BLINDED VETERANS ASSOCIATION
Chartered by the United States Congress
FLORIDA REGIONAL GROUP
3801 Coco Grove Avenue
Miami, Florida 33133
FRG Newsletter - DECEMBER 2009
FRG
President's Message: "Seasons
Greetings" I hope that you all have a
wonderful Holiday Season. Beginning after the
first of the year, I will include in this President's Message, information about the total
number of paid up members in Florida. This
way I am hoping to establish a goal for all of us to attain. We have a very good start this year to reach our
long standing goal of 1500 paid up members. Let's
all of us make it happen, by signing up at least some of the over 1000 BV's, to whom we
are currently sending our FRG Newsletter, but are not presently members. We need to have the support of these BV's to have
a stronger voice in getting the services and benefits BV's need and deserve. The Southwest District of the FRG, just concluded
its 2009 Vision awareness Walk-A-Thon. This
Walk-A-Thon had participants from 6 organizations and agencies serving the blind. The proceeds from this Walk-A-Thon are shared
equally among the six groups. This year, even
though the economy is struggling, the Walk-A-Thon managed to realize more than $1300 for
each group. Now, the FRG Southwest District
has over $1300 toward the renting of a bus for our BV's to go to the FRG State Convention
in Daytona Beach April 30-May 2. The Vision
Awareness Program that we set up several years ago, now has its own IRS 501 C-3 non profit
status. It is hoped that in the future, the
proceeds from this event will be sufficient to fund the total expense for the bus rental
for the Southwest District trip to the FRG State Convention, each year.
From
time to time, I plan to review some new devices which might be of interest to BV's in
Florida. This month, I will describe the
Victor Stream Reader, which is available through your VIST Coordinator for qualified BV's. It is small in size and so easy to use! What is the Victor Stream Library Edition? It is a new package that includes a Victor Stream
Reader and a National Library Service (NLS) book cartridge holder, and SD card pack with
information and headphones. Will the standard
Stream still play NLS cartridges? Yes, the
"standard" will continued to be packaged with a short USD cable to attach to the
NLS cartridge to play or copy it to the Stream. This
is a convenient way to read NLS book cartridges any where or any time! Over the next few years, the NLS for the Blind and
Physically disabled will replace old cassette books by switching to digital cartridges. These cartridges are about the same size as a
single cassette but the entire book fits on only one cartridge. There is no need to manage multiple cassettes or
change sides any more. The digital books on
cartridges are high quality, professionally recorded audio without the hiss of cassette
tapes. NLS will provide free digital book
cartridge players over the coming years to all patrons.
The library edition is a new model of the popular pocket size Victor Stream Reader
from Human Ware and is capable of playing both download digital books and the new book
cartridges. If you do not have a computer for
downloading books, the Victor Stream Reader library edition can play the book cartridges
directly using its convenient book cartridge holder that attaches to the back of the
Stream Reader to hold the cartridge. Simply
insert a book cartridge into the holder and the book begins to play automatically. Your favorite NLS book in your pocket. These NLS digital books for the Stream Reader are
encrypted and you must apply to the NLS Braille and Audio Download (BARD) web site to get
an authorization file, that when loaded in the Stream Reader will provide the necessary
digital decryption key to play both the download books and book cartridges. This does not apply to the digital Talking Book
player and books distributed by the Talking Book Library.
To apply for BARD service and request the authorization to play the books on the
Stream Reader, visit the BARD web site at: https://nlsbard.loc.gov. You may also get information about the BARD
program from the Talking Book Library in Daytona Beach at: (800) 226-6075. For information about the BVA-FRG contact one of
the following FRG Board of Directors: President
Terry King (941) 505-7747 email tnking18@earthlink.net;
Vice President Bill Stockslager Punta gorda (941) 743-8364 email n9ws@embarqmail.com;
Secretary-Treasurer George Stocking (305) 446-8008 email gstocking@bellsouth.net; Northwest District Darryl Goldsmith - Pensacola (850)
554-7819, email dandv5@cox.net; Northeast District Bill Burgess -Palm Coast (386) 445-4987
email billstoy1@bellsouth.net; Central West District Gigi Mathis - Lakeland (863-255-9275
email gigig285@aol.com; Central East District Robert Earnshaw - Claremont (352) 253-3969
email earnshawr@gmail.com ; Southwest
District Don Werth Ft. Myers (239) 267-9494
email dwerth4@embarqmail.com;
Southeast District - Chuck Kays (407)873-7993 email chukkays@aol.com. Terry King, FRG President.
FRG Auxiliary President's
Message: This is the time for Holiday
wishes and the time to remind everyone that this is also a season for giving. No matter how things can seem unfixable, I always
say get upset over the things that you can change and accept the things you can't. Life is too short to ponder over the unfixables. All I want for Christmas is not my two front
teeth, but for each of our Auxiliary members to bring one person to join our FRG
Auxiliary. I would also like to write my
messages about the Auxiliary to be more interesting.
If anyone has a special event in their community, of which a veteran and spouse is
involved, please send the information to me for the Newsletter. For instant, do you have Support Groups or
socials? We are very active here in Southwest
Florida and our state is very large. Are you getting together with couples and going
out to a special Christmas party? We are. The BVA Support Group in Port Charlotte is having
a special Christmas luncheon. I know that Ft.
Myers will be doing the same. Acquaintances
make for friends. Friends means social
activities. Isn't that what most of us enjoy? Have a wonderful Holiday. For your husbands who are BV's, don't have him
drink and drive. You may reach me at 24243
Pirate Harbor Blvd., Punta Gorda, FL 33955 (941) 505-7747 email jdking09@earthlink.net Joanne King, FRG Auxiliary
President. (941) 505-7747 or email:
FRG Meeting Notice: The next meeting of the Florida Regional Group
will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at the Hilton Hotel 3600 S.W. 36 Avenue in
Ocala. Bruce Davis, VIST Coordinator at the
Gainesville VAMC, has assisted in making the arrangements for this meeting. The meeting will begin at 11:30 AM with a period
of socializing, followed by lunch at noon. For lunch, you may select between: London Broil with Sherry Mushroom Sauce and
Roasted Potatoes or Breast of Chicken & Herbal Champagne Cream Sauce with Rice Pilaf
and Garden Salad, Green Beans Almandine, Rolls & Butter, Iced Tea or Coffee and
Dessert. The price of the lunch will be $5
per person including tax & tip.
FRG
President Terry King will preside at the meeting following lunch. A National Legislative Up-Date will be presented. A discussion will be held regarding FRG activities
for the coming months. 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 FRG Auxiliary will also provide information about their activities and the 2
Scholarships they offer to the spouse or children of Florida Blinded Veterans.
The
hotel has asked us to notify them as to the number who will be attending and the choice of
lunch desired by January 13. Please make your
reservations prior to that date by writing to Bruce Davis, VIST Coordinator, VAMC, 1601
S.W. Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608, or
call Bruce at (800) 324-8387 ex. 5560. You
may also call Central East District Director
Robert Earnshaw at: (352) 243-3969, email earnshawr@gmail.com. You may also make your reservations by calling
Louise DiGennaro, VIST Coordinator at the Jacksonville VA Outpatient Clinic at: (904)
232-2751 ex 3015 or Judy Hayes, VIST Coordinator at the Lake City VAMC, at (386) 755-3016
ex. 2088. Although the cost of the meal to
you is only $5, each meal guaranteed will cost your Regional Group $15. So if you make a reservation and can't come please
call Bruce Davis before January 13 and cancel. In
that way we won't have to pay for meals not used.
To
get to the hotel, take I 75 North or South to exit 350.
Go East off of I 75 on State road 200 to the first traffic Light and turn right on
S.W. 36 Avenue. The Hilton hotel will be on
your right. Free parking is available at the
hotel. If you need directions call the
Hilton at (352)7 854-1400. Do not call the
hotel to make or cancel reservations, call one of those listed above.
National Legislative Up-Date: At the writing of this Newsletter, Congress is tie
up with health care legislation. The House has passed the Administrations bill and
sent it to the Senate. It will probably take
time for the Senate to pass any health care legislation.
In the meantime, Much of the work of Congress is not being accomplished. The Advanced Funding for the Veterans Health
Administration (VHA)passed both the House and Senate and was signed by the President. As a result an appropriation bill for the VHA for
Fiscal Year 2011 has been passed. Although
the VHA appropriation for FY 2010 has passed the House, it has not passed the Senate. There was a move to get the Senate to pass it so
that the President could sign it on Veterans Day. However
the Senate recessed before voting. It is
anticipated that the Senate will pass the FY 2010 VHA appropriation before you receive
this Newsletter. The three measures the BVA
has been pushing Congress to pass for Blinded Veterans have passed the House and has been
lumped into S 801 along with 12 other issues in the Senate.
Those provisions are: 1. The
elimination of co-payments for veterans above the income threshold who attend Blind Rehab
Centers and Spinal Cord Injury Rehab Centers; 2.
Increase the Home Improvement and Structural Alterations allowance (HISA) from $4100 to
$6800 for service connected veterans and from $1200 to $2000 for non service connected
veterans. This HISA Grant is available
through your VAMC and is for making alterations in your home in relation to your
disability to make it more compatible for independence in your home; 3. VHA scholarships for individuals to pursue
graduate training in Orientation and Mobility, Blind Rehab Teaching and Vision Rehab
Specialist. This measure would require
scholarship recipients to work at least 3 years as a Blind Rehab Specialist with the VHA. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee is
attempting to get S 801 brought to the Senate floor by the Unanimous Consent process. This would permit it to be voted upon without
discussion. Unfortunately Senator Coburn of
Oklahoma is holding it up. He is opposed to
one provision in the bill which he feels would cost to much and is not covered by other
reduction in expenditures. Senator Akaka,
Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee and the Senate Leadership are bringing pressure
on Senator Coburn to rescind his hold and permit S 801 to be voted upon. It is hoped that S 801 will be passed by the time
you receive this Newsletter.
Jacksonville
VAOPC BROS Position: In 2008, the BVA
secured authorization and funding from Congress for 35 additional Blind Rehabilitation
Outpatient Specialist (BROS) to be placed in areas around the US where large
concentrations of Blinded Veterans are located. Four
of those BROS positions were located in Florida. Three
of those positions, Ft. Myers, Miami, and Ft. Lauderdale,
have been filled. The fourth Bros
position was allocated to Jacksonville. Due
to a shortage of space, the filling of that position was delayed. We are most happy to report that the BROS position
in Jacksonville has finally been filled and the new BROS will be on board shortly. This brings to 10 the number of BROS positions in
Florida. We are fortunate to have more full
time VIST Coordinator and BROS positions than any other state. The BVA and FRG will continue to work to insure
that the services BV's in Florida need and deserve are maintained and when possible
extended. We need the support of all BV's to
continue this work. .
FRG
Auxiliary Scholarship: It is that time of
year again. No, not Christmas or Chanukah. It is Scholarship time! In January, letters will go out to all Florida
Blinded Veterans asking for applications for the Florida Regional Group Auxiliary
Scholarship Program. This year we will be
giving two $1000 Scholarships for the 2010-2011 academic year. We always get questions about grandchildren, but
our current guidelines do not include them. Children
and spouses of Florida Blinded Veterans are eligible to apply. College, trade, and vocational schools are
opportunities to apply for these scholarships. If
you have questions, contact Trudy Rothenberg (727) 823-4595 or email troodles@tampabay.rr.com. Trudy Rothenberg, FRG Auxiliary Scholarship
Program Chairperson.
Remember
to make your reservations for the January 16 FRG meeting in Ocala by calling Bruce Davis
or one of the others listed above before January 13.
Call some of your fellow Blinded Veterans and enjoy an informative and interesting
afternoon. Get a group of your fellow BV's
and join us in Ocala. We look forward to
meeting you at the Hilton in Ocala on Saturday, January 16.
FRG-BVA Meeting Schedule
January 16
FRG Meeting Hilton Hotel in Ocala
February 6
FRG meeting Sam Seltzer's Steakhouse in Tampa
February 27
Proposed FRG Southeast District Meeting
April 30- May 2
FRG State Convention Plaza
Ocean Club Hotel Daytona
August 24-29 BVA National Convention in Washington, D.C.