The meeting will begin at 11:30 AM with a period of socializing, followed by lunch at noon.  For lunch, you may have either:  Baked Boston Scrod or Wiener Schnitzel and Fruit Cup, Salad,  Potato, Vegetable, Rolls & Butter, Iced Tea or Coffee, and Dessert.  The price of the lunch will be $5 per person including tax & tip.  Beer, wine, and mixed drinks will be available for an additional    charge.

 

          FRG President Paul Kaminsky will preside at the meeting following lunch.  A National Legislative up-date will be presented.  Information about the FRG Auxiliary and its programs will be provided.  FRG activities for the coming months will be discussed.  Representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs will be on hand to provide information about services and benefits for Blinded Veterans and their families. 

                  

          The restaurant has asked us to notify them as to the number who will be attending and the choice of lunch desired, by November 29.  Please make your reservations prior to that date by writing to Central West  District Director Bill Geden at: 622 East Foresthill Place, Hernando, FL 34442 or call Bill at (352) 341-6875.  In St. Petersburg, You may call Bay Pines VIST Coordinator Jody Teper at (727) 398-6661 ex 4516 or Tampa VIST Coordinator Charles Nieberding at:  (813) 631-7140 or James Bennett in Newport Richie at (727) 372-6022.  In Clearwater, call Ben Wells at:  (727) 536-1762. It is important for  you to make your reservations so that the restaurant may prepare for our meeting.   

 

          To get to the restaurant:  From Tampa, take State Road 60 across the Courtney Campbell Causeway, continue West to Ft. Harrison Avenue (US Highway 19 Alternate) go north several miles to Bill Irle's.  It is a red building on the west side of the street.  Free parking is available behind the building.  From the South, take I 275 across the Skyway Bridge to State Road 60, go west on SR 60 and continue as above.  From the North, take US 19 south to State Road 60, go west and continue as above.  Please mark Saturday, December 2 on your calendar and join us in Clearwater for an enjoyable afternoon.

 

     National Legislative Up-Date: In Joyce Thornton's Auxiliary President's Message, she reported on the White Cane Walk-A-Thon held in Ft. Myers to publicize the White Cane Law.  Just prior to its recess in October, the US Senate passed the Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCON) 71, the BVA White Cane Act of 2006.  It had previously been passed by the House of Representatives.  Although, as a Concurrent Resolution, it does not require the President's signature.  As a result of the Concurrent Resolutions, the President made a Proclamation emphasizing the importance of the White Cane Laws around the country.  Since all states have White Cane Laws, this measure requests each states to include information about the White Cane Laws in their drivers manuals and to add questions about the White Cane Laws on all driver's licensing exams in each state.  In this way, it is hoped that this will increase awareness on the part of the general public regarding the need to be vigilant when driving around individuals using a White Cane or Guide Dog.

                    

 

     The other measure upon which the BVA has been working in this session of Congress is the Blind  Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist (BROS) Act of 2006.  Some time ago, the Senate passed S 1182 which includes 35 new BROS positions over the next 3 years.  HR 3579, the BROS bill in the House of Representatives,  has been held up by House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Buyer's refusal to report it for a vote.  It is understood that S 1182 has been lumped together with about 27 other Veterans measures and is now being considered by a joint Senate and House Conference Committee.  The staff from the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees are working on this package of bills while Congress is on recess for the elections.  BVA Governmental Affairs Director Tom Zamparie has been in contact with William Cahill, Staff Director of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.  Bill Cahill says that Senator Craig is pressuring Representative Buyer to act favorably on this package of Veterans legislation.  Our BROS bill would fund 35 additional Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist positions over the next 3 years.  We were concerned that Chairman Buyer's refusal to bring it to a vote would end our prospects for this year.  Consequently, the BVA is still requesting Blinded Veterans around the country to urge their Representatives in the House to co-sponsor HR 3579.  Florida BV's should contact the local District Office of their US Representatives and request that they sign up as co-sponsors of HR 3579 the BROS bill in the House.  If you don't know the name and number of your US Representative you may obtain it by calling your local Elections Office.  The more pressure which we bring on Representative Buyer the better chance we will have to get our BROS Bill passed this year.  While Congress is still in recess, Tom Zamparie continues to work with the staff of the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees.  When Congress reconvenes after the elections, they will take up the various appropriation bills.  Hopefully, the package of Veterans legislation mentioned above will be included in the appropriation bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

 

     In Memoriam:  It is with sadness that we report the death of Mike Toomey our FRG Vice President.  Mike was born in Ogdensburg, New York in August 1931.  After graduating from Camden NY High School in 1949, Mike work 2 years.  Then, served two tours in the Air Force (1951-53 & 1957-1960) where he was assigned duty as a Russian language translator.  During the Korean War, he was stationed in Germany and Japan.  In 1956, he married Margaret Gaffney. Following the service, Mike earned Bachelor's and Master's Degrees.  Subsequently, he taught American and World History and Russian in the Parma, Ohio High School.  After 25 years there, he retired from the Public Schools and worked as a Counselor at the Southwest Christian school in Parma.  Following his second retirement in 1996, he and Peg moved to North Port, Florida.  In 2001, Mike lost his vision.  Then, he took training at the Mana-Sota Lighthouse and the West Palm Beach VA Blind Rehab Center.  Subsequently, he became a facilitator at the Mana-Sota Lighthouse and still later, taught clients of the Lighthouse on the adaptive devices for the computer.  Mike was active in the FRG serving as Southwest District Director and Vice President.         Mike died on September 5, 2006.  He is survived by his wife Peg, 6 children, and 15 grandchildren.  Mike was a wonderful person and deeply concerned about his fellow blinded Veterans.  We extend our deepest sympathy to Peg and their family.

 

     NFB Newsline Reminder:  Experience a free electronic text to speech National Network that delivers both national and local newspapers, using synthetic speech, over conventional local telephone lines.  Newsline now offers more than 230 national and local newspapers on your telephone, 7 days a week- 24 hours a day.  Twelve Florida newspapers, including 4 Spanish newspapers, are now available to all subscribers.  You will have access to today's , yesterdays, and the previous Sunday's issue of each newspaper on the system.  There are two ways to register for this service.    If you are registered with the Florida Talking Book (TB) Program, call your local Talking Book Librarian  or the main Talking Book Library  at (800) 226-6075.  Just tell the Librarian that you want to register for the NFB Newsline.  If you are not registered with the Talking Book Program and wish to become a TB user call the same number, tell the Librarian you are a Blinded Veteran, and request to be placed on the TB register.  In most cases, your VIST Coordinator can get you registered with the Talking Book Program.  If you are legally blind or print handicapped, you may also call the NFB at (800) 603-8578 for an application.  You will need a letter from a qualified professional attesting to your eligibility.

 

     New FRG Vice President:  As indicated above, Mike Toomey, FRG Vice President passed away in September.  According to the FRG By-Laws, a vacancy in Regional Officer positions, other than President, will be filled by a nomination by the Regional Group President and approved by the FRG Board of Directors.  FRG President Paul Kaminsky nominated James Gamberton to fill the vacant Vice President's position.  The Board of Directors approved that nomination and Jim was sworn in at the FRG meeting in Jacksonville on October 7.

 

     James Gamberton was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Pennsylvania.  After graduating from high school, he attended LaSalle College for a year.  Then, he entered the Navy where he served from 1962 to 1969.  Upon discharge, he used his GI Bill training benefits to attend Stanford University and graduated from the University of California in Berkley with a bachelor's degree in math.  In 1973, he moved to Florida where he spent almost 30 years in the restaurant management business.  Over the years, his vision deteriorated and he has been legally blind since 2002.  Since losing his vision, he developed his own web site www.blindplace.org, which provides information about veterans benefits and services for disabled individuals.  Jim and his wife live in Highsprings.  They have 2 children and one grandchild.  We welcome Jim to the BVA-FRG Board of Directors.  If you wish to contact  Jim, you may call (386) 454-2624 or write to James Gamberton, P.O. Box 48, Highsprings, Florida 32655.       

    

     Please join us at Bill Irle's Restaurant in Clearwater on Saturday December 2 for an interesting and enjoyable afternoon.  Get a group of your fellow Blinded Veterans together and bring them with you.  Remember to make your reservations before November 29 by calling those listed above.  If you make a reservation and can't come, please call and cancel your reservation so that the FRG will not have to pay for lunches not used.  We look forward to meeting you in Clearwater on Saturday, December 2.

 

Schedule of Events

December 2                     FRG meeting at Bill Irle's Restaurant in Clearwater

January 6                         FRG meeting at the Quality Inn in Ocala

February 3                     FRG meeting in Tampa

February 17                    FRG meeting in Orlando Area

March 3                          FRG Southeast District meeting

May 4-6                          FRG State Convention Plaza Ocean Club Hotel in Daytona Beach

August 13-19                  BVA National Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

Newsletter Staff

Paul Kaminsky                                 President

Joyce Thornton                                  FRG Auxiliary President

George Stocking                                   Editor