BLINDED VETERANS ASSOCIATION (BVA)
FLORIDA REGIONAL GROUP, INC.
3801 Coco Grove Avenue
Miami, Florida 33133
NEWSLETTER - February, 2006
NEWSLETTER - February 2006
FRG
President's Message: I must applaud our
Blinded Veterans (BV's) who attended our January FRG luncheon held in Ocala. There were 181 BV's, family members, and friends
in attendance. Not only did they enjoy an
excellent lunch, but by attending demonstrated their support for the BVA, Board of
Directors, and also their VIST Coordinators. Maybe
next year, they will break their own record of 184, who attended 2 years ago.
Here
is some important information on part time employment opportunities for some of our BV's
and possible full time employment for the younger BV's.
It is called the Willows Project, and the Florida Division of Blind Services (DBS)
staff have been working on it for some time. Now,
they have it up and running. The reason for
DBS being associated with the Willows Project is to put DBS clients to work, with respect
to their needs and issues, they consider important. Here
are some of the factors that current and pending participants have considered in choosing
the Willows Project. With Willow training,
they become CyberCorp; which means they have the benefits of working as independent agents
for established companies such as: Sears, AAA, Office Depot, Horizon, and many more. Since they may work in their own home, there would
be no commuting time. In that way, they may
avoid time consuming transportations alternatives that often turns a 4 hour day into a 10
hour work day. They can choose to work full
time or part time which is a major concession. Many
of us do not have the flexibility or the privilege of deciding on the number of hours to
work. Can you work only 21 hours this week? Willows participants can if they so choose. Many want this convenient setting and opportunity
because they can maintain their Social Security benefits.
They can dress in any attire they desire, since they work at home. Willow allows visually impaired agents
preferential access to hours and scheduling. This
means that they have access to available hours posted by respective companies, two weeks
in advance to establish their schedule, before non impaired/physically challenged agents. They have the freedom to choose as they please. Thus far, 4 visually impaired individuals are
currently working for Sears. Three of them
are JAWS users and the other one uses Zoom
Text. Due to the scarcity of potential
agents, as of now, Sears is the only application that interfaces well with JAWS. The DBS is looking forward to working with other
applications, but cannot supply if there is no demand.
Therefore, this program is crying out for Public Relations to get more candidates. We need to inform all interested visually impaired
persons in Florida about the Willow Project. The
candidates need to be professional Windows or JAWS proficient, self motivated,
disciplined, persistent, organized, and able to demonstrate good customer service skills. For further information contact your local DBS
Office.
One
thing more before I conclude this message. If
you have not sent your email address for the Distribution List to Bill Stockslager, do so
now. In that way, you will receive up-to-date
information concerning legislative issues of interest to BV's To do so, send an email to bvafrg@comcast.net.
Terry King, FRG President.
FRG
Auxiliary President's Message: At this time, I am sending you a report from Peg
Toomey, our FRG Auxiliary Treasurer. Treasurer's
Report. As of January 2006, the FRG Auxiliary
had 25 members. We have $1348.18 in our
checking account. This amount of money was
generated through the generosity of many of you at our monthly luncheons. However, we give two $1000 Scholarship in June to
students who are the spouse or children of Florida Blinded Veterans. You can see that we do not have enough money to
pay for these Scholarships, unless we dip into our Scholarship Fund CD's - which we can
and are allowed to do. My question to all of
you is why have so few joined the Auxiliary? Why
have you not sent in $15 to become members of the National and Florida BVA Auxiliaries? We have about 1350 Blinded Veterans who are
members of the FRG. Surely almost all of them
have some support - spouse, child or relative who cares for them. Why haven't you, the caring other half, joined us
and helped us with our Scholarship Program? It
is our main activity. Please consider joining
us. I, Peg Toomey, will be glad to send you
an application. Peg Toomey, FRG Auxiliary
Treasurer, 6955 Awawa Court, North Port, FL 34287. ----Remember
our lobbiest need your membership along with the Blinded Veteran's membership, in order to
grant our wishes for bettering benefits that are so important to the BV's as well as for
you. Remember, numbers are what counts. Joanne King, FRG Auxiliary President. .
FRG
Meeting Notice: The next meeting of the Florida Regional Group will be
held on Saturday, March 4, at the American Legion Post 222, 4250 N.E. 5 Avenue in Oakland
Park. The meeting will begin at 11:30 AM,
with a period of socializing, followed by lunch at noon. For lunch, you may select from Roast Beef or
Chicken and Salad, Potatoes, Vegetables, Rolls and Butter, Iced Tea or Coffee, and
Dessert. The price of the lunch will be $5
per person, including tax and tip. Beer,
wine, and mixed drinks will be available at an additional charge.
FRG
President Terry King will preside at the meeting following lunch. A national legislative up-date will be provided. Plans for FRG activities for the coming months ,
including the FRG State Convention in Daytona Beach, will be discussed. This will be your opportunity to make suggestions
and recommendations regarding these FRG activities.
Representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs will be on hand to provide
information about services and benefits of interest to Blinded Veterans and their
families. Information about FRG Auxiliary
activities will be presented.
The
restaurant has asked us to notify them as to the number who will be attending and the type
of meal desired by March 1. You may make your
reservations by writing to George Stocking at: 3801
Coco Grove Avenue, Miami, FL 33133 or by
calling George evenings and weekends at: (305)
446-8008.You may also call Paul Mimms, West Palm Beach VAMC VIST Coordinator at: (561)
422-5260 or evenings and weekends at: (561)
863-1407. You may also make your reservations
by calling: Roberta Goldstein, Miami VAMC
VIST Coordinator, at (305) 324-4455 ex 3607 or Bob Gross, Oakland Park VA Outpatient
Clinic VIST Coordinator, at: (954) 229-7791. Please be sure to make your reservations as the
restaurant needs this information in order to plan properly for our meeting.
To
get to the American Legion Post, take I 95 North or South to Oakland Park Blvd. Go East 1.5 miles to N.E. 5 Avenue, then turn left
(North). Go .9 mile on N.E. 5 Avenue. The American Legion Post is in a white building
with blue awnings on the right side of the street. Parking
is available adjacent to the building. Attempts
are underway to provide limited transportation from West Palm Beach. For information contact VIST Coordinator Paul
Mimms at the number above. Please mark
March 4 on your calendar and make plans to join us for an enjoyable and interesting
afternoon. We look forward to meeting you there.
US
Legislative Up-Date: The BVA is working
on three measures before Congress. S 1182,
passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House.
S 1182 includes authorization for 35 additional Blind Rehab Outpatient Specialist
(BROS) around the country during the next 3 years. HR
3579 would also authorize additional BROS over the next 3 years but has not been acted
upon by the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Three
House Veterans Affairs Committee members, Michael Bilirakis, Corinne Brown, and Cliff
Stearns have signed as co-sponsors of HR 3579. We
need Jeff Miller from the Pensacola area and Ginny Brown-Waite from the Dade City area to
also sign as co-sponsors. BV's in those areas
should call the District Offices for Representatives Miller and Brown-Wait and urge them
to co-sponsor HR 3579. Further, we need for
all five Florida members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee to work to have this
measure voted out of the Committee and brought to the House floor for a vote. Having additional BROS would be a most cost
effective method of providing needed Blind Rehab training to Blinded Veterans, improve
their independence, and relieve pressure on the Blind Rehab Centers which have long
waiting lists.
In
addition, HR 2963 the Paired Organ Bill is being considered in the House. Under this bill, if a veteran suffered service
connected legal blindness in one eye and later had becomes legally blind from a NSC
condition in the other eye, both eyes would be considered service connected. The BVA has obtained 69 co-sponsors for this
measure. It needs to be brought to the House
floor for a vote. Please call your US
Representatives and urge their support of HR 2963.
The
BVA is also working on the White Cane Recognition measures in the Senate and House. These Concurrent Resolutions HCR 235 and SCR 71,
if passed, would have no cost to the federal
government. The measures request all state
governments to add information about the White Cane Laws in the driver's manuals and have
questions about the White Cane Law on the driver's licensing exam. This would help raise awareness of the necessity
for drivers to watch out for individuals using a guide dog or white cane for mobility. Both Senators Nelson and Martinez are on the
Senate Aging Committee and should be cognizant of the importance of SCR 71. Please urge your Senators and Representatives to
support this legislation.
Florida
Total Homestead Tax Exemption: In the
January 2006 FRG Newsletter the total household income limitation for FS 196.101 (Total
Exemption for individuals restricted to a wheelchair for mobility or who are legally
blind) was incorrectly reported as $21536 the amount of the 2004 income limitation. Actually the 2006 income limitation will be
$22,872. That statute includes an automatic
increase equal to the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI. THE CPI COLA for 2006 is included in the $22,872
indicated above. For further information
check with your County Property Appraiser. Remember
if you wish to qualify for FS 196.101 you must do so by March 1.
Walk-A-thon: The Blinded Veterans of Florida celebrated
National White Cane Day at different times, in different ways, and in different places. Still the BV's had the same goal and focus; To promote the Florida White Cane Law, raise
public awareness of blinded persons, and to raise money for the Florida Regional Group. These funds are earmarked to expand our
luncheons/meetings that are held throughout the state.
Although a detailed report has not been completed as yet, it is safe to say over
$12,000 was raised throughout the state. William
Menendez's group in the Central West District, topped all with almost $8000 being brought in to aid the cause. In the Central East District, Dwight Sayer raised
$3750. The Southwest District chipped in with
over $1000, to add to the total. Vision
Awareness Walks were held in Homosassa, Jacksonville Beach, and Ft. Myers. In Venice a White Cane Day Walk was held in
conjunction with the ACB and in Orlando there was a consortium of blind groups working
together to promote the theme of Vision Awareness. Many
thanks to all those who walked, participated in any, and to all of you who contributed
money to help to make this day and month a great success.
Blinded Veterans worked with over a half dozen other blind groups in the state. This cooperation and sharing of effort is a
healthy sign. You are all to be congratulated
for your efforts to make this a success. Michael
Toomey, Chairman - Public Relations Committee & Southwest District Director.
FRG
Auxiliary Scholarship: The FRG Auxiliary
will offer two $1000 scholarships to the spouse or child of a Florida Blinded Veterans for
the 2006-2007 school year. These scholarships
are not available to grandchildren. Individuals who have applied previously may apply
again but must submit a new application. The
scholarship is merit based and may be used for college, university, vocational or
technical school training. For information
and/or an application contact FRG Auxiliary Scholarship
Chairperson Joyce Thornton, VIST Coordinator, Veterans
Outpatient Clinic, 3033 Winkler Extension, Ft. Myers, Florida 33906 or call Joyce at (239)
939-3939 ex 6284. Completed application
materials must be received by April 15, 2006.
Please
get a group of fellow Blinded Veterans together and join us at the American Legion Post
222 in Oakland Park, on Saturday, March 4 for an informative and enjoyable afternoon. Remember to make your reservations before March 1,
by calling one of the individuals listed above. In
that way, the American Legion may make
proper arrangements for our luncheon. If you make a reservation and can't come call and
cancel it by March 1. We look forward to
meeting you there.
FRG-BVA Meeting Schedule
March 4
FRG Meeting at the American Legion in Oakland Park
May 5-7 FRG State Convention Plaza Ocean Club in Daytona
August 15-20
BVA National Convention Buffalo, NY
Newsletter Staff
Terry King
FRG President
Joanne King
FRG Auxiliary President
Mike Toomey FRG Southwest District Director, FRG PR Chairman
George Stocking
Editor