB
8:10 PM An Update from the ACB President, Christopher Gray
8:35 PM What's Going on With Our Neighbors: Panelists: Bob Johnson, President, Oregon Council of the Blind; Cindy Burgett, President, Washington Council of the Blind; Warren Toyama, Hawaii Association of the Blind.
9:10 PM Elections
The Second hearing of the Resolutions Committee will occur at the close of the General Session. BOARDROOM
The hospitality suite will be open from the close of the general session to 1:00 AM. NEWPORT SUITE 103
SATURDAY, October 30, 2004
7:30 - 9:30 AM Education Committee, Jill O'Connell, Chair. PHILADELPHIA ROOM
Continental Breakfast and Business meeting. Breakfast will be limited to the first 18 registrants. Guest speaker: Jane Vogel, Chairperson of the Joint Action Committee and consultant to many school districts on their low vision programs.
Education Committee members: Winifred Downing, Audrey Hebner, Keith Johnson, Patricia Byrnes, Gerard Rossi, Harward Stearns, Ellennie (Ellie) Wong, Leslie Thom, Erik Smiley
8:15 - 11:30 AM Guide Dog Users of California business meeting and program (GDUC) Sheila Styron, President. EXECUTIVE SUITE ONE
8:15 AM Complimentary Continental Breakfast
8:30 AM Business meeting. Election of officers.
10:15 AM Morning program: Dr. Jane Brackman is a leading expert on the cultural history of domestic dogs. She is the author of two books, and consults with numerous museums. Her articles appear regularly in popular publications. She was a guide dog school administrator for several years and currently serves on the California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Jane's interest in the cultural evolution of dogs is a result of a unique combination of experience in a variety of disciplines including education, guide dog school management, canine biology and history. Dr. Brackman will discuss, in words that lay persons can understand, some of the mysteries still perplexing scientists about Canis Familiaris such as the oddities that occur as wolves change into dogs, the eccentricities of canine biology, and the curious relationship between, from and function in dog breeds. The lecture will include discussion of some of the most current dog science projects.
9:00 - 10:30 AM Committee on Senior Blind, Bonnie Rennie, Chair . ATLANTA- BOSTON ROOM. Guest speaker: Karen Frimkess Wolff, Art History Teacher, Braille Institute, Los Angeles. Committee members: Gerry Konsler, Gussie Morgan, Ben Renshaw, Charlotte Criddell, Connie Schoeman, Nelly Emerson, Keith Black, Dr. Flora Beck, Janet Carmichael
The Joint Action Committee (JAC), of which CCB is a member, will be holding its quarterly meeting in conjunction with the convention from 10 AM to 4 PM in the Executive Suite II on the 18th floor.
10:30 - 12:00 Noon CCCLV will join the Senior Blind Committee for a joint meeting. ATLANTA-BOSTON ROOM
10:30 am Life-Long Learning is still Possible as a Non-traditional Student with a Vision Impairment in Community College; Paul Edwards, Immediate Past President, American Council of the Blind and Director of Services for Students with Disabilities, Miami-Dade Community College, North Campus.
11:00 am Observations on Shopping with Impairment, Visual and Otherwise; Samuel Genensky PhD, Elder Statesman of Low Vision, Inventor of the Closed Circuit TV Reader, Founding Board Member of Council of Citizens with Low Vision International.
10:30 - 12:00 NOON California School for the Blind Alumni. Lynne Laird, Chair. MIAMI ROOM
10:30 - 12 Noon CCB Membership Meeting. NEW ORLEANS ROOM
We urge every chapter to send a representative. Membership recruitment materials will be available and we hope to give you ideas and get your input.
Membership Committee members: Rhonda King, Co-Chair, Ardis Bazyn , Co-Chair, Bernice Kandarian, Ken Metz, Coletta Davis, Beryl Brown, Lourdes Martinez
12 Noon GDUC Luncheon. Sheila Styron, President. SCOTTSDALE ROOM
Special guest speaker: Elizabeth Morosco, receiving GDUC's Lifetime Achievement Award. Before her 21 years as Assistant Field Rep at GDB's Topanga facility, Liz headed up 4H projects including raising guide dog puppies. Liz was chosen as Woman of the Year in 2003 for California's 41st District, and she will entertain you with all her experiences, humorous and touching, from a lifetime filled with guide dogs at GDUC's luncheon.
12 Noon OCB Luncheon. David Jackson, President. HOUSTON ROOM
OCB Update by Lynda Bardis, Deputy Director, Specialized Services
1:30 - 4:05 PM General Session. Presiding officer Ardis Bazyn, CCB Secretary.
ATLANTA- BOSTON ROOM
1:30 PM Invocation: Jeffrey Sims, Compton Chapter
1:35 PM Pledge of Allegiance: Beryl Brown, President, Redwood Empire Chapter
1:40 PM The World of Audio Description, Deborah Lewis, Executive Director, Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation
2:00 PM Local Chapter Fundraising Ideas. Peter Pardini, CCB Fundraising Committee Chair and Panel Moderator. Panel members: Ken Metz, Catherine Skivers, Pat LaFrance-Wolf
2:25 PM A Public Forum, A chance for everyone to make your views known on how we can make CCB the best organization possible.
3:10 PM Jeff Moyer, Vice President, Marketing, Talking Signs
3:20 PM Department of Rehabilitation Update.
Dr. Catherine Campisi, Director; Lynda Bardis, Deputy Director, Specialized Services and Jim Armstrong, Program Manager, Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired, California Department of Rehabilitation.
4:15 PM Public Relations, Herb Clayton, Chair. PHILADELPHIA ROOM
Committee members: Dr. Martin Jones, Coletta Davis, Ken Metz, Lee Morton, Zena Reubel, Barbara Rhodes, Barbara Kron, Ardis Bazyn, Daveed Mandell
4:15 PM Fund Raising Committee, Peter Pardini, Chair. MIAMI ROOM
Committee members: Vicky Bishop, Nancy Ungar, Obbie Schoeman, Sharlene Ornelas, Stephen Fort, Chris Gray, John Ross, Jewel McGinnis
4:15 PM Governmental Affairs, Catherine Skivers, Chair. NEW ORLEANS ROOM
Committee members: Dan Kysor, Charles Nabarrete, Allan Brenner, Ahmad Rahman, Mitch Pomerantz, Ardis Bazyn, Taliba Taleebah, Andy Baracco, Doug Rose, Sheila Styron, Peter Pardini, Barbara Rhodes, Richard Rueda, Dirk Neyhart, Jane Kardas, Gabe Griffith, Mike Lee
4:15 PM Technology, Louis Herrera, Chair. SADDLEBROOK ROOM
6:00 PM No Host "Attitude Adjustment Hour" followed by the Banquet.
FOYER: ATLANTA-BOSTON ROOM
7:00 PM Banquet. MC, Mitch Pomerantz, First Vice-President CCB. ATLANTA-BOSTON ROOM
Invocation: Mr. Elzie Richardson, Pastor, Park Hills Community Reform Church in America, Los Angeles. Keynote speaker, Paul Edwards, Past President, American Council of the Blind. Special guest, state Senator Sheila Kuehl, Los Angeles District 23, CCB Legislator of the Year.
Introduction of CCB scholarship recipients
Drawing of winning tickets for CCB raffle and other raffles and
prizes.
If needed, the CCB Resolutions Committee will meet directly after the Banquet.
BOARDROOM
The hospitality suite will be open from the close of the general session to 1:00 AM. NEWPORT SUITE 103
SUNDAY, October 31, 2004
8:15 AM Devotional Services. ATLANTA-BOSTON ROOM
Devotional Services Committee: Gussie Morgan, Chair, Dr. Martin Jones, Michael Williams, Obbie Schoeman, Brad Hogarty
9:00 - 12:00 NOON General Session. Presiding officer Jeff Thom CCB President.
ATLANTA-BOSTON ROOM
9:00 AM Invocation: Gussie Morgan, Minister, Los Angeles
9:05 AM Reading of the Minutes for the Spring CCB Convention Business Meeting, CCB Secretary Ardis Bazyn.
9:15 AM Report of the Constitution and By Laws Committee, Roger Petersen, Chair.
9:30 AM Report of the CCB Resolutions Committee, Mitch Pomerantz Chair
10:30 AM Report on State Legislation: Dan Kysor, CCB Governmental Affairs Director
10:50 AM Report on Federal Legislation: Gabe Griffith
11:10 AM Other committee reports as time permits.
11:40 AM Other convention business
12 Noon Adjournment.
CCB Board of Directors
Jeff Thom, President
Mitch Pomerantz, First Vice President
Ken Metz Second Vice President
Catherine Skivers, Immediate Past President
Peter Pardini, Treasurer
Ardis Bazyn, Secretary
Jerry Arakawa
Al Biegler
Jane Kardas
Rhonda King
Eugene Lozano, Jr.
Ahmad Rahman
Barbara Rhodes
Richard Rueda
Frank Welte
Convention Committee
Ken Metz, Chair
Angela Griffith
Margie Donovan
Coletta Davis
Andy Baracco
Peter Pardini
Patricia LaFrance-Wolf
Richard Rueda
Eugene Lozano, Jr.
Barbara Rhodes
Mary Beth Randall
Gold Sponsors:
Wells Fargo Bank
Silver Sponsors:
Union Bank
Jewel McGinnis
Special thanks go to Robert Leblond, President, Assistive Technology Center, 5551 Standish Road, Sacramento, CA 95820, for the donation of a Trekker, a raffle for which will be held at the convention. Remember that any CCB member purchasing assistive technology from Assistive Technology Center will receive a 5% reduction from the company's purchase price.
General Advertisement pages go here:
Blank SAN GABRIEL Valley CHAPTER
Began: 1964
President: Patricia (La France) Wolf (626) 279-2954
Vice-President: Vincent Calderon (626) 564-8771
Meeting: First Saturday of the Month
Location: Coco's Restaurant, 306 North Azusa Avenue, Covina, CA.(626) 331-0955
Time: 11:00 am until 2:00 pm
Membership: 47
HAPPY 70th ANNIVERSARY TO CCB
BUTTE COUNTY COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
HAPPY 70th ANNIVERSARY TO CCB
Al & Joann Biegler
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CCB
70 YEARS OF ACTIVISM AND LEADERSHIP
(and five years of Talking ATMs)
From your Talking ATM Legal Team
Lainey Feingold
Berkeley, California
Linda Dardarian and Scott Grimes
Goldstein, Demchak, Baller, Borgen & Dardarian
Oakland, California
CCB'S LEADERSHIP ROLE IN FINANCIAL INDUSTRY ACCESSIBILITY
by Lainey Feingold, Linda Dardarian, and Scott Grimes
The 70th anniversary of the California Council of the Blind is a good time to reflect on CCB's leadership role in ensuring access to financial services for persons who are blind and vision impaired across the country. Beginning with resolutions passed by CCB members in the mid-1990's, the organization has been instrumental in the national advocacy effort for Talking ATMs, accessible banking websites, and alternative formats for print materials. Highlights of this effort are the following:
TALKING ATMS: The very first Talking ATM in the country was installed in San Francisco City Hall on October 1, 1999. Today, there are over 30,000 Talking ATMs across the country, the majority of these installed because of the CCB's efforts. CCB and its members signed the very first legal agreements in the country - with Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citibank, Washington Mutual and Union Bank of California :: requiring the installation of Talking ATMs. Today, Bank of America has over 5,000 Talking ATMs nationally, Wells Fargo has over 3,000, and Washington Mutual has over 1,500. Every Union Bank and Citibank site now has a Talking ATM. Following CCB's lead, other ACB affiliates across the country, the national organization, and individual representatives of the blind community, have signed binding legal agreements with most of the largest banks in the country. There is still much work to do in publicizing these locations, and every blind person can participate in the on-going advocacy efforts by using Talking ATMs, requesting them in locations where they are not yet installed, and informing friends and organizations about their availability. Talking ATM addresses can be found on many bank ATM locators, or by calling a bank's toll free number. If you are reading this article and haven't yet tried a Talking ATM, please make an effort to do so in the coming months.
ACCESSIBLE WEBSITES: Many of the banks with whom CCB and others have signed binding settlement agreements for Talking ATMs have also committed to making their websites accessible. Bank of America, Fleet, Washington Mutual, Sovereign, Bank One and others have agreed to follow the W3C standards because they understand the importance of these guidelines to persons with disabilities. Many of these banks have pages on their websites explaining their efforts toward accessibility. Because of the efforts of CCB and other ACB affiliates, members of the financial industry were among the first corporations in the country to make a binding legal commitment to ensure that information on their websites is available to everyone, regardless of disability.
BRAILLE AND LARGE PRINT: CCB was the first blindness organization to negotiate comprehensive policies and procedures with financial institutions to ensure that not only bank statements, but all information that is available to sighted persons is available to persons who are blind. Programs negotiated by CCB are tailored to ensure that all information is effectively communicated to all persons who cannot read standard print. Methods of effective communication include, depending on the nature of the information, Braille, large print, audio cassette, electronic formats, and reader services. Many of the financial institutions with whom CCB has worked post their alternative format policies on their web sites. These policies provide blind persons with a level of independence and privacy that should be commonplace 12 years after the passage of the ADA but too often is not.
Congratulations to the CCB for making the banking industry more accessible.
*Lainey Feingold, Linda Dardarian, and Scott Grimes, a paralegal in Linda's Oakland civil rights firm of Goldstein, Demchak Baller, Borgen & Dardarian have represented CCB and other members of the blind community nationally for close to ten years on the issues addressed in this article. They can be contacted at lfeingold1@earthlink.net or (510) 548-5062.
Exhibitors:
Assistive Technology Center, Sacramento, CA
A.T. Kratter and Company, Inc. Garden Grove, CA
California Canes, Hesparia, CA
Damar Travel, St. Louis, MO
Enabling Technologies, Jensen Beach, FL
Guide Dogs for the Blind, San Rafael, CA
Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Yorktown Heights, NY
Inland Empire Chapter- CCB
International Guiding Eyes, Inc., Sylmar, CA
Ovac, Inc., Cathedral City, CA
Polara Engineering, Inc. Fullerton, CA
Pulsedata Humanware, Concord, CA
R.L. and Associates, San Francisco, CA
Sweetman Systems
Exhibitor's Advertisements:
Assistive Technology Center "technology is our middle name"
Enhanced Vision Systems
Portico Computers
Trekker GPS
Portset Scan and Read
Book Courier
Dolphin Screen Reading and Magnification Software
In-home and onsite Training Services
Distance Learning
Microsoft Certified Training
Assistive Technology Center
5551 Standish Rd.
Sacramento, CA 95820
Phone: 916-956-2054
Fax: 916-914-2429
www.assistivetechcenter.com
CCTV MAGNIFIERS
OVAC, Inc.
800-325-4488
67555 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Unit C-103
Cathedral City, CA 92234
Map diagram
Damar Travel and Cruise
11988 Dorsett Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63043
800-999-6101
Come and Experience the Panama Canal on April 04 - 12, 2005 aboard Carnival's m/s Legend. We will depart from Port Everglades and travel to Belize City Belize, Limon Costa Rica, Colon Panama. Prices are as follows: Inside cabin $895.00, Ocean View $1045.00 and for a Balcony $1195.00.
Deposit of $450.00 is due at time of booking. Final payment is due on or before January 5th 2005.
Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include port charges and government fees. For reservations call Dave Kronk at 800-999-6101 or you may email him at dave.kronk@damartravel.com
NEW from Pulse Data HumanWare!
BrailleNote PK
The BrailleNote PK is the world's smallest Braille and speech personal digital assistant. This 18-cell model combines a crisp, high definition Braille display with clear responsive speech output.
Features & Benefits
Bluetooth technology - talk to wireless devices including cell phones and keyboards plus have a wireless ActiveSync connection with your PC.
USB functionality - connect effortlessly to your PC for ActiveSync.
WiFi connectivity - surf the net wirelessly at high speed. Connect to a wireless hotspot or securely over a corporate wireless network when you plug in a supported wireless network card sold separately.
Internet Explorer v6 - KeyWeb just got faster, and works with many more web pages, thanks to the latest browser technology.
Enhanced KeySoft media player - Listen to music (in stereo) while working, with independent synthesized speech and music volumes.
For info call Rick Plescia 1-800-722-3393 x241 www.pulsedata.com
LAX Marriott Hotel Description
Century Blvd is an east-west street with the airport at its west end. The Marriott is on the north side of Century Blvd about a block east of the airport. As you follow the red carpeted bridge from the driveway to the automatic doors, Century Blvd will be behind you and you will be going north. The sliding doors will open as you approach and you will enter the main lobby. Directly in front of you is a seating area.
Turn left (west) and you will shortly come to an intersection where you can turn right (north) and go back through the lobby toward the restaurants, turn left into an alcove where there is an escalator down to the ballroom Level, or straight ahead into a corridor. In this corridor, on your left side is the Bell Captain's desk and the Concierge Desk followed by a gift shop. On your right is the hotel's main registration desk, followed by telephones and an atm. Next comes a right turn into the elevator lobby which runs north-south. Caution: if you pass beyond this corner, there are stairs going down.
On the lobby floor, which is also floor 2, the elevator lobby is open at both ends. You have just entered from the south end. There are three elevators on each side. At the north end, you can turn right and find restrooms, telephones, a Kinkos, Hertz Rent-a-Car and a shoeshine stand. Eventually you come back to the lobby and the restaurants are to your left and the front door of the hotel is to your right.
Now, from that first intersection where you went straight ahead before, if you turn right with the seating area on your right and the escalator behind you, you can go north past a Starbucks Coffee Bar on your left, and then the corridor with the shoeshine stand that we just explored. Continuing on north you will come to two restaurants, Latitude 33 to the left and J.W. Steakhouse straight ahead.
Champions Sports Bar is at the right (east) side of the lobby and can be reached from the hotel entrance by turning right (east). As you go toward Champions, you will pass another alcove on the right where the escalator comes up from the Ballroom Level. Next to Champions there is another north-south walkway from which you can turn left and get to the restaurants and the "shoe shine" corridor. There is also another entrance to the hotel near Champions with another parallel red carpeted bridge.
The Ballroom level is where most of the meetings, general sessions and lunches will be located. As you get off the elevator at level B, go out the south end of the elevator lobby, the only way you can go on this floor. A very wide corridor extends to your left and right (east-west) directly under the main east-west pathway on the main lobby floor. Turn left and on your left will be the CCB registration area. There are two 5-foot windows which will open, and packets and information will be behind those windows. Across from the registration windows are restrooms, men's on the right, women's on the left. The south wall of the corridor, where the restrooms are, also contains alcoves where the escalators go up to and come down from the Lobby Level and double doors which lead out to the guide dog relief area. As you go out the doors, you can go straight up four stairs to the area, or make an immediate right turn to take a ramp around to the same area. The relief area will have plenty of sod grass in place, and most of that area is covered in case of rain.
To get to most of our meeting rooms, turn right coming out of the elevator lobby. When you come to the west end of the big corridor, you will come to the door of the Scottsdale Room. Turn right, (Scottsdale Room on your left) and you can go down a corridor (north-bound) and on your left after Scottsdale will be the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas and Denver Rooms. On the right side of this corridor the rooms are Houston, St. Louis, New York and Miami. There is another corridor just to the left (east) from the elevator lobby which has the following rooms. On the left, Philadelphia, Saddle Brook, New Orleans and Washington. On the Right are Salons A through F. This is the exhibit area.
Floor 1 is between the Ballroom Level and the Lobby Level. it contains some hotel offices, a beauty salon, a health club, some meeting rooms including Newport 103, our hospitality room and a bunch of sleeping rooms, all with three digit numbers beginning with 1. Newport 103 is on the west side of the elevator corridor three doors north of the elevators.
Talking signs are installed in the CCB Exhibits Area Salon A/B/C. Please go to the Talking Signs exhibit area to obtain a receiver. TALKING SIGNS TECHNOLOGY Talking Signs (r) infrared remote signage is a wireless communication system that employs permanently installed transmitters and hand-held receivers. Human voice messages that identify landmarks and provide information are heard through a receiver carried by the traveler. People who are visually impaired, or are otherwise print disabled, scan for directional transmissions and find their way without asking for help. Talking Signs transmitters are used in buildings, to identify approaching buses, on bus stops, at cross-walks, in malls, on storefronts, etc.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
In case of emergency, the hotel has the following procedures in place:
FIRE EXITS
All floors are equipped with diagrams/locations of various fire exits. On the lower level meeting space floor, the fire exits are located at each end of the foyer, as well as the main egress in the center of the foyer. There are additional exits located at the rear meeting space as well. All exits are marked with Red Exit signs.
FIRE ALARM
Should a fire alarm sound, there are two methods of communication. There is an audible alert system, which will instruct guests on the situation. In addition, hotel staff would check and enter each meeting room, should their be a need to announce an evacuation.
Should guests be in their hotel rooms, the audible alarm will notify guests of the appropriate procedure. The elevators would not be in working order, therefore, the guests would need to exit to the lower floors, via the stairwells only.
All guests with physical disabilities will be noted by the front desk, and special assistance would immediately be deployed to their hotel room.
Should an evacuation be necessary, pre-assigned hotel staff will be deployed immediately to assist guests to the appropriate fire exits.
EVACUATION
Evacuations are localized to particular section of the hotel, depending on the extent and type of emergency. Hotel personnel have been designated to assist in any necessary evacuations.
EVACUATION LOCATION
In the event of an evacuation, all guests are asked to go to the East Parking lot of hotel, where everyone can be accounted for.
Back to Top
Home